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--> --> Lucas brings new attitude to troubled Cleveland CLEVELAND (AP) - John Lucas wore a brightly colored tie for his first appearance as Cavaliers coach. He also promised to make Cleveland attractive to free agents, open practices to the media and put a smile on everyone's face. Oh, and he promised something else. "We're going to win," said Lucas, whose swagger and outgoing personality counters the Cavs' button-downed image. "And we're going to have some fun." On his initial day as Cavs coach, Lucas made quite a first impression. "It's started," said Cavs general manager Jim Paxson, who took two months to find a replacement for Randy Wittman. "After the employees' meeting, my wife noticed that everybody was walking out with smiles. "It wasn't because Paxson finally made a decision. John had them laughing. We may have to put a seat belt on him." Lucas has faced tougher challenges than the Cavs, overcoming drug addiction and rebuilding his life and career. So how difficult could it be to fix a mediocre NBA team? "I know about starting over and I know about trying to stay," Lucas said. "This is a second chance for all of us." Lucas, whose career and life have been about second chances, was introduced Tuesday as coach of the Cavs - the 13th in their 31-year history. "I'm not the last Cavaliers coach," Lucas said. "In fact, I'm a little bit upset I'm the 13th. That's a dangerous number." Keeping with team policy, the Cavs did not release the terms of Lucas' deal. Several reports have said it's for three years and worth between $8 million and $9 million. "Today," Lucas joked when asked about the length of his deal. "I haven't even looked at it yet." The 47-year-old Lucas, a point guard for 13 NBA seasons, was introduced at Gund Arena exactly two months after the club fired Wittman, who went 62-102 the past two seasons. Lucas was an assistant in Denver the past three years, and wanted another shot as a head coach following previous stints in San Antonio and Philadelphia. After being introduced by Paxson, Lucas paused and reflected for a moment before talking. "I made it," he said. Lucas hasn't wasted any time in his new job. He has spent the last few days calling Cavaliers players - and warning them. "They've never seen anything like me," he said. "I've got an energy level that these guys have never seen before." The hiring of Lucas ended a drawn-out search by the Cavs, who were criticized for their secrecy and failure to pursue big-name candidates. "John is the perfect coach for our team right now," Cavs owner Gordon Gund said. "The thing that sold me about John was how he relates with people. He has a special gift." Lucas has a combined 136-171 record in two previous coaching stops with San Antonio (1992-94) and Philadelphia (1994-96). He also was the general manager and director of basketball operations for the 76ers. All he'll have to do in Cleveland is fix the Cavs, who won just 32 games last season - their fewest since 1986-87 - and fell apart after a strong start when center Zydrunas Ilgauskas sustained a season-ending foot injury. "I want to try and win now," Lucas said. "I want to work with what we have to find a way to win. I feel like we can win together, and there are some very good pieces already in place." Lucas said he'll try and win his players' respect with tough love. "I want to create a living-room environment for them where they can go to the principal's office, but then come back to the living room," he said. Lucas, who overcame cocaine addiction and has been sober since 1986, draws from his life experiences to teach his players and connects with them on a more personal level. "I'm a little bit different from your conventional coach, but I'm not that different," he said. "I want to win and I want to find a way to create excitement. I told every player that I talked to that they were all too stiff. They were all too rigid - no smiles. We're going to have some fun." Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing