Don't Go Thibodeau!
by Jeff Clark on Apr 3, 2009 9:47 PM EDT
in Boston Celtics Rumors
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PrintPerhaps it is early to be worried about this, but reading on ESPN about the probable head coach vacancies this offseason I couldn't help but stop short on the name of our top assistant and defensive guru.
In the section about the Kings:
The gossip around the league is that Eddie Jordan or Tom Thibodeau (New York assistant Phil Weber is among the long shots) could land in this job over the summer, though the Sacramento Bee reported on Friday that John Whisenant, the general manager and former coach of the WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs, would be "the unofficial front-runner" if the job were to come open, just as he was in 2006 when Eric Musselman was hired instead.
Of course he deserves consideration for any job opening. The guy is a genius as far as I'm concerned. I'm just greedy and I don't want him going anywhere. Oh well, a problem for another day.
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Tom Thibodeau
Even if the C’s don’t get the championship this year. I can’t see him leaving until the big 3 project comes to an end.
I think Minne
My guess is that McHale goes back to the front office and TT gets the Head coaching job. Lot’s of talent that needs to mature, and learn defense. Great upside for TT
TT
I can’t see him going to Sacramento. They have a disaster and instead of recognizing that the roster is the problem they just fire coaches. No security there unless he gets a long-term high pay deal. I’m not sure any of us knows how he would be as a head coach. He’s certainly a great assistant, but that doesn’t always translate. As to Minny, as stated by Silverlock above, it is my understanding that the owner wants McHale coaching and wouldn’t give him back the GM job. If TT should go there he’ll face what Doc faced when he first came here. They won’t win and the coach will get the blame. At least he knows all the guys there. Teams have coaching vacancies for a reason. Owners and GM’s elsewhere are not as understanding as ours and the coach is the first guy to go when things don’t work. TT has more job security here in Boston.
"I don't come to play, I come to WIN"--Larry Bird
"Criminally Negligent Officiating"--Tommy Heinsohn
I think Tom Thibodeau would accept any Head Coaching job he could get his hands on. I don’t think fit or anything else matters …. he clearly wants to be a head coach and has wanted to be one for a very long time.
Unfortunately, nobody has offered him a job.
He’ll accept whatever comes his way. He has almost 20 years of coaching experience and he still can’t get his foot in the door for a Head Coaching job. He’s not in a place where he can be choosy, not with his aspirations. TT will take whatever he can get.
He has no friends
Nobody in the front offices around this league has a relationship with this guy.
New York wouldn’t consider him for a promotion. They turned their noses up at him when JVG left and choose Chaney ahead of him. How many coaches have they hired between then and now? They still don’t consider him a candidate. This is the place where he was for the longest and he has no relationships built up from this time.
Houston’s GM left and retired. Their new GM hired someone else. No relationships of value here either.
Then Thibs arrives in Boston, but Doc Rivers isn’t going anywhere. It doesn’t appear any of Danny’s people (front office) are frontrunners for jobs elsewhere in the NBA. It looks like Morey and Wallace where the last to leave for awhile. So he has no friends from this stop either. There doesn’t appear to be any relationship wielding jobs here either.
Tom Thibodeau has no Sam Presti (Carlesimo), no Danny Ferry (Mike Brown), no Steve Kerr (Terry Porter). He has no relationship with any front office individual in the league, nobody who’ll go out on a limb for him based on a previous relationship. He has no friends.
Thibodeau needs to take a networking course and make some friends.
And Jeff Van Gundy is no use. He has no influence around the league. A reputation for being a talented head coach? Sure. But sway and influence with GM’s? No. What assistant coach of his has ever gotten a Head Coaching job? None. Unfortunately for Thibs, Jeff is his only real relationship in the league outside of Boston.
TT has no friends — He is not in a place where he can be choosy. He has been trying for a very long time for a Head Coaching job and he hasn’t been able to get it. He’ll take whatever opportunity comes his way and it won’t matter how good or bad that opportunity is.
by Who on Apr 4, 2009 6:05 AM EDT up reply actions
He Sure Has Friends In Boston
The Fans love him, CelticsBlog loves him, the players love him, the Celtic Organization loves him. So he should just stay here where he’s loved.
"I don't come to play, I come to WIN"--Larry Bird
"Criminally Negligent Officiating"--Tommy Heinsohn
I Should Add
Doc was upset last year that Thib’s didn’t even get an interview. If people in the NBA don’t know his abilities that’s pretty sad. The thing is, though, that we don’t hear much from Thibs and we don’t know how he could manage players as a Head Coach. The players here seem to love him and respect the heck out of him so I don’t see why that would be a problem.
"I don't come to play, I come to WIN"--Larry Bird
"Criminally Negligent Officiating"--Tommy Heinsohn
Why not the head job here?
I don’t know how long Doc’s contract is but it has felt before like Doc doesn’t want to do this for 5 more years. If I am the owner I promise tibs he is the man when Doc leaves. Doesn’t mean Tibs has to wait, but Id sure tell him waiting might be worth it.
I realize the other assistents are valuable, especially Clifford Ray. But defense is the key and we have seen that Tibs already runs the practices quite often.
Clifford Ray comes across as more of a specialist, and that seems to be a fair reflection on his contributions. So he’ll be an extremely talented assistant but not a head coach.
Unfortunately Thibodeau has a similar reputation across the league (defense), but from all accounts by Doc and JVG and his former players, that is a completely inaccurate portrayal of him. Apparently, Thibs is very good across the board, at defense+offense+player development+communicator+motivator. Yao Ming for one credits Thibodeau more so than any other coach for his development.
by Who on Apr 4, 2009 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions
The thing is, though, that we don’t hear much from Thibs
We haven’t heard much from Thibs since he arrived in Boston, but Thibodeau used to do a lot of interviews before he came to Boston, especially when he was with the Rockets. I used to love listening to some of his radio interviews. I think he was on Rick Barry’s show more often than any other coach. He has a real passion for becoming a Head Coach and has been trying for a long time, he’s just finding it difficult to get someone to offer him a job.
If people in the NBA don’t know his abilities that’s pretty sad
we don’t know how he could manage players as a Head Coach
Definitely one of the biggest marks against him right now.
I think everyone in the NBA knows how talented he is as an assistant coach, but I do not think they’re convinced about he’d translate into a head coach.
by Who on Apr 4, 2009 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions
I think the schedule and Boston playing in June is really working against Thibodeau. I thought it was amazing how no GM’s (or at least very few) were willing to wait for the playoffs to end before trying to hire their new head coach. Every GM was under intense pressure from the media and fans to find an immediate replacement, and they all crumbled.
John Paxson for one, he clearly wanted to interview Thibodeau for the head coaching job, but he was getting creamed in the media and decided he couldn’t wait any longer. There were a few other GM’s who definitely would have interviewed, not necessarily hired but interviewed, Thibodeau if he had of been available in mid-April.
It was amazing to me to see such a lack of patience, especially by people like John Paxson who were clearly interested in talking to the man.
by Who on Apr 4, 2009 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Agree
And the C’s would have let Thibs go for interviews, but I kind of think, Thib’s felt he needed to be here at that time. If that ‘s the case Thib’s only deserves our respect even more. And, Who, your comments about lack of patience and the pressure of media and fans on GM’s is especially noteworthy. Just look at the C’s. We went thru the same thing when Danny was hired. The difference is that our Owners were patient and trusted Danny. Danny was patient and trusted Doc. And Doc knew that the people above him understood what he was going thru. The players also knew that Doc was here to stay and bought into the program as best they could. Why other GM’s don’t use the Celtics as a case study is beyond me.
"I don't come to play, I come to WIN"--Larry Bird
"Criminally Negligent Officiating"--Tommy Heinsohn
if he were to leave hopefully doc and his assistants have actually learned tibdeau’s D the last 2 years so they can carry it on
A Comment
I’m sure Doc and the Assistants know what Thib’s has taught. But there are other considerations. Doc is very aware of and often mentions that the players get tired of hearing his voice. That’s why he has Thib’s and the other assistant’s run most of the practices. Thib’s also does alot of the talking in time outs. I think there needs to be a chemistry between the coaches and players also and that’s why the setup works here. Last year, during the finals (game 5) KG had a bad game and was disgusted with himself. Doc thought he was going to get too hyped for game 6 and was going to talk to him before the game to calm him down. He reconsidered and asked coach Eastman to go into the locker room and “sneak” a look at KG to assess his temperment. Eastman told Doc that KG was okay and Doc never talked with KG. I’m taking a long time to say that I think Thib’s is an essential part of the coaching staff and it’s not all about X’s and O’s.
"I don't come to play, I come to WIN"--Larry Bird
"Criminally Negligent Officiating"--Tommy Heinsohn
they call me mr. thibs
mr. thibs is a great coach and deserves a head c. job. i would love him to stay.
TT is to Doc
as Tex Winters is to Phil Jackson.
by The Real Large James 2 on Apr 4, 2009 4:40 PM EDT reply actions
Yep.
Two of the only assistants in the league who are willing to get in a player’s face (star player’s face!) and chew him out — makes a huge difference to a Head Coach when he doesn’t have to be that guy all the time, allows Doc+Phil to take a more personable and patient approach to their game management and player management. It’s very rare to have assistants with this quality.
And of the course the Triangle (Tex) for Phil, and the Defense (Thibs) for Doc.
by Who on Apr 4, 2009 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions
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