Balls
The New York Knicks will make it official today, naming former Detroit Pistons head coach Larry Brown to their top coaching position at a scheduled noon press conference. The 64-year-old Brooklyn native who grew up rooting for this team, will become the franchise’s 22nd coach and fourth in less than a year. 
In 22 seasons as a professional coach, Brown has compiled a 987-741 record, leading the Philadelphia 76ers, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio Spurs, New Jersey Nets and Denver Nuggets. Brown also coached Kansas to an NCAA title in 1988, had stints with UCLA and the Carolina Cougars of the ABA, and led the 2004 U.S. Olympic team that finished a disappointing third. The title he won with the Detroit Pistons in 2004 was the only NBA championship of his career.
Pardon me if I’m a bit skeptical. I think the Knicks will need more than a new coach to turn this ship around. They’ll need to add some size, learn to play defense and drop some dead weight. Like too many previous instances, this seems like just another ploy to get fans in the stands. I’ll believe they are improved when I see it.
It’s my favorite time of the year again…FOOTBALL SEASON! Camps open up this week, and my Giants will begin their 10th year up in my old stomping grounds in Albany. I was there for the first several years, and since the waiting list for game tickets is years long, training camp is about the closest I ever got to them personally.
They finished 6-10 under first year coach Tom Coughlin, who may have to change his style if he wants to get more productivity out of them. His tough as nails approach last year pissed the veterans off and they never played up to their capability. Ready or not, Eli Manning gets the start at QB and he’ll have former Pittsburgh Steeler Plaxico Burress to throw to, among others. Unlike the last 5-6 years, the offense must start the season the same time as the defense if they are going to go anywhere.
The second half of the baseball season should bring New York fans lots of excitement. The Mets and Yankees are both still in the hunt for playoff positions if not in fact division titles. The NL East is about the most competitive division in baseball and despite the current standings, anyone, including the Mets, can take this thing with a good winning streak. The AL East looks to be a two team race, between Boston and New York, and will come down to pitching. Either way, August and September should be barn burners.
Finally, what more can you say about Lance Armstrong. Seven Tour de France victories is not only a record that may never be broken in cycling, but unprecedented in any sport. In a sport not followed by most Americans, he has dominated what is a truly grueling event, and he beat cancer too! Sadly, what is quite an exciting sport may never again get this much attention in this coutry.
Posted by bernie at July 28, 2005 10:36 AMTrackBack