Le Basketbawl

Do you remember that old Tom Petty song “I Won’t Back Down?” Well New York Vinnie’s newest hero Memphis Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins should start using that as his Frickin theme song. The “L-Train” has  a pair of Stones something that not every coach in the NBA has and he is proving it with the way that he is handling his “Frickin Diva” Allen Iverson.

The “Memphis Commercial Appeal” has reported that Hollins is showing Iverson who truly is in charge of the Grizzlies and that he is not about to let a Frickin lunatic run the Frickin Asylum. Hollins has Iverson coming into games off the bench since he returned to active duty and has expressed his displeasure. The coach told reporters “There’s no way we’re making a change right now.”

Memphis Team Owner Michael Heisley told reporters that he is standing behind his coach on this issue. The Grizzlies head honcho said “It’s up to the coach to handle these issues. Lionel will handle it. This is a situation that’ll be handled between Lionel and Allen. What Allen said was inappropriate, but I’m not going to make a big deal out of it. Allen expressed his frustration about not playing and I understand that.”

This the way that Michael Curry and Joe Dumars should have handled Iverson  traded Chauncey Billups last season after the Pistons to get him. However Curry tried the diplomatic approach which caused the Detroit Pistons season to implode and cost Curry his job. Hollins has shown that he has the ability to be the boss; Iverson does not have to like him he just has to respect him.

So does this mean that the Frickin soap opera is over in Memphis and this will be the final thing we hear about this issue. New York Vinnie thinks that is highly unlikely. However New York Vinnie now has all respect in the world for the “L-Train” and the way he is handling this overgrown Frickin baby.