Knicks Coach Mike Woodson Stubbornly Clings to Job

Published on 7-Mar-2014 by Raoul Duke

Basketball - NBA    NBA Daily Review

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Knicks Coach Mike Woodson Stubbornly Clings to Job

By all accounts, the New York Knicks appear to be doomed.

This applies not only to the current season, but also as an organization in general.

However, head coach Mike Woodson begs to differ.

Woodson made some comments recently that indicated his unwavering belief in his own ability as head coach of the New York Knicks, despite all evidence to the contrary:

''My thought process will never change in terms of me being the coach here,'' Woodson explained. ''I still think I was the guy for the job. I still think I am the guy for the job and I'm going to continue to work in that area.''

I am not about to speculate on the current mindset of Mike Woodson. Obviously, he needs to publicly maintain a façade of confidence in both himself and his team. He is certainly not going to bury his head in his hands or weep openly when questioned about his team, and must continue to say all the right things. The only alternative to this standard coach-speak would be a complete mental collapse, which would be unfortunate.

The Knicks currently stand at a distressing 22-40, a record that places them 11th in the woeful Eastern Conference. The mighty East currently features only six teams over .500, and four of them are not that far above the mark. The Atlanta Hawks would qualify for the playoffs today with a record of 26-33.

The point is that the Knicks are flailing badly, and the dysfunction permeating this organization cannot be remedied overnight. While this mess is not all on Woodson, he will make for a convenient scapegoat, either before the end of this season or during the offseason. It is really not a question of if, but when, despite the backing of Carmelo Anthony.

Reports surfaced recently that the Knicks have been courting Phil Jackson, but the practitioner of Zen is likely not returning to the sidelines and certainly not for this nonsense. A front office gig would be a more reasonable expectation for Phil.

In the meantime, the friendly folks at the Garden will continue to remind Woodson of his abject failure on a nightly basis.