I know my cause is hopeless, I continue to believe there is a "Ewing Kaufmann" type somewhere in the metro or in the nation. I can hear him or her say emphatically "Kansas City needs NBA basketball again!" When will this event occur, it will occur in 2??? I think! Hopefully it will occur sometime in my lifetime so I can once again enjoy rooting for an NBA team with Kansas City on it's jersey. I'm not be the only one former Kings center Sam Lacey is emphatic in his view Kansas City can support an NBA team. Check the link courtesy of KCTV5, Kansas City. The key problem the NBA has been rather unkind to cities it's left in the past. The cities that comprised the league in the '40s and '50s were little more than minor league stops. Cities such as Rochester (N.Y.), Sheboygan Wisconsin and Fort Wayne (Indiana) just to name a few. The cities I referenced are ones the NBA has left in more recent years, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Buffalo, Seattle and Kansas City. The series of events that caused each of these cities to lose it's franchise is probably as diverse as the people in the cities. The only city to lose a franchise and gain another within a short period is Charlotte. After the Hornets left in 2002 for New Orleans the NBA seemed to be anxious to replace the franchise, in three short years the expansion Bobcats came into existence.

http://www.kctv5.com/local-video/index.html?grabnetworks_video_id=4655220

Collegiate players without agents can withdraw their names (no agent hired) from the draft by May 8th and still maintain their eligibility in the fall. The list is extensive however some of the names thought to leave have remained in school players such as Harrison Barnes of North Carolina and Baylor's Perry Jones. This should be considered no prediction of success but the Morris twins game will probably translate easily to the NBA, they are physical players. The gigantic question mark is point guard Josh Selby, his freshman year was a little bizarre. The NCAA ruled him ineligible for the first nine games, his first collegiate game he was to score the winning basket. From that point on his season was like a roller coaster with several highs but a like number of lows. I'm sure those who saw him play assumed he'd return for his sophomore year, another year of coaching might have been beneficial to him. Is he going to be drafted, it appears that will be the case but where is a mystery?

Many of you know my affinity for all things NBA especially Laker stuff. This time I'm not researching Laker gear it's Kansas City Kings apparel. Maybe I've become nostalgic but I couldn't have purchased any of this stuff back in the day. It seems (maybe my imagination) NBA team wear was limited to non-existent. Memory says baseball caps containing team logos might have been the first apparel available. In any event should you have any Kansas City Kings apparel in the back of your closet contact me and we can discuss a business arrangement.

Over the years all of us have read AAU stories good and bad, I was never able to gain firsthand knowledge until this year. Numerous AAU players have gone on to NBA and pro careers in Europe and Asia. This AAU story is close to home, one of my grandsons has been selected to play on an AAU team in Texas, yes I said grandson. In June the family will journey to Wichita to watch him display his basketball prowess. Years from now when he makes it to the NBA he'll ensure his Paw Paw is living in the best nursing home in Kansas City. In any event I will keep you apprised of his progress.


I don't know why people question the academic training of an athlete. Fifty percent of the doctors in this country graduated in the bottom half of their classes.
Al McGuire

I have started and stopped this piece an unknown number of times.  The chief reason, my perception was there was no response required.  To be honest I'm still unsure if a comment is actually needed but here it goes anyway.  Before beginning I must acknowledge I have no credentials as a race relations expert.  I am the polar opposite of one individual in the sports community.  This person would have you believe he has all the answers regarding race and it's relationship to sports.  Although we don't often like to discuss it we all can acknowledge race and race perceptions remain a part of American society.  My argument with Buzz Bissinger is it does not exist to the extent he would have us believe.  The key problem is too little time and space to devote to an important piece of the American fabric, race   

 

Buzz Bissinger author of Friday Night Lights and several other books took an opportunity to write an article titled NBA All-Star Game: White Men Can't Root.  Mr. Bissinger took the game to task claiming younger white males no longer follow the NBA.  The key reason according to his article there are too many players who don't look like them!  The problem for me (and maybe others) Bissinger uses skewed methods for formulating his conclusions.  Here's an example, "based on various statistics, the percentage of African-American players has remained relatively constant over the past decade, fluctuating between 72 and 75 percent.  The number of foreign-born players has increased exponentially to about 18 percent.  The number of white American players, meanwhile, has decreased from 24.3 percent in the 1980-81 season to roughly 10 percent now."  I'm not arguing with the numbers he claims I'm just curious as to the basis for his conclusions since the percentage of black players has basically remained the same.  The self-appointed race relations expert mentioned above has concluded tattoos are part of the problem.  This writer has even formulated a plan to "save" the NBA from itself, one of his proposals is a monetary bonus to any player who refrains from gracing his body with tats.  I'm still trying to figure out how tats inhibit one's ability to play basketball at a high skill level!  

 

If we had no NBA knowledge and saw a photo of Kirk Hinrich of the Hawks and Pau Gasol of the Lakers we could conclude easily both men are white.  Once their names were revealed we might conclude Gasol might not be an American based on his name.  That might not be the case because native born American's sometimes have difficult names too.  We can agree with certainty the Magic-Bird rivalry fueled increased NBA viewership and attendance in '80s.  Shortly afterwards Michael Jordan arrived on the scene, he was to take the Bulls on a successful run over the next several years.  Many pseudo fans quite watching and attending NBA games after Johnson then Bird retired.  The culmination was the retirement of Michael (Air) Jordan.  I've held conversations with several black folks who admitted to me they quit watching NBA basketball when Jordan retired.  Could it be the retirement of the aforementioned superstars rather than "he doesn't look like me" factor in slipping viewership and attendance?  We can use Bissinger's own statement, remember what he said "the percentage of of African-American players has remained relatively constant over the the past decade."  Perhaps expansion and other factors have been key contributors to a drop-off, we really have no method of measurement other than opinion.   

 

Almost everything in this nation is cyclical including the NBA.  Prior to the arrival of Johnson and Bird the NBA experience several serious problems, drugs, labor issues and other matters had caused the league to suffer in the eyes of the public.  How bad was the leagues image, the 1980 NBA Championship game between Magic Johnson's Lakers and Dr. J's Sixers was tape-delayed to a significant portion of the country.  I can remember waiting till 10:30 p.m. to watch the game, could you imagine a similar scenario occurring in 2011?  CBS which held the NBA rights then probably concluded there was limited interest in even a championship game.  In any event at some point in the early to mid '80s the Johnson/Bird matchup plus the later arrival of Michael Jordan the NBA exploded in viewership and attendance.  Today we can safely conclude ABC/ESPN and TNT would not expend the billions for a sport if nobody is watching!  To refresh your memory the latest figures we looked at last week covered six-year contracts which ended in 2008, Turner Network paid $2.2 billion and ABC/ESPN paid $2.4 billion to the NBA.  In addition Fox Sports provides regional coverage for a significant number of franchises throughout the league.  What I know is this, watching the playoffs from my favorite chair I see a great number of white guys in all the arenas throughout the country.  These same white guys appear excited and enthusiastic regarding their teams.  Must we really take stock in Bissinger's column or is it yet another attempt to sensationalize a story that really is no story?

 

 

Winning is habit. Unfortunately, so is losing. Vince Lombardi

Alec Burks of Colorado and Grandview (MO) is submitting his name for the NBA draft.  This really is not surprising news, speculation has been rampant he would choose the NBA over the Buffs next season.  Most mock drafts while not necessarily accurate have Burks in the lottery portion of the draft.  The NBA draft is weighted in favor of higher picked players.  As a seventh or eight pick even in his rookie year could sign a higher value contract than a 25th or 32nd picked player.    

I've been a student of NBA mock drafts for several years.  My view it gives you a heads up view on players who might be chosen, but I must warn you be cautious in analyzing their choices for each team.  They are projections with a degree of accuracy fed by scouts and front office personnel to the websites.  I know the Lakers strengths and weaknesses from a fans perspective pretty good!  NBADraft.net's projections for the Lakers in the 2011 draft appear strange, the team has no first round choice but four in the second round.  The teams most pressing need in my estimation, a fast, speedy point guard.  Here are their choices first to the last in the second round.  Shooting guard David Lighty Ohio State, Center Keith Benson Oakland, small forward Gary Flowers Southern Miss and shooting guard LaceDarius Dunn, Baylor.  This is not a knock on any of the players I just don't believe the Lakers given the choice are to pick any player NBADraftnet lists.  DraftExpress.com is almost the same, different players but the same positions and not a point guard in site. 

Grizz point guard Michael Conley has grown up literally, I for one thought he might have made a mistake leaving Ohio State after his freshman year.  He certainly played well as a freshman I think many (including me) didn't think he was ready for the NBA.  He probably wasn't ready for the NBA but in his third year he's surprised me and others as his game has continued on an ascending upward trend.  Conley's rising scoring average and assists have aided in the rise of the Grizzlies team.  At this point most of us have forgotten his teammate from Ohio State.  His teammate came into the NBA with much fanfare, what's his name?  Oh, Greg Odgen, I almost forgot.   

All season long I thought the Spurs regular season won-lost record might be suspect but had no method of proving it.  The number one seed Spurs against the number eight seed Grizzlies, who wins?  I had no idea the Spurs could possibly be eliminated in the first round by the eighth seed.  The Grizz only have a 2-1 lead in the series but have proven they can play on the same level of the Spurs.  Prior to the start of this series several Grizzly players made comments about how pleased they were playing the Spurs.  Did they have a secret they didn't share with the rest of us?

Boy did I miss the boat on this story, I thought for sure the Kings were history in Sacramento.  The efforts of Mayor Kevin (Suns guard) Johnson and two billionaire types appear to have worked for the short term.  Nothings been finalized as this is written however it appears the Kings are in Sacramento at least through next season.  Does it really make sense to have three teams in Southern California when we have a newer arena in Kansas City?  In addition we have the population (2.5 million metro), bigger than the metro populations of Oklahoma City, Vegas and New Orleans.  The brothers Maloof are still sticking to their no sale (team) stance. 

Approach the game with no preset agendas and you'll probably come away surprised at your overall efforts. Phil Jackson

Former Indiana and Texas Tech Coach Bobby Knight once again sticks his foot in his mouth.  His buddy Dick Vitale continues to defend him but Knight proves us proof the microphone is not his friend.  Most former coaches and players have been unable to transcend into the role of analyst smoothly.  So it is with the former Indiana coach, this latest incident didn't occur during a game however.  All are aware of the the one n done player, enrolled for their freshman year and then off to the NBA.  During a recent speaking engagement Knight took the opportunity to criticize John Calipari and last seasons Kentucky team.  Knight claimed the players ceased attending spring classes to prepare for the draft.  The problem Knight incorrectly stated the issue, Daniel Orton was the only player who actually withdrew from school.  The others (including John Wall) completed their spring classes prior to the draft, Patrick Patterson graduated in three years.  Wall claimed he finished his freshman year with a 3.5 GPA.  It's clear Knight doesn't like Calipari and Kentucky and that's okay, the problem he makes up stories because he has an issue with the person and school.  Knight was to issue an apology a day later, interesting.   

Until NBA owners open their books I doubt the authenticity of the story, the NBA claims 22 teams lost $300 million.  Do we truly believe a league could survive where only eight teams are profitable?  I certainly don't pretend to have any accounting expertise however there is no mention of the television revenue.  Get this ABC/ESPN paid NBA teams $2.4 billion from 2002-2008, the TNT portion of the contract for the same period $2.2 billion.  In addition nobody in the NBA offices mentions the appreciation of any of these teams.  Sales within the past two years of the Warriors, Wizards and Pistons prove compelling, each former owner received far more dollars than they paid for the franchise.  Give me a break Commissioner Stern, I can believe in a number of things the revenue story let's just say I'm a little skeptical. 

The latest photos indicate construction is progressing on the Nets new home, the Barclays Center.  The Nets Brooklyn home is scheduled to open in mid-summer 2012.  It will be interesting to see how New Yorkers take to this "new" team.  The vast majority of New Yorkers are said to be Knick fans (even Brooklyn born Spike Lee), few venture to New Jersey to Nets games.  I have no method of validating this story but was told in the heart of New York City (with the exception of the NBA Store) you could locate little if any Nets apparel.  In addition public transportation between New York and New Jersey is said to be extremely difficult.  Will New Yorkers retain their allegiance to the Knicks given the opportunity to embrace another team inside a borough?  The Nets must be competitive of course, on second thought maybe not.  Other than this year when is the last year the Knicks were able to compete?   

There might be questions by cynics on the success of Laker center Andrew Bynum.  Those questions don't exist off the court, this 7-0 285 pound center is an interesting contrast to most.  This gentle giant loves to tinker with stuff, among other pursuits he's built five computers.  I said built, he didn't walk into Best Buy and purchase a computer from a sales associate.  He could have majored in any number of engineering programs if he had chosen college over the NBA.  At the same time on the basketball court he's been a blank slate, from high school he had very little skills to warrant being a first round draft choice.  Thanks to scout Ronnie Lester's sharp eye and Kareem Abdul Jabbar's tutoring he's become a force.  The only negative so far has been nagging injuries which have slowed his progress.  Anybody remember Michael (Candyman) Olowokandi drafted by the Clippers in '99?  Abdul Jabbar worked for the Clippers at that time and was given the task to work with Olowokandi.  After a period of time Olowokandi decided there was nothing else Abdul Jabbar could teach him and basically informed him.  We might ask the question where is Olowokandi now?  Unlike Olowokandi Bynum was eager and willing to learn from the legend.  We really don't know where Olowokandi is now, one thing we know for sure he's not in the NBA.  He left the association after a rather unspectacular 8-year career.   

How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are? Satchel Paige

Maybe the mass exodus at KU will finally allow Travis Releford playing time.  This Kansas City player verbally committed to KU when he was in high school, I think many Mizzou fans (like me) hoped he might change his mind before he headed off to Lawrence.  Redshirted one year, sparse playing time the other two years Releford heads into his junior year with little to show on the basketball court.  Did KU have more talented players in front of him, perhaps?  I continue to think If he'd enrolled at Mizzou he would have played far more significant minutes.  Sour grapes on my part---yes probably so but at least I'm able to admit it. 

I've always liked Dan (en fuego) Patrick, this former basketball player turned sports radio/television personality was once recruited by Digger Phelps.  Patrick attended Eastern Kentucky on a basketball scholarship and then transferred to Dayton where he majored in broadcast journalism.  His days teaming with Keith Olbermann at ESPN were classic, when Patrick left ESPN I think the network lost a little bit of it's pizzazz.  Finally he landed back on the air with the Dan Patrick radio/television program on Fox Sports.  Although Fox Sports and others have picked him up he is strictly independent which allows him a degree of freedom.  Did you know ESPN will not allow any of it's employees to appear on his show?  He refers to the network as "the mother ship," classic.  In addition Patrick clarified something I said the other day.  He says it's okay for players to leave early despite an impeding lockout.  An NBA team must still sign the player and they would receive an initial check while waiting on the culmination of labor talks.  In addition by signing now they would become free agents that much sooner.  Makes sense, I just hadn't thought about early entry from this viewpoint.   

This is written Monday after the first weekend of NBA activity.  Surprises, yes the Lakers losing to the shorthanded Hornets, the Hawks beating the Magic and the Grizz over the Spurs.  Certainly this early all the series appear to be very good---we've witness no pushovers so far.  The eighth place team in the east and west is playing on the same level as the number one in both conferences.  The Celtics-Knicks, Nuggets-Thunder series went down to the last shot in both games.  As for the Nuggets-Thunder closing minutes these old eyes spotted the offensive basket interference by the Thunder.  I informed my wife prior to the replay and explained to my wife the officials missed the play.  The next day NBA offices admitted the officials incorrectly credited the basket, however this acknowledgement failed to change the outcome, the Nuggets still lost the game.  

The NBA is sending it's relocation committee to Sacramento this week, why we are unsure.  The brothers Maloof maintain (in private) they want out of Sacramento, at the same time they indicate no desire to sell the team.  My conclusion has nothing to do with Kansas City, St. Louis or Seattle but why Orange County?  One of the websites (I don't remember) stated Orange County's population is larger than the combined populations of Seattle, Oklahoma City and New Orleans, the population is clearly contained in the county.  We might question the logic that says you need three teams in two Southern California counties.  My proposal, the NBA should "request" the Maloofs sell the team to local owners, the city of Sacramento should step forward with a viable plan for a "new" arena. 

I'm unsure if I should be excited or not, Lekan Ajayi has suddenly appeared on Mizzou's radar.  This 6-11 235 pound player is from Nigeria by way of Quality Education Academy in Winston-Salem, N.C.  Ajayi has a list of three schools, Loyola Marymount, Auburn and Mizzou he's checking out.  In addition to the aforementioned schools he'd received offers from Tennessee, Seton Hall, Miami and Florida State.  His high school numbers, 9.5 points per game, 15.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots.  He says he will choose a school before the end of the week.   

Don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines.
Satchel Paige

Purdue's JuJuan Johnson and BYU's Jimmer Fredette have no choice they are seniors.  Their eligibility has concluded, they cannot return to school.  If they are judged talented enough their names will be announced by David Stern in the June draft.  As for Kemba Walker, the Morris twins and others I'm unsure why they are leaving school early.  By all accounts unresolved labor issues might delay the start of the season, pending NBA labor issues promise to be long and drawn out.  Many are speculating half the NBA season might be lost, of course no play means no pay.  We've heard the usual story repeated by most, "It's been my life dream to play in the NBA" or words to that affect.  In a sense we can't fault them for desiring to play in the NBA it's just the timing this year is probably not good.    

This is coming from a one-time fan of Shaquille O'Neal!  It's evident over the the last several years Shaq is chasing championship rings as he moves from team to team.  Shaq's moved from Miami to Phoenix then to Cleveland and finally Boston.  In addition his historical view of the NBA requires a degree of revision.  Scores of Laker fans were upset with him for signing with the hated Celtics that actually didn't concern me.  What's bothered me is to see his game continue to erode yet at 39 he still wants to be considered a viable player.  39-year old Kareem Abdul Jabbar's numbers were far superior to the often injured 39-year old Shaquille O'Neal.  From Sports Illustrated “The big man has gone. There will be no one ever in the history of the game to do what me and Tim Duncan did."  Talented Tim Duncan played power forward during the bulk of his NBA career, he's played the center position infrequently over the course of his career.   

This is really strange, at the 11th hour two wealthy Cali power brokers have come to the forefront to save the Sacramento Kings.  These billionaires intend "to purchase the Kings or move another franchise to Sacramento."  Let's explore this latest development step by step.  1.  I guess everybody has a dollar figure in mind and I'm sure the brothers Maloof have one too.  The brothers have gone on record indicating no desire to sell the team, is the NBA gonna make them sell the team?  2.  Currently the league owns the Hornets, after the NBA made such a big deal about returning to New Orleans post Katrina would they sell the team to outside interests looking at moving the team.  3.  The arena question, nothing has changed Sacramento will continue to have the oldest arena in the NBA.  Technically the Knicks play in the oldest arena but MSG will undergo a major renovation over the next two years.  Several respondents to the Sacramento Bee think these billionaires are riding in on white horses to save the day.  A key question for me and others, why did they wait so late?  Stories begin circulating in February of a possible Kings move.  At least those attempting to save the Seattle franchise began their efforts long before the Sonics began packing.  I guess almost anything could change but in this instance I sincerely doubt it.   

To date there's been no movement in Columbia!  None of the Anderson recruits (other than Bowers and English who will test NBA waters) have indicated they are leaving Mizzou.  At the same time none of the Miami commits have indicated they are following Coach Frank Haith northward.  As for Haith's coaching staff it's almost complete, with one more coach yet to be hired.  Of the four coaches Isaac Chew might be the most interesting especially his local connections.  Chew was the chief assistant coach at Murray State and will fill the same position at Mizzou.  Chew played at Avila University in Kansas City and earned an MBA at Baker University, Baldwin City Kansas.  Chew aided in the development of Kansas City's elite AAU team Pump N' Run.  Kansas City Pump N' Run produced current Tigers Marcus Denmon, Steve Moore, Michael Dixon and Rickey Kreklow.     

Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you.
Satchel Paige

I'm not as angry at the sports media as I appear at times.  The basis for the majority of complaints is the method of gathering the news.  In addition the attempt to often inflate the importance of a news story.  We cannot and should not repeat the '30s and '40s where few if any stories involving bad behavior were reported.  There are media types who often project themselves into the story they are writing.  In addition are we to believe what they write just because they are paid to write dumb articles?  A national writer gave us his pick on eight teams he terms contenders.  Going out on a limb is picking one to three, how can any of us take stock in a writer who picks eight possibilities?  I guess him listing them one through eight is supposed to help however there is a problem with his voodoo forecasting.  One of his selected teams just might be upset, remember when the Mutumbo led Nuggets upset the higher ranked Sonics?  Upsets can and do occur so what do you do then Mr. Expert from Indianapolis?   

The African continent continues to produce quality basketball talent.  One of the most recent examples would be the Thunder's Serge Ibaka who basically appeared on the scene as an unknown.  Ibaka from the Republic of Congo in Central Africa appeared to have all the tools but was extremely raw having played the game a limited amount of time.  He was a reserve last season as a rookie but his rapid improvement allowed the Thunder to trade Jeff  Green and insert him into the lineup full-time in his second year.  Once again the Congo produces another raw talent, Bismack Biyambo a 6-9 243 pound power forward.  Remember the name in June at the NBA Draft, scouts have been singing his praises at the recent Nike Hoops Summit in Portland.  Biyambo recorded the first triple-double in the 14-year history of the tournament, 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocked shots.  To be fair Biyambo's numbers were not produced against NBA players but he clearly exhibited his NBA potential.  Check him out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ntd4eRA-OEk&feature=related

I probably should have sympathy for Kings fans but I don't.  I was reading the Sacramento Bee today column after column, email after email lamenting the loss of the Kings.  A few mentioned the raw deal they thought Seattle received when the Sonics left.  Not one single column or writer wrote "we know how the fans of Kansas City felt!"  That's the main reason I can state with no sympathy get over it.  The fans of Kansas City have suffered since 1985 when Greg Luckenbill stole our team.  The difference is the Maloff's will continue to own the team while moving it away from Sacramento.  Eventually you will discover life does continue after the NBA leaves town.  You can return to whatever you were doing 26 years ago.  Once the Kings leave the baseball minor league Rivercats will be all you have, we have the ability to view an NFL or MLB game without traveling outside our metro area.  We have no NBA team but an arena which passes the test as major league, can you make the same statement Sacramento?  Do I sound disgruntled?  Okay, I admit it!

Fooled you didn't I, you thought I wouldn't mention Kobe Bryant's rant.  Tuesday's game Kobe Bryant received a technical foul and yelled a gay slur at the official.  The commissioner reacted quickly and fined Bryant $100,000 (which we know won't affect Kobe's wallet).  Doesn't make it okay but in the privacy of our homes we can say whatever we wish.  Kobe and any other public figure should realize just that, in most instances they don't have the same luxury as us.  Bryant has already acknowledged his error hopefully he will not repeat it again.   

Did Mike Anderson punk Mizzou and it's fans?  Was Anderson planning on leaving as soon as the Arkansas job was available?  From the Kansas City Star March 13, 2011 "Several weeks ago, Anderson dealt with speculation that he would be on Arkansas’ radar should it fire Pelphrey by saying: “I plan on being at Missouri for a long time, retire here.”  The question probably sounds strange but several facts are evident, let's explore them.  At least two high profile players were supposed to be on Mizzou's radar yet neither would commit.  Mizzou was playing fairly well and then suddenly went into a funk at the tail end of the season.  They lost five out of their last six games.  One of the players even commented "we quit" which might give you an indication the players might have knew something we didn't know? 

Okay the NBA Championship is decided.  I know it's still April but ESPN has figured the Laker losing streak is a precursor to their anointed team to win the Championship.  I'm unsure which is their anointed team the Bulls or the Heat, ESPN over others have been singing both teams praises all season long.  Are fans confused by the losing streak?  I think confused is the proper term, after winning 18 of 19 after the All-Star break they have fallen into a funk.  Take heart Laker fans, the playoffs have yet to begin.  The Lakers will be there in the end regardless if it's the seventh game of the Western Conference finals or the seventh game of the NBA Finals.  No need to worry until the last 10 seconds of a final series with them on the losing end.  Of course there is one factor I failed to mention, health.  Should Andrew Bynum be out for an extend period of time all bets are off. 

 

Please excuse me for standing too near the forest!  I'm standing so near the forest I cannot see the top of the trees.  I was at my usual station surfing the net when my wife called out to me.  She said "Missouri's coach is in trouble," I rushed into the family room and the news channel was in commercial.  I patiently waited for all the commercials to run and Frank Boal of Channel 41 appeared on the screen.  After detailing a story on the Royals his next sentence was "Missouri Coach Frank Haith has been on the job 8 days and he's already in trouble with the NCAA."  Turns out Boal was repeating a story I had read earlier in the day, Haith had sent a text message indicating prospect Otto Porter was headed to Georgetown.  Once Mike Anderson left I'm sure most Mizzou fans thought the chances of signing Porter were probably slim so like me perhaps fans took a rather ambivalent view of the text message.  Back to Mr. Boal, he further stated "it's against NCAA rules to comment on a prospect prior to his signing."  Well Frank you got me and others on that report, are sanctions in order?  Will the Tigers be forced to give up a scholarship?  I searched Metro Sports and some of the locals, none to my knowledge approached the Porter story as Boal had.  On a serious note if Haith violated an NCAA rule then he should be punished the point I'm attempting to make is Frank Boal made this into a "sky is falling" story.   

 

I just now realized the hard charging Bulls have now tied the Spurs best record.  The Spurs were streaking most of the year miles and miles ahead of all others.  The Bulls with injuries to Noah and Boozer played well early.  After the All-Star game they (and the Lakers) begin streaking, as this is written they are tied with the Spurs.  Both teams are 61-20, of course that means nothing without a championship but these Bulls are giving Chicago fans memories of Jordan and the Jordanaires. 

 

In all probability April 13th will be the last NBA game played in Sacramento (excepting pre-season).  The Maloof brothers will formally petition the Association to locate the Kings to Anaheim.  They will become the _________ Royals a name the team formally was named in Rochester (N.Y.) and Cincinnati.  Greg Luckenbill was the  majority owner at the time of the move from Kansas City.  Although Luckenbill is long gone I was surprised when I discovered at least two of the minority partners still own a piece of the team.  Both have been vocal in their attempt to maintain residence in Sacramento but the problem would be money.  Between the two (or maybe three) they lack the financial clout to force the issue.  It would appear they will remain owners of the team in Southern California. 

Are the labor issues in the NBA as bad as David Stern would have us believe?  We have no opportunity to view the books but we can assume expenses have increased since the last collective bargaining agreement.  Think about this if ownership is such a loser why are perspective owners always lining up to purchase a team?  Over the last three years the Nets, Warriors and now the Pistons have new ownership.  Despite the pronouncements of Stern and company the only team to date suffering appears to be the Kings.  Would you retain ownership of a business that loses large sums of money every year?  Wouldn't seem practical to be the owner of the Titanic.   

While on the subject of college ball other than money the other hot button issue is the "one n done" rule.  At this juncture is anybody really happy with it?  Chief among the reasons Tubby Smith was asked to leave Kentucky, he refused to recruit players he felt were headed to the NBA after one year.  To my knowledge Bobby Knight was probably the first person I heard mention this.  Knight claimed these one n done players didn't attend spring semester classes and after checking requirements I found out he was correct.  If a player passes his fall classes and enrolls for spring there is no requirement to attend class.  I have flip-plopped on this 1-year of college rule ever since it was approved.  The rule is intended for general managers to avoid drafting players not ready for the NBA, a better question might be shouldn't your scouts be able to determine a players ability?  We've witnessed player after player with four years of college (other than injury) wind up being a bust.  My football friends inform me there are numerous physical reasons why a high school player is not ready for the NFL.  The same criteria that prohibits a high school football player don't exist for basketball.  Let 'em play! 

Last week we witnessed possibly the worst championship game in NCAA history!  UConn and Coach Calhoun won however the rest of us (including Butler and it's fans) suffered through the worst championship game in history.  Butler was to shot a horrible 18.8% from the floor as a team, shot after shot many layups were missed.  Of course some of the poor shooting by Butler can be attributed to UConn's height difference and defense.  I read an article that pointed out since the NCAA has mandated dome stadiums for these games the shooting has suffered.  There might be something to the statement, players are on a standard floor with standard baskets.  The problem, depth perception.  It's got to be extremely different shooting a basketball in a dome stadium versus a regulation collegiate arena.  Domes were meant to play football not basketball, but why these games are played in domes----$$$$$$$.

Where is Kansas City?  I don't mean geographically I'm referring to it's sports mentality.  Many of us remember a time when the media would refer to the metro as "well rounded in it's sport appetite."  I'm not really sure that statement holds true today.  In the 50s and 60s Kansas City had an appetite for collegiate basketball, major league baseball and later the Chiefs.  This pattern continued as the A's left town and were replaced by the expansion Royals, divided loyalty at one time KU basketball became bigger in Missouri (Kansas City) than Mizzou.  Beginning in the 80s the Chiefs surpassed all sports and continue to lead in popularity.  The Kings, they had a core number of fans but never seemed to gain the acceptance of the other sports, at the same time their general lack of success on the basketball court probably contributed to acceptance as well.  In any event the point, I watched the recent McDonald's High School All-Star game played in Chicago.  I was shocked when the announcer mentioned there were over 20,000 fans at the United Center.  The 1989 game was held in Kemper Arena before 9,419 souls, considering Kemper could accommodate 17,500 that's pretty sad indeed for a national game.  Is it fair to compare the Chicago attendance to Kansas City?  It's probably not fair the point is only the Chiefs can just open the gates and fans come flocking in.  After all wherever you are at a sporting event in the metro this is the only place in the county at the conclusion of the national anthem you hear "home of the Chiefs."

I'm not sure if you will buy into my explanation.  I've now gained a degree of comfort with the Frank Haith hire, the Kansas City Star ran a story on Haith's formative years.  Raised by a grandmother when his mother died at age 11.  With 10 siblings it was decided his father would remain in New York with 5 while the other 5 moved to North Carolina and be raised by the grandmother.  Adversity in life can be a stumbling block or a beginning, thanks to a strong grandmother figure the adversity would not be an impediment to rising above his humble start.  Last week I listened to an ESPN podcast, one of their collegiate writers basically gave Mizzou an F for hiring Haith.  Here's the key for me within a short period Haith will have the opportunity to remake this team in his image.  The 2012-13 season the bulk of the team will be Haith recruits, if he fails then shame on him and Mike Alden. 

I find it hard to believe KU’s Josh Selby thinks he is ready to play in the NBA.  Selby is currently in Las Vegas accessing his draft status, he's not hired an agent to date which would allow him to return to KU should he chose.  This freshman point guards season was too short for many to gauge his ability. Suspended then injured and later playing limited minutes are the basis of the questions. Notice I made no comment on his talent, he remains high value but he could benefit from another year of basketball. Kyrie Irvin from Duke is another freshman point guard, the key difference is numbers. Irvin’s numbers were higher than Selby but that certainly doesn’t say he’s a better player. Irvin played but 11 games before declaring for the NBA Draft.

This is a story I will believe when it occurs.  Yardbarker.com w/Fox Sports.com is reporting Spanish star Ricky Rubio is ready to play next season in the NBA if there is no lockout.  We might assume that could be considered good news except his FC Barcelona numbers were certainly underwhelming.  The jury is still out if Rubio can play at an NBA level.  To top it off the T-Wolves are one of the worst teams in the NBA, perhaps the cold winters of Minnesota might be more tolerable if the team were better. 

Expect Kim English and Lawrence Bowers to return to Mizzou.  I don't think anyone could find fault in their attempt to determine their NBA worth.  Their is no mention of either player in the multiple mock draft sites.  Mocks are not NBA scouts reporting but are generally pretty accurate.  People can certainly change their mind however Kim English spoke highly of Coach Frank Haith after his introductory press conference. 

The Naismith Hall of Fame will finally enshrine Tex Winter, for many of you this 89-year old might not be a household name.  He didn't invent the triangle offense however he certainly is the person who brought it into prominence.  Winter's coaching resume is extensive even serving as head coach of K-State from 1953-1968.  In addition to serving as head coach of the Houston Rockets he's served as an assistant coach for the Phil Jackson Bulls and Lakers.  In April of 2009 Winter was to suffer a stroke, although he's regained his health he is now retired after working full-time into his 80s.  Probably the happiest person is Phil Jackson (a Hall of Famer) himself, Jackson remarked he would boycott the annual ceremonies because Winter was not included among the honored.  I'm sure he will be in Springfield when his former assistant coach and mentor is enshrined.  Winter has a total of 10 championship rings from his years with the Bull and Lakers. 

Instead of the Celtics paying Shaquille O'Neal maybe he should be paying them.  I know he's supposed to be paying the Celtics in production the only problem he seems to be rarely on the court.  At 37 the Celtics were party to the NBA mileage on Shaq's body but he seems to have slowed considerably from his days with the Heat which was not that long ago.  O'Neal has played 37 games to date and it seems every time he returns from one injury another one crops up.  Most probably are unaware O'Neal's never played a full 82 game season In his 19-year career.  At this stage O'Neal has become Karl Malone, Gary Payton and others chasing a ring at the end of a stellar NBA career. 

According to ESPN the Detroit Pistons have finally been sold.  Billionaire Tom Gores had agreed to purchase the team plus the Palace but the whole process became bogged down at one point.  We can safely assume the Pistons will probably remain in Auburn Hills since the building was included in the purchase.  Little Caesar's Pizza founder and owner Mike Illitch was reported to be a perspective buyer, it was mentioned if he was successful in purchasing the team he would explore a downtown arena to replace The Palace at Aurburn Hills. 

I watched Frank Haith's news conference thanks to Metro Sports.  It's always interesting to be able to view the entire broadcast rather than sound bits you might receive on broadcast channels.  A shout out to Metro Sports and Sports Radio 810 for their coverage.  A coup for Kevin Keitzman as he was able to roundup Frank Haith for a 12 minute podcast on Tuesday.  In addition Keitzman asked questions fans would want to know.  The ultimate judgment if hiring Frank Haith is sound will depend on how Mizzou performs on the court.  Allow yourself to view Frank Haith from my perspective.  The hire caught me off-guard and unsure of athletic director Mike Alden's choice, why had he gone there? 

 

Haith answered pointed questions in a succinct manner, he didn't duck or dodge any question.  First of all he graduates players, I know we make assumptions about the program how about the diploma?  He claims to have graduated 21 of 22 players at Miami.  When asked about recruiting he said, "we need a big man!"  He won me over with that statement, unlike the previous coach we will witness a changed offense immediately.  He acknowledged the lack of recruiting in Metro St. Louis and indicated his intent to make changes.  In addition several key players (with the exception of the Pressey brothers) were interviewed, all indicated they were pleased with the school hiring Haith.  Although Kim English has submitted his name for the NBA draft he spoke highly of Heath indicating he just might remain in school. Haith indicates recruiting begins this week, Mizzou has three scholarships available and can begin signing players immediately.  

 

There are unconfirmed reports several players committed to Miami will follow Haith to Columbia.  At this point we can only speculate as to who and how many.  Now for the negative side of this hire.  Coach has a +.500 record however Miami's record in the ACC was less than sterling.  Haith pointed out there was no basketball at

University of Miami from 1971 through 1985.  Folks remember Rick Barry in the 60s but not much else about Hurricane basketball.  Football was to become king and overshadowed the basketball program.  Although under Heath the Canes had winning records most seasons Hurricane teams drew less than 5,000 fans per contest.  How about the stories Mizzou saved Miami from firing Haith, we cannot fully address the rumors.  If Haith was so bad why didn't the university fire him around the time Jeff Capel at Oklahoma and Pat Knight at Texas Tech and other coaches were let go? 

 

Finally the crew at 810 provided me additional food for thought, surprise surprise.  Maybe those of us who follow Mizzou basketball sometimes fail to see the big picture.  Mizzou's is not mentioned in the same conversation with Duke, KU, North Carolina, Kentucky and UCLA.  The aforementioned schools have a national reputation something Mizzou has never held.  There are immediate problems with that type of thinking, Mizzou has no pedigree compared to the others.  Oh sure Mizzou ruled the old Big 8 Conference under Norm Stewart but never had much success in a smaller NCAA tournament.  Later the coach would become a liability as he was unable to recruit in the two urban cores St. Louis and Kansas City, a change had to occur.  Both Quin Snyder and Mike Anderson were unsuccessful in their battle against KU a far cry from the Norm Stewart days.  Mizzou fans Norm Stewart is not walking back in the door the torch has been passed to Frank Haith, let's see what he can do. 

 

 

http://www.stationcaster.com/player_skinned.php?s=26&c=375&f=74158

"Words eye view"

I like Mark Cuban, he receives a A from me as an owner.  The Mavs have never won a championship however the franchise has been quite successful on the court and and in attendance.  The Mavs paint a picture of success unlike other NBA expansion teams.  Beginning in 1980 owner Donald Carter and partner Norm Sonju were to build the Mavs into a highly successful and competitive team.  Drafting wisely and trading for players Mark Aguirre, Rolando Blackman, Derek Harper and Detlef Schrempf led those early Mavs teams to victory and into the playoffs year after year.  If not for the success of Magic Johnson and the Lakers the Mavs might have won maybe one or two championships.  The team begin to flounder in the '90s, they failed to reach the playoffs from 1991 through 2000.  Drug problems, off-court problems and numerous coaching changes contributed to the poor showing.  Ross Perot Jr. was owner of the team during this period and perhaps his other business interests keep him from devoting the attention his basketball team required.  The Mavs returned to prominence in the 2000s due to new owner Mark Cuban an influx of quality players and new coach Don Nelson.  Cuban became a vocal, dynamic and energetic owner. 

 

Now for the side of Mark Cuban that receives a D or incomplete is his sometimes brash behavior and public comments.  He's feuded with David Stern over officiating and the game in general unlike any owner past or present.  His impetuous behavior has caused him to suffer numerous fines by the NBA over the years.  You might say Redskins owner Dan Snyder and the late George Steinbrenner of the Yankees fought with their players, coaches and managers.  Maybe it occurred I just don't remember any of those owners picking a fight with an opposition player or anyone in the media.  In other words "don't write a check your body can't cash" when it comes to playing the game!  He mentioned he thought Ron Artest had problems with the triangle offense, his comments might not have fired up Ron but may have stoked the Laker team.  Cuban is us (only more money), he's never played the game especially at the NBA level.  How can he be considered competent to judge how and if Artest is functioning properly in the triangle?  Cuban has also chosen to weigh in on on Phil Jackson's pending retirement, he said he'd be happy for his team to retire Jackson.  The statement was made when his team was clearly ahead of the Lakers in the standings, not now however.  After his team was badly beaten by the Lakers TNT's Chris Webber was to remark "how soft the Mavs were."  Naturally another comment would be forthcoming Mr. Cuban "Chris Webber never had an original thought in his life."