NBA FanHouse walks through the Valley of the Most Likely; we shall fear no topic.Josh Howard is no dummy. This might seem like an odd time to make such an assertion, but it really is the truth: Josh Howard is not stupid. He has convictions, and he has ... um, interesting ways of broadcasting them. But he knows he went too far in his YouTube appearance dissing the national anthem. Citizens of this country are nothing if not huge fans of Francis Scott Key. You don't disrespect two musicians in the United States of America: Key, and Bruce Springsteen. (Poking fun at Stevie Nicks is only advisable in parts of western Maine and Vermont.)
The training camp apology was only Step No. 1 in the resurrection of Howard's reputation. The season is only nominally about basketball for the star forward: the central goal is to atone for the sins of ill-timed humor. If this means pretending you've heard of Barbara Walters and appearing on The View, fine. If this means wearing a flag lapel pin on your warmups, fine. If it means you spend every quarter intermission of the home opener waving a 60-foot American flag, then that is what it takes.
The masterstroke of this plan, though: appearing for a one-on-one interview on Larry King Live. Anyone who needs to rebuild their brand must receive the call from King's producers. Everything else is just a precursor, just preparation. Just pray the appearance doesn't come through on a day Kathy Griffin is guest-hosting, or on a Monday, when King is still awake and alert. (He nods off by Wednesday and is replaced by an animatronic.) This one interview could seal Howard's new identity as Captain America for a New Age. Don't blow it, man.
Check out Fanhouse's 2008-09 NBA Preview, homie.
