I’m not psychic
After reading Monday’s edition you might assume I have psychic abilities. I wrote of Andrew Bynum’s injury issues. Monday afternoon the 76ers announced he was having season ending surgery.  Bynum’s free agency status and max contract are certainly even more complicated now.

Who is he?
No apparent shock to anyone around here the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) fired Coach Matt Brown. Don’t know much about Brown but probably neither did most of the Kansas City sports community. Brown recorded a 64-122 record in his six seasons as head coach. He probably knew the hand writing was on the wall in early February when the school announced it was changing conferences. They would leave the Summit League for the higher profile Western Athletic Conference. The WAC is certainly no power conference but has more credibility than that of the Summit. New Mexico State, San Jose State and Louisiana Tech are just a few of the WAC members. UMKC moved rather quickly in hiring Brown’s replacement but who is he? The school hired Kareem Reed from Rick Pitino’s staff at Louisville. Reed is no stranger to UMKC having once served as an assistant coach.  There is a mass of work in front of Reed, chief is hiring a staff and beginning the recruiting process.

Is he a dirty player?
That is the view of Kobe Bryant; I make no call on the matter. Kobe has named Dahntay Jones just that---a dirty player. The two players have history; Jones was flagged with a flagrant foul for once tripping Kobe. He claims it was retaliation in response to Kobe’s actions. There are/have been players over the years that were referred to as dirty and other words I cannot print. There’s always been a difference between an “enforcer” and a dirty player. For many players the line between enforcer and dirty was blurred by many past players. The NBA was once full of enforcers; the late Maurice Lucas was just that, he offered protection for his Blazer teammates. If a teammate received a hard foul from an opposing player the teammates of Lucas knew he always had their back. That opposing player might receive an even harder foul delivered courtesy of Lucas.

Dirty player how about a “dirty team” that was the view of many regarding the Detroit Pistons “Bad Boy” teams. The leader of the pack was center Bill Laimbeer who never ever committed a foul during his entire NBA career. Rick Mahorn (6-10 240 pounds) joined the Pistons after teaming first with Jeff Ruland (also 6-10 and 240) with the Washington Bullets. The two were nicknamed “The Bruise Brothers” by the media. You literally took your life in your hands attempting a lay-up against these brutes. Flamboyant Dennis Rodman learned to play bruising defense while a member of the Pistons, he would later transfer this skill to the Bulls. Rodman gave up both height and weight to Jazz power forward Karl Malone. Malone hated facing “The Worm.” Despite Kobe’s statement there are but a few enforcers or dirty players in today’s NBA. If we compiled a list of present day players most likely Matt Barnes of the Clippers would head the list, as for Dahntay Jones you make the call.

Remember where you first heard it
Charles Barkley might have been the first, you might say “he doesn’t play anymore and he‘s been wrong before.” What about Kenyon Martin, he played for the Clippers? Both have questioned how far the Clippers can go in the playoffs. Barkley referred to them; “soft as tissue.” Martin might be holding a grudge for the teams’ failure to resign him? No doubt this team has talent; they remain a question due to their “Sportscenter/ Lob City reputation.”

Congratulations
Mizzou basketball senior Laurence Bowers has demonstrated his effort on the basketball court and the classroom. This 5-year senior will graduate in May with (1) “An undergraduate degree in sociology and masters in health, education & promotion.” He might never manage an NBA career however his life appears in order. For me it’s always enjoyable to read of student-athletes rather than the one n done player so prevalent in today’s collegiate game. (1.) St. Louis Post-Dispatch