http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/108279697283980.xml Brown not experiencing any regrets Saturday, April 24, 2004 John DeShazier He said he hasn't had second thoughts, although who could blame P.J. Brown if he did? After all, his team, the New Orleans Hornets, are in desperate need of a victory today to keep from falling in a 3-0 hole -- a deficit no NBA playoff team has ever overcome -- in their first-round series against Miami. Tempting as it may be, Brown said he hasn't entertained thoughts of how the other half is living, even though he easily could have been the other half, as a member of the San Antonio Spurs. He turned down San Antonio's free-agent offer to re-sign with the Hornets. And well, let's just say that the defending NBA champs, who are leading Memphis 3-0 in their first-round series in the Western Conference, haven't had quite the time of it during the regular season or playoffs as the Hornets have. "They're doing a good job," Brown said of the Spurs. "I'm happy for (forward) Bruce Bowen. I played with him in Miami. But I feel like I was meant to be (in New Orleans) for more than basketball." Which is good, because this season would have to be about more than basketball for it to not leave a bad aftertaste for Brown. Granted, he isn't looking for sympathy, and there are about 8 million reasons -- for this season and each of the next three, courtesy of a four-year, $32 million contract -- to refrain from giving him any. But there isn't a large number of genuinely good men -- not players, people -- who occupy roster spots in pro sports, who comport themselves as professionals come rain or shine, who'll give until it hurts and then give some more. You don't mind wanting the best for them, because you know they've never given anything less than their best. Like Hornets fans, Brown wanted and expected more this season. Basketball-wise, you know he didn't sign with the home-state team (since joining the NBA, he has made his offseason home in nearby Slidell) believing that a 41-41 regular season was forthcoming, that injury and bickering would be the words most often used to describe the team, and that they'd be entering today's game fresh off a historic 93-63 embarrassment. But here he and his team are. "I can't say I have (been through a season like this)," Brown said. "This has been a weird one. This has definitely been weird. "Expectations were high, and a lot of stuff has been going on. And, in spite of that, we've still got a chance. In a weird way, we still control our own fate." It's a slimmer-than-Snoop-Dogg chance, and it definitely will be more than weird if the Hornets manage to push the series to six games, given they haven't shown more of an ability to rise to the occasion than has the Heat. "(But) it definitely can be done," he said. "We can change this thing around." What he won't change, or think about changing, is his mind about staying with the Hornets. Even though the other half is playing the kind of ball that'd leave most having second thoughts. . . . . . . . John DeShazier can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3410. --

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