Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, May 26, 1990 TAG: 9005260086
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES LENGTH: Medium
"It's a big day in my life to have the opportunity to coach this team," Schuler said Friday at a news conference to announce his hiring. "So far this year, there have been seven coaching jobs open in the NBA. I got the best job, there's no doubt about it.
"There is just no reason why the Los Angeles Clippers won't have a very good team. We're talking right away."
Schuler, the NBA's coach of the year with Portland in 1986-87, said he signed a four-year contract with the Clippers. He succeeds Don Casey, who had a 41-85 record in 1 1/2 seasons with the club.
Last month, the Clippers fired Casey, who had a one-year contract with an option for another year. In 1989-90, Los Angeles was 30-52, the franchise's best record in four years. However, the Clippers have not reached the playoffs since in 1976, when they were known as the Buffalo Braves.
"I'll be very disappointed if we don't make the playoffs next year," said Schuler, 49. "We have the talent to do that. It's a versatile team. It's a team that can do a lot of things. It's a team that hasn't come close to reaching its potential."
Schuler has the endorsement of Elgin Baylor, the Clippers' general manager.
"Anyone who knows anything about Mike Schuler will agree that he's a quality coach," Baylor said. "He's a wonderful person; he's always under control.
"I also like the way his team plays. There's no doubt in my mind the players will enjoy playing for Mike Schuler. It's an exciting blend of basketball. There's no doubt in my mind that Mike Schuler is the right man for this team."
Schuler was the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers for 2 1/2 seasons. He was voted the NBA's coach of the year in his first season, after guiding the team to a 49-33 record. Overall, the Blazers were 127-83 (.605) under Schuler, but he was fired Feb. 18, 1989, in what reportedly was a personality conflict with some players.
Some of the Blazers, most notably star guard Clyde Drexler, said Schuler drove them too hard. The coach never denied he had differences with players, but he said the unhappy ones were in the minority.
"I think every coach is a discipline coach," said Schuler, who was the head coach at VMI from 1970-72. "Discipline comes in different forms. It takes a disciplined team to run the fast break. We're all going to be on the same page.
"We're going to try to lead the league in scoring. My first year in Portland, we did that."
Schuler spent the 1989-90 season as an assistant to Don Nelson with the Golden State Warriors, and he also has worked under Bobby Knight and Larry Brown.
Asked about discontent in Portland, Schuler said: "I think all of us have different labels. I have worked for some of the outstanding coaches in basketball. I'm like a pussycat compared to some of the coaches I worked for.
"In my opinion, I had a good relationship with the players in Portland. You're not going to make every player like you. You're going to have personality conflicts.
"Our players will have a lot of input as to what we do. They had that in Portland. They might not tell you that, but they did."
The Clippers appeared to be playoff contenders this year, but swingman Ron Harper suffered a season-ending knee injury in mid-January and point guard Gary Grant broke a leg in February.
Asked about Harper, Schuler said, "He's making good progress. His rehabilitation is going very well. He told me he hopes to be back by the first of the year"
The other finalist for the Clippers' job was Mike Fratello, the former Atlanta Hawks head coach.
by CNB