So here we go again. The LA Fakers are on the verge of another championship which, if they don't blow it this time, will put Phil Jackson ahead of Red Auerbach in total championships won as a coach. Both currently have 9.Phil Jackson is a great coach. He's proven his ability to win and manage superstars, and if the ownership group had cooperated in Chicago he probably would have won a few more rings.
But, seriously, when you talk basketball coaches, there are two categories -- Red Auerbach and everybody else. Phil Jackson has won with talent assembled by his predecessors; Red had to start from scratch. More than once. Phil won in an established league where revenues were never a problem. Without Red, the NBA would not have survived the 1950's, and Phil would never have had a chance to play for the Knicks or even coach the Albany Patroons, much less find success in Chicago and LA. He's probably still be in Deer Lodge, Montana coaching his granddaughter and 4 of her closest friends as they battled in the quarterfinals of the Powell County playoffs.
Finally, one can argue that Red has 16 (or even 17) rings, as he had a significant part in every one of the Celtics' championships from his seat in the front office, up to the point of hiring Danny Ainge who put the pieces in place for last year's banner. I somehow don't envision Phil having the patience to fill such a role. He's not exactly known for sticking around when things aren't going his way.
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