I’m to blame
The headline read “Bill Russell caught at the airport with a loaded gun.” My timing couldn’t have been better, yesterday I wrote of his impact on the Boston sports scene and then bam. A loaded gun is found in his luggage. Well I believe he made a mistake, according to the story he had a permit for the weapon.  The timing of the event was not good based on his pending honor in Boston. 

Mizzzzzzzouuuu
Phil Pressey’s junior season at Mizzou was up and down. It seemed when he was good he was very good, when he bad he was very bad. He’s become the school’s all-time assist leader---that’s certainly noteworthy. At times he tended to make difficult passes which resulted in turnovers. It should also be noted his shot selection was questionable at times.  One game in particular a dribbling, dribbling Pressey took a poor shot which he missed. Coach Haith immediately called a time-out, on television it was evident Haith was upset with Pressey.

Several scouts questioned why he was leaving school early; to no one’s surprise he was not drafted. He would earn a Celtic contract after playing well in the NBA Summer League. Later it was announced Rajon Rondo wouldn’t be available at the beginning of the season. His first exhibition game we witnessed him relieving starter Avery Bradley, Pressey finished with an outstanding game. Service with the Celtics will prove to be an advantage for him, no Rondo and Bradley a shooting guard forced to play the point. The diminutive Pressey should be able to gain additional minutes over the next several weeks and months.

13 points on 4 for 5 from the floor
5 for 6 from the free-throw line
7 assists 2 steals and 3 rebounds.

A shared apartment (arena)
You share an apartment with a roommate, your mate places decoration on the wall that reflects him rather than you. How do you fashion the apartment i.e. building to be more reflective of you, simple you cover it up. Apparently that’s the direction the Clippers have chosen because they share their apartment (arena) Staples Center with the Lakers. The 12 NBA Championship banners and the 4 from their Minnesota roots along with the retired jerseys will be covered this season.  They will be covered with posters of current Clipper players. There are at least two different explanations for this subject.  These are Clipper home games, how about a Wendy’s restaurant sign placed next to a McDonald’s restaurant? On the other hand are the Clippers demonstrating their resentment of the success of their co-tenant and wish to downplay it?

It was only an exhibition game
The game between the Nets and Heat didn’t have the feel of an exhibition game. First of all the Nets chose to retire Coach Jason Kidd’s jersey. It was later explained Kidd has been suspended and would not be available for the first game of the season. Barclays Center seemed alive with activity and mostly full considering this was an exhibition game

Perhaps a number of fans turned out due to the opposition the Nets faced. Final score of the game, Nets 86 Heat 62 let the snipping begin. Bad blood between KG and LeBron has already surfaced, is this holdover from KG’s Celtic past? The Eastern Conference race may well become a race this season. We could foresee the Pacers, Bulls and Nets all nipping at the heels of the Heat. I don’t know who will win the East; I know there will be no repeat 27 game winning streak. The conference is so much more improved over last season.

This should be expected
Commissioner Stern decided to weigh in on the pay discussion. You might have read the comments expressed by a number of college coaches regarding “play for pay.” Mr. Stern’s statement; “we now have a rule where the development league will accept players that are 18 and will do a better job of educating them than the college programs they are in.” We’d expect the commissioner to defend the D-League since its part of the NBA but is it true?

The education portion I’m unsure of his facts, I read nothing indicating that fact, the pay issue is up for debate. The latest D-League pay scale I could locate indicates there are three levels, $25,000, $19,000 and $13,000. In addition; *“the D-League teams do in fact pay for player housing, provide certain benefits, and grant each of their players a $40 per-diem for food, etc.” The entitlements are far more income than college player would receive but is there really an advantage over a free college education? What do you think? *ridiculousupside.com