Bits n Pieces
Chris Paul MVP, it might sound shocking
considering everyone is picking LeBron. Why do I chose Paul all that's
necessary is to check the record? Last season the Clippers finished the regular
season 32-50 and missed the playoffs. Despite the Lockout this
years Clippers team finished 40-26 and made the playoffs. The roster of the
team has been revamped however the key to improved play was point guard Chris
Paul. To add a footnote, in their first playoff game Paul led them back from a
27-point deficient to the Grizz.
Does it matter whether you like my favorite
player? Of course it doesn't but a recent ESPN.com story stirred the pot once
again. The NBA Store released sales figures on the hottest selling jerseys.
The emails began flying in informing us the feelings of the writer toward a
particular player. Several stated they would never purchase________ jersey. It
really matters not, somebody will buy the jersey and the writers view becomes
null and void.
Earlier this week CNBC ran a program I've been
anxious to see for a number of years. The titled was Sonicsgate: Requiem
for a Team. This 2009 hour documentary covered the Sonics exit from
Seattle to Oklahoma City. I have my opinion of this event but I'd rather you see
it and draw your own conclusions.
I know we visited this issue in the past but I thought it was worth a revisit. I'm watching Game one of the NBA D-League Championship series, the Los Angeles Defenders and the Austin Toros are battling each other. The game is in Austin and it's funny listening to the crowd yell "beat L.A., beat L.A." that is not the story. What happened to the D-League, wasn't the original intent for it to be the answer to drafting 18-year olds fresh out of high school? By all accounts the league is on solid ground and is probably more financially successful than the WNBA but not in the manner intended. Let's hypothesize a moment, what do we suppose might occur if D-League teams rosters contained high school players too. A player could make his intentions known he wasn't attending college, he would then be drafted by a D-League team. No matter if it's a Spurs or Lakers farm team the parent club has no claim on him, at the end of the first year he would be eligible for the NBA draft should he chose. His name would be included with college seniors, juniors and others. This is not a perfect proposal but it maintains the 19-year old rule while aiding the colleges. A player enrolling in college would operate under the same principal of the NFL or MLB, they would be ineligible for the NBA draft before their junior year they must remain in college 3 years. Hey Mr. Smart Guy "how do you propose to address a players family crisis and the player is not yet a junior"? I'm glad you asked the question, the player would be granted immediate eligibility to a D-League team. This is certainly not presented as a perfect scenario there would be additional details to be worked out, this would go a long way toward allowing the college game to grow while protecting NBA interest.
This is important
It's not our money and we really shouldn't be
concerned but we are! Billy Hunter executive
director of the NBA players association and president Derek Fisher are in a
wrestling match over the activities of the players association. Fisher has
called for an audit of the organization and that seems to have created
a problem for Hunter. It's difficult for me or anyone else to understand why
Hunter is attempting to force Fisher out due to a request for an audit. Hunter
claims Fisher has been "derelict" in his duties as president of the players
association and that's the only reason he's requested Fisher resign. The timing
of the series of events appear very suspicious to me and others. Could Hunter have a hidden agenda in requesting Fisher close
the door on the way out? Could his behavior have anything to do with his family involvement with the
association? "Hunter's daughter and
daughter-in-law are on the the union staff. Another of his daughters is special
counsel at a law firm used by the players association. Hunter's son is a
principal at a financial firm that was paid $45,526 a month for work
performed for the union. Marvin Miller former head of the baseball players
union said, "it’s not a criminal act, but it’s not something
I would do." A Bloomberg report show
union executive director Billy Hunter's family members and their
businesses have paid almost $4.8 million by the union since 2001.
Why is Hunter's family so
heavily involved in the NBAPA might be my first question? The second question,
doesn't it seem strange Hunter is trying to force Fisher out due to an audit
request? (Sporting News)
Do as I say, not as I
do
It's difficult for me to listen to ESPN's Bruce
Bowen discuss penalizing Ron Artest. He stated "Artest should be suspended for
at least 10 games." This coming from a player who was suspended more than once
for flagrant fouls. I have no problem with ESPN hiring Bowen but he should sit
this one out. He held the reputation of being
one of the dirtiest players in the NBA during his playing days. I guess all is
forgiven now, he defends himself in a tweet by stating "he never tried to
hurt an opposing player." That's not the question, did he get inside
Artest's head and determined he was trying to hurt Harden? Let's look at Bowen's
record of transgressions. March '02 a flying
kick to the face, committed against Wally Szczerbiak, Bowen was fined $7,500.
March of '08 Bowen was suspended for one game
for kicking Chris Paul, Bowen was fined $37,000. Kicked Ray Allen in the back, $10,000. I didn't research any
further than the three incidents I uncovered.
