Say what

Numerous stories circulated about dirty play in this years NBA playoffs, it must have prompted SI.com's next move. The website conducted a survey among NBA players to determine who they would vote the dirtiest player in the NBA. A voting percentage was provided for the top five players, winner by a wide margin was Clipper Reggie Evans with 37% of the votes cast. Kevin Garnett of the Celtics and Laker Metta World Peace tied for second with 9% of the vote, they were followed by recently retired Pacer Jeff Foster (5%) and Clipper Chris Paul (4%).

Arkansas?

This is a continuing ever developing story, Mizzou basketball recruiting that is. At the time Mizzou announced it was headed to the SEC letters begin pouring into the Kansas City Star. Most dealt with potential future recruiting issues, in essence "Missouri would have difficulty recruiting since they would no longer be a Big XII member." This development is noteworthy and quite significant and worth reporting.

* Mizzou received a verbal commitment from it's first 2014 recruit.

* A 5-10 180 pound point guard Anton Beard.

* Beard is 4-star prospect by Rivals.

* Don't overlook the fact he's from Arkansas and the school had an offer on the table.

* Perhaps most significant Mizzou was one of eight schools with offers for Beard and he chose Mizzou.

Of course all this could change unless Beard heads to Columbia. On the other hand he could change his mind in two years, in addition his game might not progress at the rate the coaching staff believes and the offer withdrawn.

Do you remember the Big Dog?

Anybody out there remember Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson? Robinson had a successful 11-year NBA career most of it spent with the Milwaukee Bucks. Robinson played as a 6-7 225 pound small forward with career numbers of 20.7 ppg and 6.1 rebounds. As we might say like father like son, the University of Michigan has an incoming freshman the Rivals folks tab as a 5-star prospect. Glenn Robinson III is the same height of his dad however he's still growing into his body at a slender 192 pounds. The most interesting part of this story, the dad played at Purdue University and son chose one of their arch Big 10 rivals Michigan.

NBA Draft Combine

The NBA held it's draft combine last Thursday and Friday in Chicago. ESPNU provided 8 hours of coverage of the drills and commentary by 5 analysts. My only complaint very little information is shared with the viewing audience. We see the agility drills but are given no information relating to the criteria of a good or bad time, the same for the 3/4 court speed check. A prospects height with and without shoes and his weight are released. It was mentioned how poorly Kevin Durant had performed prior to his being drafted. The same might be said of Ohio State's Jared Sullinger who the panel said "didn't run the drills particularly well." In addition several players were advised to return home by their agents. A number of prospects on advice of agents failed to even attend. I only had a few opportunities to see Duke's Austin Rivers play this past season but he was subject for an interesting revelation. I'm unsure who to attribute the quote but he claimed and I paraphrase "Austin Rivers is all about Austin Rivers, he doesn't look for teammates his assist numbers are really not very good, he thinks he's better than he is, he models his game after Kobe Bryant." And the other question would the Celtics draft Rivers if were available when there pick comes? Two panelist were in agreement the Celtics would probably not draft Rivers.

What's in a team name?

I wonder if Tom Benson owner of the Saints and the Hornets will do as he intends? At the recent press conference identifying him as the new owner of the Hornets among statements made was this one, "I'd like a name more closely identified with New Orleans." His view has certainly been shared by me for a number of years. Probably the most relevant name Jazz belongs to that team in Salt Lake City but was never changed when they located to Salt Lake City. For reasons unspecified they have no plans to relinquish use of the name. As for the City of New Orleans If we wanted to do a history revisit the name Buccaneers connects two different history periods for the city. The oldest and first would be connected to the pirate Jean Lafitte and his buccaneers who operated in and around New Orleans in the early portion of the 19th Century. "As a rule, the buccaneers called themselves privateers, and many sailed under the protection of a letter of marque granted by British, French or Dutch authorities." In addition New Orleans was a charter member of the old ABA, that team was named the Buccaneers we assume a salute to it's history. I realize the Tampa Bay Bucs exist in the NFL but I don't think that matters, two teams but two different sports. Prior to the move to San Francisco we had the New York baseball Giants and the New York football Giants playing in the same city at the same time. Alligators I understand are native to Louisiana and Florida, the team could be re-named the New Orleans Gators, there probably could be objections from the University of Florida folks? Face it, the best names are already taken, whatever name Benson decides to chose is going to infringe on somebody somewhere. Here's an example, the addition of Mizzou to the SEC Conference it has three schools with the same named mascots, LSU Tigers, Auburn Tigers and Mizzou Tigers. (Wikipedia)