Frank's Thoughts on Scott

[Dr. Jones]

I like how people here talk about like they actually know assistant coaches ability level.

We've debated this before, not sure why you find this so difficult to understand. Assistant coaches typically (hopefully) are assigned very specific tasks (defense, big man coach, etc) and it's usually not hard to see how good of job they are doing at it ..

Only way you don't have any idea, is if the coaching staff doesn't make their individual roles public information. Or worse, they don't have specific roles .. but I have NEVER heard of that before .. way too stupid.

 

[The Fresh Prince]

Scott Layden is overrated as a mf.

 

[Chad Feldheimer]

Fat Frank said: "Fortunately, Scott was able to leave. You don’t want to be where you aren’t wanted, and he got a good job with a good organization."

Wasn't wanted? He has been hired at least twice for two different jobs with the Jazz. Most recently assistant job for 6 seasons and with 2 different coaches. It wasn't like Scott was in a basketball operations position with the Jazz. He was an assistant coach. Had he been the assistant GM with the Jazz, I could see him being upset.

Glad to see Scott was relieved of his slave labor here. Any word if he had to return the ankle monitor?

 

[Stifle Tower]

Of course Frank would say that - he's his dad. What else could he have said?

I just don't see Scott showing the kind of leadership skill, initiative or creativity to fulfill the GM role that KOC was after. Scott looks to me to be too much of a 'yes man' kinda guy.

And I don't think KOC was looking for that. KOC said it himself in hiring Lindsey "I got a new playmate". I just don't see Scott to be the kind of guy who would bring new ideas, outside the box thinking, to the table - which is something I'm sure KOC was looking for.

And Scott failed miserably in New York. I'm sure that was factored in. There's no telling how much of Scotty's real success in Utah was due to advice on players coming from daddy, who was still very active as a consultant. I'm sure Scott was more of his own man in New York. The Layden's should be kissing the Millers' feet for giving Scott a coaching job and opportunity to rebuild his resume.

 

[Deleted member 848]

We've debated this before, not sure why you find this so difficult to understand. Assistant coaches typically (hopefully) are assigned very specific tasks (defense, big man coach, etc) and it's usually not hard to see how good of job they are doing at it ..

Only way you don't have any idea, is if the coaching staff doesn't make their individual roles public information. Or worse, they don't have specific roles .. but I have NEVER heard of that before .. way too stupid.

TyCo was interviewed on 1280 this week, and one of the DJs asked him what each specific task was for each specific coach. Ty merely said 'to win ballgames *hyukhyukhyuk*" and seemed to infer that each AssCoach didn't have a specific duty like defensive coordinator, offensive coordinator, and so on. Or maybe he is just keeping it sect, so the media won't pile on a given coach if one of our aspects of our team is falling behind

 

[Getting Traded]

Who knows went on behind the scenes. They might've had a reason not to tell Scott about the opening, probably because they didn't want to hire him for the job, and if they had told him, Frank might've tried to influence the hiring of him.

 

[vslice02]

I like Scott Layden as a person and appreciate what he did in his first stint as Utah GM, but he's not right for the position with a rebuilding Utah team now. In NY he lost virtually all of his general manager credibility, and that's a major issue when it comes to making deals in the future. Although you wouldn't know it from this board, O'Connor is very well respected throughout the league and that's vital when it comes to making deals, handling agents/media/players, building relationships and establishing contacts. In San Antonio - Scott can rebuild much of that credibility by serving under the best GM in the league and evaluate talent in the haven of the Spurs front office.

I understand Frank's argument that a courtesy interview with Scott should've been granted - but from Utah's perspective if they weren't going to seriously consider him as GM - why lead him with a possible promotion he has no shot at? It would've been equally as difficult to make an outside hire and then expect Scott to resume his assistant coaching duties.

I wish Scott the best because he's a great guy and will always love the Layden family.

under Scott's leadership, the Jazz lost Shandon Anderson and Howard Eisley to free agency and we got nothing in return because the Jazz "wouldn't be blackmailed" into a sign-and-trade.

Anderson was on Layden's watch, Eisley was on KOC's (although Utah acquired Donyell Marshall in a sign&trade involving Eisley).

 

[Dr. Jones]

TyCo was interviewed on 1280 this week, and one of the DJs asked him what each specific task was for each specific coach. Ty merely said 'to win ballgames *hyukhyukhyuk*" and seemed to infer that each AssCoach didn't have a specific duty like defensive coordinator, offensive coordinator, and so on. Or maybe he is just keeping it sect, so the media won't pile on a given coach if one of our aspects of our team is falling behind

I sincerely hope (expect) that was just coach speak.

 

[nightmare3983]

Wasn't wanted? He has been hired at least twice for two different jobs with the Jazz. Most recently assistant job for 6 seasons and with 2 different coaches. It wasn't like Scott was in a basketball operations position with the Jazz. He was an assistant coach. Had he been the assistant GM with the Jazz, I could see him being upset.

Glad to see Scott was relieved of his slave labor here. Any word if he had to return the ankle monitor?

I agree with you completely. The Jazz obviously wanted Scott around, just not as their GM. He wouldn't have been with the organization at all if they didn't want him. That being said, it still would have been good for the Jazz to tell him that were hiring a GM and let him know why they were looking in another direction. I'm sure he had some hurt feelings not being told about the job opening up until after Lindsey got hired.

 

[homeytennis]

As both an employer and job seeker I hate "courtesy interviews." I'm not sure any I've been involved with on both sides of the table have resulted in a job offer to the "courtesy interviewee." Generally to grant one is mean.

 

[theNBAnerd]

TyCo was interviewed on 1280 this week, and one of the DJs asked him what each specific task was for each specific coach. Ty merely said 'to win ballgames *hyukhyukhyuk*" and seemed to infer that each AssCoach didn't have a specific duty like defensive coordinator, offensive coordinator, and so on. Or maybe he is just keeping it sect, so the media won't pile on a given coach if one of our aspects of our team is falling behind

I sincerely hope (expect) that was just coach speak.

it was.

the jazz coaches ARE assigned to work with and prepare a specific group of players before each game. i'm not sure who currently is assigned to what, but someone sits down and talks with the bigs about key players, the scouting report, what they're going to try to do to slow a particular player, etc. then another assistant has the same convo with the wings, and another guy works with the points. i think ty was just giving the simple media-trained answer.

 

[mellow]

It wasn't a marriage. If the relationship was not fulfilling each of parties needs then it was time to split.

Frank left the Jazz once, so did Scott. But appartently he believes that moving on can only happen from one side of the relationship?

 

[7StraightIsGreat]

It's already been mentioned, but the Jazz obviously want to get away from "the good ole boy" type of franchise that they had become, and quite honestly, why shouldn't they? As much as we Love Larry, Frank, Jerry, Stockton, and Malone, the old way of doing business resulted in ZERO championships. Bringing Scott Layden in again as GM is just more of the same.

From what little I've read on Lindsay, it seems as if the Jazz were very high on his out of the box style thinking in regards to the metrics he uses when evaluating players. It's a different direction for the Jazz, and it's a good thing.

I don't think they did wrong by Scott Layden. They hired him as an assistant after he was fired in NY, and he would have continued to have employment on the Jazz bench if he had wanted to stay (don't blame him for leaving). How can Frank say Scott shouldn't stay where he "isn't wanted"?

Greg Miller is a huge tool, but I give him props for knowing his place. Ironically, he may prove to be a better owner than his father. Yes, his father was more passionate and much more likeable, but he was too emotionally invested. He couldn't back away and see the big picture at times. Greg needs to let KOC and Lindsay run this thing while he sits back and signs the checks. It seems as if he's willing to do just that.

 

[theNBAnerd]

i think any organization has to find the right balance between developing/promoting from within and finding the best talent from outside to bring fresh perspectives. any organization of any kind that only hires ONE of those two ways is going to have problems.

this summer, the jazz promoted a player development specialist to assistant coach, and hired a guy who was a jazz scout for years to be the new player development specialist. but then they also went out and found an assistant GM who has never worked a day for the jazz.

so i'm not saying they'll never promote a guy internally again... just that, if they're smart, they'll find the RIGHT talent through a blended approach.

 

[jimmy eat jazz]

It seems to me that the Jazz brass knew from the beginning who they wanted and Scott Layden wasn't the guy. So why do through the sham process of interviewing him? They probably should have, however, given him some heads up--that would appear to be the courteous thing to do given Layden's long association with the franchise. But I don't think that, as Frank says, Scott wasn't wanted, he just wasn't wanted to be GM. Remember, he was fired from his last GM job, and the guy they hired has been long associated with a multiple title winning small market franchise.

Just a dad sticking up for his child, as we all would, but dads aren't necessarily known for perspective when it comes to their children.