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Jeff Van Gundy Blasts Pistons Front Office For Firing Lawrence Frank
Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 1:50 am
by RealGM Wiretap
Jeff Van Gundy slammed the Detroit Pistons’ front office for its dismissal of Lawrence Frank, who was fired after two seasons and a 54-94 record.
"Detroit Pistons basketball slogan: When the going gets tough, we fire the coach," Van Gundy said. "It's unbelievable. It's unbelievable. These new owners in Detroit have to be exceedingly bright to have made as much money as they have. And to be duped again that your G.M. tells you that the roster is good and the coach is bad ... what was the problem with Michael Curry? What was John Kuester? Now Lawrence.
“They run through coaches and they haven't even begun to address their problem. They have very little talent and very little basketball character. You combine that, you're going to be in a long rebuild.”
The Pistons have had seven coaches over the last 12 years.
"I'm just surprised that when everybody acknowledges it's a player's league – everybody would agree with that – then the most important player or person in any organization is the person that picks the players. But we don't, as organizations, examine them,” Van Gundy said. “We just take the easy way out time and time again. You lose, the G.M. convinces the owner 'We got good players. It's the coach's fault.' We fire the coach; we bring a new coach in; we continue to lose. We fire that coach, saying that 'We have better players.' It just goes on and on. It's typical and I can't believe that the Detroit owners fell for it. I just can't believe it."
Via Brendan Savage/Michigan Live
Re: Jeff Van Gundy Blasts Pistons Front Office For Firing La
Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 4:53 am
by TV63
Well His big mouth just eliminated his chances to get hired as a coach this year.
Re: Jeff Van Gundy Blasts Pistons Front Office For Firing La
Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 6:39 am
by orlandojnf
i think hes good sticking with the cushy espn gig.
Re: Jeff Van Gundy Blasts Pistons Front Office For Firing La
Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 10:21 am
by Lakers8
He is exactly right! Love Van Gundy! Says what needs to be said, very smart individual! It is the constant theme in the NBA fire the coach for under performing. Doug Collins loses Iggy this season and Bynum doesnt play, how is he expected to have a performing team, Byron Scott, Lawrence Frank. Get some talent on your rosters before you blame the coach!
Re: Jeff Van Gundy Blasts Pistons Front Office For Firing La
Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 10:54 am
by vic
He just proved to us all that he did not watch the Piston games this year. The talent was considerably and obviously better than the performances. It wasn't like the previous coaches at all. Myob.
Re: Jeff Van Gundy Blasts Pistons Front Office For Firing La
Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 12:42 pm
by jetmurrr
TV63 wrote:Well His big mouth just eliminated his chances to get hired as a coach this year.
I dont think he was looking for that job in Detroit...I think he just made it clear that not always is it the coach who deserves the blame.
Re: Jeff Van Gundy Blasts Pistons Front Office For Firing La
Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 2:05 pm
by kobe48306
I agree with everything Van Gundy said except for Kuester and Curry. It is Frank that got the shaft. Lawrence Frank is a good coach. He should never had been fired. I like Dumars, but he was the one who needed to go. They will not find a better coach than Frank. Keep Drummond, Monroe, Bynum, Calderon, and Knight, other than that you have nothing else on this team worth keeping. you fire a coach under these circumstances? Frank has a very sound basketball mind. I hope he gets a chance somewhere else! If they hire Laimbeer I'm done with the Pistons. This is a guy who said he played basketball only for the money. It would be nothing more than a publicity move.
Re: Jeff Van Gundy Blasts Pistons Front Office For Firing La
Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 3:53 pm
by kdot99
vic wrote:He just proved to us all that he did not watch the Piston games this year. The talent was considerably and obviously better than the performances. It wasn't like the previous coaches at all. Myob.
Besides Monroe, Drummond, Jose and Knight the rest of the talent on this team is mediocre at best.
Re: Jeff Van Gundy Blasts Pistons Front Office For Firing La
Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 5:42 pm
by vic
JackBauerKN wrote:vic wrote:He just proved to us all that he did not watch the Piston games this year. The talent was considerably and obviously better than the performances. It wasn't like the previous coaches at all. Myob.
Besides Monroe, Drummond, Jose and Knight the rest of the talent on this team is mediocre at best.
Right, and he made a conscious decision not to play the two biggest talents together on the floor.
Re: Jeff Van Gundy Blasts Pistons Front Office For Firing La
Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 9:39 pm
by Dan2087
Frank is a bad coach and the roster the pistons have is even worse. They finished pretty much where they should have
Re: Jeff Van Gundy Blasts Pistons Front Office For Firing La
Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 1:30 am
by corporatwelfare
Change the word detroit to Toronto and we have a brand new article
Dont forget to raise ticket prices.
Re: Jeff Van Gundy Blasts Pistons Front Office For Firing La
Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 6:49 am
by FNQ
vic wrote:Right, and he made a conscious decision not to play the two biggest talents together on the floor.
Maybe to protect one of them? If he knows Monroe can't handle PF, he could have been protecting his trade value. Although it was likely to bring Drummond along slowly, which seemed to work out well.
Re: Jeff Van Gundy Blasts Pistons Front Office For Firing La
Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 3:08 pm
by calamity
He is a bit right, but Frank had his chances.