Remember Rasheed Wallace's "CTC" comment in Portland, how he didn't care where he played as long as they cut the check? This week's winner of the CTC Award is Larry Brown, who in addressing Stephon Marbury's recent comments, and indirectly his own inability to get through to his players, coughed up the following gem:
The bottom line is, I want us to rebound, defend, share the ball, play hard. That's all. Now if you can't do that, if that's not important enough to you, it's not on me.
Yup, "it's not on me." Cha-chinggggg! Cut that check!
Tell me, how is this you-won't-play-my-system approach to coaching any different than Marbury's you-aren't-using-me-correctly complaint? Given the situation, I gotta agree with Marbury. They've tried Brown's way, and it's not working. Why not try some small-ball?
Sure, the Knicks' failures are clearly not on Larry Brown. Anyone who can read knows Isiah Thomas is at fault. The roster sucks, and Marbury is the worst kind of point guard, a me-first shooter. But for all of Isiah's idiocy, Larry Brown still has a job to do. The roster has talent. Larry Brown's job is simple: maximize that talent, and put his players in a position to win. He has no control over Isiah's idiotic roster moves, and thus is charged with doing what he can... given lemons, make lemonade. Larry Brown has not done that. He's thrown the lemons in the trash and demanded a '91 cabernet. He's pushing square pegs into a round hole. For $10 million a year, shouldn't he at least work with the players Isiah gave him?
The bottom line is, I want us to rebound, defend, share the ball, play hard. That's all. Now if you can't do that, if that's not important enough to you, it's not on me.
Yup, "it's not on me." Cha-chinggggg! Cut that check!
Tell me, how is this you-won't-play-my-system approach to coaching any different than Marbury's you-aren't-using-me-correctly complaint? Given the situation, I gotta agree with Marbury. They've tried Brown's way, and it's not working. Why not try some small-ball?
Sure, the Knicks' failures are clearly not on Larry Brown. Anyone who can read knows Isiah Thomas is at fault. The roster sucks, and Marbury is the worst kind of point guard, a me-first shooter. But for all of Isiah's idiocy, Larry Brown still has a job to do. The roster has talent. Larry Brown's job is simple: maximize that talent, and put his players in a position to win. He has no control over Isiah's idiotic roster moves, and thus is charged with doing what he can... given lemons, make lemonade. Larry Brown has not done that. He's thrown the lemons in the trash and demanded a '91 cabernet. He's pushing square pegs into a round hole. For $10 million a year, shouldn't he at least work with the players Isiah gave him?
posted by Jeff at
5:50 PM
2 Comments:
It's the whining that gets to me.
If LB really believes his system is right for the team, he should bench Marbury's ass. For enough games that he starts to change in practice- then earn his way back onto the floor. Who cares if they lose 20 games in a row, if that's what it takes. If this gets LB fired, so be it.
Otherwise, he should shut up and find a way to let the player play, and spend his time convincing the rest of the team to play D and rebound, all for the good of Starbury.
At this point, there are no other options available to him.
By
Alex, at 9:21 AM
I just can't see how a coach could look at a roster whose best players are Marbury, Francis and Jalen Rose, and think "gee, I gotta get these guys to play tough defense!" Bravo, Einstein. No way that's on you. But hey, at least we know he'll just quit once the going gets rough.
In the words of Black Thought, who represents the fifth dynasty, Cut the check, an' it betta be as heavy as anvils.
By
Jeff, at 9:43 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home