Tag: Phil Jackson

Artest struggles through spotty Dancing with the Stars debut

Good thing for Ron Artest — or Metta World Peace — that his old coach Phil Jackson wasn’t grading his first appearance on “Dancing with the Stars.”

Artest and partner Peta Murgatroyd were the first participants in Monday’s DWTS opener. And Artest looked more like a basketball player-turned-hoofer with a sloppy version of the cha cha cha that was of the competition.

Maybe producers of the show knew what they were getting from Artest, who sported a blond haircut with “world peace” etched into it.  He was first on the show and crowd favorite Chaz Bono received the coveted last slot at the very end of the program.

After his first night, it appears the Artest won’t have any trouble being available if and when the NBA camps open after the lockout is settled. His footwork was a lot closer to Greg Oden than Gregory Hines on the dance floor.

Artest could be available for his basketball interests by Wednesday morning — if the Lakers need him.

Brown adds Person, Snyder to his Lakers’ coaching staff

Former Spurs assistant and Cleveland head coach Mike Brown dug into his connection with the Spurs with two hirings to his new staff with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Former Spurs player Chuck Person and former Austin Toros coach Quin Snyder will join former Detroit coach John Kuester on Brown’s staff with the Lakers.

Person was a member of Phil Jackson’s staff last season with the Lakers where he received rave reviews coaching the team’s defense. He was a member of the Spurs from 1994-96 and still holds the franchise’s record for most 3-pointers in a season with 190 in 1995-96.

Snyder was most recently was on Doug Collins’ staff at Philadelphia this season as an assistant. He coached the Spurs’ developmental league team in Austin from 2007-10, taking the team to the playoffs in each season and was coach at Missouri from 1999-2006. Earlier this week, Snyder interviewed for the vacant head coaching job with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“I’m very pleased to add Chuck to my coaching staff,” Brown said in a statement. “I’ve seen firsthand his dedication and his desire to making the players he coaches better. … With the addition of Quin to my coaching staff, we’ve added someone with an extremely intelligent basketball mind.”  

It’s interesting that one of the Spurs’ fiercest traditional rivals now has such a strong connection with Gregg Popovich and his staff with the Spurs.

Will Spurs Nation still have an intense dislike for everything Purple and Gold of the Lakers with such familiar faces running the team?

Pop’s $6M yearly contract tied for fifth among all sports coaches

With the recent retirement of Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich now is tied for second among the NBA’s highest-paid coaches.

Forbes Magazine reports thattrails only the new five-year deal recently signed by Boston’s Doc Rivers among NBA coaches. That contract will pay Rivers $7 million per year. New York Knicks’ coach Mike D’Antoni also makes $6 million per year.

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick is the highest-paid coach, according to industry analysts quoted by Forbes. Belichick is estimated to be making $7.5 million per season.

Forbes . It reads: “The NBA version of Belichick, Popovich just keeps winning year after year, bagging a few titles along the way.”

Here is Forbes’ list of the highest salaries for North American sports head  coaches

Bill Belichick, New England Patriots                     $7.5 million

Mike Shanahan, Washington Redskins                 $7 million

Doc Rivers, Boston Celtics                                        $7 million

Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks                                 $7 million

Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs                     $6 million

Lovie Smith, Chicago Bears                                       $6 million

Mike D’Antoni, New York Knicks                            $6 million

Ken Whisenhunt, Arizona Cardinals                     $5.75 million

Tom Coughlin, New York Giants                             $5.25 million

Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers                            $5 million    

Source: Forbes  Magazine