Go Get 'em, Scott, But Watch Your Back

Over the course of the last several seasons, I along with the rest of the city of Milwaukee, has sat back, watched, and lamented as the Bucks have been led by outstanding gentlemen, but poor first-year NBA head coaches. If I had gotten to know these men as people, not just as coaches for my hometown team, I have no doubt that I would have gotten along spledidly with Terry Porter, Terry Stotts, and Larry K. They are men that value team play and hustle, things sorely lacking in even the NBA's best teams. In the end, the hiring of these men was more about poor management than poor attitudes. I also have no doubt that if NBA players cared half as much about playing team basketball as they do about thier drug habits, Porter, Stotts, and Krystowiak would have been some of the more successful coaches that Milwaukee has seen. Unfortunately for the Bucks, as well the majority of the league, this is not the case.

Luckily, the Bucks have recently been able to solve the management problem, by going out and naming as general manager a man (John Hammond) from one of the most successful franchises not just in their division, but the entire league over the past 10 years (Detroit). By hiring the right man for the general manager position, the Bucks were able to attract a coach in Scott Skiles that has a history not just of taking teams to the playoffs, but taking teams to the playoffs who previously did not have hopes of being seen in the post-season in previous years. Anybody who doubts the committment of Skiles and his hustle/team play mentality has to look no further than his playing days. Any man who dishes out 30 assists in one game has my vote as a team player. In addition, no grown man would go out onto a professional basketball court in 5-inch shorts without knowing that he had the support of his teammates.

But this hiring comes with a warning for the Bucks, and for Skiles as well. Looking back at the history of the league and the Bucks, excellent defensive minded, hustle-themed, pass-first teams are made successful by the coach, not the players. While this is always seen and exemplified in a coach's early years with a team, it is rarely emphasized once the team has become consistently successful. That is when the media and fans begin to say that the team is nothing without certain players and that it is the coach's fault when losses mount. But this is rarely the case. In most instances it is the players that begin refusing to adhere to the coach's philosophy because they want more of the glory, accolades, and an extra suped-up Hummer in the 20 car garage. So, in the end, to the whim of the fans, it is the coach that is sent packing and not the over-indulged player.

So here is my warning to you Bucks management and Milwaukee fans: When Scott Skiles takes the Bucks back to the playoffs; when the Bucks are a top 4 seed; when the Bradley Center becomes the raucous cavern it was almost a decade ago; and Redd, Yi, and Bogut are getting articles written about them in Sports Illustrated; and finally when all seems to be falling apart again and things seem to be heading south - DO NOT STICK WITH THE PLAYERS! Hold onto the successful coach and his philosophy. He's the one that built the team mindset. He's the one that got them to play defense. He's the one that got them to pass the ball and hustle. The players are replaceable, a hard nosed respectable coach isn't. So trade Redd if you have to. Let Yi go if he's asking too much. They have figured this out in the NFL, and the truly successful teams in the NBA have figured it out too. The coach's philosophy doesn't change, the players' attitudes toward it do and it hurts the team.

So, assuming he does for Milwaukee what he did for Phoenix and Chicago, let's stick with Scott Skiles for a little while Milwaukee. Let's just trust him and see what he can do.

Good luck, Scott.