A side by side comparison
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- May
- 2
Since there is nothing else to do right now I’m wondering, is there really a major difference between Avery Johnson and Mark Jackson? I’m not taking sides. They just seem to be cut from the same fabric.
There is an experience differential.
Johnson, though, is still early in the game. He was afforded the luxury of taking over a very good team. We don’t know whether he’ll motivate a team that has piled up more losses than wins for the last seven years.
Both are big on accountability.
Jackson wasn’t real popular in the locker room when he came back to the Knicks in 2000 because he spoke out when teammates were not playing the right way. Johnson was also the voice of reason when he played and talked every time something needed to be aired out.
Both want a committed defense.
After seeing the Knicks play soft each of the last four seasons, that’s very important. Walsh needs the Knicks to be competitive immediately so fans will believe things are indeed going to change. Getting after opponents shows the Knicks are making a legitimate attempt.
Both can talk and talk and talk.
They can definitely handle themselves behind a microphone. Restraint seems to be more of an issue. They will have to be open and honest with New Yorkers to help sell the latest rebuilding efforts so communication skills have to factor in.
Both know the league.
They understand the logistics of an 82-game schedule. They know what players do and where players go on the road. They know the importance of practice and when a break is needed.
Both know what hard work is.
Grab an NBA Register and look at the career numbers. Neither of them are gifted athletes. They were forced to put in extra time in order to achieve great things.
So all things being equal, do you want a little experience or do you want a fresh start?
This entry was posted
on Friday, May 2nd, 2008 at 8:53 am by Mike Dougherty.
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Start fresh! I like Avery Johnson…but starting fresh is what rebuilding is all about.
I was just having this discussion with a friend last night. Here’s what we came up with…
The big difference-and this is just speculation since we haven’t seen Jax coach-is that Avery seems more rigid. He has a higher need to control the flow of the game from the sideline. I’d speculate that Jax would be equally as demanding in practice but less controlling on game day. He’d let his players play.
That quality is subtle, but is often the one that dooms college coaches to failure in the NBA and dooms NBA coaches to being career vagabonds. Even when they’re successful they inevitably wear out their welcome.
I have no strong preference for any of the candidates who’ve been we’ve heard speculation about. Everyone that has been mentioned would be such a dramatic improvement over what we’ve had to endure as Knicks fans that I’d be satisfied no matter who is chosen.
I’m very encouraged that Walsh has not simply rushed out and hired someone simply for the positive PR hit it would give this beleaguered franchise. He’s being diligent in this process, exploring all possibilities. And as much as we all enjoy being armchair GM’s one would hope that Walsh has a much clearer perspective of personnel, salary, and corporate culture issues than we do, and hopefully that is informing the process.
I believe Donnie Walsh to be a man of integrity, which is a refreshing change for this franchise. There’s no need to rush into hiring a coach right away. Hell, there’s no need to hire a coach any time in the near future. As playoff teams get ousted, the roster of candidates could expand further.
friday jones has the right mentality. Just get someone, and for heavens sake build a team that can make legitimate playoff runs. We have not had a first round draft pick in decades it seems. The percentages need to start going in our favor sooner than later as far as catching breaks are concerned.
Mike how do you know Jackson is committed to defense. Every time I see him on Nets Telecasts Jackson always states Give offense always beats good defense. Do you really want somebody telling Zach and Curry that. They will play even less defense than now if thats possible.
Mack Jax hands down.
He would cost less money.
In the past few years knicks have blown aways millions to coaches – time to get a bargain.
With all due respect Trin, who cares how much the new coach costs? It’s not your money, and more importantly, if they hire a coach for say 800K instead of 1.5 million, are you somehow under the impression that the Dolans will pass that savings along to the fans? Let’s just hire the best coach.
What?????????? Was that English?
If we have to look into the playing court demeanors of those players turned coaches, those who have winning percentages if not successful coaches are those who once played their hearts out with much seriousness and with no comical antics in the playing courts. These player-coaches are/were Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, Jerry Sloan, Lennie Wilkens, Doc Rivers, Byron Scott, Larry Brown, Scott Skiles, Avery Johnsonn, Nate McMillian, etc. Never did we seen, players in the mold of Dennis Rodman, Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson, or any poker faces who made their grade in coaching endeavors. For me, Mark Jackson with his taunting gigs (one of the pioneer in NBA,) fashion foul shot, make faces, etc. belongs to this latter class. It seems that Jax has no character of a drillmaster to instill discipline and seriousness in a team. His comical antics displayed in playing courts before is not a plus factor, perhaps its positive for a tv analyst. His customs fit to his present profession