Moncrief?s The Man Again

KG-MVP21 · 09-13-2006, 05:13 PM

Sept. 13, 2006 -- He may have been the best player on the best team you never noticed.

And now, he will be the head coach of the best team in a league you've never noticed (but you should).

Therefore, it's not surprising that the Fort Worth Flyers, owners of the best record in the D-League last season, tabbed Sidney Moncrief as the Flyers' head coach. Moncrief said he has always wanted to man the clipboard.

" I got sidetracked by the NBA," Moncrief told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "Then I got sidetracked by business, but I've always wanted to coach."

So, what kind of person will pilot the Flyers? Jim Paschke, the Bucks TV play-by-play man for more than two decades, believes Fort Worth got a good coach, and person.

"He was one of the players who have come through here like [John] McGlocklin and [Bob] Lanier who was a pillar of this community," Paschke said. "He was always very friendly to people. People here still talk about Sidney Moncrief.

"When you think of the Bucks, people think of Sidney Moncrief, one of the shining lights."

Bucks fans in the '80s saw Sid as The Man. He was the NBA's first-ever Defensive Player of the Year. He led the Bucks to seven consecutive 50-win seasons and seven consecutive division titles (one Midwest, six Central). But Moncrief and the Bucks could never get past those great Sixers and Celtics teams of the decade.

He didn't have a flashy nickname like a Magic or Dr. J. He was Sid, Super Sid or Sir Sid, as one famous Nike poster showed him in a suit of armor.

Moncrief's game was a little like another Sir's, Sir Charles Barkley, the recently minted Hall of Famer. Moncrief, however, was an inch shorter and about 70 pounds lighter. Most guards in Moncrief's days rarely ventured inside except on a fast break. Sir Sid attacked with a little less thunder and far less bluster than Sir Charles.

"I think he was the consummate NBA player on both ends of the court," Pashcke said. "He brought an incredible intensity to his game, an incredible focus to his game.

"And of course, he's one of the seven numbers retired here." Moncrief's No. 4 hangs from the Bradley Center's rafters. It could have been No. 32, the number Moncrief wore at Arkansas when he led the Razorbacks to the 1979 Final Four, but Brian Winters had it. It's Winters' name, not Moncrief's, that accompanies No. 32 in the rafters.

Regardless, Moncrief will try to get another banner into the rafters, a championship banner. The Flyers, despite having the D-League's best regular season record at 28-20, lost last season's title game to the Albuquerque Thunderbirds.

Moncrief, for one, can't wait to get started.

"I can't think of a better venue than the NBDL for me to coach," Moncrief told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "I've always aspired to lead a team, coach a team. I don't get excited about very much, but I'm very intense and very into what I need to do here.

"I want this team to be the center for the NBDL. When they think of a class organization, with a community that supports its basketball team, I want them to think of our club. That's what my goal is."

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09-13-2006, 05:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
KG-MVP21 All Star Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Catalonia Posts: 2,503	Sept. 13, 2006 -- He may have been the best player on the best team you never noticed. And now, he will be the head coach of the best team in a league you've never noticed (but you should). Therefore, it's not surprising that the Fort Worth Flyers, owners of the best record in the D-League last season, tabbed Sidney Moncrief as the Flyers' head coach. Moncrief said he has always wanted to man the clipboard. " I got sidetracked by the NBA," Moncrief told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "Then I got sidetracked by business, but I've always wanted to coach." So, what kind of person will pilot the Flyers? Jim Paschke, the Bucks TV play-by-play man for more than two decades, believes Fort Worth got a good coach, and person. "He was one of the players who have come through here like [John] McGlocklin and [Bob] Lanier who was a pillar of this community," Paschke said. "He was always very friendly to people. People here still talk about Sidney Moncrief. "When you think of the Bucks, people think of Sidney Moncrief, one of the shining lights." Bucks fans in the '80s saw Sid as The Man. He was the NBA's first-ever Defensive Player of the Year. He led the Bucks to seven consecutive 50-win seasons and seven consecutive division titles (one Midwest, six Central). But Moncrief and the Bucks could never get past those great Sixers and Celtics teams of the decade. He didn't have a flashy nickname like a Magic or Dr. J. He was Sid, Super Sid or Sir Sid, as one famous Nike poster showed him in a suit of armor. Moncrief's game was a little like another Sir's, Sir Charles Barkley, the recently minted Hall of Famer. Moncrief, however, was an inch shorter and about 70 pounds lighter. Most guards in Moncrief's days rarely ventured inside except on a fast break. Sir Sid attacked with a little less thunder and far less bluster than Sir Charles. "I think he was the consummate NBA player on both ends of the court," Pashcke said. "He brought an incredible intensity to his game, an incredible focus to his game. "And of course, he's one of the seven numbers retired here." Moncrief's No. 4 hangs from the Bradley Center's rafters. It could have been No. 32, the number Moncrief wore at Arkansas when he led the Razorbacks to the 1979 Final Four, but Brian Winters had it. It's Winters' name, not Moncrief's, that accompanies No. 32 in the rafters. Regardless, Moncrief will try to get another banner into the rafters, a championship banner. The Flyers, despite having the D-League's best regular season record at 28-20, lost last season's title game to the Albuquerque Thunderbirds. Moncrief, for one, can't wait to get started. "I can't think of a better venue than the NBDL for me to coach," Moncrief told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "I've always aspired to lead a team, coach a team. I don't get excited about very much, but I'm very intense and very into what I need to do here. "I want this team to be the center for the NBDL. When they think of a class organization, with a community that supports its basketball team, I want them to think of our club. That's what my goal is."