Van Gundy feels sorry for Isiah?

[Big C]

HOUSTON - When Jeff Van Gundy coached the Knicks, his office walls included framed back pages forecasting his imminent demise. "Back-Up the Moving Van" was one. Another had a picture of Van Gundy with a noose around his neck.
"It can be such a rewarding place to coach," Van Gundy says, "but it can be very difficult."

"I feel great empathy for him," Van Gundy said Saturday. "Some of things that have happened have been in his control but many have been out of his control. I know this; if they had competitors like himself as a player they'd be fine. Whether they have those players, I don't know. I think that is their biggest weakness; competitive spirit as a group. Last year, I would have said it was one of their greatest strengths. They had tremendous resiliency."

"I think they are inching back to better role definition," he said. "I thought they had some normalcy back, which is something they haven't had since the fifth game of the season. They knew the ball was going into (Eddy) Curry. I like (Stephon) Marbury back in the starting lineup. Nate Robinson has played well off the bench, and although David Lee has really dropped in his play, he's still a good role player. They can be very proud of their effort.

http://www.realknicks.com

[CDAZ]

As he should. He knows more then anyone what it's like coaching here. If Zeke has one thing over him it's the fact that he's sticking with it. JVG pulled Pat Riley and just quit on us.

[RatherUnique24]

JVG knew things were coming to end and team will start to suck. And you know what? he was right because after he left what have they accomplish? Exactly!, they have done nothing. Everyone is to blame: bad team management, bad front office, bad coach, bad players and I'm sure JVG is happy that he left when he did.

[CDAZ]

JVG knew things were coming to end and team will start to suck. And you know what? he was right because after he left what have they accomplish? Exactly!, they have done nothing. Everyone is to blame: bad team management, bad front office, bad coach, bad players and I'm sure JVG is happy that he left when he did.

Didn't JVG get the GM in NY fired when he was coaching?

[RatherUnique24]

-= original quote snipped =-



Didn't JVG get the GM in NY fired when he was coaching?

I don't know if thats true. Ill tell you, with all of bad seasons with Lenny Wilkins, Larry Brown, and IT, I don't remember much of the seasons with JVG. The extreme suck of the Knicks since 99' has sapped my brain and now I can't remember the decent times.

[DoubtingThomas]

JVG never had the power and control that Isiah has. He had a team president and gm that were working behind the scenes to get him fired when he took his team on a run to the finals. In the end he was coaching a team that had begun to have the trademark Scott Layden guys on it, over paid role players who were good character guys. Isiah has acquired all of his players, has hired and fired two hall of fame coaches, has created an atmosphere so unprofessional that he and the organization he works for were found guilty of sexual harrassment and fined 11.5 million dollars, Isiah has thrown his two signature acquisitions under the bus and with Marbury I think it was an attempt to save his own skin, Isiah has a pattern of mismanagement that destroys organizations and leagues. I can understand Van Gundy having empathy for a guy coaching in NY but I am a bit surprised. After what Isiah did to Don Chaney I would think JVG would hold back a little. JVG is a good guy and Isiah is a bad guy who is not competent in any of his roles. I might feel sorry for Isiah if he had the huge bags under his eyes and the always hoarse voice because he worked so hard to have his team prepared.

[vallen]

Well, JVG will have many Job oppurtunitys in this league still to come....Isiah will Not.....

[CDAZ]

JVG never had the power and control that Isiah has. He had a team president and gm that were working behind the scenes to get him fired when he took his team on a run to the finals. In the end he was coaching a team that had begun to have the trademark Scott Layden guys on it, over paid role players who were good character guys. Isiah has acquired all of his players, has hired and fired two hall of fame coaches, has created an atmosphere so unprofessional that he and the organization he works for were found guilty of sexual harrassment and fined 11.5 million dollars, Isiah has thrown his two signature acquisitions under the bus and with Marbury I think it was an attempt to save his own skin, Isiah has a pattern of mismanagement that destroys organizations and leagues. I can understand Van Gundy having empathy for a guy coaching in NY but I am a bit surprised. After what Isiah did to Don Chaney I would think JVG would hold back a little. JVG is a good guy and Isiah is a bad guy who is not competent in any of his roles. I might feel sorry for Isiah if he had the huge bags under his eyes and the always hoarse voice because he worked so hard to have his team prepared.

I remember Charles Oakley saying something to the effect of having a great deal of respect for Lenny up until he played for him in Toronto I think. Larry Brown is bi polar and everybody knows. Even Zeke is in the hall of fame. Point I'm trying to make is that we keep using HOF like it's a great thing. Lenny and Larry are way past their times. They haven't been able to adjust to the new NBA which to me seems to be the reason why either can't keep a job longer then 2 years now

[Da_Mane_Man]

HOUSTON - When Jeff Van Gundy coached the Knicks, his office walls included framed back pages forecasting his imminent demise. "Back-Up the Moving Van" was one. Another had a picture of Van Gundy with a noose around his neck.
"It can be such a rewarding place to coach," Van Gundy says, "but it can be very difficult."

"I feel great empathy for him," Van Gundy said Saturday. "Some of things that have happened have been in his control but many have been out of his control. I know this; if they had competitors like himself as a player they'd be fine. Whether they have those players, I don't know. I think that is their biggest weakness; competitive spirit as a group. Last year, I would have said it was one of their greatest strengths. They had tremendous resiliency."

"I think they are inching back to better role definition," he said. "I thought they had some normalcy back, which is something they haven't had since the fifth game of the season. They knew the ball was going into (Eddy) Curry. I like (Stephon) Marbury back in the starting lineup. Nate Robinson has played well off the bench, and although David Lee has really dropped in his play, he's still a good role player. They can be very proud of their effort.

http://www.realknicks.com

hmm, interesting. thats what some of us have been saying all along.