Third time?s a charm?

 Denver Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe hopes so, as he hired George Karl on Thursday to become the team?s third head coach this season.

 Hopefully, unlike his predecessors Jeff Bzdelik and Michael Cooper before him, Karl can not only turn around the sinking ship that is the young Nuggets but also enjoy a long tenure as head coach.

 If we?ve learned anything about Vandeweghe, it?s that he?s not the world?s most patient general manager.

 Despite leading Denver last season to its first playoff appearance in nine seasons, Bzdelik ? a quality head coach who, quite frankly, deserved a better fate ?  could not escape lame duck status entering this season and was subsequently fired by Vandeweghe after only 28 games.  Cooper, who we all figured Vandeweghe was grooming to become the heir apparent to Bzdelik, lasted a grand total of 14 games, posting a 4-10 record, before Karl?s hiring Thursday.

 Vandeweghe believes he has finally found his man in Karl, an old school-minded, strict disciplinarian who is expected to crack the whip over a young and talented but underachieving Nuggets squad.

 Karl, 53, holds an impressive resume over his 16-year NBA coaching career, ranking 13th all-time with 708 victories while leading his teams to five division titles and 13 playoff appearances.  While in Seattle from 1991-98, Karl led the Sonics to three 60-win campaigns in the span of five years as well as a Finals appearance in ?96.  So credibility isn?t an issue.  Karl has a proven track record.

 However, Karl has been out of basketball for nearly two seasons while serving as an analyst for ESPN, and he didn?t exactly earn rave reviews during his last coaching stop in Milwaukee.  In other words, does Karl still have what it takes to be successful in today?s NBA?

 Sure, Karl enjoyed a winning record (205-173) in his five seasons as Milwaukee?s bench boss, but more was expected of him, especially considering the talent he had at his disposal, namely ?The Big Three? of Ray Allen, Sam Cassell and Glenn Robinson.  He may have reached 100 wins quicker than any coach in Bucks history, but other than a trip to the Eastern Conference finals in 2001, Karl was unable to guide the Bucks past the first round of the playoffs, and missed the post-season altogether in 2001-2002.  In 2003, Karl was let go despite one year and $7 million remaining on his hefty contract.  

 Karl also has a reputation of clashing with his star players, in particular Allen - who Karl openly criticized for 4 1/2 seasons as a ?soft? player who showed no commitment to playing defense - and one wonders how he?ll co-exist with Nuggets cornerstone Carmelo Anthony, a rookie darling a year ago who has lost some of his luster this season.

 ?He reminds me of Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp in Seattle,? Karl said of Anthony.  ?I?m going to be demanding of certain things that (Carmelo) might not be happy with, but I also respect that he?s a great talent.  He being successful will only make my job successful.  I?m just going to communicate with him, coach him, mentor him, and try to teach him professionalism.?

 ?I?m also the same guy who hopefully has learned and moved ahead in understanding some of the mistakes I?ve made,? Karl added.  ?There were a couple of mistakes I made, especially with Ray Allen, and I feel pretty confident I?m going to be better because of what happened in Milwaukee.?

 ?The last 18 months was the first time I was not with a basketball team for 38 years.  I now realize how fun and what a privilege it is to be with a basketball team.?

 Some critics wonder whether Karl would even have been offered the job had he not been close with Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke, who Karl is a business partner with (Kroenke and Karl are part owners of an Ohio health club).  Perhaps Karl?s hiring is a sign that it is Kroenke and not Vandeweghe, in fact, who is calling the shots (Why hire Karl when a Larry Brown and/or even a Phil Jackson might be available at season?s end?) in the Mile High city.

 ?He?s clearly one of the best coaches in the NBA, has always been so and his record exhibits that,? Vandeweghe said of Karl during Thursday?s press conference.  ?We are very excited to have him with us.?

 There is no doubt Karl has his work cut out for him.  Denver currently sits eleventh in the Western Conference with a record of 17-25, six games out of a playoff spot.   With the Nuggets picked by many to contend for a championship this season, Karl is expected to come in and win right away.

 What a better time to start than Friday night on the road in Milwaukee against his former team.