There are many different views about how much Francis, Yao, and co. are buying into Van Gundy's system, especially on the court. Everyone seems to be saying the right things to the media, and so far no one has openly complained or rebelled, but anyone who's paying attention can clearly see that Van Gundy is constantly frustrated on the sidelines, waving his hands and the air and screaming his head off trying to get his players to respond. Everyone has an opinion on why, be it Francis and Mobley's seemingly low basketball IQ, Yao's softness, general lack of fire, flat insubordination, or any of about a thousand other things. But what I'm not really sure he has is everyone's respect. They follow orders, but they do so begrudgingly. Maybe that's Van Gundy's obsession with surrounding himself with players and staff from his previous success. Coaches are known to assign veterans who know the system and enforce the law, rather than the team's best players, to be the team leaders, officially or not. With Ewing on the bench, and now 'Spoon and MJ, is JVG trying to increase his numbers? That way he doesn't have to directly confront one of his players if he has a problem, he can have one of his cronies do it.
It seems to me like coaches are always flailing their arms or looking depressed or screaming, no matter how good their teams are. Do you ever see Rick Adelman with a huge smile on his face?
Maybe it's not just a matter of everybody just "saying the right things to the media". Maybe they really don't have a problem with Van Gundy. Have you ever noticed that all of his ex-Knick players are fiercly loyal to JVG? Have you noticed that Francis, Mobley and Taylor are repeating all of Van Gundy's quotes about consistency, defense and sharing the ball? Not only don't I think that the players have a problem with Van Gundy, I think that they are buying into his system. It's just that old habits die hard. It will take some more time to change. As far as Van Gundy looking unhappy on the sidelines, that's just him. He looked the same way when he was coaching the Knicks to the NBA finals. As far as confronting players, I don't think that is an issue with Van Gundy. He doesn't seem to have a problem telling people what he thinks.
Bingo to Aelliot. JVG dosen't seem like the type to hire his friends. I am pretty sure he is all about winning.
Yes. Bingo to hippieloser... If I were the coach..I would bring in people who are familiar with my system and who I trust and who believe... Also agree with aeelliott and Pat.. We ar ejust inconsistent and we are still learning and developing. transition..
DarkHorse, sorry to sidetrack but I always thought the quote in your sig was said by Mark Twain. Good quote though. I imagine anytime you play for one coach for 4 years and switch suddenly, you're going to have some bad habits from the 4 years you were playing completely different basketball.
He seems to Hate the media too I notice he does not do the COACHES CORNER with Gene Peterson either No Show in 610 seems very unaccessible Which may contribute to low attendence as well I mean hell the Texans are on 610 ALL THE D*MN time Carr, Caserly, McKinney, Capers Rocket have who . . .Bullard . . . . That is part of the MEDIA Advert Package FOLX! Rocket River maybe a weekly Cato show or something . .. .
Often attributed to Benjamin Disraeli, British Prime Minister. The source for this view is the autobiography of Mark Twain, where he makes that attribution. No version of this quotation has been found in any of Disraeli's published works or letters though. The earliest reference yet found anywhere is to a speech made by Leonard H. Courtney, (1832-1918), later Lord Courtney, in New York in 1895 - 'After all, facts are facts, and although we may quote one to another with a chuckle the words of the Wise Statesman, “Lies - damn lies - and statistics,” still there are some easy figures the simplest must understand, and the astutest cannot wriggle out of.’ It may be that Twain thought that in the 'Wise Statsman' Courtney was referring to Disraeli.
Yeah no one really knows who said it first, but people kind of assume Disreali. I used to have Mark Twain when it was my signature originally, but some people got upset about that, too. I guess I'll have to re-re-fix it.
As far as the topic is concerned, I never said that I thought it was a bad thing. I WANT everyone to buy into Van Gundy's system. I WANT to have some locker room enforcers on the team. Maybe aelliott is right, and they've already bought into the whole thing. I'm not sure if that's better than being stubborn or not. Is it better to be willing and incompetant, or competant and stubborn? At least if you're stubborn there's a possibility for change. Hopefully it's not incompetance. At least you can overcome "old habits dying hard". They do eventually die. Unfortunately for Van Gundy, the window for patience passed about a season before he showed up.
