CubanMustGo
05-03-2006, 09:13 AM
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/wire/sns-ap-bkn-nuggets-wrapup,1,3920028.story?coll=sns-ap-basketball-headlines
Karl Contemplates Future in Coaching
By ARNIE STAPLETON, AP Sports Writer
3:54 PM PDT, May 2, 2006
DENVER -- A season filled with afflictions and anguish for the Denver Nuggets has left George Karl emotionally spent and harboring misgivings about his future in coaching.
"Winning became a relief rather than an exhilaration. That's not something that I want," Karl said Tuesday, a day after the Nuggets were bounced from the playoffs in five games by the Los Angeles Clippers. "I don't want to live a life of relief. I want to live a life of feeling good. Maybe that's the NBA. That's just where I'm at."
That sure sounds like a man wrestling with whether to return for the third year of his six-year contract.
"Good observation," Karl said after a long pause. "I don't think I need to answer that right now."
It's not just that the Nuggets' had a dysfunctional season that saw them lose eight of nine after clinching their first divisional title in 18 years. Or all the injuries, that began in the season opener, when forward Nene was lost for the year with a torn knee ligament.
Or Julius Hodge getting shot in a drive-by. Or Marcus Camby losing out on an All-Star bid because of a broken hand. Or Kenyon Martin getting suspended for insubordination in the playoffs. Or Carmelo Anthony's inability to find the basket in the postseason after a breakout season in which he averaged 26.5 points and became the best clutch shooter in the NBA.
"It's been a tough year, but you have to throw cancer in there, too," said Karl, who underwent treatment for prostate cancer before the season.
"And cancer with my son."
Karl revealed that Coby, a guard at Boise State, was undergoing a new round of radiation for thyroid cancer Tuesday.
"I found out yesterday he was going to have a treatment that he's going to take this week. So, end of the week, next Monday, everything's great and we're having a good time," Karl said, choking back tears. "It's waiting to find out. There's a possibility of finding out he's got some more cancer."
Composing himself, Karl said he was thinking positive.
"He'll be stronger for what's going on. He'll be a better player for what's going on. He'll be a better person for what's going on. But this is the period of crisis. This is the period of nervousness."
Maybe Karl's misgivings about his coaching future are clouded in the crisis at hand, because at one point in his half-hour chat with a few beat reporters and a columnist he suggested, "I think you're reading a little too much into my emotion right now. I don't think I'm a quitter. I think I'm a winner and there's a desire in my winning to be a champion someday. That's why I'm here. There's a lot of emotion in my life right now. It'll probably play out."
What does general manager Kiki Vandeweghe make of Karl's doubts about his future in coaching?
"It's a tough day today. That's what I make of it," Vandeweghe said. "Competitors take losing hard."
And he said his son's health "is a factor in his thought process, as it should be."
Vandeweghe's own future with the franchise is up in the air. His contract expires Aug. 1 and owner Stan Kroenke has shown no signs that an extension is forthcoming.
Several players have expiring contracts, but the biggest question is whether K-Mart has stamped his ticket out of town.
Karl said he's open to repairing his relationship but their differences teeter on irreconcilable. Martin wasn't at the season-ending meeting Tuesday and Karl said he doesn't want to talk to him for a couple of weeks until things cool off.
"I want Kenyon Martin healthy for him and maybe for the Denver Nuggets," Karl said. "It's got to be a mutual agreement."
Martin had an ugly blowup with Karl and several teammates at halftime of Game 2 in Los Angeles. Limited to a career-low 56 games by his surgically repaired left knee, Martin was upset about coming off the bench and playing limited minutes in the playoffs, saying he's no role player.
"Kenyon's had an incredibly frustrating year and I respect what he's gone through," Karl said. "But I also respect the game and I think they came in conflict and his actions (forced) me to make the decision. But I think Kenyon wants to be the player he once was and I think his injury probably negated that this year and my wish right now is for him to get healthy, mentally and physically healthy.
"And then we can figure out where he fits -- if he wants to be with us and if we want him with us."
The Nuggets failed to make it out of the first round for the third straight season, leading Anthony and Camby to suggest some of their teammates quit on them.
"My recommendation to everybody right now is not to blame anybody," Karl said. "It's a tough time. It's a frustrating time. But I think time will show the Clippers are a damn good basketball team and we were probably too short-handed to beat them."
Karl Contemplates Future in Coaching
By ARNIE STAPLETON, AP Sports Writer
3:54 PM PDT, May 2, 2006
DENVER -- A season filled with afflictions and anguish for the Denver Nuggets has left George Karl emotionally spent and harboring misgivings about his future in coaching.
"Winning became a relief rather than an exhilaration. That's not something that I want," Karl said Tuesday, a day after the Nuggets were bounced from the playoffs in five games by the Los Angeles Clippers. "I don't want to live a life of relief. I want to live a life of feeling good. Maybe that's the NBA. That's just where I'm at."
That sure sounds like a man wrestling with whether to return for the third year of his six-year contract.
"Good observation," Karl said after a long pause. "I don't think I need to answer that right now."
It's not just that the Nuggets' had a dysfunctional season that saw them lose eight of nine after clinching their first divisional title in 18 years. Or all the injuries, that began in the season opener, when forward Nene was lost for the year with a torn knee ligament.
Or Julius Hodge getting shot in a drive-by. Or Marcus Camby losing out on an All-Star bid because of a broken hand. Or Kenyon Martin getting suspended for insubordination in the playoffs. Or Carmelo Anthony's inability to find the basket in the postseason after a breakout season in which he averaged 26.5 points and became the best clutch shooter in the NBA.
"It's been a tough year, but you have to throw cancer in there, too," said Karl, who underwent treatment for prostate cancer before the season.
"And cancer with my son."
Karl revealed that Coby, a guard at Boise State, was undergoing a new round of radiation for thyroid cancer Tuesday.
"I found out yesterday he was going to have a treatment that he's going to take this week. So, end of the week, next Monday, everything's great and we're having a good time," Karl said, choking back tears. "It's waiting to find out. There's a possibility of finding out he's got some more cancer."
Composing himself, Karl said he was thinking positive.
"He'll be stronger for what's going on. He'll be a better player for what's going on. He'll be a better person for what's going on. But this is the period of crisis. This is the period of nervousness."
Maybe Karl's misgivings about his coaching future are clouded in the crisis at hand, because at one point in his half-hour chat with a few beat reporters and a columnist he suggested, "I think you're reading a little too much into my emotion right now. I don't think I'm a quitter. I think I'm a winner and there's a desire in my winning to be a champion someday. That's why I'm here. There's a lot of emotion in my life right now. It'll probably play out."
What does general manager Kiki Vandeweghe make of Karl's doubts about his future in coaching?
"It's a tough day today. That's what I make of it," Vandeweghe said. "Competitors take losing hard."
And he said his son's health "is a factor in his thought process, as it should be."
Vandeweghe's own future with the franchise is up in the air. His contract expires Aug. 1 and owner Stan Kroenke has shown no signs that an extension is forthcoming.
Several players have expiring contracts, but the biggest question is whether K-Mart has stamped his ticket out of town.
Karl said he's open to repairing his relationship but their differences teeter on irreconcilable. Martin wasn't at the season-ending meeting Tuesday and Karl said he doesn't want to talk to him for a couple of weeks until things cool off.
"I want Kenyon Martin healthy for him and maybe for the Denver Nuggets," Karl said. "It's got to be a mutual agreement."
Martin had an ugly blowup with Karl and several teammates at halftime of Game 2 in Los Angeles. Limited to a career-low 56 games by his surgically repaired left knee, Martin was upset about coming off the bench and playing limited minutes in the playoffs, saying he's no role player.
"Kenyon's had an incredibly frustrating year and I respect what he's gone through," Karl said. "But I also respect the game and I think they came in conflict and his actions (forced) me to make the decision. But I think Kenyon wants to be the player he once was and I think his injury probably negated that this year and my wish right now is for him to get healthy, mentally and physically healthy.
"And then we can figure out where he fits -- if he wants to be with us and if we want him with us."
The Nuggets failed to make it out of the first round for the third straight season, leading Anthony and Camby to suggest some of their teammates quit on them.
"My recommendation to everybody right now is not to blame anybody," Karl said. "It's a tough time. It's a frustrating time. But I think time will show the Clippers are a damn good basketball team and we were probably too short-handed to beat them."