FJ Says "It Wasn't Me"

[George O'Brien]

Indy Star

It wasn't me!

Former Suns coach Frank Johnson was fired after an 8-13 start. A little more than a month later, it's apparent Johnson was not the problem. The revamped Suns are just 6-13 since he was jettisoned.

"All I'll say is that I know it wasn't me. I knew that all along. But I have to take responsibility. I understand that," said Johnson, who is using his free time to take his kids to school, play a lot of golf and travel.

 

[cardsunsfan]

"All I'll say is that I know it wasn't me. I knew that all along. But I have to take responsibility"

 

[cardsunsfan]

does that make sense?

 

[George O'Brien]

I put this up because I think it is so funny. But from the distance of Indianaopolis the won/loss makes it seem reasonable. Up close it is clear the Suns look like they know what they are doing. Under FJ they were clueless.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Someone get FJ his pacifier.

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by Chris_Sanders
Someone get FJ his pacifier.

And a clue.

FJ had the luxury of having the Big 3 healthy--D'Antoni has not--Amare hasn't been healthy, and there is no Marbury anymore. So how in the world can anyone, even idiot sports reporters even BEGIN to compare the D'Antoni Suns to the Frank Johnson Suns?

 

[arthurracoon]

All I have to say is:

Shut Up FJ!

 

[devilalum]

Originally posted by Chaplin
And a clue.

FJ had the luxury of having the Big 3 healthy--D'Antoni has not--Amare hasn't been healthy, and there is no Marbury anymore. So how in the world can anyone, even idiot sports reporters even BEGIN to compare the D'Antoni Suns to the Frank Johnson Suns?

Eastern Media

They don't even watch any Suns games and still talk like they know what the hell is going on.

 

[Joe Mama]

Is that for real? I thought it was a joke.

Joe Mama

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by Joe Mama
Is that for real? I thought it was a joke.

Joe Mama

Yep. It was in the Houston paper or something.

 

[F-Dog]

Actually, there's a similar article in the Houston Chronicle:

The story in Phoenix

-- Phoenix was 8-13 when Frank Johnson was fired Dec. 10. They are 8-15, and kind of happy about it, with Mike D'Antoni leading an up-tempo style and the kids playing well enough to offer hope.
Funny how trading your best player (Stephon Marbury) can change expectations and perspective.

But Johnson has a right to feel vindicated. If he hadn't fouled upand overachieved so much last season, he'd probably still be the head coach.

"All I'll say is that I know it wasn't me," he said. "I knew that all along. But I have to take responsibility. I understand that."

The Suns went 44-38 last season and were giving the Spurs fits in the first round until Marbury hurt his shoulder. Instead of giving Johnson credibility, the breakthrough inspired delusions.

Johnson said that when Suns chairman Jerry Colangelo called him into his office, he asked, "What would you do?"

Johnson said, "I can't answer that. I'm not in your position."

But when Johnson was asked what he wanted to do, he said he told Colangelo, "Stay here and fight through it."

He was fired shortly thereafter.

Link


Since nobody defends FJ around here, I'll mention that I think he wasn't the entire problem this season.

That said, the Suns look like they've made a major upgrade at head coach, and the columnist's idea that "If he hadn't fouled upand overachieved so much last season, he'd probably still be the head coach" is complete BS.

If anything, FJ would have been gone sooner...

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by F-Dog
Actually, there's a similar article in the Houston Chronicle:



Link


Since nobody defends FJ around here, I'll mention that I think he wasn't the entire problem this season.

This sentence is loaded with implications towards the rest of us. I'm not sure why you do that so often.

Frank Johnson obviously wasn't the entire problem--I don't remember anyone ever claiming that. Why should we defend him? It wasn't all his fault, but it certainly partly was, and when we fired him it was the right thing to do. He's a nice guy, just not a very good coach.

 

[F-Dog]

Originally posted by Chaplin
This sentence is loaded with implications towards the rest of us. I'm not sure why you do that so often.

Carelessness.

What I meant to say was, "I wish there was a fanatical FJ supporter on this board so I could help pile on him for backing this loser".

Sorry 'bout that.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by F-Dog
Carelessness.

What I meant to say was, "I wish there was a fanatical FJ supporter on this board so I could help pile on him for backing this loser".

Sorry 'bout that.

Early in the season I was slow to get down on FJ. Williams was injured, Carbakapa was just off IR, they had some new players, etc. But as time went on, it was clear that FJ's approach was simply not working. It was not that they were losing, but that they were looking bad against really bad teams.

I have the feeling that FJ has not learned anything about what he was doing wrong. If he hasn't, he will have a tough time getting another head coaching position.

 

[boisesuns]

"All I'll say is that I know it wasn't me. I knew that all along. But I have to take responsibility. I understand that," said Johnson, who is using his free time to take his kids to school, play a lot of golf and travel. [/B]

at least he can take SOMEONE to school.....ok that was bad

 

[sly fly]

I hope the C's learned a little lesson form this. FJ NEVER should have been hired in the first place.

Yeah, he was a good soldier for a few years... but his coaching pedigree was next to nil.

FJ should be licking the bottom of Jerry's boots for giving him a chance. And, he's lucky they didn't can his arse after his affair with one of their main advertiser's ex-wife.

For FJ to make a comment like this just shows you how ill-prepared he is in handling adversity. His lack of experience really shines through on this one.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by sly fly

FJ should be licking the bottom of Jerry's boots for giving him a chance. And, he's lucky they didn't can his arse after his affair with one of their main advertiser's ex-wife.

If memory serves me, they were separated but not divorced.

 

[Errntknght]

All I can say is that FJ's comment proves, once again, that he doesn't have clue...

 

[Dr. Dumas]

What really sealed my view of FJ was right after the Suns played the Jazz early in the season. I looked at the Jazz squad compaired to the Suns, and on paper the Suns were a much better team. Under FJ's leadership, the Suns looked like they had no clue running plays, how to bust a zone, ect. The Jazz looked like a well oiled machine, where everyone knew their roles. If someone on the Jazz shoots a bad shot, or makes a play that Sloan is not happy with, he will pull them immediately and replace them with someone who will run the plays properly.

I couldn't be more happier with D'A.

 

[JoeVMagic]

Originally posted by Dr. Dumas
What really sealed my view of FJ was right after the Suns played the Jazz early in the season. I looked at the Jazz squad compaired to the Suns, and on paper the Suns were a much better team. Under FJ's leadership, the Suns looked like they had no clue running plays, how to bust a zone, ect. The Jazz looked like a well oiled machine, where everyone knew their roles. If someone on the Jazz shoots a bad shot, or makes a play that Sloan is not happy with, he will pull them immediately and replace them with someone who will run the plays properly.

I couldn't be more happier with D'A.

So, are you saying the Suns would've won that game with D'Antoni at the helm?

The Jazz just looked pretty damn good that game. They were scoring really, really well against the Suns, who were a mediocre defensive team under F.J. However, even if the Suns look better now, do you really think the Suns would've been able to score 150+ points to beat the Jazz? Because if they were scoring well against the Suns then, they would've had a field day during the short-lived Marbury/D'Antoni era.

Maybe the fault should be a little more on STephon Marbury, who sometimes seemed to be hindering the team more than he was helping it. I mean, you look at the Suns since the trade, and you'll see that about 3 games after the trade was made, when the guys started getting to know their roles and getting comfortable in a Marbury-less offense, the Suns have looked very good, maybe even better, than any Suns team before the trade. And that includes the teams coached by FJ and Mike D.

 

[slinslin]

Well I sort of agree with FJ. I don't think D'Antoni is any better and not much different.

What has changed is the personel and the spirit but not the coaching really.
D'Antoni has the same approach as FJ.

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by slinslin
Well I sort of agree with FJ. I don't think D'Antoni is any better and not much different.

What has changed is the personel and the spirit but not the coaching really.
D'Antoni has the same approach as FJ.

Totally disagree. Totally.

Just looking at substitution patterns alone, D'Antoni is completely different.

 

[slinslin]

Playing Shawn Marion at PF for at least half of his minutes seems pretty FJ-like to me.
Sitting our big guys on the bench like Harvey? FJ.

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by slinslin
Playing Shawn Marion at PF for at least half of his minutes seems pretty FJ-like to me.
Sitting our big guys on the bench like Harvey? FJ.

True, there are some questions, but he definitely has a set rotation right now, which FJ NEVER committed to.

 

[JoeVMagic]

Originally posted by Chaplin
True, there are some questions, but he definitely has a set rotation right now, which FJ NEVER committed to.

A set rotation that includes Marion at power forward, CJ before Zarko, Eisley with too much time at point guard, Donell Harvey on the bench, and Scott Williams, a good jump shooter who was having a much better year than last, at... assistant coach??