Jeff Van Gundy Decoder: "Wally Pipping"

Late in the NBA's regular season, Jeff Van Gundy was commentating a Cavs game with Mark Jackson and Mike Breen on ESPN. Breen asked Van Gundy if he agreed with Cavs coach Mike Brown's decision to continue with Andy Varejao as a starter even after the return to health of Ben Wallace. Van Gundy's response was, "Hey, if you've got to Wally Pipp somebody then you've got to Wally Pipp somebody." Van Gundy was referring to the infamous removal of first baseman Wally Pipp from the New York Yankees starting lineup, which happened on this day in 1925. Pipp was replaced by a young nobody from Columbia U. named Lou Gehrig, whom Pipp had trained at the position. Just like Pipp, I do not expect Ben Wallace to ever get his starting position back. And just like Gehrig, I expect Anderson Varejao to start the next 2,130 games for the Cleveland Cavaliers.