Head Coaching candidates

[NineOhTheRino]

As long as we are talking about what fantasy coaches we want put me down for JVG as well. Sadly we all know we're either getting LD back on a cheap contract or a new assistant guy on the league's cheapest head coaching contract.

If LD is not brought back be prepared to welcome Lester Conner or Bob Bender as the new head man.

[macdaddy]

If LD is not brought back be prepared to welcome Lester Conner or Bob Bender as the new head man.

I think that's right. Several around here made the case that Woody didn't 'deserve' to be fired. If that's the case LD certainly doesn't deserve to be. I expect his option to be picked up and that's about it.

[Joker]

I think that's right. Several around here made the case that Woody didn't 'deserve' to be fired. If that's the case LD certainly doesn't deserve to be. I expect his option to be picked up and that's about it.

I was one of them. Woody was a damn good coach overall. So what he didn't make adjustments well. His gameplans were top notch. I felt like he always put his team in best place to win a game.

[AHF]

I think that's right. Several around here made the case that Woody didn't 'deserve' to be fired. If that's the case LD certainly doesn't deserve to be. I expect his option to be picked up and that's about it.

Woody should have been allowed to leave when his contract expired. We should be looking to upgrade our HC position now (as well as our scouting department, etc.)

[frankthetank966]

I think LD did a good job with this team this year but his passive and quite demeanor wont work. He doesn't know how to draw-up plays and he is too slow to make moves. We were on thin ice most of the season but his playoffs performance was disappointing. I would also like JVG, but thats unlikely. I would also like to add that JVG is a .500 playoff coach. Only 2 wins better than LD. Yet again, I would like a loud coach like JVG. Anyways, when can we officially begin negotiating with coaches? Do we have to wait until after finals?

[Diesel]

If we were a young team with no aspirations of winning a championship soon, LD would be the right guy. However, we need a seasoned coach.JVGFratelloPJ CarlisimoThose are my three asuming that Hubie and Lenny are done and we can't get Sloan.

[tonegully]

Fire the whole coaching staff. Bring in a completely new staff with a proven HC

[Vol4ever]

He did at first but not a major one. They finished as a 8th seed. That was worst than us. If you rate his job he did this year to Drew, Drew was actually better and by a large margin as well. Our problem is mainly personnel.

Your nuts. Drew is pathetic. Collins has turned that franchise around.

[Joker]

Your nuts. Drew is pathetic. Collins has turned that franchise around.

They finished with the 8th seed. They underachieved even worse than us v. quality opponents. Nothing about Collins job this year as a HC is better than what LD did. LD would have made it to the ECF if Rose and Noah got hurt last year. That franchise is still in the same position as it was last year.

[NineOhTheRino]

Your nuts. Drew is pathetic. Collins has turned that franchise around.

think this is Doug Collins' 1st time winning a series. For all we know he's just as bad as Drew.

[KB21]

Likely to no avail, the guy I've been pushing and will continue to push for this job is Mike Fratello.

[benhillboy]

Fratello just gives me the impression that he enjoys broadcasting and probably wouldn't come back unless the team was ready-made to win with a superstar. Ain't no Nique here. Although he and Pat Riley still look like they did in the 80s, he's way too old to be babysitting Josh.

Edited May 14, 2012 by benhillboy

[Admin]

I haven't been a fan of bringing him back as I feel that he's mostly lived off of his reputation with a very good Hawks team that underachieved... but with his legacy in Atlanta it might be enough to get the current crop of players to actually listen to him.

[Sothron]

I haven't been a fan of bringing him back as I feel that he's mostly lived off of his reputation with a very good Hawks team that underachieved... but with his legacy in Atlanta it might be enough to get the current crop of players to actually listen to him.

I don't see why you can knock him as a coach. Check this out:Fratello was head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies from December 2004 to December 2006. In his first season he inherited a 5–11 team that he turned around to win 40 games and advance to the playoffs. Fratello built on that record the following year to win 49 games and return to the playoffs for a second consecutive season.In his six seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers his record was 248 wins and 212 losses. Fratello took the Cavaliers to the playoffs four times. Fratello coached the Hawks for seven seasons and posted a 324–250 record, making the post-season playoffs five times and winning the Central Division in 1987 with 57 wins. Fratello was named Coach of the Year for the 1985–86 NBA season. His NBA career stats are 667 wins and 548 losses for a .549 average. His teams have qualified for the playoffs in eleven of his 16 seasons as a head coach.One of the most respected basketball minds despite having never won an NBA championship as a head coach, Fratello ranks 19th on the NBA's all-time win list and 21st in games coached.Fratello didn't just win with the Hawks. Those Cleveland teams were horrible in terms of talent. He had to change his coaching philosophy from a high scoring Hawks roster to being a defense only Cleveland team that won ugly but they won. He took over a struggling Grizzlies team and put them in the playoffs as well.I think he'd be a great hire here but the A$G will never spend the money to get him off the broadcasting booth.

[yungsta]

think this is Doug Collins' 1st time winning a series. For all we know he's just as bad as Drew.

I watch alot of 76ers game this year.Yea doug collins is not a good head coach. 76ers fan hate him. Hes a type of coach you hire if you are rebuilding and have a very young team not a coach you look to make deep playoff runs with. He will have your team play good team defense and stress about pushing the ball but in the half court he is clue less. The sixers struggle to score most of the year. The sixers shot under 40 percent in that bulls series and are one of if not the worst team at closing a game out. Edited May 14, 2012 by yungsta

[Admin]

I don't see why you can knock him as a coach. Check this out:Fratello was head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies from December 2004 to December 2006. In his first season he inherited a 5–11 team that he turned around to win 40 games and advance to the playoffs. Fratello built on that record the following year to win 49 games and return to the playoffs for a second consecutive season.In his six seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers his record was 248 wins and 212 losses. Fratello took the Cavaliers to the playoffs four times. Fratello coached the Hawks for seven seasons and posted a 324–250 record, making the post-season playoffs five times and winning the Central Division in 1987 with 57 wins. Fratello was named Coach of the Year for the 1985–86 NBA season. His NBA career stats are 667 wins and 548 losses for a .549 average. His teams have qualified for the playoffs in eleven of his 16 seasons as a head coach.One of the most respected basketball minds despite having never won an NBA championship as a head coach, Fratello ranks 19th on the NBA's all-time win list and 21st in games coached.Fratello didn't just win with the Hawks. Those Cleveland teams were horrible in terms of talent. He had to change his coaching philosophy from a high scoring Hawks roster to being a defense only Cleveland team that won ugly but they won. He took over a struggling Grizzlies team and put them in the playoffs as well.I think he'd be a great hire here but the A$G will never spend the money to get him off the broadcasting booth.

I know at some point I wrote my feelings about Fratello a couple of years back, let me go find them...

[Admin]

I know at some point I wrote my feelings about Fratello a couple of years back, let me go find them...

Ah yes here is why (from stuff I wrote back during the Woody replacement offseason and not directly replying to anyone with these quotes)...

How many times has Fratello won 50 games (over a full season)? 4 times in 14 seasons (.551 winning percentage) and a career 20-42 playoff record (.323 winning percentage)

Also, I don't think that Fratello's teams overachieved, but even if they did why did they stop overachieving in the playoffs? Even dumb luck should make you better than 2-20 in the playoffs don't you think?

You mean if he hadn't been fired for being absolutely awful his last partial season in Memphis after taking everything that Hubie had done for them and going downhill from there?He's not far above a .500 coach for his career, that's hardly what I would call a top 5 coach.I also haven't heard anyone say that Woodson is on par with Fratello either. If I had the choice I would probably take Fratello over Woodson but not before I tried hard to get D'Antoni or Avery.The only comparitive statement I have made regarding Woody and Fratello is that Woody has more playoff wins in the series against Boston than Fratello has in the past 20 years. Spin that however you would like but it won't change the fact that he can't win big games.

and for the umteenmillionth time I would be thrilled to replace Woody if there was a clear upgrade available. D'Antoni is a clear upgrade. Avery is a clear upgrade. Fratello is NOT a clear upgrade. He hasn't had a team out of the 1st round of the playoffs in 20 years.

That's why I said reading is fundamental and again there is a reason why Fratello is not being considered for coaching jobs and why he has to rely on being the "czar of the telestrater". Sorta like the old saying that "those that can, do and those that can't, teach".

[Admin]

I don't see why you can knock him as a coach. Check this out:Fratello was head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies from December 2004 to December 2006. In his first season he inherited a 5–11 team that he turned around to win 40 games and advance to the playoffs. Fratello built on that record the following year to win 49 games and return to the playoffs for a second consecutive season.In his six seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers his record was 248 wins and 212 losses. Fratello took the Cavaliers to the playoffs four times. Fratello coached the Hawks for seven seasons and posted a 324–250 record, making the post-season playoffs five times and winning the Central Division in 1987 with 57 wins. Fratello was named Coach of the Year for the 1985–86 NBA season. His NBA career stats are 667 wins and 548 losses for a .549 average. His teams have qualified for the playoffs in eleven of his 16 seasons as a head coach.One of the most respected basketball minds despite having never won an NBA championship as a head coach, Fratello ranks 19th on the NBA's all-time win list and 21st in games coached.Fratello didn't just win with the Hawks. Those Cleveland teams were horrible in terms of talent. He had to change his coaching philosophy from a high scoring Hawks roster to being a defense only Cleveland team that won ugly but they won. He took over a struggling Grizzlies team and put them in the playoffs as well.I think he'd be a great hire here but the A$G will never spend the money to get him off the broadcasting booth.

Also, the "5–11 team that he turned around to win 40 games and advance to the playoffs" won 50 games the prior year with Hubie as head coach so Fratello didn't actually turn anything around. Fratello took over early that next year and lead them to an impressive 40-26 record, followed by going 49-33 the next year and then being fired the next year with the team at 6-24.

[HawkRock1123]

Would you take D'Antoni if you knew Steve Nash would come with him?We probably wouldn't win a title, but at least we'd be more fun.

[Admin]

In 17 years, Fratello's teams have had a .600 or better winning percentage 4 times and 3 of those were the Nique led Hawks and his average winning percentage is .549.

In the playoffs he is 20-42 for a .323 winning percentage, even with the great Nique led Hawks teams. His very best playoff performance saw the 88 Hawks go 6-6 in the playoffs.

In 2 playoff years with the Hawks LD has gone 8-10 for a .444 winning percentage. His very best playoff performance saw the 10-11 Hawks go 6-6 in the playoffs.

In 3 playoff years with the Hawks Woody went 11-18 for a .379 winning percentage. His very best playoff performance saw the 09-10 Hawks go 4-7 in the playoffs.