Just wanted to post some quick reaction to the piece by Bonnell in this morning’s Observer about Paul Silas lobbying for the Bobcats’ head coaching gig.
My first reaction was that this is a little sad. Like most other Charlotte fans, I think pretty highly of Silas, and was disappointed when he didn’t get the job last spring. However, the team has moved on. This time around, all signs point to Larry Brown as the next coach; yet here is Silas making his case again. It’s probably not a good sign for him that he’s making his case to the Observer, and not Michael Jordan.
On the other hand, Silas still has a lot going for him. He’s extremely likeable, and still highly regarded in Charlotte after those successful years leading the Hornets. We feel a sense of kinship with him as he was screwed over by George Shinn, just like we were. His image around the NBA in general is reportedly that of a man of integrity. He is also positively regarded by Lebron James, even though he was yanked as coach of the Cavs halfway through Bron’s second season. He does have a positive relationship with Jordan, and has worked camps for him in the past. And he once called Carlos Boozer a… well, just click on the link for this one.
So with all that, why hasn’t Silas gotten the Charlotte job, or any other one around the Association? To my knowledge, his name hasn’t come up in regards to any of the other available jobs this year or last. I’ve been wondering if there is some knock on the guy that’s not widely known. He strikes me as the kind of coach who may not be very ‘detail-oriented’ but I could be totally wrong on that. Too easygoing with the players? Smiles too much? What? I’m grasping at straws here.
So does anyone know? Come on, give me the inside stuff…
As a former Hornet fan, I thought Paul Silas was the best coach that the Hornets had. I think he would be a good fit with the Bobcats, but if Larry Brown is available, then I think the Bobcats have to go with a proven winner. I think Larry Brown is a shot in the arm that the organization needs as well as something that the fans can get excited about. Let's face, not too many people in Charlotte have Bobcat fever. As for why Silas has not been able to secure a job within the NBA, I have no clue. His comments about Carlos Boozer may have been a little inappropriate, but not enough to black ball him from the league. Perhaps his players first style irritates upper management. As a former player, maybe Silas can see through the B.S. of NBA front offices, and isn't afraid to call people on it, therefore making himself be seen as a "disturbance." This is all merely speculation, but that would be my guess why teams haven't taken a chance on him.
There is one simple reason for why Jordan and Johnson are not interested in Silas: business. Silas is interested in building a winning team, and Bob Johnson is only interested in making money. The fans of Charlotte have proven that they are not interested in a winning team (see the Hornets attendance during their last playoff run, when they arguably had the best team in the history of their franchise on the floor) unless said winning team is contending for a championship, so Johnson and Jordan have to go with a loser like Larry Brown.
I agree with the above poster's comments that Larry Brown is a "proven winner", but he is also a proven loser–actually, he is one of the losingest coaches is NBA history. This will go down as another giant misstep in Charlotte's checkered basketball history.
There are only two things that can help the Bobcats in the eyes of the Charlotte basketball fan: 1) Johnson can sell the team to Larry Bird, who should have been awarded the franchise in the first place, and/or 2) the Bobcats can steal Baron Davis from the Warriors and make a run for the playoffs next year. Atlanta has proven you can contend in the east with close to 50 losses. Next year, it's Charlotte's turn.