Knicks · Damn Dolan, The Zen Master Is Making You Look Bad (page 1)

There have been rumors that Phil Jackson would be hired to coach the Knicks before the team made Mike Woodson his permanent coach last month, but man who led the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers to 11 NBA titles says he wasn't interested in taking the helm of Jim Dolan's "clumsy" club.

In an "HBO Real Sports" interview that premieres on Tuesday, Jackson tells correspondent Andrea Kremer that Dolan never called - and he was glad.

"I wasn't gonna take that job, that's for sure," said Jackson, who played with the Knicks from 1967 to 1978.

Jackson suggests he has given a good deal of thought to coaching the Knicks - "New York is special," he says - but he dismissed the possibility of returning to Madison Square Garden because the current team is "clumsy."

"What's clumsy mean?" Kremer asked.

"Well, they don't fit together well. (Amare) Stoudemire doesn't fit well with Carmelo. Stoudemire's a really good player. But he's gotta play in a certain system and a way.

"Carmelo has to be a better passer. And the ball can't stop every time it hits his hands," Jackson continued. "They need to have someone come in that can kinda blend that group together."

"But wouldn't you have been the perfect person to come in and blend all that talent together?" Kremer said. "You sort of have a good history of that."

"Yeah," Jackson agreed. "Well, it never happened."

Jackson retired from coaching last year after the Dallas Mavericks, the eventual NBA champs, swept his Lakers were swept in a playoff series Several of his players acted boorishly in the Lakers' final game of that season. Center Andrew Bynum clothes-lined the Mavs' JJ Berea.

"It was humbling," Jackson told Kremer. "Not the way I wanna see my players behave on the court. Andrew particularly took his jersey off and walked off the court in a way that was, you know, sense of arrogance. The game itself was bad enough as it went. So it-- it was kinda like-- so this is how it's gonna end, huh? This is an interesting closure to chapter of basketball."

Jackson is recuperating from knee replacement surgery he had in March, and people close to him have said his improved health has got him thinking about returning to coaching.

Jackson acknowledges that he no longer suffers from arthritic pain, but he declined to comment about returning to the NBA.

"No, I'm not gonna answer that," he told Kremer. "I don't have an answer for that question."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/phil-jackson-tells-hbo-ny-knicks-clumsy-carmelo-anthony-amar-e-stoudemire-fit-article-1.1096639#ixzz1xubmWym6

Sour grapes over not getting the call or telling it like it is?

OasisBU wrote:

There have been rumors that Phil Jackson would be hired to coach the Knicks before the team made Mike Woodson his permanent coach last month, but man who led the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers to 11 NBA titles says he wasn't interested in taking the helm of Jim Dolan's "clumsy" club.

In an "HBO Real Sports" interview that premieres on Tuesday, Jackson tells correspondent Andrea Kremer that Dolan never called - and he was glad.

"I wasn't gonna take that job, that's for sure," said Jackson, who played with the Knicks from 1967 to 1978.

Jackson suggests he has given a good deal of thought to coaching the Knicks - "New York is special," he says - but he dismissed the possibility of returning to Madison Square Garden because the current team is "clumsy."

"What's clumsy mean?" Kremer asked.

"Well, they don't fit together well. (Amare) Stoudemire doesn't fit well with Carmelo. Stoudemire's a really good player. But he's gotta play in a certain system and a way.

"Carmelo has to be a better passer. And the ball can't stop every time it hits his hands," Jackson continued. "They need to have someone come in that can kinda blend that group together."

"But wouldn't you have been the perfect person to come in and blend all that talent together?" Kremer said. "You sort of have a good history of that."

"Yeah," Jackson agreed. "Well, it never happened."

Jackson retired from coaching last year after the Dallas Mavericks, the eventual NBA champs, swept his Lakers were swept in a playoff series Several of his players acted boorishly in the Lakers' final game of that season. Center Andrew Bynum clothes-lined the Mavs' JJ Berea.

"It was humbling," Jackson told Kremer. "Not the way I wanna see my players behave on the court. Andrew particularly took his jersey off and walked off the court in a way that was, you know, sense of arrogance. The game itself was bad enough as it went. So it-- it was kinda like-- so this is how it's gonna end, huh? This is an interesting closure to chapter of basketball."

Jackson is recuperating from knee replacement surgery he had in March, and people close to him have said his improved health has got him thinking about returning to coaching.

Jackson acknowledges that he no longer suffers from arthritic pain, but he declined to comment about returning to the NBA.

"No, I'm not gonna answer that," he told Kremer. "I don't have an answer for that question."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/phil-jackson-tells-hbo-ny-knicks-clumsy-carmelo-anthony-amar-e-stoudemire-fit-article-1.1096639#ixzz1xubmWym6

Sour grapes over not getting the call or telling it like it is?

It seems to me he is telling it like it is. I mean i didnt want PJAX personally but he is right amare and melo dont fit. its been two years together and the still dotn fit. melo is a great scorer but he doesnt get others involved and the balls stops when he wants to do isos. Im a hige knick fan but PJAX makes valid points. I mean if we are lucky we can get the top 2 see and at least get to the ECF but everything has to break right for that to happen

That's a polite way of saying the organization is dysfunctional

Bonn1997 wrote:That's a polite way of saying the organization is dysfunctional

Either that... or it's him being pissed the Knicks didn't give him a look. Not that I think they should have. Either one is possible though, IMO.

Anyone who trashes Phil right now is a homer. He didn't say anything wrong at all.

I feel that he is right and I appreciate his criticism because it's very much true. If he can't see a silver lining in that duo than neither can I. They've done nothing so far to change the popular opinion. I feel better about not getting Phil, at least, because now I know he would have never come under any circumstance. I don't feel good knowing I have a pairing that will never win a title as currently constructed.

JamesKPolk wrote:Anyone who trashes Phil right now is a homer. He didn't say anything wrong at all.

I feel that he is right and I appreciate his criticism because it's very much true. If he can't see a silver lining in that duo than neither can I. They've done nothing so far to change the popular opinion. I feel better about not getting Phil, at least, because now I know he would have never come under any circumstance. I don't feel good knowing I have a pairing that will never win a title as currently constructed.

Amare and Melo don't seem like a good fit but I am not going to condemn the pairing because PJax did. He could just be being honest or he could be offended that he wasn't offered the position. I think the Knicks need a training camp and a full, healthy season to see if these guys can play together. I think a lot of things would have to go the Knicks way for them to win a title. They should be able to get to the conference finals with their current team in my opinion.

Could Phil really begrudge the Knicks for going with their interim coach? I can't see Phil a card-carrying member of the Cablevision family after winning with a much classier version of this sad sack storied organization.

Phil is boning in a relationship with a member of the Lakers front office. That's a whole different class of organization, sorry fellow Knicks faithful. Dolan had been engineering 's ouster for awhile now. Walsh was brought in here to do exactly what he said he would do: clear the cap for that fated summer of free agency.

When Dolan got his toys, he was ready to move on with his real team of lackeys advisors. I think it's the Phantom Menace (a/k/a the Smiling One Who Shall Not Be Named) somewhere lurking in Dolan's ear along with the sounds of the Robert Randolph Band.

DrAlphaeus wrote:Could Phil really begrudge the Knicks for going with their interim coach? I can't see Phil a card-carrying member of the Cablevision family after winning with a much classier version of this sad sack storied organization.

Phil is boning in a relationship with a member of the Lakers front office. That's a whole different class of organization, sorry fellow Knicks faithful. Dolan had been engineering 's ouster for awhile now. Walsh was brought in here to do exactly what he said he would do: clear the cap for that fated summer of free agency.

When Dolan got his toys, he was ready to move on with his real team of lackeys advisors. I think it's the Phantom Menace (a/k/a the Smiling One Who Shall Not Be Named) somewhere lurking in Dolan's ear along with the sounds of the Robert Randolph Band.

I disagree whole heartedly with this. I think the Knicks outbid the Bulls and did not ask D'Ant to change because he was a big name coach and Dolan wanted the name. D'Antoni resigned on his own accord and that has not been disputed by D'Antoni or the Knicks. The fact that he was trying to have guys fit in a system that did not suit their talents is on him. Dolan trading for Melo underminded Walsh and Walsh did everything he could to support his coach and make him succssful. Grunwald went for a more traditional team when he took over and D'Antoni was not able to adjust to his roster. He was given the year to adjust and make the things work but wasn't able to.

CrushAlot wrote:

DrAlphaeus wrote:Could Phil really begrudge the Knicks for going with their interim coach? I can't see Phil a card-carrying member of the Cablevision family after winning with a much classier version of this sad sack storied organization.

Phil is boning in a relationship with a member of the Lakers front office. That's a whole different class of organization, sorry fellow Knicks faithful. Dolan had been engineering 's ouster for awhile now. Walsh was brought in here to do exactly what he said he would do: clear the cap for that fated summer of free agency.

When Dolan got his toys, he was ready to move on with his real team of lackeys advisors. I think it's the Phantom Menace (a/k/a the Smiling One Who Shall Not Be Named) somewhere lurking in Dolan's ear along with the sounds of the Robert Randolph Band.

I disagree whole heartedly with this. I think the Knicks outbid the Bulls and did not ask D'Ant to change because he was a big name coach and Dolan wanted the name. D'Antoni resigned on his own accord and that has not been disputed by D'Antoni or the Knicks. The fact that he was trying to have guys fit in a system that did not suit their talents is on him. Dolan trading for Melo underminded Walsh and Walsh did everything he could to support his coach and make him succssful. Grunwald went for a more traditional team when he took over and D'Antoni was not able to adjust to his roster. He was given the year to adjust and make the things work but wasn't able to.

Do you disagree with me with your whole heart, now? Nah, I hear what you are saying. Did look like just said "eff it" one morning. But maybe because he was put in a "eff you" sort of environment? Chicken or egg, maybe? But that's a fair point, Crush.

After saying that Amare and Melo dont fit, this was his response:

"But wouldn't you have been the perfect person to come in and blend all that talent together?" Kremer said. "You sort of have a good history of that."
"Yeah," Jackson agreed. "Well, it never happened."

Defitnitely sounds like sour grapes to me.

Maybe "ouster" really was too strong a word. But it was clear Woody was the heir apparent. Walsh's usefulness was outlived, and they gave up on building a -style team centered on Amar'e. Chicken or egg too maybe on Amar'e's on-court trouble this year. But that one bright moment of Linsanity: -Ball Personified, in a way. + a PG who he can work with = some magical ball. But then's it's gone in 7 seconds or less...

Yea, probably just said one morning: well, that was as fun as it's gonna get for me in this town.

Or! Maybe Dolan just feeds the hot hand: Walsh! D'antoni! Amar'e! Melo! Chandler! Shump... err, Lin! Woody! Surprise, Melo again! >buy that merch & tickets, suckas!<

Uptown wrote:After saying that Amare and Melo dont fit, this was his response:

"But wouldn't you have been the perfect person to come in and blend all that talent together?" Kremer said. "You sort of have a good history of that."
"Yeah," Jackson agreed. "Well, it never happened."

Defitnitely sounds like sour grapes to me.

I agree. Personally, I have a ton of animosity towards Phil from the Bulls years and it would take a long time amd a lot of winning for me to move on from my memory of the pompous @ss that was blessed to coach the best player on the planet and two perenial all stars in his starting five.

Uptown wrote:After saying that Amare and Melo dont fit, this was his response:

"But wouldn't you have been the perfect person to come in and blend all that talent together?" Kremer said. "You sort of have a good history of that."
"Yeah," Jackson agreed. "Well, it never happened."

Defitnitely sounds like sour grapes to me.

I agree.

Uptown wrote:After saying that Amare and Melo dont fit, this was his response:

"But wouldn't you have been the perfect person to come in and blend all that talent together?" Kremer said. "You sort of have a good history of that."
"Yeah," Jackson agreed. "Well, it never happened."

Defitnitely sounds like sour grapes to me.

No, he just said he doesn't like the roster and wouldn't have taken the job. That quote is him saying "yeah I'm good enough to turn them around but I have no interest in attempting to do so". In other words, he's too old for this sh!t.

JamesKPolk wrote:

Uptown wrote:After saying that Amare and Melo dont fit, this was his response:

"But wouldn't you have been the perfect person to come in and blend all that talent together?" Kremer said. "You sort of have a good history of that."
"Yeah," Jackson agreed. "Well, it never happened."

Defitnitely sounds like sour grapes to me.

No, he just said he doesn't like the roster and wouldn't have taken the job. That quote is him saying "yeah I'm good enough to turn them around but I have no interest in attempting to do so". In other words, he's too old for this sh!t.

He has some pretty comprimisihg health issues and he wasn't offered the job. I am on the side of sour grapes.

Yes, sour grapes. I'm sure he is very bitter he didn't get to work for James Dolan and coach two opposite players on one team. He'll be wiping his tears with his 11 championship rings.

If you were PJax why the heck would you want to come to a team where you just watched the owner completely undermine his head coach? I mean why would PJax feel secure that Dolan would have his best interests at heart any more than he did any of the other coaches with winning records that came here before him??? Sure MDA got paid, but he had half of one season with a team that actually somewhat fit what he does best!!! Then Dolan comes in pushes Walsh out and changed direction on him and gives him no vote of confidence either. MDA finally gets a PG and still he's saddled with Melo who refuses to buy in. Now does that look like the kind of attractive situation for a coach to want to come to. An owner who backs his flawed player over the coach!!! You think PJax would be excited to coach a player that Karl didn't exactly love and MDA refused to coach anymore???

Then there's the specter of Isiah and his crew behind the scenes. Yeah i'm sure that is the ideal situation for any coach to want to come into. I can't think of any other GOOD coaches that will want to work for Dolan. Sure desperate guys like Woody will come, but anyone with pride and a real resume like PJax won't come here and deal with this crap. Not after the MDA situation. Good owners don't just spend. They give their GM and coach what they needs to win in terms of support and not work against what they're brought in to do.

Now i'm seeing articles about hiring an offensive assistant for Woody!!! REALLY? They just had the guy who had years where his offense was tops in consecutive seasons and the year previous had this team at #5 before the trade. This team has habitually done things that make no sense. I'm not even a big fan of PJax, but this franchise has been a joke for a long time and just when we were starting to get some respect Dolan sticks his neck in and we're back to the old days.

I can only hope that this team can make some deep playoff runs from here on out. Hope and pray the union wins the arbitration and Grunwald can add some much needed talent. Hope and pray that Woody really is capable of not only coaching D, but has a plan for the TEAM rather than just Melo.

This just shows that Phil is not the "Zen Master". He just coaches teams with the top players in the league. I agree with him that Melo and Amare don't mix but if he was really a "Zen Master" he would have taken on the challenge and made it work.

I'm sure Phil wouldn't say no to OKC.

Contender..... Check.

Top player in the game..... Check.

Uptown wrote:After saying that Amare and Melo dont fit, this was his response:

"But wouldn't you have been the perfect person to come in and blend all that talent together?" Kremer said. "You sort of have a good history of that."
"Yeah," Jackson agreed. "Well, it never happened."

Defitnitely sounds like sour grapes to me.

Thus stuck out to me as well. He wanted the interview and an opportunity to get a chance to win in nyc. Maybe he would have asked fir personnel change.....

We'll never know and he is annoyed he didn't even get a call.....at the same time he never answered the knicks call for legends night or any other alumni gathering. To hell with him.