Awards

Mizzou coach Frank Haith picked up another coach of the year award, the Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award from the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. Earlier the AP had named him Big XII Coach of the Year. I find it quite interesting when it came time for his fellow Big XII coaches to select one of their own they thought Bill Self and Fred Hoiberg deserved the award. Granted Bill Self in a down year molded a team of left-over players to a Big XII regular season championship. As for Hoiberg he brought Iowa State back to prominence but his team finished behind Mizzou. Do you suppose the Haith snub might have something to due with Mizzou leaving for the SEC? I think it might even if your not convinced.

Did you hear this?

Shaka Smart will remain at home, home being Virginia Commonwealth University. From all indications Illinois badly wanted Smart as it's head coach after firing Bruce Weber, Smart turned them down. Smart received an extended contract and raise last year after the teams successful NCAA run. There might have been an issue in Champaign (IL) that Smart might have felt uneasy or uncomfortable?  Most would leap at the opportunity to coach at a major school such as Illinois must have been something that made him turn the job down?

What can Brown do for you---not much apparently!

I was not pleased when the Lakers announced Mike Brown as head coach. Me and bunches of Laker fans thought the job had Brian Shaw's name written all over it. I guess management knew something us Laker fans didn't know. The team began the season older, they got younger (trades) and at times are still experiencing road woes. The season is almost complete and with the playoffs looming I'm unsure of the makeup of this team. I think we all felt the offense would suffer with a coaching change and it rings true, the teams scoring is down from last year. A positive, team defense for the most part is superior to that of last season. Questions remain, Steve Blake is a savvy veteran but is better suited as a back-up. Why does Blake remain the starter and Ramon Sessions is coming off the bench? Blake has been in a reserve role his entire NBA career, it seems Blake the sub played better behind Fisher than Blake the starter. Interesting the Mavs swept the Lakers in the playoffs last season, this season the Lakers appear to have no problem with the Mavs they are 3-0 against them. The real problem for the Lakers, losing to some of the associations bottom feeders, what's with that? A component of this issue Laker fans are impatient and spoiled, they are so use to winning and winning and winning! In the current Western Conference playoff picture the Lakers are in third place behind only the Spurs and Thunder.

I understand

Folks have been complaining about officiating since the days of James A. Naismith. Most of the time the complaints are bogus, I make the statement because one or two "bad" calls are not going to dramatically influence a win or a loss and officials do miss calls. Baseball, football and soccer you can sometimes be seated a great distance from the action on the field. Basketball you are right on top of the action, even in a fairly large arena on the back row your view of the game is probably better than Bob Uecker seats in a baseball game. The vast majority of time instant replay validates an officials call no matter if it's the NBA or college! Referees are human they blow calls, I divide them into three categories. Marginal, average and above average, the marginal ones in the NBA or college are weeded out at the end of the season. Does the evaluation process work yes, the vast majority of time. Next time you hear someone complain about officiating just take it in stride, we don't like our team to lose so the officiating becomes an easy out.

A tragedy
Few of you are familiar with the name Rodger Brown. Brown toiled in the ABA from 1967-1975. He along with Connie Hawkins, Doug Moe and others were banned for life from ever playing in the NBA. Why was Brown and the others banned, exactly what did the do? I doubt his "guilty without a trial" could occur in today's world. Briefly he along with Connie Hawkins had been introduced to a gambler Jack Molinas. Molinas had been involved in illegal point shaving. "Brown was never accused of point shaving and his only crime was associating with Molinas." So unlike Connie Hawkins no one came forward to defend Brown in court and have this lifetime ban lifted. Few probably were able to see Brown in his prime, the ABA had very limited television coverage during the time he played. From all indications this 6-5 205 guard was a talent, the following is a brief look at his career. He was "3x ABA Champion (1970, 1972. 1973), 1970 ABA Playoffs MVP, 4x ABA All-Star (1968, 1970, 1971, 1972). Brown was one of seven players unanimously selected to the ABA All-Time Team in 1997." Brown died of liver cancer in 1997 at 54 years of age. There is a television production in place detailing much of what's been detailed here, stay tuned. (Wikipedia)

A new name in the NBA draft
Team mascots are often chosen on the basis of aggressive animals. An example might be the large number of Eagles, Hawks, Tigers and Lions out there. The lack of success by the University of Missouri-Kansas City's basketball program might be it's mascot. I've heard stories of boxing kangaroos however probably not a good name chosen for UMKC's mascot. Where am I going with this story?  To inform you of point guard Nate Wolters who plays for South Dakota State, he's on the NBA's radar.  Wolters is 6-4 and 193 pounds with good numbers, 21.3 points per game along with 6.0 assists. Although the university is Division I school they play a
mid-major schedule, scouts are unsure how Wolters will match up against tougher competition. I almost forgot, South Dakota State University's mascot is the Jackrabbits.

What is he going to do
Dwight Howard is the best center in the NBA, I'm sure that surprises many of you for me to make that statement. You thought for sure with my Laker ties I would say Andrew Bynum, Bynum is in second place for now. As for Mr. Howard he certainly has the right to do whatever he wishes as long as no laws are broken. His "I'm going, maybe I'm staying" statements regarding Orlando were very confusing. Thursday prior to the trading deadline he holds a press conference and indicates he's staying in Orlando. Other than Dwight Howard the only person directly effected will be the Nets Deron Williams. Stories circulated that Howard wanted to go to the Nets and he and Williams would lead the parade to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Word is Mark Cuban will approach Williams once he becomes a free agent, Williams grew up in the Dallas area so if he signed with the Mavs he'd be going home. Reporters have given their spin on this story and I've heard so many I'm unsure who made this statement. I will just state it's not me, "Howard saw how LeBron James was treated last year and doesn't want to experience the same thing. Howard is a player who wants the public to like him." We don't know why but at least for now Howard will make himself content in Orlando. One of the more interesting twist to this story. Don't remember who but they claimed "Adidas doesn't want Howard in Chicago, they have Rose there and it serves them better if Howard remained in Orlando. Of course both players are under contract to Adidas.