Jackson Passed Over…Again

by Tommy Dee on August 10th, 2009 at 11:02 am

With the announcement of the hiring of Kurt Rambis in Minnesota it would appear that Mark Jackson’s dream of being a head coach in the NBA will again have to wait.

Listen, I wasn’t opposed to Jackson being hired here. In fact I believed, and still do, that Jackson can coach in this league. But, there is a protocol in this league that Jackson should follow, and our buddies from BDL explain.

“…Mark Jackson? You want to be a head coach? Get an assistant’s job.

This is the guy that didn’t even want a gig as Nets color man last year, because he’d have to watch the 27 other teams that weren’t in Boston, Los Angeles, and Cleveland. That doesn’t bode well. Phil Jackson coached in Puerto Rico. Mike Brown ran the tape machine, back when they were using tapes. A supposed “re-tread” like Flip Saunders worked the CBA sidelines forever. Stan Van Gundy dutifully served as an assistant for years.

Being bad at a job that only runs from Christmas until the second week in June doesn’t make you a head coaching prospect. Your TV work clearly shows you as someone who is a step or 12 behind the modern NBA, and while the odd Haywood Workman anecdote is nice, it doesn’t mean I think you have any clue as to whether or not the Portland Trail Blazers were one of the fastest, or slowest teams in the NBA last season.

And, as Woj mentioned, shouldn’t getting passed over by three of your bigger NBA buddies mean something? I mean, two of those guys were David Kahn and Donnie Walsh! Walsh traded for you … twice! It’s like Jeremy Piven losing out on a role in a movie starring John Cusack, and directed by Adam McKay. Something must be up…”

A source within the Knicks organization told our own Anthony “Rice Balls” Donahue that Jackson himself doesn’t feel he needs to be an assistant. There have been players turned broadcasters turned coaches before, like Doc Rivers in Orlando, and Jackson has stated that he doesn’t have to come up the ranks because he feels he knows enough. So I wouldn’t expect him to take a job with Rambis.
  • bmathews77

    Mark Jackson definitely needs to take on an assistant coaching job first if he expects to be a head coach in the NBA. I am not sure how everyone else feels about Mark Jackson but….great player but he’s terrible as an NBA analyst. And it makes me question if he can even be a good head coach.
    His commentary makes me bored and repeats the same phrase of “Your better than that” almost 15 times within a game.

  • Magik_Trick

    Exactly what bmathews77 said, hes not going to go straight to the NBA, hes gonna need some experience as an assistant head coach first

    Also, off all the past-time knicks, I wanna se Patrick Ewing coach more than anyone, I think he’ll be a very good head coach…

  • greatman42001

    Hey TD why don’t you ask Patrick Ewing how that whole become an assistant coach before becoming a head coach thing is going for him?
    Jackson while staying in the broadcast booth is keeping himself in the public eye for everyone to see, which in this league is what you really need to do. Who is the first name that always comes up when talking about an opening for a head coach job…. Doug Collins, why is that…. because he keeps himself relevant by calling games. Ewing on the other hand is never talked about for any coaching job, ever by anyone ( unless you count yourself and Chris).
    TD you seem to be an idealist, it is true one should be an assistant before becoming a coach, but the NBA is a business clear and simple, and from a business point of view Mark Jackson is wise to stay at ABC/ESPN calling games, instead of moving out of the public eye, halfway down the bench to become an assistant coach in the middle of no where.

  • http://hardwoodhoudini.com/2009/08/10/flceltsfan-daily-links-%e2%80%a2-august-10-2009/ FLCeltsFan Daily Links • August 10, 2009 | Hardwood Houdini | A Boston Celtics Blog

    [...] Big Baby Back With The Celtics Slam Online Celtics to Get their Big Baby Back The Knicks Blog Jackson Passed Over…Again Celtics Town Athletes’ Tweets, Starring Doug Christie Eddie House – From Journeyman To [...]

  • http://www.nesports247.com/celtics/celtics-links/todays-celtics-links-810/ New England Sports 24/7, Your place for the Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, and Bruins :: Today’s Celtics Links 8/10

    [...] Baby Back With The Celtics Slam Online   Celtics to Get their Big Baby Back The Knicks Blog   Jackson Passed Over…Again Celtics Town    Athletes’ Tweets, Starring Doug Christie Eddie House – From [...]

  • paulempson

    Yea right, Rubio was waiting for the coach to be selected. Kid wants out of DKV at any cost but it aint going to happen with Minny. Market way to small to facilitate the endorsements needed for the buyout.

    DKV is said to have him sit on the pine for 2 years out of spite because they said he did to much harm trying to get out , they wont budge on the buyout figure , cant get any Euro teams to trade for him due to the figure and , as he is under contract , are fine with him sitting on the bench. Imagine that .

    Maybe now that Kahn has a coach they can realize the best way forward for the team is to trade Rubio now . To NY where he CAN get the endorsements .

    I mean….. why on earth hold on for 2 years when you can get your team sorted faster now