Coaching Candidate: Michael Cooper
- Thread starter tjobrien
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Very much so...
He is definitely a player's coach. The players loved him in Albuquerque and they came on strong at the end of the season to go from out of the playoffs to the second seed. They then won the title on the road at Ft. Worth. He has been mentioned as a candidate a couple of times for the Lobo coaching job, but he is a few hours short of his degree, which is required to coach at UNM.
He is definitely a player's coach. The players loved him in Albuquerque and they came on strong at the end of the season to go from out of the playoffs to the second seed. They then won the title on the road at Ft. Worth. He has been mentioned as a candidate a couple of times for the Lobo coaching job, but he is a few hours short of his degree, which is required to coach at UNM.
I think a players coach has it's up and downsides. He'll manage the personalities well, but I think if you're too layed back like Rick was, sometimes the players no, Coach will be ok. He won't be that mad with me. There is no fear, because he's like your buddy that yells at you now and then. I'd rather have a mix like a Poppovich. You can tell his players love him and respect him, but at the same time no he'll chew their ***. More like a father/authoritarian figure. Fair but stern. That gets the job done.
As I've said before I think the personality of a team starts with the coach, and the players will follow suit. Sometimes that up and down inconsistant play even when this team was really good, came from the coach. I know Rick's not playing the game, but you know what I mean. It's just too layed back of an attitude for me at times.
As I've said before I think the personality of a team starts with the coach, and the players will follow suit. Sometimes that up and down inconsistant play even when this team was really good, came from the coach. I know Rick's not playing the game, but you know what I mean. It's just too layed back of an attitude for me at times.
I definately hear you. I would like us to find someone with that balance that you speak of and it can be seen in a coach like Pop. Someone who commands respect eventhough you my get an earful your performance is lackluster. But given the fragile dispostion of our players like Ron and Bonzi, it's something that needs to be considered with much caution.
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You know honestly I think someone like Ron would respond well to someone who was Stern but fair at the same time. As long as he doesn't feel stifled, and he feels that the coach is just trying to do what needs to be done to win, I think he'd love that. I mean it's no different then when he's on the sidelines with a stern face on hollering at his team mates to fire them up. I think he would respect a personality like that. I think he'd respect a lot more than someone who he thinks isn't tough enough.
I mentioned Coop in another thread. As a very solid basketball player and a winner, I believe he would be easily respected by Bonzi, Artest and others.
At Denver - (i think) he got off to a disappointing start with the young Carmelo and a so-so roster. George Karl came in and sort of miraculously turned them around for one reason or another, so it looked like real failure. Karl couldn't maintain the success though, and the problem there we've discovered is in the team makeup.
Again, Coop is a good man and played with great heart and contributed to numerous championships. Not sure what there is NOT to like?
At Denver - (i think) he got off to a disappointing start with the young Carmelo and a so-so roster. George Karl came in and sort of miraculously turned them around for one reason or another, so it looked like real failure. Karl couldn't maintain the success though, and the problem there we've discovered is in the team makeup.
Again, Coop is a good man and played with great heart and contributed to numerous championships. Not sure what there is NOT to like?
I'm not sure him being a disappointment in Denver would necessarily taint my opinion of him.
EVERY coach not named Jerry Sloan (and I'm not even absolutely sure on that one - I was too lazy to go see if he'd ever been fired in his career) has been disappointing enough to one or more teams to have his term ended.
EVERY coach not named Jerry Sloan (and I'm not even absolutely sure on that one - I was too lazy to go see if he'd ever been fired in his career) has been disappointing enough to one or more teams to have his term ended.
Cooper's had some stink wafting over him for a while now, and now I'm not sure what to think.
Looked like he was going to be the WNBA crossover pioneer, but there were some vaguely half-remembered questions about his attitude, then he failed as the interim guy in Denver, and then he just kind of dropped off the map. Haven't heard his name mentioned recently.
Certainly a more qualified guy than Whisenhant (as in not only won longer in the WNBA, but actually knows the NBA and its athletes), but all the evidence we have for him as a head guy in the NBA is the 4-10 (just looked it up) stint in Denver.
Looked like he was going to be the WNBA crossover pioneer, but there were some vaguely half-remembered questions about his attitude, then he failed as the interim guy in Denver, and then he just kind of dropped off the map. Haven't heard his name mentioned recently.
Certainly a more qualified guy than Whisenhant (as in not only won longer in the WNBA, but actually knows the NBA and its athletes), but all the evidence we have for him as a head guy in the NBA is the 4-10 (just looked it up) stint in Denver.
Very quick stint in Denver. Mostly, I think he conflicted with 'Melo at a time when they imagined him to be the second coming. IMO the guys of today show more respect for coaches that could play the game.
I'm not sure of the timing, but If there is something "stinky" about Cooper it was that he was not kept in the Laker family.
He played in a style much in the manner of the way the key Kings did during their resurgence this season. I'm sure his demeanor would be a lot easier than Byron Scott's Pat Riley imitation.
I dunno. It would be much wiser than re-cycling the old usual suspects. Then again, I'm not sure if coaching in the WNBA translates to the NBA although interestingly a friend of mine Paul Westhead is now coaching there.
I'm not sure of the timing, but If there is something "stinky" about Cooper it was that he was not kept in the Laker family.
He played in a style much in the manner of the way the key Kings did during their resurgence this season. I'm sure his demeanor would be a lot easier than Byron Scott's Pat Riley imitation.
I dunno. It would be much wiser than re-cycling the old usual suspects. Then again, I'm not sure if coaching in the WNBA translates to the NBA although interestingly a friend of mine Paul Westhead is now coaching there.
I'm not for or against Michael Cooper at this minute - but how can anyone hold a 14 game interim stint against him? Interim is the operative word here meaning: a) whoever preceded you was more than likely fired and that might have something to do with the team sucking and b) you are a lame duck who will be replaced in a few weeks anyways so no reason for your players to listen or respond.
It is again, all we have to go on. Does not mean much, but with the remainder of his experience confined to the NBDL and WNBA, a 14 game stint where he apparently clashed with his star player is all we've got. Certainly not conclusive. But nothing that the Nuggets, or anybody else, ran off and hired him over either.
You are right Brick. I've made my preference clear that I'd like to see new blood rather than one of the usual suspects in other posts so I can overlook the 14 game stint since as it was under the worst circumstances any coach can come into. Some great coaches came from the CBA so I see no reason NBDL experience won't translate just as well.
Cooper would be a decent coach. kind of a bland mov though that i dont see the Maloofs making. he's a 45-50 win coach at best for our team, and then done in the first or second round of playoffs. BAsically what Adelman almost would guarantee. Cooper just doesn't seem to have that superego "impose my will upon the team" mentality he would need to win, an win big. something that larry brown has.
I'm sorry, but you have absolutely zero basis for these comments. First, you're assuming the WNBA is not competitive at all, nor is the DL. Yeah, put an NBA team against a team from those 2 leagues and the NBA team will win 80-95% of the time. But you're saying it's a cakewalk for any scrub coach who doesn't care about his team to come on and win 3 championships? So, coaching rich men requires some excess brain power that women's basketball or d-league ball doesn't? Okay, maybe bigger egos, but laid-back Rick has shown to be the best ego manager around.
Second, what about Rick guarantees not getting past the second round? He's gotten teams to the finals. He got Kings to WCF and if...(this is a beaten road, point is, RA does not mean no major success)
Third, I don't care who you're talking about, you can't make statements like "at best" without giving them a chance. No one can win like he has without knowing something about basketball. Everyone has ups, everyone has downs and, most important, every great coach at one time had nothing on their NBA resume. I'm not gonna say this is our guy, but I would be more than happy to bring in fresh blood, an unproven coach who could really do something good. Besides, our roster alone almost gaurantees a playoff berth. Coaching is about taking it to the next level and for that, there are no gaurantees.
Second, what about Rick guarantees not getting past the second round? He's gotten teams to the finals. He got Kings to WCF and if...(this is a beaten road, point is, RA does not mean no major success)
Third, I don't care who you're talking about, you can't make statements like "at best" without giving them a chance. No one can win like he has without knowing something about basketball. Everyone has ups, everyone has downs and, most important, every great coach at one time had nothing on their NBA resume. I'm not gonna say this is our guy, but I would be more than happy to bring in fresh blood, an unproven coach who could really do something good. Besides, our roster alone almost gaurantees a playoff berth. Coaching is about taking it to the next level and for that, there are no gaurantees.