ducks
07-24-2005, 10:40 AM
Pressure doesn't concern Saunders
By Associated Press
July 24, 2005
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Flip Saunders was introduced as the new coach of the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, replacing Hall of Famer Larry Brown and taking over a team that has made two consecutive appearances in the NBA Finals.
Saunders, who was fired in February after 9 1/2 seasons as the coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, says he knows there is an expectation to win in Detroit.
"I've been in situations where I've taken bad teams and moved them in the right direction. In those situations, there is no pressure," Saunders said during a news conference at The Palace. "Would it have been easy for me to take another job and not have as much (pressure)? Pressure is what you put on yourself. I don't really feel any pressure walking into a situation."
"When you have a team like we have right now, it's very important the person that you're handing the team over to is qualified and is going to have your respect from day one," said Joe Dumars, the Pistons' president of basketball operations. "I'm very comfortable, Mr. D (owner William Davidson) is very comfortable, we're all very, very comfortable handing the keys to this team over to Flip."
ETC: Speeding up his courtship of Brown, New York Knicks president Isiah Thomas was scheduled to meet Thursday night with the 64-year-old unemployed coach at the latter's East Hampton, N.Y., summer home. The Knicks have made no secret of their desire to hire Brown, who would be coaching his eighth different NBA team if he accepts the job. Brown has expressed reservations in recent days about possibly nudging New York interim coach Herb Williams out of a job . . . The New Jersey Nets have agreed to terms with forward Shareeef Abdur-Rahim and Cliff Robinson, The Associated Press reported, citing league sources who asked to remain anonymous.
By Associated Press
July 24, 2005
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Flip Saunders was introduced as the new coach of the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, replacing Hall of Famer Larry Brown and taking over a team that has made two consecutive appearances in the NBA Finals.
Saunders, who was fired in February after 9 1/2 seasons as the coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, says he knows there is an expectation to win in Detroit.
"I've been in situations where I've taken bad teams and moved them in the right direction. In those situations, there is no pressure," Saunders said during a news conference at The Palace. "Would it have been easy for me to take another job and not have as much (pressure)? Pressure is what you put on yourself. I don't really feel any pressure walking into a situation."
"When you have a team like we have right now, it's very important the person that you're handing the team over to is qualified and is going to have your respect from day one," said Joe Dumars, the Pistons' president of basketball operations. "I'm very comfortable, Mr. D (owner William Davidson) is very comfortable, we're all very, very comfortable handing the keys to this team over to Flip."
ETC: Speeding up his courtship of Brown, New York Knicks president Isiah Thomas was scheduled to meet Thursday night with the 64-year-old unemployed coach at the latter's East Hampton, N.Y., summer home. The Knicks have made no secret of their desire to hire Brown, who would be coaching his eighth different NBA team if he accepts the job. Brown has expressed reservations in recent days about possibly nudging New York interim coach Herb Williams out of a job . . . The New Jersey Nets have agreed to terms with forward Shareeef Abdur-Rahim and Cliff Robinson, The Associated Press reported, citing league sources who asked to remain anonymous.