Who should we hire?

[Wretch]

Pretty simple huh? Personally, I've been less than thrilled about some of the names that are being thrown out. I'm sure these guys can coach, but IMO our new group needs to make a statement. Pick a guy with credentials, talk to him, hire him.

But it seems to me that BK can't do anything without taking 6 months to think about it... We'll probably get a technical foul during the draft because our selection time will run out...and we'll have selected no one.

Anyway... My vote is for the Czar. Old school, knowledgeable, quite capable, and charismatic.

[KB21]

Eric Musselman would be my choice. A young, energetic coach who stresses defense and up tempo offense. A great X's and O's coach who is a strong motivator. A coach that won't tolerate losing. A coach that has a history of taking teams that have been thrown together and winning games with them.

Chris Mullin is a fool for wanting to fire Eric Musselman. He wants the Hawks job, and once he is fired, he will come after this job 100%.

[Wretch]

Dang...Dang...Dang...

I'll see if I can modify the poll...

[Wretch]

Thx!

[sturt]

There are a lot of good qualified coaches who are and who will become candidates.

But let's at least agree with where the hire starts: and just for me, the criteria has to start with who has the drawing power to help acquire that special free agent(s).

None of those mentioned thus far have that kind of appeal. None.

There is nothing special to playing for Mike Fratello. Good coach, respected... but his kind are almost a dime-a-dozen. Del Harris, same story. Eric Musselman is a hot young coach... but in a league that gobbles hot young coaches and spits them out in a heartbeat... the point being, there's limited appeal there.

I say this, having very few legitimate answers given that kind of criteria. Maybe someone else can conjur up some that I haven't thought of, who would meet this standard.

For instance, I know it's almost impossible to conceive that Krzyzewski would leave Duke. I know it's highly unlikely that Magic would ever consider coaching again given his distaste for the experience in Lakerland years ago.

But boys and girls... we need that kind of hire here if change is truly going to occur. Ours is a dead franchise, like it or not. It needs a resurrection.

Fortunately, there is a new ownership and we're beyond that huge hurdle that was staring our Hawks in the face last year. And there seems to be some reason to think that our GM position is in good hands.

Now, there needs to be that coach that can offer a name, some substantial level of credibility, and someone that the GM and the ownership group can bring to their roundtable who they will respect such that the stability of the franchise can be settled.

Not unlike what Bill Parcells did for the Cowboys... but in our case, we don't have the Cowboys "brand" going for us, which is what helped to bring Big Bill to Valley Ranch.

So is it achievable? Don't know. But our "Big Billy" has to do everything in his power to make it happen. And while there's no harm in interviewing the Dwayne Caseys and Randy Wittmans... ultimately, that's not enough for what this franchise needs at this moment.

[KB21]

The problem with that approach is that by going after a name, you aren't necessarily getting the best coach.

Big name players rarely become good head coaches. Magic Johnson was a terrible coach. Isiah Thomas was not a good coach.

The NBA is in a state right now where there simply aren't many big name guys available who are good coaches. You have to give guys like Eric Musselman and Jeff Bzdelik more of a chance to establish themselves, because the next big name coaches will come from the group that includes coaches like Musselman, Bzdelik, Randy Wittman, Dwayne Casey, and Mike Woodson among others.

It's either that, or you simply take a shot in the dark with a college coach like Tubby Smith. Outside of John MacLeod and Jack Ramsey, there haven't been many college coaches with no pro experience that have succeeded.

[sturt]

In any hiring, you try to list all of the job requirements and you prioritize those. It's a "cake and eat it too" proposition when you're thinking of what that "ideal candidate" has on their resume. You might not be able to satisfy the most important criterion, and at that point you jump to the next for evaluation. Ultimately tho, you want the closest thing you can get to that ideal.

I'm sure we agree on that much.

KB, don't get hung up on the actual name... I'm not proposing that you hire a name exclusively. I was never a fan of hiring Isiah personally, tho several were adamant about getting him pre-Kruger.

I think it's arguable whether Magic was a good coach or not... it was such a brief stint, I don't really recall it either way.

Bird wasn't necessarily a great coach, but he was apparently smart enough to delegate and let Carlisle and Harter do what they do pretty well... and certainly, Indiana wouldn't go back and change a thing with that hire, either in terms of actual coaching or in building enthusiasm for the team or, had they had a few million to spend at the time, attracting free agents.

Bird may be a better example here than my mention of Parcells... he did for Indiana what we need to happen here. Atlantans need more than a coach... they need an inspiration... they need a reason to put faith in Atlanta Spirit... they need a reason to return (or in some cases, visit for the first time) to Philips Arena.

If Magic isn't that person, so be it.

And maybe I'm talking about an non-existent person... in which case, you have to default back to what you're talking about -- a Fratello et al.

I'm only talking about how gaping a void and how large the need is... and that filling that void/need can only be met partially if we cannot attract that person, again, who I'm hoping against all hope, exists.

[KB21]

When you are a coach that takes over a team that hasn't won more than 25 games in 8 years, and you win 38 and 37 games in your two seasons at that team while management is doing all they can to sabotage you, you are a damn good coach.

He's also a guy that the Atlanta fans really connected with when he was in Atlanta.

The criterion I see for hiring him is this

*He is not going to accept losing, so he will change the attitude that has pervaded throughout the Hawks organization for the last few years.

*He is a strong X's and O's coach, which means that as long as we execute, he's going to put his team in position to win.

*He is a strong motivator, and when you have young players like the Hawks are going to have, you need a coach that will be able to start their motors so to speak.

[Wretch]

Who's left? That's probably the biggest problem. If there were someone out there instantly recognizeable, with drawing power, I'd say go for it. Though, I think we missed the boat on that last summer when SO many guys were available - and a few weeks ago when the Celtics picked up Doc.

I'm not thrilled about the choices either - except the Czar. I wouldn't say he's in a discount bin with many other coaches like him, and I certainly wouldn't say there are guys like him available right now. I like Fratello because he's not a coach that is limited to one style of basketball. His stint with the Hawks had success with different types of Hawks teams; he went to Cleveland and coached those guys to a respectable record - while eliminating their weakness and playing them to their strengths.

To top it all off, he's not a machine; nor does he have an inflated ego. He's not going to let anyone walk over him, and at the same time he's not overbearing. His knowledge of the game is respectable and he doesn't over-analyze it (ala Doug Collins). I think he's the man for the job. I enjoyed his Hawks teams from the 80's and I believe he could come in and get results.

Personally, I don't know how important a name is to our franchise. We're going to be very young in the next few years. I believe more important to having a recognizeable face on the sideline is actual coaching ability. Teaching our young guys to play the NBA game from the ground up and, most importantly, getting our club to play solid defense.

For knowledge of the game, personality, and even noteriety - I think Fratello best satisfies the criteria. Next, closely, would be Del Harris or maybe Daly...and if management doesn't have designs on either of these guys, then Musselman is my man. I wouldn't be upset if he was tops on our priority list.

[Diesel]

Emuss has developed a bad rep amoung players. It's still a players league and that mean that players are the comodity... Emuss has a rep for being hard on the players therefore, it will be harder to recruit players.

The same reason is why PJ Carlisimo is not coaching...

[KB21]

Some comments that Jason Richardson had about Musselman?

Ask any Hawks player that played in Atlanta while he was an assistant what they think about him.

[Plainview1981]

No coaches that have had mediocre careers or old broke

down guys that quit like Chucky Daily.

[Weez]

under your thinking, we should go after??? I mean, if you don't want to give an unproven guy a chance, and you don't want someone else becaues they weren't great players (which eliminates a lot of coaches, more than you'd think) and you don't want someone over 55, you're limiting yourself to...gee, I'm about of options as to who yo'ure going to be satisfied with as a coach.

you now like Bezdelik, though you never would have given him that shot (under your thinking), so he'd be off the NBA charts now, still an asst. Same with Musselman. and then you say yeah for Fratello...but he's old too man.

you can't have it every way in every argument.

[Plainview1981]

The team needs somebody that tough minded but not way

over the Hill. No, I wouldn't hire somebody who's never

been a head coach. I like Jeff B/Mussleman because they

strike me as toughminded coaches. When you hire someone

that has never been a coach you have no clue how they

will react. Guys like Daily(if he could still handle

being a coach) likely wouldn't last through a long time

rebuilding process. You can point to Hubie, but he's

likely the exception rather than the rule.

[Weez]

But you just ignored my whole point ~ EMuss and Bezdelik only have two seasons each as a head coach. yet you like them, would be ok with having them here. However...they had to be given those chances, and had no previous coaching experience.

You cite Hubie, which is fine...I understand your not wanting to take that risk. But then to point to someone like Fratello....he's not much younger. you contradict yourself, on both ends of the spectrum, citing guys that you want while simultaneously dismissing other possibilities despite their shared characteristics with the very coaches you cite as a "good fit."

[Plainview1981]

I know what you mean't...But two years experience is better

than none=) I'm saying I wouldn't have hired Jeff BEFORE

he was a head coach because as I said, you just don't know

how a coach is REALLY going to react as a head coach.

"But then to point to someone like Fratello....he's not much younger. you contradict yourself,"

Not really. I think Daily is a burned out coach and shouldn't

looked at. Mike seems eager to coach the team and I think he's

eager to be a coach again to be honest with you.

[Diesel]

Based on complaints by:

Richardson, Jamison, Dunleavy Jr. The french Guy, Cliff Robinson, Avery Johnson, Damp, and Van Exel

That's damn near the whole team.... Don't take my word....

Quote:

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For the most part Musselman's teams have played hard, but persistent grumbling has been impossible to ignore. We expect NBA players to complain, which is probably why no sirens went off when Jason Richardson and Erick Dampier, among others, voiced their displeasure last season. Red flags unfurled when veterans Clifford Robinson and Avery Johnson joined the choir this season.

"We try to push the players hard and when you push and have high expectations for players sometimes it's not comfortable," Musselman said. "We want them to keep getting better."

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Everybody complaining

As far as Mussleman and his work with younger players...

Quote:

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Musselman favors reliable veterans such as Calbert Cheaney. You can't blame him. The quickest way to lose the locker room is by not playing the best players in crunch time. Then again, Cheaney won't be around in three years. The development of Dunleavy and Pietrus should be a top priority.

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Like I said. Getting FAs will be hard. Who in the hell is bad enough to make Cliffy Robinson and Avery Johnson complain???

Mussleman.

[JB20]

Diesel, look at the guys that are complaining.

Van Exel, Jamison, Richardson, and Dampier are "me first" type guys. Richardson has very questionable character (if you want to know why he declared for the draft so early, go ahead and ask). Van Exel is always a problem for coaches. Dampier admitted that the only reason he played hard this year is because it's a contract year. And Jamison just didn't buy into a team system there, because he thought (and knew) he should be the man.

Pietrus complained because he wanted to play. What rookie isn't going to complain a bit when they're not playing?

Avery Johnson complained because he thinks he's a coach and probably just has different ideas on the way a team should be coached. Personally, I think Johnson will be a good coach in the NBA (The Hawks should interview him).

Cliff Robinson is another guy with a big mouth, but probably complained because Muss asked him to grab a rebound or two per game. Watching this guy in Detroit when he was here, he killed me. Two rebounds one night. No rebounds another. Four the next night. If he got six boards in one night, there were riots in the streets of Detroit!

The thing is, Musselman is a guy that is going to force his will on players, like Jerry Sloan and Hubie Brown. Either you play with/for him or you don't. Some players, like Richardson, need to be babied in a system. He doesn't do that and I respect him for it.

[Diesel]

It's easy to sit there and try to come up with reasons why these guys are complaining... However, All of them are complaining....

Now... You characters AJ as .....

Quote:

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Avery Johnson complained because he thinks he's a coach and probably just has different ideas on the way a team should be coached. Personally, I think Johnson will be a good coach in the NBA (The Hawks should interview him).

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AJ has always been in line to be a coach. On the Spurs championship team which was coached by a real hard ass... AJ never complained....

Quote:

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Cliff Robinson is another guy with a big mouth, but probably complained because Muss asked him to grab a rebound or two per game.

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Not only did Cliffy play for Detroit and not complain... He also play for P.J. Carlisimo and didn't complain...

Damn... How many citizenship awards candidacies have Cliffy and AJ had over their careers... You think you get those from being big mouths who want to undermine their coach???

Cliffy was immediately made captain in GS...

It's understandable that a coach would have a few detractors from certain players... But when more than 1/2 of the team has a beef with the coach... Then you have a problem with the coach.

Secondly... Sloan nor Hubie forces his will on their teams... In all the years that Sloan has coached, you have never heard of one player complaining about his coaching... Not one... Hubie hasn't been coaching in this new generation but for a couple of years... But still...

see me

to show the difference....

Quote:

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Hubie Brown talks about the little things that make a big difference for coaches. He discusses forming good habits, changing your meeting place, and teaching two new moves a year. He also emphasizes communication with your players. Learn communication for when the players make mistakes, building self-esteem, allowing in put from your players, communication during time-outs, and honoring the practice schedule. You can learn how to get the most out of your players by becoming better at the little things.

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That doesn't sound like forcing your will on the players??? Does it?

[cyman3]

"(if you want to know why he declared for the draft so early, go ahead and ask)."

- i wanna know...