Marketing + The Product = revenue
Last year an announcement was mad the Lakers were hooking up with Time Warner Cable soon.  They were dropping Fox Sports and local KCAL television in this new direction.  Like most I thought this move would only impact folks in Laker Land.  This change would not affect those of us in the land of snow and ice or at least that's what we thought.  Laker fan websites have been bombarded with complaints and praise with the change.  Naturally the negative concerns were expressed from those without Time Warner Cable service.  Time Warner Cable is one of the providers in Kansas City and I'm a customer.  On Monday October 1st I was channel surfing and noticed a new channel it read: TWC Sports Net HD.  Although the screen was black it contained the ususal notice: "To receive this channel, call Customer Care at (816) xxxxxxx."  I said to myself I wonder if I can add the channel to my service?  The channel was added the next day and I've been enjoying Laker basketball since then.  I understand the move, the Lakers are the Yankees millions of fans outside of Los Angeles love them.  There are haters out there however I know several fans here in Kansas City.  Offer the sport channel nation-wide and individuals like me are crazy enough to spend extra dollars to view their favorite team.  Boy I cannot wait for the season to start; I'm a kid in a candy store.    

I’m disappointed
After all the hype and well kept secret (perhaps) the Brooklyn Nets jerseys were unveiled. To be perfectly honest I’m not impressed, I thought with Jay-Z’s implied fashion sense we’d see something different. There’s not a great deal of innovation you can do with a jersey however it can be varied in design. The old school Denver Nuggets jerseys with the multi-colored Rocky Mountain imprint. We could also check out one variant of the San Francisco Warriors. The jersey certainly is considered a classic, the name on the front of the jersey contained neither San Francisco or Warriors. The front of the jersey contained the words The City, below that a representation of the Golden Gage Bridge inside a circle that contained the players number. Back to the Nets, sorry sports fans the jerseys look almost exactly like the Spurs, the only difference they have Brooklyn on the front. No Nets lettering for the home jerseys, home and road spell out Brooklyn. Could the franchise eventually drop Nets as a team name? Owner Mikhail Prokhorov has hinted as much.

Help is on the way
I’m far more comfortable with these hires than Brown’s initial staff. This coaching staff will provide more coaching input than the departed members. The Laker front office announced the hiring of Eddie Jordan, Bernie Bickerstaff and Steve Clifford to complete the staff. I’m familiar with all the hires excepting Clifford who was an assistant with the Magic. I would guess they hired Clifford due to his familiarity with Dwight Howard. Jordan’s expertise is the Princeton offense which at this stage it appears the Lakers will adopt. The 68-year old Bickerstaff brings a veteran presence to the Lakers. He’s served as a head coach at several NBA stops. I’d mentioned previously I was unsure about Mike Brown as a head coach; I was even less sure regarding the coaching staff. I ‘m guaranteeing nothing but I certainly am more confident with this staff.

No retreat
"Don’t look back, something might be gaining on you” this quote from the legendary KC Monarchs pitcher Satchel Paige. The statement is utilized here to remind Mizzou fans and friends you cannot focus on past decisions. The choices are in your rear view mirror, you are heading in the opposite direction. This is to defray messages from our well intentioned friends west of the Missouri State line. The Big XII offices secured a 13-year $2.6 billion dollar contract with ESPN and Fox Sports. The agreement should run through the 2024-25 season. The declaration should put to rest the stability rumors of the conference. I’m anxiously waiting for the first Kansas fan to say; “I told you so!” to a Mizzou fan. To that Kansas fan and others I don’t believe in looking back only forward; Mizzou has become a member of an older more established and secure conference. As for the Big XII applause is due however it’s too bad the leadership was so slow to react at the time many of the schools began complaining about the impropriety of the television contract. The Big XII office allowed Colorado, Nebraska, Texas A&M and Mizzou to leave the conference by inaction.