At Least Jackson finally admitted it

[tenn_smoothie]

This quote recent quote from Phil Jackson, who was discussing his plans to retire after this season .......... and whom many fans (especially me) think the guy is an overrated frontrunner who never built anything in his life other than a resume based on seeking out the best team he could find that had gone thru the building process and growing pains under another coach only to have Jackson swoop in later and take all the credit for a championship:

from espn:

"Jackson revealed that while he was away from the Lakers for 2004-05 season he had discussions with Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert about coaching the Cavaliers, but he passed on the job because he thought LeBron (who was in his second year) “still had a way to go before he won a championship.”


case closed.  Jackson couldn't light Red's cigar.

[Eja117]

And in other news Phil Jackson is a highly trustable human being who is modest and whose word is good as gold.

[barefacedmonk]

Nothing new here...that's what he has done all his career. All comparisons to Red are absurd and ridiculous.

[incoherent]

Lets us never forget about this quote.

[LakersFan_33]

He would rather live next to the beach in Los Angeles than in Cleveland.

[diehard celtic]

Lets us never forget about this quote.

Should we send this to SS&R or would they just turn a blind eye to this and keep referring to him as the "Zen Master"?

[Q_FBE]

So is he going to move to Miami next year?

[barefacedmonk]

He would rather live next to the beach in Los Angeles than in Cleveland.

Hmmm...I have a feeling that he would've been pretty content with Lake Erie beach if LBJ has been a more "accomplished" player at that time.

[Adelaide Celt]

I despise this person with a passion normally reserved for players. Have done ever since he was front running the Bulls.

There is not a more over rated, undeserving, arrogant, despicable coaching figure in any professional sport.

Our grandmothers could've coached those MJ-led Chicago teams to the title.

[pearljammer10]

He seems pretty good to me.

[LooseCannon]

Our grandmothers could've coached those MJ-led Chicago teams to the title.

Could ML Carr have coached those teams to the title?

[Adelaide Celt]

Our grandmothers could've coached those MJ-led Chicago teams to the title.

Could ML Carr have coached those teams to the title?

Yes. Even Michael Leon Carr himself. He of the 48-116 fame

[Brendan]

So is he going to move to Miami next year?

No. Pat Riley hates him.

[Moranis]

You are reading way too much into this quote.  He was dating Jeanie Buss at the time, lived in lovely LA a lot of the year, and was actually enjoying his time away from the game.  Meaning if he was going anywhere else it would have been a team that was championship caliber.  The Cavs were not anywhere close to a title in 04-05, so why mess up his life and move to Cleveland.

And for the record the Lakers in 04-05, weren't close to a title either, but they had Buss, a house there, and significantly better weather.

[Jon]

I hate Jackson, so it pains me to do this.  However, if we're going to say that Jackson is a beneficiary from coaching great players, we also have to say that same thing about Red as a coach.  He doesn't win his 9 titles as coach without Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Hondo Havlicek and literally a stable of many other Hall of Famers. 

Now that's not to say that Red didn't bring a lot more to the Celtic organization than Jackson ever brought to the Bulls or Lakers: he did.  However, that was Red the GM/President, not Red the coach. 

So in summary, I hate Phil; however, it's not like Red coached the '95 Celtics to 9 NBA titles either.