http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4815277.html<span style="color:#FF00FF">The Rockets offered Jeff Van Gundy a job Thursday. It was not necessarily as coach.While still holding out the possibility he might return as coach, the Rockets made it a bit easier for Van Gundy to leave the bench, offering him a different position in the organization.General manager Daryl Morey would not specify what post he offered after many talks Thursday with Van Gundy. Van Gundy has not accepted or turned down that position."I've been actively on the phone with Jeff," Morey said. "Constantly. Things are in a tentative spot. ... Things can go in different ways. We're in discussions. There are no conclusions."Morey and Rockets owner Leslie Alexander have spoken extensively with former Kings, Warriors and Trail Blazers coach Rick Adelman about the position, but said Van Gundy could be back as coach. Morey would not comment about Adelman or whether there are other potential candidates, but a person with knowledge of the Rockets' decision-making has said that no other interviews are planned.Willing to returnVan Gundy said Wednesday that the decision was solely the Rockets', indicating that despite some ambivalence immediately after the team's first-round playoff loss to the Utah Jazz, he had decided he would like to return. Tuesday, Morey described the decision as mutual. If the Rockets were not clear then about Van Gundy's preference, Morey said they are now."We have a clear understanding of what we ? Jeff and I ? want," Morey said. "Some of my active calls have been to clarify things."Though Morey had indicated conditions under which Van Gundy would want to return and the Rockets would want him back, he said Thursday that "recent discussions have changed the understanding."Discussions undisclosedBeyond that, Morey would not comment on the discussions. After discussing his status with the Rockets as part of Wednesday's announcement that he would be working as an analyst for ESPN and ABC, Van Gundy had deferred comment to Morey or Alexander.Van Gundy is 430-318 (.575) in 11 seasons as an NBA coach, the best winning percentage of any of the Rockets' 10 coaches. His 182-146 (.555) record in four seasons as Rockets coach is second in franchise history only to the 503-397 (.559) mark of Rudy Tomjanovich."The sooner we come to a resolution, the better for the Rockets, obviously, but we're not going to rush," Morey said. "We have a high regard for Jeff, and I think he has a high regard for us. We're both trying to respect the process."</span>
...nope<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>HOUSTON, May 18, 2007 -- Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has decided to part ways with Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy. The two sides were unable to come to an agreement despite a prolonged negotiating period in which Van Gundy requested and was offered the opportunity to stay within the organization in a senior consultant capacity. The team will now continue forward with plans to hire a new head coach.</div>I would liked to him to stay in the organization and maybe help Adelman at coaching some defense.
Oh well. It would have been great if he stayed on board to be part organization as a senior consultant. I wonder if JVG is really going to retire.
