I had thought about this a while back but decided to finally post about. I know it is going to ruffle some feathers, but oh well, it is just my opinion If you think about all the times his guys (Jordan, Kobe and Shaq go without saying. Jordan especially)--even roll players fairly sucky everywhere else they have been (Paxon, Armstrong, Kerr, Harper, Fisher, Fox, Horry) -- hit pressure shots it really is remarkable. It is even more remarkable when you see a bunch of other guys--some stars (KJ, Malone, Peja, Webber) and other nonstars (Christie, Hedo, Bowen, Ferry, Kittles, B Russel) act like deers caught in headlights in big situations. Some guys have knacks for playing big in big situations (Bird, Magic, Jordan, Miller, Stockton, Horry, Bibby) most guys don't. Anybody can coach the clutch guys, but a tremendous coach gets the other guys to play well in those situations. Thus I think Phil's non-traditional coaching stuff of meditation or visualization techniques or team book reading assignments works for keeping his guys relaxed and focused. I am not saying it is the only way to do it, but I think of his guys' consistency in executing plays other teams choke is no accident. Had Rick Adelman done something to keep his guys relaxed and focused for game 7--be in Phil J like meditation that morning, afternoon massages for all players, mandated team streaking down Sac's main avenue at 4am, or a bushel of hookers imported from Vegas ready at halftime--his guys may not have pressed quite as much and he would have his ring by now.
It was a good game though. Phil is not the Ulitamte Zen Master. He almost lost that title and that ring, but fortunately the kings let the Lakers win.
Phil's Zen stuff works Bull****. He being lucky to have the best players on his teams and some favorable calls is what works not some mambo-jambo crap. Scar - I can't believe that you would fall for this crap. Don't tell me that you have been reading ESPN and swallowing that garbage hook, line, and sinker?
Does anyone think Phil could take a team like the Clippers or Portland or even the current Bulls and fail to coach them up to their potential?
gb, It won't ever happen because Phil will never take those jobs. He would retire again and wait for another opportunity like the one with the Lakers.
I think it would be 50-50 that he could do it. However, if he did pull it off then I would have no qualms proclaiming him to be the greatest coach in NBA history.
Only 50-50? So you're saying his experience of having been to the top several times and having seen several players get there wouldn't give him a leg up in the least in helping his players develop up to their potential?
Well, gb, I think Phil would have a little problem with patience. I don't see him dealing with losing too well. If he could endure 2 or 3 losing seasons like Rudy and be building a young team up to a talented one, then the rewards will be obviously great for him and his team. However, Phil just doesn't strike me as the type that would or could endure a 50 loss season and 3 straight years of not making the playoffs.
If I said it once, I'll say it again for the millionth time. Jordan was just starting to hit his stride. Wasn't the season that he hit the shot over Craig Ehlo to get the Bulls in the Eastern Finals, Doug Collins' last season?? Yea, real difficult to take a team with its best player quickly becoming the best player ever to a championship when they were in the Eastern finals the season before... Same with the Lakers. Shaq and Kobe had been in the Western Finals together but had yet to mature and gel with each other. I know that you might say that Phil was the reason why they gelled, but I'm not buying it. It was just a matter of time before Shaq and Kobe were going to win a championship, especially with clods like Bavetta reffing. Nice try, Mr. Ritchie, but try again. Until he does what Larry Brown has done on a consistent basis -take over projects and make them winners, then I will never do what these media types like ESPN like to do and have unfortunately influenced some people here to do...kiss Phil's ass. You're welcome.
I won't deny that Jackson is a pretty good coach. However, I have to agree with Manny that he'd look a lot less good with inferior talent. If instead of Jordan and the Bulls and Shaq and the Lakers he had Smith and the Hawks and Payton and the Sonics, no one would be talking about him as the greatest coach ever. He'd be a decent coach. As for clutch performers, I'd say: (1) Guys look a lot more clutch when their teams win championships. Elie looked clutch, Elliott looked clutch. (2) A couple of guys listed actually were clutch other places. Robert Horry was hitting those shots for Houston long before he hit them for LA. Same with Harper. On the flip-side, Fisher looked great in last year's playoffs, but looked pretty bad this year. Why was that? Has he been skipping his meditation?
This thread wasn't supposed to be another about where Phil J stacks up in terms of coaching greatness. This thread was supposed to be about whether a specific tactic of his-- relaxation and focus techniques--be it in the form of Zen meditation, visualization, or a bushel of prostitutes--help prepare players to come through in the clutch. I think these non-traditional coaching strategies work, or at least certainly don't hurt.
So was Phil. He had won as both a player and as a coach before he became the head coach of the Bulls. His previous successes only followed him... It's easier to get on top than it is to stay on top.
9 out of 9 titles could one of you tell me how many playoff series in a row he's won? I forgot lots of teams have talent but how many always win Phil Jackson gets his team to step up and stay focused hey I think that works when was the last time Phil lost and it meant something? sorry if this upsets you but Jackson is damn good at what he does and every one of you knows it
It won't ever happen because Phil will never take those jobs. He would retire again and wait for another opportunity like the one with the Lakers. And why should he? Let's see... I can take the glamorous job with the big payday, or the crappy job and lose a lot. Which would YOU choose?
Of course I'd take the lower paying and losing job if only to win the adoration of teeming strangers and to not sleep with the boss's attractive daughter.
Kid Rock is right. Those teams did not win before Phil. How many times have we seen teams get to the finals but never win the whole thing. How many times have we seen teams get to conference Finals and never win. And they always have a great player. Phil took them over the top. And jordan Knows it too. Why do you think he loves Phil so much. Same thing with Dream. Rudy pushed them over the top. Some coaches are leaders. Some are just good coaches. It makes a difference.
And not every team has the luxury of having the 2 most dominant players in the game on their team like Jordan and Shaq plus being complemented by Pippen and Kobe.... Ummm...last time I checked, he wasn't the one that was shooting 27 (thanks Dick Bavetta) free throws in a quarter. That's my whole point (well the main one) about him...it's not his coaching that is winning these games unless you think coaching is nothing more than sitting on the sidelines in a suit and making faces and having smug little grins on your mug all game long like Jackson does...oh, I forgot, he also has that great coaching "tool"...his shrill whistle! 1) It doesn't upset me (believe it or not) - what upsets me is the media kissing his ass and buying into idiotic crap like the "Zen philosophy" when it has been one man's incredible good fortune. 2) You're right that he is damn good...damn good at being lucky at getting the best players in the game on his teams or I should say finding a way to become a coach for the team that has the most dominant player in the game on it. I wouldn't be surprised one bit if Phil comes back at age 70 to coach the team with the most dominant player in the game on it. Major: I would of course take the first one, but I know that I would get bored and want a challenge. Plus I would want to be respected by my peers in the profession. I don't think Phil is universally respected by his peers because maybe they feel like me in that he 1) Never builds a team 2) He spews out mambo-jambo like the "Zen" bunk instead of concentrating on running plays...oh, I forgot he lets his assistants like Tex Winter do the grunt work...the actual coaching with the X's and O's...
Karl Malone and John Stockton? Two of the best players in their position. A team with a good offense and tough (cheap) defense? Gary Payton and Shawn "formerly known as Reinman" Kemp? Great defense and explosive offense? They had to play with Jordan. But Jordan's out there saying that he won't play without Phil all those years. Tim Duncan and David Robinson? How does one team go from sweeping the Lakers to getting swept? Sean Elliot? Oh it wasn't the same team, but then you'd have to account role players into that. Isn't role players who know their roles a credit to the coach? Putting two dominant players and a bunch of role players isn't that easy. George Karl looks like he's gonna explode. Larry Brown doesn't know whether to retire or trade players for another playoff run. Portland... Phil has his system. If it was all luck, he'd have been exposed by now. You'll just have to wait next year to "expose" him Manny. These debates are getting repetitive.
