http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4011050
Van Gundy questions Knicks on Ewing
NEW YORK -- Stan Van Gundy loves having Patrick Ewing on his staff. He can't figure out why the New York Knicks don't want him.
Van Gundy criticized the Knicks on Monday night for failing to give Ewing, the franchise's career scoring leader, a coaching job in the organization.
“
The fans certainly love him. The organization to me sort of pretends to appreciate him and like him.
”
-- Magic coach Stan Van Gundy on
assistant Patrick Ewing
"I'm not trying to needle anybody or tell them their business," Van Gundy said after Orlando beat the Knicks 106-102. "What's amazing is they honor the guy, I don't know, every year. They honor him, but while they've got a lot of ex-players in their organization, they've never made any move to try to hire him. That to me is amazing."
Ewing was honored at halftime, when the Knicks presented seven of their former players with "legends awards." Introduced last, he received a loud ovation from the fans, who seem to appreciate him even more than they did when he was playing in New York from 1985-2000.
Van Gundy isn't sure the organization does.
"I mean, I don't know. It's sort of back and forth," Van Gundy said. "They seem to like you. The fans certainly love him. The organization to me sort of pretends to appreciate him and like him."
Ewing was a favorite of Van Gundy's brother, Jeff, who coached the Knicks from March 1996 until resigning in December 2001.
Ewing is in his second season on Van Gundy's staff after previously serving as an assistant coach in Washington and Houston. He is credited for his work with centers Yao Ming and the Magic's Dwight Howard, who came out early to watch the halftime ceremony -- none of the Knicks players did.
Yet he was apparently never a serious candidate for the Knicks' coaching job last year when Isiah Thomas was fired. Meanwhile, New York did interview former Knicks guard Mark Jackson, even though he has no coaching experience.
"This is a guy that not only was the face of their franchise, but when your best player works as hard as he does and competes as hard as he does, he gives your team a chance to be great. They say great things about him, but when it's time to put up or shut up, they don't do anything," said Van Gundy, who recently feuded with Shaquille O'Neal over his comments about O'Neal's flopping.
"So you know, it's been amazing and it's been our fortune in Orlando, that it's pretty amazing that with the ex-players that they hire here to me, there hasn't been a move. There are other ex-players that got interviews for their head coaching job, but then a guy who's been in the league with three different teams as an assistant can't get an interview."
Ewing has said he wants a top job in the NBA and there was some thought he would end up back in New York last year, either as the head coach or perhaps as an assistant on Mike D'Antoni's staff.
"I'm just like any person who is coaching in this league," Ewing said before the game. "I'm just looking for an opportunity, that's all."
I'm starting to not like Stan Van Gundy at all. If they wanted him as coach, they would've hired him. There is nothing else here to say, mind YOUR damn business and coach YOUR team that will NOT make it past the conference semis.
SHAVE that moustache as well.
I always wondered what the Ewing did when he was in Houston. He sat at games. He cut up in practice. Maybe he worked with Yao a bit in Houston but I didn't think that he helped his game much. It's the same question many Rockets fans had when Ewing was in Houston. What the does Patrick Ewing do?
That's what NY needs... a coach to tell his bigmen how to shoot 20 foot jumpers and underachieve in the playoffs.
Was David Robinson any different? No.
Robinson took it to the rim much more often than Ewing
Ewing was a 7-2 half man-half ape monster who could post up, score inside or hit outside jumpers. he also blocked shots and rebounded well. he was an excellent center. the spurs could use him on their team. he also is great in bed
Required Patrick Ewing reading:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=1193711
Maybe Shaq did know something about Stan Van Gundy. Maybe he has some qualities of baggery that doesn't show up public.
The Knicks should get dunked on by Patrick Chewing.
Maybe the Hedgehog should worry about his own damn team. The Knicks have enough problems without his fat ass butting in.
Robinson was awesome and carried some crappy ass Spurs teams a lot farther than they would have gone without him.
Yes the Dream abused him in the WCF, but damn, he was left one on one versus Hakeem thanks to the not so brilliant coaching of Hill....meanwhile, when David had the ball, they were throwing double and triple teams at him all series. No one else really stepped up and consistently made shots. Rodman refused to cover Horry, who lit us up like a Christmas tree from outside....he was too busy acting a fool.
Even with a back that was completely jacked, two bad knees, and numbness in his legs, he still put up some damn good numbers during the second half of his career. Once Duncan showed up, he sacrificed on offense, but was still a top defensive Center.
In fact, I put him as a top 3 defensive Center of all-time......with Russell and Hakeem.
Don't you just love it when fans judge how someone (Ewing) coaches, when he hasn't even been given the opportunity to do it yet?
Fan 1: That movie sucks!
Fan 2: Have you seen it?
Fan 1: No.
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