No more is that the case than at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
When I heard the Coach Mike Brown was headed to L.A. to coach the Lakers, I had my doubts. When he released Lamar Odom from the team and caused one of basketballs best players to begin to doubt his status, I began to worry...a lot!
Then Coach Mike Brown began to restructure the team, making it a team of Legends! I thought, oook...but can he inspire them to become greater than they already are in the NBA? I guess not. The opening record with the Lakers was 1 - 4 with a whole bunch of home games coming up and even Kobe Bryant was beginning wonder. (Anyone remember that look he gave Mike Brown following their last game loss?)
Let me back up a moment to be clear on a few things. Coach Mike Brown is a capable coach but only if he has certain people around him. In Los Angeles, the people are different...in L.A. it's either win or get out of the way!
Also, let me give the definition of "inspire." According to the dictionary, inspire means "to fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence." or if you need a better idea of where I am headed with this one..."to fill or affect with a specified feeling, thought, etc."
Clearly, Coach Mike Brown was not doing either on the basketball court...or off the court.
This situation kind of reminds me of teachers doing, or in this case, not doing their job. When students walk into a classroom, they have to be inspired by what they are saying to learn more about whatever the teacher is trying to convey to the class. If the students don't want to learn or have problems at home that make them apprehensive about learning, then nothing will be accomplished in the classroom.
Take that last paragraph and adjust it a little for what is happening at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Now, think about how the "teacher" has failed his students in that classroom. Of course, the "classroom" is worldwide stage. On this stage, there is no middle ground...it's a pass/fail type of scenario. The students, in this scenario are full grown men who know their jobs, but need the guidance and inspiration to overcome the opposing team. They also need to learn how to pass their final exam with no cheating but the ideals of overcoming their own insecurities.
Mike Brown did none of these things for the Lakers...sure, give him credit for building a superstar team! However, you have to ask the question, was he able to fulfill the definition of inspire? No.
A great film director once said, "When you cast your film correctly, half your job is done and you can concentrate on what you are trying to put up on the screen."
This film has been cast, the stage they are performing on is all over the world...The Lakers need the perfect teacher, that leader is the Legendary Coach Phil Jackson!!!
