<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Mike Fratello perhaps knew his coaching fate three days ago when he asked a security guard at the Washington Wizards' Verizon Center about a swank hotel in close proximity to the arena for future reference. After he asked, he paused, as if realizing the Griz might be visiting next season without him. Fratello didn't make it to the weekend, leaving his post as Grizzlies' head coach Thursday afternoon after being fired by team president Jerry West 30 games into the regular season. Grizzlies director of player personnel Tony Barone Sr. was named interim head coach. With an NBA-worst 6-24 record, the Griz had lost five straight games and 11 of the past 12. The last two outings -- a 15-point loss at Washington when the team trailed 45-18 after one quarter, and a 16-point loss at home against Milwaukee -- sealed Fratello's fate. What became evident by his team's play and subsequent comments is that Fratello's voice no longer captivated the players. "We needed a change," West said. "A different voice in our locker room is needed at this point in time. I'll leave it at that." Fratello, the Grizzlies' winningest coach, started the season without All-Star center Pau Gasol, who missed the first 22 games after breaking his foot this summer in the world championships while playing for his native Spain. Fratello had a 95-83 record and guided the Griz to playoff appearances in each of the past two seasons. Fratello entered the campaign without a contract extension beyond this season -- his last on a three-year deal. "Unfortunately, this season has been one of disarray starting this past summer," Fratello said in a statement released by the team. "I am sorry I have not been able to find a way up to this point to turn things around, and I understand why a change needs to be made. Things will get better with both an abundance of home games coming up and the eventual return of Lawrence Roberts and Kyle Lowry from their injuries." Barone will be counted on to carry out a philosophy Fratello was criticized for resisting. The Griz began a youth movement during the offseason when they traded Shane Battier for the rights to rookie Rudy Gay. They also drafted Lowry, and told fans the design was to develop younger players and play a faster pace. Barone has never been a head coach in the NBA. He coached at Texas A&M from 1991-98, following a six-year stint at Creighton University. </div> Source
How can West be expected to be taken seriously with quotes like this: "We didn't compete," said West. "The fans deserve better than that." "We needed a change," West said. "A different voice in our locker room is needed at this point in time. I'll leave it at that." Maybe you shouldn't have traded away Shane Battier for Rudy Gay, genius.
Man that's too bad about Shane Battier. The guy was too awesome to be traded. I don't care if he ain't an all-star, the guy mostly showed up at the right times as a role player on both sides of the ball. Do most grizzlie fans miss him?
^^ I guess they felt they had enough depth at SF/PF and knew Battier was a starter quality guy and having Mike Miller also being deserving. Not to mention Rudy Gay seems like a very valuable prospect for the future, and having Warrick being able to play SF or PF. For most teams it would have been a really bad move, and maybe Battier's intangibles are part of the reason they have struggled more than usual.
