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KC Jones is my inspiration for starting this thread.

Three guys come to mind: Dick Motta, Bernie Bickerstaff and KC.

I remember Bernie had a knack for playing the right lineups. He’s my favorite.

I liked both Randy Wittman and Eddie JorDan. If you could’ve morphed the two then defense and offense would have been good. Wittman seemingly hated young guys. All the players loved, respected EJ. They were polar opposites but both super good dudes.

Randy and Eddie and Flip IMO had major weaknesses but I rate each of them higher than Brooks.

My favorite so far is Bernie Bickerstaff.

I can’t remember much about Dick Motta other than him saying, “The Opera isn’t over until the fat lady sings”.

Slim pickings.

I started following the Bullets right around the Webber trade and from that forgettable bunch I liked Lynam and that's about it.

When I started watching the Bullets, Gene Shue was the coach, and he gets my vote. Before I ever watched an NBA game, he took over in a dismal 16 win season, then won 36 - in Earl Monroe's rookie year, and then won 57 - in Wes Unseld's great rookie year. He eventually left because he didn't like the team moving from Baltimore to DC, and that's when KC Jones came to town. Shue had 3 50+ wins seasons in his 7 seasons coaching the Bullets.

Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:KC Jones is my inspiration for starting this thread.

Three guys come to mind: Dick Motta, Bernie Bickerstaff and KC.

I remember Bernie had a knack for playing the right lineups. He’s my favorite.

I liked both Randy Wittman and Eddie JorDan. If you could’ve morphed the two then defense and offense would have been good. Wittman seemingly hated young guys. All the players loved, respected EJ. They were polar opposites but both super good dudes.

Randy and Eddie and Flip IMO had major weaknesses but I rate each of them higher than Brooks.

My favorite so far would is Bernie Bickerstaff.

I can’t remember much about Dick Motta other than him saying, “The Opera isn’t over until the fat lady sings”.

LOL, you're old.

I think Wes Unseld might have been the best coach I remember as far as doing the most with the least.

He took over an 8-19 team coached by Gar Heard and went 30-25 over the rest of the season. That team had decent talent: Jeff Malone, old Moses, Bernard King after the ACL injury.

The next year, they won 40 games even though Moses departed and Bernard King was a year older. It was basically, Jeff Malone and Bernard King against the world with a little help from Terry Catledge. The rest of the lineup was trash with guys like Steve Colter, Mark Alarie, Charles Jones rookie Ledell Eackles, rookie Harvey Grant. John Hot Plate Williams was in his 2nd year and was starting to show flashes. The problem was that Wes was too good of a coach to let them tank properly.

The next year, they won 31 games with Jeff Malone at his peak and Bernard King a one-dimensional 33-year-old scorer who couldn't defend. It was Hot Plate's best year, but Charles freaking Jones was our starting center.

The next year, was a miracle. Jeff Malone was gone, Bernard King was 34, Hot Plate got really fat, yet somehow they won 30 games with this lineup: Haywood Workman, Darryl Walker, Bernard King, Harvey Grant, Charles Jones. Now THAT's coaching! Unfortunately, for the next several years, the team never drafted any talent to help them out. Harvey Grant was basically the future.

The next year, they won 25 games with Michael Adams, David Wingate, Harvey Grant, Larry Stewart and Pervis Ellison. LOL

It just got worse after that with absolutely no talent coming in the door until the Webber trade.

Gar Heard? Only remembered him from the forgettable 1999/2000 Wizards squad where he compiled a 14-30 record before being fired by Michael Jordan.

Kevin Loughery is who you must be thinking off.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Washington_Wizards_head_coaches

Motta - won a championship and gave the best quote of all time - “the opera isn’t over until the fat lady sings.”

Honorable mention - Jones (class act); Shue (won a lot)

queridiculo wrote:Gar Heard? Only remembered him from the forgettable 1999/2000 Wizards squad where he compiled a 14-30 record before being fired by Michael Jordan.

Kevin Loughery is who you must be thinking off.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Washington_Wizards_head_coaches

Yup. Loughery is who I was thinking of.

nate33 wrote:

Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:KC Jones is my inspiration for starting this thread.

Three guys come to mind: Dick Motta, Bernie Bickerstaff and KC.

I remember Bernie had a knack for playing the right lineups. He’s my favorite.

I liked both Randy Wittman and Eddie JorDan. If you could’ve morphed the two then defense and offense would have been good. Wittman seemingly hated young guys. All the players loved, respected EJ. They were polar opposites but both super good dudes.

Randy and Eddie and Flip IMO had major weaknesses but I rate each of them higher than Brooks.

My favorite so far would is Bernie Bickerstaff.

I can’t remember much about Dick Motta other than him saying, “The Opera isn’t over until the fat lady sings”.

LOL, you're old.

I think Wes Unseld might have been the best coach I remember as far as doing the most with the least.

He took over an 8-19 team coached by Gar Heard and went 30-25 over the rest of the season. That team had decent talent: Jeff Malone, old Moses, Bernard King after the ACL injury.

The next year, they won 40 games even though Moses departed and Bernard King was a year older. It was basically, Jeff Malone and Bernard King against the world with a little help from Terry Catledge. The rest of the lineup was trash with guys like Steve Colter, Mark Alarie, Charles Jones rookie Ledell Eackles, rookie Harvey Grant. John Hot Plate Williams was in his 2nd year and was starting to show flashes. The problem was that Wes was too good of a coach to let them tank properly.

The next year, they won 31 games with Jeff Malone at his peak and Bernard King a one-dimensional 33-year-old scorer who couldn't defend. It was Hot Plate's best year, but Charles freaking Jones was our starting center.

The next year, was a miracle. Jeff Malone was gone, Bernard King was 34, Hot Plate got really fat, yet somehow they won 30 games with this lineup: Haywood Workman, Darryl Walker, Bernard King, Harvey Grant, Charles Jones. Now THAT's coaching! Unfortunately, for the next several years, the team never drafted any talent to help them out. Harvey Grant was basically the future.

The next year, they won 25 games with Michael Adams, David Wingate, Harvey Grant, Larry Stewart and Pervis Ellison. LOL

It just got worse after that with absolutely no talent coming in the door until the Webber trade.

I am old! Ground Hog day I will be 60 years old, if I’m blessed to see it.

nate, I agree with Wes Unseld the coach (not Wes the GM). He was a superior coach! He really could coach lesser talent to perform well.

Terry Catledge was a baller for Wes.

The Secret Weapon/Wizards Kev, Kevin Broom raves about Charles Jones. Wes got a lot of mileage out of him and chubby Ledell Eackles.

queridiculo wrote:Slim pickings.

I started following the Bullets right around the Webber trade and from that forgettable bunch I liked Lynam and that's about it.

Slim Pickens, indeed.

Ruzious wrote:When I started watching the Bullets, Gene Shue was the coach, and he gets my vote. Before I ever watched an NBA game, he took over in a dismal 16 win season, then won 36 - in Earl Monroe's rookie year, and then won 57 - in Wes Unseld's great rookie year. He eventually left because he didn't like the team moving from Baltimore to DC, and that's when KC Jones came to town. Shue had 3 50+ wins seasons in his 7 seasons coaching the Bullets.

I’m glad I started this thread! I’m not the only old guy.

My family moved to Oxon Hill (later Friendly 20744) back in 1972. My Dad was a fan of the Baltimore Bullets. He took me to a Baltimore Bullets game somewhere, perhaps it was Cole Field House.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973%E2%80%9374_Capital_Bullets_season

What I didn’t know or recall is all you posted about Gene Shue’s era.

queridiculo wrote:Gar Heard? Only remembered him from the forgettable 1999/2000 Wizards squad where he compiled a 14-30 record before being fired by Michael Jordan.

Kevin Loughery is who you must be thinking off.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Washington_Wizards_head_coaches

Here’s the roster I tried to recall under Coach Heard:

https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/WAS/2000.html

Gerald King is the PF he liked over Howard.

Bernie Bickerstaff. He got a short leash but was a solid smart savvy coach here.
I liked Eddie MFn Jordan for his demeanor and rapport with the media. His offense revolutionized the game. Didn't love him for his defense and the blindspot with Haywood/Etan.
I liked the Hapless Jim Lynam. Overmatched outclassed hopeless roster, but he was like the Chris Whitney of coaching. Whitney playing on two torn ligaments while Rod Strickland loafed and quit on the team. Lynam was gonna by gosh still keep on trying no matter what. Loss after loss after loss. Poor guy. LOL

Eddie Jordan because the Arenas years were fun

Ed Tapscott

Dick Motta for sure. In retrospect the Eddie Jordan years pretty good.

I go back to KC Jones years, too young to recall the first Shue stint.