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Would 11 Championships save a coach from the axe?

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We all joke on Sportzfan Radio about resident panelist Sportzfan Stan being quick to suggest sports coaches, administrators, teams & players being sacked. Most recently he called for the sacking of Melbourne Football Club coach Dean Bailey (podcast #200.1). This despite the Demons being in the top eight and with the best start to a season for many seasons. By the way the Demons have since beaten Adelaide by more than 90 points!

My feeling is that we are too quick to pull the trigger in today’s sporting world.  Even having excellent records in the recent past is not enough to save a coach or player. One only needs to look at the way the Melbourne Tigers behaved after their season didn’t turn out the way they thought it should. Two NBL Championships and four trips to the playoffs in as many seasons couldn’t save long time servant and coach of the club, Al Westover. On our show, Daniel Eade urged restraint and argued a case for Westover’s retention. History tells us that Al was sacked mid season. If one compares Westover’s coaching record to that of Lindsay Gaze, Westover had more success in a much shorter time but even that comparison couldn’t save him.

It seems that today’s ‘must have now’ phenomenon pervades all areas of sport. Being in the USA now and with the NBA finals series in full flight, I am amazed at the reaction of the media to the LA Lakers whitewash at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks. Let’s remember that the Lakers were the two time defending champion and have been one of the most successful franchises of all time with 11 championships (5 since 2000 and runners-up twice). Yet today, we are greeted with the media saying the Lakers are a ‘train wreck’…’the locker room needs massive repair’…’fractured franchise’. There have been calls to trade anyone but Kobe…meaning one of last season’s best players, Pau Gasol is on the block because the Lakers failed to win for a third time in a row. Reality check – the NBA is one of the most competitive competitions in all of sport and the Lakers have been to the big dance in each of the last three seasons. Is there really a need for ‘massive’ change?

Memo to the sports media of the world….have some patience. I find support for this proposition in the example provided by my fellow Sportzfan Radio panelist, Mark Fiorenti when he spoke recently of Sir Alex Ferguson of Manchester United fame. Early on in his tenure and with not much success, the media and fans were calling for his sacking (a la Sportzfan Stan). The club, to their credit, and eternal satisfaction, stayed the executioner’s hand and one only needs to look at the stellar record since, that has put United at the forefront of soccer in not only Europe, but the world. They are in line this season for the Premier League/Champions League double.

One lucky person is the former coach of the Lakers, Phil Jackson. His retirement after the Lakers last loss at least means we won’t have calls for him to be sacked by all and sundry including Sportzfan Stan. Goodness knows his 11 NBA championships may not have saved him in this ‘need it now’ world.

Restraint is what I will be preaching on Sportzfan Radio from now on!

Podcast

Sportzfan Radio #188.2

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@SportzfanRadio now available on iTunes!6 February 2011 188.2 – The Professor looks at the coaching records of Al Westover and Lindsay Gaze and says if the current Melbourne Tigers management had been in when Gaze was coaching, he may not have lasted as long. Daniel also discusses the sacking of Eric Devendorf. The Professor feels that the Tigers went for the cheaper alternative with their imports and found that cheaper doesn’t get the job done. Luke Nevill has also gone to Russia and the Panel decide whether he quit or was ‘released’. Daniel believes everything the Tigers have done has been bad. The Panel then talk about Darryl McDonald taking over the team for the last ten rounds and whether that will hurt him or not. Dr Leslie’s CSA is back after a two week spell. Daniel asks why people listen to Sportzfan Radio – he says they do so to listen to sports except Lisa Hayes who uses it so she can get some work done! Daniel has also picked the Tennessee Titans not to win the Super Bowl next season. The Panel look at St Kilda’s players and the problems from the New Zealand trip being created for the club. The Gelding says that most AFL footballers are excellent role models but when something goes wrong, the papers jump all over it. Paul Dalligan comes on to discuss NRL and ABL with the Panel. The Melbourne Storm sending a message ‘Playing for Everything’ with Crown Casino taking a punt and sponsoring the club.  Paul makes the observation there’s not much point having a Ferrari in the garage if you don’t have a driver’s licence.  He also talks ABL with the preliminary final evenly poised between the Bite and Blue Sox, the winner to play the Heat in Perth.  It will be on Fox Sports live.  The Panel then discuss cricket and the cloud that hangs over the game with three Pakistani players being suspended for 5 years for spot bet fixing.  They have also been charged by English police.  Daniel says the team should be suspended as well.  Daniel also talks about his story on basketball being used by the Herald Sun.  Sean Callanan joins the boys to talk social media, Super Bowl & Packers.  He says one of the big attractions are the TV ads during the game and that you’ll be able to check in to Four Square at the Super Bowl even though you may not be at the game.  Sean offered the ‘shimmy’ to Green Bay but they didn’t take up the offer.  He finally talks about the Mississippi State coach who has banned Twitter.

Podcast

Sportzfan Radio #188.1

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@SportzfanRadio now available on iTunes!6 February 2011 188.1 – Daniel says he was surprised at the standard of the play in the Charity Baskets game and he actually enjoyed that game more than the NBL games he has watched this season. The Gelding says watching the game took him back to the great days of the NBL in the 80’s & 90’s. Daniel had one complaint…from his cousin the referee who thought the commentary team were a bit hard on him. Dan Butterly comes on the show to talk US sport and starts with a wrap of the NFL’s Super Bowl between Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers. The weather has been playing havoc with fans getting to Dallas and a bit of a controversy about Ben Rothliesberger taking his linemen to a piano bar for a drink. Daniel asks Dan why Green Bay has been able to get to the Super Bowl so soon after dumping Brett Favre as QB. Dan likes Rothliesberger over Aaron Rodgers at the quarterback position. Dan selects the Steelers even though he knows the Professor won’t like that. Dan then goes on to talk about the negotiations between the NFL and the NFLPA on a new agreement past 2011 which seem to be going nowhere at the moment and might result in a lockout. College basketball is ramping up with March Madness just around the corner with SDSU & BYU in the top ten at present. Dan doesn’t think a team will go through undefeated.  He thinks five teams could win the MWC tournament with Pittsburgh and Kansas making the final two in the NCAAB championship game.  Given the Caulfield races were washed out, the Gelding looks at the Sydney Colt’s tips from yesterday’s Rosehill meeting.  The Professor talks to Daniel about Dwight Howard’s imitation of LeBron James ‘powder clap’, with LeBron then scoring 51 points.  Daniel says you should never give a great player ammunition.  The Panel discuss Gilbert Arenas being served with a paternity suit at half time of a game and the amount being sought by the mother of the child.  They then look at Sportzfan Stan’s suggestion that Al Westover be sacked back in November and it has now happened.  Four straight grand finals and two championships didn’t save him.

Podcast

Sportzfan Radio #181.1

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@SportzfanRadio now available on iTunes!28 November 2010 181.1 – Daniel is suffering with a toothache and gets plenty of sympathy, especially from Stan who says if you don’t clean your teeth you pay the penalty. The Gelding is late but hopefully he has a note from home. Stan has his weekly question to Daniel on the Melbourne Tigers. Daniel says he doesn’t think Tigers coach Al Westover should be sacked because he likes him. The Gelding talks about the First Ashes Test and the form of Michael Hussey. Daniel wants to know why Brad Hodge isn’t in the team and Stan observes that it is probably due to Victorian batsmen having fallen foul of the selectors in the past. Dan Butterly delivers his US report and starts with a discussion of Vince Young hurling his pads into the stands and then texting an apology to the coach, Jeff Fisher. He thinks that it was easier to get rid of Brad Childress than Brett Favre in Minnesota. He doesn’t think Favre will quit until the end of the season. In the NBA he feels that the Miami Heat don’t have a leader on the team as Wade, LeBron and Chris Bosh are all playing ‘nice’ to each other. Daniel talks to Dan about LeBron’s return to Cleveland and says it should be an exciting game. He would go if he had a ticket. Daniel would like to see LeBron not voted into the starting five in the NBA All Star game and wants the Professor (and Sportzfan listeners) to vote for Amare Stoudemire to try and achieve this. Dan thinks LeBron will do the ‘powder clap’ in Cleveland. He has nothing new to report on Carmelo Anthony and says he will be staying with the Nuggets at this stage. In College football he is amazed that Boise State missed a field goal against Nevada that would have won the game. They went on to lose it and therefore won’t play for the national championship. Dan also talks on the BCS comments from Ohio State President Gordon Gee – he disagrees with him naturally. In MLB, the Yankees playing hardball with Derek Jeter but Dan believes he’ll eventually resign for what the Yankees have offered. Daniel explains the ‘powder clap’ for the listeners. The Gelding talks about the winners and losers from Sandown and Randwick and says the rain played havoc with the fields due to so many scratchings. The Panel discusses the heavy penalty handed out to rider Danny Nikolic over his behaviour to stewards after he was found wearing a modified racing vest.

Podcast

Sportzfan Radio #179.1

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@SportzfanRadio now available on iTunes!14 November 2010 179.1 – The Professor starts by asking Daniel whether there should be a “mercy rule’ in basketball like there is in baseball, which then starts a discussion on the Melbourne Aces and whether their double header games are only 7 innings in length. The Gambler gives an update on Danish Rock who has been put out in the paddock for a six week spell. Stan has more basketball questions for Daniel about the Melbourne Tigers including whether an import (or two) will be sacked. Daniel says if the Tigers are 0-6 after the next two games they will both be sacked. Daniel doesn’t think Al Westover will be sacked though. The Gambler complains about the traffic created by the Australian Masters golf. Mordiboy sends a text predicting Tiger Woods not being able to win the tournament and thinks Daniel Gaunt will win by a shot. The Gelding discusses yesterday’s racing at Sandown and Rosehill. He says with the track being a ‘heavy 9’, runners needed some wet weather form to be in with a show. He says that like Danish Rock, Queen Asa is also going out for a spell.