Wow. Sixth coach in the NBA fired at about a quarter of the way through the season. Reggie Theus was fired today by the Sacramento Kings. I know the media said he was on the hot seat and, as I just learned, that he was not getting along with the management, but I personally do not like the decision. Theus was only in Sac-Town for one and a quater seasons. That's not enough time to get things going. He went 38-44 in his first season; that record alone was higher than most expected. He did a good job with the team last year, and after losing both Bibby and Artest to start this season, I'd say he was doing a decent job. The Kings' team is young. Bobby Jackson (35), Brad Miller (32), and Kenny Thomas (31) are the only three players on the team older than 30. The next oldest is Francisco Garcia and Beno Udrih (both 26). This is a young team. Really young. Theus was doing the best with what he had. He was trying to develop the young talent. He was told to play the young players. You can't expect a team this young to be able to compete for a spot in the playoffs IN THE WEST while they are in rebuilding mode! That's just assinine.
It's beginning to get rediculous how ownership and management quickly decide to fire a coach after a bad start. I'm not saying all firings are not warranted; sometimes sticking with a coach through thick and thin is the better option. Doc Rivers experienced several down seasons in Boston before the Celtics got him some veteran players. Jeff Fischer, the current Tennessee Titans head coach, has been with the team 15 years. The team has not always been good, but they understood stability was key if the organization wanted to compete. And one can not forget Jerry Sloan. He has been the coach of the Utah Jazz for 20 seasons now. The organization has created stability with having him as coach. Why? Because he commands respect. He knows what he is talking about. Players understand this. The coaching staff understands this. Management understands this. Fans understand this. But why doesn't anybody else outside of Salt Lake City, Utah, Nashville, TN, and (thought he's been there a relatively short time in comparison) Boston, MA seem to grasp this concept? These examples demonstrate what stability can do for an organization; sure there will be growing pains, and there is no doubt each of these organizations have experienced those lows, but each franchise stuck with its coach and are now reaping the benefits. These organizations are competing at a very high level; and they are winning. Who knows. Maybe if a coach is given more than a season and a quarter of another season to do his job, he may actually be successful. It's just a hunch though.
No comments:
Post a Comment