New York Knicks Coach Mike Woodson Fired..

[Mitchell]

www.foxsports.com.

This move has been rumored for a while.

I just read that Knicks president Phil Jackson fired head coach Mike Woodson, and Woodson's entire staff, today.

Although the Knicks took a step backward this year.. and failed to make the playoffs, some of that was definitely due to injuries to key players.

Part of me feels bad for Woodson.. This is the second franchise that he took from doormat,.. to playoff team/contender, and ended up losing his job with. The other being with the Hawks.

My guess is that Woodson wont be unemployed for long. Someone will hire him.

Thoughts on Woodson's firing?

 

[BBGuy5240]

Not really surprised. But he shouldn't take all the Blame.

And they did have a small chance at the Playoffs towards the end of the Regular Season

He will not be unemployed for long.

I'm pretty sure this is False, but I heard a Rumor that Jackson could be an Option.

But like I said, it's probably False.

 

[Mitchell]

BB Guy, I agree with you about Woodson not taking all the blame, and that he wont be unemployed for long.

As to what you said about a rumor that Jackson is going to coach the Knicks. While I understand what you mean.. in every article I've read, Jackson has "Insisted" he;'s not going to be the head coach of the Knicks. Jackson is going to be 69 in a few months. Ten years ago, when he wrote his book "The Last Season" about his 2003-2004 season with the Lakers, Jackson swore he was never coming back then, and as we know, that was not true, and he still won two more titles after that.

If they could do this.. and he really didn't want to travel, maybe the Knicks should have Jackson as home games coach only, and let someone else coach the road games. I know this has never been done in pro sports, but it would be an interesting concept, considering how influential Jackson always seems to be as a head coach.

 

[BBGuy5240]

BB Guy, I agree with you about Woodson not taking all the blame, and that he wont be unemployed for long.

As to what you said about a rumor that Jackson is going to coach the Knicks. While I understand what you mean.. in every article I've read, Jackson has "Insisted" he;'s not going to be the head coach of the Knicks. Jackson is going to be 69 in a few months. Ten years ago, when he wrote his book "The Last Season" about his 2003-2004 season with the Lakers, Jackson swore he was never coming back then, and as we know, that was not true, and he still won two more titles after that.

If they could do this.. and he really didn't want to travel, maybe the Knicks should have Jackson as home games coach only, and let someone else coach the road games. I know this has never been done in pro sports, but it would be an interesting concept, considering how influential Jackson always seems to be as a head coach.

Oh I don't see it happening. I think he's finished with Coaching. I was just saying that's something that I had heard.

I think the 2011 Playoffs took a lot out of him. Sucks that's how he had to go out though.

 

[Mitchell]

Wikipedia wrote the article about Woodson's dismissal today in a manner that was, in my opinion, completely unprofessional for an encyclopedia to report about an issue.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MikeWoodson For those who want a link, and I quote.

"On April 21, 2014, Mike Woodson was fired as head coach of the New York Knicks after two and a half seasons after.. to quote Wikipedia.. "A really crappy season".

Wikipedia could have handled this issue in a far more professional manner, and could have said something like

"After a very disappointing season"

"After an underachieving season"

"After a BAD season in which the Knicks were expected to make the playoffs, but didn't".

"After a really crappy season".

Nice, and completely professional, and classy, on Wikipedia's part.

Note: I tried typing the link to the article about Woodson in several times, and it didn't work properly even when it was a link. All I can say is.. for those who want to see the sentence I quoted, go to the Wikipedia article about Mike Woodson. Trust me, it's there.

 

[Mitchell]

I agree with you, BB Guy.

The"Rumored" leading candidate for the Knicks job is supposedly Steve Kerr.

Since Jackson supposedly has "Full Authority over all basketball decisions" with the Knicks, I will be very interested to see who he chooses as his next coach.

 

[tklbd]

"Mike Woodson being fired??!!" Real big news!!! Sorry...just being "stupid" here!!! Doesn't matter who is running things for The Knicks...I think he was on thin ice, anyway!!!

Now...being from the "other coast"...let me get even more "stupid"......................

The Lakers "trade" JIM BUSS, MIKE D'ANTONI and PAU GASOL to the Knicks for...PHIL JACKSON and TYSON CHANDLER!!! (hell...we'll even take J.R. "shoelace bandit" SMITH...for "trade bait" with another team). Phil can come back and run things with JEANIE BUSS...and see if things can "come back" to some sort of normalcy!!! LOL!!! (told you this would be "stupid")

Anyway...I feel for Knicks fans!!! It wasn't too pleasant, over here this season, either!!! Hope we can both get back to the "teams" we know we're capable of having!!!

Just my two cents of "stupidity" for the day!!!

 

[BBGuy5240]

Mitchell, it defiantly will be interesting to see who the Next Coach will be.

And tklbd, I also felt bad for the Fans.

I enjoy watching "First Take" on ESPN. While watching Stephan A Smith going off on the Knicks was entertaining, I did feel bad for him.

 

[obama666]

Kerr was his guy from the get go. New guy nearly always fires and then hires everybody, his people. I thought Woodson was at best an average coach.

 

[Mitchell]

NY Daily News Columnist Mike Lupica wrote a very good article about Woodson and the Knicks coaching situation.

www.nydailynews,com/MikeLupica. I ...he Knicks have during that period, but still.

 

[Mitchell]

I just read an article in the NY Daily News.. which claimed that.. only a month into Phil Jackson being with the Knicks, Knicks owner and Cablevision president James Dolan, who many claim is "The Worst Owner in the NBA", is already supposedly clashing with Jackson over personnel decisions Jackson wants to make. This, after Mr Dolan was quoted as saying that Jackson would be quote "Head of all basketball decisions, and all other decision makers would be taking a step back".

Considering the Knicks fortunes in recent years, except for the one year aberration of last year, it would seem that Dolan would be wise to let the president he hired, who has eleven championship rings, make all the decisions, and that Dolan should stay out of it. I'm not terribly familiar with Dolan, but, he sounds like a meddler, similar to how George Steinbrenner was until he hired Joe Torre.

I think, in time, maybe with draft picks, trades, and free agent signings, Phil can get the Knicks turned around. He went back to a mediocre Lakers team in 2005, after having been forced out the previous year, and guided them to back to back titles, and three straight Finals appearances, within three years. Granted, he had Kobe Bryant, one of the best players ever to play in the NBA as his superstar, but still, Jackson knows success in basketball.

Phil has committed to doing this for five years. That's a long time. Hopefully, he can succeed.

 

[tklbd]

Exactly Mitch!!!

"Meddling owners" have been the downfall of many a great team!!! Same here, with the Lakers, since Dr. Buss past away!!!

But remember that the Knicks are facing some contractual issues, over the next few seasons. Plus they have NO draft picks, this year!!! It's been similar for the Lakers, the last couple of years. Since winning the title in 2010...and then the "meltdown" against Dallas in 2011...we've lost some very key "role players". Not just that Kobe suffered a serious injury...and Steve Nash and Pau Gasol have had "nagging injuries".....
But look at some of those "role players" we lost, the last couple of years, because of "contratual issues"......
--Derrick Fisher...he was a "backbone" since he was drafted the same year as Kobe.
--Trevor Ariza...an always hustling, defensive stalwart...that could make 3 pointers at key moments.
--Shannon Brown...pretty much the same type of player as Ariza.
--Ron Artest (Metta World Peace)...former "Defensive Player of the Year"...tough as anyone in the league...and somehow came up with big
plays and/or shots, at key moments. (past reputation as a "dirty player" not withstanding, but seemed to have controlled it while here)
--Andrew Bynum...unfortunately, he has become the "Greg Oden" of the last 3 years.
--Lamar Odom...one of the most versatile forwards of recent past. And at 6-10, he was nearly a "Kevin Durant" type, that could shoot,
rebound, handle the ball and run the court. (not comparing him to Durant, just saying he was similar, outside of the scoring)
But unfortunately, another "star" whose career was ruined by the Kardashians!!!

I'm just saying, Mitch...that even with Phil...the Knicks may be in the same type of situation...over the next year or two. Maybe he can turn things around, after that!!! Good Luck to both New York and Los Angeles!!! Now let's get going...Dodgers...Angels...and Kings (but not looking good on the Hockey, after last night!!!

One last thought...speaking of the Dodgers...maybe Magic can get more "involved" with the Lakers, in the next few years!!! Can always hope!!!

 

[Mitchell]

I see your point, bd.

About the Knicks: I don't think there is any way Phil can turn this around in one year. The Knicks have too far too come. My point is, he has five years. That's a long time. In time, I think he can, and will, at least, build the Knicks into a "Contender", even if not a "Champion"