The Official Stan Van Gundy Appreciation Thread

[Drain-O 369]

Dear Stan Van Gundy

 

Thank you Coach Van Gundy for leading this team to a 27-15 record on the year with all of this swirling around you. I want to thank you for making our franchise the 3rd best franchise in basketball over the last 5 years. This is a testament to you as Otis has run a terrible list of suck through the lockerroom with Carlos Arroyo, Arenas, Jason Richardson, BBD, Chris Duhon, Hedo Turkoglu TWICE, and others. Now there is a report that Dwight could have final authority over your fate. I would not blame you one bit if you resigned or went and took a **** on Alex Martins desk. You are my favorite coach of all time and I appreciate you and your eloquent mustache and wardrobe.

 

Sincerely,

Drain-O

Unpaid Intern

[Optimist Prime 197]

I don't know why you included Rashard on the "list of suck" (other than his contract).

[Drain-O 369]

Ya he should not have been there. I put Arroyo in as well.

[Osprey 199]

+1 Drain.

 

I will cheer for any team you get contracted to.

[VCplusD12 91]

SVG is the most competent member of our team

[Ibn Battuta 127]

Ethan J. Skolnick ‏ @EthanJSkolnick

Van Gundy: "Sometimes I feel like our coaching staff are the only people in Orlando who care about the results of games."

 

the beginning of the end? Hope not.

[Orlando Magic Toaster 26]

+1

 

He's underrated at the moment.

[Zara 74]

Thread title and I was like wtf...

 

Still, if it opens it up for Phil (?!), pull the trigger, strap the strapper, whatever.

 

 

Paraphrasing a fellow board member who humorously wrote about Dwight: we can easily carry on not winning any championships, even without Stan...

[Capo d'Orlando 85]

I was just about to comment on this in the Dwight thread, but it's more appropriate here.

 

I think it's ridiculous that a coach who has consistently led his team to 50 win seasons and took a team to the Finals just a few years ago, a team that nobody outside of Orlando thought should have been there, now has to basically report to one of his players. If the coach sucked (like Brian Hill, who I saw at the Jazz/Pistons game last night, and who gave me the creeps) then I could understand it, but I have too much respect for SVG for him to now basically have Dwight as his boss.

 

I can't recall a player ever being the boss of his coach, and while teams have dealt with player/coach disputes and often sided with the player (see Westphal v. Cousins as a recent example), I can't recall a team ever telling a player that he could decide whether the coach stayed or went.

 

I want Dwight to stay as much as the next guy, but I heart SVG. If you're going to get rid of him, then Martins can just get rid of him, but don't promise Dwight that it's up to him and then let it leak out.

[barnettej 263]

+100 Drain......

 

Im going to miss those 50+ win seasons and his after game thoughts. Im sure whatever team SVG goes to, will own us every year.

 

 

Where's that "FIRE OTIS THREAD"...... Time to light it back up!

[Manu Ginobili 61]

I was just about to comment on this in the Dwight thread, but it's more appropriate here.

 

I think it's ridiculous that a coach who has consistently led his team to 50 win seasons and took a team to the Finals just a few years ago, a team that nobody outside of Orlando thought should have been there, now has to basically report to one of his players. If the coach sucked (like Brian Hill, who I saw at the Jazz/Pistons game last night, and who gave me the creeps) then I could understand it, but I have too much respect for SVG for him to now basically have Dwight as his boss.

 

I can't recall a player ever being the boss of his coach, and while teams have dealt with player/coach disputes and often sided with the player (see Westphal v. Cousins as a recent example), I can't recall a team ever telling a player that he could decide whether the coach stayed or went.

 

I want Dwight to stay as much as the next guy, but I heart SVG. If you're going to get rid of him, then Martins can just get rid of him, but don't promise Dwight that it's up to him and then let it leak out.

 

Penny Vs. Brian Hill

 

On the other hand, my respect for SVG has grown during this season. Keeping the team focused and managing to get to 3rd place in the conference while still developing Ryno and JJ is oustanding.

 

I think his grade as coach is B

 

My criticism towards him during his time in Orlando are basically 3 things:

 

1- Not playing Gortat enough

 

2- Bringing back Jameer for the Finals

 

3- Playing the starters until the game is done in blowout

 

His love for the game, his humbling personality and his recognizable voice during timeouts will all be missed if/when he's gone. Certainly the best Magic coach ever.

[Capo d'Orlando 85]

 

Penny Vs. Brian Hill

 

 

Brian Hill never had to basically report to Penny. They had a dispute and ultimately the FO decided to side with the players, but to my outsider knowledge, the team never told Penny, "hey, do you want Brian Hill gone, because if you want him gone, then we'll get rid of him and hire him a few coaches later".