Clippers won't win one for the ripper, even if he owns them

Knute Rockne

Sterling World Plaza

Beverly Hills, Calif., 90210

Dear Knute, er, Donald,

How are you?

I was worried when you went berserk after the Spurs crushed your guys. If you get upset every time a good team steps on the Clippers, you'll be getting your mail at Cedars.

In the amazing part, you backed your coach!

Not that you wouldn't have already fired Mike Dunleavy except for his contract, but as long as he's here, why not back him up?

Of course, who expected you to storm into the locker room and launch what one report called a "profanity-laced tirade," telling your players you would trade them all but Dunleavy can keep the ones he wants?

Unfortunately, feelings were hurt. An unnamed source told the Cleveland Plain Dealer, "After that, the guys don't even want to play for him."

Someone actually thinks the guys have been playing for you? It couldn't be Ricky Davis, who played in Cleveland, and is out indefinitely because of a "flare-up of tendinitis," could it?

The Plain Dealer reported you called Al Thornton "the most selfish player I've ever seen" -- which blogs recycled and ESPN's Linda Cohn regurgitated as fact two days later.

Two Clippers sources -- one player, one management -- say a lot was directed at Thornton, but not that. (We can ask Ricky when his tendinitis is better.)

It's a joke, in any case. Thornton is a gamer who has played hurt, missing only three games, while teammates went to Switzerland for second opinions.

The player you had in mind, first and foremost, was Baron Davis. He has his own list of complaints -- abandoned by Elton Brand; still feeling shackled (or as he told ESPN's Bill Simmons, "I don't think we play with enough freedom and trust.")

BD also arrived out of shape, after dropping all that weight for Jenny Craig . . . blowing $1 million in contract incentives to make $250,000, as your people now often note.

Then came his power play, revealing his "disconnect" with Dunleavy, only to learn that no matter what Corey Maggette told him, even if you put the freeze on Dunleavy last season, you weren't about to fire him.

Even friends say Dunleavy's system is too complex for anyone but him and Bill Bradley, but Dunleavy shelved it for a simple fastbreak scheme.

Freed, but not in fastbreak shape, BD hasn't pushed the ball as well as Mardy Collins and Mike Taylor, according to team statistics.