--Bernie Bickerstaff's departure would seem like a big loss, except he was already so marginalized the past year, his opinion might not have mattered. Bickerstaff was out scouting -- he didn't want to interfere with Sam Vincent's presence as coach -- and he wasn't consulted much on major decisions, despite his job title.

--Coach Larry Brown is making over the basketball staff, replacing a wide variety of support personnel. That's not uncommon, but it means several people who have been there from the franchise's outset are out of a job.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"I'm nuts." -- Larry Brown, acknowledging something that isn't a huge secret among his peers.

Copyright (C) 2008 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.