Sam Mitchell Fired

[Fairview4Life]

It's the players that play the game.

So coaching jobs are just make work projects?

[Dogbert]

It's the players that play the game.

So coaching jobs are just make work projects?

Well you know my opinion. If it were up to me, I'd just program a computer to tell the players what plays they should run in certain situations. I think that a player's talent level and desire to win outweigh any other factor, especially coaching.

[Dogbert]

Some of it goes to the coach too. If Sam draws up a final shot play for TJ to dribble for 23 seconds and then jack up a fade-away 30 footer with 4 defenders on him, there's not much Bosh can do about that. I think Bosh has improved his late game play this year, in some games anyway. It's a start. Give him a chance under a new coach, before we write off the season, or Bosh.

I give him another chance every time he plays agaisnt an elite team. Even though I don't expect anything, I still carry some kind of hope that he might one day become a mentally stronger player.

[Sugarless]

I'm all for Triano telling the team to run the break and keep a faster pace that we've had so far. But that means nothing if you don't teach them how to play team defense, rebound and, yes, RUN.

Let's be honest, one of my main concerns with Mitchell has always been his inability to give this team the tools to succeed on defense. You've got to teach the guys. Teach them how to rotate and improve our help defense (which for the last two years has been as crappy as it gets), how to use different zones, how to read the play and get in position to secure the rebound (we're getting killed on the boards once again), teach them how player X and Y have to go for the rebound and be the starting point of the break themselves while W and Z get ready to run the court *on the wings* as soon as the ball bounces off the rim, or that a 'trailer' is not just a small house with wheels, but also a key element of a well run fast-break.

This team is full of holes. We don't have good one-on-one defenders outside of JO, so team defense is a MUST (it should be on any squad, regardless). We need to realize that we can't win games at the clip we need if we get killed on the glass night in and night out. And we certainly don't know how to efficiently run up the court on the break (I loved the kids' soccer game comparison).

Triano's gonna have his hands full for the next months. But we have a chance to make it if he can figure out how to teach the guys all those things. With Sam, we just knew there was no way to get that, no matter how much longer he coached the Raps.

[J-Roc]

I'll be honest. Triano's interview with Devlin did not leave me feeling confident. He looks scared of what's ahead of him. He won't even have time to develop a gameplan.

[Mascot]

I'll be honest. Triano's interview with Devlin did not leave me feeling confident. He looks scared of what's ahead of him. He won't even have time to develop a gameplan.

wouldnt u be scared if the first 7 games of your NBA coaching career were going ot be losses?

[reck0n3r]

No more 2 fouls and you're out for the first half rule! I look forward to this.

We were dead last in fouls committed for this season, I believe. How can you play defense as a player knowing that you're going to be out of the game? Bad, bad rule smitchy. I think we'll see bosh's defense pick up (amongst others), instead of him always conceding the basket.

I'm still a little worried about the coaching staff essentially remaining the same, but if bryan feels confident with triano being the interim going forward, I'll sit tight and see how it plays out.

[reck0n3r]

Some of it goes to the coach too. If Sam draws up a final shot play for TJ to dribble for 23 seconds and then jack up a fade-away 30 footer with 4 defenders on him, there's not much Bosh can do about that. I think Bosh has improved his late game play this year, in some games anyway. It's a start. Give him a chance under a new coach, before we write off the season, or Bosh.

I give him another chance every time he plays agaisnt an elite team. Even though I don't expect anything, I still carry some kind of hope that he might one day become a mentally stronger player.

I think our next coach is going to have to instill that in him. For whatever reason it seems like mitchell may not have turned him into a man yet..hard to say if mitchell or CB is to blame, but I have noticed cb slowly coming out of his shell. Very slowly. But there is progress.

He'll realize it on his own I hope, he's an intelligent enough dude.

Someone should force him to watch the movie 300 everyday, because something tells me he hasnt seen it.

[CrookedJ]

No more 2 fouls and you're out for the first half rule! I look forward to this.

We were dead last in fouls committed for this season, I believe. How can you play defense as a player knowing that you're going to be out of the game? Bad, bad rule smitchy. I think we'll see bosh's defense pick up (amongst others), instead of him always conceding the basket.

I'm still a little worried about the coaching staff essentially remaining the same, but if bryan feels confident with triano being the interim going forward, I'll sit tight and see how it plays out.

Well, fouling out is severely punishable by the NBA, and thats why Sam made sure that it never ever happened. Two is enough, we'd hate for the foul situation to dictate our game plan

[J Dilla]

So I guess from the quotes of the players, they didn't like the firing. Premature and illogical firing by Colangelo, that's for sure.

[Tom Baker]

Anyone hear Bosh's comments after practice today? just sounded really clueless. Says he didn't feel his team was underachieving up to this point. Sounded like a real douche

I've been getting some of those vibes from him for a while now. I hate to say it, but I won't be surprised if Colangelo ends up moving him. Either that or he walks in 2010.

They'd be better off trading him before 2010. He's definitely leaving, and it's not like the Raptors are going anywhere with him as a #1 anyway.

Actually, I sometimes wonder about this. He's not the elite level player who's going to carry us to a championship. He's not Duncan. He's not even KG. He's reaching superstar status this year, but has anyone ever jumped to elite level this late in their career before? I mean Kobe, LeBron, Duncan elite.

The only thing wrong with the idea is that you won't get value for Bosh, so we might just be better off taking the risk that he walks and using the cap space straight up. Play to win and hope he stays.

[charade]

It's funny how Toronto is so insecure that people are collectively turning on Bosh for simply being a free agent two years from now.

"He's leaving and you know what, I never liked him!"

It's so childish.

F*ck, I would hate to play here. What a poison environment.

[Tom Baker]

@2:50 mark of the Chris Bosh interview posted in the now locked player comments topic.

The only change that was needed was that we needed to play harder and execute better, and come with a better mentality in each and every game.

Reporter: Can that stuff be coached?

No you can't coach that.

Game, Set, Match

That's one hell of a Q&A....looks like Bosh would side with the few realists on this board.

JO said pretty much the same thing the night of the debacle. It's the players that play the game.

I swear you guys talk as if the coach has absolutely no bearing on the outcome of the game or the season. Why even have a coach now?

Go look on the General Board. There's a discussion about how the Suns have slipped out of the playoffs (for now), and they're putting the blame directly on Porter, who is a bad coach. Porter's not getting enough out of the talent on the team. Sound familiar?

And if the team doesn't do better with Triano, that doesn't prove much, since he's a rookie assistant coach thrust into the role mid-season. I'd like to see what a good, experienced coach could do with this team. Or at least give Triano a training camp.

Does the roster need a shake-up? Of course. But it doesn't excuse Sam for not maximizing the potential of the team. Also, even if BC changed half the players and got steals and greatly improved the roster, Sam would've just been horribly outcoached in the 1st round again and we would've been bounced. Frank pwned him. Van Gundy toyed with him.

Can Triano get us to the 2nd round? No clue. But a good coach (whoever that ends up being) will give you that edge when a bad coach like Sam will just waste the opportunity and yet another season.

[Tom Baker]

It's the players that play the game.

So coaching jobs are just make work projects?

Well you know my opinion. If it were up to me, I'd just program a computer to tell the players what plays they should run in certain situations. I think that a player's talent level and desire to win outweigh any other factor, especially coaching.

LOLz.

I'd like to see Phil Jackson or Pop get replaced by a computer.

I'd love to see a computer motivate and manage egos like PJax.

I'd love to see a computer garner the respect of players and have them work hard for it every night like Pop.

EDIT: And I'd like to see a computer replace Jerry Sloan for 20 years without becoming obsolete.

[Tom Baker]

It's funny how Toronto is so insecure that people are collectively turning on Bosh for simply being a free agent two years from now.

"He's leaving and you know what, I never liked him!"

It's so childish.

F*ck, I would hate to play here. What a poison environment.

Dude, I've had these doubts about Bosh for years. Check my posting record since I've been on here.

I like him. I really do. I just don't think he can be the #1 guy on a championship team. If I'm wrong, then I'll be happily wrong.

Other than a random Detroit-type win, its the elite players who win championships. Since 2000: Shaq 4, Duncan 4, Kobe 3... hell Wade with 1, albeit with a fading Shaq. Also note that all three teams I mentioned had HOF coaches. KG w/ 1 so far (finally has a good team around him).

Out of the new generation, LeBron, and maybe Wade if he can get a good team around him again, have the best shot. Maybe Chris Paul. Granted, even with an elite player, you need a good team and a good coach, but it's starts with the elite player.

[ForeverTFC]

To those saying coaching doesn't matter in the NBA : I think execs would have a hard time justifying paying millions for no reason.

Smitch will be missed off the court for sure because he felt like one of us, but really he wasnt a good coach on the court.

If you look at Bosh's interview he said that yes it must have been the right time to do it because the front office did it. No player is going to come out and say we will be better because coach is gone, lets get real.

When I played competitive soccer, I had a coach that had my full trust. He was the first one to believe in me, picked me up when i was a year younger and mentored me through my mistakes. I developed loyalty to him and was sad when he left us. But the new coach that came in took me to the next level in terms of telling me things I had never been told and pointing stuff out to me. Also he didn't look at me as the kid that had grown so much but the player that had promise and must live up to it. It was a new challenge to me, and it worked out in my benefit.

To this day if i see my new coach I will shake his hand for what he did to me, but the other coach also had a hand in elevating my game. No one wants to see anyone fired when theres attachment but in sports thats a reality. In terms of development there is so much one can teach you and at one point you need a different look or persepective to go the next level.

[charade]

It's funny how Toronto is so insecure that people are collectively turning on Bosh for simply being a free agent two years from now.

"He's leaving and you know what, I never liked him!"

It's so childish.

F*ck, I would hate to play here. What a poison environment.

Dude, I've had these doubts about Bosh for years. Check my posting record since I've been on here.

I like him. I really do. I just don't think he can be the #1 guy on a championship team. If I'm wrong, then I'll be happily wrong.

Out of the new generation, LeBron, and maybe Wade if he can get a good team around him again, have the best shot. Maybe Chris Paul. Granted, even with an elite player, you need a good team and a good coach, but it's starts with the elite player.

If you asked 30 GM's if Bosh was an elite player, each and every one would say yes.

He has some growing to do, he's a young man.

It's not fair to reference the best player of his generation (could very well be the best player ever when he's done), and the person who will certainly be the best PG of his and be like 'He's not them.'

I mean, yeah.

Bosh circa 27-29 with a good supporting cast and a good coach is more than elite enough to win a title.

But I suppose we are off-topic for this thread!

[W.I.C]

W.I.C wrote:

@2:50 mark of the Chris Bosh interview posted in the now locked player comments topic.

The only change that was needed was that we needed to play harder and execute better, and come with a better mentality in each and every game.

Reporter: Can that stuff be coached?

No you can't coach that.

Game, Set, Match

That's one hell of a Q&A....looks like Bosh would side with the few realists on this board.

DogBert wrote:

JO said pretty much the same thing the night of the debacle. It's the players that play the game.

I swear you guys talk as if the coach has absolutely no bearing on the outcome of the game or the season. Why even have a coach now?

Go look on the General Board. There's a discussion about how the Suns have slipped out of the playoffs (for now), and they're putting the blame directly on Porter, who is a bad coach. Porter's not getting enough out of the talent on the team. Sound familiar?

And if the team doesn't do better with Triano, that doesn't prove much, since he's a rookie assistant coach thrust into the role mid-season. I'd like to see what a good, experienced coach could do with this team. Or at least give Triano a training camp.

Does the roster need a shake-up? Of course. But it doesn't excuse Sam for not maximizing the potential of the team. Also, even if BC changed half the players and got steals and greatly improved the roster, Sam would've just been horribly outcoached in the 1st round again and we would've been bounced. Frank pwned him. Van Gundy toyed with him.

Can Triano get us to the 2nd round? No clue. But a good coach (whoever that ends up being) will give you that edge when a bad coach like Sam will just waste the opportunity and yet another season.

By "you guys talk as if", are you referring to Chris Bosh, Chris Bosh from the Toronto Raptors? Those are his actual words. I'm sure the arm chair critics with hypotheticals at their disposal have more insight on what is actually wrong with the team than he does .

Could that comment by Bosh be the reason why all of a sudden numerous Raptors RealGMers are now turning on him? No wonder, he figuratively flushed the BC kool-aide down the toilet with that statement, and on top of that he stated (in not so many words), that all things considered, in his view the 8-9 record is not that bad at all.

[Tom Baker]

It's funny how Toronto is so insecure that people are collectively turning on Bosh for simply being a free agent two years from now.

"He's leaving and you know what, I never liked him!"

It's so childish.

F*ck, I would hate to play here. What a poison environment.

Dude, I've had these doubts about Bosh for years. Check my posting record since I've been on here.

I like him. I really do. I just don't think he can be the #1 guy on a championship team. If I'm wrong, then I'll be happily wrong.

Out of the new generation, LeBron, and maybe Wade if he can get a good team around him again, have the best shot. Maybe Chris Paul. Granted, even with an elite player, you need a good team and a good coach, but it's starts with the elite player.

If you asked 30 GM's if Bosh was an elite player, each and every one would say yes.

He has some growing to do, he's a young man.

It's not fair to reference the best player of his generation (could very well be the best player ever when he's done), and the person who will certainly be the best PG of his and be like 'He's not them.'

I mean, yeah.

Bosh circa 27-29 with a good supporting cast and a good coach is more than elite enough to win a title.

But I suppose we are off-topic for this thread!

Duncan, Shaq, and to a lesser extent Kobe and KG (straight out ou HS) were dominant immediately, or showed signs of it. And you know "elite", "superstar", "all-star" are debated ad infinitum on these boards alone. Everyone has their own definition. To me, he's becoming a superstar, but is not elite.

So, if you asked the 30 coaches, I'm not sure they'd all say "elite", since they might not all go by the same definition either.

And it is fair to compare Bosh to LeBron for example. Everytime LeBron (or Kobe, or KG) comes to town, the Raptors and Bosh get pwned. He pales in comparison. He's one of the top PFs in the league, no doubt. But he's not in that absolute top tier... which I call elite.

[Tom Baker]

By "you guys talk as if", are you referring to Chris Bosh, Chris Bosh from the Toronto Raptors? Those are his actual words. I'm sure the arm chair critics with hypotheticals at their disposal have more insight on what is actually wrong with the team than he does .

Could that comment by Bosh be the reason why all of a sudden numerous Raptors RealGMers are now turning on him? No wonder, he figuratively flushed the BC kool-aide down the toilet with that statement, and on top of that he stated (in not so many words), that all things considered, in his view the 8-9 record is not that bad at all.

Oh, please. Spare me the rolly eyes. You know bloody well I was responding to Dogbert and the few others who share his opinion. If nothing else, "you guys" is plural and Bosh is singular.

Why would I respond to Bosh? 1) He's not here to answer, so that would be pointless. 2) Who knows why he responded the way he did. Does he believe it? Is he trying to weigh his words because he's on camera and doesn't want to upset either Colangelo or the Smitch if they might listen? Does he think the problem is more the roster and is trying to send a message to Colangelo? Who the hell knows?

Don't try to divert the discussion.