The Great Sock Controversy

The other day there was a news story I came across about Kurt Rambis being named head coach of the Timberwolves.  The first story I saw mentioned that this is his first stint as a head coach.  I couldn't remember the exact details, but I knew that was wrong.  He is central to one of my favorite Dennis Rodman stories.

If you want to get technical, the story was correct.  He has never been a head coach in the NBA.  He was an interim coach for the Lakers during Phil Jackson's coaching hiatus.  Jackson left the Bulls (and basketball) and one year later was named the coach of the Lakers.  At the same time Jackson left the Bulls, Rodman left the Bulls.  He landed with the Lakers in LA with all of his baggage.  Rambis was the interim coach during the Jackson vacation, and the first time head coach gets one of the biggest head cases in the history of the league.  The story that I remember involves Rodman showing up to practice without any socks.  The story was mind-boggling to me at the time, but even more so now that I'm into coaching.

From a practical point of view, I can't imagine how a pro athlete at a pro sports team facility wouldn't have something simple like socks.  I'm making an assumption here, but I would imagine they have a laundry facility (and staff) to make sure the athletes have all the socks they would need.  I would imagine the athlete probably has socks sent to them by the grundle by shoe companies that pay them to wear their shoes.

It almost seems like Rodman would have to plan it out to not have any socks.  I remember my high school days of playing basketball under any conditions.  I've played outdoors in rain and snow.  I've played barefoot.  I wouldn't have a problem playing for one practice without socks.  I would guess that means that Rodman complained about not having socks as an excuse for not practicing.  The only logical explanation that I can come up with that makes any sense is that Rodman did this to make some sort of passive aggressive statement that he didn't think Rambis was worth a crap as a coach.  Unfortunately in pro sports, the star players might be able to get their coach fired for personality conflicts.  Jackson would have been able to command the respect that Rodman should have afforded Rambis.  Had Jackson not taken the year off, Rodman might have still played the full season and then some.  In the short term Rodman was off the team, and he was out of the league shortly afterward.  I can't help but think that the Great Sock Controversy played a part in endind Rambis' first head coaching stint.  Realistically I think that it had EVERYTHING to do with Phil Jackson.  I think that the Lakers always wanted Phil Jackson, and were betting on Jackson accepting an offer to be their coach if they didn't already have something arranged.  Rambis was a stop gap.  He was liked enough for his time as a Laker's player, so he was a natural interim coach.  They were writing off the season, and Rambis got the full time gig for the following season if he made a good impression and Jackson wasn't available when he returned to coaching.  Rambis got hosed and made a bad impression thanks to Rodman, and Jackson came back and said "yes", so the interim training wheels never got taken off.

That initial story spoke glowingly about Rambis' track record as an assistant coach.  There was plenty of talk about how players really respect him.  I just didn't really buy it.  For some reason there was no mention of his head coaching stint.  The Great Sock Controversy would have really rained on the happy parade the article described.  Don't get me wrong, I like Rambis.  I think if he didn't have to work with Rodman, he might have stuck around as a head coach.  Of course Jackson probably still would have been named head coach, but some other team might have lured him away.  Ultimately I think that he possibly gained a whole lot more as Jackson's assistant than he would have on his own somewhere else.  Rambis will be a fine coach for the Timberwolves.  It just would have been nice to see that original article accurately representing his coaching experience.