Ford says Bucks' firing was a surprise
Posted: Friday August 28, 1998 12:46 PM
| |
Ford says he was looking forward to coaching a healthy Milwaukee team this season, since last season was riddled with player injuries AP |
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Chris Ford said he was surprised when the Milwaukee Bucks informed
him that he was being fired after two years as coach. Ford also said he was
not given a reason for his dismissal.
"None was given and I didn't ask," Ford told the Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel from his summer residence in New Jersey. "When you get fired,
you don't ask."
Ford said until he was fired, he was planning to fly back to Milwaukee
on Sunday, where his sons were to start school on Monday. Now, Ford says
his family will still return to Milwaukee this weekend, but with different
intentions. Ford says they will pack up a few things and let the children
say good-bye to friends. Then, they'll head to Boston, where the family
lived while he was playing and coaching for the Celtics.
"That was the game plan," Ford said Thursday. "That was our schedule.
We had no indication otherwise."
But Bucks general manager Bob Weinhauer called Wednesday to tell Ford
he was being fired. And Weinhauer said at a Wednesday news conference
announcing the firing that Ford was "disappointed, but understanding."
Ford said Thursday he was disappointed.
"I don't know about the understanding part," he said.
He says he was looking forward to coaching a healthy team this season,
since last season was riddled with player injuries. He had one year left on
a three-year contract. The Bucks missed the playoffs last season with a
36-46 record. They were 33-49 in Ford's first year and haven't have a
winning season since 1990-91 when they were 48-34, the last time they
reached the playoffs.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
| 
