NBA BASKETBALL
Time for Issel to Go
<Posted Jan 22, 2002. Originally written Dec 13, 2001>

By Jon Hrobsky (Arlington, VA)

One of the greatest moments I have ever experienced as a fan came in the spring of 1995. The Denver Nuggets just knocked off the Seattle Supersonics in one of the most memorable first round playoff series in my collective memory. I was watching the game at my sister's house in Chicago and had recently returned to the States from a semester in England. Things couldn't get better. We knew our team wasn't great, but they had heart. Mutumbo was the greatest defensive force that anyone from my generation had seen play live. Phonz was an up and coming power forward that was the poster child of athleticism and the face of this team.

Most importantly, this team was led by the former Nugget great, Dan Issel. He was a fiery coach that had turned around the future of the franchise from the awful experiment that was brought about by Doug Moe's demise and Paul Westhead's wasted experiment of hyperball.

I also have to tell you that Blair Rasmussen (former Nuggets Center) was and still is a family friend. My mom was a surrogate grandmother to their kids and I would talk ball with him, though I wish I had known basketball back then like I know it now and had been able to get those "inside" comments from Blair. The point is that I love the Nuggets. I get down when they lose and take all of the crap that goes along with being a fan, but enough is enough.

The last three times that the Nuggets were mentioned prominently by the national media goes in order: 1. The mutiny from about a year ago. I am sure you remember this team had played a late game the night before and decided they weren't going to show up for practice the next day and didn't. 2. Nick Van Exel demanding a trade. Nick is sick of the losing and is so consumed by winning that he can't take being in such a terrible situation. 3. Dan Issel making racial comments at fans.

Now I know fans can be rude and obnoxious, anyone that sits near me at a sporting event either laughs their ass off or is begging for someone to switch seats with them. However, Issel gets paid a lot of money and as president and coach, acting like an ass is not one of the reasons he makes that money. Self-control on the other hand is one of those reasons.

All three incidents are a disgrace to the franchise and to Issel. I point out the Clippers of 4 years ago being just terrible and being a laughing stock. The Clippers today are finally a better squad. The Nuggets, well they traded away 1st round picks every year. Issel was too absorbed in validating his career as a player and trying to find the second coming of him than getting Vince Carter or Paul Pierce who were both available.

Issel signed Tariq Abdul Wahad to a 7-year contract and Cory Alexander to a 6-year deal when both players were considered marginal role players at best. Issel starts Ryan Bowen, a player that probably couldn't make half of the rosters in the NBA let alone get playing time because Bowen is an "Issel" guy.

Without respectability, this franchise can't get better. Without a coach that actually teaches, players won't get better. Without a coach and a commitment, players won't want to play here.

Getting hired in this league means you get fired. This hasn't all been Issel's fault. He has had some shaky ownership situations and been hampered by all of the poor decisions of the Allan Bristow/Bill Hanzlik regime. We all understand Antonio McDyess is hurt and that this would be a better team with him healthy.

Issel told us he had a three-year plan. He told us he would quit if he couldn't get it done. With the eloquence of a politician, Issel squirmed his way out of that promise. In every one of anyone reading this' jobs, we are all held accountable for stupidity. Being a good guy isn't enough and it is time. I wanted to believe in Issel. I wanted people to give him a chance, but it is beyond where he can change. Maybe with a lot of talent, he could win.

Embarrassing this franchise with the epitaph can be seen as just the latest in a series of Isselisms. The sins of Issel are great. Issel shouldn't be fired purely because of this latest incident, instead he should be fired on the basis of yet one more sign of poor judgment.