How much time do you give a coach before he’s on the hot seat?
Two weeks into this NFL season, a couple of head coaches are already in danger of losing their jobs: Scott Linehan in St. Louis and Lane Kiffin in Oakland. Both haven’t been in their current position for long, with Linehan in his third season with the Rams and Kiffin in just his second season with the Raiders. Since neither team had much in the cupboard when their respective coaches arrived, I don’t see why they haven’t been given a longer leash before getting canned.
On every level, and in everything from basketball to football to baseball to soccer, America’s sports climate has changed to the point where coaches are rarely given anywhere near the same job security as players. Especially in the pros. Contracts be damned, you’ll always see a coach get the axe first, even when the front-office is giving him inferior players attached to long-term contracts and putting him in a no-win situation. You’re probably never going to see someone like Jerry Sloan come along and stay in the same NBA job for 20 years — because as Avery Johnson and Mike D’Antoni can tell you — even when a coach wins consistently he’s not safe.
How much leeway do you think NBA head coaches should get before it’s time to evaluate whether they’re the right one for the job?
-->
September 16th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
SteveNash says:
i say about 24 games
September 16th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
I dont think it should be soley based on wins and losses. I think whether or not the team is improving should be more important and if the team is responding to the coach, obviously.
The Bulls stopped responding to Skiles and they had to make a change and Skiles agreed. On the flip side, If you dont have the right mix of players it doesnt even matter who the coach is.
Ultimately, I think if the coach is getting the most of what he has you need to let him stay for a while.
September 16th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
Three Stacks says:
It should depend on his race and whether or not he celebrates the national anthem.
September 16th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
kermit the washington says:
lol @ “SteveNash”
I thought of Skiles too…the team definitely stopped responding to him, yes…but now we see it wasn’t because of Skiles, ’cause they stopped responding to everything. I think it was a bit extreme to get rid of him.
September 16th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
A-Slam says:
In my oppinion, it all depends on the players. If you have a great core group of guys who gel well together and have a winning attitude and want to win, also as long as the coach knows the x’s and o’s of the game then that should be a winning team. But if a coach is faced with a team consisting of players like Ricky Davis, Vince Carter, Derrick Coleman, even if the coach is a Phil Jackson or Red Auerbach the team still wouldn’t do well. Just based on the fact that some players have a shitty work ethic and the one concern of getting their 20 ppg a night. That’s why I think a coach like Scott Skiles was fired because he had to put up with players like Chris Duhon and Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah not committing themselves to the team. In the end it will always be the players who decide when their coach gets canned.
September 16th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Jonny Drama says:
They gave Isiah Thomas 2 or 3 years right?
September 16th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
it ain't easy being green says:
@ three stacks
Lmfao
September 16th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
fallinup says:
I think the answer of this question depends on the intelligence of the owner. If you’re “Dolan” dumb, hell…run the team into the ground and we’ll see how long we can keep it going. If you’re just Cuban dumb, wait until you’ve run the team into the ground yourself, then fire the coach to throw the blame on him. If you’re Utah Jazz owner dumb, hope that this has to be the year…it HAS to be!…and if you’re Suns owner dumb, wait until you’ve depleted the resources of your coach’s team so he can’t do what he’s good at, then let him go.
September 16th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Coach T-sun says:
The nba is a player’s league you better establish your own legacy ie winning lots of championships and get lucky ie getting a MJ. The hot seat is basically how much players buy into you and basically you have to be a player’s coach and willing to adapt and reach out to players ie bryon scott
September 16th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Luigi says:
uhhhh depends on the progress the coaches/teams have..also the fans factor on the desicion process of the team.
oh n Jerry Sloan = Mike Shanahan [just wanting to point that out] both coaches were on the same team for about a longgg ass time….Utah n denver went to their respective title games in their first 3-5 years. and during the times of mediocrity..they still kept their coaches….[Utah..b4 they got Deron and after Stock retired...Denver..[after Elway retired] but did go 2 the AFC C.Game in 06 but thats abour it…..
i just wanted 2 point that out when i saw the Jazz Logo
September 16th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
tealish says:
AB: You guys here at Dime should do a top 50 list of the best players in the L. Doesn’t have to be published one by one like SLAM — let’s have 10 at a time or something!; I’m just curious about how you guys view the L’s talent.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:32 am
bookkwormmaster says:
I agree with MoxCoastWestRep. I don’t think whether the coach is a good fit for the team should be based solely on just wins and losses. I think player improvement and if you’re getting the most out of your team should be HUGE factors. However for any coach though you have to be very versatile. You have to be able to coach x’s and o’s (it’s not necesary to be a damn tactician), you have to be able to motivate and inspire your players, have a system in which ALL your players(or at least the ones you’re gonna play anyway) be able to but into to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses, and last but not least you have to be a player’s coach because it is a player’s league. A great example of such a coach is Nate McMillan in Portland.
September 17th, 2008 at 1:54 am
jamesagee says:
three stacks. good shit.
or depends on if he hunts and has tina fey glasses
September 17th, 2008 at 2:42 am
solomon says:
well… player’s league indeed… oh, sloan’s one good player… and nate, too…
September 17th, 2008 at 3:48 am
bamba says:
when the team starts to plateau and cant get over that hump
i.e.. Flip Saunders – Pistons
September 17th, 2008 at 8:22 am
Coop says:
You put him in a forest with Cheney and if he makes it out you keep him.
September 17th, 2008 at 8:31 am
Celts Fan says:
To be fair, EVERYONE knows Al Davis is nuts. He’s Mark Cuban on steroids, HGH, and crack.
also, the Rams had Bulger (average at least,) S. Jackson, Torry Holt, and Leonard Little. That’s enough individual talent that they shouldn’t be THIS bad for the past few years…
anyway… I think coaches in every sport should be given at least 3-4 years (barring something egregious.) that gives them time to get “their guys” in, change the culture of losing, and let the young guys (the high draft picks that usually accompany a losing season and a coaching change) develop and mature. The only time I’d make an exception is when a coach is brought in to a ready-made team with the expectation of winning (like Michael Curry.)
September 17th, 2008 at 9:10 am
dukesman2000 says:
one full season
September 17th, 2008 at 9:17 am
tony x says:
George Bush served as president for 8 years and single handedly sent this clountry to hell with gasoline drawers on, so a coach should stay on as long as he fucking wants. As a matter of fact re-instate Isaiah Thomas right now.
September 17th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Sam I Am says:
Tony X
You’re gay
September 17th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Big V says:
Depends on how committed the management is to winning now or rebuilding and what their threshold is for rethinking either of these. Also depends a good deal on the player pool and their relationships with management and the coach. Tough question to answer outright.
September 17th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
tony x says:
Sam I Am…
Put me in a room with your moms and I’ll let you ask her if I am gay.
September 17th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Diego says:
If you coach the milquetoast Hawks, apparently as long as you want, so long as you don’t rock the owners’ boat.