Steve Kerr: Smarter In NBA 2K9 Than In Real Life

Sometimes I like to unwind with a nightcap of NBA 2K9. Marv Albert and Steve Kerr do the play-by-play commentary and it's a good time.

But when I get back to reality and I check out Kerr's resume as the general manager of the Phoenix Suns, I can't help but wonder what happened to the smart guy who makes cheesy analyses in the video game.

If you take a look at some of the most recent sportsbook odds, you wouldn't be surprised to see that Kerr is among the favorites to be fired next among NBA general managers.

Let's face it. There have been some brutal GMs in NBA history; Bill Simmons can attest to that.

But Kerr is quickly joining the all-time ranks.The term quickly being the word of emphasis.

Kerr has run an championship-caliber franchise into the ground so quickly that the Ottawa Senators and Colorado Rockies would be proud.

It feels like it was last week that I was doing some NBA betting on the high-flying Suns, backing them as a dark horse to win the Western Conference.

Now, this team is an unmitigated disaster, and there is no one else to blame besides Kerr.

We can go back to the golden era, less than two years ago, when the Suns were a perennial 50-win team with an MVP point guard, one of the best young power forwards and an exciting team that was fun to watch.The Suns were sexier than Megan Fox in lingerie.

Beating the San Antonio Spurs or Dallas Mavericks was obviously a hurdle, but at least they were in the position. At least, they were an officiating screw job (Robert Horry) away from potentially winning a championship.

From an NBA betting standpoint, they were a bettor's dream for the over on totals, but I digress.

Kerr took over a team that was a whisker within a championship and dragged them into Houston Rockets territory.

The first move he made was trading for Shaquille O'Neal. We all watched a 36-year-old, out-of-shape Shaq rub his ring finger, indicating that he'd help bring the Suns that elusive championship.

The only problem was that The Diesel, who badly needed an oil change, was inserted into a run-and-gun offense. From an ideological standpoint, the only way you could have made a trade with more conflicting values is if the Suns acquired Shaun Alexander.

In trading for Shaq, the Suns also gave up Shawn Marion, who was one of the team's best perimeter defenders and best wing players. Not to worry, though, Kerr's got you covered. He'll bring in Grant Hill to replace Marion.

Kerr's next move was to push head coach Mike D'Antoni out the door, which immediately shaved five wins off the Suns' projected win total in the sportsbook. After all, we're changing mottos now. We're not going to run anymore. We'll be a half-court team that pounds it into Shaq regularly.

And we'll bring in Terry Porter to do the job.

For Porter, his gig was a no-win situation from the get go. The Suns brass and their fans won't be impressed with anything less than a championship, but the parts are only good enough for a first-round playoff appearance. Good luck, Terry.

The problems compounded when it turned out that Steve Nash is no longer an MVP in this new, slow offense, and Amare Stoudemire doesn't like playing alongside Shaq. On top of that, the team's defense hasn't really improved.

No problem. Kerr's got you covered. We'll pin it on the head coach, fire him, and bring in a coach who'll take us back to our run-and-gun roots.

And that's where the Suns are now. Running-and-gunning without D'Antoni, without Marion, and with an over-the-hill Hill and Shaq.

But as the trade deadline quickly creeps up, whose name do we hear in trade rumors? Shaquille O'Neal.

Well, that makes sense, I suppose. Now that the Suns are back to running, why do they need Shaq and his enormous contract?

So here's what Kerr has done for you, Suns fans:

1. Traded for Shaq, hired Terry Porter, slowed the offense down to a crawl.

2. Fired Porter, hired Alvin Gentry, sped up the offense again, and tried to trade away Shaq at the trade deadline.

All in the span of one year.

Meanwhile, he's taken an awesome team and dragged them completely out of the playoffs.

This is a failure of epic proportions. Worse yet, by firing Porter and trying to trade Shaq, he's admitting his own mistakes just one year into his tenure.

Well, props to you, Kerr, for owning up and admitting that you are a bad general manager, but that doesn't change the fact that you are a bad general manager.

Stick to TNT broadcasts and NBA 2K9, Steve. You've embarrassed yourself and a once-stellar franchise enough.