This season will be significant for a number of collegiate basketball coaches. Several might be on the hot seat while others are attempting to make their mark in the coaching ranks. Others might be seeking to move from a mid-major school to one with a higher profile. The first coach well look at is Larry Brown Southern Methodist University‘s “new” coach. Brown is 71 years old; he begged and pleaded for an opportunity to return to the coaching ranks. SMU basketball has been in the basement for eons it seems, can Brown provide a spark to set the program on the correct path? The bull’s eye is on the back of Mizzou’s Frank Haith, new conference (SEC) and basically a revised roster. After a so-so coaching career is he the real deal or do his 30 wins make him a one-hit wonder?

VCU’s Shaka Smart has won 27, 28 and 29 games over the past three seasons. Sorry VCU fans and alums but how much longer can he continue to turn down major coaching offers? With the turmoil in the rear view mirror, Shabazz Muhammad and company on the Westwood campus can Ben Howland reverse the sinking UCLA ship? Kentucky’s John Calipari has another crop of talented frosh; can he coach, cajole and plead with them to play half as good as last years class? Finally there’s Bill Self at Kansas, will his teams continue to dominate the changed Big XII landscape? From a distance Ohio State’s Thad Matta’s teams always perform at their peak during regular season. Last season they made the final four is this the year he coaxes his Buckeyes to play for the national championship? I realize there are other coaches I’ve missed, feel free to add them to the list.

Celebrity owners are often just that--celebrities who own a percentage of an NFL or NBA team. I’m unsure if we should consider Dodger owner Magic Johnson a celebrity. He first became prominent playing basketball rather than singing or acting as did most of the celebrity owners. Most celebrities appear to be satisfied with just the fact they own a percentage of a professional team. Most often they take a back-seat to the day to day operations of the team. That statement certainly doesn’t apply to Shawn Corey Carter. Carter better known Jay Z is one celebrity owner who places labor behind his name as an owner. It’s reported Jay Z paid $4.5 million for his share of ownership but has since become the public face of the Brooklyn Nets.

Folks know Mikhail Prokhorov is the majority owner of the Nets; he purchased majority ownership from Bruce Ratner several years back. Don’t misunderstand operations basketball people run the day to day team activities, general manager Billy King and staff drafts players, make trades and sign free agents. Jay Z has become a prime director of many of the marketing activities of the Nets. He was the driving force behind the move to Brooklyn the borough of his childhood. Have you checked out the new uniforms of the Brooklyn Nets? Jay Z is responsible for design of the Nets jerseys. He had to seek approval from the NBA offices for the black and white jerseys. It was reported the NBA office had to be sold on the color and design. The Vault at Barclays Center is another Jay Z inspired addition. The Vault at Barclays is 11 executive luxury suites spread through the arena, if you must ask the cost to lease a suite you probably might not be able to afford it anyway.

The news on the other side of the state is not good! Saint Louis University coach Rick Majerus announced health issues will prevent him from coaching the Billikens this season. This is certainly devastating news coming off a 26-8 season, 12-4 in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Over the course of his coaching career Majerus has been one of those guys who’s managed to fly beneath the radar despite compiling a 517-215 lifetime record. Assistant coach Jim Crews will coach the team this upcoming season but that might present a problem too. I certainly don’t wish to be a doom and gloom guy, remember the ’95-’96 season when coach K. missed most of the season. Duke went from a 28-6 record to 13-18; they bounced back the next year with coach K.’s return finishing 18-13.   

The “San Francisco” Warriors have taken another step toward returning across the bay. Ellerbe Becket an AECOM Company is the design firm chosen for this sports and entertainment complex, so states the San Francisco Examiner. The Warriors are in the final stages of negotiating the contract with AECOM. The location of the arena should it be secured is south of the Bay Bridge on Piers 30-32 a few blocks from the Giants ballpark. There is no rush to complete this project; the Warriors are under contract at Oracle Arena through 2017. Owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber seem committed to revitalizing the franchise. It’s interesting most NBA fans have no memory of the team playing anywhere aside from Oakland. The Warriors last season in San Francisco was the 1970-71 season, the only exception was their NBA championship year. The team was thought to be out of the playoff picture, a decision was made to release future Coliseum dates.  Due to this decision the 1975 championship series was played at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. The Warriors played in the Cow Palace from 1962-1964 and again from 1966-1971, the Cow Palace opened in 1941 is still in use today.   (dates; Wikipedia)