Howard to Michigan

[WTSooner]

Name 10 better NBA coaches.

So you can disagree on something that is largely opinion b/c it's impossible to measure? No thanks.

He's looked pretty dang average without Lebron.

 

[CoachTalk]

Wrong thread.

 

[Eielson]

So you can disagree on something that is largely opinion b/c it's impossible to measure? No thanks.

That's a pretty lame cop out. You called out another poster for saying he's one of the top coaches in the NBA despite being unable to name a handful of better coaches.

 

[sperry]

So you can disagree on something that is largely opinion b/c it's impossible to measure? No thanks.

He's looked pretty dang average without Lebron.

Have you seen their roster without LeBron? It's a steaming pile of refuse. Dude is an excellent coach.

 

[sanguinetti]

skeptical of the Fab 5 hoopla hooray for us hire......but i like Juwan's Phil Martelli hire.....a little surprised by it....that Martelli is willing to leave Philly.

i used to the assistant chef at an italian place in Boulder and Phil brought one of his St. Joe's teams into our place for lunch before the night game with CU (St. Joe's beat a pretty average Rico Patton team). he was a pretty good guy.....and i did sorta like him telling Billy Packer to stick it when Packer said the jameer nelson/delonte west team didn't deserve a #1 seed.

that was a helluva basketball game they lost to the pokes in the elite eight. two good teams.

for our purposes, it WAS good to beat Martelli in Blake's first year i think in the first round when St. Joe's was "Everyone's favorite pick" against us.

if Martelli is willing to put his #1 guy ego aside.....he could really help a young coach.

 

[Eielson]

How we feeling about these takes now?

 

[Sooner04]

I watched Michigan/Ohio State last weekend. They were 3/4 and we were 7/8. It felt like a significant jump in talent/play/ability between the two of us. That was a very well-played basketball game.

It's hard to predict those NBA guys coming back to college. I don't follow recruiting, but I'm curious to know how many of his current dudes were brought to Ann Arbor by Beilein.

In other news, I'm worried about WTSooner. We're in the throes of our annual February Faceplant and he hasn't come around to be snarky.

 

[BCSooners]

How we feeling about these takes now?

Proving a lot of people wrong this year. He could legit lose his top 7 this year. So if that happens will he rebuild or reload, if he reloads he’s got a good chance to be an elite coach. I thought he’d do a good job, not a great job.

 

[AdaSooner]

How we feeling about these takes now?

When BG hangs up his basketball shoes, he’ll get my vote as OU’s head coach. Son of a coach. High profile college and NBA player. Well known in the areas OU recruits. Connections to the AAU and to prep schools. Kids will listen to him because he’s been where they want to go. I could go on, but you get the idea.

Blake may not be interested in coaching when he retires from the NBA. But, I see him as another Juwan Howard, only better. When Michigan hired Howard, the Fab Five was an unknown to kids or something they had heard about from their father. I think our next hire should be a young, enthusiastic, highly-motivated coach, preferably one with connections to the state and/or to the university. Blake checks every box and then some.

 

[BCSooners]

When BG hangs up his basketball shoes, he’ll get my vote as OU’s head coach. Son of a coach. High profile college and NBA player. Well known in the areas OU recruits. Connections to the AAU and to prep schools. Kids will listen to him because he’s been where they want to go. I could go on, but you get the idea.

Blake may not be interested in coaching when he retires from the NBA. But, I see him as another Juwan Howard, only better. When Michigan hired Howard, the Fab Five was an unknown to kids or something they had heard about from their father. I think our next hire should be a young, enthusiastic, highly-motivated coach, preferably one with connections to the state and/or to the university. Blake checks every box and then some.

If he shows the desire & assists under one of the best NBA coaches for 6 years, then maybe.

Howard’s reputation in the NBA was a tough, intelligent, versatile player. Those usually transition to coaches much better than athletic freaks.

 

[BoulderSooner]

How we feeling about these takes now?

Mine were pretty spot on

 

[AdaSooner]

If he shows the desire & assists under one of the best NBA coaches for 6 years, then maybe.

Howard’s reputation in the NBA was a tough, intelligent, versatile player. Those usually transition to coaches much better than athletic freaks.

I agree with you. My post was more tongue in cheek. I think we all know Blake is not going to jump right into coaching as soon as he retires. Still, I wouldn’t be surprised if he follows in his father’s footsteps and decides to coach someday.

So, Howard was known as a tough, intelligent and versatile NBA player and Blake is not? Interesting! .

 

[Eielson]

When BG hangs up his basketball shoes, he’ll get my vote as OU’s head coach. Son of a coach. High profile college and NBA player. Well known in the areas OU recruits. Connections to the AAU and to prep schools. Kids will listen to him because he’s been where they want to go. I could go on, but you get the idea.

Blake may not be interested in coaching when he retires from the NBA. But, I see him as another Juwan Howard, only better. When Michigan hired Howard, the Fab Five was an unknown to kids or something they had heard about from their father. I think our next hire should be a young, enthusiastic, highly-motivated coach, preferably one with connections to the state and/or to the university. Blake checks every box and then some.

I'm not sure if he's interested or stayed connected, but Taylor Griffin strikes me as somebody who would be a great coach. As stated by BC, I'd like Blake to spend a few years under another coach (college or NBA). If he does a good job, I'd be all for bringing him back.

 

[BCSooners]

I agree with you. My post was more tongue in cheek. I think we all know Blake is not going to jump right into coaching as soon as he retires. Still, I wouldn’t be surprised if he follows in his father’s footsteps and decides to coach someday.

So, Howard was known as a tough, intelligent and versatile NBA player and Blake is not? Interesting! .

Versatile yes, smarter than the average player yes, average toughness. I love BG but he’s not having an 18 year NBA career with Howard’s athletic ability.

 

[AdaSooner]

I'm not sure if he's interested or stayed connected, but Taylor Griffin strikes me as somebody who would be a great coach. As stated by BC, I'd like Blake to spend a few years under another coach (college or NBA). If he does a good job, I'd be all for bringing him back.

I thought about Taylor myself, because I agree he would be a good coach. I even did a search for him online. I knew he had played a few years in the D League.

He’s currently the CEO of Blake Griffin Enterprises, as well as the President of Team Griffin and Blake’s Foundation. I’m sure Blake sleeps well at night knowing his brother is keeping an eye on his investments.

 

[AdaSooner]

Versatile yes, smarter than the average player yes, average toughness. I love BG but he’s not having an 18 year NBA career with Howard’s athletic ability.

I can’t wrap my head around the idea that the player who came off of the bench at Baylor once a few days post-op from knee surgery to lead OU to a win has average toughness. I think it’s more likely his career may be cut short because he was too tough. He has certainly abused his body over the years.

 

[Eielson]

Versatile yes, smarter than the average player yes, average toughness. I love BG but he’s not having an 18 year NBA career with Howard’s athletic ability.

I would love Blake as our future coach, but I realize that's a pipedream. I think he would be more than capable, but I don't see him putting in the work as an assistant coach the way Howard did. I think he'd take the OU job, but only as a first job, and I don't wanna take those lumps as he learns (but maybe Taylor could come as the brains of the operation while Blake learns the ropes and uses his star power to recruit?). He's making more money making 30 second commercials than he would make as an assistant coach. He's been so good that I feel he's a little too Hollywood for our coaching job. And that hurts me a little to speak slightly negative words against him, because I'm on the younger side, and would march him out there against Wayman (sorry Waymanfan, 04, etc.)

I think Eduardo Najera is at the top of our player-turned-coach pipeline. Blake is one the finest physical specimens this world has ever seen, so I understand you thinking Howard can't compete, but homeboy was a top 5 pick out of the Fab 5. Najera made a 14 year NBA career out of less. I referenced this in another thread recently, but you could knock that dude out cold, and he'd still trot back out five minutes later. I was less than 10 years old when my Dad had to console me and explain to me that my favorite player simply had a concussion, and wasn't laying on the floor because he was dead. Unfortunately, kids these days have no idea who he was, so he might not have the same recruiting potential Howard has.

 

[Eielson]

I also think Cade Davis has some dark-horse potential to eventually coach here. I hope that Cade is successful as our GA and eventually becomes an assistant here, if not more.

 

[BCSooners]

I can’t wrap my head around the idea that the player who came off of the bench at Baylor once a few days post-op from knee surgery to lead OU to a win has average toughness. I think it’s more likely his career may be cut short because he was too tough. He has certainly abused his body over the years.

Yeah I guess I was too harsh calling his toughness average. Guy has played through injuries & taken a ton of cheap shots. I guess the fact that he’s never improved his defense to the point where he’d be considered a plus defender was my main knock for toughness.

 

[WTSooner]

14-11 this year and he just threw a punch during the post-game handshake line.

He should be done.

Feeling pretty good about my take. Took a little longer than I expected, but BOOM! Implosion.