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I haven't seen anybody post his comments in regards to our team after we fired Obie.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orlando-magic/os-orlando-magic-news-0201-20110131,0,1339273.story
Small excerpt:

What was surprising was that Van Gundy, apropos of nothing, opined about the Pacers' move after his postgame press conference ended Sunday night.

"What'd you guys think of Jim O'Brien getting fired?" Van Gundy asked reporters. "Do you guys look at that team in Indiana and say, 'Wow, they have great talent? They should be winning a lot more games?' No? Me either. I was just checking.

Keep in mind, he offered his opinion.

If Stan is man enough to address the internal issues of another club, than I want to know why he took it like a punk when Riley deboed him.

I hope we face them in the playoffs, even though we'd probably lose, we could extract vital energy from them. "Hack-a-Howard" is the best strategy, surrender no easy baskets to him, and beat the endurance out of him in the process.

He must have a thing for JOB. He's a CLOWN.

Wasn't SVG one of the first non-Pacer people to say that we were a playoff team after we played them the first time? Not that teams who finish 7th or 8th are always "good" teams record-wise, but still.

Truthfully, he's JOB jr.

Just watch the Magic play, but at least they make an effort to go down low to Howard.

Even in Seattle, there are days when it doesn't rain. That's why Orlando will never make the jump from playoff contender to champion.

Most likely.

don't forget the SVG turned down the job before Obie took it. he was just patting himself on the back and saying no coach could win with that talent and I was right to pass. we'll see.

Another reason why I have Stan Van Gundy in my top 5 favorite coaches

Are you trying to start **** on purpose? Cause that's called baiting and it's against the rules.

Miller4ever wrote:Are you trying to start **** on purpose? Cause that's called baiting and it's against the rules.

I'm sayin'...

Starkiller wrote:

Miller4ever wrote:Are you trying to start **** on purpose? Cause that's called baiting and it's against the rules.

I'm sayin'...

Do you mean that I am starting **** on purpose? Call it what you want, but this topic certainly applies to the Pacers. Stan Van Gundy's comments are what you call "baiting."

Just remember this for when the Pacers and Magic square off next. When you notice the environment a little more hostile than normal, you'll know the root cause.

Boneman2 wrote:

Starkiller wrote:

Miller4ever wrote:Are you trying to start **** on purpose? Cause that's called baiting and it's against the rules.

I'm sayin'...

Do you mean that I am starting **** on purpose? Call it what you want, but this topic certainly applies to the Pacers. Stan Van Gundy's comments are what you call "baiting."

Just remember this for when the Pacers and Magic square off next. When you notice the environment a little more hostile than normal, you'll know the root cause.

I think they was talkin about this.

JarrettJackSG wrote:Another reason why I have Stan Van Gundy in my top 5 favorite coaches

I wasn't talking to you, Boneman, I was talking to JJSG. Sorry for the confusion. I personally think that Stan Van Gundy is just unfamiliar with this team's personnel.

^^^ Oh I didn't see JJ's #1 fan had posted. Since I didn't see his post I thought you thought I was baiting because maybe I felt like I was baiting.

Peace to my Pacer brethren.

Van Gundy has always reminded me of that guy who sleeps in a van under the bridge.

I've always thought he looked just like this dude.

I never really understood the hype behind Stan Van Gundy? I don't think he's that good of a coach. Anybody with Dwight Howard on their team and play in a weak east better be getting tons of wins. And it's not like Howard is the only player on his roster that is talented, they have one of the most stacked teams in Orlando during his tenure there and he gets out coached each year in the playoffs.

He never figured out a way to play Howard with Marcin Gortat and get the ball inside, he was too stubborn to keep playing for the 3's. He wins and loses with the threes.

?

Pop
O'Brien
S.Van Gundy
Sloan

Four people who I admire who aren't afraid to say their mind, get on players for playing like crap, and play to a specific system and stick to that system. He's saying whats on his mind- that the Pacers really really aren't that good.

O'Brien: Space the court, protect the paint.
S.Van Gundy: Tough defense, 4 out 1 in
Sloan: Pick and Roll, and Sloan's way or the high way
Pop: Offensive system that's very hard to master

Rounding up my top five is Thibs.

Obie was not a good fit for this team anymore. All of the sudden the Pacers win seven out of their last eight, and you think Obie wasn't the problem. That's what happens when you quit force-feeding Dunleavy 34 mpg, or when you start relying on your 7 footer and point guard.

This team is playing inspired ball rarely exhibited under Obie's guidance, with exception to three worthless late season surges. Obie sucks because he demands his PF's shoot nothing but threes, he ruined Antoine Walker that way.

^^^ Exactly. Jim O'Brien may know basketball in the literal sense, but didn't know this basketball team and his players. Otherwise, he would not have forced point guards like T.J. Ford and Darren Collison into a system that didn't work for them, he would've known what guys like Paul George and Tyler Hansbrough have to offer despite not playing them at all, and he would've known which buttons to push and which buttons not to push with certain players (most notably the temporary downward spirals of Roy Hibbert and Paul George.)

And it's obvious. Look at what Frank Vogel is doing this year and look at what Lester Conner did in his one game as head coach last year when they dropped 130 on a Toronto team that at the time was a mid-seed playoff team in the East. They took "not much" from JOB's coaching style (a direct quote from Lester Conner) and it has paid dividends.

There are two things I thank Jim O'Brien for:

1) He took a job that nobody wanted to touch back in 2006.
2) He hired Frank Vogel (who may not necessarily be the coach for years to come, but at least he's looking like he has what it takes for the players to believe in salvaging this season.)