Another arena on the horizon
You might have thought with the Barclays Center complete and ready for action it would be the last arena story written---but wait there’s more. In addition to a developing story in Seattle there is a story in San Francisco. The Warriors have moved to the next stage, that point you begin hiring. They have signed the architectural firms of Snohetta and AECOM to design the planned 18,000 arena. The site location will be Piers 30-32 in sight of the Bay Bridge. According to a poll conducted by the San Francisco Examiner an overwhelming number of people are in favor of the project. What I discovered most interesting many favorable votes came from the East Bay which includes Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Warrior ownership is serious; they intend to move across the bay as soon as the lease expires at Oracle. The other issue is a name change; I cannot imagine retaining the name Golden State. The team arrived from Philadelphia and was re-named the San Francisco Warriors.

This is interesting
When ever I come across those unusual basketball stories I love to share them with you. The name Dion Overstreet Jr. is probably unknown to most of you it was for me. Overstreet is a 5-9 point guard who played two seasons at Edmonds Community College in Washington. Overstreet is attending the University of Washington and is a walk-on candidate for the basketball team however that’s not the end of the story. Overstreet is a former child actor; he appeared in commercials as a seven year old and later had roles on TV shows Moesha, The Bernie Mac Show; Newsradio and Malcom in the Middle.

He certainly isn’t the first actor/baller, that honor might go to the late Chuck Conners. Conners played The Rifleman a ‘50’s cowboy television series. Continuing to pop up on television now and then is Mike Warren; Mike was a point guard at UCLA in the ’60’s along with teammate Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar). Warren was a regular on the ‘70’s police series Hill Street Blues. Laker Rick Fox walked off the court at Staples Center into the office of an acting coach; Fox has had several movie and television roles since his retirement. Wilt Chamberlain had a role in a Conan the Barbarian movie, Dr. J. was cast (or miscast) in The Fish that saved Pittsburg, in my view the absolute worst basketball movie ever made. Avoid it all cost, it could prove dangerous to your health. Finally how could we forget Roger Murdock (Kareem Abdul Jabbar) as the co-pilot in the Zucker Brothers movie Airplane?

What’s with Magic?
Skirball Cultural Center for his self-named foundation. "He hasn't done a great job yet, but he's done a good job. If they get Dwight Howard, then he's done a great job.” The quote is from a Los Angeles Times story last summer. It appears Magic Johnson seems to forget his statements at times. Magic Johnson the player will remain an all-time favorite for me. Magic Johnson the commentator needs to stick a sock in his mouth. He’s at it again; I paraphrase his recent twitter statement. “I’m in mourning because Phil Jackson wasn’t hired to coach the Lakers.” I think most of us were aware Johnson was no longer an owner having sold his shares. The 2012-13 media is either incorrect or his status with the team is only partially changed. The guide confirms he sold his share of the team but is still listed as a vice-president. Is his rant for his ESPN buddies to show them he has no allegiance to the Lakers? Magic should know better, if he has issues with Jim Buss they belong in private not in the public arena. Can you image imagine a Fortune 500 vice-president making the type of statement he made? Magic Johnson the player remains an all-time favorite, Magic Johnson vice-president I have issues. (Los Angeles Times)

Not as much a surprise this time
Most of you are to young to remember the upset. It was big news 30-years old when Division II Chaminade upset then number one Virginia. Chaminade University located in Honolulu (HI) is still a Division II school and they did it again, they upset Division I Texas 86-73.

“Big Shot”
I think we get it; Shaq doesn’t particularly like Dwight Howard. He pronounced Brook Lopez the best center in the NBA since he retired. He claims Lopez is a back to the basket center which there are few of those types of centers in today’s NBA. That fact we might all agree, the other statement is called into question by Robert “Big Shot” Horry. Horry now working for TWC Sportsnet was asked for a response. Horry said; “Howard is the best in the NBA, Lopez might be the third best center on the floor tonight. Pau Gasol might be a better center than Lopez.” I am real curious how Shaq might respond to Horry’s statement.