In watching all of this Laker drama play out, I had a tough time not invoking memories of a former Bush administration official who shares a name with the recently deposed coach of the Lakers.
Michael Brown was the FEMA director when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2006.
Brown was famous for being the recipient of President Bush’s famous compliment, “You’re doing a heckuva job Brownie.”
Not long after this, Brown was forced to resign as the director of FEMA for an incompetent response when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans.
When his namesake, former Laker coach Mike Brown, was given the dreaded vote of confidence by The NBA’s version of Spalding from Caddyshack, Jim Buss, we all should have known that Brown’s time would be short, just like his namesake from FEMA.
Nonetheless, it’s shocking to see this type of high-profile firing only five games into a season. It’s almost unheard of to see it happen to a legitimate title contender.
Mike Brown was never the right coach for the Lakers. His tenure in Cleveland was characterized by excellent defensive coaching, poor offensive coaching, and his inability to win LeBron James’ respect.