To take it a step further, Monty Willimas, one time Blazer assistant, has officially signed documentation making it crystal clear he will not consider the Blazer organization for any position for at least 4 years.
Speaking of olden times, Simon Gourdine. Now there's a name you used to read in dozens of articles per year. Big name, just disappeared. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/20/s...executive-dies-at-72.html?_r=1&ref=obituaries
I say no! Don Nelson has to be the most overrated coach in recent NBA history (I won't say all NBA history, there may be someone from the 1940s I'm not aware of who gets that title).
You have already forgotten about Nate, so it's very possible someone from the 40's has slipped your mind as well
No. I have not forgotten Nate. I have criticisms and obviously so have others. But "overrated" refers to someone whose rep is far higher than his/her accomplishments. No one goes around crying that Nate McMillan doesn't want to coach their favorite team. But for some reason fans sigh over Don Nelson. Nelson has a pattern, repeated in city after city. He comes in, shakes things up, and team responds by over-achieving his first year. Everyone gets excited, talks about what a magician Nelson is. The next year the team does not perform as well but is still fun. By the third year the team is in rebellion, riddled with injuries since Nelson over-plays his players, and losing badly. Then someone else has to clean up the mess. Nelson re-retires with a was of money and waits for everyone to forget so fans can start sighing about wanting him back, until some team tries again and the same cycle repeats.
Nate was often referred to as one of the best young coaches in the league. Nate has been out of the first round once in 12 years. Has a winning % of .514 (26 games over .500) and a playoff winning % of .412. Conversely, Mo Cheeks, regarded as one of the worst NBA coaches has a winning % of .498 (2 games under .500) I guess I just don't see a big enough difference in the two for one to be considered one of the best young coaches, and the other to be considered a shitty coach
I wasn't saying you specifically were crying, Dog. But I remember some fans who insisted the Blazers would have won it all in 1990-92 had Nelson been coaching, although he has zero titles as a coach. MM, I think we agree on substance; the differences are semantical.
In the past I have posted the same chronology to describe Doug Collins and Lenny Wilkins. Wilkins always cashed in his new team's draft picks that they had carefully obtained, so he suddenly had a talent surplus soon after taking over. He always got a new center right off the bat. Then the injuries set in and he lived on excuses. Collins is a maniac on meds who screams at his players until they tune him out.