RE: Time to get rid of Pitino

[Gregory Odegaard <grodeg@kalama.com>]

Some might wish that MJ had come to beantown to play God.  Not me but a curious development none the less.  Good to see Tree stay off the unemployment ranks (?) 
Have a great Superbowl Sunday folks,

Greg

Wizards fire coach Gar Heard
 ESPN.com news services

 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Gar Heard was fired as coach of the Washington Wizards on Saturday night, the team's first major move since Michael Jordan became head of basketball operations.

No replacement has been named. There were reports that Rod Higgins, an assistant with the Golden State Warriors and a former teammate of Jordan's, will be the new coach. ESPN's David Aldridge reported Saturday night that Higgins has not been hired as coach of the Wizards, but that he is a leading candidate for the job. 

Heard was fired after the Wizards' 103-98 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Washington is 14-30 and in last place in the Atlantic Division.

"I mentioned that when I was became a member of the Washington Wizards that I would evaluate the team and the coaching staff," Jordan was quoted as saying in a statement released by the team. "I felt it was necessary to make a change at this time."

Jordan joined the team Jan. 19 and vowed to shake things up. It was immediately clear that Heard was on the hit list. Heard had very little one-on-one contact with Jordan from the start, and Jordan put on a jersey and used his own motivational tactics to liven up one of Heard's practices on Monday.

"You never have a chance to show what you can do," Heard said. "Unfortunately that's the nature of the business. I think they had their mind made up when he got here. I never got an opportunity to talk to him. When you come in you want to bring your own people. Next time things will work better."

The Wizards job was a long-awaited break for Heard, who toiled for 12 years as an assistant with Dallas, Indiana, Philadelphia and Detroit. His only previous head coaching experience in the NBA was in 1993 as interim coach of the Dallas Mavericks, who were 9-44 under him.

"I'm sure this won't be my last opportunity," Heard said. "When you get older you have to work a little harder."

Heard's old-school style didn't suit thirtysomething veterans, particularly point guard Rod Strickland, who is notoriously late for practices and admits to not giving his all on the practice court.

"It's been tough around here," Strickland said. "The atmosphere hasn't been good. It's been a lot of negativity, so put it on the players, put it on the coaches, put it on everybody -- things weren't right, and it wasn't fun."

Said Heard: "You still need players to win in this league. Maybe now they will step up."

Also fired were assistants Butch Beard and Mike Bratz. Assistant Tree Rollins will be retained.

The Wizards haven't won a playoff game in 12 years, and Higgins will be the team's fifth coach since 1996, following Jim Lynam, Bernie Bickerstaff, Jim Brovelli and Heard.

Higgins, who turned 40 on Monday, would be a first-time head coach. He has been an assistant with the Warriors for six seasons, following a 13-year playing career with Chicago, Seattle, San Antonio, New Jersey, Sacramento, Cleveland and Golden State. He played with Jordan in Chicago in the 1984-85 season and again at the end of the 1985-86 season.

General manager Wes Unseld would not confirm Higgins' hiring, but several players said they were told that Higgins would be the coach.

"Coach Heard also mentioned that Rod Higgins would come in and be our coach for the rest of the year," forward Juwan Howard said. "I watched him as a kid growing up when he was with the Chicago Bulls."

Heard and the players were caught off guard by the news, which came after a sloppy but tense home victory.

"The timing was kind of funny," forward Aaron Williams said. "Everybody's spirits were up after a good win that we really needed."

Most players, however, figured something was in the air, given the team's woes and Jordan's vow to turn around the franchise.

"It can't get any worse, I don't think," Strickland said. "At least I hope."