It'll never end, you know, the chatter about Phil Jackson and the Los Angeles Lakers. Why should they? Especially when Phil probably had a mind to consider coaching the team before Mike D'Antoni took over as Lakers coach, and the Lakers certainly entertained the idea before giving in to Jim Buss' whims and settling on D'Antoni. The speculation is over, D'Antoni is here to stay and Jackson probably won't ever see a Laker sideline again, but on the heels of his first actual interview following the Lakers' decision, Phil seems as bemused and at ease as ever. And, because it's 2012, the first interview didn't go to Sam Smith or Roland Lazenby or one of the writers for the Los Angeles Times. Instead, some TMZ freelancer with a camera caught up to Phil in California on Monday, and TMZ has the quotes (if, not the shared video). Phil Jackson says he's NOT bitter at the Lakers for passing him over for the head coaching job earlier this month ... claiming Lakers brass decided to go with Mike D'Antoni in a "midnight coup." The Zen Master was out in Santa Barbara this weekend ... when he was asked if he felt the Lakers treated him unfairly during the negotiations. Jackson explained, "We never discussed any terms ... so there was never anything unfair about it." Phil -- now 67-years-old -- also made it clear ... the chances of him ever coaching in the NBA again are "slim and none."
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