Shot In The Foot

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   Larry Brown said after a practice last Thursday that “this was much harder than I thought it would be” concerning his pitiful 6-16 New York Knicks. Brown, who last year was sitting pretty with this years most dominant team the Detroit Pistons, decided that even though he had told reporters and interviewees numerous times that Detroit was his last head coaching job that he would change his mind and “stab” Detroit fans in the back.   Brown had several options, he was offered a GM job in Cleveland, and there were rumors he was offered a job where Flip Saunders, The Pistons new coach, was fired; Minnesota. But Brown decided that he wanted to go back to where it all started for him; New York.

   Brown is now in a situation he is likely not enjoying, after getting beat by the lowly Hawks last Friday his Knicks are sinking to the bottom of the league, and Brown is looking more like he has made a decision he is going to regret.

   Flip Saunders, Detroit new head coach, has almost made a complete turnaround in situations. Last year he was fired by the Minnesota Timberwolves after missing out on the Playoffs, something Larry will likely have to do for the first time in recent years. Detroit is also boasting one of the best records in the league at 17-3 and finally as they would say “obtained their offensive freedom”. If you remember last year the Pistons started the first 18 games with a record of 8-10.

   The thing that is most interesting is that Larry Brown has been labeled one
of the best coaches of all time. He has won both NBA and NCAA championships with some great teams, and he has been known to turn declining franchises into Playoff contenders, and his replacement Flip Saunders has a much less impressive resume. Yet Flip Saunders is taking almost the exactly same team Brown had last year and is being even more dominant. Does this mean Saunders has suddenly become an outstanding coach, or that Larry Brown is overrated?

   Regardless, Larry Brown’s future is looking extremely dim as of now, and resigning as the head coach of the New York Knicks is probably orbiting somewhere inside his mind. Talent fills his roster; discipline does not. Can he turn this franchise around like the others, or will this be the end of the best basketball coach ever according to Steven A. Smith. Regrets; Brown probably has many, but leaving Detroit will probably be one of them.