It’s amazing how quickly an NBA coach can go from dummy to genius or the other way around.

Two seasons ago the Boston Celtics were hoping to land the number one pick in the NBA draft and with a young squad that had no chance of contending, fans were calling for a new coach and an end to the Glenn "Doc" Rivers era.

Do you think the fans still want a coaching change?

Quick question: when is a coach above second guessing?

He never is, because someone always has a better answer, particularly after the fact when hindsight is always a perfect 20/20. But in the world of NBA coaching, once you take a team to a title, your genius card ceases to have an expiry date.

I know, I know; a coach never makes a shot, gets a rebound or makes a pass but putting his players in a position to be successful is the essence of his job and this involves not just the Xs and Os of play calling but the need to be akin to social worker and psychologist when managing personalities.

Look at the coaches that have won titles and they all had terrific players and in a sense, did not get in their way.

So where does Doc Rivers go from here? Well, he will just continue to build his standing as an NBA coach. In last year’s run to Boston’s 17th NBA championship, it could be argued that Rivers, who had people calling for his job the previous season, outcoached the Zen Master, he of the nine championship rings, Phil Jackson.

The key for Rivers’ rising stature is the patience that the organization has shown with him, possibly because GM Danny Ainge knew Rivers had little to work with before rewarding him with a viable title contending squad after some shrewd trades.

But Rivers deserves the credit for managing the egos of his three future Hall-of-Famers (Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce) and having role players accept what he wanted them to be and not what they think they should be.

"You just have to remind those guys (the role players) who they are sometimes," said Rivers when asked about his team.

Rivers took some calculated risks on his venture into the coaching world. In some instances coaches take the first job offered.

But Rivers waited for a good job and after securing Coach of the Year honours with Orlando in 1999-2000, with eight new players and his star, Grant Hill, injured, he served notice that he knew how to manage a team. When things fell apart in Orlando and Rivers was fired, he patiently waited for the right situation and he is still working at his craft in Boston.

With an NBA ring now in his possession and growing longevity in the coaching ranks, Rivers has climbed over the "not sure if he can coach" barrier.

"The tough thing about it for young coaches is can you survive long enough to get to that point (where you have amassed enough wins to have management trust that your methodology is the right approach)," said Toronto Raptors coach Sam Mitchell.

"When you start getting around 400-500 wins, that means you’ve been around a while where you have won enough and seen enough games," said Mitchell on the job security of NBA coaches. "Until you have won enough and people believe that your way of doing things (works) and you have done it long enough, it’s different for young coaches."

By the count at this end of the keyboard, Rivers (348-330 career record) is one of only five African-American head coaches, (K.C. Jones, Bill Russell, Al Attles and Lenny Wilkens), three of whom were with the Celtics, to have won an NBA crown as head coach.

It’s in stark contrast to the "one and done" coaching careers of the likes of, Quinn Buckner, Lionel Hollins, and Jim Cleamons all of whom had successful careers as players but were not afforded the patience of upper management when they took a hard line with players.

Rivers is all that you want in a coach.

He demonstrates security in himself and not only extols good character and the team approach, but he lives it. How else do you explain allowing assistant coach Tom Thiboadeau, the coaching staff’s defensive brain child, the freedom to institute a sound defensive system that was a major factor in the title run last season? If you look closely during Boston games you will see "Tibbs" up on his feet as both he and Rivers seem to be directing the defense when the opponent is running its offense in front of the Boston bench.

Rivers spends the equivalent of a small fortune every season flying back and forth to his home and various university campuses on off days to watch his children, accomplished athletes in their own right, play on their respective teams.

He took legal guardianship of a one of his son’s AAU teammates who was "sleeping on porches" according to Rivers, because there was nobody to care for him and give him a stable home life that would allow him to be successful.

Rivers’ approach has left him, at least for now, surviving. He is slowly approaching the point where the "genius card" in his wallet may not have an expiry date.