Great Donnie Walsh interveiw!

New New York

Quiet Storm
http://www.wfan.com/pages/119297.php

Great Walsh interveiw, he held his own as Mike and Mad Dog. They tried to press him with tough questions about the D'antoni hire, Dolan, the media policy and Mark Jackson. But Donnie showed toughness that only a native New Yorker can!
I like how he said his heart wanted to hire Mark Jackson, but he took his emotions out, and went with the best coach for the sake of The New York Knicks. He went on to say Mark Jackson is going to be great coach one day.I like how he told Mike D that this aint a "money job", meaning he shouldnt take the job just for the money, because he wanted someone who truley wanted to be a Knick coach. I gained a lot of respect for Donnie Walsh with this one, not to just take another shot at Isiah, but no way Isiah handles himself with two bully sports reporters without getting mad or making mention of his West Side of Chicago days.
 

nyk24

Rookie
I agree completely. Mike and the Mad Dog aren't exactly my favorite radio jocks beacause they're really antagonistic. But Donnie really held his own and had a good interview.
 

tiger0330

Legend
http://www.wfan.com/pages/119297.php

I like how he told Mike D that this aint a "money job", meaning he shouldnt take the job just for the money, because he wanted someone who truley wanted to be a Knick coach.

Well D'Antoni lied to Walsh about this one. Jerry Reinsdorf of the Bulls said D'antoni told him in his interview with Chicago that he didn't want to coach the Knicks. So what exactly changed MDs mind, couldn't have been that 4yr 24M guaranteed contract could it. :(

D'Antoni is a horrible fit for the Knicks, he has no chance of winning with his style. I see him lasting 2 years before they fire him, only way he has a chance is if the Knicks luck out and get the #1/2 pick so they can draft Rose. This is so important that the Knicks may try to trade up to get Rose if they don't get the 1 or 2 pick.
 

abcd

KnicksonLIN.com
I think Donnie Walsh made a poor decision, by hiring D'Antoni. When you got Patrick Ewing available, and you instead get a run and gun coach for 24 million dollars, that's a bad move. Patrick Ewing probably would've accepted he job for less money, and he would've enforced defense. With D'Antoni, people like Curry, Randolph, Richardson, and Crawford will get away with not playing any defense. In order to be a good team, you need defense. The Phoenix Suns are more of an exception to the rule, and even they're starting to break down.
 

Blas

Benchwarmer
Well D'Antoni lied to Walsh about this one. Jerry Reinsdorf of the Bulls said D'antoni told him in his interview with Chicago that he didn't want to coach the Knicks. So what exactly changed MDs mind, couldn't have been that 4yr 24M guaranteed contract could it. :(

You do not think it is possible that Walsh told D'antoni that he believe in his system? D'antoni wanted to leave Pheonix because Steve and him disagreed on issues. I bet you if Kerr was behind him and didn't make that Shaq trade and worked with D'antoni, he wouldn't have left.

I think D'antoni wanting to change the philosphy of basketball is more important to him then money.
 

New New York

Quiet Storm
You do not think it is possible that Walsh told D'antoni that he believe in his system? D'antoni wanted to leave Pheonix because Steve and him disagreed on issues. I bet you if Kerr was behind him and didn't make that Shaq trade and worked with D'antoni, he wouldn't have left.

I think D'antoni wanting to change the philosphy of basketball is more important to him then money.

co-sign!

What people have to realize is that if he fails in New York, then 24 million may be his last NBA contract. Besides Larry Brown (who actually got passed over for jobs all last summer,Memphis, Sac, and assistant at Boston) the most recently fired New York coaches have not been able to find jobs with other teams as head coaches. Lenny Wilkens, Don Cheaney, and as we all know Isiah may never coach another NBA team again. When you fail in NY it can be disasterous to your career. So no way D'antoni takes this job for a few extra million. Lets say Chicago offers him 20 as opposed to 24 million, do you really think 4 million is enough to risk not getting another job again? I'm still not totally convinced on this move, but I am convinced that Donnie Walsh believes in D'antoni, and Mike D wants to honestly coach in NY. And yes maybe he would have never touched this job with a 12 ft pole 1 week ago when he talked to Reinstoff but I think he wants the job now.
 

donchris

Next season, keep waiting
This move is starting to grow on me the more I think about it. All of the style stuff we will have to wait and see about, but looking at this from a basic point of view, meaning you bring in a guy that won 50 to 60 games in the last four years to a struggling team is a pretty good idea. Out of all of the available candidates D'Antoni was one of the best. I was gun ho for Tommy T. and I still believe he would have been a good fit and would have emphasized defense, but I can't say this was a bad move by Walsh. D'Antoni is better then Avery and definitely Mark Jackson. Now let's see what kind of draft pick we get and what roster moves Donnie and Mike will make.
 

dre48ny

Rotation player
This move is starting to grow on me the more I think about it. All of the style stuff we will have to wait and see about, but looking at this from a basic point of view, meaning you bring in a guy that won 50 to 60 games in the last four years to a struggling team is a pretty good idea. Out of all of the available candidates D'Antoni was one of the best. I was gun ho for Tommy T. and I still believe he would have been a good fit and would have emphasized defense, but I can't say this was a bad move by Walsh. D'Antoni is better then Avery and definitely Mark Jackson. Now let's see what kind of draft pick we get and what roster moves Donnie and Mike will make.

Yes I agree very much with your statements. I definitely feel better starting this season with a proven coach as opposed to Isaiah. We definitely have to be patient because next week we will know where we sit in the draft. From there the Knicks will start to try to make some moves. I think we do get caught up with watching Phoenix throughout the years. Maybe he is a great motivator and gets the best out of his players. I remember Nash was really good in Dallas, but he became a 2 time MVP in Phoenix. The surrounding players also flourished, he must know his shit. First year always gets the benefit of the doubt, so let's see if h exceeds expectations.
 
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