Lawrence Frank

With New Jersey's victory over Cleveland on Wednesday, Lawrence Frank tied the record for most consecutive victories to start an NBA coaching career: LAWRENCE FRANK, New Jersey Nets, 2003-04...9 KURT RAMBIS, Lakers, 1998-99...9 BUDDY JEANNETTE, Baltimore Bullets, 1947-48...9 LARRY BROWN, Denver Nuggets, 1974-75...8

It hasn't been a good day for NBA coaches. First, Cleveland fired Byron Scott. Then, Doug Collins stepped down as coach of Philadelphia. Now comes word that the Detroit Pistons have fired Lawrence Frank. “We thank Lawrence for his hard work and dedication, but we feel it is in the best interest of the franchise to make a change at this time,” team President Joe Dumars said. “Decisions like this are never easy and we wish Lawrence well in the future.” Frank went 54-94 in two seasons with Detroit, including 29-53 last season.

For only the third time in its 47-year history, Lawry's Foods has named a chief executive, Thomas N. Fuelling, who assumes the post from Richard Frank, 62. Frank, who was elevated to chairman, had held the chief executive post since 1956, when he succeeded his father, the late Lawrence Frank, who founded the company in 1938. Fuelling, 52, also was named president of the Los Angeles-based specialty food products company. Fuelling started as a sales analyst with Lawry's in 1957.

New Jersey Nets General Manager Kiki Vandeweghe is set to become the team's coach for the rest of the season. He doesn't have to worry about being on the bench for a potential record-setting loss, though. Vandeweghe won't coach his first game with the team until Friday, a person with knowledge of the team's plans told the Associated Press on Monday. The person requested anonymity because the Nets don't plan to announce their plans until this morning. Tom Barrise , who led the team Sunday night after Lawrence Frank was fired, will coach again Wednesday against Dallas, when the Nets can set an NBA record with an 18th straight loss to begin a season.

New Jersey Net Coach Lawrence Frank signed a four-year, $10-million contract extension, the team said Thursday. Frank, who took over the Nets in midseason last year after Byron Scott was fired, signed the deal Wednesday. He negotiated it himself with help from advisors. Frank, 34, began his coaching career with 13 consecutive wins, a record start for a coach of a major professional team in North America.

New Jersey Net Coach Lawrence Frank got off to the best start of any coach in professional sports history. He's also the only head coach in the history of pro sports whose couch I slept on in college. When Frank was the basketball team manager at Indiana University, I was going to Northwestern with Adam Hirschfelder, Frank's classmate from Teaneck (N.J.) High, (right up the New Jersey Turnpike from the Meadowlands).

Lawrence Frank set the NBA record for the best start to a coaching career by winning his 10th consecutive game and Jason Kidd had 15 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the New Jersey Nets to a 98-92 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night at East Rutherford, N.J. "We're not looking to break records, we're just looking to win," said Frank, who replaced Byron Scott last month.

Troy Hudson filled the shoes of Sam Cassell just fine, helping end the New Jersey Nets' winning streak at 14 games. Hudson, making his first start of the season in place of the injured Cassell, scored a season-high 29 points as Minnesota beat New Jersey, 81-68, on Wednesday night to hand Net interim Coach Lawrence Frank his first loss in 14 games. "Losing is a part of the game," Frank said. "Nobody likes it. Nobody accepts it. The only thing you can do is learn from it."

Even a little adversity isn't too much for the New Jersey Nets to overcome under new Coach Lawrence Frank. Richard Jefferson had 27 points and 10 rebounds, and the Nets posted their ninth consecutive victory -- eighth in a row under Frank, rallying to defeat the visiting Detroit Pistons, 89-78, on Tuesday night. The Nets trailed by 13 points after the first quarter, and Frank scolded his team. "He had a legit gripe," Kenyon Martin said. Frank, however, downplayed it all.

How do you like the honeymoon so far? Ending the suspense -- about when they would fire Lawrence Frank, not their game against the Lakers, which was a foregone conclusion -- the New Jersey Nets terminated their coach Sunday morning, at least sparing him a long night in Staples Center and a share of history. It's not often that a mismatch actually lives up -- or down -- to its potential, but this one did. With Frank's longtime assistant Tom Barrise coaching his first, and possibly last, NBA game, the Nets did a group pirouette out of the way like toreadors as the Lakers led by as many as 34 points in a 106-87 romp.

How do you like the honeymoon so far? Ending the suspense -- about when they would fire Lawrence Frank, not their game against the Lakers, which was a foregone conclusion -- the New Jersey Nets terminated their coach Sunday morning, at least sparing him a long night in Staples Center and a share of history. It's not often that a mismatch actually lives up -- or down -- to its potential, but this one did. With Frank's longtime assistant Tom Barrise coaching his first, and possibly last, NBA game, the Nets did a group pirouette out of the way like toreadors as the Lakers led by as many as 34 points in a 106-87 romp.

New Jersey Net Coach Lawrence Frank signed a four-year, $10-million contract extension, the team said Thursday. Frank, who took over the Nets in midseason last year after Byron Scott was fired, signed the deal Wednesday. He negotiated it himself with help from advisors. Frank, 34, began his coaching career with 13 consecutive wins, a record start for a coach of a major professional team in North America.

New Jersey Net Coach Lawrence Frank got off to the best start of any coach in professional sports history. He's also the only head coach in the history of pro sports whose couch I slept on in college. When Frank was the basketball team manager at Indiana University, I was going to Northwestern with Adam Hirschfelder, Frank's classmate from Teaneck (N.J.) High, (right up the New Jersey Turnpike from the Meadowlands).

Troy Hudson filled the shoes of Sam Cassell just fine, helping end the New Jersey Nets' winning streak at 14 games. Hudson, making his first start of the season in place of the injured Cassell, scored a season-high 29 points as Minnesota beat New Jersey, 81-68, on Wednesday night to hand Net interim Coach Lawrence Frank his first loss in 14 games. "Losing is a part of the game," Frank said. "Nobody likes it. Nobody accepts it. The only thing you can do is learn from it."

Lawrence Frank set the NBA record for the best start to a coaching career by winning his 10th consecutive game and Jason Kidd had 15 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the New Jersey Nets to a 98-92 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night at East Rutherford, N.J. "We're not looking to break records, we're just looking to win," said Frank, who replaced Byron Scott last month.

With New Jersey's victory over Cleveland on Wednesday, Lawrence Frank tied the record for most consecutive victories to start an NBA coaching career: LAWRENCE FRANK, New Jersey Nets, 2003-04...9 KURT RAMBIS, Lakers, 1998-99...9 BUDDY JEANNETTE, Baltimore Bullets, 1947-48...9 LARRY BROWN, Denver Nuggets, 1974-75...8

New Jersey Nets General Manager Kiki Vandeweghe is set to become the team's coach for the rest of the season. He doesn't have to worry about being on the bench for a potential record-setting loss, though. Vandeweghe won't coach his first game with the team until Friday, a person with knowledge of the team's plans told the Associated Press on Monday. The person requested anonymity because the Nets don't plan to announce their plans until this morning. Tom Barrise , who led the team Sunday night after Lawrence Frank was fired, will coach again Wednesday against Dallas, when the Nets can set an NBA record with an 18th straight loss to begin a season.

It hasn't been a good day for NBA coaches. First, Cleveland fired Byron Scott. Then, Doug Collins stepped down as coach of Philadelphia. Now comes word that the Detroit Pistons have fired Lawrence Frank. “We thank Lawrence for his hard work and dedication, but we feel it is in the best interest of the franchise to make a change at this time,” team President Joe Dumars said. “Decisions like this are never easy and we wish Lawrence well in the future.” Frank went 54-94 in two seasons with Detroit, including 29-53 last season.

Even a little adversity isn't too much for the New Jersey Nets to overcome under new Coach Lawrence Frank. Richard Jefferson had 27 points and 10 rebounds, and the Nets posted their ninth consecutive victory -- eighth in a row under Frank, rallying to defeat the visiting Detroit Pistons, 89-78, on Tuesday night. The Nets trailed by 13 points after the first quarter, and Frank scolded his team. "He had a legit gripe," Kenyon Martin said. Frank, however, downplayed it all.

For only the third time in its 47-year history, Lawry's Foods has named a chief executive, Thomas N. Fuelling, who assumes the post from Richard Frank, 62. Frank, who was elevated to chairman, had held the chief executive post since 1956, when he succeeded his father, the late Lawrence Frank, who founded the company in 1938. Fuelling, 52, also was named president of the Los Angeles-based specialty food products company. Fuelling started as a sales analyst with Lawry's in 1957.