It's too early to call Blackwell one of the greatest coaches in bj-league history, but he had attained a high level of success since taking over as head coach following his retirement as an active (smart, star) player in 2010.
For a historical comparison, read this:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ycn-7962518
The only reason team officials didn't want to bring Blackwell back, he told me in an exclusive interview, had everything to do with his friendship with Lynn Washington, the now-departed two-time MVP with three championship rings who was exonerated of drug charges in a case that stunned the league, starting in mid-March when he was arrested. (A team spokesman didn't respond to requests for comment.)
You'd think that the team owed its fans, the media and Blackwell himself a proper news release, with his won-loss record and accomplishments cited, as well as a quotation from the team's top brass, including ownership about Blackwell's time with the team -- you know public acknowledgement of the success the team had, a genuine thank you. That would have put this awkward changing of the guard in its proper context. Instead, the team did the bare minimum. No surprise, though. In the bj-league, this is often the M.O. And also: What have you done for my lately?
Here's the press release in Japanese:
http://www.evessa.com/news/detail.php?id=2747