s and named three debutants in one of the most comp

NEW YORK -- Phil Jackson says he hasnt voted for a president since 1980. After campaigning vigorously on behalf of losing democrats George McGovern and Jimmy Carter, Jackson determined the political system was flawed, perhaps even broken, so he ceased participating.He watched last Tuesdays presidential outcome at the New York abode of his friend and former teammate Bill Bradley, the one-time U.S. senator from New Jersey who ran for president in 2000.We ordered out -- Greek, Jackson reveals. The senator and Knicks president did what most American did that night -- obsess over the turnout in Broward or Wayne County and try to make sense of one surprise after another. Then, for Jackson, thoughts of his day job intervened: We had it on for a while, but I wanted to watch the Minnesota-Brooklyn Nets game because we were playing the Nets the next night, so I flipped the channel.Bill said to me, What are you doing? I had just heard enough. Wolf Blitzer was talking so fast it hurt my brain.I sent my staff a riff earlier in the day from George Carlin about not voting. If you vote, you are responsible for what you get.Phil Jackson is, of course, a president of a different kind. Hes in control of the New York Knicks and fully endorses the notion that if his platform doesnt pan out, he will assume responsibility.Jackson sat down for an exclusive interview with ESPN.com the morning after the election to discuss Derrick Rose, the triangle, Carmelo Anthonys activism and Gregg Popovichs asterisk.Jackie MacMullan: You have been under siege since youve taken over the Knicks, which has been different for you. In your coaching travels youve been all but untouchable. How have you handled the adversity?Phil Jackson: I knew the parameters of what would go on from years of playing in series against the Knicks. I remember all the barbs. Its a process of sticking to my beliefs and being able to say, Whatever. This is what I was hired to do. Im going to follow the plan and if it doesnt work out, it will be evident.JM: There have been reports you are frustrated that (Knicks coach) Jeff Hornacek isnt employing the triangle offense enough. Is that the case?PJ:?No. But when they run it I want them to run it the right way. If you are going to do it, use your skills and run it the right way. Im not frustrated at all. Derrick Rose missed three weeks of training camp (because of a civil trial). Its totally understandable where we are as a ballclub. We have guards that do a lot of stuff off the dribble. I want them to understand they can do things off the pass. It has to be a combination.JM: Can the triangle still be effective in todays game, which has gone the space and pace route?PJ:?If you want to learn the fundamentals of the game, you dont bypass any of the basics, like how to make a post pass, how to set up a screen, what pivots you can use to escape pressure and force defenses to react. What are the passing lanes? You have to acknowledge that. You have five players on the floor. If you are going to drive you have to know where players will be on the court. If you are going to make a pass you need space between players and have a certain amount of lanes open. Appropriate space between players is 12-to-16 feet. Eighteen-to-20 feet is a little long to make an appropriate pass. Weve extended that to create long lanes to allow players to roll to the basket and stretch the floor.JM:?So, is it safe to say the Knicks will not be a space and pace team any time soon?PJ:?Its my feeling when everybody does the same damn thing it becomes, Who has the best Rolls-Royce? Who has the best, fastest stock car in this race we are running? So if you have LeBron, wow, were going to do the same thing even though we dont have the Rolls-Royce? You have to be unique. You have to have something no one else is doing to have genius in this game. It becomes an ownership. I dont care about the triangle. I care about systematically playing basketball. If the spacing isnt right, if guys are standing on top of each other, if there arent lanes to be provided, or rebounders available to offensively rebound the ball, or we dont have defensive balance when a shot goes up, all of these things are fundamental basketball. I follow it. Im not railing, This is inadequate or This isnt right. Just show me what will work. Are we running around for no reason? Can we hit the first cutter? Do we have the ability to hit the second option or are we just bypassing plays so someone can hit a 3-point shot? It doesnt make sense to me.JM: Which NBA teams impress you?PJ: Its obvious Golden State plays a game in which people move the ball, they move themselves, they are creating passing lanes, they get penetration, they hit the open man, they set picks. They get a little wild, but Steve (Kerr) does a really fine job of keeping everyone in their lanes, so to speak. Hes a really fine coach with a great command of the game. That feel for basketball is so important.JM: What other teams do you like?PJ: Cleveland has really gotten better about playing together as a team. They have shown much more resilience defensively and are taking responsibility on the defensive end. The ball still gets stuck. Not everyone has a purpose. They have a role, but they might not feel like they are involved and I like to see all five players being involved in the game.San Antonio continues to do what they do best, running their system, which incorporates a lot of things I believe in, things Pop and I have struggled with each other over for a few years.JM: So what is your relationship with Popovich like?PJ: We have no animosity. We just played against each other so many times. One time he just stuck guys in the corner and ran the twin towers and that was it. But theyve evolved so much. I like the way his teams play. Hes using a lot of triangle stuff, a lot of pinch post stuff. It works.JM: If you ran into Popovich on the street, what would you say?PJ: Where are we gonna have a glass of wine? I have great respect for his ability as a coach and how he keeps his players playing at a very high level.JM: You, Popovich and Pat Riley are the most decorated coaches of your generation. What separates Riley?PJ: Pat has a terrific sense of what he wants to do. Now that Im president, I have to read all this stuff about the league. Usually its delete, delete, delete. But I noticed there was something about D-Wade (Dwyane Wade) and Pats communication breaking down the other day. I wondered about that. I found it surprising.JM: It all started when LeBron left, right? Could you have ever imagined Earvin Johnson leaving Riley, or Michael Jordan leaving you?PJ: It had to hurt when they lost LeBron. That was definitely a slap in the face. But there were a lot of little things that came out of that. When LeBron was playing with the Heat, they went to Cleveland and he wanted to spend the night. They dont do overnights. Teams just dont. So now (coach Erik) Spoelstra has to text Riley and say, What do I do in this situation? And Pat, who has iron-fist rules, answers, You are on the plane, you are with this team. You cant hold up the whole team because you and your mom and your posse want to spend an extra night in Cleveland.I always thought Pat had this really nice vibe with his guys. But something happened there where it broke down. I do know LeBron likes special treatment. He needs things his way.JM: You traded for Derrick Rose, which was a gamble. What was your thinking behind it?PJ: Mike Conley was the best choice as a free agent, but hes making $30 million a year. Thats almost insane. We saw that was going to happen. We had the opportunity to play with Derrick and see if he does have enough left in the tank -- hes 27 years old -- before we have to get into that (free) agent market again. It gave us an opportunity to build a team around him, Carmelo and Kris (Porzingis).And, having experiences with Joakim (Noah) over the years, not only as a player with talent, but a guy who showed up at my door in Montana, he knows Derrick and he knows how to play with him. It gives us an advantage. Both are coming back into playing form.JM: When you say coming back into playing form, do you feel, as other NBA observers have noted, that Rose and Noah logged too many minutes in Chicago?PJ: Ive watched Luol Dengs career very closely. He played (among) the most minutes in the league in 2013 (Deng was 13th) and you remember what happened to him in the playoffs. They thought he had spinal meningitis. (Editors note: Deng had a spinal tap to test for meningitis that proved to be negative, but spinal fluid leaked into his body and he missed the remainder of the postseason). It was weird. He got completely depleted, and there was a notion that went along with that; the excess playing time might not have been necessary. I think players get that back again but in a different format. They may not get back to 95 percent but they can be 90 percent with the knowledge of how to play, which gives them an advantage to know when to turn it on.JM: Rose is a former MVP, but he is prone to posting a bunch of 7-for-17 games. How do you reconcile that?PJ: Most of Derricks misses arent jumpers. They are going to the basket -- penetration -- which is really important to have on any team. People are challenging him, which means Joakim and others following him are going to get offensive rebounds, second-chance points. So you understand his shooting percentage isnt going to be all that high, but his penetration is going to create opportunities for others.JM: You mentioned you want your guards to create not just off the dribble but also to off the pass. Do you worry Kristaps Porzingis is getting lost in the offense sometimes?PJ: Kris is going to shine because hes just that good. What I really want to see him do is develop his game. Hes an exceptional shooter and his size is unique. It changes the game in many ways. But he needs to learn how to use his size appropriately in different ways because teams will switch and defend with smaller players. With his back to the basket, he hasnt learned how to do all the positioning and to hold his space. He needs to catch and shoot without bringing the ball down in an area where smaller players can grab it.JM: Is he strong enough to play in the post?PJ: Hes strong enough. Finding a base is always a point of view in the game. Having Pau Gasol for so many years, having long players that dont have a base are what we call high cut players that can get run off the post. The league has allowed more and more of that to be exploited. In the past they had rules about just shoving a guy off the post. Shaq (ONeal) and (Hakeem) Olajuwon could hold it; everyone else just got run out.The European game is high screen and roll with a double high screen, so Kris hasnt been in the post much. Hes got to learn switches, mismatches, when to make the pass, to keep the ball high -- (Dirk) Nowitzki-type things. Hes got a great mind, a great learners mentality, so were lucky.JM: What have your learned about Carmelo Anthony since you got here?PJ: Carmelo likes communication. He likes a relationship. I was with a number of players who were fine with a player-coach relationship, which involved support, How are you feeling? that kind of stuff. Shaq, Kobe, thats all they wanted or needed. They were busy. I was never the guy who said, Lets go out to dinner. But with Melo, I do that. Not as much as Id like, but we do it, because he likes that part of it.JM: What do you talk about?PJ: I do like his activism, his willingness to be an activist. I communicate with him on how to couch activism. My feeling is it can be abrasive if its not done the right way, but it has to be somewhat abrasive if its going to be activism. In some ways, it has become vogue to be an activist -- thats true.I told Carmelo about how Snoop Dogg, who I know from L.A., approached it in his community. He went to the police graduations in L.A. and spoke to the cadets, which is where the rubber meets the road in our lives. Its not just simply about color and race. Its about the atmosphere in the community. I feel Carmelo could have a reasonable voice in that way. Im not here to lead him down the road. Im just here to add some suggestions.JM: What drew you to Jeff Hornacek?PJ: He has a learners mind. I followed this guy since he went to Iowa State. When he came to the pros I wondered, Would he have enough athletic talent? He found a way. Hes adaptable. Hes also very competitive. I like the way he talks to young players. Its become so restrictive on how much of an intrusion a coaching staff can be in the players lives. There has to be so many days off, and so many days for players association meetings and community appearances.These players are spending a lot of time doing things that arent basketball related. As a result, to take a half hour to teach mindfulness, or to study the mental approach to the game has become almost superfluous. Jeff does yoga with the players, tries to approach it as a holistic thing. I give him credit for it.JM: You have an opt-out clause in your contract after this season. Do you plan to exercise it?PJ: I have not entertained that. Im looking for this Knicks team to get back into a situation where they are competitive. Do I have to win a championship before I feel Ive done the job Ive been asked to do, which is to bring this group back to that competitive level? No, I dont. Were starting to make progress. I like a lot of the things we are doing here. But weve got more to do.JM: Lakers executive vice president of basketball operations Jim Buss said if the Lakers didnt make it to the Western Conference finals by 2017, he would step down. Its unlikely the Lakers will meet that goal. Why not go back and run your old team?PJ:?Theyre moving forward in the right direction. Luke (Walton) has them engaged, Brian (Shaw) is an associate head coach; they have a core group of guys that will get it done. It was never important to me to go back and be a part of that. Especially not now. I have this job, this commitment.JM: Then why bother to include the opt-out clause?PJ: The real issue with the opt out was simply my rationale regarding the (potential) lockout. If it was going to happen in December and everybody chose to walk away, there was no way I was going to sit in New York for three, four months when I didnt have a job, because (the players) arent even allowed to show up to work. So, in that case, I would go back to L.A.JM: You are in a bi-coastal relationship with Lakers president and part-owner Jeanie Buss. How difficult has it been to be apart?PJ: Its hard. Very hard. Its hard to keep a house out there. Ive got eight grandchildren in the Bay Area. FaceTime has really helped me.JM: So wheres home?PJ: My accountant tells me I cant be a California resident anymore. I spend too much of my time in New York.Hydro Flask Black Friday . Michell Burger, a woman who lives on an estate next to Pistorius gated community, said she and her husband were awoken by the screams in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 14 last year, when Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp by shooting four times through a door in his bathroom. Hydro Flask Cyber Monday Sale . Jeff Green scored 13 points and Kris Humphries 12 for the Celtics, who nearly blew an 18-point, second-half lead. Sullingers 20-20 was the first by a Celtics player since Kevin Garnetts first game in Boston in 2007. Garnett was dealt -- along with Paul Pierce -- to Brooklyn during the off-season. http://www.waterbottleblackfriday.com/ .C. United of Major League Soccer. United chose the defender in the second round of the 2013 MLS re-entry draft. Hydro Flask Cyber Monday . Goals from Jerome Boateng, Franck Ribery and Thomas Mueller extended Bayerns unbeaten run to a record 37 matches. "This record is incredible," Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said. Swell Cyber Monday .J. -- Marshawn Lynch said Thursday it will be good to get back to football after the Seattle quiet talking running back wrapped up his final mandatory media session of Super Bowl week.Against South Africa in Adelaide, Australia made five changes and named three debutants in one of the most comprehensive overhauls of the national side since World Series Cricket. They won, but a dead rubber only, and now face the expectation of winning a series against Pakistan. But Steven Smiths men have much schooling ahead of them in international cricket, with many lessons to learn. And if Mickey Arthur has taught the Pakistanis anything, they will punish Australia if they havent done their homework. So, here are six subjects that Australias new-look squad might (or might not) benefit from studying.Ancient historyOne of the most enduring records in Australian cricket is the teams unbeaten run at the Brisbane Cricket Ground - nicknamed the Gabbatoir for their slaying of opposition dreams at the venue. Last time Australia lost a Gabba Test was in 1988. Smith wasnt even born then, and nor were half of his team. Not to mention this will be the first Gabba Test played with a pink ball under lights, and the first Gabba Test full-stop for up to five of Australias XI. And so, like most students, Australias cricketers will view this ancient history as irrelevant. We might as well be discussing who won the Punic Wars.Weve got a great record here and hopefully we can keep that up, but its a little bit different this year - the pink ball compared to the red ball, Smith said. Im not really paying much attention to that, its about going out here and making sure weve got our processes right and were playing good cricket. And if were doing that then hopefully the result will take care of itself.Modern historyAustralia and Pakistan have both been ranked No.1 in Tests this year, but have fallen to No.3 and 4 respectively after losing campaigns. Australia lost away to Sri Lanka and at home to South Africa, and Pakistan lost on the green seaming pitches in New Zealand. It is also worth noting that only four in Australias side - Smith, David Warner, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc - have played Tests against Pakistan. By comparison, 10 of Pakistans squad have played Australia. One of those is fast bowler Mohammad Amir, who skittled Australia for 88 at Headingley in 2010. That Test marked the beginning of an era in which Australias batsmen often suffered humiliating collapses against swing - an era that remains ongoing. Under lights with the pink ball, Amir could be a serious threat.I remember watching out in Australia in 2010 he bowled with really good pace, said Smith, the only current Australia player to have faced Amir in Tests. I think he was hitting 145-150 and in England he slowed it down and got his wrists right and swung the ball, so its great to have those sort of gears and those skills. No doubt he could potentially be a handful if its swinging around. Guys are just going to have to identify those difficult periods and adapt and show some resilience and things will get easier from there.GeographyIn 2014, Australia learnt a lesson about deserts. On the dry pitches of the UAE, Pakistans batsmen handled Australias fast men with ease, and their spinners with contempt. Pakistans slow bowlers were dominant, including legspinner Yasir Shah. On debut in that series, he claimed 12 wickets at 17.25 across the two Tests, more wickets than all of Australias spinners combined. But in Australia, where the pitches will offer far more bounce and pace, Smith hopes that the thhreat of Yasir will be diminished.ddddddddddddI guess the Gabba, youll get a bit of extra bounce as a spin bowler, Smith said. I guess that can play in your favour, and can also play against you. Your length has to be spot on. Generally there isnt too much turn - its more bounce, so length is crucial. And if youre slightly off your length, you can really cash in down the wicket and square of the wicket as well. So hes going to have to be pretty accurate. Physical educationAustralias new-look side boasts some fine fielders - Peter Handscomb pulled off a super catch at gully in Adelaide - but some aspects of working together require improvement. Australia will, for example, hope that wicketkeeper Matthew Wade and first slip Matt Renshaw have no further disagreements over who should go for a catch. Still, Australia will likely have the edge over Pakistan in the catching department. Pakistans batsmen might also find themselves up against some bouncer barrages as Australias fast men try to exploit the pace and bounce in the pitches, although the likes of Wahab Riaz are more than capable of returning the favour.Weve watched a little bit of the New Zealand series, just recently, and I think traditionally sub-continent sides that come over to Australia dont handle the pace and bounce, or arent as comfortable with the pace and bounce of our wickets, Smith said. You need to try and find ways to exploit that as much as possible and at times Im sure were going to see some short-pitched bowling to mess with their feet and be possible ways to get them out as well. We watched New Zealand pretty closely and they obviously did a good job, so hopefully our bowlers can replicate that.MathsCalculations are always important for a captain, whether setting targets or juggling bowling spells. But in day-night Test cricket an extra dimension is added, with the knowledge that batting can become harder as the floodlights kick in. In Adelaide, Faf du Plessis even declared South Africas first innings before the close of the first day, such was his desire to test Australia under the lights.I think if you look at all the pink-ball stats that have come out, most wickets have been lost in that final session so I guess it adds another dimension to the game, Smith said. Captains have to be switched on and possibly figure out different times to have a crack. If we get the opportunity and it might be about going out and trying to score a little bit quicker to get 10 overs with the new ball under lights, because weve seen it can do quite a lot. It throws some different strategies into the game.ScienceThis is where the lessons get complicated. At about 5pm on match eve, the Australians gathered around the 22-yard strip in the middle of the Gabba and tried to work out how it would perform. At Adelaide Oval, the curator had left six millimetres of grass on the surface to help protect the pink ball; at the Gabba, only two millimetres will be left on. Perhaps only in cricket do agriculture and sport combine to hold the attention of so many. The Gabba curator, Kevin Mitchell jnr, believes the pitch will perform like a typical Gabba Test surface. Whatever the case, Australias uncertainty was such that Smith was unable to confirm whether spinner Nathan Lyon would play.Cheap Jerseys [url=http://www.cheapauthes