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This if from a Pistons fan perspective based on stuff I've read and heard. Obviously, I don't have inside information so it's based on Pistons beat writers and other hear-say sources.
Anyway, Rick Carlisle supposedly has a very good basketball mind. I believe he was the offensive coach under Larry Bird for the Reggie-Rik Smits Pacers, but when he was hired by the Pistons, he became more noted as a defensive minded coach. Either way, he supposedly is extremely well prepared and is meticulous in all aspects, right down to using mathematical percentages in his decision making.
Now, that meticulous preparation also bled into his coaching style, as with the Pistons, he would often script the first 10 or so plays of a game for the offense. It wasn't take what the defense gives you. He had set plays for about the first 10 plays, maybe more. Run the scripted plays no matter what.
As far as his failures with the Pistons organization, there are several stories. First and foremost, he pissed off the owner, Bill Davidson. Basically, reports from people who worked with the Pistons and at the Palace said he was pretty much a to everyone. And, Bill Davidson just didn't like the guy. That also transferred to his relationships with his players. He lost players because he was an unrelenting and stubborn task master. He grated on players because there was generally no leniency in his ways. And, that led to many of his players tuning him out.
He did prefer veterans, and his stubbornness was most clearly demonstrated when he started and played Michael Curry heavy minutes throughout the 2002-03 season and rarely gave Tayshaun Prince any minutes even though reports were that Prince would kill Curry in practice. It took a firm push by Joe Dumars in the first round of the 2003 playoffs against the Orlando Magic to get Carlisle to play Prince. Prince performed extremely well in that series and the next series against the Sixers, and I believe he's started every game both regular season and playoffs for the Pistons since. Carlisle did favor veterans. And, he favored guys that did everything his way.
Now, I can't speak for his time with the Pacers, but I actually believe he has had to improve on his people skills and his approach to coaching. His experiences with Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson, and Jamaal Tinsley has had to give him better perspective on coaching. He has had very good success with his teams in both Detroit and Indiana. His micro-managing helped make them high playoff seed teams. So, you know he's got to be doing something right, at least with the X's and O's and in game coaching.
I would guess that he's probably a little more mellow, will probably micro manage a little less, and will approach coaching a little differently, especially with an owner like Mark Cuban. I always found Rick a pretty witty and funny guy with that dry type of humor. He was good in interviews with the media. And, he always presented himself well. So, in many ways, I was surprised to hear the things about him when he was fired. It will be interesting to see how his relationships with his players and Cuban develop.
And, then there's always the fact that he looks exactly like Jim Carey.
This is great they go from the Spurs kryptonite to back to the Spurs red headed stepchild in 4 months.... I used to hate Cuban and now I am starting to like him.
