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Why is everyone so excited about this Avery Johnson hire?
Posted on 4/6/15 at 10:00 am
Posted on 4/6/15 at 10:00 am
I'm not impressed at all. He's an out of work NBA coach. Look, I'm a huge basketball fan, I truly believe its the greatest sport ever invented just because of how dynamic every player on the court has to be as opposed to your position having 1 maybe 2 jobs and thats it. But basketball COACHING in the NBA isnt rocket science. A lot of the most important stuff is done for you by your general manager. You take players, plug them into offenses and defenses, decide who starts and who doesnt, and you call plays and yell at refs. And sometimes, depending on your roster, managing conflicting egos. There's a good amount of X's and O's, but thats basically it and Avery Johnson wasnt exactly spectacular at the limited duties an NBA coach has.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying anyone can do it, and to be REALLY successful (winning championships) it takes more than that, but just being a decent coach in the NBA isnt a very dynamic job.
Now to college....
Everything an NBA coach has to do, PLUS recruit, develop players, often times reteach fundamentals to players who were recruited as pure athletes, many times complete change offensive or defensive philosophies depending on the talent you were able to recruit, and then you have to be able to go out and promote your team, ESPECIALLY at a place like Alabama where football is king and you need someone to really push basketball to the masses.
I do not have faith that Avery Johnson can do very many of these things at any decently competitive level.
Bill Battle dropped the ball last year when he didnt get rid of Grant THEN and get one of the best coaches currently in the business, AT A DISCOUNT no less, and instead let him go to our arch rival. I am not impressed with Bill Battle's performance as an AD so far. He is a penny pincher CEO, which is NOT what Alabama needs. When you have an athletic department that gross's as much money as ours does, you dont need someone to pinch the pennies, you need someone to spend the money you have on the assets you need to be competitive and I just dont think his mindset is capable of that.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying anyone can do it, and to be REALLY successful (winning championships) it takes more than that, but just being a decent coach in the NBA isnt a very dynamic job.
Now to college....
Everything an NBA coach has to do, PLUS recruit, develop players, often times reteach fundamentals to players who were recruited as pure athletes, many times complete change offensive or defensive philosophies depending on the talent you were able to recruit, and then you have to be able to go out and promote your team, ESPECIALLY at a place like Alabama where football is king and you need someone to really push basketball to the masses.
I do not have faith that Avery Johnson can do very many of these things at any decently competitive level.
Bill Battle dropped the ball last year when he didnt get rid of Grant THEN and get one of the best coaches currently in the business, AT A DISCOUNT no less, and instead let him go to our arch rival. I am not impressed with Bill Battle's performance as an AD so far. He is a penny pincher CEO, which is NOT what Alabama needs. When you have an athletic department that gross's as much money as ours does, you dont need someone to pinch the pennies, you need someone to spend the money you have on the assets you need to be competitive and I just dont think his mindset is capable of that.
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Posted on 4/6/15 at 10:01 am to ThaKaptin
Big name, splash hire, helps recruiting
Posted on 4/6/15 at 10:02 am to ThaKaptin
I think Bama did as good as they were able to with this hire. At least he's a big name that kids will recognize. But definitely didn't do as well as Tennessee, Texas or State IMO.
Posted on 4/6/15 at 10:02 am to ThaKaptin
Because they know the name.
Posted on 4/6/15 at 10:02 am to ThaKaptin
Will bring excitement to the program, but that will fizzle when people realize he's just not a very good coach.
Great human being though so I'll never say I hate AJ or anything like that. He just has no college experience and is not a great coach.
Great human being though so I'll never say I hate AJ or anything like that. He just has no college experience and is not a great coach.
Posted on 4/6/15 at 10:04 am to ThaKaptin
Didn't read. Prolly some good shite though. I'm just glad our AD is trying. All I want is to have the ability to get excited about basketball again. I'm not say Avery is gonna wreck shite. But maybe he can swing a couple one and done guys. That would be fun. 
Posted on 4/6/15 at 10:06 am to ThaKaptin
I'm with you Kaptain. Just seems like a face saving hire. Maybe he can land a few recruits in a year, but for his first time recruiting is for an SEC team not named Kentucky. Good luck. Then he also has to develop relationships with camp circuits, coaches, shoe company's and AAU circuits. It's a greedy mess, and he's all new to it.
Posted on 4/6/15 at 10:09 am to ThaKaptin
quote:
When you have an athletic department that gross's as much money as ours does, you dont need someone to pinch the pennies, you need someone to spend the money you have on the assets you need to be competitive and I just dont think his mindset is capable of that.
Huhh???.....we went out and offerd to make Marshall a top 5 coach as far as compensation as well as all the support he wanted...and in case you haven't been following, there are a dearth of candidates right now...and the ones like Marshall have their eyes on the established programs that will likely have openings in the next few years. Frankly, we are lucky to get AJ.
I also completely disagree with your assesment of AJ on the X' and O's side. He is personable and should be able to recurit well. The risk of course is he is a career NBA guy not a college coach with everything that enatails.
Posted on 4/6/15 at 10:12 am to ThaKaptin
I agree it's a risky hire because he hasn't coached college basketball before. Has a decent level of bust potential. However, one of the main reasons why it is nevertheless an appealing and exciting hire for a lot of people is actually contained in your post:
I think the above Avery Johnson can and will do. He is a well-known person in the basketball world, is a big personality, is very comfortable in front of the camera and appears like someone who wants to be in the limelight.
Alabama basketball needs a PR makeover after the Grant years where he basically disappeared from public view except for the couple of hours a week he was on the sidelines during the season. Johnson will be able to push the brand. That COULD lead to more interest from fans and, importantly, recruits.
None of us know enough about his actual coaching ability to really judge that, but he certainly wasn't terrible in the NBA so there is some hope that he knows how to coach a basketball team.
But no doubt the excitement comes from the feeling he will be someone who can and will promote Bama basketball to the fans and recruits both of which are desperately needed. If he can hold his own developing players and coaching X's and O's than it could actually be just the hire Alabama needed at this point.
quote:
at a place like Alabama where football is king and you need someone to really push basketball to the masses
I think the above Avery Johnson can and will do. He is a well-known person in the basketball world, is a big personality, is very comfortable in front of the camera and appears like someone who wants to be in the limelight.
Alabama basketball needs a PR makeover after the Grant years where he basically disappeared from public view except for the couple of hours a week he was on the sidelines during the season. Johnson will be able to push the brand. That COULD lead to more interest from fans and, importantly, recruits.
None of us know enough about his actual coaching ability to really judge that, but he certainly wasn't terrible in the NBA so there is some hope that he knows how to coach a basketball team.
But no doubt the excitement comes from the feeling he will be someone who can and will promote Bama basketball to the fans and recruits both of which are desperately needed. If he can hold his own developing players and coaching X's and O's than it could actually be just the hire Alabama needed at this point.
This post was edited on 4/6/15 at 10:16 am
Posted on 4/6/15 at 10:14 am to ThaKaptin
It's certainlh an Interesting hire. I go back and forth on it being a good or bad hire. I think his NBA success or failure of irrelevant in determining how good or bad of a coCh he'll be in college.
He does bring legitimacy to the position in the eyes of kids wanting to get to the NBA, so that's a good thing when it comes to recruiting. He seems like a personable person, which is also good in recruiting, as well as being the face of the program.
The unknown is how he'll do as a college coach. There's just nothing on his resume to gauge, and as a Bama fan that is a little unsettling.
He does bring legitimacy to the position in the eyes of kids wanting to get to the NBA, so that's a good thing when it comes to recruiting. He seems like a personable person, which is also good in recruiting, as well as being the face of the program.
The unknown is how he'll do as a college coach. There's just nothing on his resume to gauge, and as a Bama fan that is a little unsettling.
Posted on 4/6/15 at 10:15 am to ThaKaptin
quote:
Why is everyone so excited about this Avery Johnson hire
Why wouldn't we be?
Posted on 4/6/15 at 10:18 am to ThaKaptin
quote:
ThaKaptin
Auburn troll?
Posted on 4/6/15 at 10:23 am to ThaKaptin
Most of us are paying more attention to spring practice.
Posted on 4/6/15 at 10:33 am to ThaKaptin
He will bring a player-friendly system which could attract recruits. That system is "Nellie Ball", fun and gun offense with no defense. It's not championship basketball but fun to watch. AJ is a Don Nelson protégé.
Posted on 4/6/15 at 10:41 am to ThaKaptin
This is just a sad attempt to get the SECrant to like you.
"Hey everyone I'm not a biased bammer! I promise! No really! Seriously guys!! Guys?!? Please like me?!"
Sad...
"Hey everyone I'm not a biased bammer! I promise! No really! Seriously guys!! Guys?!? Please like me?!"
Sad...
Posted on 4/6/15 at 10:50 am to ThaKaptin
I don't know why it is so hard for people to understand. It is very obvious and just a very small amount of intelligence is all that should be needed.
Bama bball fans have had nothing to get excited about for 6-10 years, nothing. Bball fans are starved for anything that can possibly change that. Bama got rid of part of the problem, that was exciting. Bama searched for a coach without going the cheap route, that shows a commitment to the program and that is exciting. Bama hired a very popular and likable coach with an NBA pedigree, that also happens to have some personality. That is very exciting. The possibilities of what he may be able to accomplish is exciting.
The unknown is exciting, simply because anything can happpen. With Grant and the last few years with Mark, there was nothing unknown, everyone knew exactly what to expect. Avery, good hire or bad, for now it doesn't matter, I am excited!!
Bama bball fans have had nothing to get excited about for 6-10 years, nothing. Bball fans are starved for anything that can possibly change that. Bama got rid of part of the problem, that was exciting. Bama searched for a coach without going the cheap route, that shows a commitment to the program and that is exciting. Bama hired a very popular and likable coach with an NBA pedigree, that also happens to have some personality. That is very exciting. The possibilities of what he may be able to accomplish is exciting.
The unknown is exciting, simply because anything can happpen. With Grant and the last few years with Mark, there was nothing unknown, everyone knew exactly what to expect. Avery, good hire or bad, for now it doesn't matter, I am excited!!
Posted on 4/6/15 at 10:52 am to ThaKaptin
I would assume he will/is a good recruiter
Posted on 4/6/15 at 11:11 am to ThaKaptin
Anybody we could have hired would have had at least SOME risk, even Marshall.
There's a lot of unknown with AJ, especially regarding college basketball. But, the unknowns could turn out to be positives. We don't know. I don't think I would have felt any more confident if we'd hired Mike White, Prohmn, or Archie Miller.
I'm just excited to see what he can do.
There's a lot of unknown with AJ, especially regarding college basketball. But, the unknowns could turn out to be positives. We don't know. I don't think I would have felt any more confident if we'd hired Mike White, Prohmn, or Archie Miller.
I'm just excited to see what he can do.
Posted on 4/6/15 at 11:32 am to ThaKaptin
I just think it's a high risk, high reward hire.
He's either going to be a grand slam or a hire Alabama is going to instantly regret. It's obvious he needs to surround himself with excellent recruiters, because brand name or not, coaches like Johnny Jones and Pearl have been working the AAU circuit for 10-15 years now.
His 60+ win seasons for the Mavs are impressive, sure. But I don't find it merely coincidental that Johnson hasn't coached since then, as it pretty much implies he doesn't have the most glowing reputation in the NBA circles.
Whether the media likes him or not, I couldn't care less. He's in the media, so he probably knows everyone there is to know and comes off as a very likeable guy. I'm not convinced that endorsements by Finebaum and Tim Brando indicates Alabama is a grand slam hire. Bama has a huge fan base, and they're the target market those guys are looking for as far as followers/viewers go. St. John's hiring Steve Lavin led to a massive circle jerk in the sports media, and that fizzeled out pretty quickly.
again Bama either hit the jackpot or they've signed off on mediocrity for another 4-5 seasons
He's either going to be a grand slam or a hire Alabama is going to instantly regret. It's obvious he needs to surround himself with excellent recruiters, because brand name or not, coaches like Johnny Jones and Pearl have been working the AAU circuit for 10-15 years now.
His 60+ win seasons for the Mavs are impressive, sure. But I don't find it merely coincidental that Johnson hasn't coached since then, as it pretty much implies he doesn't have the most glowing reputation in the NBA circles.
Whether the media likes him or not, I couldn't care less. He's in the media, so he probably knows everyone there is to know and comes off as a very likeable guy. I'm not convinced that endorsements by Finebaum and Tim Brando indicates Alabama is a grand slam hire. Bama has a huge fan base, and they're the target market those guys are looking for as far as followers/viewers go. St. John's hiring Steve Lavin led to a massive circle jerk in the sports media, and that fizzeled out pretty quickly.
again Bama either hit the jackpot or they've signed off on mediocrity for another 4-5 seasons
This post was edited on 4/6/15 at 11:34 am
Posted on 4/6/15 at 11:34 am to ThaKaptin
Dude is a home run hire...best coach in the SEC
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