Flip Saunders Facing Annual Job-Security Questions
He has been in Detroit for three seasons now, and every year it’s the same thing: How long can he hang on to the job? It’s a strange question considering the fact that the guy has had a pretty decent run in Motown.
There are national rumblings that Flip Saunders is under a NBA Finals-or-else ultimatum this spring.
But that’s unlikely if Pistons president Joe Dumars still believes the veteran core of this team still has another season of serious championship contention within it regardless of these playoffs.
The issue with Flip and the Pistons, of course, is what happens once the regular season comes to an end. Saunders, as you know, has a history of coming up short during the postseason. And this year’s Playoffs are shaping up to be some of the most competitive in League history.
Every coach faces enormous pressure to win, especially in the postseason; it just seems that the glare is always a little harsher in Motown.
25 Responses to “Flip Saunders Facing Annual Job-Security Questions”
Mar.31 at 12:09 pm
Eboy says:
TAD?
Mar.31 at 12:10 pm
Spaceship Jay says:
As it should be.
Mar.31 at 12:14 pm
Shannon Booher says:
Jeff Van Gundy in D-Town next year?
Mar.31 at 12:22 pm
rav says:
jvg should go to denver man
Mar.31 at 12:26 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Yeah, God forbid they don’t beat the Celtics. If they don’t reach the Finals, shouldn’t Joe Dumars fire himself for not trading for Kevin Garnett?
Mar.31 at 12:27 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Not to mention shouldn’t every coach in the East besides Doc get fired?
Mar.31 at 12:38 pm
The Ebony Blur says:
Russ - did you ever think you would say that last statement, specifically the “besides Doc” part?
Mar.31 at 12:55 pm
G Diesel says:
“Not to mention shouldn’t every coach in the East besides Doc get fired? ” And who should be hired to replace all of them?
College coaches?
Mar.31 at 1:12 pm
TADOne says:
Drew Sharp is a joke of a columnist. 95% of the stuff that he writes is negative. I’m quite surprised a New York paper hasn’t snatched him up yet.
Mar.31 at 1:12 pm
Gumdrop says:
Diesel reads between the lines, deal with it Russ.
Mar.31 at 1:26 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
They could all replace each other. Musical coaches (with Isiah left standing, of course).
Mar.31 at 1:30 pm
G Diesel says:
On that note, I heard Isiah might coach the Hoosiers college team next year.
Mar.31 at 1:38 pm
Gumdrop says:
I hear that he and Stern are going to co-star in a reality show, where they try to get a bed and breakfast off the ground.
Mar.31 at 2:12 pm
daniel says:
i hate detroit
Mar.31 at 2:14 pm
daniel says:
i’m ready for them to be garbage again.
Mar.31 at 2:16 pm
whooo! says:
well in ‘06, the pistons needed 7 games against a weak cavs team, then lost to the heat in 6. next year, they made it to the conf. finals again, but got humiliated by lebron in game 5 and lost game 6. really, it’s not terrible, but at the same time, look at phx or dallas, or anyone else who feel like they’re contenders but keep coming up short in the playoffs. those teams made the personnel moves they felt were needed, and we’ll see how it plays out. detroit has no problems with its personnel, and has its best group this year since their ‘05 team that lost to the spurs. if they can’t win with this group, you HAVE to do something, don’t you? the players have actually proved more than the coach in terms of winning and playoff success, so wouldn’t it be logical to move the coach first?
Mar.31 at 2:36 pm
Vortex Knight says:
Only if you have someone better to come in. The only championship-level coach that’s currently out of work is Larry Brown, and something tells me he’s not heading back to Detroit.
JVG is a possibility, but he’s more fun in the broadcast booth than on the sideline.
Mar.31 at 2:50 pm
Gerard Himself says:
Russ: SVG isn’t doing too bad, is he? With Turk and Howard the team has a pretty good record, no? And of course Mo Cheeks and Eddie Jordan deserve a lot of credit.
Mar.31 at 4:39 pm
jeremy says:
daniel,go play with yourself you little punk.
Mar.31 at 4:53 pm
jeremy says:
neways, its time 4 flip to win…im tired of losin in the playoffs…its gettin old…we will do it this year…i can feel it. PUT THAT IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT DANIEL!!!
Mar.31 at 5:01 pm
Ethan says:
Alrigth Larry Brown no.1 fan speaking…personally I think Flip is probably a good guy on and off the court but he is one of the best examples of doing less with moree in the NBA there is besides Isaiah yeah I said it “Isaiah”, but anyway Detroit should have won three of the last four finals,oddly enough the one they should’nt have is the one they won!They got screwed out of it in 05 vs. San An,then by the amazing flash and his uncannie ability to get fouls called when he trips, then finally by Flip when he 1st ran Bib Ben off the heart and soul of the new or well, was the new BAD BOYZ of D’Troit & for failinf to make the simple adjustment of just hacking LbJ23 instead of letting Antonio McDyess take him one on one in the paint even Antonio knew that was wacked up…my point is Joe D is still kicking himself in the face because he knows he made too many stupid GM decision and it finally caught up with him and 4 running out one of the best coaches ever to touch a basketball….here’s a tag line 4 Joe D
“No Flip equals Chip”..if its not too late im out like S.Curry in the tourney
GO Lakers
Mar.31 at 6:23 pm
Jim says:
Ethan, I can’t believe you just said “Joe D is still kicking himself in the face because he knows he made too many stupid GM decision”….Joe D is one of the top 3 GM’s in the league, you are insane to call him out.
Mar.31 at 6:48 pm
TADOne says:
Um dude, Larry Brown ran himself out of town, Joe D. didn’t have anything to do with that. I mean, the man was interviewing with other teams while his team at the time was in the middle of the playoffs. This ultimately pissed off the loyal fans, the players, and most of all, the owner. The owner did not want Larry Brown back, plain and simple. That was not Joe D’s call. Other than that, what bad GM decisions has Joe D made other than Darko? Everyone can point at Flip, but at the time he was the best coach available and he certainly hasn’t embarrased himself with the Pistons. I do agree that he could have done better coaching in the playoffs, but his entire chapter has not been written yet. Now, if Flip nuts up in these playoffs and the team gets eliminated before the Eastern Conference Championship, i’ll be the first one in line calling for his head.
Mar.31 at 10:46 pm
Ben Osborne says:
I say: Finals or out for Flip. He has never impressed me.
Apr.1 at 2:11 am
hursty says:
Co sign Tad and Ben.