|
|
|
|
|
Kings Fire Musselman
By Charlie O April 20, 2007 |
||
|
|
|||
|
No one who follows the Kings was surprised when we were notified at 12 Noon that Eric Musselman was no longer the head coach. When you start off your tenure with DUI two weeks before the regular season begins, you had better not be the first coach in nine years to miss the playoffs. Musselman missed the playoffs and now he is unemployed. Don’t cry for him, Musselman’s five million dollar severance check will make his exit from the River City a little easier. At 2:00 PM when I walked into the Kings practice facility for Geoff Petrie’s press conference, I thought someone had died. Everyone was speaking in hushed tones and being very somber. Not that I expected there to be a party atmosphere, but I did not expect to be attending a wake. The local press had been discussing and predicting Musselman’s demise for weeks. We all expected Musselman to be given his walking papers and lovely parting gifts today! Per Geoff Petrie, Kings President of basketball operations, he will be putting together a large list of candidates who will be interviewed and the list pared down to the finalist. Petrie expected to receive a minimum of 50 phones today and tomorrow from agents and coaches interested in coaching the Kings (I want to congratulate the Sacramento press corps as no one asked if the Kings would pursue Billy Donavan). As for a timeline, Petrie said he is in no hurry. He will leave for Europe on Sunday to scout potential draftees. Since the new head coach will have little or no input on personnel matters, that’s Petrie’s domain, having a new head man prior to the NBA draft is not a necessity. The Kings will hire a coach and say here are your players – now go win! When asked what type of coach he would look for, Petrie said there are two types of coaches – structure oriented and unstructured wide open improvisational coaches. He said the team will interview both types. Petrie prefers a wide open improvisational style like his former coach Rick Adleman played. Musselman was not Petrie’s guy. Musselman dazzled the Maloof brothers with his presentation during his interview last spring. He came prepared with facts, figures and analysis. Musselman touted his philosophy and the Maloofs bought it. Musselman failed and the Maloof brothers hate to fail. Being the smart guys they are, they will let Petrie pick the next coach because he knows what he is doing, and they can blame Petrie if he is wrong. In the meantime, it’s so long Eric Musselman. We hardly knew ye. |
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||