The damage has already been done
"After 2 years of shoddy, unethical NCAA "investigating," to deliver a Notice of Allegations to Miami yesterday is beyond tone deaf. Sad."  That was the tweet sent last Tuesday by ESPN's Jay Bilas.  This probe reaches to Columbia Missouri and Frank Haith. It’s long been acknowledged the accuser in this story is a convicted felon currently serving time in Federal Prison. In addition to serving as a “booster” for the University of Miami Nevin Shapiro found time to concoct a Ponzi scheme.  Convicted of the Ponzi charge is the reason he’s currently serving time in prison. Frank Haith’s name has been drugged through the mud for 20 months in the media, all during this time period he’s had no opportunity to defend himself.

He couldn’t defend himself when no formal charges were provided by the NCAA; the media was ripe with leaked portions of the investigation. I said this previously and I will repeat it again how come the NCAA failed to locate the source of these leaks? Do I care what a number of fans say---not really I’m more concerned about the reputation and integrity of the institution and Frank Haith. Think this is an isolated instance consider this, there are a number of people who continue to refer to Kobe Bryant as “the rapist.” They do this because they are uniformed on the series of events that took place or just plain haters. In some circles Haith will have the charge of cheater hanging over his head the balance of his coaching career

I finally got to see both in action
I don’t like all-star games; they don’t provide the type of action I wish. Often they are full of alley-oop dunks and flash, little team substance. I’d much rather see a player in action against competition even if it’s not up to his skill level. I finally had an opportunity to see Andrew Wiggins play although not in person. ESPN telecast the Huntington Prep game versus Cape Henry (VA). Wiggins moved smoothly up and down the court displaying a variety of moves ending the game with 28 points. I might add he plays both ends of the court. The one downside to Wiggins game the analyst mentioned he must develop an outside game at the collegiate level.

Wiggins scored on a variety of dunks and spin move close in baskets. I don’t remember him attempting a 3-point shot or making one. In December I was able to view a game of the player he replaced as number one Rivals prospect in the Class of 2013---Jabari Parker. Parker was coming off an injury, he didn’t move as smoothly as YouTube video I’d seen in the past however his talent was certainly evident. Parker’s outside game at this point is superior to that of Wiggins. They both will play small forward in college Parker at 6-8 and Wiggins at 6-7. Its possible Wiggins could become a shooting guard in the NBA if he maintains his slim 205 pound weight. Wiggins will wait until spring before making a college commitment; I can inform with a degree of comfort where he’s not headed. Wiggins is not headed to Duke, Parker has already verbally committed to the school.

Bits n Pieces
The Big XII office announced their officials made errors at the end of the Iowa State-Kansas game. Kansas had been declared the game winner 24 hours earlier, winning in overtime 108-96. Iowa State fans should be highly upset with this announcement. I have no answer only a question should the league office have admitted it‘s error?

Most of the time I make no note of a player’s monster game if his team loses. Of course there are always exceptions and this is one of them. Ricky Rubio receives a shout-out from Larry Laker for his game against the Warriors. Rubio scored 16 points dished out 11 assists grabbed 8 rebounds and registered 6 steals.

Remember Shaq informing us about producing moderately priced basketball shoes? Well he’s retreated from his earlier position. The Big Aristotle has returned to Reebok however this is not a new shoe, it’s a re-issue. This is similar to Michael Jordan and the emergence of the original Air Jordan’s. The Shaq Attaq available in April is $160 and the Shaqnois coming in June is $125.

For a man who is certainly intelligent Mark Cuban appears awful dumb at times. Why did he allow himself to be “trapped” into a hypnotical scenario? I’m speaking of the Dallas radio interview he did
and the question on the pending luxury tax.  Cuban said; (1.) “If you look at their payroll, even if Dwight (Howard) comes back, you’ve got to ask the question: Should they amnesty Kobe? “ Cuban certainly has the right to his opinion but why didn’t he respond using a Mavs player? Dumb, dumb and dumber! (1.) Yardbarker.com

Bill Simmons is a Clipper season ticket holder, Bill Simmons is a studio host for ESPN/ABC on the NBA Countdown program. His Wikipedia bio provides us the season ticket information. It’s okay if he’s a fan of the Clippers but should we believe any commentary from him regarding the Lakers?

I wonder if
The number one Kobe hater checked out the game yesterday against the Mavs? The Kobe hater, I’m referring to Jason Whitlock of Fox Sports.com. An amazing floor game from Kobe Bean Bryant 38 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists. He was 13-21 from the floor and 4-5 from the 3-point line.

“Wear out your welcome”
I’m unsure who originated the above statement, I can only state I can remember hearing it most of my adult life. A person exhibits personality or behavior ticks which upset the host and they welcome you leaving. The Suns Michael Beasley certainly appears to be that person. In my view Kansas State landed one of the most talented players in the nation when this 6-10 small forward arrived in Manhattan (KS). After an outstanding freshman year he declared for the draft, the Heat made him the second pick in the first round of the 2008 NBA Draft. He lasted three years in Miami and was traded to the Wolves he lasted there two years. Beasley signed a free-agent contract with the Suns and shortly there after the Wolves Kevin Love made a very strange statement which I‘ll paraphrase. He said; “it’s good to clean house we had some knuckleheads here.” It was never clarified if he was referring to Beasley. Stories have been reported the Suns are attempting to dump Beasley. The Suns allowed the trade deadline to pass conducted one player move none involving Beasley. As for Beasley it’s never been a talent issue it’s always been a head issue.

At times I’m guilty too
I was listening to local sports talk radio and the discussion centered on coaches. The hosts were attempting to define whether Frank Haith was a good versus bad coach. All the points (even negative) were taken into consideration by me until Bill Self, one of the two hosts decided to insert his name into the discussion. Unless you are discussing game strategy by the two coaches is a side by side comparison even valid? This is Self’s fourth stop as a head coach (1.) (Oral Roberts, Tulsa, Illinois and Kansas). Haith was an assistant at several stops but never the decision maker until Miami and later Mizzou.  He is completing his second year at Mizzou while Self is in his 10th year at Kansas.  I'm guilty of comparing players.  I've often stated "__________'s game is similar to ______, or said; "he rebounds the ball like _________."  At times perhaps the only barometer is to compare a thing to something we are familiar with.  Okay I get it, at the same time I'm willing to admit I'm guilty as well, the exceptions is coaches.  (1.) Wikipedia

Lin-sanity part deux
It was not my intent to judge whether the Knicks should sign or not sign Jeremy Lin. I must admit I was somewhat surprised when the Knicks failed to match the Rockets offer. In some circles the Rockets were considered to have overpaid for the services of Lin, you make the call. Raymond Felton shooting (.408) is below Lin’s (.438); however check out the other numbers. Felton is 14.8 points per game while Lin is at 12.9, the two players are dead even in assists 6.2. If we check team records both teams are about even with the Knicks holding a slight edge. The Knicks are 32-19 while the Rockets are 30-26, who’s the winner probably both teams.

It’s the best of the best
Every year seems like for eons Parade Magazine, Street & Smith have selected a High School All American team. There might have been several others without research those come to mind. It was an honor to be chosen by these publications however that was the extent a game was never played. In 1979 McDonald’s Corporation began selecting an All Star team; in addition a benefit game was played benefiting the Ronald McDonald House. In 2002 McDonald’s began selecting a girl’s team too. There are other High School All American games played however McDonald’s remains the best in my opinion. Name the NBA All-Pro, chances are real good he was probably a McDonald’s All American. Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Dwight Howard are just a few of the names.  The game is scheduled for April 3rd at the United Center in Chicago.  Just in case you're not in Chicago or unable to attend in person ESPN will telecast the game.

Fans might want it but it probably will never occur
Comments in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch indicate a number of fans on the other side of the state want a Mizzou-St. Louis University match. I wrote earlier long-time Coach Norm Stewart was supposed to have refused to schedule the Billikins. How do the teams currently stand, Mizzou is 17-6 and SLU is 18-5. This match will probably never occur for a number of reasons. First of all it’s a win-win situation heavily in favor of SLU if you look at the picture from this viewpoint. The Billikins have been a Division I program for years but that’s not the issue. I’ll utilize the football term, Mizzou is a BCS school and SLU is a non-BCS or Mid-Major school. Ever wondered about a Billikin it's a mythical character as is the Kansas Jayhawk. (1.)  "The Billiken was a charm doll created by an American art teacher and illustrator, Florence Pretz of St. Louis, Missouri who is said to have seen the mysterious figure in a dream.  In 1908, she obtained a design patent on the ornamental design of the Billiken.  Today, the Billiken is the official mascot of Saint Louis University and St. Louis University High School, both Jesuit institutions, and both located in St. Louis."
(1.)  Wikipedia



　

Bits n Pieces
The name change to Pelicans has generated a number of “Charlotte should become the Hornets again” emails. People it ain’t happening because it requires NBA approval plus $$$$$. Pelican (Hornets) owner Benson owned the copyright to the name and was willing to spend the money. You think MJ wants to spend money when it’s unnecessary? I might be wrong on this one too but I don’t think so.

Our local sports talk radio is dominated by Chiefs, Royals Mizzou, Kansas, Kansas State talk. Occasionally golf and Sporting KC become part of the discussion. I hear little if any NBA talk which is okay; we don’t have an NBA team. When it is a topic of discussion it might be advisable to ensure your facts are correct, opinion is one thing facts clearly another. During a recent discussion the hosts were discussing the NBA and specifically the Kings roster. The talk was the upcoming NBA Draft and who the Kings could draft, one host mentioned forward Omri Casspi. My ears perked up when he mentioned Casspi being a King. I am unable to name every NBA player and his city but I knew Casspi was in Cleveland; in fact he played the 2011-12 season in a Cavs jersey.

I hope my thinking on a particular athlete indicate he’s headed for the NBA. I’m not that skilled an evaluator of talent. I see a player whose game I enjoy and say; “that guy can play.” I can make that statement about guard Victor Oladipo of Indiana. A funny thing, I tuned into an Indiana game intending to check out Cody Zeller. Zeller had a good game all right but the 6-5 214 pound Oladipo really impressed. He plays “lock-down” defense and can score, in fact he reminds me of former NBA player Reuben Patterson. Not a great shooter his defense will allow him an NBA look.

This is for all my buddies at the barber shop, my latest whine. Mizzou could easily have only 3 losses; they could have a record of 23-3. They had two blowout losses, the first Ole Miss and the first Florida game (both road losses). The other losses, an OT loss to UCLA 97-94, losing to LSU 73-70, Texas A&M squeezed passed Mizzou 70-68 and the Arkansas debacle 73-71.

Jason Whitlock has provided us a peek into his strange imagination once again. “The real threat to LeBron’s throne” was the title of a recent Fox Sports.com article. My first question is what throne? James is certainly talented but to provide him a throne after one NBA Championship? I like Paul George; he’s a very talented youngster. Given time George will only become better but to elevate him to superstar status in his third year? Of course he plays for the Pacers and Indianapolis native Whitlock felt compelled to raise the status of George.

Did you know?
Kansas fans love to give Mizzou the blues for losing to Norfolk State in the NCAA’s last year, I wonder if any of them bothered to check the latest standings. As this is written Norfolk State is 12-0 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Never heard of the MEAC I would suppose? The 13 conference schools are all historically African-American institutions of higher learning. As the racial climate of the nation began changing in the 1960’s fewer and fewer African-American athletes journeyed to these schools. The numbers of players produced by the conference has dwindled over the years however the conference continues to produce quality players. As for alums of the past we can count Celtic great Sam Jones who attended North Carolina Central, certainly worth mentioning “Bruise Brother” Rick Mahorn who played for a number of NBA teams. One of the smoothest shooters of his period was Bobby Dandridge who played at Norfolk State. Dandridge scored over 15,000 points and an 18.5 game a clip from the late ‘60’s through the early ‘80’s for the Bucks and Bullets

This is quite interesting
Only time will tell if this is a good move, me personally I think it’s great. The University of Missouri-Kansas City is leaving the Summit League. (1.) UMKC started Division I competition in 1987 and played as an independent until 1994, when it joined the Mid-Continent Conference.” Once UMKC upgraded to Division One basketball there was talk of a Missouri Valley Conference invitation. The call never came so the school settled for an invite from the Mid Continent Conference which became the Summit League in 2007. Once upon a time I envisioned a UCLA or St. Johns type of program, a highly successful basketball program in an urban setting.

My view of the future never came to fruition; the Athletic Department changed heads which brought about head coaching changes, bottom line the school never really competed. In addition the Summit League is certainly not a conference ESPN, CBSSports or Fox would be anxious to broadcast on a national basis. UMKC is now a member of the Western Athletic Conference effective July 1st.  Current WAC members New Mexico State, Louisian Tech (Karl Malone's school) and Utah State will provide competitive basketball.  I have no idea of the WAC’s strength but it certainly has to be greater than that of the Summit League. UMKC will be forced to upgrade the program. (1.) Kansas City Star

Dr. Buss
I‘m writing an addendum to the brief story yesterday. A friend suggested I provide from a fan perspective. I was flattered but informed her I would leave the story to the professional writers. She said; “I want to hear what Larry Laker has to say about Dr. Buss.” At the time I first became a Laker fan Bob Short owned the team, Short was responsible for moving the team from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. (1.) “In September 1965, Cooke purchased the Los Angeles Lakers for $5 million from Bob Short. Under Cooke's ownership the Lakers moved from the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena to the Forum and changed their colors from Royal and Light Blue to the current Purple (which he referred to as "Forum Blue") and Gold. The Lakers during Cooke's ownership reached 7 NBA Finals and won the 1972 NBA Finals.” Cooke wanted to win an NBA Championship badly, in the 1969 finals Cooke was sure the Lakers would be a winner; he had balloons placed in the ceiling area of the Forum. When his team won the balloons would drop and Laker fans would celebrate their championship. The only problem with this scenario someone forgot to inform the Celtics they were supposed to lose.

(2) “He (Cooke) purchased the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA along with the Los Angeles Kings hockey team of the NHL, The Forum, and a large range from Jack Kent Cooke in 1979. The purchase price, $67.5 million, made it the largest transaction in sports history at that time. Buss later sold the Kings, retaining ownership of the Lakers and The Forum. He then reached a major advertising agreement with Great Western Bank for the naming rights to The Forum, resulting in the official name of the building being changed to the Great Western Forum.” Enter Dr. Jerry Buss, when many of us first became aware of the title in front of his name assumed he was a medical doctor; the doctor earned his PhD in chemical engineering Dr. Buss was much more than the bio information I was able to gather for you. Several former players spoke of Dr. Buss being a father figure to them. Magic Johnson claims Dr. Buss provided the guidance for him to become a successful owner of a number of varied business ventures.

Even more interesting to me Dr. Buss never became the focal point of any Laker story. If you meet him you might have never guessed he owned the Lakers this unassuming man. I could name several past and present owners who could have taken a few lessons from Dr. Buss. I hope nobody misunderstands, I don’t think there was never any doubt he was in charge, at the same time he allowed Jerry West, Mitch Kupchak and other front office personnel decision making authority. They had authorization to draft players, sign free agents and other player matters. Perhaps one of the few instances of his direct involvement was the Shaquille O’ Neal trade. Few realize (or even know) it was Dr. Buss who ultimately made the decision to trade Shaq. Despite the prevailing thought it wasn’t Kobe Bryant demanding the trade. The future direction of the franchise is unknown at this point however Jim Buss and Jeannie Buss indicate the family intends to retain ownership. Jim and Jeannie have gigantic shoes to fill those of Gerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss, PhD. 10 NBA Championships under this owner a feat that will likely never occur again.

(1&2) Wikipedia

Bits n Pieces
Mizzou is clearly a “Jekyll and Hyde” team, winners at home and losers on the road. Fortunately for them they played Florida at home. Mizzou managed to fall behind as much as 13 points in the second half, in addition they managed to turn the ball over 17 times. Mizzou still managed to win an ugly game and beat the number five team in the nation 63-60.

As expected the players association “fired” union President Billy Hunter. The independent audit indicated Hunter had done nothing criminal. The report indicated they considered Hunter conducted business improperly. His daughter, daughter-in-law was employed by the union. In addition business was conducted with a bank employed by his son.

Did you hear Royce White finally reported to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers? The Vipers are the D-League affiliate of the Rockets. Up front I make no claims as a mental health expert. If these issues were keeping him from playing perhaps he needs to take additional time to resolve them, just a thought.

LeBron is correct with his response to Michael Jordan; he was responding to the statement made by Jordan he would chose Kobe Bryant over LeBron if building a team. “Rings shouldn’t always be a measurement of greatness” was LeBron’s response. The only remaining question what do fans use as a barometer of an athlete’s talent?

While compiling stories for Words eye view it was announced Laker owner Dr. Jerry Buss had died. By the time you read this the media will have thoroughly covered this story. He was a leader but allowed others to lead the Lakers. Buss might be the gold standard as an owner, 10 NBA Championships during the period he owned the Lakers. R.I.P. Dr. Jerry Buss

Man Cave
Recently The Today Show originated from Boston, the program detailed some of the history and traditions of the city. Naturally the cities sports teams Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics were discussed. NBC managed to locate die hard fans for each of the respective teams, I can’t refer to them as man-caves, and two of the three individuals covered were female. In any event the caves were over-loaded (in my view) with memorabilia. I said to my wife; “check out those rooms they are over the top. My Man Cave is no place close to them, theirs could be termed junky.” That’s the first story, part II I have decided on an addition to the Cave. I’m awaiting delivery on a Wilt Chamberlain Laker jersey. It’s going to be quite awhile before I order a Magic Johnson jersey. I think all Laker fans are disappointed in the play of the team this year. Former Lakers James Worthy and Kurt Rambis serve as analyst for Time Warner Cable Sportsnet. Both have expressed frustration with play of the team, neither have been as critical as Johnson. I mentioned previously I wondered if Johnson has forgotten what a terrible coach he was. 

Let’s play re-alignment
We assume once the Kings become the Sonics realignment will be required. How does the NBA address the matter is the next question? Portland located 200 miles from Seattle will certainly yearn to revive it’s rivalry but that becomes the issue---division balance. Utah could be moved to the Pacific Division replacing Sacramento, the Kings (Sonics) would be placed in the Northwest Division. Although it would create an unbalance division Oklahoma City really should be placed in the Southwest Division. Oklahoma City is much closer to Dallas, New Orleans and San Antonio than Portland or Minnesota. This is pure conjecture on my part; you might take a look at the present structure and design your own change(s). Part two of this story is the tactic taken by Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson. The mayor wants to provide a counter-offer to the one presently on the table. Is his group to offer more money than the Hansen group?

The question
Recently it was brought to light a lawsuit had been filed against the AAU. The AAU“no individual could serve as a coach if that had been convicted of a felony.” The organization would not approve the application of an individual due to a conviction. A non-profit organization on behalf of the applicant filed the lawsuit. A. The applicants’ conviction occurred over 10-years ago. B. His conviction was of a non-violent nature. C. The applicant was a minority member. Based on one or more of the issues addressed should this coach be certified?

Sharing the Mizzou game with a few Kansas fans
My wife informed me a week or so ago we had been invited to a housewarming party. Needless to say I didn’t realize it would occur right in the middle of the Mizzou-Arkansas match. Fortunately (or unfortunately) we arrived with a little over 3 minutes left. When we walked in I was surprised to see the game was on so I parked myself in front of the HD television. There is a sidebar to this story the husband and wife host are educators and both are employed by Kansas University. Naturally with this a game day I wore my Mizzou tee to their house, pretty brave of me wouldn’t you agree?

Back to the game, I’m not even sure without checking who took the last shot of the game for Mizzou. When the ball glanced off the side of the goal I slumped in my seat. A 73-71 loss to Arkansas and Mike Anderson, doggone it, I’d rather suffer a blowout than lose a close game like this. Sunday morning after service I discussed the game with a church member, I expressed my anguish and said; “on paper this year’s team (Mizzou) is better than last year.” I then reflected and I told him; “they don’t play games on paper do they?” He said correct, “the only game where paper might be a winner is rock, paper, and scissors.” The Razorbacks must journey to Columbia, I’m circling the date.

Mr. Unknown
Bucknell University is in Lewisburg (PA); it’s about 170 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Mr. Unknown is the title I am providing for Bucknell’s Mike Muscala. As always this is no guarantee he’s headed to an NBA near you but he might. This 6-11 235 pound forward/center has outstanding numbers, 19 points per game and 11.4 rebounds. You think he just plays one way; he manages to block nearly three shots a game. One more noteworthy accomplishment of this big man, he leads Bucknell in assists at 2.8. There are several schools who receive far too much attention by the media in my view while the Bucknell's continue to play in relative obscurity.  Despite a 21-5 record (8-2 conference) Bucknell is not seen on the national radar with the exception of the NCAA Field of 64. The school was on Mizzou’s non-conference schedule so I had an opportunity to view Muscala’s game. Muscala’s game total read: 25 points 14 rebounds 2 blocked shots 4 steals while shooting 10-17 (.588) from the floor. This is simply a note for you to store away, retain it in order to not be surprised when David Stern or Adam Silver announces his name.

“It’s gotta be the shoes”
If you are old enough you remember the headline, it was voiced by the Mars Blackmon character (a.k.a. Spike Lee) in a series of Air Jordan commercials. Basketball aficionados were aware of Michael Jordan, the series of Mars Blackmon commericals introduced Michael Jordan to the non-basketball world.  Jordan the basketball icon will turned 50 years old the same date as the All-Star game.  Those under 25 only saw brief glimpses of the player, YouTube clips fail to detail  his greatness.  Darren Rovell ESPN Business Reporter stated; "the Air Jordan line generates $1 billion dollars a year for Nike.”

The majority of us might assume most NBA players wear Nike, that’s a fact. Have any idea the second most common brand worn by the NBA? Well it ain’t Adidas and it’s not Reebok its Air Jordan. Sales point out the Nike brand places first, Air Jordan is number two and Adidas finishes three. More NBA players wear the Jordan brand than all other shoes combined. Rovell pointed out an interesting fact; "Jordan wanted Adidas but they never approached hm."  Perhaps even more interesting the Jordan Brand continues to sell into the 21st Century despite MJ has been retired for a number of years.  Did you know at a point in time Jordan was receving a larger salary from Nike than from the Bulls?  Eventually the Bulls would reward MJ with a much larger contract.    

Bits n Pieces
Ever wonder why an outstanding player’s jersey is not hanging in the rafters of the schools arena. Most universities stipulate they will not retire a player’s jersey unless he graduates. Of course there are always exceptions; the late Wilt Chamberlain had his jersey retired at Kansas. Chamberlain left Kansas after his junior year.

The All-Star game doesn’t do much for me anymore; it’s become unwatchable in some instances. Regular season games provide much better play, it always seems the fans leave someone off the team who should be included and someone makes the team who shouldn’t be at home like me---watching the game on television. Just my view you don’t have to agree.

After I witnessed the Heat take apart and totally demolish the Thunder I don’t think this team is ready. OKC is certainly an elite team and many thought this might be a break out year; they are not ready for their “big boy” pants yet.

It’s been stated on more than one occasion it cost $1 billion dollars to construct Barclays Center. The Madison Square Garden renovation will be complete next summer and is nearly the same amount $980 million dollars. Both New York teams (along with others) are bidding on the 2015 All-Star game.

Overlooked
Gonzaga has a problem, they are often overlooked. This phenomena doesn’t occur because they are a terrible team in fact the opposite exists. The Zags are one of the better teams in the nation. There are probably two key reasons few media and some fans overlook them. The first issue the school is located in Spokane (WA). Weeknight games begin at 10:00 or 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time, only the brave (media) remain stationed in front of their television sets. San Diego State, BYU and St. Mary’s have been successful over the years however the media tends to overlook West Coast Conference basketball. The school hasn’t been completely overlooked as this is written Gonzaga is number five team in the nation. They are 25-2 and the number one in the conference, Coach Mark Few has continued his usual habit of building a successful competitive team.

Naismith Hall of Fame
Candidates for the Hall were announced recently, as usual several outstanding past players, coaches and contributors were nominated. Final selections will be made during the NCAA Final Four; selections will be enshrined in late summer. Although the list is not final a few candidates are: Gary “The Glove” Payton, Tim Hardaway and Coaches Guy Lewis and Rick Pitino.

It might be a blessing in disguise
Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel tore his ACL in Tuesday night’s game against Florida. He will require surgery and his season is over however this might be a blessing in disguise. Follow what might appear to be my unusual logic. Most mock draft sites had Noel pegged as the number one or two pick in the 2013 draft. If Noel had remained health free most likely would have submitted his name for the June draft. First the injury, rehab is a totally different question in this age. I remember players careers ended early with this type of injury, medicine has advance greatly over the last 20 or so years.  It’s not uncommon for athletes to fully recover from this type of injury.

The second part, Noel might never become a great offensive player, lacks basic fundamentals. Next season the coaches at Kentucky can work with him on his post moves. Can he improve offensively, certainly? There was another big man who was only a fair offensive player in college; he came into the NBA with defensive skills far superior to his offense. That player was Georgetown center Patrick Ewing who work and developed his offensive game.  I’m not stating Noel is headed for an NBA career but hard work plus a total recovery from injury----who truly knows?

Say what
I’ve been wrong before, I could be wrong again. I ain’t scared so I will climb out on the precarious tree limb. The trade deadline is fast approaching in the NBA, names of several high profile players have circulated. I will explore who stays and who goes. First of all my Lakers, he’s injured right now not expected back till near the end of the season. Pau Gasol ould be traded during the summer but certainly not now. Although Paul Pierce has been on the scene longer it’s my belief Garnett has become the heart and soul of the Celtics. The Celtics are at a point, like the Lakers they too have grown old at certain positions while others require fresher younger legs. One of those positions is the power forward position however it’s my view Garnett will never wear another jersey. In all likelihood Garnett will retire a Celtic.

Next up Josh Smith of the Hawks, this team is an enigma to many. Never really bad but never really good, they seem to never ascend to the heights Atlanta fans hope for. With his huge contract Smith has become a liability. Notice I said nothing about his talent in this instance it’s his paycheck. The Nets appear to want Smith and they just might get him, for whom? That’s yet to be determined however all parties will walk away stating they are pleased with the trade. The last player to check out is point guard Brandon Jennings. In this instance I’m writing from what I think I know this might not be the circumstance. At the time Monta Ellis arrived in trade from the Warriors a question was posed; “how can two point guards exist in the same backcourt especially two who love to shoot the ball?” Word is Jennings wants out of Milwaukee and he just might be granted his wish. There will be movement among players not mentioned; Gasol, Garnett Smith and Jennings are the subject of most trade talk.

Bits n Pieces
"Jim Boeheim calls ESPN's Andy Katz an "idiot" and "disloyal,” there is history between the coach and the reporter. I share the same view of Boeheim, I can exclude the disloyal statement however there are a number of “idiot” reporters. You can compile your own list I have mine, Jason Whitlock of Fox Sports leads off for me.

I realize I’m showing my age, it’s become okay to commit or de-commit via twitter. That very situation occurred for Mizzou on Wednesday. 2014 point guard Anton Beard had committed in June 2012, Beard changed his mind. He de-committed by twitter indicating he’d changed his mind and wasn’t headed to Columbia (MO).

This is one of those stories that cause you to scratch your head. A prospective AAU coach was denied coaching certification due to a past conviction. Due to the conviction being a nonviolent drug conviction a non-profit group took on his case. They filed suit against the NCAA on his behalf.

I’m sure Bulls fans are probably not pleased with this news. Derrick Rose is stating he would be okay with not playing this season. Makes sense (I have no medical skills) he had a devastating injury why not wait until next season?

He must have fallen and bumped his head, I speak of Michael Jeffrey Jordan, MJ or Air Jordan. He said “if given a choice he would take Kobe Bryant over LeBron James.” Surely Jordan must have been misquoted.

How does he stack up?
I was viewing a recent UNLV game and the announcer mentioned the name Anthony Bennett. This Canadian native has been overshadowed by a significant number of outstanding freshmen across the nation. Ben McLemore at Kansas, UCLA’s Shabazz Muhammad and Nerlens Noel at Kentucky (prior to his injury) are just a few of the excellent freshman. Bennett’s numbers, 17.8 ppg while shooting .537 from the floor. In addition he grabs 8.6 rebounds and dishes out nearly 2 assists a game. This 6-8 240 pound power forward has certainly upgraded his game to the collegiate level. One of the contributing factors to his lack of note is the conference; UNLV plays in the Mountain West Conference. The media microscope is always zeroed in on the traditional basketball powers. George “Iceman” Gervin at Eastern Michigan and Damian Lillard at Weber State receive far more publicity in the NBA than they received in college. Where they played was a contributing factor, no one said they couldn’t play their schools don’t have a national footprint.

I watched the game
Florida-Kentucky was on ESPN, Blazers-Heat was on NBA-TV. Which game did I chose to watch? Neither of them, Penn Valley Community College was my choice. My former school was matched against Division III Westminster College which is located in Fulton (MO). For you students of geography Fulton is about 154 miles southeast of Kansas City. The announcer mentioned several Division I schools are expressing interest in 6-7 Derrick Williams of Penn Valley. By the way the Penn Valley Scouts won the match 84-51.

Why did you ask me?
Have you faced the same situation I have? On occasion acquaintances will ask me “what do you think of _______.’ The issue could be governmental issues, politics or sports. Dependent on time I will offer my view or assessment of the matter. The next stage the person says; “I don’t agree with you, here’s what I think _________.” Of course they detail for you how your view is skewed and theirs is the correct one. I have been tempted to ask them; “If you didn’t want my opinion why did you bother to ask?” I would never believe my view/opinion is the only one valid. I might argue an opposing view till the cows come home the bottom line it’s your opinion and you have that right. From this point forward I will not mention the name, if I do that I would be directing you to read him thus increasing his page views. I see elements of the game I dislike however I see far more positives than negatives. I often provide my opinions on subjects however my hope is you don’t believe I’m correct all of the time.

Does it really matter?
The “Catholic 7” is moving ahead with plans to exit the Big East Conference. The seven schools all Catholic affiliated are presently in the Big East Conference. The schools are Villanova, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. Johns, Seton Hall and DePaul. Reports indicate Fox Sports is negotiating a television contract for the conference. No commissioner yet, no bylaws nothing in place accept a potential disagreement. Word is the 7 want to retain the name Big East Conference which is a problem. The remainder of schools also desires to retain the name; hopefully there will be no need to decide this matter in a court room. Marquette (Catholic 7) located in Milwaukee is a Big East member, if we use New York City as the starting point the school is 1,000+ miles from the Atlantic Ocean. These same reports indicate the Catholic 7 desires to include additional schools to provide balance. If Creighton (NE) and St. Louis University (MO) are added these schools would add or exceed the amount of travel time. In this day of air versus bus trips is geography really all that important?

The power forward nobody knew
I’ve stated in the past making a name for you depends on the team and opportunity. We certainly can make that statement regarding the Lakers power forward Earl Clark. At the age of 25 the Lakers are Clarks’ third NBA team. I’m unsure what occurred in Phoenix however Orlando didn’t believe in him either. Clark was included in the deal that sent Dwight Howard to the Lakers. Jordan Hill was inserted in the lineup at the time Pau Gasol went down initially with an injury. You know the rest of the story; Hill eventually was injured too---for the season no less. Riding to the rescue was 6-10 225 pound Earl Clark.  Clark’s had eight double-doubles since he’s become a permanent starter. Next season with a healthy Hill at power forward and Earl Clark at the small forward and a healthy Dwight Howard----well. I think the Lakers are not the best team in Los Angeles this year but the future has not gone black. A 35-year old Kobe (next season) and a 40-year old Nash (also next season) might have one more run in them. As for Gasol as talented and skilled as I still believe it might be sayonara for him.

I’m not going to provide you his name
I indicated in another story I often provide my view on a particular subject. The difference between me and this national columnist is he believes everything he writes is correct and concise. It’s my belief he is full of himself and gains pleasure in antagonizing readers.  This person recently wrote a story indicting the NBA and the NCAA.  He based his conclusion on TCU defeating Kansas and the Illinois upset of Indiana.  Both unranked teams gaining the upper hand by winning, something must be wrong.  "I will find an easy scapegoat, I'll blame the NBA and NCAA, never mind that I don't present any solid proposals to fix any problems.  It's far easier for me to stir the pot rather than present a fix."  What a bunch of horse manure!

“I left my heart in San Francisco”
Hope Tony Bennett forgives me for using the title of his classic tune. The reason of course is it appears the Warriors are returning to San Francisco. Have you seen the design for the proposed arena? Check out the design drawings on the Warriors NBA.com page. The arena will seat 17,500 for basketball as opposed to the 19,596 seat Oracle Arena in Oakland. The area of the city planned for construction of the new arena is piers 30-32 at the foot of the Bay Bridge.  The plan is the Warriors to play the 2017-18 season in their new home, can you say San Francisco Warriors?

Bits n Pieces
My spastic Mizzou Tigers cannot keep going outside the confines of Mizzou Arena. They lost another “winnable game” against Texas A&M 70-68. For A&M fans don’t get your shorts in a bind your team won the game, I didn’t say Mizzou was a superior team. I simply was trying to point out Mizzou could have just as easily won the game. One thing for sure home cooking works, they demolished Ole Miss 98-79 after losing to them last month 64-49.

My intent was to profile Andrew Wiggin’s game. I discovered his Huntington Prep (W.Va.) team had beaten Marietta College (OH) junior varsity. How does a “high school” schedule a game against a college team even if it’s the schools freshman? As for Wiggins the number one prospect in the Class of 2013. He dropped in 57 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, the Marietta team can send thanks to Sports Illustrated. Earlier in the week they wrote a rather uncomplimentary story on Wiggins.

Is he returning to Ohio to play ball? Greg Oden played one season at Ohio State and then several injury plauged years in Portland. The Blazers finally gave up and released this former number one draft pick.  Oden's been recuperating anticipating a return to the NBA at a future date.  Early stories circulated indicating he would possibly sign with the Heat but a new team has been added to the mix.  Reports indicate Oden will possibly sign with the Cavs.

Sometimes I question the logic of people.  ESPN’s Chris Palmer first tweets; “LeBron is 28. He could win 7 MVPs“He follows that tweet with; “Kobe has one MVP. Yeah, OK.” What’s this all about? Okay Palmer LeBron will end his career with more MVP’s. I’d bet money if I were a betting person, Kobe will have more NBA Championships rings end the end.

This could have occurred with a Lakers-Clippers series I’m unsure. Broadcaster Mike Tirico performed double duty yesterday; he announced the afternoon game on ABC which featured the Knicks and Clippers. Tirico rode the subway from Manhattan to Brooklyn, he then announced the evening ESPN Nets-Spurs from Barclays Center.

Texas Twins
Houston metro twins Andrew and Aaron Harrison Class of 2013 prospects committed to Kentucky in October. Aaron a shooting guard is 6-5 and 205 pounds, his twin Andrew is a 6-5 and 210 pounds point guard. There is another Texas Twin combination in the Class of 2014 Derrick and Erick Neal. The Neal’s are from Dallas, there is a key difference in the twins other than age, class and city. The difference is their size; the Neal twins are 5-9 and weigh a wiry 140 pounds. The Neal twins are smooth, quick and have crossover moves that might cause an NBA player difficulty. The issue of course is their height and weight; surely they will gain in both areas over the next two years. Unlike the Harrison twins both Neal twins have point guard bodies and it might be difficult for them to attend the same college. You should still keep an eye out for these two because they are magicians with the basketball.

Now I’m worried
The injury bug rather than team play has now become my concern regarding this years Laker team. Over the years I could probably count on one hand the number of major injuries during championship runs. This Laker team has sustained injury after injury after injury after another injury. At the beginning of the season it was Steve Nash injured in pre-season and out until mid-December. Jordan Hill begins making an impact and he too goes down with an injury. In Hill‘s case we won‘t see him until next year, season ending surgery. In the same game Dwight Howard injured his shoulder, since his initial injury Howard’s been in and out of the lineup. Pau Gasol has been dealing with planter fascias season long. It now appears Pau is out a minimum of six weeks with this injury. I almost overlooked back-up point guard Steve Blake who was also absent for an extended period. As the old adage goes; “injuries are part of the game.” There is no method to prevent them from occurring.

He’s an enigma to most of us
We don’t know much about Coach Gregg Popovich. The only time he is really newsworthy is when he sends key players home for rest or when his team wins an NBA Championship. Pop has coached the Spurs since 1996 however he seems to prefer the background. For reasons not fully explained the media focuses on a select number of basketball coaches, Pop is not in that number. You know who they are; Phil Jackson, John Calapiri, Doc Rivers and others. During interviews Pop often sounds as though he’d rather be doing something else. This Indiana native has led the Spurs to four NBA Championships; they have always been a perennial Western Conference contender during his time at the helm. Critics point out it’s easy to win with David Robinson and Tim Duncan as the anchors of your team. I want to attribute this quote to the former Maryland Coach “Lefty” Driesell, I think he said it. Someone questioned UCLA winning all those NCAA championships; they stated it was due to their superior talent. Driesell agreed to a point but made this statement which I’ll paraphrase, “its great to have basketball talent but you must know how to coach that great talent as well.” I think the Spurs Gregg Popovich wears that statement quite well.

The seismic shock felt in Jayhawk nation
Did you feel the shock Wednesday night? According to the Richter scale it might have registered a 3.8 or 3.9. According to Wikipedia a 3.8 quake is; “Often felt by at least some people, but very rarely causes damage. Shaking of indoor objects can be noticeable.” The “shaking of indoor objects” might have been the television sets smashed by many in Jayhawk nation. Coming off a Saturday loss to Oklahoma State (at home) the Jayhawks went on the road to heal. A win against Texas Christian University was a gimme after all TCU was 9-12 overall and 0-8 in Big XII play.

You might understand why many felt no urgency to view the game, there was no way TCU could win this game or could they? Kansas managed to lose 62-55, how bad was the loss? Kansas scored a meager 13 points in the first half of the game despite the shot clock. Perhaps even more interesting our resident basketball “expert” can’t figure Kansas out. I’m referring to one of the local afternoon radio talk show host. He continues to harp on the fact Kansas beat Ohio State on the road (17-5) and Colorado (14-7) during the teams’ non-conference schedule. He fails to take into consideration more recently Kansas had to go into overtime to beat Iowa State at home and barely beat Temple 69-62.

I’d love to see them play each other
The entry of government is opposed by most folks I’ve held discussions. This is just to cite a few instances where state governments thought it their duty orchestrate play on the court. Once upon a time the State of Kentucky “forced” the University of Kentucky to play Louisville. Two basketball powers in the same state but would not play one another.  There is talk the Kansas Senate using the same type of tactic to ensure Wichita State, Kansas State and the University of Kansas play.  Turns out this senator is from Wichita.  As for Missouri there is an unconfirmed report Norm Stewart (1967-199) long-time Mizzou Coach refused to play St. Louis University. Several years back the General Assembly of Missouri introduced a bill forcing Mizzou to schedule Missouri State (Springfield). There might be a variety of reasons Division One schools in the same state refuse to schedule one another. State governments’ utilizing withholding financial aid is not an answer, just my opinion yours might be different.

March 1st
Despite the views of conspiracy theorists there is order, the Kings can‘t simply pack up and move to Seattle. The order I speak of requires the Chris Hansen group to submit relocation paperwork. The NBA established March 1st as the drop date.  The Hansen group sent the request to relocate the Kings franchise 22 days ahead of the drop date.  Is this a done deal?  Not yet, an unseen development could kill the deal however it's most unlikley.  There is life after the NBA, Sacramento fans need look no further than St. Louis (Hawks) or Kansas City (Kings).  There is an additional issue of note, Steve Ballmer CEO of Microsoft is an investor with the Hansen group.  The Microsoft "involvement" is upsetting to a California legislator; he wrote Ballmer a letter of complaint.  The basis of his complaint the legislator cited the signficant number of contracts California has with Microsoft.

They have changed
Have you noticed the revision in sports talk radio and television? Rarely do they contain the view of the listener anymore. The host(s) takes few if any phone calls, the major portion of the program consist of an expression of the sports world from their perspective. There are usually spots for guests, the roll consist of others in the media, coaches, sports agents and athletes. Is this changed format for sports talk good from your perspective? I have my view of the issue what’s yours?

No super teams
There were loud howls from many fans around these parts when Mizzou lost its game against Ol Miss, the howling reached a fever pitch as Florida rolled the Tigers. People face the facts even if your team (Mizzou) is Top 25 there are landmines out there. As this is written number one Duke has lost two of its last three games, number five Louisville has lost two in a row. Creighton the number 17 team in the nation has lost two games in a row. Number eleven Kansas State lost the first state match to then number three Kansas. Recently Kansas sustained losses against Oklahoma State and Texas Christian University, after the win Oklahoma State moved into the Top 25.

Bits n Pieces
Steve Nash is shooting 91% from the line this year, over the course of his career he’s a 90% shooter. Over the weekend in a highly contested game against the Pistons Nash free-throws would seal the victory. Nash goes to the line and bricks both shots, fortunately the Lakers still managed to win the game by one point.

In the same game Piston guard Brandon Knight indicated Metta World Peace punched him. The video is not concise and after checking it multiple times I am unable to determine if Knight is correct. MWP certainly looked as though he was utilizing a WWE move on Knight. In any event MWP was accessed a flagrant foul and given a 1-game suspension. Often the deeds of the past continue to empact your career.         

Jack Harry a local television sportscaster referred to Mizzou basketball as “a work in progress.” Much as I’d like to disagree with his assessment he might be correct. The areas I thought sound have developed cracks. Those I thought might exhibit weakness have been even more flimsy than I foresaw.

A presidential pardon might not even be enough to save his job!  UCLA's Ben Howland is not the only Pac-12 coach on the hot seat. President Obama’s brother-in-law Craig Robinson is seated next to Howland.  As this is written Oregon State is 11-11 and 1-8 in the conference. This is Robinson’s fifth year and last years 21-15 has been the best showing.

He might not be All-Star but Greivis Vasquez has proven steady if nothing else. I’ve followed his career from his Maryland days. After being drafted by the Grizzlies he was traded two years ago to the Hornets (Pelicans). This 6-6 point guard scores 13.8 points per game 4.5 rebounds and 9.3 assists.

Winning streak
The win streak of Kansas came to an end last weekend---33 home games in a row. The Jayhawks should be praised for the win streak. How did this compare to other basketball winning streaks? Other winning streaks consisted of home and road victories. Bill Russell and K.C. Jones San Francisco Dons would be the first streak team to cover in the modern era. The streak began in 1954-55 and ended after 60 straight wins. The streak consisted of two NCAA Championships. The Dons would later be eclipsed by John Wooden's UCLA Bruins.  They now hold the men's team record having won 88 games before the streak was broken.  Their streak would begin on January 30th 1971 beating UC Santa Barbara.  Over the next three years Wooden's team became the best in history breaking the recor set by USF.  Notre Dame upset the Bruins 70-59 on January 19th 1974.  It might be mentioned UCLA won two national championships durin the streak.  As for the NBA the Laker set the modern day record.  They won 33 games beginning November 5th 1971 and lost of January 7th 1972.  Although the streak was broken this Laker team went on to win the 1972 NBA Championship beating the Knicks 4 games to 1.  12 of the participants in the series would later be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame Springfield (MA).

They ain’t done noting yet!!!
Have the Lakers turned the corner you ask? Far from exhibiting consistent play there are encouraging signs. The annual 7-game Grammy trip will be the true test if this is just “smoke n mirrors.” I’m unsure exactly who to credit for the teams improved play, I don’t know if this is D’Antoni or Kobe/Nash. They have “exchanged” roles with Kobe becoming the de-facto point and Nash the shooter. Nash is scoring more and Kobe less but this change has produced wins. Despite the teams record the Bryant/Nash combo might have the highest assist numbers since the Magic Johnson/Norm Nixon back court. In addition all the post-game interviews almost to a man (including the coach) is the mentioned of defense. Of course we all realize D’Antoni teams “don’t play defense.” This team had no problem scoring the ball the problem was on the other end of the court, slow to rotate and other defensive shortcomings. They haven’t been eliminated but the defense has certainly improved.

I don’t know if this has ever occurred
The Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield contains several teammates. There are Celtics and Lakers and perhaps others. To my knowledge the Springfield Hall is the only one that has high school teammates enshrined. The younger generation knows Akron Ohio as the birthplace of LeBron James; older folks remember it as the home of the late Gus Johnson and Nate Thurmond. Johnson wasn’t the first but the term power forward came to fruition to describe his defensive and offensive play. At the time Johnson graduated from Akron High School he headed to Boise Junior College and the University of Idaho in the early ‘60’s. Johnson was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets (Wizards) in 1963 and played for them over the next 9 years. He concluded his career with the Suns and the ABA’s Pacers. Johnson’s duels with the Knicks Dave DeBusschere were legendary; the 6-6 235 pound Johnson was one the few men to break a basketball backboard and goal.  Johnson averaged 17.1 points and 12.7 rebounds during the course of his career.

Johnson died in 1987 at age 48 from an inoperable brain tumor.  Johnson's senior year a skinny sophomore joined the team, his name Nate Thurmond.  In that day it was rare for freshman to play at the varsity level so it's likely Johnson and Thurmond were teammates for only a year.  How good was Nathanial "Nate" Thurmond you ask?  The 50th Anniversary of the NBA the league selected its 50 greatest players.  Among those chosen as the NBA’s best was Thurmond. Unlike his high school teammate who ventures half-way across the country Thurmond remained close to home. He attended Bowling Green University in Bowling Green Ohio 150 miles from Akron. Thurmond was drafted by the San Francisco Warriors in 1963 and remained with them through 1974. He concluded his NBA in 1977, his career numbers; 15 points per game and 15 rebounds a game. Only 4 players in NBA history have recorded a quadruple-double, Thurmond is one of the 3. On October 18, 1974 while a member of the Bulls he scored 22 points, pulled down 14 rebounds dished out 13 assists and blocked 12 shots.

Bits n Pieces
When will Russell Westbrook grow up? The guy is an extremely talented athlete. That’s the upside; the downside Westbrook’s head is going to explode similar to a cartoon if he doesn’t tone down a bit.

I hope Mizzou learns to win on the road, I offer no excuses losing to teams that appear below you on a talent level. I’m sure Ole Miss and LSU fans will take exception to my statement. You notice I said appear below your talent level. Ole Miss and LSU won the game so I guess they are superior teams.

Check out Deron William’s $15.8 million dollar Manhattan penthouse. I don’t own the photos so I can’t provide a link however you can locate them on a couple of different websites.

Is it the P.J. Carlesimo factor or Avery Johnson is no longer on the scene? The Nets have certainly played much better basketball since Johnson was replaced. As for Carlesimo everyone deserves another opportunity. After being fired at Golden State and Oklahoma City many thought his head coaching days were in the rear view mirror.

A heavyweight championship bout, that’s my description of the Indiana-Michigan game. The teams traded blow after blow all evening long. Michigan finally succumbed 81-73 in this highly contested game.

Local talk shows are ripe with stories of Kansas basketball. A radio host even proclaimed “Bill Self a better coach than Roy Williams.” I’m unsure if I can sign off on that declaration, this radio host has probably come to this conclusion because Williams never won an NCAA Championship while at Kansas despite the talent he recruited.    

Who’s the best?
It’s difficult to decide the best freshman player in the nation. As I wrote recently folks in this area are tuned in to Ben McLemore at Kansas. The Fox Sports website list McLemore as a sophomore which is the case but he’s a red-shirt freshman. With that issue aside let’s check out his numbers. This 6-5 195 guard is shooting .510 from the floor and 16.4 points per game, 2.1 assists and 5.4 rebounds. Next up 6-6 225 pound guard-forward Shabazz Muhammad of UCLA.

Looking strictly at the numbers Muhammad is shooting .472 from the floor, 18.2 points per game, 0.8 assists and 4.9 rebounds a game. The Running Rebels of UNLV have a talent in Anthony Bennett, he‘s a 6-8 240 pound forward. Bennett is shooting .554 from the floor with 18.5 points per game, 1.1 assists and 8.7 rebounds. The last freshman to check out is Kentucky’s Nerlens Noel. Noel arrived with limited on campus with limited offensive skills as evident by his 10.7 point per game average. This 228 pound 6-10 forward is rebounding at a 9.7 per game clip. He makes up for his lack of offense with defense and shot-blocking. The down side all four athletes names are listed on several mock draft sites.

I waited for a final summation
Once upon a time I was employed by an individual who hired both his sons and a cousin to work there as well. There might have been more family members, those I mentioned were the only individuals I was familiar with. As a single proprietor it was his business who was employed, the staff might not have agreed but had no input. Unlike this business owner the NBA Players Association is a different story, it’s a union given the task of negotiating matters for NBA athletes. I love my family but if I were in Billy Hunter’s position I would never ever think of hiring relatives. Think about this a moment, just the hint of impropriety might occur.

An audit of the financial matters by an outside agency determined no illegal activity had occurred but stated “Hunter hiring family members had harmed the union. The report cited numerous conflicts of interests.” To bring everyone up to speed Hunter hired his daughter and daughter-in-law to the staff of the players association. In addition the association utilized the financial institution where his son is employed. The situation has partially been corrected; Hunter will soon terminate his daughter and daughter-in-law from their position. Additionally no future business matters will be directed to the firm where his son is employed. The next step is for Hunter to resign, anytime an individual involved in financial matters conducts business in a questionable manner its time to go. The audit indicated no improprieties but questions would continue to resonate in the future. After I’d completed this story the NBAPA placed Hunter on indefinite leave.

“Were number one--were number one"
How many times have we heard students, fans and alums yell that chant? I have no idea without research how long it’s been utilized. As this is written we have a dilemma with the men‘s division one basketball poll---which team is actually number one? The Associated Press poll which reflects media members has Michigan at number one. The USA Today Coaches Poll list Kansas on its poll as number one. Until one team loses or we begin post-season play both teams are number one? Consider the previous AP Poll; Duke was one, Michigan two and Kansas three. How could Kansas eclipse Michigan when both teams won their previous weeks games? As for the USA Today poll Kansas was two and Michigan three, when Duke lost Kansas moved up to the top spot.  After this past weekend I'm sure no local talk here about Kansas being number one. 

Bits n Pieces
Chris Webber NBA TV analyst on the Hornet name change.  "After I saw what a pelican did to a pigeon I’ll never disrespect one again.” It appears Webber is now aware pelicans are not as docile as people might perceive. I think we all have far too many cartoon pelicans in mind.

Sometimes I wonder what folks really want. Around here I’m listening to complaints because there are no “super” collegiate teams this year. Call me silly if you wish no super teams indicate there are possibly 10 teams that could win the NCAA Championship this year.

I made this statement previously and I echo it once again, Vince Carter is a talent. Is he Hall of Fame worthy? He thinks he should be given consideration for the honor. The NBA career of Carter certainly began on a high note however the numbers of NBA teams, his “average” play at points call into question his inclusion in the HOF.

Basketball talent from our northern neighbor continues to migrate southward. The latest name is Class of 2014 prospect Ray Kasongo. Kasongo plays at East Ridge High School in Lick Creek (KY). He’s a 6-8 230 pound forward; Scarborough Ontario is home for this Rivals 3-star prospect.

The Rooney Rule
If you are unfamiliar with the Rooney Rule briefly it states minority candidates must be interviewed at the time NFL positions become open. Longtime Steelers owner Art Rooney was the architect for this rule which was adopted by the NFL several years ago. Yesterday Fox Sports columnist Jen Floyd Engel wrote regarding the Rooney Rule and her belief it now fails to produce the results intended. She wrote; “eight coaches and seven general managers were hired and none were minorities.” I’ve come to the same conclusion she has, this has nothing to do with affirmative action it’s doing what you said you were going to do. I haven‘t verified her numbers but if I were to guess I assume they might be close, she indicates 70% of the athletes in the NFL are minorities. I can offer no clear definitive reasoning why one sports hiring practices is superior to another’s. Certainly there have sometimes been bumps in the road they will occur, one thing for sure my sport never had to implement any type of “Rooney Rule."

Colleges and the NBA contain a significant number of African American and minority coach hires. Basketball especially at the NBA level has been in the forefront of change in its hiring practices. The hiring practices extend into the front offices of many NBA teams and the Athletic Directors at many institutions of higher learning. A history note, many assume at the time  Red Auerbach turned over the reins of the Celtics to Bill Russell he became the first African American coach in a major sport.

Not true, Russell became player-coach in 1966 he was eclipsed by four years with an earlier hire. The Cleveland Pipers of the ABL (a predecessor to the ABA) hired John McLendon in 1962. McLendon quit or was fired half-way through the season, it should be mentioned McLendon is in the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield (MA) and the National Collegiate Hall of Fame in Kansas City (MO). I failed to mention the Pipers were owned by George Steinbrenner (yes, that Steinbrenner). It’s become common place at the collegiate and NBA level to see African American and other minority coaches prowling the sidelines. It’s become so common at the time Alvin Gentry stepped down as coach of the Suns he was replaced by interim coach and African American Lindsey Hunter. Not a mention was made other than Hunter was assuming head coaching duties. The NFL needs to abide by the agreement it stated would be implemented.

The coach of influence
Over the course of his 19-year NBA career Shaquille O’ Neal played for a number of coaches. He and several other former players were questioned on their favorite NBA coach. I thought it interesting Shaq mentioned two coaches with Laker connections, Phil Jackson and Pat Riley. Of course we realize Shaq never played for the Lakers under Riley but he did at Miami. Where did Riley get his coaching start, he began it with the Lakers. Riley was hired and helped institute “Showtime” basketball with Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and James Worthy. Missing from Shaq‘s list are several coaches who certainly have winning records. Evidently they failed to with the heart of Shaquille O‘Neal.

I have been critical of a number of coaches in the past but it’s never about the X’s and O’s of the game. There is no problem with expressing your view or opinion but media guys are often guilty of “Monday morning quarterbacking.” That next day they always want to detail for us “what they would have done in a similar situation.” This often bothers me; you must be in the middle of the situation to detail what you might do. With that you still might make the wrong call but that’s the human part of us. I’d love for Whitlock and others to change places with Doc Rivers are some other coach for just one game. I think he and others might discover the decision making portion of the job is far more difficult than imagined.

Dominate the game
An athlete can often have an impressive game without scoring points. A point guard could dish out a record number of assists; a big man could grab 20 plus rebounds. Those are examples of dominating the game, what about blocked shots? Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel had a game reminiscent of his predecessor Anthony Davis. Noel had a game for the ages against Ole Miss aiding Kentucky to an 87-74 win. What did Noel do in the game; he took a single shot from the field which he missed. In addition he was 2 for 8 from the free-throw line. As for the balance of his game outstanding, he set a Kentucky record with 12 blocked shots while pulling down 7 rebounds. Folks continue to make comparisons between his game and Anthony Davis as freshman. I did not have the opportunity to view Davis’s first few games I have with Noel. I’d just state Noel’s collegiate game is growing.