[quote name=\'whoserman\' date=\'Feb 29 2004, 02:55 PM\'] Chris, with all due respect, all three MDQs that have been used on Syndie Millionaire have been "you know it or you don't" material too. [/quote]
I'll grant you that, but see my other point. If Rick Carlisle, in becoming an NBA coach, crossed some barrier or milestone interesting to a national audience; for example, becoming the first coach from a given minority, or the first coach to coach for 17 different teams (is Lenny Wilkens there yet?), or something, then I could see him becoming the subject of a question. The question as written is only interesting because the writer is clearly a Pacers fan. All fine and good if you're writing for "Who Here In Indiana Wants To Become A Millionaire?", but it's not a good question for a national audience, because it doesn't pass the "who cares?" test for the majority of viewers.
On top of that, it's factually wrong. According to his bio on nba.com, his first assistant coaching gig was with the New Jersey Nets, where he was offered the job after playing briefly for the Nets under Bill Fitch. He played for the Knicks the season before that.
Plus, the way it's written, you could argue that Boston is also correct, since he did in fact play three years with the Celtics (alongside Larry Bird, hence the Indiana connection) before becoming an assistant coach - just not directly before. But the question didn't ask that.
