Vincent Alienates Jordan?

[JValone]

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/45211

Just saw that on SI.com, here's the paragraph summary:

According to reports, Michael Jordan is disenchanted with Sam Vincent. At the same time, the Bobcat rookie coach appears to have alienated the majority of players. Then how do you explain the team's just-concluded 3-1 West Coast road trip, its most successful in team history? "The players had a meeting and said, '[Bleep] the coach, let's win for ourselves,'" a Charlotte source was kind enough to clarify.

The source they site is the NY Post which isn't always the most reputable place for rumors and speculation but it was interesting to me anyway. If Sam's lost MJ's support he's probably done. If the player meeting thing is true that's even worse. I apologize of this is already on the board, if it is I couldn't find it.

[Sledge]

Maybe its just me but when I read this I said aloud:

Its about **** time!

Glad to hear the players are rallying in spite of our incompetent head coach.

[SteveMorrison15]

Kind of like in Varsity Blues.

[CarolinaCash]

misleading title.....Vincent alienates Jordan? I don't get it.

[Rich4114]

I wonder which player said that. I'm thinking Okafor or J-Rich maybe. You'd think Felton but I don't see him saying something like that. We know Primoz did, lol.

[BigSlam]

Or not!!

http://www.charlotte.com/bobcats/story/562663.html

A columnist for ESPN.com quoted an NBA source recently as saying Jordan firing Vincent was "an inevitability."

"Obviously I know some of that speculation is out there," Jordan said, "But we've given Sam a two-year contract, and I'm not ready to step away from that."

Does that mean Vincent will be here next season?

"As of right now," Jordan told the Observer, "unless he's stepping away from his responsibilities."

[Sledge]

Well thats a buzzkill. Hopefully its just the normal good PR type move and Jordan isn't going to openly voice his frustrations publicly.

[BigSlam]

There are a few things that stick out to me - trying to read between the lines.

Top Bob said that Sam had done a "credible" job. I thought that was an interesting term to us. "Credible". Not "Sam has done a good job" or "Sam has done what we expected of him" etc. I don't see "credible" as a glowing endorsement, but maybe that is just me?

Also, Jordan said that Sam will coach next year "unless he's stepping away from his responsibilities". So here's what I'm thinking.

Sam is a friend of MJ's so MJ doesn't want to throw the guy under the bus. If MJ came out at a presser and said "we have decided to relieve Sam of his duties as head coach and wish him well for the future", there is a chance that other NBA teams wouldn't go near him.

BUT

If Sam himself resigns the position making it seem more like his doing, it puts him in a better position to find another job in the NBA. If he presents it as "I thought I was ready to be a head coach but now understand that I need some more time as an assistant before taking that step" the maybe teams are more likely to invite him to be a part of their bench?

Thoughts?

[e4Nf6]

1. Brezec
2. Mccinnis
3. Vincent

[amcoolio]

What is this "December travel issue that almost cost the Bobcats a seven figure fine" Jordan speaks of?

[BigSlam]

What is this "December travel issue that almost cost the Bobcats a seven figure fine" Jordan speaks of?

Read the piece. Sam chose not to fly the team to a Bucks game because of weather - but the airport was open. He flew them later, they got caught in a holding pattern and got to the area pretty much right at game time.

That is against the Leagues travel laws (who knew??)

If they arrived late to the game it would have cost the team around $5,000,000 (estimated by MJ). Sam made the call not to fly, but it was not his call to make and he very nearly ended up with 5 million dollars worth of egg on his face.



Now you don't have to read the piece!!

[amcoolio]

I got that from ESPN.com, didn't know that they talked about it in the Observer.

[Rich4114]

I wish/hope we replace Sam but I don't think we will. Even if we bring in a guy like Brown and just have him put Sam on his assistant staff.

[BigSlam]

I wish/hope we replace Sam but I don't think we will. Even if we bring in a guy like Brown and just have him put Sam on his assistant staff.

If Sam isn't our head coach next season, there is no way he is on our coaching staff at all.

If he's not head coach that confirms that he doesn't have the confidence of the front office or the players which means they wont want him in contact with either groups.

[CarolinaCash]

Rumor from NCAA tournament last weekend in Charlotte:

I'm a Carolina grad and friend of mine is close to the UNC athletics program because of the 4 hotels he owns in the Chapel Hill area. They do a lot of banquets and other business with him. He said that Steve Robinson told him that all the players on the Bobcats have tuned Vincent out. I asked him how did Robinson know that........his source was Phil Ford. Ford said it's a complete mess right now with the lack of communication between Vincent and the players. Robinson also said Felton has asked Roy Williams for advice on what to do.

If this is true there is no way Vincent returns next year. He probably wouldn't want to stay on his own if the players aren't listening to him. I would like Larry Brown to come back with Phil Ford staying as his lead assistant.

[fatlever]

this seems to be consistent with the reports have been popping up lately.

what a mess.

[CarolinaCash]

On the Packman show today Gminski and Darin Gantt said that Vincent is 100% gone and it might happen very soon before the year is over. They said that there was no reason for that possible 5 million dollar fine stuff to come out......Jordan and the Bobcats are laying the ground work for letting Vincent go or getting him to resign.

[fatlever]

good point. why even bring something like that up to the media other than to pour salt in wounds.

[BigSlam]

Jordan and the Bobcats are laying the ground work for letting Vincent go or getting him to resign.

That is exaclty the direction I think that Top Bob and MJ are steering this thing.

[spectre_]

Sam Vincent Thinks He Should Return As Bobcats Coach

Courtesy of gman via BCP.