# Pacers fire Isiah



## onetwo88 (Jul 16, 2002)

InsideHoops.com reports that the Indiana Pacers are letting Isiah Thomas go. They will pay him his final year's salary but will find a new head coach. Aug 27

Link: http://www.insidehoops.com/isiah-thomas-082703.shtml


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## TMOD (Oct 12, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>onetwo88</b>!
> InsideHoops.com reports that the Indiana Pacers are letting Isiah Thomas go. They will pay him his final year's salary but will find a new head coach. Aug 27
> 
> Link: http://www.insidehoops.com/isiah-thomas-082703.shtml


:banana: 'Bout time.


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## Pacers Fan (Aug 25, 2002)

YAY! The most overrated coach in history is gone! Now we can get to the finals. Let's celebrate:allhail: :dpepper: :woot: :headbang: :wordyo: :buddies: :rock: :cbanana: :wbanana: :gbanana: :rbanana: :banana: :vbanana: :bbanana:


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## hobojoe (Jun 20, 2003)

This is NOT good for you guys. Didn't Jermaine say if they fired Isiah, he would leave through free agency? So now they signed him, then let Isiah go? He is gonna be one pissed off man, thats for sure.


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## Pacers Fan (Aug 25, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>hobojoe45555</b>!
> This is NOT good for you guys. Didn't Jermaine say if they fired Isiah, he would leave through free agency? So now they signed him, then let Isiah go? He is gonna be one pissed off man, thats for sure.


Smart move by the pacers. But i don't think Jermaine will be angry. He just wants to win and have players around him that have the desire he does. Isiah leaving will definately help our winning percentage and some of our players have really seemed to mature.


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## Scinos (Jun 10, 2003)

Hmm...does this mean Carlisle is on his way to Indiana ? :whoknows:


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## Peja Vu (Jun 9, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Scinos</b>!
> Hmm...does this mean Carlisle is on his way to Indiana ? :whoknows:


That is who they should have hired in the first place...


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## MikeDC (Jul 16, 2002)

INDIANAPOLIS -- Isiah Thomas was fired Wednesday as head coach of the Indiana Pacers, a surprise move that came only seven weeks after Larry Bird took over as president of basketball operations.

Thomas will be paid for the final season remaining on his contract.

"After looking at film, seeing how things were and evaluating the basketball operations, I detected the team's chemistry wasn't what it should be," Bird said. "A change was necessary and a fresh start was important." 

In other words, Larry's diagnosis was that Isiah sucked as a coach. I can't say I disagree.


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## MillerTime (Jul 6, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Scinos</b>!
> Hmm...does this mean Carlisle is on his way to Indiana ? :whoknows:


WOW. If it is, this will be the happiest day of my life. Awsome move by the Pacers. Prolly more of a Larry Bird move then Donnie Walsh. I hope Carlisle is named head coach. ESPN's Marc Stien reported like 2 weeks ago that he's sources say Carlisle will be coach by opening day, i personally thought he was just saying it to get attention but now maybe he's got some real good sources??

Thank god. No more of those stupid inconsistant rotations!

Btw, here's a quote from Larry Bird: "After looking at film, seeing how things were and evaluating the basketball operations, I detected the team's chemistry wasn't what it should be," Bird said. "A change was necessary and a fresh start was important."


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## ArtestFan23 (Jun 20, 2003)

Rick Carlisle will be named the next Indiana Pacers coach by Friday morning - book it.


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## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Scinos</b>!
> Hmm...does this mean Carlisle is on his way to Indiana ? :whoknows:


That's the first thought that came to my mind as well. The second is what about Bird making a return to coaching? I doubt it, but ...


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## MillerTime (Jul 6, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Pacers Fan</b>!
> 
> 
> Smart move by the pacers. But i don't think Jermaine will be angry. He just wants to win and have players around him that have the desire he does. Isiah leaving will definately help our winning percentage and some of our players have really seemed to mature.


Maybe. But i think he's a little more mature then like a 10 year old. I mean, coaches come and go. And i am sure before they fired IT they gave O'Neal a phone call so he wouldn't learn it over the tv or something. O'Neal is a player on a organization, he's the star player but it's not up to him to decide to see who's coach and who's not. 

This is the best move for the team and as a fan seeing the team play with Thomas as coach, i am the happiest guy in the world right now. I hated how Thomas never called time out when we needed one and his lineups always changed. Thank god he's gone, i'm sure O'Neal might be disappointed at first, but he's grown up and he will realize it's for the best.

Btw, This is the same O'Neal who said he will not re-sign if Artest is still on the team. And guess what, O'Neal re-signed and Artest is still with us!


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## clownskull (Jun 21, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Jemel Irief</b>!
> Good riddance. I hate that snake. He's ruined everything since he retired. Caused the Raptors to implode, ruined the CBA, the Eastern All-stars ("its my team") and possibly Ron Artest's career.


actually, you are incorrect about a few things here. the whole allstars thing "it's my team" was an outright lie by craig sager. craig later admitted that he made that up completely. and i fail to see how he is responsible for ron artest's career. i thought that was ron's job. otherwise, i am pleased to know isiah is gone. it looked pretty clear to me last year that in the 2nd half of the season with the irregular lineups, his team had quit on him except for jermaine and reggie.


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## DetBNyce (Jul 23, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>MillerTime</b>!
> 
> Thank god. No more of those stupid inconsistant rotations!


Rick Carlisle, if he is named coach has some stupid substitution patterns too. But, he has proved to be a much better coach than Zeke and if he is named the new coach, I think it was a good move by the Pacers and as much as I love Zeke he hasn't been handling his business as a coach. I for one don't want to see Carlisle end up in Indy.


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## PacersguyUSA (Sep 1, 2002)

Whoah, this is a huge suprise. This is the second best off season move we've done. I don't know if it will matter who the coach will be though, remember Isiah was the easter conference all-star coach.


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## MillerTime (Jul 6, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>DetBNyce</b>!
> 
> 
> Rick Carlisle, if he is named coach has some stupid substitution patterns too. But, he has proved to be a much better coach than Zeke and if he is named the new coach, I think it was a good move by the Pacers and as much as I love Zeke he hasn't been handling his business as a coach. I for one don't want to see Carlisle end up in Indy.


We the have the world's best offense so i am not worried about him being a defense first coach.

But, he did something good to Jerry Stackhouse who became a star under him if i am correct, maybe he can help Bender and/or Harrington too.


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## PacersguyUSA (Sep 1, 2002)

Stackhouse was a star before Carlisle.


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## FSH (Aug 3, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>PacersguyUSA</b>!
> Stackhouse was a star before Carlisle.


Carlisle turned Big Ben/Rip/Billup all in to stars..not stackhouse


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## TMOD (Oct 12, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>PacersguyUSA</b>!
> Stackhouse was a star before Carlisle.


He was much better under Carlisle.


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## PacersguyUSA (Sep 1, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Four_Season_Hustler</b>!
> 
> 
> Carlisle turned Big Ben/Rip/Billup all in to stars..not stackhouse


I know I was responding to Millertime.


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## PacersguyUSA (Sep 1, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>TMOD</b>!
> He was much better under Carlisle.


Wasn't Stackhouse 2nd in the league in scoring on the Sixers or on the Pistons before Carlisle?


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## MillerTime (Jul 6, 2003)

Ok maybe i was wrong. I'll need to hear it from a Detriot fan though.


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## TMOD (Oct 12, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>PacersguyUSA</b>!
> 
> 
> Wasn't Stackhouse 2nd in the league in scoring on the Sixers or on the Pistons before Carlisle?


Yes...but the Pistons started to win when Stack was under Carlisle, because he started to pass more and trust his teammates, and took better shots. He also tried harder on defense.


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## PacersguyUSA (Sep 1, 2002)

Ok, good point. They could have been winning because of Ben Wallace though.


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## TMOD (Oct 12, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>PacersguyUSA</b>!
> Ok, good point. They could have been winning because of Ben Wallace though.


True...still, I think Rick will be able to bring the best out of the Pacers, hopefully Bender. He should also help control Ron, and Jermaine will benefit. So will Jamaal...heck, everyone will. I hope the Pacers usual pre-season top 3 ranking will actually hold under Carlisle unlike with Isaiah.


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## Bad Bartons (Aug 23, 2002)

*Thomas is fired*

I love it! 

Congrats to all Pacer fans. Thomas has lucked out with some great young talent in Indy. That team should go further than it has. 

I think the perfect fit would be Rick Carlisle. He played with Bird (at least he watched Bird from the bench) in Boston. They are very good friends and Rick has done a great job coaching in the NBA.

Congrats again on getting rid of that sawed off, classless Thomas.


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## PacersguyUSA (Sep 1, 2002)

People on the radio are saying that the Thomas firing was race related. WTF?! Stupid people.


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## TMOD (Oct 12, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>PacersguyUSA</b>!
> People on the radio are saying that the Thomas firing was race related. WTF?! Stupid people.


That is ridiculous...


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## Jay Marioti (Aug 12, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>DetBNyce</b>!
> 
> 
> Rick Carlisle, if he is named coach has some stupid substitution patterns too.


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## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

Bird said his first choice to replace Thomas was Rick Carlisle, but added that no deal had been reached.

Carlisle was an assistant during Bird's time as Indiana's coach. Carlisle spent the past two seasons as coach of the Detroit Pistons before being fired in May.

"Probably today or tomorrow, probably today, we will talk with him," Bird said.

http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/2/069059-1882-116.html


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## Jay Marioti (Aug 12, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>PacersguyUSA</b>!
> Ok, good point. They could have been winning because of Ben Wallace though.


:yes: :yes: :yes: :yes:


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## PacersguyUSA (Sep 1, 2002)

I just heard that the Pacers hired Carlisle, don't know if it's true though.


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## MillerTime (Jul 6, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>PacersguyUSA</b>!
> I just heard that the Pacers hired Carlisle, don't know if it's true though.


Beat me to it. 

cbssportsline.com reports Rick Carlisle will be new Pacers head coach by the weekend.



> Thomas, an NBA Hall of Famer, led the young Pacers into the playoffs in all three of his seasons, but they were knocked out in the first round each year. As first reported by SportsLine.com's Mike Kahn, the Pacers are expected to hire former Detroit Pistons head coach and former Pacers assistant Rick Carlisle by the weekend.


Rest of article: http://cbs.sportsline.com/nba/story/6597518


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## bballin (Jun 3, 2003)

*Damn!*

another eastern team making a large improvement in its playoff ability. From a Celtics fan, I say well done, but also i would have personally preferred Thomas to stay as the coach (cough*playoffs*cough)


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## RP McMurphy (Jul 17, 2003)

Wow, I was offline for a few hours, and all this was going on!

Thank you Larry Bird! 

Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Isiah! :nah:

Rick Carlisle getting hired this weekend :makeadeal

JO at first :banghead:

JO and the rest of the Pacers after they realize what a good coach Carlisle is and the Pacers don't collapse in the second half of the season :jump:

Me cheering in the audience next year when the Pacers get out of the first round :clap:

Party at my house if we make the Finals :mob:


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## Crossword (Jun 7, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Jemel Irief</b>!
> Good riddance. I hate that snake. He's ruined everything since he retired. Caused the Raptors to implode, ruined the CBA, the Eastern All-stars ("its my team") and possibly Ron Artest's career.


You took the words right out of my mouth...

Isaiah gone is a great thing - he encouraged Ron's behaviour this year, he gave Pierce, Ilgauskas, and Carter little to no burn at the ASG... he was the main reason for our implosion in the middle of the season.

Let's just hope the Pacers take the right guy this time.


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## DetBNyce (Jul 23, 2002)

For all the bad mouthing y'all are doing on Zeke he had to have done something good and meant something to the players for them to care about him as much as he did... They decieved J.O. and Zeke and it makes 'em look like liars.


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## Tactics (Mar 6, 2003)

Yes we got Carlisle and got rid of Thomas! A dream come true! Now I bet Bender has a good season. 

OT-Sorry guys about the lack of posting, I've been busy, I'll try to get some good threads going within the next couple of days.


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## dhook54 (Aug 7, 2003)

I'm not an Indiana fan, but, I love the pro game to such an extent, that I read everything I can. I know, I may anger the legendary Indiana fans. [all respect due] But, Larry Bird has shown absolutely no class in the way he fired Isiah Thomas. Much has been made of their beef which goes back to their playing days. So what.? the Celtics and Pistons were BITTER rivals, were they suppose to be friends? Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen had beef. [remember Rodman shoving Pippen into the metal support?] but they were able to win 3 championships, TOGETHER. Bird just wanted to give his friend the job. Bird stated he is unconcerned, with Carlisle's baggage from Detroit. Does that mean, he's ok with Carlisle talking down to players, disrespecting them, and treating them like they're nothing, without, "his brain" directing them? Larry Bird deserves all the acclaim he's received for his playing career. But, as a person, he's just another, "good old boy" *******!


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## ghettorooster (Jul 27, 2003)

well here is the thing. Isiah was a horrible in-game coach. He was really good with the core players though like JO Artest Al Harrington, I bet Mercer didnt like him...until the playoffs that is =/

Anyway, I dont think I have ever seen such poor in game coaching decisions, thats why he was fired.

Not cause he had beef with larry. Isiah just plain stunk... bad.. anyone who actually watched 2nd half of the season last year knows this.

Will Carlisle be a better coach? hellyes he will. Will he nurture the players and be their buddy like Isiah? hellnawl he wont.

Only thing that is going to be bad is if JO throws a temper tantrum like a 5 year old and wont play like the great player he is... or demands a trade cause his "father figure" isnt the coach now. You know its not like Isiah and JO cant talk to eachother. Isiah can still be JO's daddy, and JO can lead the pacers to a championship with a real coach who knows wtf he is doing.

Cmon, Ron Mercer game 4 and 5 boston playoffs... nuff said. He really was an AWFUL in game coach!


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## dhook54 (Aug 7, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>PacersguyUSA</b>!
> People on the radio are saying that the Thomas firing was race related. WTF?! Stupid people.


It could be true. When yo lisen to Bird talk, you hear "*******". I think it was more vindictivness and nepotism related than racerelated.


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## dhook54 (Aug 7, 2003)

I guess Austin [Larry's boy] Croshere will get a lot more time now.


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## Crossword (Jun 7, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>dhook54</b>!
> I guess Austin [Larry's boy] Croshere will get a lot more time now.


That's not exactly a bad thing...


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## Pacers Fan (Aug 25, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Budweiser_Boy</b>!
> 
> 
> That's not exactly a bad thing...


I agree. Croshere is still a good hustle player, ok 3-point shooter and all-around player. I could easily see him backing up Big Al at SF.


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## MillerTime (Jul 6, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Pacers Fan</b>!
> 
> 
> I agree. Croshere is still a good hustle player, ok 3-point shooter and all-around player. I could easily see him backing up Big Al at SF.


I couldn't agree more. I also think Jeff Foster will be so much better under Carlisle. I think Foster could be a very solid defensive player under Carlisle.


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## TLR (May 28, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>dhook54</b>!
> 
> It could be true. When yo lisen to Bird talk, you hear "*******". I think it was more vindictivness and nepotism related than racerelated.


Wow that is pretty ignorant. It was race-related because of the way Larry Bird talks? Ignorance...:no:


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## Tactics (Mar 6, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>TLR</b>!
> 
> 
> Wow that is pretty ignorant. It was race-related because of the way Larry Bird talks? Ignorance...:no:


if anyone says it is race related then that is pure BS! Zeke was fired because he has no coaching skills.


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## dhook54 (Aug 7, 2003)

In the area of style of play, Thomas followed a vision rooted in his belief of tough, hard nosed defense, most exemplified in young players like Ron Artest and Jermaine O'Neal, which, ironically, is a philosophy Larry Bird seemed to
follow as a player himself on a nightly basis for the Boston Celtics.

When compared, their so called "creative differences" are not so different. So why would Larry Bird fire Isiah Thomas without giving him at least the last year of his contract to prove his worth in gold? Could it possibly be
because of ego, or the desire to get "one up" on a former enemy?

POSSIBLY NOT, BUT CONSIDER THIS. It is well documented that when Larry Bird handed the reins over to Isiah Thomas as coach of the Indiana Pacers that he walked from the podium with neither a smile nor an affirmative nod of
approval. Although respectful of each other's past accomplishments, Larry Bird rarely depicts Isiah Thomas as a worthy rival who made him better as a player, a designation he often assigns to Magic Johnson. As for Isiah
Thomas, he was a member of a team that bitterly scratched and clawed its way to the top, in the process stepping on the Boston Celtics and sending them on a downward spiral ever since.

There are many reasons why Isiah Thomas is no longer the coach of the Indiana Pacers. Those given thus far are rather cliché and predictable. To imply that the Indiana Pacers were not going in the right direction under Isiah's leadership would be an understatement, and to suggest that personal grudges are determining factors in the decision of one NBA icon to fire another might be ludicrous. But never underestimate the power of ego in the NBA as a determining force in the competition for further greatness.


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## dhook54 (Aug 7, 2003)

By Ric Bucher
ESPN The Magazine

The what-goes-around-comes-around crowd -- also known as the Payback-is-a-B---- Posse in less polite circles -- will be delighted with new Pacers president Larry Bird firing old Pacers coach Isiah Thomas on Wednesday.

Popular thinking had it that Isiah's days were numbered once Bird was hired nearly two months ago. How, after all, could Bird stomach working with a man who supported Dennis Rodman's assertion back in the mid-80s that Larry's legend was largely due to his skin color? Or how could he not axe the guy who got the job at the expense of one of his best friends and former assistants, Rick Carlisle? And what better retribution than to not only dump Zeke but wait until all the other coaching jobs are filled so he has nowhere else to go?


If Xs and Os were the reason for Isiah Thomas' firing, he would've been let go long ago. 
This scenario is so neat and tidy that it almost seems a shame to allow reality to muck it all up.

Thomas was let go, various sources say, because Bird sensed no urgency from him or his coaching staff to make sure last year's embarrassing first-round playoff choke to the Celtics wouldn't happen again. In Bird's view, that meant staying on the Pacer youngsters to dedicate their summers to improving, which would require the presence of assistants to work with players and Thomas to check in with players about their offseason programs. This is the same Bird, after all, whose work ethic was so revered it inspired Pacers players to report to Indianapolis and hold their own full-bore practices during the owners' lockout in '99.

None of that, the sources say, was happening. Thomas spent the three weeks before his firing hanging with Team USA, supposedly at the request of coach Larry Brown. But if his absence from Indy was grating on Bird, his presence wasn't sitting well with the Team USA assistant coaches, who saw Isiah's presence as a distraction.

Bird waited until last week to tell CEO Donnie Walsh that Thomas needed to go for two reasons -- to give Isiah and his staff a chance to show they were working on a solution for last season's dismal ending and to gauge the players' commitment to Thomas. Had it been about Xs and Os, for which Thomas was highly criticized last season, the decision would've been made much sooner. In the end, apparently not enough influential Pacers felt as strongly as Jermaine O'Neal, who said he re-signed this summer with the assurance that Isiah would be back


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## TLR (May 28, 2003)

I don't really care about Larry and Zeke's rivalry. Zeke was a great great player but he sucked as a coach and Carlisle is/will be 1000x better.


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