Larry Brown is a scumbag.

Yep, I said it. Even though the man is a Tar Heel who learned everything he could from the Master himself, and is probably the best b-ball coach working today, I wouldn't trust him with my pet hamster (if I had one, which I don't).

Isn't his history telling enough? Sure, he's won everywhere he's been. But he's been everywhere! I still don't know what the heck the Pistons were thinking when they signed him to a five-year deal. Five years? He should be on rotating one-year contracts--a perpetual lame duck, ready to pack up and leave town at a moment's notice. Even better, just pay him by the hour. Would that be any less of a distraction than interviewing for a front-office position with a division rival DURING the Eastern Conference Finals?

As a coach during the playoffs, you need to tell your team to stay focused and block out all distractions. Which is a harder point to make when you're heading out to job interviews. He's just lucky that the Pistons are a tough bunch unlikely to be distracted by much of anything. Well, except for Rasheed, who occasionally seems distracted by everything.

And who knows how the Cavs thing could work out anyway. Does LeBron REALLY want his GM to be a guy who wouldn't play him during the Olympics, despite his obvious talent? Does Mike Brown REALLY want to coach under LB, getting second-guessed all day, e'ry day, not knowing when the boss is going to decide to take over on the floor as well? For that matter, does LB REALLY want to end up in an office instead of on the sidelines?

Despite all of that--and despite the fact that Game Seven is in Miami--I think the Pistons get through to the Finals for the second straight year. With the injuries they have, and after the wipeout last night, the Heat just look overmatched. But even without the fun of Shaq and D. Wade, it should be a terrific Finals. Well-matched teams with fundamentally sound players and loose cannons alike. Some games might even see both teams break 100! At least, I hope so.

An aside, was anyone else disappointed that Gregg Popovich wasn't Deep Throat?