Jeff Van Gundy Calls Larry Bird’s Dismissal of Frank Vogel “Disrespectful”
By Jared Wade
Jeff Van Gundy says that Larry Bird telling Frank Vogel the news of his dismissal on the phone “is disrespectful to the greatness that he brought to the Indiana Pacers.”
There have been no reports, that I have seen, of Jeff Van Gundy being in a candidate in Larry Bird’s current search for a new coach for the Indiana Pacers. But whenever a team is looking for a top-tier coach, particularly after they fired a pretty-damn good one, JVG’s name will come up.
Van Gundy has had such success in this league and is such a well-known figure that he is always in the mix — even if each passing year he spends as a commentator makes it seem less likely that he will ever grace the sidelines again.
But Indiana Pacers fans might be able to cross his name off of the list.
Based on some comments Van Gundy made the other day on TV, it definitely feels like he won’t be getting a call from Bird anytime soon.
“Frank Vogel got his contract not renewed,” said Jeff Van Gundy on air. “I completely disagreed with that decision. The rationale that Larry Bird gave that all good coaches have to leave after three years was absurd. And the way [the news] was delivered — on the phone — to me, instead of doing it in person with Frank Vogel, is disrespectful to the greatness that he brought to the Indiana Pacers.” (video via Vigilant Sports)
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Mark Jackson, who has been linked to the Pacers in various reports concurred with his booth-mate, saying, “I couldn’t agree with you more.”
Now, Larry Bird isn’t the thinnest-skinned guy around. He can, and has, taken a lot of criticism in all areas of his career. He also knows that it is JVG and Jackson’s jobs to speak candidly about current NBA events on television. It’s also definitely possible that Bird never even heard this nor had anyone bring it to his attention. (I imagine those people who actually speak to Larry Bird often have learned he doesn’t care much for gossip.)
But while Jackson didn’t really say much, Van Gundy did just call Bird “disrespectful” on national television. So I would be surprised if The Legend is picking up the phone to call Jeff’s agent right away.