Gentry walks out after practice today

[ShawnBronald]

First of all, I like Gentry (as a person and as a coach.... at times). He's a good man and has done a decent job while as a Suns assistant and head coach. But it appears the time has come to find a real head coach.

While it would seem like we need a veteran coach who has experience winning, how many of those are out there? Exactly. I think we need to look hard at promising assistant coaches (look what Tom Thibodeau is doing in Chicago) and lock them in for 4 or more years and see what happens. No more coaching carousels or hiring from within the organization.

The team needs a new outlook and culture and someone new can bring that. As Gortat mentioned, teams like Orlando have 3+ hour practices. Where are they? In the thick of things in the East (and have been the last few years). Other teams that practice hard are Miami, Boston, LA Lakers, Spurs.... you see where I'm going here? Yeah, Phoenix has had success in their style, but don't have a lot to show for it.

I think once the inmates stop running the asylum and the coach has the utmost respect from the players (and organization), the Suns will rise (pun intended).

[TXSun]

not good at all. this is a sign of "giving up". Memphis lost last night, but now UTA and HOU are rigth there with us. it's gonna be tough but it starts tonight. Houston is playing BOS so that might help for tonight.

[JohnVancouver]

Gentry needs some blame too. He could just as easily throw his chair across the court and yell at somebody, but no, he calls it a day and acts all disappointed. What does he expect to happen? The team takes initiative and teach themselves better D?

No excuse for the coach to walk out. I'd understand if he raged and broke a window, but he's not performing his due diligence by trying to send messages this late in the season.

Oh, getting all irate because the coach walks out of a practice is, frankly, silly.

Given the personalities involved, don;t you think that if Alvin gets disgusted at the level of effort and walks out, Nash and Hill aren't going to pick up the cue and call people out or try to motivate them?

The only difference between this and getting T-d up on purpose is that I'll bet he was legitimately pissed off

[grumpysaddle]

I think people are seriously underrating the loss of Channing Frye. And it didn't help that Nash was struggling starting right before that. But even with Nash struggling, they pulled off wins on that long roadtrip. If Frye doesn't get his shoulder dislocated by Durant (somehow with NO FOUL being called in the process...), I think Suns win that OKC game. And at least 2 of the previous 3 games (maybe not against ORL). Frye has been super solid this season and has been one of the best players on the team. Sometimes his shot is off (he's still shooting almost 40% from 3, last I checked, anyway), but he still spaces the floor and he's gotten way better at almost every other aspect of his game. On that roadtrip, fans and the team looked happy. The Suns were excelling and the immediate future looked pretty bright. Dramatic shift since then...

[Risensun]

Glad Gentry walked out but Lol at a 1 hour practice. Of course Orlando practices more Gortat, a 1 hour practice is a joke.

We're bad enough where they should be having 3 hour practices every day minimum. Enough crap about conserving vets. The team looks completely lost and actually knowing what the hell they'er doing out there isn't gonna hurt anybody.

Too bad Sloan wouldn't touch this organization with a long pole. These guys need to be accountable for their lack of effort on all levels. From the players to Gentry, to Lance Blanks. Why the lack of effort? Why only 1 hour of practice? Why is Carter playing over Childress when you signed him to a ridiculous contract? So many questions yet the only answer known is why the Phoenix Suns suck.

[lilfishi22]

Gentry needs some blame too. He could just as easily throw his chair across the court and yell at somebody, but no, he calls it a day and acts all disappointed. What does he expect to happen? The team takes initiative and teach themselves better D?

No excuse for the coach to walk out. I'd understand if he raged and broke a window, but he's not performing his due diligence by trying to send messages this late in the season.

Coach walking out is not about not coaching and expecting the guys to coach themselves. He was doing it as a way to question their effort (whether it be on court or in practice) and hoping it would light a fire under them so they bring it next time.

I guarantee he was already calling for more effort throughout practice and breaking a window or throwing a chair would not have been constructive for the team. Better walk out of practice letting the guys know you are disappointed and let them gather themselves. Nobody wants to disappoint the coach, but when the general vibe on the practice floor is one of going through the motions, they are better off just shutting it down and regroup.

[Miklo]

No excuse for the coach to be doing this

And interesting, Gortat makes it sound like ORL has much tougher/longer practices. If so, it shows...

When the team consists of Steve Nash, Grant Hill, and Vince Carter, having long and trying practices isn't really an option if you expect them to play well during games.

I don't buy this to be honest. Once a few of your players get to be in their 30's you have to cut back team practice? We have so many young players that if that were truly the reason for one hour practice, it would be a disgrace.

I know I'm not doing NBA level training but even I go to the gym for longer than that. You can't tell me that every team with old starters only practices for an hour...

[Sun Scorched]

This is totally a morale play. The Suns' style of buddy-buddy basketball works well when you're cruising towards a playoff berth. But if you're on the bubble and losing, singing Kumbaya in a circle ain't going to get it done.

I watched Gentry get T'd up in the game against ORL the other day. I liked it. He was pissed and he let the ref know it. Next time out, he just stared at the ref. It was great. He's showing passion when no one outside of Gortat seems to be on a regular basis.

In my opinion, walking out on practice the way he did is a sign of leadership.

My bet as to what happened revolves around an awful practice where some of the guys were cutting up and having a good time, despite the fact that they are playing bad basketball, at which point Gentry said something of the effect of "Well, if you guys want to get together to screw around and lose basketball games, you don't need me here." And then left.

I tell you what, If I took basketball even halfway serious at that level and my coach said that... I would come to practice the next day with a different attitude.

[aIvin adams]

Enough calling out mods every time you get a warning, check your PMs.

And whenever a conflict happens anyone who is responsible gets punished. Maybe it just doesn't become high profile because they don't decide to go on a tirade against the mod for using their discretion.

ha ha ha!

i ahve a feeling we won't be hearing from sundamental for the rest of the season!

[Sun Scorched]

Enough calling out mods every time you get a warning, check your PMs.

And whenever a conflict happens anyone who is responsible gets punished. Maybe it just doesn't become high profile because they don't decide to go on a tirade against the mod for using their discretion.

i ahve a feeling we won't be hearing from sundamental for the rest of the season!

The three worst words Miklo can ever say to you:

"Check your PMs"

[-SDU-]

I actually agree that gentry has been abysmal this year - I have lost slot of respect for him this year - he has shown himself to not be up to standard. I known our roster isn't as good as last year but our coaching is even worse

[RDN]

Gortat didn't say that having one-hour practice is bad, he said that not giving 100% during one-hour practice is bad. And that's totally true.

And you can't really blame Gentry for leaving the practice before it ended. There's no time for being patient now if we wanna think about playoffs. You have to take drastic measures - either it will wake the team up and make them fight fot it, or it won't and that's the same result you'd get if you did the same as always.

[YFZblu]

No excuse for the coach to be doing this

And interesting, Gortat makes it sound like ORL has much tougher/longer practices. If so, it shows...

When the team consists of Steve Nash, Grant Hill, and Vince Carter, having long and trying practices isn't really an option if you expect them to play well during games.

I don't buy this to be honest. Once a few of your players get to be in their 30's you have to cut back team practice? We have so many young players that if that were truly the reason for one hour practice, it would be a disgrace.

I know I'm not doing NBA level training but even I go to the gym for longer than that. You can't tell me that every team with old starters only practices for an hour...

You're minimizing age when you say '30's', as if these guys are 30 or 31 years old.

Grant Hill is a 38 year old man who just flat-out doesn't have his legs under him some nights.
Steve Nash is a 37 year old man with a chronic back problem and who's ailments have been so bad that he isn't even playing in games despite the fact that a playoff birth is on the line. Vince Carter can't even stand up straight when he runs.

So what, have the Suns practice without their two best players and a third starter in Vince Carter, and expect it to translate on the court when Nash and Hill ARE playing? C'mon guys...

Where were the 3 hour practice advocates when the Suns were winning 62 games, 54 games, and 60 games? Where were the 3 hour practice advocates when the Suns went 11-3 between January 12th and February 28th? Where were the 3 hour practice advocates when Hill signed TWO contracts with Phoenix under the impression that our run-and-gun style and shorter practices would extend his career? You can practice Robin Lopez 5 hours a day, but he's still going to be a slow oaf with no jumping ability, who refuses to keep his arms straight up on defense.

Like I said before--Steve Nash is playing hurt, Channing Frye is hurt, Vince Carter is playing hurt, and Grant Hill needs to conserve his legs, especially this late in the season. More practice isn't what the Suns need...HEALTH is what the Suns need.

[Dr Pepper]

Just my two cents on the whole 1 hour vs 3 hour practice time.

I played college basketball, albeit a small college (WIlliam Penn University), and let me say that I would prefer the Suns to have a 1 hour practice, as opposed to a 3 hour practice, generally speaking.

Especially at this level of basketball and this late in the season, these guys aren't there to learn the sets (like I said, generally speaking..Brooks obviously could use longer practices to get those down), they use practice as a way to keep sharp, do some shooting drills, run through the sets a few times.

Why on earth, in the middle of a season, on the NBA level, do guys need 3 hour practices? They play 2, 3, or 4 times a week, they know the sets, they know what they should be doing.

As stated earlier, I don't blame Gentry. This is a statement made by our coach, and hopefully our players respond. Leadership, in my experience, is just as important coming from your peers (ie Nash, Hill) as it is coming from the top (Gentry). So I see this as Gentry telling Nash and Grant they need to gather their troops and get this figured out.

Like I said, just my 2 cents.

Yea leadership is much more than just from the coach. For example Phil Jackson was lucky to have leaders like MJ and Kobe being the floor general and constantly riding on the team to execute better.

However do those 3 hour practices also include film sessions? SVG is one of the masters at that and he used to break down every single defensive mistake his players made in a game and thats probably a major reason why he was voted by players as the most annoying NBA coach.

[Miklo]

Hey just cause someone talks back to me doesn't mean I'm going to suspend them, come on I'm not that bad

[Miklo]

You're minimizing age when you say '30's', as if these guys are 30 or 31 years old.

Grant Hill is a 38 year old man who just flat-out doesn't have his legs under him some nights.
Steve Nash is a 37 year old man with a chronic back problem and who's ailments have been so bad that he isn't even playing in games despite the fact that a playoff birth is on the line. Vince Carter can't even stand up straight when he runs.

So what, have the Suns practice without their two best players and a third starter in Vince Carter, and expect it to translate on the court when Nash and Hill ARE playing? C'mon guys...

Where were the 3 hour practice advocates when the Suns were winning 62 games, 54 games, and 60 games? Where were the 3 hour practice advocates when the Suns went 11-3 between January 12th and February 28th? Where were the 3 hour practice advocates when Hill signed TWO contracts with Phoenix under the impression that our run-and-gun style and shorter practices would extend his career? You can practice Robin Lopez 5 hours a day, but he's still going to be a slow oaf with no jumping ability, who refuses to keep his arms straight up on defense.

Like I said before--Steve Nash is playing hurt, Channing Frye is hurt, Vince Carter is playing hurt, and Grant Hill needs to conserve his legs, especially this late in the season. More practice isn't what the Suns need...HEALTH is what the Suns need.

You're right actually, I did say it as if they had just crossed into their 30's so that isn't accurate. But you're kind of contradicting yourself when you cite age as the reason they have a short practice, but then say they don't need a short practice anyway. I'd be closer to agreeing with your second part, since my original point was that teams don't slow down for their older players; older players retire when their bodies are done.

Now if you wanna talk about straight up which is better, 1 versus 3 hours of practice, I'm sure there are just as strong arguments for both sides and I wouldn't claim to know what college or pro athletes practice is like.

Anyway we're probably overanalyzing Gortat's comment to some extent. I doubt he's paying close attention and every one of our practices is an hour, while every one of the Magic's was 3 hours. Some circumstances call for shorter or longer practices anyway. And maybe practice just seems longer with SVG's negativity versus Gentry's encouragement.

[YFZblu]

But you're kind of contradicting yourself when you cite age as the reason they have a short practice, but then say they don't need a short practice anyway.

I didn't contradict myself at all...My point is that this isn't a practice issue, it's a health issue. It's not that the team doesn't know how to play, it's that these guys aren't capable of putting what's in their heads on the court right now...for various health reasons. So even if the Suns did practice a ton, it won't help this situation.

Anyway we're probably overanalyzing Gortat's comment to some extent.

Agreed. But even if he came out sand said "these practices are too short, we need to practice more", he'd be wrong. And as we all know, it wouldn't be the first time a pro athlete was wrong, even about his own team--case in point...and to lighten up the thread:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3-lpFToU9k&feature=related[/youtube]

[NashtyNas]

http://www.nba.com/2011/news/features/s ... ef:nbahpt1

Calm down people.