More coaching insanity.....

The Phoenix Suns fired Terry Porter today after speculation that it was coming all weekend. Porter replaced the embattled Mike D'Antoni who despite not taking the Suns to the finals, did have them perennially competing as one of the best teams in the league and has done wonders in New York! D'Antoni may have won back to back titles had it not been for an injury to Amare Stoudamire during the playoffs one season and questionable suspensions the next during the Western Conference Finals.

However, Steve Kerr the General Manager in Phoenix decided he wasn't getting the job done, so he fired D'Antoni and hired Terry Porter. We'll never know if Porter could get the job done or not. He was head coach for 4 months with a largely revamped roster. As I have stated in my previous blog on this topic, firing a coach mid-season is ALWAYS a mistake!

Now, I will say, that combined with Kerr's personnel moves, I don't think Porter was the answer at head coach in Phoenix. However, despite that, he at least deserves a season to try, we still have half a season to play. The Celtics won 20 games in a row. Shaquille O'Neal is in the best shape he has been in in 5 seasons. Regardless of the possibilities, they could realistically hit a big winning streak and do well in the post-season. Furthermore, what is Kerr doing? How much thought and consideration went into hiring Porter if you had so little confidence in him that you fire him 4 months into the job. If he was that incapable, then Kerr shoulder even more blame for making the hire in the first place.

It is my recommendation to the Sun's that Kerr has until the Finals to right the ship, if it isn't done by then, then he needs to go! With 3 of your 4 best players in their mid thirties, the Sun's only have a 2 year window left, and that's assuming they acquire some younger, better players and stay healthy.


On to stupid college coaches......

Lane Kiffin!!!!! Come on down! You're the next contestant on idiot of the week!

Coach Kiffin is the new coach at Tennessee. Tennessee fans were upset that they had not competed for a national championship in a few years and therefore fired coach Phillip Fulmer who had led them to their last national championship.

In some of his first statements as head coach Kiffin criticized Urban Meyer, head coach of the current national champion Florida Gators, and former Gator and current South Carolina head coach Stever Spurrier. However much you like or dislike Meyer or Spurrier there two things that both have in common: 1) Both are winners, and 2) both run clean programs. Now, after starting a fire no new coach needs, he has committed 3 recruiting violations in a 14 day span. This is a classic case of being young and dumb (Kiffin is 33)!

The NCAA has a massive rule book, and each coach at each school in the country is issued an updated copy every year, and must complete a rules test. No coach has read every word in this book, it is a reference guide. The test is not comprehensive, but if you pass it, you have shown a workable knowledge of the most important infringements possible and it's then your fault if you commit any further infringements. What's more, is every school pays a compliance person, and often an entire staff to be on campus and on call 24/7 for coaches in case they have a question.

As an NCAA head or assistant coach, this person is on your speed dial list, because if you're not 100% positive and can give the reasoning why something falls within the confines of NCAA regulations, you call this person. They can either tell you, or tell you to wait while they check with other compliance directors at other schools, conference and NCAA officials in order to get an official ruling. Therefore, there is rarely an acceptable excuse for blatant rules violations.

Kiffin however has had three in his ridiculously short tenure at UT! He set up a mock press conference for recruits while visiting. Yeah, it's silly, but it's against the rules, and regardless of what it outlaws the NCAA rules are for the most part set up with very concise guidelines so that coaches cannot use a slippery slope to gain unfair advantages in recruiting. The next was using a fog machine and letting recruits run out onto the field, and finally he mentioned a recruits name in an interview and said he was a great player when anyone who has even been around college athletics for more than 10 minutes knows that you cannot talk about specific recruits, and certainly cannot name them.

These were minor infractions, and won't result in any sanctions from the NCAA, but if you're gonna be a cocky know it all coaching at Tennessee you need to have your i's dotted and t's crossed. My prediction is Kiffin might make it 3 years unless he begins to violate more serious NCAA regulations, he obviously has a lack of respect for them.

However, my contention is not with Kiffin... in my opinion he wasn't a good hire, but he's a product of the ass kissing coaches society today prevalent in big time college football. My contention is with Athletics Director Mike Hamilton. If Kiffin does not fulfill expectations, Hamliton and Kiffin should have to pack together as they are ushered out of Knoxville. It was his hire! If it does not work out, HE should be held responsible for it.

UT fans, do not let him feed you some BS excuse. You are UT, one of the best coaching jobs in the country! You can have your pick of all but a handful of competent coaches in the country, Kiffin is who he picked. If Kiffin is not all you think he should be, hold Mike Hamilton responsible. I frankly predict that Kiffin will simply be in over his head, but again, that's the AD's fault!

Hold athletic directors and general managers responsible for teams failures! There are times when they make bad personnel decisions and times when they don't provide coaches the tools they need to win, if they are not going to be held to the same level accountability, then what are they being paid for?