Tough Guys Don't Dance Long in the NBA
If you read this blog on a regular basis, you know I don't waste much time on the NBA. It's because I can't stand it.
Our friend Gary Woelfel writes in his blog in the Racine Journal Times about how Scott Skyles may have issues with his new team the Milwaukee Bucks. Skyles is 100% old school. He tells you what he thinks, regardless of how it affects your feelings. He's tough. He demands discipline. He demands respect. He demands you give it your best effort.
Yet, in the world of empowered and pampered millionaires called the NBA, this approach usually has one result: Getting you fired. Of the four major sports (Yes, I count hockey so deal with it) the NBA is the by far the biggest boneyard of tough coaches. In baseball, guys like Lou Piniella and Jim Leyland are revered. Leyland, for instance, is one of the few managers that can tame Gary Sheffield. In the NFL, players lined up to play for Bill Parcells and Bill Cowher, two old school, no nonsense types. In the NHL, there is still work for Jacques Lamere, Denny Savard and Mike Keenan. But in the NBA, the tougher you are, the quicker and harder you fall.
Skyles should do a decent job in making the Bucks a better team. There is no doubt he is a winning coach. New GM John Hammond will root out the weak links and bring in some players who really want to play in Milwaukee. But the Bucks also have some issues with contracts and some bad deals made by Hammond's predecessor Larry Harris and players like Michael Redd, who are me first and all about putting it up not "d-ing" it up, will most likely remain and clash with the new regime.
If you don't think Skyles demands discipline, go no further than the funny business pulled by Bulls players after Skyles had been asked to clean out his office. Interim Coach Jim Boylan was subjected to all kinds of shenanigans including the team voting a rookie a night off and Chris Duhon routinely being late for practice and games. Skyles would have never put up with this stuff.
Former Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak, himself a tough guy remarked that the Bucks practiced different than they played. Where Krystkowiak failed was not making that consistent, demanding it be consistent. Skyles will demand it be consistent loudly and often. He is, after all, a my way or highway kind of guy.
The battle of wills began yesterday afternoon. I hope Skyles is successful. Maybe then I will believe that NBA players are capable of paying attention to something other than their egos.
Our friend Gary Woelfel writes in his blog in the Racine Journal Times about how Scott Skyles may have issues with his new team the Milwaukee Bucks. Skyles is 100% old school. He tells you what he thinks, regardless of how it affects your feelings. He's tough. He demands discipline. He demands respect. He demands you give it your best effort.Yet, in the world of empowered and pampered millionaires called the NBA, this approach usually has one result: Getting you fired. Of the four major sports (Yes, I count hockey so deal with it) the NBA is the by far the biggest boneyard of tough coaches. In baseball, guys like Lou Piniella and Jim Leyland are revered. Leyland, for instance, is one of the few managers that can tame Gary Sheffield. In the NFL, players lined up to play for Bill Parcells and Bill Cowher, two old school, no nonsense types. In the NHL, there is still work for Jacques Lamere, Denny Savard and Mike Keenan. But in the NBA, the tougher you are, the quicker and harder you fall.
Skyles should do a decent job in making the Bucks a better team. There is no doubt he is a winning coach. New GM John Hammond will root out the weak links and bring in some players who really want to play in Milwaukee. But the Bucks also have some issues with contracts and some bad deals made by Hammond's predecessor Larry Harris and players like Michael Redd, who are me first and all about putting it up not "d-ing" it up, will most likely remain and clash with the new regime.
If you don't think Skyles demands discipline, go no further than the funny business pulled by Bulls players after Skyles had been asked to clean out his office. Interim Coach Jim Boylan was subjected to all kinds of shenanigans including the team voting a rookie a night off and Chris Duhon routinely being late for practice and games. Skyles would have never put up with this stuff.
Former Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak, himself a tough guy remarked that the Bucks practiced different than they played. Where Krystkowiak failed was not making that consistent, demanding it be consistent. Skyles will demand it be consistent loudly and often. He is, after all, a my way or highway kind of guy.
The battle of wills began yesterday afternoon. I hope Skyles is successful. Maybe then I will believe that NBA players are capable of paying attention to something other than their egos.
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