SQUEEZE the ORANGE.....what do these names represent....RILEY, ZEN Master, SLOAN, POPS, and KARL...time to meet and greet the 2011-12 LOGO Lead Man or COACH of the Year.

Not saying that my 2011-12 LOGO Lead man of the Year is in that Class or even one of those aforementioned Coaches but it is no fluke winning the RED Auerbach Trophy.

The Criteria for winning this prestigious award is simple.....Winning Team or Much Improved Squad, the Ability to Manage and Communicate well with Players as well as what your Peers think about your work for the season of 2011-12.

Last season it was Bulls Lead Man Tom Thibodeau aka Coach THIBS getting the award after leading the WEST SIDE STORY Report to a league best 60-22 record and an Eastern Conference Finals Appearance. Coach Thibs did all this in his 1st full season as a Lead Man in the Logo.

This years crop has some familiar faces and without further a due the 2011-12 LOGO Lead Man of the 2011-12 Season goes to:

Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio SPURS and Tom Thibodeau of the WEST SIDE STORY Report...the Chicago Bulls.

The reason for both of these gentlemen sharing this award is because POPS one had a mixed bag of rookies, veterans, and a lot of shuffling to lead the Spurs to tie with the Bulls for the Best Record in the Logo at 50-16. Yes and they still have Dunc, Manu, and TP8 but Manu was injured for awhile and Dunc isn't by no stretch the same Dunc.

Coach Thibs on the other hand has had 26 games without his star player in the ADIZero HERO D-Rose and and they went 18-8 and still went 50-16 and the best record in the Logo for 2011-12 as they win the Tie breaker with the Spurs.

Other LEAD men in consideration......

Lionel Hollins GRIZZLIES
George Karl NUGGETS
Tyrone Corbin JAZZ