Casey too soft?

[TheGloveinRapsUniform]

I might be wrong about this but im going with this based on my experience.

I have not heard Casey ever go off on his team, when they play like idiots, like the loss to the Bucks, Bulls and specially the Sixers.

Is it because he's new? Afraid to get fired? Do the Raptors need a coach who will call them out in the media every game they lose due to stupidity?

I thought of starting this thread after read Doc Rivers' comments after the Celts lost to the pistons

QUOTABLE II: "I don't think we have the commitment to be a good basketball team. This team wants everything easy, they want the easy way out. They want to win easy, but the only way you're going to win easy is you're going to have to play hard. We're taking the wrong approach. I've either got to find the right combination, the right guys, or we're going to have to get some guys out of here."

-- Celtics coach Doc Rivers after his team dropped to .500

What do you guys think?

[ceez]

probably because Casey doesn't have very much say in that kind of thing and the team knows that. from what ive heard he definitely rips into the team when they have it coming, though. i know he's a big fan of the early morning practice sessions.

[Papa Burgundy]

Celtics have hall of famers, all-stars, players with championship pedigree and experience ... can turn it on or off with effort,

Raptors have boatloads of youth and inexperience (almost no playoff experience) or history of winning ... expectations were less, rightfully so - and to crush their development for understandable learning mistakes would be dumb imo.

[Eric Akshinthala]

I'd say none of the reasons quoted. He's soft because he's soft. That's who he is. As bad as our record is, the truth is he has made a difference. In other words his methods are working especially defensively, despite his softness. It's wise to just let him be himself unless his softness starts becoming the reason for failure. I don't see that yet.

[white men can't jump]

I also don't think it's fair to say he's soft when none of us have the slightest clue what goes on behind closed doors. I don't think that he is, not that I have any real evidence to support that. It's not like NBA coaches go out every day threatening to get rid of players who aren't playing well. They don't need to, it's a business and everyone already knows it. And frankly, this is not something Doc does a lot either. He's a smart dude though, and knows the expectation this year was to have an outside shot at a championship. The team isn't playing like that, so it's a subtle challenge to his team that they need to step up if they want to be part of a potential contender. At the same time, it can't hurt if some guys do respond and it helps their trade value.

I just don't see what kind of coach you'd expect to have. What coach would so frequently blast his team and have any chance of being successful in a player-driven league?

[white men can't jump]

Celtics have hall of famers, all-stars, players with championship pedigree and experience ... can turn it on or off with effort,

Raptors have boatloads of youth and inexperience (almost no playoff experience) or history of winning ... expectations were less, rightfully so - and to crush their development for understandable learning mistakes would be dumb imo.

I hadn't even read your comment. Right on. Expectations are huge. And a young team doesn't need their play publicly criticized a lot, and can't afford to lose confidence they're building. We'll see what Casey is like if the team and expectations improve.

[p00ka]

"What do you guys think? "

Honestly? That it's absurd to suggest that Casey is soft because he doesn't rip his players publicly to the media.

[TheGloveinRapsUniform]

Celtics have hall of famers, all-stars, players with championship pedigree and experience ... can turn it on or off with effort,

Raptors have boatloads of youth and inexperience (almost no playoff experience) or history of winning ... expectations were less, rightfully so - and to crush their development for understandable learning mistakes would be dumb imo.

So when Doc called out the "Celtics", were you saying only Garnett, Rondo, Pierce, Terry, Bass were his targets when he said that maybe they need to get some guys out of there, and the young ones, Bradley and Sullinger were not being criticized?

So youre saying that Lowry, Calderon, Amir, Anderson, Derozan should be exempt from being publicly criticized by Casey because collectively, the Raptors are a young group and it might crush their feelings and hinder their development?

[TheGloveinRapsUniform]

Why is it absurd? I can name a few coaches who publicly criticize their players and maybe you can tell me what they all have in common.....

Popovich. Rivers. Phil Jackson. Red Auerbach. Pat Riley. D'Antoni. Jeff and Stan Van Gundy.

How bout these young coaches who have started to criticize their players in the media...

Spoelstra. Carlisle. Thibodeau.

"What do you think?"

[Eric Akshinthala]

I don't agree with coaches who believe it's right to criticise players publicly. IMO a)criticism should be healthy and respectful and b)should be done privately. Public criticism can only anger the player and have a negative effect on his performance.

[Rapstor4Life]

Its a different situation Raps are full of rookies and relatively young inexperienced kids most of them 4 years and under... You cant rip into them cause it could be very detrimental. Different story for The Bulls, Celtices and LAL if your team is full with stars and 7 year players they deserve a good ripping.

And calling Casey soft is silly especially if you paid any attention to the Dallas championship run, guy is a legit hard nosed tell it like it is coach you gotta look at the situations, I like how Casey handles the team everyone you can see on the team respects Casey 100% Jay Tirano and Smitch you could tell a lot of the guys we had let whatever they said go out the other ear.

[white men can't jump]

Umm...I don't know man, none of those guys frequently blast their teams. They do it occasionally. I'm sure you think the thing they have in common is they're winners, but also they had enough talent to do so. Pop didn't really succeed as a coach in his first attempt. Jackson coached the Jordan-Pippen Bulls, and the Kobe Lakers with both Shaq and Gasol. BTW, Jax struggled to contend without 2 legit stars. And also BTW, coaches like Riley, and Jeff and Stan Van Gundy, wear on their players very quickly when the team has little success, and need good players to succeed as well. D'Antoni's style isn't exactly working in LA, and he was only a "good" coach in PHX when the perfect situation fell into his lap with Nash, and good complimentary pieces. When that team broke apart, it didn't take long for the players to turn on D'Antoni because he's an asshole.

Also, again, expectations matter, and having the talent to create such expectations matters. Spoelstra was bending over backwarsd in his first year to be nice to the big 3 and not say anything wrong in the media. Carlisle has always been tough, isn't young, and his style also got him run out of Detroit and Indiana. I can't speak to Thibs. I know he's not soft, but can't think of any bad criticizing of players in the media, unless I forget/missed something.

[ball4life]

Why is it absurd? I can name a few coaches who publicly criticize their players and maybe you can tell me what they all have in common.....

Popovich. Rivers. Phil Jackson. Red Auerbach. Pat Riley. D'Antoni. Jeff and Stan Van Gundy.

How bout these young coaches who have started to criticize their players in the media...

Spoelstra. Carlisle. Thibodeau.

"What do you think?"

Carlisle? Thibodeau?? they have utmost respect around the league as perhaps all other coaches you mentioned. And Spoelstra's got Pat's back for w.e he wants to do .. its not quiet the same! you think BC will let DC talk shit abt Bargs and DD???

[koncept]

I'm sure he's not so soft behind closed doors. Whether or not he fully rips into them or not in the dressing room, I think his presence has an impact on this team.

[knickz]

I don't care if casey is soft or not, I just want him to start making better coaching decisions down the stretch in close games. If you look back at a lot of games we have lost them due to his puzzling decisions