Wizards Fire Coach Eddie Jordan; Tapscott Takes Over

[imjustlikemusiq]

Not a WHOLE lot of information out there yet about Eddie Jordan's firing, but we know this, the team (although, without its top player) was BADLY underachieving at 1-10. I think Eddie Jordan is a decent enough coach, but this is not the team he signed up for. Granted, injuries happen and you need to adjust - something he was able to do last year - but Eddie Jordan's Princeton offense is designed for veteran teams that don't make silly turnovers. The Wizards, and their youthfulness, simply weren't able to play mistake-free basketball for long enough stretches to win games. The ownership is dishing out a lot of money and at some point, we need results, maybe a new voice in the locker room can get through to the young guys. We saw, just last year, right here in Washington, with the Capitals, what a coaching change can sometimes do for a season, but at the very least it lets everyone know that jobs are on the line. In my opinion Eddie Jordan is less responsible for his firing than his own players, not to say Jordan wasn't without his faults, for instance, playing too many veterans even when their skill level on NBA 2K9 was higher than their minutes per game. Also, at some point we needed to see a next level leap from not only the team, but the young guns (Nick Young, Dominic McGuire, and especially Andray Blatche), whether these players are just incapable or Eddie Jordan wasn't pressing the right buttons will soon be known, but it's a business out here so I say we move on. My choice for the next coach would be Mike Fratello, but we'll see what happens.

[Detroit]

http://www.nba.com/2008/news/11/24/w....ap/index.html

CONFIRMED!

[RAPSCANWIN]

Not Jordan's fault, Im amazed the Wiz have been as good as they have over the last # of seasons with all the injuries they've had.

[KingJay718]

Sucks for EJ. He's gonna have no problem finding a suitor for his services. It's not his fault. LeBron James/Cavs, injuries, and bad luck can share some blame as well.

[kwajo]

Sam Mitchell next please!

[JellyBean]

It is sad to see Eddie Jordan let go. This man has lead the Wiz to the playoffs 2-3 straight years? I know for sure 2 years in a row. Now this year, the team is sucking big time and it is not his fault. The Wiz have really messed themselves over.

But here is what cracks me up. As a Timberwolves fan, Randy Wittman is not even on the same level as Eddie Jordan. We can't even fire Randy Wittman!!! I am starting to think that Randy has something over Kevin Mchale. Because P.J. and now Eddie have been fired from coaching and we still have Randy Wittman?? Something is up.

[ihatetimthomas]

Ah another Coach becomes the casualty of injuries. Sad to see coaches pay the ultimate price for things that cant be controlled (injuries). But I think his stay was wearing thin. They havnt gone furthur than the 2nd round with him at the reins. They cant make any big deals, so some kind of shakeup was necessary. Sucks for him, but something needed to be done. Those guys were just not responding to him this year and it wasnt going to get any easier

[gotbacon23]

It is sad to see Eddie Jordan let go. This man has lead the Wiz to the playoffs 2-3 straight years? I know for sure 2 years in a row. Now this year, the team is sucking big time and it is not his fault. The Wiz have really messed themselves over.

But here is what cracks me up. As a Timberwolves fan, Randy Wittman is not even on the same level as Eddie Jordan. We can't even fire Randy Wittman!!! I am starting to think that Randy has something over Kevin Mchale. Because P.J. and now Eddie have been fired from coaching and we still have Randy Wittman?? Something is up.

four years in a row....

2004-05: 45-37 lost in 2nd round to miami
2005-06: 42-40 lost in first round to cleveland
2006-07: 41-41 lost in first round to cleveland
2007-08: 43-39 lost in first round to cleveland

honestly, this team is going nowhere regardless.

[NoGunzJustSkillz]

yeah whoever gave arenas that contract deserves to be fired before Jordan.

[sixerfan3511]

seriously undeserved. He has done a great job for them, he's the longest tenured coach right now, and they are injured ALL THE TIME. You can't expect someone to do great without a full cast of characters. He normally keeps em afloat, but the East is getting stronger. I don't agree with this at all. He will get a job very soon.

[AllenIverson3]

By Larry DiTore

Nov. 24 (Bloomberg) -- The Washington Wizards fired coach Eddie Jordan after a 1-10 start to the season and gave Director of Player Development Ed Tapscott the job on an interim basis.

Jordan and the Wizards have struggled without injured starters Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood. The team has the second-worst record in the National Basketball Association behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, who fired coach P.J. Carlesimo two days ago.

The Wizards have made the playoffs each of the past four seasons under Jordan, who had been the third-longest tenured coach in the NBA behind Utah

[RidonKs]

It might not have been totally deserved - God knows the 10 losses in 11 games can't be directly attributed to him - but a change was definitely needed. The defense was porous, and personnel wasn't the sole reason. EJ has never been a particularly good defensive coach, and that's the area this team has to improve in. Kind of the same deal with the Rockets, where JVG brought them into the light as a powerhouse defensive team, and then the bring in Adelman for offense - the defense is still there.

That's what we need - a defensive coach with more of a pick and roll mentality. Gilbert can be a tremendous pick and roll player, god knows he has the tools, but he was never developed as one because of EJ's not-quite-Princeton-but-still-motion offense. A coach focused on improving the team at the end they actually need improvements in is just what the doctor ordered for this team - the rotations are terrible, nobody knows who to close out on hard and who to give more space, I don't think anybody plays worse pick and roll defense in the entire NBA, etc. And with the two new young bigs with such tremendous defensive potential, and I mean HUGE potential with their athletic abilities and size, a guy who can teach them how to be effective on defense is more important than a guy preaching unselfishness and high post play on offense. Just my opinion there, but with Caron and Gilbert still young, and Jamison still producing, this team will have offense for a long time. Not so much with defense, and that's why the development of the two young bigs is so important.

It sucks, because EJ gave us a really good run, and with this firing, the 1-10 start will probably be credited to him far more than it should be. But with the direction of the team in mind, I think that overall, it was the right move - even if it might not have come at an adequate time.

We want JVG!

[oldenpolynice]

Eddie didn't deserve to be fired. He was simply the fall guy for mismanagement of contracts to guys like Arenas and for injuries that have plagued this team for years.

It's a shame he was let go.

http://davissportsdeli.com/wordpress...e-to-be-fired/

[picc84]

Eddie jordan fired while Sam Mitchell still has a job.

The world today.

[Twiens]

EJ to the Raps!