Good speech by Lucas, and Intro by Red McCombs

[GSH]

Red McCombs introduced John Lucas at a lunch today, and told how he hired Lucas. Tarkanian was the coach at the time, and the team was 9-11 under him. He walked into Red's office and started giving him hell. He said that Red had mislead him about the talent on the team, etc. Apparently he got pretty loud about it, and Red told him that "we aren't on the same page", and that he wasn't the coach anymore.

Tark said, "Well I didn't mean that", and McCombs said, "Well I did. You aren't the coach anymore." Tarkanian said, "Well just let me stay until the end of the season", and McCombs said No. So he said, "Well, we have a game tonight. You'll at least need me to coach tonight." (Sounds like he thought they would patch things up, if he coached that game and gave Red time to think about it.) Red said that he would find a coach for that night. Tarkanian said that he wasn't leaving, and Red told him he could either resign, or be fired. Tark wouldn't resign, McCombs fired him, and hired John Lucas out of nowhere.

He told Lucas that he was going to be the lowest paid coach in the league, by a big margin, and the union would have a fit. Lucas told him, "That's okay - I work for you, not for them." They sent a plane to Houston to pick him up, got him to San Antonio by 6:30, and he coached a game at 7:30 that night.

---

Lucas talked about his salty language on the bench, and how Avery and David would always tell him that God was watching. There was one game when the Spurs were playing terrible ball, and not working. Lucas called a time out, and told David, "God just told me he wants you to rebound." One of the other players (Sean?) spoke up and said, "... and he told me he wants you to set some picks".

I knew Lucas had some substance abuse problems. I guess I didn't know that he had opened up a drug treatment facility in 1990, but was still having problems of his own when he was coaching the team, and that was the direct cause of him "resigning". But he had a 39-22 record as coach that season, with the same team Tarkanian took to a 9-11 record. The next year they went 55-27 with him as coach. And he's got his shit together now.

[tmtcsc]

Thanks, that's great stuff. :bobo

[goliath]

I didn't think his drug issue was a direct cause of him resigning. I thought we got bounced in the first round and Pop was hired as GM that offseason. I thought Pop didn't renew his contract and hired Bob Hill as coach. Lucas then got a big money deal from Philly and coached there the next year

[bigfan]

Great story; hell I'm so old I remember when he was our point guard (and he was pretty good too). Come to think of it I still remember Hemphill-McCombs Ford near Playland Park!

[Old School 44]

Great story; hell I'm so old I remember when he was our point guard (and he was pretty good too). Come to think of it I still remember Hemphill-McCombs Ford near Playland Park! Damn, you're old like me! :) Remember that rickety coaster at Playland Park? Or the obstructed view seats at the Hemisfair Arena? Ahhh, those were the days!

[GSH]

I didn't think his drug issue was a direct cause of him resigning. I thought we got bounced in the first round and Pop was hired as GM that offseason. I thought Pop didn't renew his contract and hired Bob Hill as coach. Lucas then got a big money deal from Philly and coached there the next year


Actually, that's straight from the horse's mouth. It was Lucas himself who said so. He said that he had a new contract that would finally give him some real money for coaching. They told him that it was contingent on him staying sober until the end of the season. He said that he only made it 13 days. Then he failed to show up for a game (Portland or Seattle, forgot which.) He said he woke up in Houston, in a suit, his pants pissed in, and didn't know how he got there. I get the impression that the team allowed him to resign, rather than fire him.

But that's not the story. He thanked his wife for staying with him (same woman, all that time). He found a way to deal with his inner demons, and he's doing good now. Sometimes I see people with similar stories, and I get the feeling that they are one challenge away from a relapse. With him, I get the feeling he's good. The other stuff I knew would interest old-time Spurs fans. But the last bit is the real story.