NBA's First Coaching Casualty

If you recall my previous post regarding coaching changes, then you may as well relate to this latest piece of information. Just this morning, the Sacramento Kings fired head coach Paul Westphal after two-plus seasons. It was another episode of the Kings' recent misadventures, a team that hasn't seen playoff action since 2006 and was so close from moving to Anaheim at the end of the 2011 season. This despite boasting a promising core of stars with 2010 Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, center DeMarcus Cousins and guard Jimmer Fredette.

'Til We Meet Again: Paul Westphal

It all began Sunday night when Westphal sent Cousins home after he reportedly asked for a trade, which the center's agent refuted. The Kings did win against the Hornets that night, then a few days later lost badly to the Grizzlies, and then the Nuggets on back-to-back nights. Before the third game in three nights, at home against the Bucks, Kings owners Gavin and Joe Maloof broke the news on Westphal's firing. Keith Smart, who was fired as Warriors head coach in the summer, took his place and coached the team to a come-from-behind win over the Bucks, after which Cousins hugged Smart. Cousins, who had a history of on-court and off-court outbursts, hopes that Smart would be a better communicator than Westphal. 

As for Westphal, famous for playing and coaching in a pair of triple-overtime NBA Finals games with the Suns, good luck on your future endeavors. 'Til we meet again.

Another NHL Coaching Change

'Till We Meet Again: Jacques Martin

On Saturday, December 17, the Montreal Canadiens fired head coach Jacques Martin. At the time the Habs were 11th in the East with 13-12-7, but it was poor offense and the habit of blowing 2nd period leads that cost Martin's job. 

Martin had just won 600 NHL games late last season, and in his two-plus season tenure have led the Canadiens twice into the post-season. But with the team in the near-bottom this season, the Montreal brass needed a new voice. Randy Cunneyworth, his assistant was promoted for the season on an interim basis. The big knock on Cunneyworth is his lack of knowledge in the French tongue, the primary language in Montreal, so it may take a while before he gets used to the surroundings. Good luck on Cunneyworth to turn things around.

P.S.: Cunneyworth and the Habs visit TD Garden and the defending champion Bruins tomorrow. They currently own a 2-1 mark against Boston in the six-game matchup, but the Bruins are looking to tie the season series, having rolled to an 18-2-1 mark since their last defeat against the Habs. Good luck to my Bruins in bringing down the Habs.

A Tough Spot for Coaches (Update)

I mentioned before about the reasons coaches get fired. Monday saw three different coaches fired. In the NHL, after a four-game losing streak, the Los Angeles Kings fired Terry Murray as head coach and replaced him on an interim basis by John Stevens. The NFL's Kansas City Chiefs, due to the rash of injuries and a 5-8 record, fired coach Todd Haley and replaced him with Romeo Crennel on an interim basis. And in Miami, the Dolphins fired Tony Sparano and Todd Bowles took over for the final three games, with the Dolphins sporting a 4-9 mark. Best of luck to the new coaches for turning your team around.

'Till We Meet Again: Terry Murray, Tony Sparano, Todd Haley.

This Just In: Anaheim Gets Boudreau

In my previous post I discussed the reasons about the coaches getting fired and how patience is needed for success. Just this afternoon, another coach was fired due to his team's slow start.

The Anaheim Ducks fired Randy Carlyle after a 7-13-4 start, only good for 14th in the Western Conference. Carlyle, who led the Ducks to a Stanley Cup title in 2007 and whose team is led by last year's MVP Corey Perry, lost seven in a row before beating the Canadiens 4-1 just hours earlier. Not even the victory could save Carlyle's job, and minutes later, he was out of Anaheim.

Days earlier, Bruce Boudreau was dismissed by the Washington Capitals after a November slump that felled them to 7th in the Eastern Conference. However Boudreau wasn't unemployed for long. The Ducks immediately opened the door on Boudreau hours after firing Carlyle, and by the time the calendar turned to December, Boudreau had his second NHL coaching assignment.

Now Boudreau has the opportunity to redeem himself in Anaheim, with a talented team led by Perry, Teemu Selanne, Ryan Getzlaf and Jonas Hiller, similar to the situation he left in Washington. The question is, could Boudreau's history of playoff frustrations return to haunt him? And is he the right man to turn Anaheim around? Boudreau looks to redeem himself, starting Friday night when the Ducks host the Philadelphia Flyers.

Til We Meet Again: Randy Carlyle.

Bruce Boudreau: We Met Again.

A Tough Spot for Coaches

Within a span of days three head coaches were out of a job. To Paul Maurice, Bruce Boudreau, and Jack Del Rio, it's a lesson they need to learn.

The role of head coach, field manager, chief tactician, whatever you call it, is to make plays, prepare the players, and to psychologically strategize and scout the opposition before and after a game. The coach is responsible for the victories and defeats of his team. Coaching is a pressure-packed position, and often adds stress to the individual who takes this challenge.

The decision to fire a coach has to do with the following: lengthy losing streaks, lack of chemistry with players, owners' impatience, a new ownership, and poor starts and/or finishes. Add to that is the intrigue factor. Coaching a team is usually a dream come true for the individual hired to this position, but certain expectations are often set, either realistic or long-shot, which adds to the demands of the position.

For Jack Del Rio, his Jaguars finishing out of the playoffs the last four seasons, and another losing season looming, may have been the reason for his firing, but another possibility may have to do with a new ownership situation in Jacksonville, where owner Wayne Weaver intended to sell the team to Pakistani-American automotive magnate Shahid Khan. Mel Tucker will take over the team on an interim basis.

For Bruce Boudreau, a lengthy losing spell cost his job after four seasons. Boudreau took the Capitals to four division titles during his tenure, but failed to advance past the second round on two different occasions. This despite having one of the best players in Alexander Ovechkin. This season, the Caps began 7-0, but lost four of their last 13 to officially shut the door on Boudreau, who was the fastest to 200 wins. Dale Hunter, a former Caps player, was hired for the remainder of the season.

For Paul Maurice, his dismissal was the end result of the Hurricanes currently placing 14th in the Eastern Conference. Maurice, in his second go-round with Carolina, took his team to the playoffs in 2009 and upset the top-seeded Bruins in the second round. Since then however the 'Canes failed to make the playoffs two straight years, and after a poor start it was time to show Maurice the door. Inexperienced Kirk Muller took over for the season.

Earlier in the season, the St. Louis Blues hired controversial coach Ken Hitchcock, after firing Davis Payne, even though the Blues were in the top eight.

Owners feel impatient towards the need for immediate success. Their drive to win is usually the end result of such expectations. But in the end, sometimes patience pays off. Boston's sports teams, the Celtics and Bruins, showed why.

After a 24-58 record in 2006-07, Celtics ownership and GM Danny Ainge kept the faith on head coach Doc Rivers, and after adding Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to join Paul Pierce, the Celtics won 66 games and eventually the NBA title the next season. Even after blowing a 3-0 lead to the Flyers in the second round of the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli stayed on coach Claude Julien's side. The next season, the Bruins swept the Flyers and eventually won the Stanley Cup.

For every sports owner, patience is a reward for their hard work and continued faith. But sometimes the itch to win overwhelms the need of being patient. As exemplified earlier, not even a change on the fly may be the solution towards immediate victory. Good luck to the new coaches looking to change their club's fortunes.

'Til We Meet Again: Paul Maurice, Bruce Boudreau, Jack Del Rio