Whittman fired!!!; McHale takes over (again)

[BleedGopher]

Press conference at 2pm:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/35719409.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD 3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUs

Howl Wolves!!

[GophersInIowa]

I think the only good thing that could come out of this is that McHale does even worse than Whittman and Glen Taylor finally realizes how bad he is.

[station19]

I can't believe Taylor has kept McHale on for this long. He is as bad or worse than Matt Millen. I have lost all respect for G. Taylor.

Go Gophers

Go away Timberwolves

[Zeppelin Gopher]

Not only that, but McHale has stepped down from his role as VP. He is taking over as permanent head coach, not just interim. I assume Hoiberg is taking over as VP?

[jamiche]

This is a start. Taylor knows that McHale has no desire to be a head coach which means that he will be gone by the end of the season. Two out of three will be gone, but the biggest problem will likely remain.

[Schnoodler]

Here, is the problem. When you need to find the best of the best, and after much thought when the tap of the shoulder is yourself, it really shows your poor decision making skills.

McHale thinks he's the smartest one in the room. The best managers know if they're the best one in the room, they've got a huge problem.

[bga1]

I truly doubt McHale thinks he's the best long term choice. I think he wants to take one last shot at redemption by coaching these guys to a more respectable record. Then, regardless, at the end of the year I think that (as jamiche says) he steps down from the organization.

There is no way that Taylor could sell season tickets next year without a total turnover in management. Regardless of who is drafted and how much hype there is no one will trust that McHale has made the right choices. So I have to believe they will bring in some new wizard before the draft to take over and he'll bring in his own head coach.

I also think Taylor is the number one issue. As bad as he is I can't see how he can maintain status quo- I have to believe he's going to drop 20-30 million this year.

[UpnorthGo4]

GophersInIowa quote: "I think the only good thing that could come out of this is that McHale does even worse than Whittman and Glen Taylor finally realizes how bad he is."

How is anyone going to be worse than Whittman? In fact, McHale is the second best coach that the Wolves have ever had. He is much better than Saunders. I can't stand the way Flip coaches basketball. In all his years in the NBA his teams always underachieved. Thank God Taylor didn't bring him back. McHale will get the most out of this team. Guaranteed. Taylor keeps McHale around because he knows that the Wolves would be worse than they are without him.

[jamiche]

I truly doubt McHale thinks he's the best long term choice. I think he wants to take one last shot at redemption by coaching these guys to a more respectable record. Then, regardless, at the end of the year I think that (as jamiche says) he steps down from the organization.

There is no way that Taylor could sell season tickets next year without a total turnover in management. Regardless of who is drafted and how much hype there is no one will trust that McHale has made the right choices. So I have to believe they will bring in some new wizard before the draft to take over and he'll bring in his own head coach.

I also think Taylor is the number one issue. As bad as he is I can't see how he can maintain status quo- I have to believe he's going to drop 20-30 million this year.

While Taylor is the GP I don't believe that he owns the majority of the franchise. I was told by an extremely reliable source that when he did the deal with Harv and Marv in the mid 90's he put less than $5M of his own money in. He obviously has a fuduciary responsibility to his limited partners and I can't believe that they are not totally pissed at how badly he has mismanaged the franchise. If the strib or one of the on line local news sites really want to engage in investigative journalism they should start contacting Taylors investors to get their perspective on things. I'm sure there are some people willing to talk and they would tell a pretty interesting story.

I also think that Taylor needs to find other seats. It's speaks to the dysfunction of the franchise that every night he practically has his nose in the huddle. Not even Mark Cuban sits that close to the bench.

[rychart45]

don't be surprised if flip is back on the sideline to start next season.

[Goph4phan]

don't be surprised if flip is back on the sideline to start next season.

If Kevin McHale returns as VP, don't count on Flip returning. From what I understand, they nearly haven't spoken a word since Flip's firing in 04-05.

[Khaliq]

If Kevin McHale returns as VP, don't count on Flip returning. From what I understand, they nearly haven't spoken a word since Flip's firing in 04-05.I would be shocked if McHale returns to that role. In fact I'd be surprised if he's back in any capacity.

[GophersInIowa]

GophersInIowa quote: "I think the only good thing that could come out of this is that McHale does even worse than Whittman and Glen Taylor finally realizes how bad he is."

How is anyone going to be worse than Whittman? In fact, McHale is the second best coach that the Wolves have ever had. He is much better than Saunders. I can't stand the way Flip coaches basketball. In all his years in the NBA his teams always underachieved. Thank God Taylor didn't bring him back. McHale will get the most out of this team. Guaranteed. Taylor keeps McHale around because he knows that the Wolves would be worse than they are without him.

I hope you're kidding. McHale was 19-12 as a head coach, so he didn't even coach for half of a season. To say he was much better than Saunders is laughable.

Secondly, you can't blame Whittman for everything. He isn't a good coach but when you have a guy like McHale who makes the draft picks and trades that he does, then the coach really didn't have much of a chance.

[station19]

It's obvious McHibbing was fired as VP and offered head coach as a bone. Take it or leave it. Kevin can't stand to coach or travel, much less work full time. He will be gone by years end and Flip will return as GM.

[UpnorthGo4]

Quote: "It's obvious McHibbing was fired as VP and offered head coach as a bone. Take it or leave it. Kevin can't stand to coach or travel, much less work full time. He will be gone by years end and Flip will return as GM.""

Why would anyone think Flip Saunders would be a good GM? He was the Wolves GM when things started to fall apart. As GM/Coach he had as much input as McHale in the Wolves personnel decisions. Flip is the reason that Chauncy Billups doesn't play for the Wolves. He didn't think Chauncey was good enough to start over Terrell Brandon. How is that for being a judge of talent? Flip underachieved as a coach with both the Wolves and Pistons. He would still be coaching in the minor leagues if his good friend McHale hadn't rescued him from obscurity. In return Flip now craps on McHale every chance he gets. He is an ungrateful piece of sh*t and I will never buy another Wolves ticket if Taylor ever brings him back.

[tikited]

Quote: "It's obvious McHibbing was fired as VP and offered head coach as a bone. Take it or leave it. Kevin can't stand to coach or travel, much less work full time. He will be gone by years end and Flip will return as GM.""

Why would anyone think Flip Saunders would be a good GM? He was the Wolves GM when things started to fall apart. As GM/Coach he had as much input as McHale in the Wolves personnel decisions. Flip is the reason that Chauncy Billups doesn't play for the Wolves. He didn't think Chauncey was good enough to start over Terrell Brandon. How is that for being a judge of talent? Flip underachieved as a coach with both the Wolves and Pistons. He would still be coaching in the minor leagues if his good friend McHale hadn't rescued him from obscurity. In return Flip now craps on McHale every chance he gets. He is an ungrateful piece of sh*t and I will never buy another Wolves ticket if Taylor ever brings him back.

Wow! So much wrong with this I don't know where to start.

[station19]

Wow! So much wrong with this I don't know where to start.

Gotta start somewhere.

[GophersInIowa]

Flip must have not signed an autograph for him or something.

Flip had more success than any other wolves coach by far. He hardly underachieved with the wolves as well. The only year management brought in some help for Garnett (Cassell, Sprewell), they went to the Western Conference Finals losing to a good Lakers team. I blame management more than anyone because they didn't bring in help for KG.

[tikited]

Flip must have not signed an autograph for him or something.

Flip had more success than any other wolves coach by far. He hardly underachieved with the wolves as well. The only year management brought in some help for Garnett (Cassell, Sprewell), they went to the Western Conference Finals losing to a good Lakers team. I blame management more than anyone because they didn't bring in help for KG.

I agree that Flip hardly ever had any talent to work with. Look at the rosters over his stay here---not much there beside KG. Ancient vets, KG, and some bad youngsters. Flip got a ton out of his players here IMO. As soon as Marbury left the team they had little to nothing minus the one year mentioned above. It wasn't Flip's fault he had to deal with bad human beings (Cassell, Spree, and Candy are dirtbags) the next year.

Taylor and McHale handled the Flip situation very badly...as every situation... Flip didn't take the high road soon after, but I haven't heard a peep from him in years about the Wolves. I highly doubt he is "crapping" on McHale to this day.

[Goph4phan]

Quote: In return Flip now craps on McHale every chance he gets. He is an ungrateful piece of sh*t and I will never buy another Wolves ticket if Taylor ever brings him back.

This is news to me. Do you have any examples?