Stein: Frank Vogel 'coaching for his job'

Post #1 » by **Grang33r** » Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:28 pm

One playoff win has not eased the mounting pressure on Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel.

Sources close to the situation told ESPN.com that Vogel, despite a 56-win season that secured the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, is "coaching for his job" in the wake of a prolonged slide that has stretched into its third month.

Following Indiana's 101-85 triumph over Atlanta in Game 2 of the teams' first-round playoff series, sources told ESPN.com that coming back to win the series against the Hawks would not automatically ensure Vogel's safety. After a 40-11 start, the Pacers went just 16-15 the rest of the way before a humbling loss in the series opener to the eighth-seeded Hawks.

The decision on whether to retain Vogel at season's end ultimately rests with Pacers president Larry Bird, sources said, but frustration throughout the organization has been mounting thanks to a nosedive that began in February with a loss in Orlando just before the All-Star break and has shown few signs of abating.

Expectations were raised not only externally but internally after in-season moves Bird made to acquire Evan Turner from Philadelphia and add Andrew Bynum for bench depth on top of last summer's additions of Luis Scola and C.J. Watson. All of Bird's moves, sources said, were made with the intent to get the team at least one step further and back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000, when Bird was the coach.

Article- http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2014/st ... aching-job

Crazy. Although, based on this article, it's hard to imagine the Pacers bringing back Stephenson too. If these guys sources are correct, it seems like Lance is the cause of many of these problems.

Post #2 » by **Jake0890** » Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:57 pm

Not surprising, really. The team bombed late in the season, and a big reason was Vogel's stubbornness. If he makes it to the ECF, he keeps his job. If not, I would bet Nate McMillan takes over.

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8305 · Post #3 » by **8305** » Wed Apr 23, 2014 5:08 pm

Its harder for me to believe that Vogel is coaching for his job than Stephenson might not be back. Larry has to remember the way Rick Carlisle had to codle Jermaine O'Neal and Ron Artest. As much as the brawl, I think the strained relationship of the two stars is what brought the franchise down a decade ago. And, its not that hard to imagine a similar situation with Lance as he continues to focus attaining all star status. I could see where trying to fit the personality of Lance Stephenson into any locker room could be a challenge.

My question for Frank is his ability to utilize a bench. How did we go all last season and never try a three guard rotation that included DJ Augustine? He is doing in Chicago exactly what most of us expected him to do here. How do you go the entire season without even looking at Miles Plumlee? Its not like Hansbrough, Mahamni and Pendergraf were killing it and Plumlee can clearly play. I'll give him a pass on Gerald Green. The guys scouting him should have known he wouldn't fit into our system.

Post #4 » by **Grang33r** » Wed Apr 23, 2014 5:11 pm

Jake0890 wrote:Not surprising, really. The team bombed late in the season, and a big reason was Vogel's stubbornness. If he makes it to the ECF, he keeps his job. If not, I would bet Nate McMillan takes over.

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What i find is kind of funny is, Bob Kravitz pretty much said it several weeks ago in a column in the Indianapolis Star. He was knocked for being "negative" and pouring gasoline into the fire. Looks like he was right.

While i don't agree with firing Vogel, i also don't think a his replacement would be in-house. I think they'd fire everyone and start fresh. Maybe even go out and get a John Caliperi or something?

Post #5 » by **Jake0890** » Wed Apr 23, 2014 6:56 pm

Grang33r wrote:
Jake0890 wrote:Not surprising, really. The team bombed late in the season, and a big reason was Vogel's stubbornness. If he makes it to the ECF, he keeps his job. If not, I would bet Nate McMillan takes over.

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What i find is kind of funny is, Bob Kravitz pretty much said it several weeks ago in a column in the Indianapolis Star. He was knocked for being "negative" and pouring gasoline into the fire. Looks like he was right.

While i don't agree with firing Vogel, i also don't think a his replacement would be in-house. I think they'd fire everyone and start fresh. Maybe even go out and get a John Caliperi or something?

Calipari has said in the past he wants to be a college coach because he likes that game better. I definitely think its McMillan if Vogel gets canned. He's a past head coach and firing him after 1 season makes no sense. He would do a pretty good job imo.

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8305 · Post #6 » by **8305** » Wed Apr 23, 2014 8:52 pm

Even if Nate McMillan wasn't on the current staff he'd be a top candidate.

GrandBasterd · Post #7 » by **GrandBasterd** » Wed Apr 23, 2014 9:52 pm

Unless we win the east, I'm all for firing Vogel. Watching our offense all year has been pretty brutal. I want to enjoy good basketball and watch the ball whip around, and we don't get that under him. For the amount of talent we have, our offense is near last in the league. For these new school, young coaches, It's surprising how unadaptable he's been. Like the rest all starters thing was the last ditch desperation three. And his adjustments from game one to game two, while good, was desperation again. Those switches should have been practiced before 1 day before a playoff game. That lineup with cj and hill should have gotten more minutes in the season. Think of how much more prepared we would be if we didn't ride the starters butts off and mixed around some line ups to see what worked well.
Also.
Worst bench in the league no matter who we put on it.
Doesn't even try Copeland out, in two months of struggles.

I think he an average coach, who has lots of room to improve, and I think he will, but if that job is open, we can get anyone we would want, it's a premiere job right now.

EuroPacer · Post #8 » by **EuroPacer** » Thu Apr 24, 2014 8:17 am

Vogel has done an amazing job for us, after J.oB we actually looked like a team with purpose and intent. Focussing on defense first suits the team and Vogel did a good job making that the culture and identity of the team.

What he didn't do, ever, is get the offense right. Last season we had a dreadful start and he 'fixed' it by not calling any plays for the guys and just letting them play. It seems he has never managed to get past that though. When the team is under pressure it doesn't fall back on tried and tested offensive plays, there is a lack of dynamic offense that has frustrated me all year.

Mentally we have also looked vulnerable most of the year, I know we had a great start, but even then we had first quarters that were just ridiculously poor and for the grace of PG we managed to turn most games around in Q3, but that isn't how a game should develop time and time and time again. That is the exact deficiency that roared its head in the latter part of the season.

I think Vogel was the right man at the right time but I think times have moved on and he is struggling now. We need someone who is going to have authority in the dressing room. That is also why I'd be against McMillan getting the job, he is already in the dressing room.

Post #9 » by **Jake0890** » Thu Apr 24, 2014 9:28 pm

Larry Bird just came out and said Vogel's job is safe. Could just be a PR move... Or maybe it is safe.

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Post #10 » by **Miller4ever** » Fri Apr 25, 2014 12:44 am

The report is stupid.

Post #11 » by **Grang33r** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 2:33 am

Jake0890 wrote:Larry Bird just came out and said Vogel's job is safe. Could just be a PR move... Or maybe it is safe.

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Not saying the report isn't stupid or false, but i put zero credence into Bird saying that Vogel is "safe". What else was he going to say? Throw his coach under the bus right in front of the media, in the middle of the first round? Bird knows better.

Post #12 » by **Grang33r** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 3:28 am

Btw, did anybody else hear this: On Mike and Mike last week, they were discussing the "report" and both guys said they think Vogel deserves to stay but Mike Greenberg said if Vogel does get fired, don't sleep on Tom Izzo jumping ship and coming to the Pacers? I didn't hear it myself, i was told about it from a friend who also follows basketball very closely.

Interesting though.