Larry Brown Sports

Actually, check that. I don’t know where I’d get my entertainment if not for the Knicks and their debacles. Thursday night might have been an all-time low for Isiah’s boys — on the court, at least. (caveat: since the brawl with Captain Limpwrist at the Garden). The Bricks got pummeled 104-59, getting outscored by Boston’s first team, second stringers, and even garbage-timers. Nothing went right for the Knicks. If it weren’t for a Nate Robinson three at the buzzer, it would’ve been the fewest points in team history since the implementation of the shot clock.

The Knicks embarrassed in every possible way. Their crappy play on the court matched their erratic and troublesome behavior off of it. I don’t know how many lives Isiah gets to live with the Knicks, but you can’t fire all the players for stinking up the joint.  Follow me?  The man is ultimately responsible for how his team plays from day-to-day, and when the team he coaches gets blown out like that, trailing by 50 points at times, he should take the blame. The Knicks might not be a playoff team, but they also have no business struggling to score 50 in a game.  Their focus and effort is not at a respectable level, and Isiah is the man responsible for getting the maximum effort from his players.  For the embarrassment he’s caused the organization both on and off the court, Isiah Thomas needs to be fired.  Now.

Yes, a headline that will literally make you do a double take. In case there was ever a question, Troy Percival most certainly is not in it to win it. The man already has a ring from his days with the ’02 Angels and apparently he’s not looking to get his other fingers fitted. The recently retired closer who made a comeback mid-season last year, has reportedly spurned the Yankees for perennial AL East cellar-dweller, the Rays (doesn’t feel the same not being able to say Devil anymore). Much more than winning and making the playoffs, it seems like ego is the biggest factor at hand for Percy.

Troy Percival is signing a two-year deal worth $8 million, and possibly up to $10 million with escalators, according to Ken Rosenthal. The decision by Percy “reunites” him with former Angels bench coach, and current Rays manager, Joe Maddon. No doubt that was a key factor for the man. Most importantly, Rosenthal says Percival chose the Rays because they are going to let him close, while the Yanks were asking him to setup for Rivera. Alright Troy, as the first known man to spurn the Yanks in favor of the Rays, I have to guess two factors are at play: ego, and, well, I guess ego. We’ll see how Troy does, considering Al Reyes was pretty damn effective last year. Think he’ll be regretting his decision when he’s trying to get out Jeter, A-Rod, and Matsui next year? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

So I took last week off for the picks (I was like 10-0 though, trust me). This week we’re back on, and although I had the Cowboys covering, the picks are only limited to Sunday’s games (duh, if you could find a book that’s still taking bets on the Boys, lemme know). We went 2-1 in week 11, and the season record stands at 12-8-1. That means I’ve made you $4 million if you’re betting a million a game. Not bad, huh? Here are the week 13 picks, as presented at FanHouse:

Anyone else sensing a 2-1 week coming on?

He’s a cheap date. Err coach. Apparently he wasn’t joking when he said he doesn’t pay attention to the money he earns. Unlike some of the hot shot coaches around the country making multi-millions — the Sabans, Tressels, Stoops, Meyers of the world, Joe Pa is content just scraping by. The Patriot-News reports that Paterno’s making just over $500,000 in salary this year — $512,664 to be exact.

While that number seems small for a big-name coach, and it is, Paterno could be pulling more from sponsorship deals, and/or media work. Still, it isn’t exactly a whole lot. Recently the Pac-10 football coach salaries were revealed. At its base level, Joe Pa would be 9th in salary out of the 10 coaches. That’s pretty low. I’m guessing his assistants and coordinators, who also carry most of the actual coaching load, get paid a good amount. So in case you were wondering why Paterno hasn’t been fired, aside from his reputation and legacy at Penn St., it’s probably because he’s not costing them a whole lot anyway. I guess we’re bringing new meaning to the term “figurehead.”

The ubiquitous SpinMax, who also happens to be the biggest Oklahoma fan in the world this week, emails in with this great story. Not to be outdone by Chris Henry, Heat guard Smush Parker got involved in an altercation with a valet parker this week.

Yomaira McKenzie, 41, said Parker ”lost it” Tuesday morning when he was asked to pay the $12 valet parking charge he allegedly owed at a condo building at 355 Biscayne Blvd. McKenzie is an assistant manager at Standard Valet, which services the building.

According to a Miami police incident report, Parker, 26, claimed he had paid the fee in advance a night earlier. He said he did not have any available cash to pay Tuesday.

Tension apparently escalated when Parker, denied his keys until he settled the debt, allegedly pushed a valet podium and grabbed McKenzie’s arm in an attempt to get his keys, according to the incident report.

As someone who never carries more than $20 in their wallet at any given moment, I feel for Smush. But come on, is that really a reasonable way to react to the inability to pay a fee, even if you had paid it the previous night? Violence is not the answer to all life’s problems, Smush. On the bright side, at least he didn’t go to the “don’t you know who I am?” card.

(photo from Flickr)

Is Tony Kornheiser leaving Monday Night Football next year? [Deadspin]

Boris Becker broke up with his chick over text message [SPORTSbyBROOKS]

Who designs these crappy Olympics mascot logos? [100% Injury Rate]

Ahhh! Jennifer Love Hewitt is engaged! Noooo! [Dlisted]

Remembering old bowl game names before corporate sponsors [The Big Picture]

Already beginning the NBA MVP debate (podcast) [The Basketball Jones]

Who would you cast for the Barry Bonds movie [Steroid Nation]

Erin Andrews happy to be Playboy’s sexiest sportscaster [SI Extra Mustard]

What self-help books the athletes are reading [Ghosts of Wayne Fontes]

Just what we need, more Britney Spears progeny in the world [TMZ]

We all know how volatile Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa can be at times. Usually he’s a pretty sharp fellow, on edge, defending his players and team. But when he was arrested for a DUI during spring training, he appeared completely helpless. Tony was hammered worse than a pledge at big sis night. Check out the following video of his DUI arrest that was recently released (around the one minute mark he struggles walking the line, then around the two minute mark is his attempt at the alphabet). Must see:

Now, as justice would have it, is a DUI bust in my future? Heck no. I’ll steer clear of that. At least if there is a bust, I’ll get the alphabet straight. Video via Ballhype.

Former college football coach and current analyst Lou Holtz was a guest on Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN Tuesday. Erik Kuselias, who was filling in for Greeny, was ranting about all the college football coaches that resigned were fired the past few weeks. As Kuselias said, and I agree, some of the coaches probably didn’t deserve to be replaced because they did a pretty good job. When Holtz was asked specifically about Arkansas getting rid of Houston Nutt, he answered with a broad generalization:

Kuselias: What do you think about the expectations at a place like Arkansas versus what they’re getting from a coach like Houston Nutt?

Holtz: Well the coaching profession has changed in this respect. It’s no longer just the sportswriters you deal with — you get the internet. The thing about the internet, they can put any rumors there, don’t have to sign the correct name, don’t have to hold an element of truth, not held accountable for. Consequently, there’s just a bunch of things that goes against you.

You know, as hard as it is to be a college football coach, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to be a blogger. You got analysts and prominent media members out there bashing you left and right, creating a constant struggle. They can make blanket statements, don’t have to suffer backlash, don’t have to cite any specific examples, and not get held accountable for them. Until now.

I understand the point Lou was trying to make, but he said it with such contempt that the message got lost amidst the general attack on the internet. Had he said that the internet has allowed passionate fans to prominently voice their opinions, contributing to the overall feeling of impatience towards coaches, I would’ve probably agreed. But the way he said it makes him out to be a crotchety old man who’s too good to use a “damn computer.” Maybe avoiding generalizations of that nature is advised in the future. And it’s comments like these that help explain why Holtz is out of the coaching profession.