Life is full of twists and turns, and sometimes we simply just go full circle.

Take the Golden St. Warriors for example. Last season, Don Nelson returned as head coach after an 11-year absence and the team made the playoffs and set the hoop world on fire with their free-wheeling style of play.

Ironically, Nelson was the last coach to lead the team to the post season back in '94. The Warriors went into a deep playoff freeze between the time he led them to those playoffs and then returned to lead them there last season, when they pulled off an improbable upset of the No. 1-seeded Dallas Mavericks. 

The 1994 season was magical in itself for the franchise. That was the year that Chris Webber, the brash rookie with the soft hands and man-child strength, was the undisputed leader of the "Fab Five" out of the University of Michigan, and he brought his cocky style to the NBA.

His style seemed to carry over as the Warriors ran many teams out of the gym on their way to a 50-32 mark. The rookie even had an unforgettable commercial in the NBA's barbershop series, paying homage to the most popular venue in urban America for young black men to come together in a positive fashion. In the ad, Webber and then-teammate Latrell Sprewell vibe the way guys do in the 'shop, as they re-enact his around-the-back-slam-dunk-in-your-face move on Charles Barkley.

Then, all hell broke loose, as Nelson's volatile relationship with Webber played out like an on-going National Enquirer feature and Webber was traded to the then-Washington Bullets. That move basically killed the team's spirit.

The Warriors of '94 were similar to the team Nelson currently coaches in Oakland, with their lack of a conventional center, shooting perimeter jump shots whenever they have breathing room, and basically running teams into the ground. That '94 team featured Sprewell, current Dallas Mavericks' coach Avery Johnson (running the point for Tim Hardaway, out with a knee injury), and sharp-shooting Chris Mullin, now the team's GM.

Well, guess what? Webber is back with Nelson and the Warriors, albeit to give them more depth in the paint. He will be a leader in the locker room as he was in '94, but this time he adds experience mixed with savvy instead of plain old brashness.

The jury is still out on whether the combination of Webber and Nelson will help Golden State achieve its objectives, but their relationship should be considerably mellower the second time around since Webber has spent years in the league and knows the ins and outs better than when he was a rookie (when he should have been a junior in college). Seasoned individuals know what it is like to explain something to a 19-year old jock, only to have them dismiss it because they know it all.

One can almost see Webber and Nelson engaging in brief conversation about the Warriors' offensive scheme and having a totally different result from the same conversation 14 years ago. Nelson was set in his ways in '94 and Webber was very young, so a clash was imminent. But, who could have forecasted the fallout that followed?

In short, "C-Web," as he was known while playing up Interstate 80 with the Sacramento Kings, needed to grow as a player and a man in order to fully understand his coach. The Warriors, particularly Nelson, believe that Webber has matured and that his experience, shooting, and passing ability in the post and half court sets can help the team on its run to the post season. Time will tell.