Prepare yourself to suffer the punishment
Mark Cuban
I'm unsure about you, I find it interesting Mark
Cuban always comes up with methods to "save" the NBA when his team loses a game
where an official misses a call. The latest Cubanism is a "review of basket
interference in the last two minutes of a game." Before I go any further allow
me to inform you just in case you might be unaware of the issue. The officials
either missed a call in the Mavs game against the Lakers or maybe a no-call
might have been correct. In the overtime a 3-point Pau Gasol shot was headed to
the basket, Laker Matt Barnes stationed under
the basket leaped and appeared to touch the rim with both hands as the ball went
smoothly into the basket. I certainly agree with Cuban in one sense the league
should always be on-guard to improve quality of play and the officiating. This
would be a sample of my email to him. Mr. Cuban, in the future please
don't generate emails to the league office because your team loses be a good
sport.
Are the glory days in the rear view
mirror
UConn was once one of the nations most successful
basketball programs, the Huskies were always a perennial contender for an NCAA
championship. UConn's men's team appears to be crumbling and in disarray.
Andre Drummond and Jeremy Lamb are entering the NBA draft, in addition 6-9
center Alex Oriakhi is headed to Mizzou. Unconfirmed reports indicate 6-10
freshman Michael Bradley is transferring. Add
this news to that of coach Jim Calhoun and his health issues, the lasted issue an
NCAA ban on post-season play. UConn has been
barred from post-season play for the 2013-14 season due to the low graduation
rate for the men's basketball program. Several years ago the NCAA begin
reviewing graduation records, schools were operating under a mandate to graduate
a percentage of their athletes. Players
declaring for the draft and others transferring from the school I wonder if it
might be time for coach Cal to call it quits too?
New uniforms
Mizzou has become the "Oregon of the Midwest" of
course this is symbolism only. Oregon alum Phil Knight Nike's company provides
7 different uniform changes for the Oregon Ducks. I'm exaggerating of course I
have no idea how many changes of uniform Oregon has and Mizzou for the first
time will have more than a home and road uniform. Mizzou unveiled it's new uniforms for the football and
basketball teams, I'm not sure if this was an SEC or Nike change. The team will
now have four basketball jerseys white, black, gold and Anthracite (gray), the
back of the jersey contains subtle tiger stripes. "Missouri coach Frank Haith said Saturday he expects to
keep a traditional look during conference play — likely white at home and black
on the road — while mixing in gold and gray during nonconference games." I
hope Mizzou fans expectations are not too high next season. We have a new
conference (SEC) and a team with just a few left-over veterans. I'm optimistic
about this team based on it's incoming class, at the same time optimistic
without being overconfident. (Kansas City Star)
The Cons
Once upon a time Converse ruled the basketball
shoe world, this company founded in 1908 was not the first but certainly one of
the first successful manufacturer of athletic shoes. Chuck Taylors were the
shoe of choice by NBA, college and high school teams of the 1950's and 1960's.
Of course today's Chuck Taylors are a fashion statement made by many of today's
you. Most interesting a Broadway play has
brought about a resurgence in one particular Converse model. If you are under
25 years of age you probably don't remember the Converse Weapons. Back in the
day Converse manufactured a model for the Lakers Magic Johnson and another for
Celtic Larry Bird. The Broadway play Magic/Bird became the inspiration for
interest in these shoes once again, they are on the way back to retail
shelves. Converse is now a subsidiary of the Nike Corporation having been
acquired in a 2003 buy-out.
It's the coach not the
school
Some folks still live in a dream world, they
believe that a 5-star prospect signs a letter of intent to Podunk U because it
is Podunk. That view is only partially correct, there are programs such as
North Carolina, Duke and Kansas that are traditional attractions due to their
winning ways. It also helps the schools mentioned and others add a number of
recruits on the coaches name and reputation. It shouldn't surprise 7-foot 260
pound Robert Upshaw is headed to Fresno State rather than Kansas State, in case
you missed it this 4-star recruit was headed to Manhattan Kansas. He was on his
way there until coach Frank Martin flew the coop for South Carolina. Upshaw had
only given a verbal so no release was necessary. Is it the school or the coach,
sometimes it's both.
71 the "new" 40
By now you are aware 71-year old Larry Brown has
accepted the head coaching position at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
You might think at his age all he might want to
do is play with his grandchildren and enjoy retirement. Not him, Brown is a teacher, loves that aspect of the game, he hates
recruiting or at least he did at Kansas. It's highly unusual in this day and
age for a university to hire an oldster like him but his credentials speak
volumes for him. Brown is still the only coach in history to win an NCAA and
NBA championship and that record will stand for one reason. NBA teams are
extremely reluctant to hire collegiate coaches, the few they approach (Coach K.,
Roy Williams) don't want the NBA. SMU really has nothing to lose, the program
has been in the toilet for years and years. There will be a generational gap
between player and coach but given time Brown will handle both. The coach
listening to Sinatra and his players listening to Snoop, that's
rich!
