The Official Hire Van Gundy Thread

MusketeerX

Rotation player
By far my number one choice. If I were him, though, I would never leave my cushy announcing job for the stress of being an NBA coach with expectations of a championship.

Perhaps he'd like the challenge though :). Let's hope! :thumbsup:
 

knicksman20

Benchwarmer
good point but remember when T-MAC first came to houston within 2 season he was in and out of the lineups because of "sore knees" then before you know it he had the microfracture surgeries which ended his playing level of greatness and yao was healthy but it was prime yao but you maybe right he couldve did better with em but it was always 1 key player out all the time.

Good points! I forgot how fragile T-Mac was & I think there was only 1 playoff run during the Rockets JVG era where both were healthy. It's really a shame!
 

The Garden '95

Benchwarmer
By far my number one choice. If I were him, though, I would never leave my cushy announcing job for the stress of being an NBA coach with expectations of a championship.

Perhaps he'd like the challenge though :). Let's hope! :thumbsup:

thats the only downside to getting him is that our team is in WIN NOW! mode and he doesnt want to have to live up to over achieving standards that NY demands
 
amen to this post please god save the knicks from the wretched hands of jim dolan and let him see the light at the end of the tunnel so that a new owner may take over so that our gm donnie walsh ream the gm/team president and that our current coach get fired and so that current players no what box out look like so that amare would follow his man instead of guarding absolutely no one leaving everyone open so they can teach this person who dosent know how to play defense something please all lord the 70s have been so a long time ago i wasn't even born yet but today is my birthday and i just want this wish i know all wont be granted but i know you can make a couple things happen:gony:
 
It's funny reading some of these post's about wanting the same JVG that is not only overrated but also quit on the Knicks. He's not a very good coach, not @ all. He took over for a great franchise after the foundation was already established by Riley & Ewing.

JVG "did not bring defense back to NY"; it was already in place lol.

I could care less that he made the Finals during 99 as the 8th seed thanks to MJ retiring, Chicago falling off, Reggie & the Pacers were aging + a freakish 4PT LJ shot. He made the Finals during an extremely WEAK Eastern Conf. Big deal.

When MDA had Felton, Fields (rookie), Gallo, Amare, Mozgov (rookie), Chandler, Turiaf & Douglas... You all were calling him a bad coach when we were the 6th seed..

JVG had a LOADED & STACKED team with Ewing, LJ, Spree, Houston, Ward, Childs, Camby & Kurt Thomas & FAILED to coach them to anything better than an 8th seed & 4 games above .500 in an EXTREMELY weak Eastern Conf. Pathetic & overrated coach.

JVG belongs in the booth... Where he's been.
 
I'm not even sure it's safe to say JVG would have even improved our defensive team before the trade but one thing is for sure... We wouldn't have ranked #1 or #2 in offense this year because he can never compare to MDA in that aspect of the game. He would have fell FLAT on his face the past two years in New York with cap hell rosters. He doesn't have the heart to lose for 2 or 3 years just for a chance to win later on. He's a quitter that was never forced to coach bad teams with bad defensive players. Save all that "top 10 defense talk" for someone who doesn't understand how to look at the big picture. The man struggles to win during the regular seaon with a very good to great Franchise.
 
An aging Ewing would have sent the rookie back to Russia on D! Mozgov ONLY averaged 2/3 pts/boards per. The most important defensive position in basketball & Ewing was still a force. JVG was BLESSED to have #33 down low. Ewing wasn't blessed to have "JVG".

Amare will NEVER be as strong & tough as LJ on D!. You kidding me?

Turiaf cant compete with an athletic freak of nature in Camby on D. Not even close.

Sprewell would dominate Chandler's defense. The intensity of Spree, way before JVG was always 2nd to none. Just ask Sprewell's coach & neck.

Kurt Thomas was a force on the boards & defense. Kurt Thomas would make the defense of Shawne Williams look foolish @ best.

Ward was ONE hell of a defensive player & Felton's defense has never & will never compete with the tough D of Ward!

Alan Houston was a veteran LEADER & yes Fields has defensive talent & potential but Houston was a real leader.

The ONLY advantage would be TD over Childs on D!

BIG's such as Herb & Dudley QUICKLY erase that 1 advantage.

"JVG"
 

MusketeerX

Rotation player
An aging Ewing would have sent the rookie back to Russia on D! Mozgov ONLY averaged 2/3 pts/boards per. The most important defensive position in basketball & Ewing was still a force. JVG was BLESSED to have #33 down low. Ewing wasn't blessed to have "JVG".

Amare will NEVER be as strong & tough as LJ on D!. You kidding me?

Turiaf cant compete with an athletic freak of nature in Camby on D. Not even close.

Sprewell would dominate Chandler's defense. The intensity of Spree, way before JVG was always 2nd to none. Just ask Sprewell's coach & neck.

Kurt Thomas was a force on the boards & defense. Kurt Thomas would make the defense of Shawne Williams look foolish @ best.

Ward was ONE hell of a defensive player & Felton's defense has never & will never compete with the tough D of Ward!

Alan Houston was a veteran LEADER & yes Fields has defensive talent & potential but Houston was a real leader.

The ONLY advantage would be TD over Childs on D!

BIG's such as Herb & Dudley QUICKLY erase that 1 advantage.

"JVG"

Dude, why are there three posts? I can see two... but why three. Truth of the matter is that MDA isn't fit to shine JVG's jock. MDA has one coaching style and this team does not fit it.

Give the reins to someone who gives us a shot t a ring.
 
Dude... JVG struggled to win during the regular season as the freaking 8th SEED with a LOADED & STACKED team with once again... Ewing, LJ, Camby, Kurt Thomas, Sprewell, Houston, Ward & Childs! Pathetic coaching job.

How about you stop trying to compare MDA's situation to JVG. JVG never had to REBUILD a Knicks team. JVG? He took over for a franchise that was great for damn near 10+ years. Success was given to Van Gundy. Any coach in the league would have won with that stacked roster. Any GOOD coach would have competed for the top 2 seeds during the years of an extremely weak Eastern Conf. He FAILED to lead them into the playoffs with anything better than an 8th seed which was sad with a SET team.

The man is an overrated coach. He quit on the Knicks once he SEEN the roster had no chance to win after Ewing. He left for Houston & let us become the laughing stock of the league. He could care less about the team or fans. **** that quitter.

MikeD took this job KNOWING we would LOSE for 2 maybe 3 full years!
 

hometheaterguy

Knicks Guru
Can you imagine, JVG head coach, Mark Jackson assistant coach, Patrick Ewing assistant coach....

*cums in pants*

oh and also...



Indeed, I remember someone commenting on a thread the other day when JVG said at halftime that he thought D'Antoni's offensive system was great and he would do the same things offensively. The system is great if it's not too rigid in terms of really shooting a 3 within 7 seconds like it is under MDA!

I actually remember some of those 1999 playoff games really were run and gun style (because Patrick Ewing wasn't playing haha)... JVG replaced Pat Rileys defensive minded halfcourt slow-ass players such as Mason, Harper (old legs) and Starks with younger, quicker players like Chris Childs and Larry Johnson. Plus of course Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston who were not known for great defense but played with the INTENSITY encouraged by JVG and arguably the best defender in the league Patrick Ewing. If not for Ewing kind of forcing you to play half court the Knicks would have been SSOL'ing back in 99!

So what has Marc Jackson accomplished as a coach of any kind that qualifies him to be an assistant coach???? At least Ewing has more experience and I can see him coaching with the Knicks at some level but NOT as a head coach!
Wait, did you say that the Knicks with JVG were run and gun during the 1999 playoffs?!?!?!?! lol!!!!!!!
I was there dude and it WAS NOT run and gun!!!! They won game 5 78, 77. It was the slowest, most physical type game you could ever watch! In fact, the NBA changed some of the defensive rules... Twice... because of the 1980/90's Knicks.

You guys have no clue!! I was there for the 1980's and 90's Knicks experiencing it first hand; in the 90's fans were calling up wfan and espn radio screaming to fire JVG because he only knew how to coach D and the team couldn't take the next step because they were struggling offensively. Man, how quick we forget.. It's like when you breakup with a girlfriend and then years later you bump into them and totally forget all the bad that made you dump them in the first place. Countless calls about JVG's coaching decisions and wanting then Knicks to bring in a Donnie Nelson (the offensive genius)... little did they know just how disastrous that would be. Knicks fans always want the opposite of what they have.... Always!!!! Hell, I remember calls to remove Riley complaining that his slow physical game was preventing the Knicks from taking the next step.
MDA has spent the past 3 years coaching a team that has been dumping salaries and tanking seasons... This season was about getting 2 too 3 stars on this team and to get Melo we had to dump half the team.... You guys need to be more patient and stop bitching like little girls with a skinned knee!!!!
 
The bottom line is this: QVG QUIT on this Franchise when he seen rebuilding move was right around the corner. That little prick cared less what was going on with NY's disaster franchise, went on to coach HOU & left US in the DARK for 10+ years. He doesn't DESERVE to coach NY next year when MDA did the OPPOSITE of JVG.

MDA took this job with Walsh while both not only understanding but KNOWING we would lose for 2-3 years during rebuilding mode. Next year, after Walsh upgrades our C position during FA, lands another draft talent such as a Gallo, TD or Fields, improves our bench depth etc etc; Next year will become the FIRST season MDA will have a CHANCE to compete as serious contenders because A) The previous team had no chance to contend as a top 3 seed & B) a depleated roster after the A-S break also has no chance of seriously competing without an offseason!

MDA accepted this job to lose for 2-3 years JUST to have a CHANCE to CONTEND next year. MDA DESERVES next year more than ANY OTHER coach.
 

The Garden '95

Benchwarmer
The bottom line is this: QVG QUIT on this Franchise when he seen rebuilding move was right around the corner. That little prick cared less what was going on with NY's disaster franchise, went on to coach HOU & left US in the DARK for 10+ years. He doesn't DESERVE to coach NY next year when MDA did the OPPOSITE of JVG.

MDA took this job with Walsh while both not only understanding but KNOWING we would lose for 2-3 years during rebuilding mode. Next year, after Walsh upgrades our C position during FA, lands another draft talent such as a Gallo, TD or Fields, improves our bench depth etc etc; Next year will become the FIRST season MDA will have a CHANCE to compete as serious contenders because A) The previous team had no chance to contend as a top 3 seed & B) a depleated roster after the A-S break also has no chance of seriously competing without an offseason!

MDA accepted this job to lose for 2-3 years JUST to have a CHANCE to CONTEND next year. MDA DESERVES next year more than ANY OTHER coach.

first wait untill 2010 get a star, then we somehow get another and MDA needs more time GTFO he sux and he only wants more time to prove that when he gets fired he was a decent coach enough to get another gig, this will be the last true head coaching job for mike dantoni because all of his weaknesses have been brightened in the big apple.

Btw have you noticed that our teams suck so bad defensively that everytime the opposing teams players return from injury ,that its always against us? Give me one reason why they always suit up against us?
 
Great post HomeTheaterGuy.

I have a feeling many of these JVG supporters weren't around for the Ewing-Riley era. I've seen it since 92.

For the simple fact.... How can they act as if QVG (QuitterVanGundy) "Brang DEFENCE back to NY" lmao NY always ranked as top 1-7 D's under Riley & Ewing. QVG took over for a franchise that was ALREADY great on defense for well over 10 years.

Your also correct... At LEAST 50% of NY fans wanted JVG gone for two reasons. 1) Lack of offensive production. 2) Failed to lead a STACKED roster of Ewing, LJ, Camby, Herb, Dudley, Sprewell, Houston, Ward & Childs to anything better than an 8th seed during the years of MJ & the Bulls as a thing of the past & Reggie & INDY aging over night. Knick fans were not accepting the fact that this coach couldn't have us as top 3 contenders after years of competing under Riley against great CHI & Indy teams! You think the MDA hate is bad? lol imagine being the 8th seed after fans were EXPECTING Riley-Ewing-Oakley-Mason-Starks types of contenders!
 

MusketeerX

Rotation player
Great post HomeTheaterGuy.

I have a feeling many of these JVG supporters weren't around for the Ewing-Riley era. I've seen it since 92.

For the simple fact.... How can they act as if QVG (QuitterVanGundy) "Brang DEFENCE back to NY" lmao NY always ranked as top 1-7 D's under Riley & Ewing. QVG took over for a franchise that was ALREADY great on defense for well over 10 years.

Your also correct... At LEAST 50% of NY fans wanted JVG gone for two reasons. 1) Lack of offensive production. 2) Failed to lead a STACKED roster of Ewing, LJ, Camby, Herb, Dudley, Sprewell, Houston, Ward & Childs to anything better than an 8th seed during the years of MJ & the Bulls as a thing of the past & Reggie & INDY aging over night. Knick fans were not accepting the fact that this coach couldn't have us as top 3 contenders after years of competing under Riley against great CHI & Indy teams! You think the MDA hate is bad? lol imagine being the 8th seed after fans were EXPECTING Riley-Ewing-Oakley-Mason-Starks types of contenders!

Took a team to the NBA finals without Ewing. All that needs to be said. MDA needed Nash and Amar'e to never get to a finals. It's not even close.
 

The Garden '95

Benchwarmer
Great post HomeTheaterGuy.

I have a feeling many of these JVG supporters weren't around for the Ewing-Riley era. I've seen it since 92.

For the simple fact.... How can they act as if QVG (QuitterVanGundy) "Brang DEFENCE back to NY" lmao NY always ranked as top 1-7 D's under Riley & Ewing. QVG took over for a franchise that was ALREADY great on defense for well over 10 years.

Your also correct... At LEAST 50% of NY fans wanted JVG gone for two reasons. 1) Lack of offensive production. 2) Failed to lead a STACKED roster of Ewing, LJ, Camby, Herb, Dudley, Sprewell, Houston, Ward & Childs to anything better than an 8th seed during the years of MJ & the Bulls as a thing of the past & Reggie & INDY aging over night. Knick fans were not accepting the fact that this coach couldn't have us as top 3 contenders after years of competing under Riley against great CHI & Indy teams! You think the MDA hate is bad? lol imagine being the 8th seed after fans were EXPECTING Riley-Ewing-Oakley-Mason-Starks types of contenders!

okay ny always ranks 1-7 in D but what about now? we almost give up more than we score!!!
 
ahahah took the Knicks to the Finals with a STACKED roster as an 8th seed during the years of the Bulls falling off the map, Indy aging over night & being blessed with a great franchise. Thats all that needs to be said.

He quit on this franchise when he seen rebuilding move was RIGHT around the heart. He never had the type of heart to lose & rebuild... just to have a chance to win again. QVG is a quitter who left us fans in the dark for 10+ years without thinking twice about it.

He made the Finals without Ewing thanks to a fluke LJ 4 point play. If Reggie & the Pacers weren't aging & Jordan was with the Bulls... Lmao that 8th seed team doesn't make it out of the 1st round against MJ & the Bulls (with or without Ewing) lmao.

Quitter Van Gundy's 8th seed 1999 season was nothing more than a product of a great Franchise playing during an era of the Eastern Conf becoming EXTREMELY weak up until now lmao. Wake up dude.

Even with Ewing... The Spurs DOMINATE QVG during the Finals. WEAK 8th seed East team.
 
Also... Use your brain when talking sports please.

Don't even THINK about comparing Van Gundy's 99 Finals team of an extremely weak Eastern Conf to the MDA PHX Suns teams of the GOLDEN years of the West. lol zzzzz Give MDA his PHX teams & put them in the East of 99 & A) they sweep JVG's 8th seed Knicks & B) Win 60+ as a 1 or 2 sead heading into the 99 playoffs.

Instead lets compare what both MDA & QVG did during the years of the TOUGH west lmao ;=)

Coach of the year. 4 consecutive trips to the playoffs. Two seasons with 54+ wins. Another two seasons of 60+ wins. Beat Kobe & the Lakers during back to back playoff series. Dominated Kobe & the Lakers 4-1 & came up clutch durring a pressure game 7. Split with Dirk & the Mavs 1-1 (6-6) during two playoff wars. Came up big against the Clippers during another game 7 & swept the Grizz. Two Western Conf Final apperances in 4 years as head coach. Winning % of .650!!!

Please; tell us all what QVG "did with Houston" inside a TOUGH Western Conf. Ahaaha. Good luck ;-(
 

smokes

Huge Member
Great post HomeTheaterGuy.

I have a feeling many of these JVG supporters weren't around for the Ewing-Riley era. I've seen it since 92.

For the simple fact.... How can they act as if QVG (QuitterVanGundy) "Brang DEFENCE back to NY" lmao NY always ranked as top 1-7 D's under Riley & Ewing. QVG took over for a franchise that was ALREADY great on defense for well over 10 years.

Your also correct... At LEAST 50% of NY fans wanted JVG gone for two reasons. 1) Lack of offensive production. 2) Failed to lead a STACKED roster of Ewing, LJ, Camby, Herb, Dudley, Sprewell, Houston, Ward & Childs to anything better than an 8th seed during the years of MJ & the Bulls as a thing of the past & Reggie & INDY aging over night. Knick fans were not accepting the fact that this coach couldn't have us as top 3 contenders after years of competing under Riley against great CHI & Indy teams! You think the MDA hate is bad? lol imagine being the 8th seed after fans were EXPECTING Riley-Ewing-Oakley-Mason-Starks types of contenders!

STACKED?!?!?!?!

Sometimes your memory of what happened back then seems really selective :p

Ewing - injured for over half the playoffs
LJ - was not a great player in NY averaged about 12 points for us was never an all star with the Knicks
Dudley - LOL
Sprewell - SF in his first season as a Knick... ring any bells?
Houston - great player
Ward - not even a top 10 pg
Childs - not even a top 20 pg

So, you can argue that we had 3 all stars on our roster (Ewing, Houston, Sprewell) one of whom and our best player had very little impact on the 1999 playoffs due to missing everything from game 5 vs the Heat onwards.

Also you seem to forget JVG BUILT that NY roster of Houston, Sprewell, Camby, Ward, Larry Johnson and most of those moves received HUGE criticism. Sprewell's last move in the NBA before we acquired him was choking out P J Carlesimo... Larry Johnson was always a controversial player with his outspoken religion and had issues with many teammates in his short career... Charlie Ward was still Derek Harpers backup when JVG took over.#

I don't even know what you're trying to say about the 8th seed but whatever it is, is incorrect. We were 8th seed once under JVG in 1999, and JVG's playoff runs went like this:

96 playoffs: lost to the 72 win Bulls in JVG's first EVER season as a head coach
97 playoffs: lost to the Heat after leading 3-1 due to the suspension of Ward, Ewing, LJ, Houston and Starks
98 playoffs: Ewing out for half of the season and half of the playoffs, still beat the Heat but lost to the Pacers who actually were a STACKED team
99 playoffs: NBA finals, Ewing out for most of the playoffs
2000: lost in ECF finals

Damn yeah, its not like his record is 100 times better than MDA, or that he traded for players who would go down in the memories of Knicks fans forever right?
 
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hometheaterguy

Knicks Guru
Took a team to the NBA finals without Ewing. All that needs to be said. MDA needed Nash and Amar'e to never get to a finals. It's not even close.

MusketeerX - Not sure of your age but I was watching those games LIVE... Ok, and to make it sound like JFG had the daunting task of taking a team that lost its superstar and only had a bunch of complimentary players to the finals... You are just delusional. I'm sorry, but like I said I was there for the whole season and Ewing was dealing with nagging injuries that whole season and he had monster players to work with besides Ewing.... Camby, LJ, Spree, Houston... I would KILL to have those guys right now!!!! Camby, LJ and Sprewell alone are a KILLER 3 player combo!!!!!! In fact, your brilliant JVG HATED Camby and used him sparingly!! OK... He raged against that trade. He was loyal to Oakley and was very upset when mgmt pulled that trade off... It was one of the reasons that pushed him towards leaving.... So, you need to come back to reality a little and you need to realize that this team was not built for this year... it was pieces that were brought to build the future of this franchise...
 

smokes

Huge Member
MusketeerX - Not sure of your age but I was watching those games LIVE... Ok, and to make it sound like JFG had the daunting task of taking a team that lost its superstar and only had a bunch of complimentary players to the finals... You are just delusional. I'm sorry, but like I said I was there for the whole season and Ewing was dealing with nagging injuries that whole season and he had monster players to work with besides Ewing.... Camby, LJ, Spree, Houston... I would KILL to have those guys right now!!!! Camby, LJ and Sprewell alone are a KILLER 3 player combo!!!!!! In fact, your brilliant JVG HATED Camby and used him sparingly!! OK... He raged against that trade. He was loyal to Oakley and was very upset when mgmt pulled that trade off... It was one of the reasons that pushed him towards leaving.... So, you need to come back to reality a little and you need to realize that this team was not built for this year... it was pieces that were brought to build the future of this franchise...

You're right but you should also remember Camby was still young, came to NY kinda during his post-rookie slump and he choked a lot that season. I remember Camby blowing dunks, getting layups rejected because he was too afraid to dunk it, and watching him shoot a free throw was almost as bad as Chris Dudley. He was never gonna be even half a replacement for Ewing.

Camby also had injuries that year iirc.

Also from my memory Ewing was out in game 5 against the Heat onwards. We still beat the Pacers who took the Bulls to 7 games the year before. And obviously, against the twin towers of SA we really had no chance without Ewing.
 
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