Topic: Winning "Championships"

[coalherd]

Just what does it take to actually "win championships"?

Look at the recently completed NBA season and playoffs, won by the Boston Celtics under a new, young Head Coach, former WVU player, Joe Mazzulla.

Former MU player, Mike D'Antoni, was a successful NBA Head Coach for many years in the NBA for several teams in that League.  He had an innovative offensive system which was both productive and exciting to watch.  But his teams never attained the Ultimate Prize, an NBA Championship.

On the other hand, Mazzulla had as much or more experience at the Collegiate level, IIRC, as an assistant at Glenville, and then was the Head Coach at Fairmont State as recently as 2017 prior to coaching in the NBA.  All that means in the Final Analysis is that coaching experience, knowledge of the game, and other basketball factors aside, sometimes one just has to "be in the right place, at the right time, with all the stars in perfect alignment" to achieve/attain the "Ultimate Prize"!!

[chris88]

Mazzula is an analytics wizard and also unorthodox in many of his coaching techniques. I heard him speak about the analytics to some media about how he uses the data and it is pretty fascinating stuff. Much of it revolves around making most of possessions, the little things that can be measured that determine the fine line between winning and losing, and how one stat relates to another. He used the example of a small percentage increase in offensive rebounding leads to a significant improvement in transition defense stats. He might break it down and say they get .25 more points a game with one thing and then you add the stuff up and it might get you 3-4 more pts differential a game... on average. Also the difference making in winning vs losing close games etc. Having the right players that includes them buying in a big part of that. Instead a donning a champ shirt after the win he chose a shirt that said: "But First.....Let Me Give Thanks To God"

[marshallmark]

Mazzula is an analytics wizard and also unorthodox in many of his coaching techniques. I heard him speak about the analytics to some media about how he uses the data and it is pretty fascinating stuff. Much of it revolves around making most of possessions, the little things that can be measured that determine the fine line between winning and losing, and how one stat relates to another. He used the example of a small percentage increase in offensive rebounding leads to a significant improvement in transition defense stats. He might break it down and say they get .25 more points a game with one thing and then you add the stuff up and it might get you 3-4 more pts differential a game... on average. Also the difference making in winning vs losing close games etc. Having the right players that includes them buying in a big part of that. Instead a donning a champ shirt after the win he chose a shirt that said: "But First.....Let Me Give Thanks To God"

He's also unquestionably loyal.  He turned down the Celtics in 2016 b/c he had promised a high school recruit he'd be coaching Fairmont that year. 

[MicDrass1]

Hs coaches going on to be pro coaches.  High level HC d1 experience or assistant experience is not necessary to be a great head coach.  Mu is starting to figure that out with Olympic sports and wbb.  Need to understand that for mens bb and fb as well.

[MUther]

Hs coaches going on to be pro coaches.  High level HC d1 experience or assistant experience is not necessary to be a great head coach.  Mu is starting to figure that out with Olympic sports and wbb.  Need to understand that for mens bb and fb as well.

We picked up a HS coach for our MBB team.  How'd that work out for us again?  A decade with one highlight?

[Johnnyherd]

All credit to Mazzula, but he definitely benefited from circumstances.

Those circumstances were landing as assistant coach on a team loaded with talent.

Then the head coach that hired him was fired out of blue, for sexual misconduct allegations and he was promoted to head coach for the end of the season.   

I believe the original plan was Celtics were going to hold a search at the end of the season.

Now he has won the championship and is going to get richer.  He may go on and win more championships, he has a team with talent.

But, he was in a Bill Stewart inheritance situation.  To be a head coach in an NBA franchise at 34 is very fortunate.

[MicDrass1]

We picked up a HS coach for our MBB team.  How'd that work out for us again?  A decade with one highlight?

Mu was going to hire DD if he was head coach at Cammack MS.  That was an other reasons hire.  Maybe liked his nba experience to justify it.  But his Hs resume alone with no attachments to mu would not have Landed him the job.  MU Likes to call it a targeted search. 

[chris88]

All credit to Mazzula, but he definitely benefited from circumstances.

Those circumstances were landing as assistant coach on a team loaded with talent.

Then the head coach that hired him was fired out of blue, for sexual misconduct allegations and he was promoted to head coach for the end of the season.   

I believe the original plan was Celtics were going to hold a search at the end of the season.

Now he has won the championship and is going to get richer.  He may go on and win more championships, he has a team with talent.

But, he was in a Bill Stewart inheritance situation.  To be a head coach in an NBA franchise at 34 is very fortunate.

A little different. Stewart winning the bowl game, along with his general likability got him the job at WVU.  Not really an apples to apples comparison. Celtics former coach was suspended prior to season last year. Joe took over as interim and did so well they gave him the HC job right before all-star break last season. They lost in conf finals to Miami. He came into a very difficult situation as HC with no real HC experience but Celtics believed in him and rewarded him after his first half of season one. Sure he benefited from the situation, but he earned the right to lead the team and they won a championship. Talent matters and so does coaching. Celtics first overall #1 seed to win it all in 7 years I believe.  Being a lifelong Celtics fan from Rhode Island probably didn't hurt Mazzula either. He also was interviewed for Utah job that went to another Celtic asst. Will Hardy....so he was well thought of despite being young. Brad Stevens was in mid 30's when he took the Celtics job too.

[MUther]

Mu was going to hire DD if he was head coach at Cammack MS.  That was an other reasons hire.  Maybe liked his nba experience to justify it.  But his Hs resume alone with no attachments to mu would not have Landed him the job.  MU Likes to call it a targeted search.

Oh, so like his successor, with no experience except under DD, was hired to replace a coach not worth keeping any longer.   You're saying Marshall should take chances.  I'm saying they should STOP taking chances and hire known entities with winning track records at the D1 level for men's basketball.  All they do is take chances. 

[herdorbust2]

Hs coaches going on to be pro coaches.  High level HC d1 experience or assistant experience is not necessary to be a great head coach.  Mu is starting to figure that out with Olympic sports and wbb.  Need to understand that for mens bb and fb as well.

Well Huffs job is going to be open after this season. Why don't you apply since you seem to think you have all the answers to every aspect of coaching? You know that football players should run track. Strength coach makes team to slow. Where we should look for recruits. What system we should run. What level of coach we need to become our head coach. Your posts on this message board are very impressive I must say. I can't think of a more qualified candidate.

[MUonium]

Well Huffs job is going to be open after this season. Why don't you apply since you seem to think you have all the answers to every aspect of coaching? You know that football players should run track. Strength coach makes team to slow. Where we should look for recruits. What system we should run. What level of coach we need to become our head coach. Your posts on this message board are very impressive I must say. I can't think of a more qualified candidate.

that's rich bust.  the guy with the prediction track record of a derailed train and the up and down of a roller coaster.  pot meet kettle

[Johnnyherd]

A little different. Stewart winning the bowl game, along with his general likability got him the job at WVU.  Not really an apples to apples comparison. Celtics former coach was suspended prior to season last year. Joe took over as interim and did so well they gave him the HC job right before all-star break last season. They lost in conf finals to Miami. He came into a very difficult situation as HC with no real HC experience but Celtics believed in him and rewarded him after his first half of season one. Sure he benefited from the situation, but he earned the right to lead the team and they won a championship. Talent matters and so does coaching. Celtics first overall #1 seed to win it all in 7 years I believe.  Being a lifelong Celtics fan from Rhode Island probably didn't hurt Mazzula either. He also was interviewed for Utah job that went to another Celtic asst. Will Hardy....so he was well thought of despite being young. Brad Stevens was in mid 30's when he took the Celtics job too.

I will say in an era of superstars, Boston plays team basketball without a true superstar and that has to speak to the coaching of Mazzulla.  Tatum is a guy who always gives 110%, but if your superstar goes 0-11 shooting in the NBA championship finals.  You don?t have a superstar.

I know the best way for players to get their shot back to keep shooting, but in the finals? As long as everyone else is scoring, just contribute in other ways. 

It might be kind of a blessing not to have a mega star, because half of coaching in the NBA is dealing with the massive egos of players.

Mazzulla must be liked by the players for them to play so hard for him and the front office to gamble.  He was also selected as one of the NBA All Star coaches, his first year as an interim coach.

His resume on paper doesn?t say NBA head coach.  He coached a college basketball team that played in front of 45 people on good nights.  He went from small potatoes college basketball to an NBA assistant for 2-3 years and moved up to head coach.  You don?t see that happen very often.

I don?t think the NBA is scouting Glenville or Fairmont for future head coaches, but you never know.

[herdorbust2]

that's rich bust.  the guy with the prediction track record of a derailed train and the up and down of a roller coaster.  pot meet kettle

In your mind and not reality.

[coalherd]

Can't remember for sure, but I think Joe M. played for BOTH John Beline (sp.) and Huggy Bear at WVU.  The former is a crafty and very knowledgeable basketball coach, and the latter, despite his personality issues, also knows the game well.  Obviously, Mazzulla learned a lot about coaching while at WVU.

Now, as a college basketball player your main vocational goal was to later go out and set up a very successful and popular in season High School Basketball Tournament, then going to MU and playing under Danny D'Antoni was perhaps the way to go!!

[MicDrass1]

Go Herd