[Chron] Adelman's demeanor inspires play

theREALDEALkid · Jan 16, 2009

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/6214385.html

Color him unflappable. In a season of injury and tension and disappointment, there aren’t many nicer things you can say about Rockets coach Rick Adelman.

“He’s just a really calm guy, and that’s something you come to love,” Rafer Alston said. “He was rock-solid through the 22-game winning streak, and he has been the same way through the ups and downs of a season like this.”

This season was supposed to be different for the Rockets. Surely, they wouldn’t be decimated by injuries again. Surely, they would get past the first round of the playoffs this time.

They had a deep, talented roster. They were no longer just Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. Daryl Morey acquired another established star in Ron Artest and filled out the roster with a nice mix of youth and experience.

If only. If it’s not another chapter in the McGrady soap opera, it’s injuries to Artest and Shane Battier. And a season that was supposed to be special has become a revolving door of lineups and a fight for survival in the Western Conference.

The Rockets have shown they’re good enough to beat the best teams in the league or lose to the worst. Ten teams have better records than the 24-16 Rockets.

Through it all, Adelman has remained pretty much the same, never losing sight of the bigger picture or publicly expressing the frustration he surely feels.

Steady as he goes

In short, he has been everything Leslie Alexander hoped he’d be when he hired him 18 months ago. The Rockets have learned firsthand how he has succeeded for 17 seasons in a league that chews up and spits out coaches.

“Every response isn’t an emotional one,” Rockets assistant coach Elston Turner said. “He thinks things through and can get his message across without being abrasive.”

Coaching in the NBA is an interesting challenge. Coaches give explanations, not orders. They persuade instead of push.

“Players appreciate how Rick deals with them,” Turner said. “I can’t tell you how many guys that have played for him would like the chance to play for him again. He’ll blow up in meetings. He’s human. Certain things get to him. But he doesn’t let the players see that side of him.”

One of Adelman’s role models was Jack Ramsay. To those of us of a certain age, he’ll be the NBA coach against whom all others are measured. He was fiercely competitive and strategically brilliant. He also got the best out of his players.

“He was my first boss,” Adelman, 62, said. “He was the most resilient guy I’ve ever seen after losses. He’d get so down, then you’d get to the airport the next morning and he’d be there talking to all the players.

“First of all, you have to be yourself. Players can see right through you if you’re trying to be somebody you’re not. You also can’t dwell on the negatives, on the losses. You have to talk through things and emphasize we have to stick together.”

Adelman seems to have a bit of Joe Torre in him. Fans see Torre sit there night after night, same body language, same facial expression.

His players say he has a way of expressing his displeasure in a way that never embarrasses a player but gets the message across.

“He’d stare at you,” one of his players said. “He didn’t have to say anything. You knew.”

Adelman’s players say he has some of that communication gift in him.

“You know when he’s mad,” Luther Head said. “He doesn’t have to say anything. We know what we’re supposed to do, and we know when we don’t do it. Sometimes you’d rather he said something. Sometimes it’s worse because he doesn’t say anything.”

Adelman doesn’t use the media as a sounding board or a way to talk to his players. If he has something to say, he says it directly.

Thoughtful approach

So how has he dealt with this season of challenges?

“I’ve always felt there were certain things you can’t control,” Adelman said. “Injuries are one of those things. You have to focus on the things you can: giving a good effort, doing the right things.

“The thing about this team is that we have a lot of character guys. Players can tune you in or out. My message has always been that it’s not my team. It’s our team. I respect their opinion. It’s my job to listen to them.”

The Rockets reach the halfway point of this season Saturday. Adelman and Morey believe in their original blueprint. If McGrady can return and play at a high level, if Artest and Battier can get back to normal, the Rockets could make something of this season. One thing that seems more certain by the day is that they’ve got the right coach leading them.

“We’ve had some tough losses,” Battier said. “Another coach might have become so frustrated that it could have lost his team. All coach Adelman asks is that we work hard and stick together. We’re lucky to have him.”
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Hayesfan · Jan 16, 2009

More interesting is DreamShake's response to the fluff...

Nice work GrungeDave

http://www.thedreamshake.com/2009/1/16/725823/a-puff-piece-on-rick-adelm

Richard Justice wrote yet another article on the Rockets. Even though he's probably counting the days until he can write about the Astros again. This time he wrote about Rick Adelman... in a positive light.

Color him unflappable. In a season of injury and tension and disappointment, there aren’t many nicer things you can say about Rockets coach Rick Adelman.
Click to expand...

That's because Coach Sleepy has been a disappointment this year and no one has anything nice to say about him to begin with. JVG would never allow a team this talented to sleepwalk through the Toronto game or be 24-16 at this point. The team is becoming a reflection of their coach. This is not a compliment.

“He’s just a really calm guy, and that’s something you come to love,” Rafer Alston said. “He was rock-solid through the 22-game winning streak, and he has been the same way through the ups and downs of a season like this.”
Click to expand...

To Rafer... everyone seems calm by comparison.

This season was supposed to be different for the Rockets. Surely, they wouldn’t be decimated by injuries again. Surely, they would get past the first round of the playoffs this time.
Click to expand...

Of course it's supposed to be different. It's a different year, with different players and we even added Ron Artest and another Barry family member. ... anyone who expected Tracy McGrady to average 30 a game and play 80+ games is a moron though. Richard Justice qualifies. (And how is it that Dickie is already writing off the Rockets' chances to advance this year?)

Through it all, Adelman has remained pretty much the same, never losing sight of the bigger picture or publicly expressing the frustration he surely feels.
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It's because he's asleep. Blissfully ignorant of what's going on.

“Players appreciate how Rick deals with them,” Turner said. “I can’t tell you how many guys that have played for him would like the chance to play for him again. He’ll blow up in meetings. He’s human. Certain things get to him. But he doesn’t let the players see that side of him.”
Click to expand...

Uhhhh... players like playing for all sorts of coaches that don't threaten their livelihoods. That isn't a good thing. Who wouldn't want to play for a coach that doesn't seem to be bothered if you screw up repeatedly?

When I see quotes about how much players like a certain coach -- that sends up red flags to me. The best coaches are typically despised on at least some level by their players. Once the players feel complacent and comfortable with the coach, they lose the "edge" that is needed to compete at the highest levels every night. I'm not saying I want players to lack respect for their coach. But I do think it's healthy for players to fear their coach, too.

Adelman seems to have a bit of Joe Torre in him. Fans see Torre sit there night after night, same body language, same facial expression.
Click to expand...

Except that Torre has four rings and the credibility that comes with being a champion.

Adelman’s players say he has some of that communication gift in him.

“You know when he’s mad,” Luther Head said. “He doesn’t have to say anything. We know what we’re supposed to do, and we know when we don’t do it. Sometimes you’d rather he said something. Sometimes it’s worse because he doesn’t say anything.”

Adelman doesn’t use the media as a sounding board or a way to talk to his players. If he has something to say, he says it directly.
Click to expand...

Luther Head being the obvious expert on this... though I'm not sure Luther actually knows what he's supposed to do.

So how has he dealt with this season of challenges?

“I’ve always felt there were certain things you can’t control,” Adelman said. “Injuries are one of those things. You have to focus on the things you can: giving a good effort, doing the right things.

“The thing about this team is that we have a lot of character guys. Players can tune you in or out. My message has always been that it’s not my team. It’s our team. I respect their opinion. It’s my job to listen to them.”
Click to expand...

No, it's their job to listen to you! At least now I know why Adelman's offense is ignored by the starters. Adelman, meanwhile, has apparently accepted that his in-game narcolepsy is beyond his control.

“We’ve had some tough losses,” Battier said. “Another coach might have become so frustrated that it could have lost his team. All coach Adelman asks is that we work hard and stick together. We’re lucky to have him.”
Click to expand...

As Chris Rock once said... if you want something, you have to come correct. There is no asking nicely. People will walk all over you if you only ask nicely. Adelman needs to DEMAND that the Rockets play hard. And he needs the team to know that HE is the boss. Not the other way around.

Can you picture JVG nicely asking T-Mac to play hard and actually try on defense? Yeah, me neither.

Wake up, Ricky!
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redao · Jan 16, 2009

why can not those suckers get over the JVGism?

tim562 · Jan 16, 2009

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=160994

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