Staying focused and playing basketball the right way

So today I was planning on laying in to Larry Brown.

Unfortunately, he finally issued a somewhat serious-sounding denial, which is exactly what he should have done days ago. I can't understand why coaches, players, and teams don't just issue flat denials in the media instead of delivering self-righteous lectures. I mean, it's not like Brown has had any issues lying about his career intentions before.

It's almost as if Coach Brown thinks his persuasive skills are so powerful, he can make reporters say to themselves, "By golly, he's right!", re-evaluate their lives, and stop pointing out that he has something of a history in the department of constantly switching jobs.

As a former sports reporter in the loosest sense of the term, I guess it's obvious I take the media's side in this. But it's not like reporters don't do stupid things, too.

Take, for example, this constant talk of distractions. Detroit won last night despite the rumors and speculation about the coach's future, which must have taken incredible focus and mental toughness.

Or, put it another way, how big of a distraction can this really be? You're telling me if you thought you might be getting a new boss (I've never worked for Larry Brown, but I don't think anyone considers him a player's coach), that would be so devastating on you that you couldn't do your job?

Don't most people hate their bosses?

Even if the possibility of the coach leaving is some kind of motivator to perform poorly, it's not like the players don't have a lot of reasons to play well, too. As in millions of reasons.

And maybe a little bit of turmoil is a good thing for an athlete in a physical competition. The Pistons wouldn't be the first team to play better angry.

I don't see Chauncey Billups at the free throw line obsessing about what he's going to do if his beloved coach moves to Cleveland, you know?

(The second, unasked question being: why would Larry Brown want to work in Cleveland? I can think of a lot better places from a basketball standpoint like, say, Detroit (LeBron or no LeBron). And do you want a boss who sounds like an infomercial?)

The storyline so often gets in the way of any actual study of cause and effect. Of course, if the Pistons lose and Brown ends up leaving, then the players must have been distracted, not that Miami being a superior team was a factor. Sort of like how the return of Joe Johnson saved the Suns in the fourth game of their near-sweep, convieniently ignoring the fact that he was back in game three as well. (I mean, Johnson might be good, but he's not so good that he'll save the series for Phoenix.)

Speaking of distractions, I'm just ready for some football! If the Broncos make a particularly stupid or unusually wise signing or cut today (today being important for salary cap reasons), then rest assured you'll read about it here.