Lakers: LA Insider Calls Team's Handling of Frank Vogel's Firing 'Shameful'
Look, it was obvious that Frank Vogel was going to get axed after this season. There weren't even breadcrumbs laid throughout the season. There were Kurt Rambis-sized loaves of bread laid on the path to Vogel's firing.
It was about how it all went down.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news that Vogel would be fired by LA on Monday. Just moments after Vogel's Lakers wrapped up an exhilarating overtime win in Denver on Sunday. Woj doesn't just report rumors, his track record speaks for itself. The information came from someone inside the Lakers organization.
Vogel then had to face the media after the "Woj bomb". He might as well had his phone with Woj's tweet taped to his forehead.
In a spirited article, The Athletic's Bill Oram blasted the Lakers organization for the "shameful" manner in which Vogel learned of his firing.
Oram even took the time to begin his column with a draft of what the Lakers should use for their job posting for their new head coaching vacancy.
"You will be the envy of your peers because, um, you get to work for the Lakers. You will be provided a roster of only the finest remaining participants from the 2007 All-Star Game.
And here’s the most exciting part: When your time in the Lakers family comes to an end, you won’t have to suffer the indignity of being told face-to-face by your supervisor. No, you can have the comfort of knowing millions on Twitter are learning your fate at the exact same time you are."
The reporter believes that the Lakers recent track record of firing coaches, coupled with how they handled Vogel's exit, is enough to prevent proven coaches from applying for the job.
"Sunday’s disgrace was just the latest reminder that the Lakers do not value coaches. They lowball them, berate them and discard them."
LA has now had five head coaches, soon to be six, since 2011. It's the worst ten-year in the franchises history. Go ahead, try to find one.
Vogel is the only one of the five to win a title.
The Lakers twitter posted an official thank you to Vogel. A better way to show the organization's appreciation to the championship coach would've been showing him some common decency on the way out.