Saturday, January 31, 2009

When you have a losing team, you go to a winner

In his autobiography, "Stuff It," Dick Motta tells the story of how in 1968 Bulls owner/GM Dick Klein introduced the former Weber State coach to the press after hiring him as head coach of the Bulls, who were 29-53 the previous season:

"We've checked him out thoroughly. From the junior high to high school and college levels of basketball his teams have won over 80 percent of their games. When you have a toothache, you go to the dentist. When you're sick, you go to a doctor. When you have a losing team, you go to a winner. We have a losing team. And we have gone to a winner."

Coach Motta won 50 games or more in four of his eight seasons with the Bulls and later won an NBA title as coach of the Washington Bullets.