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Larry Brown is a head, and I think NBA teams may have learned their lesson now. Thirty Five Million for a trick ass who quit on his franchise?
Larry case gets
Gregg to Pop off
BY FRANK ISOLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
To know what Gregg Popovich really thinks about the Knicks and Isiah Thomas all you need to do is ask him about an obscure third-string center on his team who spent the previous two years in New York.
"His time is ahead of him," Popovich said of Jackie Butler, the 6-10 former Knick. "I'm more concerned with getting him in shape and showing him what it takes to compete at the highest level."
It was a subtle dig, and one of several Popovich tossed in the Knicks' direction last night, less than six weeks after the San Antonio Spurs coach was called as a surprise witness in Larry Brown's arbitration hearing with the Knicks.
"A pain in the butt," is how Popovich described his last trip to Manhattan to testify before NBA commissioner David Stern. "I can lie to you if you want and say something really mature. But the truth is it was a pain in the butt."
Popovich is one of the coaches and close friends of Brown who are frustrated not only by the Knicks' decision to fire the coach and particularly that the club refused to pay his contract. Brown and the Knicks eventually reached an out-of-court settlement for an undisclosed amount. Brown, who was owed $40 million, is believed to have received between $30 million and $35 million.
"In the press release they used the word 'arrangement,'" Popovich said of the statement released by Stern. "Larry's not supposed to talk about it. I don't know any more than you do. I read the statement I'm not sure what arrangement means. I guess most reasonable people would think it means compromise of some sort. I just hope that is not dangerous for coaches."
Brown gave Popovich his first NBA job nearly 20 years ago with the Spurs.
The Spurs, of course, are regarded as the league's model franchise from top to bottom and Popovich admitted that the Spurs success starts at the top.
"It starts with the owner," he said. "The owner, GMs and coaches have to be on the same page to make things work at the highest level, I believe."
He also suggested that Brown would have eventually turned the Knicks into a winner if given time. The Knicks gave him 79 games.
"His best work is grinding it out and as the job goes he makes things better," Popovich said. "That's been his history. So sure, a lot of us were surprised that he was let go that quickly."
Originally published on November 7, 2006
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/st...p-394744c.html
Larry Brown is a head, and I think NBA teams may have learned their lesson now. Thirty Five Million for a trick ass who quit on his franchise?
Yeah, I used to respect Brown a few years ago, the way he went into uncompe ive organisations and made them compe ive.
However, now I think he's an arsehole. He went to the Knicks knowing it would be a tough job, sabotaged the team, then expects to get 30mil after he's fired!? Why the Knicks ever gave him 50mil in the first place is beyond me (only Isaiah knows), but his behaviour since has been shameful.
It looks to me like Brown just wanted to s ch up Isaiah, why I have no idea as Isaiah does that pretty damn well all by himself!
Agree. LB may be Pops boy, but he is a for the way he sabotaged that Knicks team last year and then bad-mouthed them to the NY media. He certainly forced the owner to fire him. All the while he was looking for the golden parachute.Yeah, I used to respect Brown a few years ago, the way he went into uncompe ive organisations and made them compe ive.
However, now I think he's an arsehole. He went to the Knicks knowing it would be a tough job, sabotaged the team, then expects to get 30mil after he's fired!? Why the Knicks ever gave him 50mil in the first place is beyond me (only Isaiah knows), but his behaviour since has been shameful.
It looks to me like Brown just wanted to s ch up Isaiah, why I have no idea as Isaiah does that pretty damn well all by himself!
Let's us not also forget how he strung along the Pistons organization with his lingering medical issues so that he could get a buyout and go coach his "dream job" in NY. BTW, anyone notice how his lingering medical issues have since mysteriously vanished?
I always respected him also until that "ordeal" w/ the Pistons. Then when he goes to the Knicks he morphs into Sam Mitc (another coach I'm not fond of) and trashes his players in the media. Unless some team is truly desperate, I can't see him coaching in the L again. I guess he can enjoy Long Island sound on his yacht that he'll buy though
You're right, I haven't heard about that at all. Kinda like not hearing about Bin Laden while all we hear is SadaamHe showed his naked ass didn't he?!?!
Perhaps he use some of his "parachute money" to add another wing onto his house in the HamptonsI always respected him also until that "ordeal" w/ the Pistons. Then when he goes to the Knicks he morphs into Sam Mitc (another coach I'm not fond of) and trashes his players in the media. Unless some team is truly desperate, I can't see him coaching in the L again. I guess he can enjoy Long Island sound on his yacht that he'll buy though
Any owner that would hire Larry Brown after all his shennanigans deserves him.
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