<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Timberwolves said Saturday they will make a "major announcement" at 3:30 p.m. today, where it is expected the team will announce that head coach Flip Saunders has been fired. Saunders has coached the team, which advanced all the way to the Western Conference finals last year, since 1995. While most of the team returned for a run at a championship this year, it has struggled so far and after Friday night's loss to the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City, and has a losing record at 25-26. Saunders was not coaching the team at its early afternoon practice Saturday. Instead, the practice session was run by Vice President for Basketball Operations Kevin McHale, and Randy Whitman, an assistant coach. It is expected that McHale, Saunder's college buddy, will be the replacement </div> Link This is horrible. How is Flip the one to be fired? It should be McHale who should be fired. I know some can agree with me on this. We have one bad season and Flip is fired. The sun is DEFINITELY setting on our season if this goes through. Flip tried his best to cope with the players this season, but with the off-court troubles with the players and their lack of intensity on the court, he becomes the one to blame. I'm furious with this decision. Age and injuries have also added to the dissapointing season, but no way should Flip be blamed. Good luck where ever you go, Flip.
ARE YOU SERIOUS???!!? if this is true I cant believe what i am hearing. I never would have thought that Flip would be fired. Hes been the coach since ive been a Wolves fan, it will be so wierd not seeing him coach us anymore. I just heard it on ESPN, its official. <font size="1"><font color="Red">Post merged, Please do not "Double Post" use the edit button, thank you- Henacy </font> </font>
Breaking news on KMSP (while watching Rocky). THe Blazers are gonna swoop him up. Who else do they have in mind?!?!?
Breaking News on KMSP(while watching Rocky). The Blazers are going to swoop him up. Who else do they have in mind? <div class="quote_poster">Quoting CUSA Fan:</div><div class="quote_post">This is horrible. How is Flip the one to be fired? It should be McHale who should be fired. I know some can agree with me on this. We have one bad season and Flip is fired. </div> Reminds me of what happened to Denny Green. One question.....why is it that a coach on a losing team can have like, 5 losing seasons (with high draft picks) and keep his job. We are struggling right now, WITH OBVIOUS CANCEROUS PLAYERS, and he's let go. I don't get it. <font color="Red"><font size="1">Please use the Edit Button as well, no double-posting-Henacy</font></font>
I think, the reason he got fired is that they couldn't trade anyone they wanted and maybe hope another coach can fix the chemistry problems we have. I also agree that McHale should be fired, but I think that's soon going to happen as well, just as it did in Orlando, first Coach then GM and then a complete overhaul of the team.
This is a sad day in Minnesota basketball. Flip Saunders has been through it all with us. Ever since he had the faith to draft a kid named Garnett, he has been amazing. He has been through the highs and the lows, and I wish him well. I really don't think it was Saunder's fault that this team was not performing at their highest level. In my mind, I truly thought he was trying his hardest to put out a winning team. Wherever he goes, I hope he greatly succeeds. I asked for changes during our slump, this wasn't the one I was hoping for. A new chapter...
Wow that is terrible.You keep waiting for Minnesota to right the ship towards the playoffs and then management goes and does this?!?My condolences to the Wolves fans,i dont think this was a good decision.And I thought the Kings had it bad lately.Hopefully this works out.
The question is, why is McHale the one to replace Flip as head coach? McHale has no head coach experience and now he has the duty of two jobs in the organization. This just will add to more dissapointment and more losses this season. I'm disgusted right now as a T'Wolves fan. I know Timberwolf, a fellow T'Wolves fan, will be furious and will be all over McHale on this one. Changes were needed, but as Pure mentioned, this was NOT a change that we asked for.
They say he was "moved to another position with the franchise". I don't know what that means, though. I think they were looking at another "Head" coach and might make him an assistant to some degree. I don't know.
Well, the T-Wolves haven't lived up to expectations as expected, but I think Flip was not the one that was causing this team not to win...He'll definitely find a job either either this year or next year...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Sabretooth:</div><div class="quote_post">They say he was "moved to another position with the franchise". I don't know what that means, though. I think they were looking at another "Head" coach and might make him an assistant to some degree. I don't know.</div> I dont think he was moved to assistant, they probably gave him a front office position, behind the scenes like the Knicks offered Lenny Wilkens as a means of saving face. And prevent backlash from those that think they are using Suanders as a scape goat. Anyway, Iam not shocked Flip Suanders voice was growing stale. He should have put his foot down in training camp on certain lineup & minutes distribution decisions. Roles were never established on this team from the beggining of the year, which led to alot of clashing in styles. Guys even went on the record stating that they didnt know their role or place on the team. And like it or not that blame falls on the head coach for not setting the ground bases. Alot of things went wrong with this teams this year, with plenty of blame to go around, Flip is just the first head to roll because of this season, there will be plenty of more, well into the offseason.
Didn't Taylor say he wouldn't fire anyone yet? This is just a surprise to me. Why is Mchale replacing Flip as head coach? He has enough problems already and he has to do two jobs instead of one. This might turn ugly for the franchise and it doesn't seem that they have any long term plans yet. Flip had some coaching problems but I never thought he would get fired. This might just destroy any hopes of getting a playoff berth, or maybe Mchale could be a great coach and turn things around. We will just have to wait and see.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Linkin:</div><div class="quote_post">Didn't Taylor say he wouldn't fire anyone yet? This is just a surprise to me. Why is Mchale replacing Flip as head coach? He has enough problems already and he has to do two jobs instead of one. This might turn ugly for the franchise and it doesn't seem that they have any long term plans yet. Flip had some coaching problems but I never thought he would get fired. This might just destroy any hopes of getting a playoff berth, or maybe Mchale could be a great coach and turn things around. We will just have to wait and see.</div> FLIP ISNT TOTALLY FIRED HE WILL STILL WORK FOR THE T WOLVES DONT FRET HE WILL BE BACK
Well, honestly as a head coach taking over a team in this type of situation you can live off the strenght of your assistant coaches. I remember when Greg Poppivic took over for Bob Hill in 96 after the Spurs started off 3-15, he really had to lean on his assistant staff because of his lack of head coaching experience. The Wolves have a strong assistant staff with Sidney Lowe etc... so they will guide Mchale thru the rest of the year.
I could see this coming, but I wasn't sure if it was going to happen, since Flip has been the coach for the T-Wolves for 10 years. I guess the move is for the best. Hopefully McHale can put a good rotation and lineups out there, and motivate his team to play better. Also, it was said Flip would be given another posistion with the organization, but it's not yet known. This summer, the phones would be ringing for this guy. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MINNEAPOLIS -- Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders was fired Saturday and replaced by vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale, the team announced. Saunders, whose 10 years with Minnesota was the second-longest tenure among NBA coaches, will be reassigned within the organization. McHale said it wasn't clear what Saunders' role would be. McHale said he called Saunders on Saturday morning to tell him he was fired. "We talked this morning, and it was very, very hard," McHale said. "We've known each other for a long time, but our last 32 games we're 12-and-20 and just not playing at a level that's acceptable, energy-wise. "Maybe a new voice will help," McHale said. "I'm going to do my best to get these guys competing at a higher level."</div> Source; Full Story
It will not take long before Flip is back as a head coach in this league. I really think McHale made this move to save his butt!!
LETS THANK SPREE AND SAM for this but in all honesty lets be thankful that spree thought he was worth more then 21 mil for threee seasons otherwise we could be stuck wtih him for another three years...Also we only have sam signed through next year and maybe he will come in and play great because he is in his contract year(unlike spree who has played awful) or we can get something good for sam in return cause teams will like that his contract will come off the books at the end of the season. I question how Mchale thinks he can do both the GM and Coach job??? he has no head coaching expereince? HE went to all the pratices before anyways so its not like he has had no contact with the team at all? I hate that they fired flip and I want to thank flip for what he did for the organization. but if the twovles felt they needed to shake things up why bring in mchale who has been there the whole time anyways???? why not go after someone like phil jackson or some other big name coach that might make the players play? I dont know i am rambling but i am pissed...I am sorry to see flip Go.
