I could go on and on, but really... I don't have the desire right now. Thanks to his three year deal, it won't solve anything. Nor will it point out anything we don't all already know. I just need to vent.

What a terrible coaching job tonight against the Wizards. First off, McCants and Walker played waaaaay too much. Walker is obviously still injured and hobbling around out there on one leg. He should NOT have played the first NINE minutes of the fourth quarter. For that matter, why even play him at all if he isn't 100%. We've got other capable guys on this roster who could use the minutes. Heck, I'd play Brewer out of position over Walker. Also, is there any rational whatsoever for Big Al sitting out the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter!?!? There isn't any that I can see. Big Al was mostly dominating them down low, and one of the few reasons why the game was even close. Insane.

I think Wittman figures that any group which even remotely starts to come back from a deficit should remain on the court. I think he figures he's \"buying some time\" for the starters. Complete baloney. Coach... we are still losing! Ahhh, it drives me nuts. Only one starter on the court at the beginning of the fourth quarter? What?

I think he's lost some of his players as well. He strikes me as a so called \"hard a$$\" who is mostly just blowing smoke. I'm not sure everyone listens to him. I mean, what has he done to command the respect of his players? He was 12-30 last season. Before that, he was a career .350 winning percentage coach. From the post game interviews that I've seen of his, it doesn't really appear like he has a handle on what was happening and largely just rambles on. I really don't think he's the man to \"mold\" and lead a team of (mostly) unproven youngsters.

For the most part his rotations are pretty garbage and he plays the wrong players at the wrong times. It doesn't appear like he pays too much attention to matchups, or tries to create mismatches for the other team. I'm not even sure if he is better than Casey, and that's saying a lot because Casey was terrible. Why, for once, can't we hire a decent coach that is NOT affiliated with our stupid \"Country Club???\"

The saddest thing is that he got the three year contract before this season. What an utter joke. WHAT has he done to deserve it? Just because he's buddies with the entire front office and Glen Taylor? What an effing joke. I am so pissed right now.

What did I forget to mention? Probably a lot but I'm sure others can add to the list of incompentence that is Coach (Dim)Wittman.

Such an excellent but frustrating point. Wittman just seems overmatched trying to coach in the NBA - his personnel groupings are often suspect (to put it mildly), their out-of-timeout and crunch-time plays are generally terrible (and that's when a coach should have the most influence over specific plays being executed), and his interviews reflect little insight on the real problems or how to fix them.

It was even harder to see a couple of games with him not there, not because I think Sicthing is an amazing coach who should take over the team, but because having a stand-in who presumably focused on the basics (whether or not he talked to Wittman throughout the games) made it painfully obvious that Wittman is an exceedingly bad coach.

Perhaps the worst sign of all is when the camera pans to Wittman on the sideline and he has that utterly blank look on his face (I believe Bill Simmons would call that \"the Art Shell face\"). I don't know about the players, but it certainly doesn't instill any confidence in me watching from home.

wtd3 wrote:

Hahahaha yes!!!

Bonk and I were making fun of him all night long. I'm not sure if that's really that funny, or just super pathetic. Regardless, it's true.

Fellas, fellas, fellas. Here it is. The Daddy shall pontificate upon you all the secret behind superb coaching.
Anyone here who has played at least varsity ball and/or has coached at a significantly high level (high school) will understand what I am talking about.

Coaching is only about your basketball knowledge 1/4 of the time. Another 1/4 of the time is spent trying to transfer your knowledge through your players, in other words, teaching them basketball. The other 1/2 of the time a coach is building his credibility/rapport/relationships/respect, etc. with this players.

If players have tuned you out and you are no longer seen as a viable option to make them successful, you WILL NEVER get that back from that particular group. For example, Casey. I'm sure he was/is a great assistant and a phenomenal defensive coach, however, nobody in the media who is still criticizing this move realizes that he LOST his team. I watched Ricky Davis ridicule him in huddles, McCants shrugged him off. KG ignored him, pushed him aside and ran the huddles, Mike James ignored his offensive sets. There is NO getting that respect back. Dan Barreiro or whoever it is that still advocates for Casey has never coached or played the sport. It doesn't matter how much he knows the game.

Now on to Wittman. I haven't paid enough attention to huddles, or been close enough to see his coaching. However, what you all are saying would suggest that he may have lost the team the same way Casey lost them. This is an entirely different team and if he is no longer a man revered as someone who can bring them to the promised land, he never will be - at least not with this team. It doesn't work that way.

Now is it a coincidence that Jerry and Dimwitt achieved polar opposites inthe past week as far as the win/loss results? Maybe it is. But maybe it's not. That is why McHale needs to get off his a$$ and assess the team. The only problem with that is the fact that McHale knows basketball like KeyShawn knows football. There is no way the blind can lead the blind.

Long, boring, but that is how it shakes out. This team will NEVER achieve success with McHale at the helm. We can draft OJ Mayo/Derrick Rose and we will still be the same ol' .500 or worse team that every so often encounters a season where we finish with 45 wins, make the playoffs and give the fans hope.

Howl to CW for starting a quality thread like this. I don't really have too much to add right now at least. I don't think Whitman is blatently terrible like Casey was, but at the same time, he doesn't really do anything for me either. I think the fact that we signed him to a 3 year deal was pretty ridiculous, but then again I guess they don't want the players playing for a lame duck coach. He definitely never offers much wisdom or insight in his interviews though, wow.

daddyfatsax wrote:

Good wisdom Daddy.

As for your bolded comment above, yes... that is what I'm saying. He will not lead this team anywhere. Ever. Even if some of our players develop and reach their potential, Wittman is not the guy to lead this team.

Lastly, I know exactly what you are talking about in regards to coaches losing players... as that's how it was during my high-school varsity bball career. Exactly like you said. Same thing applied to Casey and I think it's starting to (if not already) apply to Wittman.

Well then, Sichting, looks like it's your turn buddy!

I wish we could get a Van Gundy.

daddyfatsax wrote:

Ding Ding Ding we have a winner! Wait, he's not affiliated with our \"Country Club\" so we'll never hire him. Sigh.

As much as part of me really, truly wants him to coach here... do you think he wants to be the coach in charge of a total rebuild? Or perhaps he would relish the chance to put his stamp on a young team... I guess I don't really know.

Lastly, if we hired him, we'd lose all his insight as a TV Commentator and I'd hate to see that happen. I love JVG on TV, he's the man.

I hate this thread. You are bringing back my negativity.

Wittman vs. Van Gundy....The only choice easier is the one made by MarKo after every home game. He showers, dresses, calls one or two of his ladies, and hits the town.