Why did I waste my time reading dribble? 
PLEASE NOTE:
This was written prior to Kobe Bryant’s injury, in addition it doesn’t reflect the season end results. I decided to publish it anyway because it’s my belief this writer was searching for a topic to invoke controversy. 

The name is Scoop Jackson; Jackson is a sports writer who works for ESPN the Magazine. I’d lost track of him in recent years, while surfing the net I came across an article he wrote for another publication “The Shadow League.” His article was titled; “The Lakers Don’t Deserve To Make The Playoffs-Take your emotions out and really think about it.” It appears Mr. Jackson took exception to the Kobe statement guaranteeing a playoff appearance. As this is written it remains unclear if the Lakers and Kobe will succeed. I’m going to take my emotions out of the discussion and “really think about it.” The Lakers this season have played similar to an un-tuned automobile. They have sputtered, stopped altogether. At times it appeared the “engine” might not start again period. After the All-Star break the team began to play better but it would be quite difficult digging themselves out of the hole they created. Prior to the All-Star break the Lakers were 25-29, they have played much better the second half of the season.

A few of my barber shop friends made the statement; “it would do them (the Lakers) no good to make the playoffs, they would just lose in the first round.” I responded in this manner, “I would much rather them make the playoffs and lose in the first round than not make an effort.” I would have great difficulty rooting for a team that appeared to not care.” Jackson wrote this team thinks they are supposed to be in the playoffs because they are the Lakers. That is pure Jackson conjecture and there is no process he can provide us to validate this statement. This is an excerpt Jackson wrote; “To me, those teams (above the Lakers in the standings) deserve it. Those teams have played all season long as if making the playoffs meant something to them. The Lakers? They’ve, too often, played with a certain faux hierarchy, as if making the playoffs was an inherited privilege that would automatically be bestowed on them because they are NBA royalty.” Jackson’s article is wasted dribble, even worst I’m the dummy for reading it!

A surprise to many
Marcus Smart of Oklahoma State is one of the highly touted freshmen who emerged this past season. This talented freshman aided his team to a 24-9 record and a NCAA berth. He’s a 6-4 225 pound “linebacker type” guard scored at a 15.4 point per game clip. Smart pulled down nearly 6 rebounds a game while dishing out 4.2 assists. Several mock draft sites listed Smart anywhere from a 2 through 5 pick in the 2013 draft. Most (including this writer) guessed he was headed to the NBA, not so. He announced on Tuesday he’s returning to OSU for his sophomore year. Not only is Smart returning his teammates Markel Brown and Le’Bryan Nash also announced they were returning to OSU. All three are considered NBA prospects so fans are probably dancing in the streets of Stillwater Oklahoma. The highlight of the OSU season might have been upsetting Kansas in Lawrence on February 2. The 33-game winning streak at Allen Fieldhouse was snapped by OSU. With their top three scorers returning they might be the team to disrupt the Big XII Conference Championship streak of Kansas. They broke the 33-game home court winning streak of Kansas, how about the 9-year conference championship winning streak?

Big XII is not that great
This is prompted by a conversation I held recently with a buddy, it just so happens this friend is a Kansas fan. This was his view, after pondering his statement this is what I produced. Previously I’d written Kansas Coach Bill Self should be congratulated. His Kansas team has won the Big XII Championship for 9 consecutive years. That’s the upside of the story; the downside is Big XII basketball. As much as locals would have you believe the conference is good that’s not the true picture. My statement includes the Mizzou teams over the time frame. The Big XII has been dominated by Kansas with Texas, Baylor and Kansas State providing an occasional threat to the Jayhawks. Think I’m building up Kansas and tearing down the Big XII Conference? I’ve concluded it’s the conference that is the problem not Kansas. I haven’t researched this next statement, do the research if you think I’m wrong. I’d be willing to bet money there isn’t a team in the nation that’s dominated its conference in this manner during the same timeframe. I don’t believe Kentucky, North Carolina, Duke are any other successful program. I’m not knocking Kansas far from it; I am aiming this criticism directly at the Big XII opponents of the Kansas Jayhawks you know who you are.

Bits n Pieces
Does Stephen Curry ever miss a shot? I admit I haven’t seen him play enough to answer my own question. This youngster has one of the quickest releases I’ve seen in awhile. By the way I think he’s a better shooter than dad Dell.

I believed (in error) the Mizzou-Kansas rivalry would evaporate with the schools in different conferences. Not so based on the emails to the Kansas City Star I read. The schools no longer clash in football or basketball, they battle each other in the in the newspaper.

Allow me to go on record again; the Lakers regular season certainly could have been better. If I consider the coaching change, the rash of injuries and the death of Dr. Buss its amazing the ship remained upright. At the All-Star break the team was treading water at 25-29. They finished 45-37 winning 20 of their last 28 games.

April 17 Mizzou signed junior college big man Keanau Post. *“The 6-foot-11 (260 pound) Post averaged 12.3 points and 8.3 rebounds this season and was named a second-team NJCAA all-American. He is the No. 3 junior college prospect in the class according to JucoJunction and Rivals.com. "Great kid and he gives us another big body on our front line. With what we have coming back...I think we've got a lot of options," Mizzou head coach Frank Haith said. "(SW Illinois) presses and he plays the point of the press. The guys in the juco element, that's why he was second team all-American. They know the value of this kid.
*Rivals.com

Eddie Jordan left the Lakers bench and returns to Rutgers as head coach his alma mater. It’s probably a good move for him; former Coach Mike Brown hired Jordan to implement the Princeton Offense. After Brown was fired Jordan’s duties were probably limited under Mike D’Antoni.