Larry Brown's heart stirs within his Philly creation Article written by: Steven Schindler The fact that the Philadelphia 76ers are playing the monster LA Lakers tough as nails should not be so shocking to the rest of us. It comes as no shock at all to roundball fans in Philly. Those who followed this beast from the east know what it is made of, just what it's all about. They know that within this motley band of rappers, scrappers and MASH unit casualties beats the heart of its creator, Larry Brown. And they know that it is alive! Brown performed with surgical precision steering his sixth NBA team through a myriad of injuries to these NBA Finals. His gritty determination brought him recent Coach-of-the-Year honors and he now seeks to lead his players to the trophy he feels they so richly deserve after his own 18-year wandering search for the playoff promised land. Being a graduate of Dean Smith's school of "team play," Brown had to do some mighty convincing to get his system in place this season. He had to convince Iverson to right himself and become the consummate team leader. He had to convince the team to play harmoniously around the Iverson persona. Brown also had to convince himself that it was OK to put the fate of his team in the hands of a little tattooed fireball that couldn't rap worth a darn. Namesake of the international city of underdogs and fighters, no NBA team has more heart than this Philly team. They are not about money and they're not about endorsement deals. These Sixers are all about heart and grit and the man who taught them his tough style of full-court play. Brown molded this team into his image and made them a creature that is all about winning, competing, picking up your fallen teammate and playing with painful bone fragments in your ankle. His Sixers will gnaw off their broken parts and beat you with them if they have to. Who wants to meet this bunch in a dark Philly alley some night? What other NBA coach can truly say they are coaching their own creation? Not many of today's coaches would have the brass ones to trade away youth and talent the likes of Tony Kukoc, Theo Ratliff, Pepe Sanchez or Nazr Mohammed for a 34-year-old center. But then, Larry Brown has more fire and courage than most NBA coaches. After game one of these Finals in Los Angeles the Lakers were surely wondering just what had hit them. Finding their brooms having no effect against this battle hardened bunch, Phil Jackson's boys now had to adjust on the run and they had some catching up to do. The Sixers fought for everything they had achieved in these playoffs and they weren't about to let up in LA. Going directly to each game from the team infirmary, Philly got this far despite injuries to just about everybody on the team and their little dog too. But no Eric Snow fractured ankle, no Iverson busted tailbone, no George Lynch broken foot, no Mutombo broken pinkie, not even Larry Brown's acid reflux could keep these Sixers from their date with playoff destiny. The diminutive Iverson played through his painful injury to average 31.3 points through these playoffs thus far. Eric Snow is one of the team's premier defenders and is going to play through these Finals even if his right ankle snaps completely in half. Lynch plans to return from his foot problems for game four and his replacement, Aaron McKie, the team's second leading scorer and new proven floor leader, has ankle fracture problems of his own to contend with. These guys need to drink more milk Mutombo, he of the infamous Einstein brain type, has taken his broken pinkie finger and bodied up to Shaq playing the intelligent game he has become known for. Even Matt Geiger came back from the muscle-pulled-dead providing an unlikely spark to the Sixers' game one win at the Staples Center. "The fact that Aaron McKie's trying to play and Eric Snow is playing and George Lynch is running sand dunes just tells you a little bit about what this team is about," coach Brown said. Larry Brown is tough and wise and he knows what's important in life. He opened his initial Finals post-game press conference announcing the birth of his second grandchild. His Sixers had just shocked the sporting world and he's puffing his chest out about his new granddaughter. Yes, I think Grandpa Brown has his priorities straight. Having coached basketball in some form or fashion for the last 29 years, Brown may be wearing down. After appearances in the college and ABA ranks, 18 years of NBA coaching and periodic Olympic action, these last two years without much of a break have sent him to the doctor and kept him from enjoying his own young children and grandchildren as much as he would like. Win or lose against the Lakers, Brown has some deep thinking to do when this season draws to a close. His own health problems kept him off the bench earlier this season and his team went 0-4 in his absence. With three years remaining on his current contract, Brown must look long and hard at whether the ulcers and aggravation of the NBA are worth it any more. Philly knows they have one of the preeminent coaches in the game and they surely won't let Brown go without a fight. It remains to be seen what the lure of a $8-10 mil contract may do to his resolve to leave the game behind and enjoy his family in quiet retirement. We should all have such problems! Larry Brown is enjoying what his Philly creation has wrought upon the league this season. His scrappy band of players, broken bones, pulled muscles and all willingly provides the eyes, arms and legs to carry out his schemes. He sewed them together, molded them into the beasts that they are and whatever happens in the end, Larry Brown's heart will forever stir within his feisty Philly Sixers. Article provided courtesy of http://www.e-sports.com/ Home | Jim Rome Show | The Last Word | Gloss | Jim Rome World Tour Jungle Store | The Polls | Inside Jim Rome | The Clones | Jungle Chat Site Created by © Copyright 2001 Content provided by independent writers. The views expressed on this site are not necessarily the views shared by Myndgruve and Jim Rome. Moreover, these views are only opinions for the purpose of entertainment.