Official Randy Wittman Thread - It's Playoff Randy Time LOL

[dckingsfan]

So, say you try a GM for 10 years and you get nowhere... do you make a change? We have been watching EG for much longer that Witt.

And if you have to see EG to go for Witt to go, do you pull the trigger?

Where do you stand on EG?

[TGW]

This is what Turd had to say about Randy...sorry but this sounds like a ringing endorsement, regardless of the date:

RANDY WITTMAN IS BACK AS COACH OF WIZARDS
Posted on January 14, 2013 by Mike Vogel

While I would like to say that I rehired Randy Wittman, that would be a misleading statement. First, Randy was already under contract – he was our Coach. He didn't need to be "rehired". I thought the talk of his not returning was disrespectful at times. Second, it was the players and their strong and positive endorsement of Randy Wittman – from John Wall, to Nene to Kevin Seraphin, to Roger Mason and Mo Evans – that made us feel confident to extend his deal and bring him back with exuberance. Randy is a positive force for our team – we can have continuity and he can coach off of the great momentum he was generating for us at the season's end. He can add to the staff and add more experience on the bench, and he has carte blanche to make investments in player development. I am pleased that this worked out for our franchise and that our players so respect him – they now have a vested interest in his success and their own ongoing development. Randy is a good man – a pro's pro and a strong presence. His style, which I call "tough but fair", is very respected. He relishes teaching and he preaches respect for the game, hard work and team precepts. I enjoyed getting to know him better during our day together and I also respected his analysis of what we have to do to dramatically improve. He was very candid with me, which I respect very much. He is the right man for this job. I look forward to working with him and Ernie this off season.

There is no way this man is replaced if the team makes the playoffs.

[nate33]

This is what Turd had to say about Randy...sorry but this sounds like a ringing endorsement, regardless of the date:

RANDY WITTMAN IS BACK AS COACH OF WIZARDS
Posted on January 14, 2013 by Mike Vogel

While I would like to say that I rehired Randy Wittman, that would be a misleading statement. First, Randy was already under contract – he was our Coach. He didn't need to be "rehired". I thought the talk of his not returning was disrespectful at times. Second, it was the players and their strong and positive endorsement of Randy Wittman – from John Wall, to Nene to Kevin Seraphin, to Roger Mason and Mo Evans – that made us feel confident to extend his deal and bring him back with exuberance. Randy is a positive force for our team – we can have continuity and he can coach off of the great momentum he was generating for us at the season's end. He can add to the staff and add more experience on the bench, and he has carte blanche to make investments in player development. I am pleased that this worked out for our franchise and that our players so respect him – they now have a vested interest in his success and their own ongoing development. Randy is a good man – a pro's pro and a strong presence. His style, which I call "tough but fair", is very respected. He relishes teaching and he preaches respect for the game, hard work and team precepts. I enjoyed getting to know him better during our day together and I also respected his analysis of what we have to do to dramatically improve. He was very candid with me, which I respect very much. He is the right man for this job. I look forward to working with him and Ernie this off season.

There is no way this man is replaced if the team makes the playoffs.

Meh, I don't think his comments then are relevant. Back then, Randy had just taken over a 2-15 team and led them to an 18-31 finish (including winning their last 6 in a row and 8 of their last 10). For the first time in the post-Arenas era, the team actually looked competent, even good, at least when Nene was playing. With that kind of turnaround, it was pretty easy to stick with the coach and see what he could do with a full training camp under his belt.

As it turned out, he did okay in his first full season. The team was awful without Wall, but when Wall played, they were a .500 team. After that record, keeping him for one more season seemed reasonable.

Fast forward to this year, and we can see that the team is still just a .500 team despite being mostly healthy. I think now it's fair to argue that Randy has taken the team about as far as he is going to take them. If we're not going to add to the talent, we better at least shake things up with a new coach.

Of course, if we're going to hire a new coach, then it's an admission that the current plan the team is following isn't the right one. There is no reason to keep the architect of that plan either. Fire EG.

[TGW]

This is what Turd had to say about Randy...sorry but this sounds like a ringing endorsement, regardless of the date:

RANDY WITTMAN IS BACK AS COACH OF WIZARDS
Posted on January 14, 2013 by Mike Vogel

While I would like to say that I rehired Randy Wittman, that would be a misleading statement. First, Randy was already under contract – he was our Coach. He didn't need to be "rehired". I thought the talk of his not returning was disrespectful at times. Second, it was the players and their strong and positive endorsement of Randy Wittman – from John Wall, to Nene to Kevin Seraphin, to Roger Mason and Mo Evans – that made us feel confident to extend his deal and bring him back with exuberance. Randy is a positive force for our team – we can have continuity and he can coach off of the great momentum he was generating for us at the season's end. He can add to the staff and add more experience on the bench, and he has carte blanche to make investments in player development. I am pleased that this worked out for our franchise and that our players so respect him – they now have a vested interest in his success and their own ongoing development. Randy is a good man – a pro's pro and a strong presence. His style, which I call "tough but fair", is very respected. He relishes teaching and he preaches respect for the game, hard work and team precepts. I enjoyed getting to know him better during our day together and I also respected his analysis of what we have to do to dramatically improve. He was very candid with me, which I respect very much. He is the right man for this job. I look forward to working with him and Ernie this off season.

There is no way this man is replaced if the team makes the playoffs.

Meh, I don't think his comments then are relevant. Back then, Randy had just taken over a 2-15 team and led them to an 18-31 finish (including winning their last 6 in a row and 8 of their last 10). For the first time in the post-Arenas era, the team actually looked competent, even good, at least when Nene was playing. With that kind of turnaround, it was pretty easy to stick with the coach and see what he could do with a full training camp under his belt.

As it turned out, he did okay in his first full season. The team was awful without Wall, but when Wall played, they were a .500 team. After that record, keeping him for one more season seemed reasonable.

Fast forward to this year, and we can see that the team is still just a .500 team despite being mostly healthy. I think now it's fair to argue that Randy has taken the team about as far as he is going to take them. If we're not going to add to the talent, we better at least shake things up with a new coach.

Of course, if we're going to hire a new coach, then it's an admission that the current plan the team is following isn't the right one. There is no reason to keep the architect of that plan either. Fire EG.

I wish this were the case, but we all know Grunfeld is getting extended. Ted is not going to make the move of keeping the GM and firing the coach...it would start too much drama in an organization trying to rid themselves of any turmoil in the locker room. There would be no justification to keep one and not the other...Ernie and Whitman are tied at the hip—they're a package deal.

I would love to see both replaced at years end, but they are going to accomplish the goal.

[hands11]

^^^

I just don't follow this argument.

They could so easily let go of Whitman and keep EG or promote EG up and hire a GM. Or just find a new GM and new head coach.

I think the more likely are one and two. And if EG would agree to the 2nd, it has to be for another two years only or else Ted should tell him sorry, we are making the switch now then.

Six NBA Playoff Coaches got replaced
http://isportsweb.com/2013/06/13/head-coach-please/

[McFilthy]

I will agree with the folks who would like to see a little more Seraphin.

From the Washington Post article today:

Coach Randy Wittman blamed the Wizards’ struggles on the opposite coast on a lack of defensive focus. The Wizards averaged 108.3 points against Sacramento, Portland, the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver but surrendered 111.3, engaging in shootouts while losing track of the identity the team had been trying to establish.

“We’ve got to get back to defending. Sometimes, we just look too much that we’re going to try to outscore somebody. We can’t play that way,” Wittman said. “There’s got to be a better focus each game — and I’ve got to do a better job of that. It’s slipped a little bit. We’ve lost that side a little bit, but we’re going to get that back.”

Wittman said the Wizards’ defensive breakdowns became most apparent out West but the team has really had trouble stopping opponents since losing Nene. In their past 14 games, the Wizards have only held four opponents below triple digits — winning on two of those occasions — and are allowing 102.1 points per game. They have gone 8-6 without Nene, scoring 103.8 per game.

Overall, the Wizards rank 14th in the NBA in points allowed (100.5) and 22nd in defensive field goal percentage (46.3) after ranking in the top 10 in both categories last season.

Okay, how about we play a better defender who can score named Kevin Seraphin. Gooden has been a solid rebounder and provided some scoring, but Gooden/Harrington is not a good front court defensively. Offensively, I realize that Al is supposed to stretch the floor, but he is not shooting well. Opponents are sending him thank you notes when he shoots a lot. Gooden should play PF with Seraphin playing C off the bench.

[rockymac52]

I will agree with the folks who would like to see a little more Seraphin.

From the Washington Post article today:

Coach Randy Wittman blamed the Wizards’ struggles on the opposite coast on a lack of defensive focus. The Wizards averaged 108.3 points against Sacramento, Portland, the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver but surrendered 111.3, engaging in shootouts while losing track of the identity the team had been trying to establish.

“We’ve got to get back to defending. Sometimes, we just look too much that we’re going to try to outscore somebody. We can’t play that way,” Wittman said. “There’s got to be a better focus each game — and I’ve got to do a better job of that. It’s slipped a little bit. We’ve lost that side a little bit, but we’re going to get that back.”

Wittman said the Wizards’ defensive breakdowns became most apparent out West but the team has really had trouble stopping opponents since losing Nene. In their past 14 games, the Wizards have only held four opponents below triple digits — winning on two of those occasions — and are allowing 102.1 points per game. They have gone 8-6 without Nene, scoring 103.8 per game.

Overall, the Wizards rank 14th in the NBA in points allowed (100.5) and 22nd in defensive field goal percentage (46.3) after ranking in the top 10 in both categories last season.

Okay, how about we play a better defender who can score named Kevin Seraphin. Gooden has been a solid rebounder and provided some scoring, but Gooden/Harrington is not a good front court defensively. Offensively, I realize that Al is supposed to stretch the floor, but he is not shooting well. Opponents are sending him thank you notes when he shoots a lot. Gooden should play PF with Seraphin playing C off the bench.

Agreed. As bad as Seraphin is, I still believe in his long-term potential, and he at least is okay on D, whereas Al Harrington is just awful on both sides of the ball. The Harrington experiment was a nice idea, no harm done, I still like the move, but it's been long enough to make it brutally obvious that he's not good enough to be in an NBA rotation anymore.

[hands11]

http://www.monumentalnetwork.com/videos ... me-3-26-14

Can we make Wall the HC during the games and let Randy run the practices.

Question to Wall. What happen when you went down 25 pts and then made a run ?

Wall. We went small to match up with them and switched on PnRs.

So basically he is throwing Randy under the bus like Randy throws them under the bus. LOL

In a sense his answer was. Well when our coach got his head out of is ass and put a line up that would actually match up with them, we played better. Not rocket science. They are quick and pass the ball around which makes their offense even quicker. And they have 3 pt shooter just spotting up. That killed us. On defense they play real aggressive out to the perimeter and get you out of your rhythm. Hard to run Randy's offense, if you want to call it that, against a team jumping down your shorts like that. I finally stopped running the offense and started going coast to coast. But you can only do that for so many minutes. Eventually you get tired.

Questions. Why were hitting so many 3 early.

Wall. They are a team that plays with 2 PGs. And they play a S4 to space you out with one PnR center. Sorry, but Booker anent no S4. They spaced us out with that set up. Tough to bet them when they are making those wide open set shots. We finally went with me and Miller with Beal, TA and Gooden or Gortat and got back in it. Then Randy decided to put old AH in down the stretch and that didn't work so well. Drew B hit a big 3, game over.

9 min from AH and 16 from Booker got us 2 pts and neither is that great a defender. Not sure why Randy well to AH. Why not just put Gooden back in for Gortat. Miller had come out already. Should have finished with

Wall, Beal, Webster, TA and Gooden not with Wall, Beal, Webster, TA and AH

Here's to still holding out hope Randy keep doing stupid crap like this and there is still a chance to can him before the playoff start. Two more loses and they are under .500 Hopefully at that point Uncle Ted has seen enough.

[tontoz]

http://www.slamonline.com/online/news-r ... -as-coach/

Report: Wizards Will Retain Randy Wittman As Coach


Hours after the Clippers announced they will keep Vinny Del Negro on board as head coach, it looks like the Wizards will elect to do the same with interim coach Randy Wittman, who took over midseason for Flip Saunders. Washington finished with the second-worst record in the NBA in 2011-12, but did finish the season with a 6-game winning streak. Bullets Forever has the details of the report, which first came from ESPN Radio 980 DC’s Scott Jackson: “In a move that has become more and more of an inevitable one as the days have gone on, Randy Wittman will be the Washington Wizards’ head coach next season, general manager Ernie Grunfeld told ESPN 980′s Scott Jackson. Wittman will return after posting an 18-31 record after taking over for Flip Saunders in mid-January. The news isn’t surprising because the Wizards haven’t been involved in any coaching rumors since the season ended. Once Ted Leonsis made the decision to give general manager Ernie Grunfeld a two-year contract extension, it ushered in the path for Wittman to return as well. Grunfeld has repeatedly said that he thought Wittman did a good job with the team last year.”

[dckingsfan]

Jason Reid:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards/jason-reid-is-coach-randy-wittman-the-guy-to-lead-wizards-to-the-next-level/2014/03/05/46fc6e32-a4ce-11e3-a5fa-55f0c77bf39c_story.html

"When Wittman was an assistant on the staff of former coach Flip Saunders, the Wizards were among the least disciplined teams in the league. These days, the Wizards are a model of professionalism."

"Wittman has treated them with respect and put them in position to succeed. Foremost, players want coaches to be consistent. With the team’s top players, Wittman is Mr. Consistency.
Wittman has persuaded everyone in the locker room to buy into what the Wizards are doing."

"Judging by the undertones of his playoffs-or-else comments, Leonsis is convinced that the Wizards still have room to grow. Wittman deserves at least some of the credit for how far they’ve already come."

[McFilthy]

[color=#008000][/color]

I will agree with the folks who would like to see a little more Seraphin.

From the Washington Post article today:

Coach Randy Wittman blamed the Wizards’ struggles on the opposite coast on a lack of defensive focus. The Wizards averaged 108.3 points against Sacramento, Portland, the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver but surrendered 111.3, engaging in shootouts while losing track of the identity the team had been trying to establish.

“We’ve got to get back to defending. Sometimes, we just look too much that we’re going to try to outscore somebody. We can’t play that way,” Wittman said. “There’s got to be a better focus each game — and I’ve got to do a better job of that. It’s slipped a little bit. We’ve lost that side a little bit, but we’re going to get that back.”

Wittman said the Wizards’ defensive breakdowns became most apparent out West but the team has really had trouble stopping opponents since losing Nene. In their past 14 games, the Wizards have only held four opponents below triple digits — winning on two of those occasions — and are allowing 102.1 points per game. They have gone 8-6 without Nene, scoring 103.8 per game.

Overall, the Wizards rank 14th in the NBA in points allowed (100.5) and 22nd in defensive field goal percentage (46.3) after ranking in the top 10 in both categories last season.

Okay, how about we play a better defender who can score named Kevin Seraphin. Gooden has been a solid rebounder and provided some scoring, but Gooden/Harrington is not a good front court defensively. Offensively, I realize that Al is supposed to stretch the floor, but he is not shooting well. Opponents are sending him thank you notes when he shoots a lot. Gooden should play PF with Seraphin playing C off the bench.

Agreed. As bad as Seraphin is, I still believe in his long-term potential, and he at least is okay on D, whereas Al Harrington is just awful on both sides of the ball. The Harrington experiment was a nice idea, no harm done, I still like the move, but it's been long enough to make it brutally obvious that he's not good enough to be in an NBA rotation anymore.

This could also be in the K. Seraphin thread, but...

So Kevin had a bad couple of minutes against Phoenix. I guess we won't see him for a while. Let's groom Harrington for the future. Harrington had a good game against Indiana, bucking his norm this season. Have Whittman/EG given up of Kevin?

[hands11]

Well that was the nail in the coffin of my pre playoffs Randy getting the axed hopes.

It was always a long shot that they would even consider it, but I think after that win against Indy and what I expect to be a win today against ATL, that train has left the station.

So here we go. Nene should be back soon. Playoffs are around the corner.

My advice to Randy. Step up as much as you want your players to step up. Study the great coaches and playoff basketball. Watch a ton of game film. Watch how they did it and learn.

In the playoffs, everything is magnified. There is no room for late time outs or wrong line ups. One or two plays can make the difference in a game. And one game can make the difference in a series.

It's on you as much as anyone. Don't leave your players out to hang on their own. Put them in the best position to win.

[dlts20]

just read this in the article posted in the Beal thread:

Beal is one of only three players in the entire league who takes more than seven pull up jump shots a game and shoots lower than 35 percent on those shots (Wall is one of the others, Yay for bad shots!

Again, people get mad at our players but there is no way that is a coincedence. That we have 2 of the 3 guys in the whole league and this is a backcourt that many thought could be the best in the league? That is a horrible, horrible, horrible flaw in coaching, whether its the system, lineup, or both. No way should that be the case

[LyricalRico]

just read this in the article posted in the Beal thread:

Beal is one of only three players in the entire league who takes more than seven pull up jump shots a game and shoots lower than 35 percent on those shots (Wall is one of the others, Yay for bad shots!

Again, people get mad at our players but there is no way that is a coincedence. That we have 2 of the 3 guys in the whole league and this is a backcourt that many thought could be the best in the league? That is a horrible, horrible, horrible flaw in coaching, whether its the system, lineup, or both. No way should that be the case

Definitely +1

[dckingsfan]

just read this in the article posted in the Beal thread:

Beal is one of only three players in the entire league who takes more than seven pull up jump shots a game and shoots lower than 35 percent on those shots (Wall is one of the others, Yay for bad shots!

Again, people get mad at our players but there is no way that is a coincedence. That we have 2 of the 3 guys in the whole league and this is a backcourt that many thought could be the best in the league? That is a horrible, horrible, horrible flaw in coaching, whether its the system, lineup, or both. No way should that be the case

Hey dlts, who hired that coach again? I forget...

[hands11]

just read this in the article posted in the Beal thread:

Beal is one of only three players in the entire league who takes more than seven pull up jump shots a game and shoots lower than 35 percent on those shots (Wall is one of the others, Yay for bad shots!

Again, people get mad at our players but there is no way that is a coincidence. That we have 2 of the 3 guys in the whole league and this is a backcourt that many thought could be the best in the league? That is a horrible, horrible, horrible flaw in coaching, whether its the system, lineup, or both. No way should that be the case

Hey dlts, who hired that coach again? I forget...

If you are forgetting simple things like this you could..

1) Google it
2) Try memory pills
3) or just contribute to the topic being discussed which was Beal and why so many long twos

Anyway, if you want to do that kind of finger pointing, Ted hired EG so he is really to blame. And if you are religious, God made Ted. So in the end, its Gods fault.

[dlts20]

lets say you want to defend Witt and bash Wall for being a terrible shooter. That argument holds no case when the guy who has one of the sweetest strokes in the league and was suppose to be the next Ray Allen is shooting even worst. Now, lets say you want to say that maybe he's not Ray Allen and is not even good at all so he sucks at shooting just like Wall. Then how do you explain Beal shooting 42% from 3 and Wall also shooting the highest of his career while looking like a legitimate solid 3pt shooter?

That tells you right there its not that they just suck at shooting. Its a flawed horrible system that they take a bunch of long 2's and 90% of the time its on the move/off the dribble. Only maybe a guy like Curry can shoot a great percentage like that. Its also predictable. People know Wall is coming off that pick into that J so the defender is always closing on him. Still, Ill take that 10 out of 10 over Witt having Beal literally run back & forth around Gortat for 5 true seconds before getting the ball with the defender in chase position forcing Beal to shoot on the run where he's leaning half the time.

Any other team you would eitehr never see that or it would be a desperation thing where either the clock is running down or they are trying to get the Super Star the ball in a key situation but with us, its actually a play. Not only is it a play but its a go to play that we run alot. Not only do we run it alot but it seems like the more it fails, the more we try to run it again. Beal is probably even tired from doing all that crap just before he even gets the ball. Then he has to take it and shoot a leaning J on the run while he's fatigued.

I bet anything coaching staffs laugh at it when they watch it for scouting. It all seems so rushed. Not only is it off the dribble but its like a panic situation where Beal has to dribble as fast as he can and pull up because the defender is chasing hard. Such a low percentage play. Hopefully we cut that out more when Nene returns

[dckingsfan]

One more explanation... they are trying to develop Beal as a ball handler. You have said many times before yourself that the Wizards need another ball handler on the court. And Beal is just learning the ropes - albiet slowly. It is coming around though - he has better handles but now needs to figure out what to do when he gets free.

His offensive game is coming around at about the same speed as his defensive game.

So maybe he just has the game of a 20 year old and we should leave it at that.

Except... he shouldn't have had to be thrust into a starting role. Wall has had to play way too many minutes as well since our vaunted GM didn't get a reliable backup PG for 1 and 2/3s seasons.

[hands11]

That's right people. THREE correctly called time outs in ONE game.

I thought I was dreaming.

[hands11]

Wait a minute now.

Randy called another good time out in that Boston game in the first quarter.

What's going on here ?