How does O'Brien keep his job for 2011

[Scoot McGroot]

Mark Jackson would not get a free pass on interviews based on the fact that we as a board have interest in his services. Larry Bird will do his job and interview the next coach thoroughly. Other than during those times and when, as a coach, he begins to coach games, nobody who is not interviewing him for a job will know his coaching style.

I think this is where the issue lies. I'm asking that we simply interview and vet the next coach. Others, like yourself, were claiming that Jackson should just automatically be the next coach. To me, that didn't sound like the concept of interviews and vetting the prospects ever came into play.

[kdawg531]

Mark Jackson would not get a free pass on interviews based on the fact that we as a board have interest in his services. Larry Bird will do his job and interview the next coach thoroughly. Other than during those times and when, as a coach, he begins to coach games, nobody who is not interviewing him for a job will know his coaching style.

I think this is where the issue lies. I'm asking that we simply interview and vet the next coach. Others, like yourself, were claiming that Jackson should just automatically be the next coach. To me, that didn't sound like the concept of interviews and vetting the prospects ever came into play.

Is it just me, or is it safe to assume that, like for any job, there will be interviews and research done by the hiring company on their potential employee? I know I didn't include that in my original post, but let's use our head.

And where in the world did I or anyone else claim that "Mark Jackson should just automatically be the next coach"? Find that quote and put it on here and I will never post on here again.

[Indy2thaWindy]

Troy Jackson could be just as good of a coach as Mark Jackson. If you don't know who that is, then where have you been?

[chube]

I think that was more JOB's call to let Conner go. Because he undermined him during Conner's one game as coach.

[Miller4ever]

By winning it.

[Indy2thaWindy]

By winning it.

but did your hear what Connor said? I think him and O'Brien didn't like eachother or he wouldn't have said that about O'Brien in the media.

[chube]

I thought Lester Conner's comments were great!

And look what happened! They blew out Toronto (who was I think still a 5th seed at the time) and dropped 130 on them.

[laydo]

I wonder why there's no one mentioned Jeff Van Gundy. JVG used to coached good system with defense and half court offense. That will help the Pacers since we've have our 3 core players: Granger, Hibbert, and Collison.

[Gremz]

We should go and get that guy who done really good with them OKC peeps and whatnots.

[Wizop]

are we still knocking BRush for Bayless? hard to see why. Bayless wasn't good enough to stick with Portland and Ike hasn't stuck anywhere. Rush and McRoberts are both in our rotation and Jack would be if Toronto hadn't paid him more than we could match ... to their regret. only draft day expectations made this a questionable move. it looks like a great trade today.

[Scoot McGroot]

It's time for Bird to coach this team or he should be gone as well.

Why? Why should the GM have to coach the teams? GM's put together a roster and coaches coach. That's the way it's always been, and only recently have reached this era where the GM has to "come down to the court to deal with their mess".

This mess isn't a roster issue. I think we all agree that we've got some nice pieces now, for the first time in a while. We've got a franchise type PG in Collison, some young pieces at the swing spot in Rush and George, while still having a great young SF in Granger. Then, we've got Roy Hibbert at the 5, and some nice young rotation type PF's in Hansbrough and McRoberts. Isn't the issue production and coaching? Why does Bird inherit "those" problems?

I'm not saying the Bird is immune, but ultimately, this roster isn't half bad. It's not tremendous, but it's got some talent, with some room to grow.

Well for one, he has coached in the past so its not a completely insane proposition.

And, he's stated that he'll never coach again.

Secondly, since we went down hill, there has been 1 constant, Bird. He built/destroyed/plastered this team. It's his "3 year plan" where years 1, 2 , and 3 all share striking resemblances. Look at all of the failed moves during his tenure (Harrington, GS trade, Solo, BRush for Bayless, Shawne, etc.)It's his fault this team has lacked any sort of direction for those past 3 years and no, we still do not have a real plan. We're getting better only because it would be almost impossiblefor us to be any worse. Half of our team wont be back next year most likely, and only 3 guys are guaranteed to be here long term. He isnt inheriting "bad production and coaching", he brought in those players who arent producing and the coach who cant coach. Our coach is awful and ontop of that, we have no idea what kind of coach we'd want/what system would be feasible with this team.

I'm sorry, but I think you're melding together a lot of the last of Walsh with Bird. Yeah, Bird was claimed to be GM, but it became very obvious at the end of the Walsh run here in Indy that it was he in charge all the time. He came out and stated that he ran the Artest trade derby, as well as pulled the GS deal. Harrington was a Walsh deal. Solo? What was the issue there? He signed a cheap contract. Bayless has already been dealt because he doesn't appear to be a major player in the league, and Rush is looking to be his equal, if not his superior (if he can just stay clean).

I don't think it's that the players aren't producing. It's that the players are young. 3 or 4 of our starters are in their first 4 years in the league in Collison, McRoberts (or Hansbrough) and Hibbert. Paul George and Brandon Rush are minutes earners off the bench. What more can you expect?

But yeah, Obie is bad, but he's been a stop-gap, and I feel he was brought in to be that this whole time. Until now, there was not only no hope, but there was negative hope. We simply weren't going to get any worthwhile coach when Obie was hired. No one really wanted to interview with us, and no one really wanted the job. He was available, he was interested, he was cheap, and he was known to be fire-able when need be. Now, we'll see if he gets fired/released when need be, which is by the end of the year or sooner.

Bird can join JOB unless he wants to actually coach this mess and prove that this plan is/was working. He doesnt HAVE to, but he should be canned if things keep going the way they are going. Making the playoffs in the eASt this year would be a the lack of more than 6 capable teams instead of us being a bona fide playoff team. At least when we finish 9th we have a CHANCE in the lottery.

Why should he have to coach? He doesn't want to coach. You want to force a guy who doesn't want to coach to coach? I can tell you that will end horribly. However, he's cleared a horrid salary cap (or rather, will, this offseason) and he actually acquired young talent to build around in Hibbert and Collison, and possibly Hansbrough and George (which remains to be seen). I mean, with what he inherited, what more could we have expected?

[Scoot McGroot]

Mark Jackson would not get a free pass on interviews based on the fact that we as a board have interest in his services. Larry Bird will do his job and interview the next coach thoroughly. Other than during those times and when, as a coach, he begins to coach games, nobody who is not interviewing him for a job will know his coaching style.

I think this is where the issue lies. I'm asking that we simply interview and vet the next coach. Others, like yourself, were claiming that Jackson should just automatically be the next coach. To me, that didn't sound like the concept of interviews and vetting the prospects ever came into play.

Is it just me, or is it safe to assume that, like for any job, there will be interviews and research done by the hiring company on their potential employee? I know I didn't include that in my original post, but let's use our head.

And where in the world did I or anyone else claim that "Mark Jackson should just automatically be the next coach"? Find that quote and put it on here and I will never post on here again.

That's the problem....I don't want you to never post here again. I like you. I like posters that throw thoughts out there and are willing to back them up, and we need more of them here at RealGM.


These types of discussions used to happen ALL THE TIME here, and we were all better off for it. Hell, I had these with Don (pacerfan), the legendary former mod who BUILT this forum with his own 2 hands quite often, and they ended positively.

[Scoot McGroot]

I wonder why there's no one mentioned Jeff Van Gundy. JVG used to coached good system with defense and half court offense. That will help the Pacers since we've have our 3 core players: Granger, Hibbert, and Collison.

I think it's just an assumption that since he's turned down better jobs than us before, that he's likely to turn us down as well.


I will say this, all the posters here have been very realistic, which is very rare for sports forums.

[Miller4ever]

Well, I wanted Yoda to coach this team, but I'll settle for Gandalf.

[Gremz]

Well, I wanted Yoda to coach this team, but I'll settle for Gandalf.

Geek.