05/07/24
July 06, 2004
Rudy T!: Rudy Tomjanovich became the second most prominent American to be offered a position of leadership Tuesday, after John Edwards. Of course, Edwards only has to prepare himself on issues of national security, health care, the economy and the environment. Rudy T. might have to coach Kobe Bryant.
posted by dusted to basketball at 06:50 PM - 7 comments
I care, and you seem to care enough to respond! The Lakers just might be a colossal train wreck, but no one will know until the coach and roster are set. Offering Tomjanovich the job is a nice start toward avoiding that wreck, for a lot of the reasons Ventre mentioned, including this: Helping in the quest to keep Shaq in Lakers finery is the notion that Rudy T. was hired independently of Bryant. Krzyzewski was Kobe’s hand-picked guy. But Rudy T. will be viewed as the organization’s choice.
posted by dusted at 08:55 PM on July 06, 2004
I have trouble believing that the Lakers are done. They're one of the NBA's marquee franchises, and I don't see them becoming the Clippers even with the departure of Shaq.
posted by rcade at 09:39 PM on July 06, 2004
Man, did any of you see Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak on Sportscenter? Being John Malkovich! 
posted by dusted at 10:18 PM on July 06, 2004
Q: Mitch, do you have any moves in the works? A: kupchak kupchak kupchak kupchak.
posted by gspm at 01:09 AM on July 07, 2004
They won't become "the Clippers," but they might not finish ahead of the other Los Angeles team next year. Meaning, they might make the playoffs on half a Kobe and half a Shaq, but it will be a sublime pleasure to see them bow out gracelessly in the first round next year to the 1 or 2 seed, whoever it is. I feel for Tomjanovich. He seems like a good guy, and obviously he can coach. But he's taken the wheel of a sinking ship. I wish him lotsa luck. He'll need it.
posted by chicobangs at 10:07 AM on July 07, 2004
Doesn't John Edwards look oddly like the presidential candiate in Omen III? A vote for Kerry is a vote for.... Satan! Frankly, that makes this election more of a coin flip than I previously imagined.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 03:50 PM on July 07, 2004
who cares. the Lakers are going to be a collosal train wreck regardless of who the coach is. The offense is going to run through Kobe, Shaq is going to sabotage the team to prove that they can't win without him, and rigor mortis might set in on Payton. And even if the team wasn't pulling in different directions, they still couldn't beat the Pistons. Malone is gone, Shaq and Payton are a year older, and Kobe is the same. The Lakers are only going to be fun next year in a ghoulish sort of way.