Karl explained to the Denver Post yesterday that Iverson is a great player who will thrive in the veteran lineup of Detroit. But if he never pollutes George's gameplan again, it will be too soon.

"There are less bad plays, more solid plays," Karl said. "I think the wasteful, cheap possessions that we used to have 10 to 15 a game, they don't exist very much anymore."

Me-ow. But is that just praise of Billups or a backhanded slap at All... oh, you're just going to call him out now? Proceed.

"We have contested-shot charts, bad-shot charts and cheap defensive possessions," Karl said. "I would say that when A.I. was here, we had most games in the teens of contested, tough shots, sometimes in the 20s. And I don't think we've had a double-digit one since (Billups has) been here.

"I don't think there's any question coaching a team for many minutes, without a passing and point guard mentality, is frustrating for a coach. Sometimes I saw something, but I couldn't get it done on the court because I didn't have a playmaker out there."

"A.I., at times, had trouble trusting the guy he's throwing it to," Karl said.

Not a playmaker? That's one way to put it. Another way to put it is that he has the third-highest scoring average in NBA history and doesn't trust his teammates because he's better than they are. The important thing is that you shouldn't hide your feelings.

Karl to A.I.: "Don't let the door hit you on the way out"... [Denver Stiffs]
Point guard praise: Billups over A.I. [Denver Post]
Photo: AP

First off, Karl says he had no idea the email was being sent, and that, "it was on his friendship towards me." (The lawyer, the now infamous Bret Adams, says "in hindsight, I could have written it more professionally." Ya think?)

But the more fun came from the Wall Street Journal's Law Blog, which delved into the legality and prudence of the email. This will come as a shock to you, but apparently most lawyers felt firing off the "sue you into bankruptcy" email, uh, wasn't the best way to handle the situation.

Some highlights from lawyer commenters (like Deadspin LLP, but, you know, with WSJ subscriptions):

• I think many lawyers who read this board now have an obligation to report Mr. Adams. Threatening to sue someone into bankruptcy is an abuse of the privilege of being an attorney.

• good grief, this is not even funny it's so funny, get real Mister Adama, give your client some real advice about..... this guy's a coach of an NBA team and he's sensitive to criticism
maybe Mister Adams had the flu, got a little delirious?

• Ethical issues aside, a good attorney would not have created the huge risk of negative publicity attendant to making a written(!) threat of this nature. This ridiculous email, which was obviously going to end up posted to the blog, is liable to become a minor media sensation during a particularly slow time during the sports year. (Sportscenter, anyone?) So instead of a minor nuisance of a website created by someone who is(it cannot be denied) an avid fan, the coach now has a potential PR disaster on his hands. Which is more likely to harm the coach's career?

An effective attorney would have handled the issue politely and quietly. Better yet, he would have advised his client that such websites are common and should just be ignored. Far from being "a model for others" per 6:25, this lawyer has seriously compromised his client's interests.

But, our favorite:

• As group, lawyers are a giant carbuncle on the buttocks of American society! They are bloodsucking bottom-feeding parasites that contribute nothing to the GNP of the United States! And I wish them and their extended families nothing but the worst in life!

The WSJ Law Blog must hate it when that guy shows up.

Frustrated Fan Faces First Amendment Flap [WSJ Law Blog]
Karl's Lawyer Defends Coach [Rocky Mountain News]
George Karl's Lawyer Is Not Making His Client's Life Any Easier [Deadspin]

Site proprietor Andrew Feinstein received the following email in his mailbox last week, from Bret Adams, attorney at Adams, Babner & Gitlitz, whose site can be found right here.

Is your life really this boring and meaningless that you would spend the hours necessary to create such a website?

As Coach Karl's counsel I am putting you on notice that I will sue you into bankruptcy should you cross the boundaries of permissible speech.

Oooh! Big scary lawyer man!

From all accounts, this appears to be an actual email from an actual attorney, which is kind of depressing, actually.

This is the best possible way to make a story go away. Good work, Bret Adams! If Karl is ultimately let go by the Nuggets, you've just assured that Fire George Karl will be mentioned in the obituary. Now that's lawyerin'!

George Karl's Attorney Responds To Fire George Karl [Fire George Karl]
Bret A. Adams Biography [ABG Lawyers]

"There's no question in my mind it was premeditated," Karl said in an obscenity-laced news conference on Denver's practice court Monday morning. "(Thomas) made a bad situation worse. He's a jerk for what he's trying to do. My team has blown 10-point leads, 11-point leads with two minutes to go. I watched Utah blow a 12-point lead to Sacramento two nights before that with four minutes to go in the game and you're telling me that I'm running the score up? He's an asshole."

Please, please, PLEASE let Isiah never get fired. Please.

Karl Rips Thomas For 'Premeditated' Fight [MSNBC]