CHICAGO, IL – Does Lebron James really surprise us anymore? Heck yes! The Cleveland Cavaliers dominated The Chicago Bulls throughout Sunday’s game as the Cavaliers went on to comfortably win and just as the third quarter ended with less than one second remaining, James threw a long-range shot from near mid court making a three point shot just as the buzzer sounded. Cleveland went on to beat The Chicago Bulls, 121-98. ... Read More
Is March Madness The Most Exciting Sporting Event?
March 22, 2010 By
Is there anything more exciting than March Madness? In my opinion, the NCAA men’s basketball tournament is the single greatest event in American sports. In terms of emotion, suspense, excitement and intrigue, I can’t think of another sporting event that compares. Where else can David actually beat Goliath? ... Read More
What Are The Top 10 Must See Sporting Events?
January 28, 2010 By
I’ve been fortunate to have attended many great sporting events over the years. With the Super Bowl fast approaching, let’s take a look at the Top 10 events which I believe every avid sports fan should see in-person. ... Read More
Lisa Leslie Retires From WNBA
October 9, 2009 By
Oct. 9, 2009 – Women’s basketball legend, Lisa Leslie, announced her retirement today from the WNBA, stating she is leaving the sport with no regrets.
It will not be the last time fans will hear about Leslie. The game is too much a part of her.
“Today is my last day of playing professional basketball, but I will stay close to the game because I feel I need to be a part of it.”
“I feel great, because I have no regrets,” Leslie said. ... Read More
Tiger Woods Earns $1B Tops Michael Jordan As Highest Paid Athlete
October 8, 2009 By
Tiger Woods earns $1B becoming highest paid athlete
Forbes reported last week that Tiger Woods became the first athlete to earn $1 billion in career earnings from endorsements, prize winnings, golf course design and appearance fees. Woods reportedly earns $30 million a year from Nike and receives $10 million per project for his golf design work. He also just won $10 million last week for winning the FedEx Cup title.
The crazy part is that Woods in only 33 years old and has many years of competitive golf, endorsements and golf course design ahead of him. It’s not a stretch to say that he’ll likely make well in excess of $2 billion by the time his career ends. It’s estimated that he has now earned more than NBA great Michael Jordan ($800 million) and retired Formula One driver Michael Shumacher ($700 million). ... Read More
Bobby Knight Inducted Into Indiana Hall of Fame
August 22, 2009 By
Despite his firing in 2000, Bob Knight, former Indiana University basketball coach, will be inducted into Indiana’s Hall of Fame.
Knight will be inducted into the university’s athletics Hall of Fame nearly a decade after he was fired for violating a zero-tolerance policy imposed by then-IU President Myles Brand.
New athletic director Fred Glass said in a statement: ... Read More
Is Phil Jackson The Biggest Clutch Perfomer Of NBA Finals This Year?
June 7, 2009 By
Who would you vote for as the biggest clutch performer of the NBA Finals this year? Kobe Bryant? Dwight Howard? How about trying Phil Jackson?
When you think of Phil Jackson, you think of winning. Jackson is the only coach in NBA history to win more than 1,000 games. He won two NBA Championships in 1970 and 1973 as a player for the New York Knicks. He was also the head coach of the Chicago Bulls when they won six NBA Championships in a span of eight years in the 1990’s. After a short-lived retirement, Jackson returned to coach the Los Angeles Lakers and led them to three consecutive NBA titles between 2000 and 2002.
He’s tied with Boston Celtics legend Red Auerbach with 9 NBA coaching titles and will hold the all-time record with 10 if the Lakers defeat the Orlando Magic in this year’s finals. If you think about it, that’s really an incredible feat given that only three other coaches in NBA history have won more than two titles.
Sure, you might say it’s easy to win when you’ve coached the likes of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Shaquille O’Neal, Dennis Rodman and Kobe Bryant, but it takes a special talent to get a group of superstars to play as one. Jackson commands respect from his players and gets them to play at their full potential. My favorite quote by Jackson….“Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the Me for the We.”
Jackson is a complex individual and very much a thinker. He’s known for his use of Tex Winter’s triangle offense as well as a holistic approach to coaching that is influenced by Eastern philosophy, earning him the nickname “Zen Master”. (Jackson cites Robert Pirsig’s book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance as one of the major guiding forces in his life.) He also applies Native American spiritual practices as documented in his book “Sacred Hoops”. So while Jackson may be a bit different than most other coaches, whatever he’s doing works.
Jackson was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2007 and, as part of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary in 1999, was named one of the 10 greatest coaches in league history. The others on the list were Red Aurbach, Chuck Daly, Bill Fitch, Red Holzman, Pat Riley, Don Nelson, John Kundla, Jack Ramsay and Lenny Wilkins.
For most coaches, one NBA title would mark a successful career. Said Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy, “”We’re not going to win the coaching matchup. Phil has won more playoff series than I’ve won playoff games. You’ve got to be yourself. I couldn’t be Phil even if I wanted to.” No one can be Phil Jackson. That’s why I believe he’ll go down as the greatest coach in NBA history.
If you would like to hire Phil Jackson for a speaking engagement, appearance, endorsement, autograph signing or special event, request Phil Jackson booking agent information from PFP Sports and Celebrity Talent Agency. PFP is a top sports booking agent for athletes, sports stars and celebrities.
