Smug? Yes. Best? Yes.
Orlando Sentinel
Is Phil Jackson the greatest NBA coach who ever lived? Or has he lived the greatest life of any coach?
Yes and yes — plus, he also gets the girl (Jeanie Buss).
We never seem to assign a sarcastic asterisk to Red Auerbach, John Wooden, Don Shula, Joe Paterno or Joe Torre, each of whom prospered on the backs of stars.
Deal me a Shaq and Kobe for Phil's hand, and I'll raise you Russell and Cousy for Red's. I'll see your Jordan and Pippen for Phil with Jeter and Rivera for Joe.
Jackson's 11 titles often come with a disclaimer. What is it that turns us off? Oh yeah ... his smugness.
But if coaching is about collecting stars, Larry Brown wouldn't have lost the '04 Olympics.
The genius of Jackson is that he can extract the best from the best and manage head cases. I mean, he has won with Dennis Rodman and Ron Artest. Case closed.
bschmitz@tribune.com
The great get greater
K.C. Johnson
Chicago Tribune
Those who claim Phil Jackson merely has benefited from great players forget a simple fact: Neither Michael Jordan nor Kobe Bryant had won a championship before the Zen Master applied his masterful touch.
He's the best coach in NBA history for reasons that go beyond his staggering 11 titles. His unique ability to meld players in the most equal-opportunity offense there is — the triangle — and empower them by exuding calm in stressful moments sets him apart.
And don't bring up the great Red Auerbach. This is a different era, with more teams and more competition than what those great Celtics teams faced. Phil has had great players. He has also made them greater.
kcjohnson@tribune.com
He makes it look easy
Baxter Holmes
Los Angeles Times
The only reason Phil Jackson's fingers are loaded with rings: He coached some of the greatest players of all time — MJ, Pippen, Kobe and Shaq.
Yeah, and meanwhile, back on planet Earth …
Why, oh why, does that load-of-malarkey line get overused on Phil? Sure, he had the goods, but lots of teams did and still didn't win. (Here's looking at you, Stockton, Malone and Barkley — even though it was PJ and MJ who kept you title-less.)
And sure, if you took Lew Alcindor and Bill Walton from John Wooden, UCLA probably doesn't have as many banners. Same with taking Bill Russell from Red Auerbach, Derek Jeter from Joe Torre and Tom Brady from Bill Belichick.
Great coaches get everyone to put egos and issues aside and put forth their best effort toward the shared goal of winning. It's tough, but Phil makes it look easy.
bholmes@tribune.com
2nd to none, even Red
Paul Doyle
Hartford Courant
It's one of those absolutes ingrained into every New England sports fan — Ted Williams was the greatest hitter who ever lived, Bobby Orr was the best hockey player to ever lace up the skates, and Red Auerbach is better than any coach in NBA history.
End of discussion, right?
Wrong. Old Red needs to make room for Phil Jackson on his throne.
Forget the argument that Jackson has only won with stars. Auerbach's rosters included a Hall of Fame wing (Cousy, Russell, Havlicek, etc.), so we can say the same things about Red's titles.
Auerbach built title teams in the '50s, '60s, '70s and '80s, securing his place as perhaps the greatest executive in league history. As a coach, though, he runs second to Jackson.
pdoyle@tribune.com