Jackson the Suns' 1st Interview

Apparently the bottom of the Suns' Help Wanted ad reads "No Experience Required."

over 3 years ago Mike Lisboa 10 comments 1 recs |

Comments

Mark Jackson

What model are the Suns following? Hire announcers that regularly trash the Suns. That is brilliant. First Kerr, now Jackson. By all accounts , Jackson is a decent guy, but I usually don’t agree with his analysis. It could work with him and Silas. Wy don’t they do it the other way around, Silas as HC with Jackson as assistant. What is it with these egotistical broadcasters who don’t want to pay their dues (Kerr, anyone?).

I also thought it funny that Eddie Johnson, who has been mentioned by some as a longshot coach, is listed at the end of the article. Hmmm…, Mark Jackson to interview, EJ to sign autographs. Sorry, Eddie, I guess you know your place now….

April 29, 2008 Total Eclipse of the Sun. Is the sky falling?

by Hawk42 on May 15, 2008 6:55 AM MDT reply actions

Short cut to success

I really don’t like Mark Jackson saying he was only considering going to a team thats got a roster thats ready to win now, except for NY. Thats not the attitude a first time coach should have.

by tkired on May 15, 2008 8:23 AM MDT reply actions

He's like the anti-Josh Pastner

After “playing” for Arizona, Pastner stayed on as an assistant coach (I think he was even a player-assistant coach for a couple years) for 10 years before jumping to Memphis to be an assistant under John Calipari. I would have thought that after 10 year under Lute Olson, he would land a head coaching gig at a JuCo. However, he at least understands the concept of paying dues.

by Mike Lisboa on May 15, 2008 9:43 AM MDT up reply actions

Hmm...

On one hand I agree with tkired. I hate that statement that he’s only considering going to a team that’s ready to win now. Gotta be prepared to pay your dues and start at the bottom.

On the other… Part of me wants him to land the job and somehow manage to click with the players in just the right way that they get it done next year as a big thumbing of the nose at NY and D’Antoni. (Ok, so I’m a little bit vindictive today).

Weird thing, I barely noticed Jackson on ABC. He never really stood out to me in either a positive or negative way. However, some of the best in-game commentary I ever heard was during that Nets-Suns classic in New Jersey in 2006-07 when Jackson was one of the commentators for NJ’s YES network. About as unbiased as it gets from a local broadcast, and it seemed like they were enjoying the game as much as the fans.

by TexSUN on May 15, 2008 8:40 AM MDT reply actions

Jackson

He is pretty bland. I never thought he was that great of a point guard, either. KJ was much better. Jackson couldn’t shoot all that well. But he hung around and got all of those assists passing to Reggie.

I never respected his game, although he did hit some of those teardrop shots in the lane.

April 29, 2008 Total Eclipse of the Sun. Is the sky falling?

by Hawk42 on May 15, 2008 9:21 AM MDT up reply actions

Jackson's staff

Who wants to work for him now? In defending his lack of coaching experience, he says he has it because he was a point guard. Going a step further, he says,

If you look at Steve Nash, he has been more important than any assistant coach that the Suns have had during this success. I don’t think that can be argued

Screw you, Iavaroni! Screw you, Dan (well, maybe Dan).

Mmmmm ... Guinness

by JSun on May 15, 2008 10:37 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs

hahaha

Tex, i certainly understand wanting to see the Suns flourish sans D’antoni, and Jackson is regarded as the next big pg cum head coach, but i am a bit skeptical. I will give him the benefit of the doubt, and say he will probably be a good coach, but becoming a great coach takes more time than playing in the NBA as a pg, no matter how good he was(or wasn’t).
Look at Isaiah, or Avery Johnson, or Magic Johnson.

Also, his commentary was not as insightful as you’d like from a coach (see: Hubie Brown, JVG, Doug Collins, the Czar, etc.).

by tkired on May 15, 2008 11:20 AM MDT reply actions

D-minded coaches

On the subject of coaches, what do people think of Tom Thibodeau(sp?)? Boston’s defensive schemes are credited in large part to him, and he has had an outstanding assistant coaching career, although Mark Jackson would probably say that has nothing to do with qualifying to be a head coach ;)

by tkired on May 15, 2008 11:23 AM MDT reply actions

D-Minded coaches

I’m not sure the Suns are really looking for a “D-minded” coach. It sounds more like they want either another offensive-minded or (even better) a “balanced” head coach, and a strong defensive assistant (i.e., what they’re saying they wanted to have with D’Antoni). In any case, if we’re going for a D-minded coach, then we might want to add a D-minded roster to go with him, otherwise, he’s going to be bald by mid-season. I don’t think even D-genius Thibodeau can make a strong defensive team out of Nash, Shaq, and Amare.

by TexSUN on May 15, 2008 2:08 PM MDT up reply actions