大范*  “退休”了？小范离“下课”还远么？
*斯坦·范甘迪—杰夫·范甘迪的哥哥，“热火”前主教练

“He’s a great coach. If we could just go out there and do what he tells us each and every day ... we will be successful.”  — Tracy McGrady “I never quite feel as bad as I look.”— Jeff Van Gundy

      You see the stress(压力) in his face； You look at the darkest bags                    (眼袋) ever under his eyes； You conclude that Jeff Van Gundy must be a coach in trouble. But that’s not exactly true.
An elite coach?
     When the Rockets hired Van Gundy， his reputation as an elite(精英) coach won him the opportunity. At the beginning of the new season， the Rockets were a popular choice to emerge(凸现) as the West’s No. 1. But now， Van Gundy and his team can’t prove anything.
He is luckier than his look suggests!
      Van Gundy is in the hot seat， but he is luckier than his look suggests. When the Rockets went to Dallas last May and lost a Game 7 in their playoff(季后赛)， it was Tracy McGrady who were blamed for the failure； When T-Mc missed eight games this November with a back injury and the Rockets lost all eight， it was Yao Ming who was blamed for failing to carry the Rockets through their troubles.
Some added cushion against criticism...
      T-Mc’s injuries also give Van Gundy some added cushion(缓冲) against heavy criticism. The injuries have shifted the focus(转移注意) away from the Rockets’ long list of shortcomings. The pressure on the coach would be much more heavier if T-Mc was at full capacity， because then Houston would be forced to live up to(不辜负) all those preseason expectations.
Where is the answer?
     Well， let’s take a look at the real problem of the Rockets. Their formerly(从前的) solid shooting and team defense is now being suspected. Most people suggest that they should change some players. But there is another option(选项). Maybe it’s time to change the coach. Maybe it’s Van Gundy who doesn’t work...
  “I’m getting what I deserve(应得的) as a coach... I’ve got to try to come up with some answers，” said Van Gundy. That’s true. That’s what coaches are supposed(被认为) to say and do， no matter who is in or out of the lineup(阵容).