Well, not just yet. Just as I started to write this, and this is a beautiful coincidence, Stephen A. Smith just appeared on my television talking about how Quentin Richardson had to be physically restrained from beating the hell out of Stephon Marbury the other day. Let’s just quote Stephen A.:

Right or wrong, I don’t know what has happened, I’m not blaming Stephon Marbury for anything, but I can tell you since I have spoken personally to several Knicks inside the locker room: nobody likes him. Not his teammates. They cannot stand Stephon Marbury. And I don’t know how that happened, I don’t know what transpired, but I’ll tell you this: Q Richardson had to be restrained a few weeks ago because he refused to leave practice facilities unless he had the opportunity to put his hands on Stephon Marbury, and his sister had to call him and make him leave so he would not do physical harm to Stephon Marbury. That’s how bad it has gotten in New York City.

That’s awesome. Quentin Richardson just went up a few notches in my book, although I don’t really like his sister.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand… Larry Brown is an excellent coach. One of the best who’s ever lived. It seems like a popular time to bash him right now, since the Knicks are terrible and the 2004 Olympics have been a topic of conversation. But I just want to say that Larry Brown can still be a great coach and not have been the right guy for either of those situations.

If you want someone to take a group of guys and do all he can for them in the short term, in terms of devising a strategy, maximizing talents, putting guys in the best possible situation, and getting the most out of a situation in the short term… Larry Brown is not your guy. That’s not what he does. With Larry, it’s almost a get-worse-before-you-get-better situation, because he’s going to break you down, make you unlearn a lot of things, and get you to play basketball the way he wants it to be played… regardless of what you’ve done in the past.

He’s a teacher. In his mind, there is one right way to play basketball, and he’s going to teach it, no matter if that takes 2 months or two years. And with the roster that the Knicks have assembled, 2 years is a conservative estimate. You couldn’t put together a group of guys who are more poorly-suited to play for Larry Brown if you fucking tried.

And Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis are not the end of the problem. The Knicks frontcourt is just as troubled as the backcourt. Channing Frye has an excuse… he’s a rookie. He can score, and he’ll pull down a few boards, but at just about everything else… he is terrible. Defense, passing, all the little things… atrocious. He’s a talented guy and he’ll learn. Eddy Curry is just… there. He’s got the physical talent of Moses Malone, but the drive and ambition of Brad Pitt’s character in True Romance. For right now, the Knicks two best frontcourt players are Malik Rose and Maurice Taylor.

The thing is… all these guys, if they played under Larry Brown for two years, would be far better basketball players at the end of it. But it takes time to break down selfish attitudes, teach fundamental things, and install a system… particularly with today’s player, those things aren’t done overnight.

I guess my point is just that Larry Brown is a great coach. There have been a lot of little shots taken at him recently, and believe me, I find the New York Knicks situation as amusing as anyone else does, but I don’t think the shots are fair. He’s been perhaps ill-suited for situations that he’s been in recently, but still beyond reproach as a basketball teacher.