Enough of This Ivy League Business

The Los Angeles Lakers are in shambles.

Not because they are 1-4, which is their worst record to start the season since 1993-1994 when they had Nick Van Exel running the show.

Not because they are without their two-time MVP Steve Nash, out with a leg fracture.

Not because Dwight Howard has played fewer than 10 games since having his back surgically repaired.

And its not even because the Lakers have a lack of youth and perimeter athleticism in their lineup.

The Lakers are in disarray because Mike Brown, former coach of the Cleveland-led LeBron squad, has decided to mitigate their strengths and greatest talents by implementing the much maligned and oft-criticized Princeton offense into the Lakers' offensive scheme.

Sorry, Kobe, the Lakers fans are stupid?

Yes, they watched the Lakers and their Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson fight with you to implement the triangle which yielded three strait championships at the turn of the century.

They don't want you to waste your talents on an offense where you are a wing man on a team predicated on ball movement and player movement and placement.

Kobe, remember, Lakers fans are smart. They will listen to Phil telling them to shut it because he has six rings at the helm.

But Mr. Mikey Brown? What does he have? A few number one seeds in the playoffs?

So what...

They do not have to listen to him.

The Princeton offense is the worst possible offense for the Lakers' personnel.

Steve Nash should not be shackled by the Coach Brown-led Princeton offense on his way to his first title after 17 years in the league.

Dwight Howard, the Lakers "Big Acquisition" (Shaquille O'Neal has probably already coined that nickname) should not be starting every possession at the high post partnered with Gasol and struggling to get "Shaq-like" low post position throughout the game.

The Lakers should be running the highly touted and proven triangle, or at least a variation of it with an uptempo flavor led by Nash and co.

Yes, Kobe had an explosive 40 points against the Clippers in the team's third game, but that will not be enough evidence to turn the ship around.

Kobe is averaging 27.2 points per contest, and Howard is averaging 22.4 points and under 10 rebounds per game.

That may seem like enough output, but when these are your two "superstars," more is expected.

The Lakers are almost at the point of no return. If Mike Brown cannot find a way to utilize Howard in the paint and the greatest two guard in the League besides MJ, in Kobe, he will not just be in jeopardy of his job, Lakerland will be in jeopardy of hoisting number 17 to the rafters.

Kobe and Dwight need to right this ship quick, or else their fate could be even worse than just missing the finals... perhaps even missing the playoffs.

Dwight, this is "make it or break it" after Dwightmare, do not mess this one up. Your career and legacy depends on it.

For Kobe, number six is much farther from your consciousness than it should be.

But truly, it is all about number one for Dwight and the two-time MVP.