There are some exceptions, but most of the top international coaches are still working off drills and game plans our coaches and players have introduced over there. To their credit they also still emphasize strong fundamental play. My biggest hangup would be how an international coach would be treated over here by the players. Look at Mike D’Antoni. Nobody took him seriously until he won. You put that kind of a coach in this situation and the players might tune out quickly.

When would you guess that an NBA team would look to either the WNBA or the International/Olympic teams for coaches? I ask because, like with Jackie Robinson, when there’s non-logical prejudice working against a choice, the first person that goes with logic usually gets the cream of the crop. OTOH, if you move too quickly, you get someone who can’t handle the task. Though, it’s worth noting that lots of people in the know seem to think the top Olympic teams are better coached than our guys. Better coached, hmmm, I wonder how that happens?

For blog readers who read other blogs, sorry for the cross post it’s just I’d love if a reporter would ask D. Walsh what he thinks about non-traditional coaches.

We need a defensive oriented coach, some one who will command respect and who will challenge the loafers from the laissez faire Thomas coaching era/error.

I give my vote to Tom Thibodeau, and Avery Johnson.

The problem with the Knicks has been organizational instability over the past few years, especially at positions that require that stabiliyt. Ergo the coaching position.

The idea should be to get a stern defensive oriented task master in to forge the team in a competitive defense first image. Then years down the road when such a work ethic and approach to the game is instilled the team can gear towards a more offensive oriented coach.

You can’t forge a team on one year of hard ass Larry Brown and one year soft as Isiah Thomas.

It will never work!