Byron Scott: Bleeds Purple and Gold

By on July 28, 2014
photo USA TODAY Sports / Joshua S. Kelly

photo USA TODAY Sports / Joshua S. Kelly

 

Byron Scott has returned to where it all started for him, he is back in the land of Purple and Gold, he has reached his dream job, he is here to right the wrong. Many have said that Byron is a terrible coach, a predictable coach and shouldn’t be given a chance. I’ve also heard folks say that he is hard to play for and is overly demanding, hey guess what… a coach isn’t there to be your friend, he isn’t there to kiss your ass, he is there to push you to your limits. I believe that Byron Scott is not only the right coach but I think he could have runs similar to Pat Riley and Phil Jackson.

The Lakers hastily hired Mike Brown (no balls) and Mike D’Antoni (no defense); the organization can’t afford to make another bad decision for a Head Coach. Jim and Jeanie Buss as well as Mitch Kupchak are in the crosshairs and they must bring back glory to this organization, they must prove that the Lakers can win without Phil and they must show the fans that there will be life after Kobe.

Laker greats like Magic, Worthy, and KAJ will have Scott’s back as they have a bond that never weakens, they will be more involved with the players than ever before. I think they will quietly and behind the scenes be helping in any way they can, either in mentoring the younger guys, talking to free agents in the coming seasons or just being present and supportive. The insertion of this old school Showtime era Laker group is what the organization and the city need right now. Byron Scott will indeed have a little help from his friends in the upcoming years and that makes this old school Laker fan very happy.

Byron Scott is the bridge in the gap between the Showtime and Kobe Era and now he will be the anchor for the post Kobe era. Byron Scott is what a Laker is, he is family, he is tough and he can handle the pressure and the spotlight. Players peak at certain point in their playing career, as do coaches, I don’t think we’ve seen Byron Scott peak at coaching, I think it’s very close though. I think he will have an opportunity to thrive here in L.A. and I think he understands what is expected out of him by the Buss family as well as the fans. He is prepared and ready, he has been thinking about landing this job for over a year, he’s was an analyst for the Lakers this past season and already has a relationship with many of the current guys on the roster.  I can’t imagine him not having a blueprint as how to build his team, he more than likely sat and watched each game last year and took note as to how he could use the guys to the best of their ability. How many coaches have a full year of scouting a team before they take over?

I’m not going to sit here and blow smoke up your ass, I’m not saying they Lakers are Championship material with the current roster, I’ll say this with complete honesty… The guys on this team will all play hard for Byron Scott, they will learn and grow as players and in the end they will have a solid season and I can see them sneaking into the playoffs. What is more important to me is they will be setting a tone for the next few years; they are setting the foundation to a new and exciting time for the Lakers.

Byron Scott knows how to develop players, he pushes players hard, doesn’t sugar coat or walk on eggshells and as he says he’s “OLD SCHOOL” and that is exactly what the Lakers need right now. Scott has a lot of work to do and a lot to prove; his roster has a very good mix of youth, athleticism, veteran presence, ego, and grittiness on it to surprise a few teams in the west.

Over the years I’ve learned that you can never count a Laker or the Lakers out. The Lakers will turn things around and I think if they had any doubts that Byron Scott wasn’t the guy to do that they wouldn’t have hired him. I don’t for one second think that he will fail, remember he bleeds Purple and Gold and that alone is reason enough.

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