This Is No Longer A Watch: It's A Brown WARNING

If you ask me, the Philadelphia 76'ers sent the wrong person to Denver.

Instead of guard Allen Iverson, Philly should have convinced the Nuggets to take Larry Brown off their hands.

The heretofor Brown Watch has now officially been upgraded to a Warning. Instead of conditions merely being right for Brown's return to the Sixers -- made known when he was acting as a "consultant" in the Iverson sweepstakes -- there's been an actual funnel cloud spotted. Residents near the 76'ers should take cover immediately.

Brown's return to the team in a more formal capacity is being seriously bantered about. LB's agent, Joe Glass, has acknowledged it, but would rather an official announcement come from Sixers management. What role Brown would play is up to conjecture. But if I was coach Maurice Cheeks, I'd be preparing my severance proposal.

Iverson has called Brown the best coach he's played for (and he has quite a choice to select from), and until Larry's return to Philly appeared imminent, I was wondering if Brown might eventually end up in Denver as well, the site of his first NBA coaching gig, in 1976. This would happen, I theorized, after the expected removal of George Karl as Nuggets coach -- either forcibly or thru aghast resignation. It would bring Brown's NBA coaching career full circle -- and in this case, we're talking a circle the size of Rosie O'Donnell's mouth.

As for Iverson himself, his coexistence with Carmelo Anthony -- how about Carmallen for a new name? -- is already being winked at. How can they possibly play together? What about the last shot -- who will take it? Do they "respect" each other?

My goodness, you'd think that two superstars had never played on the same team before.

Here's the scoop: the Nuggets will be fine. They'll be more than fine, in fact. Iverson, I happen to know secondhand, is not the cancer that some folks would portray him as being. There's a side of him that doesn't get nearly enough press: that of a tireless worker who has literally given up his body for the Sixers. A doting father. But that's not sexy enough for the stuffed suits on television, or the loudmouths on talk radio.

Once Carmallen blends, like a yummy salad dressing, the Nuggets will be a thorn in everyone's side in the Western Conference. The storm of Larry Brown, however, appears to be circling over the Philadelphia area.
It's only a matter of time until it touches down.