When things are going wrong with a basketball program, no matter the level, the fan’s first instinct is to examine the coach’s priorities. Indeed, one of the worst indictments of a coach’s commitment to the program/franchise/rec league is that “he’d rather be working on his golf game than his team’s game.” You can probably already see where this is going.

(”Okay, we’re down 3, 16 seconds left, their big man’s in foul trouble… just do whatever. Where’re we playing tomorrow?”)

So then, taking the Mystery Machine down to New Orleans to help figure out the quick demise of the Byron Scott era, we’re only going to need one clue: a bag full of Calloways and Pings. YAHOO!’s Adrian Wojnarowski ably breaks down the breakdown after the break.

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• Move over, Jeff Reed & Vince Young - DEADSPIN finds another shirtless stud that likes to party with his top off: NBA old-timer Charles Oakley.

• The WINSTON SALEM (NC) JOURNAL tries to take the sting out of Kobe Bryant’s so-called shunning of the Charlotte Hornets.

• THE BIZ OF BASEBALL hungers at the news that the new Yankee Stadium will include a Hard Rock Cafe.

• MERRY ATHEIST wants to keep the deity off the diamond, as they don’t believe “God Bless America” should be sung at ballparks anymore.

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