Paul Silas

[kevin <kevin.lok@lycosmail.com>]

can we reserve a place for Sila when Pitino (finally) walk?

http://www.journalnow.com/news/local/sports/nba/bugs12.htm
Gminski, Hornets' TV & radio analyst, applauds job done by Silas under
adverse conditions
By John Delong
JOURNAL REPORTER
CHARLOTTE
Mike Gminski played for 11 head coaches in his 14-season NBA career,
including Larry Brown, Kevin Loughery, Stan Albeck, Jim Lynam and Mike
Dunleavy.
So he can appreciate a good coaching job as much as anyone.
When Gminski analyzes the Charlotte Hornets' 1999-2000 season, he said
the first thing that jumps out at him is the job that Coach Paul Silas
has done guiding the team through the tragedies and distractions that
have dogged them all season.
The Hornets will take a 44-33 record into tonight's game against the
Atlanta Hawks at the Charlotte Coliseum, assured of a playoff spot and
still positioned to gain home-court advantage in the first round.
Considering all the adversity -- most notably the death of guard Bobby
Phills in an automobile accident in early January -- Gminski said he
thinks it's remarkable that the Hornets didn't cash in the season long
ago.
He gives Silas, in his first full season as head coach, the credit.
''IN 20 YEARS IN the NBA, I've never seen a team go through
circumstances like this,'' Gminski said. ''I've been around a lot of
coaches, and I don't know a lot of them that could have dealt with this
the way Paul did. I think he did a masterful job of really just being
the eye of the hurricane throughout the whole thing. If you were passing
out grades, I think you could sufficiently grade him out to an A.''
Gminski is in his sixth season as a color commentator on the Hornets'
television and radio networks, so he's watched this team from a unique
perpsective. He said he knows from experience how tragedy and turmoil
can tear a team apart, and he's still on the ''inside'' enough to see
how Silas has kept the team focused.
''Without getting into specifics, some of the guys I played for
certainly had the basketball knowledge, but they might not have had the
communication skills to handle a situation like this,'' Gminski said.
''And there may have been a lack of respect.
''But I don't think that's the case here at all. The big thing with Paul
is that he is a great communicator, and this team more than anything
respects Paul. The thing I like about him, he never embarrasses anybody
in public. He'll never say anything about anybody in the paper. In all
our interviews with him on the radio, regardless of how bad the
performance has been or how devastating the loss, he's realistic about
it.
''Now, he can deliver a pretty stern message behind closed doors. I've
heard him deliver some pretty stern messages. But they've been received
in a good way. I think the fact that that line of communication between
Paul and the players has remained open throughout all this has enabled
them to stick together.''
Gminski said he thinks that the average fan could never fully understand
how fragile a situation Silas was dealing with after Phills' death, and
how he had to serve as a father figure of sorts to many of his players,
some of whom had never been forced to deal with such issues.
''He handled that entire situation perfectly,'' Gminski said. ''I don't
think there's any question about that. He's a guy who's been through it
all, 16 years in the league as a player, a lifer, and I don't think it
would be overstating it to view him almost paternalistically with this
team. He's just a guy who has got such a vast body of experience and
knowledge to call on, and that's what has enabled him to calm the
waters.''
Considering all the off-court distractions Silas has had to deal with,
critics haven't even addressed the issue of Silas as an Xs and Os coach
this season.
It would be unfair to criticize Silas in some areas, because he's had to
spend so much time and effort on the team's emotional well being. Plus,
Silas has had to change much of what he originally planned to do all
season in mid-stream because of Phills' death.
Gminski still gives Silas high marks for his coaching during the games.
''One of the things I look at with coaches is their use of timeouts and
what happens as a result of those timeouts,'' Gminski said. ''More often
than not, a lot more times than not, something positive happens when
Paul calls a timeout, whether it's to address a run or whatever. I can't
remember many games getting way out of hand this season.
''The other night at Miami, I thought Paul did a great job. As badly as
they played, they were still just four down and still in the game at the
end. When you talk about making adjustments, I say, does a team execute
coming out after a timeout? And they do. As far as I'm concerned on the
Xs and Os, he's done a terrific job.''
Gminski is quick to give the players credit as well. They've had to
fight through the adversity and resist the temptation to roll over, in
what has been an emotional roller-coaster ride for everyone.
''This team really went through something that no other team has,''
Gminski said. ''So considering they've been a trail blazer breaking new
ground in areas that they never really wanted to go into in the first
place, I think they've done a very good job. They've been very
resilient.
''To still be in the hunt for fourth after all that has happened is a
tremendous testament to all the guys.''
Published: April 12, 2000