Obviously, my wildly speculative "what if" scenario that would have allowed Larry Krystkowiak to hang on to the Bucks coaching job did not pan out. Hammond is apparently not yet hip to this blog, nor does he understand how much rigorous and horribly repetitious mental training went into learning how to reflexively type the silent "K" in Krystkowiak. Life was no where near this difficult for fans in Detroit (only one unmistakable "K" in Darko).
As a fan, I'm disappointed. Not because Krystkowiak is a great pro basketball coach (he's not right now) or that he had earned the right to keep his job (he didn't) or because he's a guy with a lot of integrity (he is, check out Tom Enlund's story in the Journal Sentinel) -- but because of what this firing says about the state of our team.
The Bucks just axed a 3rd coach in less than three years. IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS!!! The organization has hit bottom, finding a gully even lower than that 20-win season during the Mike Dunleavy years. As former Knicks-Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy described it the other day, the Bucks have fallen into "this abyss."
Now, it's up to John Hammond to lead the Bucks out of the abyss, a Herculean task. When one finds his team in an abyss, it seems a good idea to call on some help from the divine. In NBA coaching history, "divine" can only mean one spirit - that of the late Red Auerbach.
ESPN sources say Red still "has it" in the afterlife and he's built a fine team, though he's had to settle for Wilt at center because of what Red now refers to as "the Russell situation." But don't take mine or ESPN's word for it. Check out this priceless "Red on Roundball" video:
Brian Winters vs. David Thompson.
"Don't be afraid for a guy to block your shot!"