Comeuppance

Phil Jackson was always happy to take the accolades for being a genius coach with an ingenious system, the triangle offense, which, as far as I can tell, he never fully explained.  My take is that it’s a sort of basketball flying wedge—a center, a guard and a forward in triangle formation running down court to open up shots for the other guard and forward.  And it’s a great system, provided you have if not the two best players ever in Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant then two of the best to run it.  Notice, though, how Jackson knew how to move on before the collapse of the Bulls’ and Lakers’ teams he coached.  That definitely was genius.

Now, Jackson is in charge of reviving the Knicks, which is very important for the city that thinks it invented the game of basketball.  Jackson’s handpicked coach, Derek Fisher, went 17-65 last year and 23-31 so far this season.  So, bye-bye, Derek.  There’s talk about Tom Thibodeau, late of the Bulls, as a replacement, but Thibs isn’t a fan of the triangle.

Jeff Van Gundy long ago dismissed Jackson as Big Chief Triangle.  The little man must be enjoying the big man’s comeuppance.  I know I am.