The Measure of Success For a Zen-Master

This year, barring a tremendous winning streak, the Los Angeles Lakers will accumulate more losses than the 1995 Chicago Bulls.

Why is this significant?

Because, it will mean that this year's Lakers will have the most losses ever by a Phil Jackson-coached team.

With a career record of 871-35, Mr. Jackson has never had to endure a losing season, or even a season below a .550 winning percentage for that matter. With nine championship rings (six with the Bulls and three with the Lakers), Mr. Jackson has a storied coaching record and legacy unmatched by any of his contemporaries. No one would have blamed him had he not come back to Tinseltown this year to head a team reeling from dysfunctionality, but he rode on down from Montana to take the helm of the Lakers once again in search of ring number 10.

However, this time, no one expected him to take L.A. to the Finals.

Many even doubted his ability to get Kobe Bryant to pass the ball enough for his teammates to earn their paychecks, let alone contribute enough for the Lakers to make a playoff run.

To many people's surprise (but not too much surprise), the Lakers sit in seventh place in the Western Conference playoff standings with a 40-35 record. At their current .533 winning percentage L.A. would be sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference.

Okay, so Phil Jackson is coaching a team that will probably make the playoffs, making it the 15th straight time this has happened. What is the big deal?

In a city obsessed with image, glitter, and gold, is taking the current Laker team to the playoffs a "success" for Phil Jackson? More importantly, does Phil Jackson's definition of success (relative to this team) differ completely from the rest of the world's?

What would be more satisfying for the coach?

Stepping into a dismal situation and turning it around (even a little bit), or stepping into a situation ripe for winning and calmly making sure nothing goes wrong with the already perfect product?

Would it be more rewarding to see the fruits of your labor, even if that meant the team wouldn't make it to the Finals, or would it be more rewarding to jump on the train and ride it all the way to ring number 10?

Kobe Bryant is not Michael Jordan, and Lamar Odom is not Scottie Pippen, and we all know no one can ever be the next Steve Kerr. However, Phil Jackson is working with a reasonable amount of talent in L.A. Yes, there is no Shaq, and a one-on-five game of HORSE starring Kobe is fun to watch every once in awhile, but the fact that Kobe can still win that one-on-five HORSE game means Phil's got some goods to work with.

Every team has its own obstacles to overcome, whether they be emotional, physical, mental, etc., and the 2006 Los Angeles Lakers are no different. And the fact that Phil Jackson has them sitting in playoff contention in the West is a testament to his coaching ability, not a reason to lament their win-loss record.

They will win more, and they will once again be the best team in L.A., and Phil Jackson will once again be regarded as a coaching, Zen-Master genius. And when the NBA championship comes back to L.A., the measure of success for Phil Jackson will be that he took a team in complete turmoil with a single leading man and turned them into a world-famous dance troupe with an all-star cast.

Until then, I think he'll be satisfied just by getting his boys up in time to make it to the dance.