OT: Walsh press conference
Posted: Wed Apr 2, 2008 7:37 pm
I turned on the tv and found this press conference in progress, and heard a couple comments that might be interesting to Bucks fans, as they relate to his decision making on which job to accept. The first couple questions are heavily paraphrased since I transcribed them a couple minutes after hearing them.
Q: Would you have taken the job without autonomy?
A: In Indiana I had to argue with the owners over trades, but I think that's a healthy thing. The main thing I need to know is that I answer only to the owner, and not to someone in marketing or whatever.
Q: Why are you considering keeping Isiah?
A: Because I think it's the proper thing to do, to sit down and evaluate everything before making rash decisions.
Q: What would have made you not take this job?
A: If I didn't think I had the opportunity to succeed. Autonomy is some of that. If I had found Dolan to be different than what I had been told.
Q: Was widely reported that Larry Bird was behind the decision to fire Isiah. What was your involvement?
A: Well I was president of the franchise, and it wouldn't have happened if I didn't ok it. It was something that I thought should have been his [Bird's] call.
Q: Are you going to be here full-time?
A: Well I'm not going to commute. There's been a lot about my wife not coming up here, but she's coming up.
Q: Do you have any thoughts about what's transpired with Marbury, and do you think he could be the franchise's future?
A: I'd like to sit down with him at some point. When you have a guy like Marbury and he goes out, that's a major league problem for the franchise. I don't know enough about this thing that happened early in the season, and I'd like to learn more about it because he's a good player.
Q: What do you think of the Knicks talent? Who jumps out?
A: When you're on a bad team, nobody looks good. I want to know more about Curry; I like Crawford; I don't know where Marbury is, and he's a key player; I like some parts of Jefferies and Balkman and what they do; Nate Robinson is an energetic guy who can change the tempo of the game; it's not so much the players themselves but the mix of players... The draft is one way to get more talent.
Q: What about Zach Randolph?
A: Zach's a scorer and there's a place for that. Can it work? Curry can score and so can Zach.
Q: (Something about Isiah - I missed it)
A: Isiah has a great basketball mind. In Indiana he came up with ways of playing that I hadn't seen. I thought that he would continue and have a chance to be an excellent coach. You can't tell by watching television what's going on. That's why I need to sit down and find out.
Q: You've talked about the mix of players not being the best - when you look at the salaries this looks like a monster job - how quickly could you turn this around?
A: Things aren't as bad as they were three years ago. I can't answer that question except to get on the phone and do it; see what interest there is in your players.
Q: If you determined that the fan base would be in an uproar over a decision to retain Isiah, would that have an impact on your decision?
A: No.
Q: Did Stern have anything to do with this [accepting the job]?
A: No.
Q: When you talk to Isiah, what kinds of things would you want to hear to allow him to stay?
A: Does he feel like there's a plan he put in place that is still in place? What is his place?
Q: What is the first thing you do on the job?
A: Go and look at the practice site.
Q: Would you have taken the job without autonomy?
A: In Indiana I had to argue with the owners over trades, but I think that's a healthy thing. The main thing I need to know is that I answer only to the owner, and not to someone in marketing or whatever.
Q: Why are you considering keeping Isiah?
A: Because I think it's the proper thing to do, to sit down and evaluate everything before making rash decisions.
Q: What would have made you not take this job?
A: If I didn't think I had the opportunity to succeed. Autonomy is some of that. If I had found Dolan to be different than what I had been told.
Q: Was widely reported that Larry Bird was behind the decision to fire Isiah. What was your involvement?
A: Well I was president of the franchise, and it wouldn't have happened if I didn't ok it. It was something that I thought should have been his [Bird's] call.
Q: Are you going to be here full-time?
A: Well I'm not going to commute. There's been a lot about my wife not coming up here, but she's coming up.
Q: Do you have any thoughts about what's transpired with Marbury, and do you think he could be the franchise's future?
A: I'd like to sit down with him at some point. When you have a guy like Marbury and he goes out, that's a major league problem for the franchise. I don't know enough about this thing that happened early in the season, and I'd like to learn more about it because he's a good player.
Q: What do you think of the Knicks talent? Who jumps out?
A: When you're on a bad team, nobody looks good. I want to know more about Curry; I like Crawford; I don't know where Marbury is, and he's a key player; I like some parts of Jefferies and Balkman and what they do; Nate Robinson is an energetic guy who can change the tempo of the game; it's not so much the players themselves but the mix of players... The draft is one way to get more talent.
Q: What about Zach Randolph?
A: Zach's a scorer and there's a place for that. Can it work? Curry can score and so can Zach.
Q: (Something about Isiah - I missed it)
A: Isiah has a great basketball mind. In Indiana he came up with ways of playing that I hadn't seen. I thought that he would continue and have a chance to be an excellent coach. You can't tell by watching television what's going on. That's why I need to sit down and find out.
Q: You've talked about the mix of players not being the best - when you look at the salaries this looks like a monster job - how quickly could you turn this around?
A: Things aren't as bad as they were three years ago. I can't answer that question except to get on the phone and do it; see what interest there is in your players.
Q: If you determined that the fan base would be in an uproar over a decision to retain Isiah, would that have an impact on your decision?
A: No.
Q: Did Stern have anything to do with this [accepting the job]?
A: No.
Q: When you talk to Isiah, what kinds of things would you want to hear to allow him to stay?
A: Does he feel like there's a plan he put in place that is still in place? What is his place?
Q: What is the first thing you do on the job?
A: Go and look at the practice site.