On accountability meter, Maurice Cheeks at one end, Jim O'Brien on the other

December 17, 11:16 AMGolden State Warriors ExaminerMatt Steinmetz

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Indiana Pacers coach Jim O'Brien 

With six coaches having been fired so far this season, and the Warriors playing Indiana tonight at Conseco Fieldhouse, it's time to turn our attention to Pacers coach Jim O'Brien.

No, this isn't going to be about how O'Brien or the Warriors' Don Nelson might be the next to go.

This is about O'Brien's comments after the most recent firing of Maurice Cheeks in Philly.

Asked about his own job security in light of the Pacers' poor start, O'Brien said: "

"Does it concern me? Frankly, it does not. When I came on board here (Pacers president) Larry (Bird) hired me and told me the first couple of years were going to be pretty difficult. I didn't come here and have Larry say, 'I'm expecting you to win 50 games.'"

That's weak.

If a player projected that kind of resignation about a season _ or, more than one, in fact _ he'd be criticized, and rightfully so.

Or I'm thinking of a reporter asking a player if he was worried about going to the bench or being assigned to the D-League and the player responding, in essence ... "It doesn't concern me ... I knew it was going to be bumpy when I began."

Not to mention, Danny Granger, T.J. Ford, Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy likely weren't amused. Nothing like a coach who is proud of them.

Nelson said the same kind of thing earlier this season, coming out and saying it was going to be a long year and that he and management already had acknowledged that.

But at least Nelson did it early in the season ... and he was only talking about this year.

Basically, what O'Brien has done is make an excuse for last year's 36-46 season, this year's 8-16 start and, hell, whatever may come after this.

Warriors win by 11 tonight. That's OK, Pacers fans, you knew it was going to be bad, right?

Wonder if O'Brien is the kind of coach who criticizes players for "giving in?"

On the other end of the accountability spectrum is Cheeks, who took full responsibility for Philly's poor play, saying:

"In my case, it was the coach."

Apparently not so in Indy.

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