the upcoming Nate era

by abdelnaby on Jan 18, 2008 3:35 PM PST

This Sports Illustrated article, which I found off the O-live Blazer blog, opens with a focus on Aldridge, and is a good read overall. But for my money, the real exciting quote was about Nate McMillan:

"There's more to it, starting with McMillan's dream of coaching in Portland for a decade or more. 'That's why I came here,' said the 43-year-old McMillan, who is in his third season with Portland following five with the Sonics. 'My thought was Jerry Sloan. That's what I looked at. I looked at something where I could get in and set a standard for how this organization operates. We're building it and laying the foundation for what we want to be in the future.'"

I know that for better or worse Nate gets some criticism here, particularly after a loss (infrequent as those are becoming) but I personally found this to be really encouraging. We're getting worked up about building a real dynasty behind Oden, LMA, and Roy, as well we should be, but all the great dynasties have another thing in common: a tenured coach who molds the team in his image, like Pop for the Spurs or Belichick for the Patriots. Having a young, talented coach who is looking long-term, dreaming of creating that kind of consistent winning culture is not as splashy as having an athletic, shot-blocking manchild of a center, or a GM known for Pritchslapping the Isiah's of the league, but to me, it's just as important, and just as exciting.

Anyone else eagerly awaiting a decade or more of the Nate era? Or for some of you, maybe you can't stand the thought of Sergio warming Sarge's bench for the next ten years?

Update: I forgot to include this when I wrote this journal--I seem to remember a lot of people saying before the season began that while Nate was a good coach for a young team, he wasn't necessarily going to be a championship coach. Do folks still feel this way? If not, what's changed your mind?

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I hope Nate McMillan stays as long as possible. Like you pointed out, it's critical to success that the Blazers retain a great coach like McMillan. He'll only become better with the team as the years go on.

by amitp06 on Jan 18, 2008 4:03 PM PST reply actions

I definitely want stability

I agree with JQ in the chat: if players like Surge don't fit with Nate, I'll be disappointed but I can live with it for a working system and stability.

by Fizbin on Jan 18, 2008 4:41 PM PST reply actions

I am

I've been a big proponent of Nate

by OregonDuckworth on Jan 18, 2008 7:05 PM PST reply actions

Well

Can they at least hire Larry Brown as an assistant?

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by tominhawaii on Jan 18, 2008 7:16 PM PST reply actions

If we HAVE to be stuck with nate

that's a good idea.

"No way. I love this town. We're gonna bring back the glory years. These boys are my boys. This is my team and my town." - Greg Oden when asked about leaving.

by ratbastird on Jan 20, 2008 5:09 PM PST up reply actions

What I think

is amazing about Nate is that HE seems to be growing as a coach. Much of this season was about needing the team to grow up and mature, we weren't really talking about Nate growing up but he has progressed very nicely.

What I love about Nate is that it is not that this team is growing up around him but rather that he is growing WITH the team, learning when to pull the reigns close and when to let go. This TEAM is learning how to win, Nate included.

There was some worry that once the players "grew up" Nate would no longer be needed as a coach, but I take the opposite stance in that unlike a coach who has spent decades developing players, Nate had only been a head coach for a few years and is still learning his way. He was forced to become a teacher/mentor only because of the teams he was presented with in Seattle and here.

Nate will coach for the next decade at least, and then when Brandon is ready to take over Nate will assist him.

Sometimes I look at what we are creating here in Portland and it gives me chills. In the Quick chat he mentioned that Jack and Sergio are auditioning for the best spot in the NBA, a place on the next dynasty and I belive that we are witnessing the beginnings of that here in front of our faces, and it is amazing to be a part of, watching it courtside.

Go blazers.

Vote Jerryd Bayless in '08

by SpyderRyder on Jan 18, 2008 8:09 PM PST reply actions

Hearing people say that Sergio will not play

under Nate might want to look at how Pop was with Tony Parker. He initially thought Parker was soft. Pop yelled at Parker so often and with such intensity that Parker said he thought that Pop was "crazy". Now look at em'.

by jferg on Jan 19, 2008 12:28 AM PST reply actions

I love Nate

He seems like a great coach in pretty much every area. We always come up big after timeouts, start quarters strong, and he inspires big, confident play from a special group of youngsters. The ol' X's and O's seem brilliant after the Cheeks era.

And like others mention, Nate has grown along with the kids. He has the ability to know what he needs to do, how he needs to change to be a better coach. Most great coaches have too big of an ego to be that introspective. I really, really like Nate McMillan.

Some might get upset after a loss when they think someone else shoulda' played, but Nate is never arbitrary with his decisions. They are thought through and clearly pondered over, with different layers of the decision process sometimes hidden from us fans. I disagreed with those who said he might just be the coach "for now" and that we need some "championship coach", whatever that is. Nate has all the tools that Pat Riley, Phil Jackson, Larry Brown, and whoever else who has piggy backed great players to create a championship mystique. Unless something goes wrong, there is nothing they can do that Nate can't. Plus, I can't stand all of those coaches I named.

Nate is long and strong and bound to get the championships on. Everyone seems to really respect him, and he clearly cares for his players. As long as he transitions from developing to treating them like men (which I am sure he will), nothing will go wrong.

It's almost too perfect. I don't know why everyone shouldn't hate us, because Blazer fans got it made in the shade.

Mortimer

by Mortimer on Jan 19, 2008 1:45 AM PST reply actions

Wait for it...... wait for it....

If you love Nate so much, then why don't you marry him?

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by tominhawaii on Jan 19, 2008 6:37 PM PST up reply actions

Is that legal in portland yet???

iF SO, i may drop my girlfriend and beat mortimer to it!

"No way. I love this town. We're gonna bring back the glory years. These boys are my boys. This is my team and my town." - Greg Oden when asked about leaving.

by ratbastird on Jan 20, 2008 5:07 PM PST up reply actions

I really, really like Nate

and I heard him say in an interview last year that the primary reason he took the Blazers job was because of the compensation. I believe that statement over the recent "Jerry Sloan" comment. Don't we all take better jobs because they pay better? Of course.

by t jay on Jan 19, 2008 4:02 AM PST reply actions

it's more than one factor, I'm sure

I'm willing to take both statements at face value. Nate wanted to go somewhere long-term and build a new team (I remember an interview saying he felt like he couldn't stay too many more years in Seattle because the current players were tuning him out), and conveniently, that opportunity also came with a long-term contract and a pile of money. One leads into the other--the security of a big, long-term contract gives Nate the ability to think a few years down the road without worrying about winning now. Though of course, his character is to try and win now anyways--and now he is. It's a perfect storm kind of thing.

by abdelnaby on Jan 19, 2008 10:12 AM PST up reply actions

I defended nate

and will continue to do so, but I'm glad it's less needed.

He's learning, growing, adapting. He has a vision. He has management support. He's young. He's helped do some incredible things with his teams (sonics and now blazers).

Nate works for now, and I believe he'll fit in the future. Wherever he's weak, I'm positive he'll find people who are strong to balance him out.

PHil isn't a great coach with X's and O's, but he's a great leader and he has great assistant coaches who ARE good at the X's and O's.

Anyway, nice to no longer hear all that "fire nate, we're losing" crud.

"No way. I love this town. We're gonna bring back the glory years. These boys are my boys. This is my team and my town." - Greg Oden when asked about leaving.

by ratbastird on Jan 20, 2008 5:11 PM PST reply actions