I would deny it, proudly even. But considering the opening sentencewas written by me, and subsequently quoted by me on more than oneoccasion, I’d have to say I agree with myself quite a bit. Thatdoesn’t mean I have an ego, it just means I think I’m right all thetime.
My self image aside, the words that greet you on the top line of thiscolumn are words by yours truly, written on November 2, 2005. At thetime the Detroit Pistons were entering their first season in threeyears without Larry Brown, after two consecutive trips to the NBAFinals. Larry Brown decided he was too old and ill to coach thePistons, but still stupid enough to dive head first into the sulfuricacid pool that was (and is) the New York Knicks. After two years of agood thing, Larry Brown went chasing a Frisbee.
I like Larry Brown, but I’m not about to watch him chase the plasticdisk and not call him a dog. Larry Brown is a champion, a winner, amentor to many young men, a good father, a pretty decent guy, and ahall-of-fame coach, but he chases Frisbees and any time he takes aphone call from an NBA franchise I have to assume he’s getting readyto get his fetch on.
Having held the clip board for eight different squads Larry Brown hasjustly earned the reputation of a coach who can work miracles quickly,and leave for the next stop just as fast.
His tenure in New York was expected to follow his usual pattern, but a horrendous Knicks team and incompetent management was able to kick Brown out the door (well compensated of course) before he could take off. Ever since then, it’s been the count down till something roundand shiny flew through the air.
Six months into his latest retirement, something caught Larry Brown’s eye. Or rather Larry Brown caught someone else’s attention, because you can’t just play ball with anyone. The Philadelphia 76ers, following the ill conceived trade of Allen Iverson to the Denver Nuggets, and mired in something far worse than mediocrity, made a move to try and regain some trust from their fans and eventually some respectability on the basketball court - they hired Larry Brown as ’Executive Vice President’.
When I see a title like that I think of the executive producer creditin films. No matter how many times I tell people they never get it.Executive producers don’t do anything, ninety percent of the time it’sa fluff title, or as I like to call it an ego title. In this case it’snot that I think Larry Brown won’t do anything, on the contrary Ithink be an effective influence for the organization. But my amusementat his official title owes to the fact that it is only a temporaryone, meant to hold him over until his real job is ready for him.
Let me say this in the most clear and certain terms I can manage,Larry Brown will be the head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers - again.
The natural response to that claim is, "uh-uh" or something like that.Because of course at this point Brown and the Sixers are denying thathe will assume coaching duties. "At this moment, no," Brown told themedia when asked about coaching. "I didn’t come here to be involved inthe coaching. After last year, I think I need to step away fromcoaching for a while, and I’m 66. I don’t know if that’s what I’mlooking to do." Translation: I’m not going to coach right away, butjust hold on, let me make some excuses about my age and being tiredand once I’m feeling up to it, get me a clipboard and a whistle.
You shouldn’t be surprised that Brown is denying he’s going to coach. At this point, with Maurice Cheeks (a former assistant of Brown’s), he essentially has to. Just don’t be surprised when he steps back in togive Cheeks the boot. If you think that a legendary coach coming backas a vice president (or president) with a coach that used to be hisassistant doesn’t sound familiar, then you must have missed that PatRiley/Stan Van Gundy incident last season. I wasn’t surprised whenRiley told Van Gundy to step out of the way, and I won’t be surprisedwhen Brown tells Cheeks to go take a hike.
If you’re starting to think I’m sounding overly sure of myself, wellmaybe I am, but with good reason. I read the headline, ’Larry Brownreturns to 76ers as Executive VP’ as ’Larry Brown to coach 76ers.sometime. eventually. just wait until we find a way to get rid ofMaurice Cheeks’.
I like Maurice Cheeks; in fact I think everyone likes Maurice Cheeks(unless your name is Iverson). He’s the guy who helped that one girlremember the words to the National Anthem. How can you not love thatguy? Unfortunately, he might have to try out for American Idol,because he’s going to be in need of a job soon.
If you think my basis for predicting Brown as the eventual head coach of the Sixers is purely rooted in his habitual need to chase jobFrisbees, well, you’re right. But that’s not all it’s based on; myforesight comes as much from, if not more from, the fact that it’s theright move.
Obviously I’ve been critical of Brown thus far, but he is a damnfine basketball coach, and he should coach the 76ers. He’s exactly whatthey need right now and he has the respect of that city andorganization. He won’t have to put up with the mess that went on inNew York. He turned the Sixers around once near the beginning of AllenIverson’s career there, maybe now he can turn around in the postIverson era.
So. maybe I don’t have an ego. Maybe, I’m not right all the time(I’m sure I’m not). And maybe Larry Brown isn’t a dog who just chasesFrisbees. Anyone who has owned a dog knows, sure, they chase things,but for the most part they aren’t self serving, often sacrificial, andabove all loyal.
Larry Brown is a good basketball mind pursuing a goodopportunity where he can do some good, just like he’s always done.
Do I think Larry Brown is going to coach the 76ers? Yes, withouta doubt. Do I think he should stay put more? Yes. And from the way hetalks about the stability he wants for his kids, I think he does too.
Brown could have a good thing going in Philly as a coach or aVP. I choose to criticize him for having jumped from place to place, but Ican’t call out the man on this specific move. And I suppose if youlook at all his jobs and moves individually, and not collectively, yougain a different perspective.
When you think about it, maybe Larry Brown chasing everyopportunity that flies by doesn’t make him a canine playing fetch - maybe it just makes him human.
