For once the NCAA decided in favor of humanity rather than economics. The Mizzou basketball team was seeking to play a charity game against Missouri Southern in Joplin. The game was intended to benefit victims of the Joplin tornado. The problem, Missouri Southern is a Division II school and the Tigers had already scheduled the max number (2) of Division II schools. A shout out to the NCAA for their decision they okayed the game. It's scheduled for Sunday October 30 in Joplin, the notice indicated ticket pricing and other information would be provided later during the summer.

Speaking of Mizzou basketball Coach Haith and staff continue to recruit, the KC Star is reporting Keion Bell a 6-3 Pepperdine guard is transferring. Bell will sit out the upcoming season but will be eligible in 2012 with one year of eligibility left. This combo guard has a career scoring average of 16.4 points per game at Pepperdine. The Tigers lost Justin Safford to graduation and Ricky Kreklow to transfer for this upcoming season, the balance of the 23-11 Anderson team returns. The key year of course is 2012-13 for Mizzou and Coach Haith.

Ricky Rubio drafted in 2009 is officially a Wolves player. Rubio was a well hyped player two years ago as a 18-year old. For reasons still mysterious to most of us he continued play for DKY Joventut in the Spanish League. The downside his game doesn't appear to have progressed, if anything he appears to have regressed. From what I've read Rubio spent most of this past season on the bench playing for FC Barcelona in the Spanish ACB league. In fairness to him he'd injured his leg but seemed to be unable to regain his role as a starter. Only an average shooter all along his other numbers assists and steals slid as well.

I listened to an ESPN discussion regarding the draft, ESPN's Chad Ford had an interesting take on James "Jimmer" Fredette. Ford said "Steve Nash was a shoot-first guard when he came out of Santa Clara. He (Nash) worked hard at Phoenix making himself into a point guard, was traded to Dallas. Eventually he returned to Phoenix playing at a high level." Ford could be correct in his assessment of Fredette I do remember the shoot-first Steve Nash. The reports from various websites indicate Fredette's stock is raising. Over the weekend it was announced he'd been invited to the green room which usually means lottery pick, we shall see come Thursday.

Magic Johnson has no official connection with the Lakers, thus he is allowed the freedom to continue issuing asinine statements regarding the Lakers. Magic was one of my all-time favorite Laker players, in addition I have long admired how he managed to make an impact in the corporate world. Once a vice-president with the Lakers I was never sure of his official duties but felt a great deal of pride for him. While he was an owner we heard few comments on the team, since he's sold his share we must guess he feels compelled to make statements on how the team is or should be run. I have no Twitter account so my only statement is why tweet something and immediately take it back, that's what Magic did. Magic was supposed to have tweeted "the Lakers need to get on the phone and contact the Orlando Magic." Magic has now retreated, the Tweet has been removed.


"In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But in practice, there is."
- Yogi Berra