It’s herrrrreee!!
By the time most of you read this the deed will have already been done. The the ribbon cutting ceremony officially opening (to my knowledge) the first $1 billion dollar arena in history.  After years of construction delays, architectural re-design, court fights and citizen complaints Barclays Center is open. The home of the Brooklyn Nets, the plan (ownership) is they become New York City‘s basketball team. I don’t suppose Spike Lee will show up for the ribbon cutting, for sure he’ll be at Barclays for the first regular season game against his Knicks on November 1. The New York Post claims the Jay Z designed suites have a starting price of $550,000 a season.  Thought that bit of information might be important to some of you.

The ever changing broadcast landscape
The issue of televised sports might be even more critical in this age. We are so accustom to seeing our favorite team play, the formation of new networks call for new carriage agreements.  This story might change by the time it’s printed but currently the new Pac-12 Network has no agreement with DirecTV. I have no idea of missing numbers but would you not want your product and advertising dollars on the maximum number of television sets. For Laker fans they too will experience change. Airing soon will be Time Warner Cable SportsNet and Time Warner Cable Deportes, broadcasting in English and Spanish. Laker games will be available on Time Warner Cable only, KCAL-Channel 9 will no local broadcast Laker games. Discussions are being conducted with satellite, cable and telco companies in the Lakers broadcast territory. As for us in the Kansas City area it appears Metro Sports our local sports channel will continue to telecast Mizzou basketball games. The thought by many with the move to the SEC Metro Sports might forsake the Tigers. Of course the games of exception would be those broadcast by ESPN/ABC/CBS.

Philly phantic
I’ve been a long-time Doug Collins fan; I’m a fan of his despite bumpy finishes at several NBA stops I believe the guy can teach the game. I’m anxious to see how his 76ers perform this season. The team under his direction is taking baby steps in an effort to become a quality NBA team. After sinking to a 27-55 season in 2010 the next year under Collins they finished at 41-41. This past season despite the Lockout the team finished 35-31 and made the playoffs for the second straight year. Then the big trade, “do-everything” small forward Andre Iguodala was traded to the Nuggets. In comes 7-1 285 pound Andrew Bynum who scored at nearly 19 ppg and grabbed almost 12 rebounds. In addition they received in trade 6-6 veteran shooting guard Jason Richardson, after a down year it’s hoped he’ll return near his 17.5 ppg career numbers. The NBA draft brought 6-9 small forward Maurice Harkless from St. Johns, freshman Harkless surprised and NBA scouts deemed him “ready” for the NBA. The roster contains only three players over the age of 30, Kwame Brown, Royal Ivy and Jason Richardson. A youthful team requires a teaching coach Collins fits that role. Given time and with little injuries this team will compete not this season but maybe 2014 or 2015 for the Eastern Conference Championship.

Just when you think you’ve heard everything
Are you a dedicated fan of a college or NBA team? What ever you might say I’d bet money
(if I were a betting person) you can’t top this Kentucky fan. The fan lost his left eye in an accident last year and doctors replaced it with a glass eye. Recently he swamped his glass eye for one with the UK logo in place of the pupil. Now that’s what you call real fan devotion.