????
Where do these stories come from, better yet who initiates them? Last week we read a report indicating 39-year old former Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas was “considering a comeback." I wrote it appeared LeBron James reached into the Cavs front office; well I was wrong (along with a bunch of others). Before the ink was dry the agent for Ilgauskas claimed the story was bogus.
The ancient society
The NCAA continues to operate much like it did in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Of course this is 2014 the 21st century and change is in the air. Most of us believe rules and enforcement are a requirement. Left to their own devices most schools might cheat more that usual. At the same time several operations of this organization have been called into question by the media, coaches, players and fans.
One of these is the Ed O’Bannon case which the court ruled in favor of O’Bannon. The case was one of the topics of discussion at the barber shop. I said; “Although the judgement was ruled against the NCAA they planned to appeal to a higher court.“ This was the response from a shop patron; “The NCAA will fight the case all the way to the Supreme Court there is too much money involved.” I thought a moment about his statement and said to myself; “He’s right, there is far too much money involved to simply surrender.”
So much for their take
Last week I wrote a discussion topic on ESPN’s First Take was Bulls point guard Derrick Rose. Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless expressed concern regarding Rose’s return from injury after he sit out a game. Rose indicated he needed rest and his knee was okay. That was enough for Smith and Bayless to head to fantasy land. If you remember one of the points Smith attempted to express on a scale of 1 to 10 he assigned Rose sitting out the game a 10. I believed then and continue to believe that was way over the top even for Smith.
Well here are we’ve arrived at the finalization of Team USA roster. Among the cuts was All-Star point guard Damian Lillard, point guards Stephen Curry and Derrick Rose made the final roster. If Rose was in jeopardy of further injury should we believe Coach K/Coach Thibodeau would have said; “Derrick we need to sit you down.” You cut an All-Star point guard (Lillard) for an “injured” player, I don’t think so. In any game any player is subject to injury but at least for now the coaching staff believes Rose is healthy enough to play in the FIBA World Cup.
Big Blue Nation
Power forward Julius Randle will play for the Lakers his minutes may be limited due to the arrival of Carlos Boozer. Randle might have found playing time even more difficult if he’d remained at Kentucky. Despite losing Randle Kentucky will remain one of deepest most talented college teams next season. The super freshmen Harrison twins return for their sophomore year. Wait there is more, 6-10 Dakari Johnson, 7-0 Willie Cauley-Stein, 6-8 Alex Poythress and 6-9 Marcus Lee all are returning to Lexington. Added to the returning talent mix will certainly be one of the stronger freshman classes in the nation, 6-10 Trey Lyles, 7-0 Anthony Towns and 6-5 shooting guard Devin Booker. The returnees plus newcomers on paper can we state there should be little issue with rebounding and rim protection. Adding freshmen even 5-star prospects to a team could prove to be difficult except this is Kentucky and Coach Cal.
Grow up---please
NBA athletes earn far more during the course of their career than they may have ever dreamed. The same might hold true for team owners they too become spoiled and
self-centered. At the same time owners through the teams’ front-office should be responsible for producing competitive teams. For a variety of reasons producing a winning team has proven elusive for a number of them. We could certainly add former Clippers owner Donald Sterling in this discussion too however he’s history. As for others check out Cavs owner Dan Gilbert and the Wolves Glen Taylor. Four years ago Cavs owner Dan Gilbert was upset when LeBron left for South Beach. The manner of LeBron’s move upset Gilbert, Cavs fans and several NBA fans. Gilbert made a number of derogatory comments regarding LeBron and even wrote an uncomplimentary letter which remained on the teams’ website.
The letter remained in place until LeBron announced he was returning to Cleveland this summer. Gilbert has company, another upset owner is Wolves owner Glen Taylor. We were made aware in early summer Kevin Love wanted out of Minnesota. No requirement to detail Love’s concern, how about Glen? He goes on radio (after the trade I might add) and makes disparaging remarks about Love and his ability to leave. Commentary I find difficult to fully understand based on fact. Hey Glen unlike Cavs fans who got nothing in return for losing LeBron look at what you received. You received 2014 number one pick Andrew Wiggins, 2013 number one pick Anthony Bennett and youthful talent Thaddeus Young, at this point we have no idea how these players will develop. This is the key for me if only one of the players develops into an All-Pro your team will have received far more in return than Cleveland did four years ago, quite crying Glen.
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Bits n Pieces
LeBron James has quite a reach, all the way into the Cavs front office. A Cleveland newspaper is reporting 39-year old Zydrunas Ilgauskas may attempt a comeback. The Cavs would be forced to un-retire his number. Does Illgauskas have enough gas in the tank to play? Possibly limited minutes and in a back-up role.
In Kobe hatin’ news an unnamed (naturally) NBA GM says Kobe Bryant has 0 trade value. Okay let’s see if I understand this, Kobe has 19-years under his belt and is 36-years old. In addition he’s returning from a season where he only played six games. I almost forgot the contract that pays him over $30 million a season. With those numbers why would any team want him?
Not fair to report this since I missed the opportunity to hear it. Veteran sports radio talk show host Mike Francesca’s topic was Kentucky basketball. Guess who was in New York listening and decided to call in. “We have John from Kentucky on line one” came the announcement to Francesca. John from Kentucky turned out to be Kentucky Coach John Calipari, I would have loved to hear the exchange.
Sports today is devoid of characters, individuals whose statements sometimes take on legendary status. Shaquille O’Neal certainly has his share among them; “Me shooting 40% at the foul line is just God's way to say nobody's perfect or former Yankee great Yogi Berra. Berra once stating; “Its like déjà vu all over again.“ Long-time Mizzou Coach Norm Stewart always had a ready one-liner for the media. “We (Mizzou) don‘t have any McDonald's All-Americans but we eat at McDonald's.”
We have questions
No one doubts Michael Beasley is a talented offensive player however we have questions on his NBA career. He burst on the scene from Kansas State to become the second pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. From that point on his NBA career has been on a roller-coaster. Last September he re-signed with the Heat for his second tour of duty, so far the Heat appear to have no intention to re-sign him. In July Beasley was in Los Angeles working out for the Lakers and I indicated I’d like for the Lakers to sign him.
To date the Lakers have made no indication they intend to sign Beasley. The roster is nearly complete although there is still room on the roster for a quality shooter. Although the roster is almost complete there is still room on the roster for one more quality shooter. In preparation for training camp the Lakers invited several D-League players not included an invite to Beasley. It appears the Lakers and Heat no longer have interest in Beasley‘s services. It’s really too bad Beasley made have worn out his NBA welcome.
Collegiate Arenas
Venerable Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis is undergoing renovation. The arena featured in the movie Hoosiers is home to Butler University. Hinkle Arena opened in 1928 and is one of the oldest arenas in the nation in current use. From the list below a number of universities have nearly new palaces however it’s not the same all over. Several athletes compete in arenas their grandfathers and great-grandfathers played in. Please note this is only a partial list:
Palestra (1927) - Penn Quakers
Cameron Indoor (1940) - Duke Blue Devils
Allen Fieldhouse (1955) - Kansas Jayhawks
Lundholm Gym (1938) - New Hampshire
Moody Coliseum (1956) - SMU
Devlin Field house (1933) - Tulane
Rose Hill Gym (1925) - Fordham
Gallagher-Iba Arena (1938) - Oklahoma State
Dahlberg Arena (1953) - Montana
Worthington Arena (1957) - Montana State
Colberg Court (1955) - Sacramento State
Williams Arena (1928) - Minnesota
Welsh-Ryan Arena (1952) - Northwestern
Tudor Field house (1950) - Rice
Calihan Hall (1952) - University of Detroit Mercy
News readers
I’ve long held the belief morning and evening newscasters read stories. In this instance the discussion centers on the media not associated with sports. My beliefs most are readers were confirmed this morning based on a local anchor. A female Kansas City anchor reported; “Britney Griner had a slam-dunk for the first time in a WNBA playoff game.” The anchor then concluded by saying; “If I knew what that means!” I hope females reading this will not conclude (incorrectly) I have issues with females. Far from the case I’m more concerned with credibility of a reporter than their than gender.
LeBron James has quite a reach, all the way into the Cavs front office. A Cleveland newspaper is reporting 39-year old Zydrunas Ilgauskas may attempt a comeback. The Cavs would be forced to un-retire his number. Does Illgauskas have enough gas in the tank to play? Possibly limited minutes and in a back-up role.
In Kobe hatin’ news an unnamed (naturally) NBA GM says Kobe Bryant has 0 trade value. Okay let’s see if I understand this, Kobe has 19-years under his belt and is 36-years old. In addition he’s returning from a season where he only played six games. I almost forgot the contract that pays him over $30 million a season. With those numbers why would any team want him?
Not fair to report this since I missed the opportunity to hear it. Veteran sports radio talk show host Mike Francesca’s topic was Kentucky basketball. Guess who was in New York listening and decided to call in. “We have John from Kentucky on line one” came the announcement to Francesca. John from Kentucky turned out to be Kentucky Coach John Calipari, I would have loved to hear the exchange.
Sports today is devoid of characters, individuals whose statements sometimes take on legendary status. Shaquille O’Neal certainly has his share among them; “Me shooting 40% at the foul line is just God's way to say nobody's perfect or former Yankee great Yogi Berra. Berra once stating; “Its like déjà vu all over again.“ Long-time Mizzou Coach Norm Stewart always had a ready one-liner for the media. “We (Mizzou) don‘t have any McDonald's All-Americans but we eat at McDonald's.”
We have questions
No one doubts Michael Beasley is a talented offensive player however we have questions on his NBA career. He burst on the scene from Kansas State to become the second pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. From that point on his NBA career has been on a roller-coaster. Last September he re-signed with the Heat for his second tour of duty, so far the Heat appear to have no intention to re-sign him. In July Beasley was in Los Angeles working out for the Lakers and I indicated I’d like for the Lakers to sign him.
To date the Lakers have made no indication they intend to sign Beasley. The roster is nearly complete although there is still room on the roster for a quality shooter. Although the roster is almost complete there is still room on the roster for one more quality shooter. In preparation for training camp the Lakers invited several D-League players not included an invite to Beasley. It appears the Lakers and Heat no longer have interest in Beasley‘s services. It’s really too bad Beasley made have worn out his NBA welcome.
Collegiate Arenas
Venerable Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis is undergoing renovation. The arena featured in the movie Hoosiers is home to Butler University. Hinkle Arena opened in 1928 and is one of the oldest arenas in the nation in current use. From the list below a number of universities have nearly new palaces however it’s not the same all over. Several athletes compete in arenas their grandfathers and great-grandfathers played in. Please note this is only a partial list:
Palestra (1927) - Penn Quakers
Cameron Indoor (1940) - Duke Blue Devils
Allen Fieldhouse (1955) - Kansas Jayhawks
Lundholm Gym (1938) - New Hampshire
Moody Coliseum (1956) - SMU
Devlin Field house (1933) - Tulane
Rose Hill Gym (1925) - Fordham
Gallagher-Iba Arena (1938) - Oklahoma State
Dahlberg Arena (1953) - Montana
Worthington Arena (1957) - Montana State
Colberg Court (1955) - Sacramento State
Williams Arena (1928) - Minnesota
Welsh-Ryan Arena (1952) - Northwestern
Tudor Field house (1950) - Rice
Calihan Hall (1952) - University of Detroit Mercy
News readers
I’ve long held the belief morning and evening newscasters read stories. In this instance the discussion centers on the media not associated with sports. My beliefs most are readers were confirmed this morning based on a local anchor. A female Kansas City anchor reported; “Britney Griner had a slam-dunk for the first time in a WNBA playoff game.” The anchor then concluded by saying; “If I knew what that means!” I hope females reading this will not conclude (incorrectly) I have issues with females. Far from the case I’m more concerned with credibility of a reporter than their than gender.
Monday, August 25, 2014
Bits n Pieces
Texas Coach Rick Barnes was on the “hotseat,” reports circulated the school was close to replacing him after two average seasons. Last years upturn has prompted optimistic from the athletic department Barnes has been given an extension through 2019.
Restricted free agent Greg Monroe certainly has talent. It’s not his talent that’s keeping him from being sign it’s his status, the Piston center has received few inquires. This is probably how this plays out. A. The Pistons trade him B. The team is able to re-sign him. C. Monroe becomes an unrestricted free agent next season.
The countdown began at 12:01 a.m. Sunday morning the Cavs and Wolves exchanged players. Andrew Wiggins will assume his role as leader of the re-vamped Wolves and Mr. Double-Double Kevin Love becomes a key to a “new” Cavs team. There are others involved however the the keys are Wiggins-Love.
Canadian ball
Metropolitan Toronto has become a hotbed for producing basketball talent. I hope this doesn’t sound like a slap at British Columbia, Quebec or any of the provinces it just seems the Ontario Province produces the greater amount of talent. As most are aware Andrew Wiggins (2014) and Anthony Bennett (2013) were both number one picks in the NBA Draft. The latest talent is far from the NBA in fact he’s only 14. In addition there is no guarantee he will even make it to the highest level. Simi Shittu is from Burlington Ontario about 45 miles from downtown Toronto. You can check out video of Shittu on You Tube, he's 6-8 and 200 pounds.
“Close the borders”
Let no potential Missouri talent escape the state has been the theme of Mizzou football coach Gary Pinkel. This observation has never filtered down to the basketball team for the most part. That might be change now; Mizzou was in the hunt for the services of Jimmy Whitt. Last week Columbia Hickman (MO) guard Whitt made his decision choosing Arkansas rather than Mizzou, the school lost this prospect however gained another. On Friday of the week Mizzou received a verbal commitment from Kevin Puryear.
We have no idea if Puryear can translate his high school skill to the collegiate level. This we know the 6-7 225 pound commit is a 3-star prospect in the Class of 2015. He hails from Blue Springs South High School (MO) a Kansas City suburb. Puryear claims the key to him choosing Mizzou was Coach Kim Anderson. As stated previously Anderson hit the ground running once he was hired as Mizzou‘s head coach. The jury is still out whether this long-time D-II coach can raise his skill to the D-I level. As for the recruiting to date that’s been a slam dunk for Anderson and staff.
Logo fight
I was confused when I first read the account; I came across a story indicating the Toronto Blue Jays were in a legal fight with the Creighton University Blue Jays. At first I thought it was a name issue but that couldn’t be the case. The school’s mascot has been Blue Jays for close to 100 years much longer than the baseball team. Creighton’s move from the Missouri Valley to the Big East was responsible for the logo change.
The baseball team claims the school logo “closely” resembles the baseball team. To add to the confusion a photo was not provided of the new Creighton logo, in addition most baseball logos I discovered contained the bird and a maple leaf. For those who might not be familiar the National Flag of Canada is also referred to an s the Maple Leaf. I seriously doubt an American university would include a red maple leaf in any logo design.
How bout listening to Rose
I know Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith of First Take shouldn’t be taken seriously
by me yet I fall victim time after time. I’m listening to them debate Derrick Rose sitting out Team USA’s game against the Dominican Republic. How serious, according to Smith on a scale of 1 to 10 he considers it a 10. Isn’t it more important to listen to the player rather than two guys sitting in a studio expressing concern? In addition Bulls Coach Thibodeau is a member of Coach K’s staff; I will take stock in their observation plus the medical staff rather than two studio guys.
Texas Coach Rick Barnes was on the “hotseat,” reports circulated the school was close to replacing him after two average seasons. Last years upturn has prompted optimistic from the athletic department Barnes has been given an extension through 2019.
Restricted free agent Greg Monroe certainly has talent. It’s not his talent that’s keeping him from being sign it’s his status, the Piston center has received few inquires. This is probably how this plays out. A. The Pistons trade him B. The team is able to re-sign him. C. Monroe becomes an unrestricted free agent next season.
The countdown began at 12:01 a.m. Sunday morning the Cavs and Wolves exchanged players. Andrew Wiggins will assume his role as leader of the re-vamped Wolves and Mr. Double-Double Kevin Love becomes a key to a “new” Cavs team. There are others involved however the the keys are Wiggins-Love.
Canadian ball
Metropolitan Toronto has become a hotbed for producing basketball talent. I hope this doesn’t sound like a slap at British Columbia, Quebec or any of the provinces it just seems the Ontario Province produces the greater amount of talent. As most are aware Andrew Wiggins (2014) and Anthony Bennett (2013) were both number one picks in the NBA Draft. The latest talent is far from the NBA in fact he’s only 14. In addition there is no guarantee he will even make it to the highest level. Simi Shittu is from Burlington Ontario about 45 miles from downtown Toronto. You can check out video of Shittu on You Tube, he's 6-8 and 200 pounds.
“Close the borders”
Let no potential Missouri talent escape the state has been the theme of Mizzou football coach Gary Pinkel. This observation has never filtered down to the basketball team for the most part. That might be change now; Mizzou was in the hunt for the services of Jimmy Whitt. Last week Columbia Hickman (MO) guard Whitt made his decision choosing Arkansas rather than Mizzou, the school lost this prospect however gained another. On Friday of the week Mizzou received a verbal commitment from Kevin Puryear.
We have no idea if Puryear can translate his high school skill to the collegiate level. This we know the 6-7 225 pound commit is a 3-star prospect in the Class of 2015. He hails from Blue Springs South High School (MO) a Kansas City suburb. Puryear claims the key to him choosing Mizzou was Coach Kim Anderson. As stated previously Anderson hit the ground running once he was hired as Mizzou‘s head coach. The jury is still out whether this long-time D-II coach can raise his skill to the D-I level. As for the recruiting to date that’s been a slam dunk for Anderson and staff.
Logo fight
I was confused when I first read the account; I came across a story indicating the Toronto Blue Jays were in a legal fight with the Creighton University Blue Jays. At first I thought it was a name issue but that couldn’t be the case. The school’s mascot has been Blue Jays for close to 100 years much longer than the baseball team. Creighton’s move from the Missouri Valley to the Big East was responsible for the logo change.
The baseball team claims the school logo “closely” resembles the baseball team. To add to the confusion a photo was not provided of the new Creighton logo, in addition most baseball logos I discovered contained the bird and a maple leaf. For those who might not be familiar the National Flag of Canada is also referred to an s the Maple Leaf. I seriously doubt an American university would include a red maple leaf in any logo design.
How bout listening to Rose
I know Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith of First Take shouldn’t be taken seriously
by me yet I fall victim time after time. I’m listening to them debate Derrick Rose sitting out Team USA’s game against the Dominican Republic. How serious, according to Smith on a scale of 1 to 10 he considers it a 10. Isn’t it more important to listen to the player rather than two guys sitting in a studio expressing concern? In addition Bulls Coach Thibodeau is a member of Coach K’s staff; I will take stock in their observation plus the medical staff rather than two studio guys.
Friday, August 22, 2014
I question this
I have mentioned on more than one occasion writers love to forecast events of the season. I can understand a team’s position or who wins the MVP as for the other aspects you must take with a grain of salt. My belief has always been to view them with a skeptical eye because forecast often fail to produce the results projected. With that said allow me to discuss the latest ESPN.com revelation. They forecast they believe NBA teams that will experience turmoil during the 2014-15 season. I read it and certainly it’s not all baloney, my question is how can you predict with a degree of certainty player A and newly acquired player B will clash on the court. Predicting team turmoil is a little beyond my ability (and maybe ESPN.com as well).
“Mr. Referee”
I once heard a referee (don’t remember his name) state; “An official should be invisible; he shouldn’t over shadow the game.” I’m unsure if that statement fit 74-year old Dick Bavetta, he never was invisible. At the same time he was Mr. Consistency during his time on the court, at times he did become visible but always appeared fair in his rulings. Bavetta retires after 39-years of officiating NBA basketball perhaps the longest tenured referee in NBA history. It’s not often one will say they miss a referee however I can make the statement with conviction. Thanks Dick for your time on the court and enjoy your retirement.
“Mr. Excitement”
Did you have an opportunity to see any portion of the Steve Ballmer “pep rally”? I’m referring to his introduction as owner of the Clippers. Some of you might believe I have a problem since he owns the other Los Angeles team. The last three seasons of competition have clearly favored the Clippers prior to that no clear rivalry existed. When the teams met the Lakers were perennial winners, in addition they hold the all-time won-loss record versus their Staples Center co-tenants.
Bill Self versus Mizzou
I’m sure this will upset my Kansas friends but I don’t understand why Bill Self refuses to schedule Mizzou. First point Mizzou was not the first school to leave the conference, Colorado and Nebraska left the year prior to Mizzou’s SEC move. Point two none of the other Big XII schools seem to have an issue scheduling Mizzou, Texas A&M, Colorado or Nebraska. Last season Kansas played Pac-12 Colorado figure that one out. It appears Kansas is the only school with issues scheduling Mizzou on the basketball court. Mizzou played new Big XII Conference member West Virginia last year, Texas A&M had Big Ten Nebraska on their schedule. Oklahoma State also played Colorado last year while Oklahoma faced Texas A&M.
The trend most likely will continue although much of the non-conference schedule is yet to be finalized. Announced earlier Oklahoma State will play Mizzou at the Sprint Center in December. The silliness existing between Mizzou and Kansas after 100 years of action on the court is ridiculous. Should the two teams ever meet the Jayhawks would appear to be heavily favored at least for now. It’s not just Mizzou Self refuses to schedule Wichita State as well. It was apparent Wichita State the best college team in the State of Kansas last season. Sorry sports fans I lay the blame for failure of Mizzou-Kansas to renew their rivalry these two former at the feet of Bill Self. I believe Self is one of the most successful collegiate coaches but he’s missed the boat on this one.
They refuse to fix anything
I once wrote the NCAA is a unique position, they can fix much of their 1950 operation. Well they intend to conduct business as per usual. After asking for court delays on the Ed O’Bannon case it goes before the judge. The courts ruled in favor of O’Bannon indicating the NCAA owed the former UCLA basketball player and others financial compensation. Instead of moving on Mark Emmert announced the NCAA intends to appeal the judgment. The year is 2014 everywhere except the headquarters of the NCAA, there it’s 1953.
I have mentioned on more than one occasion writers love to forecast events of the season. I can understand a team’s position or who wins the MVP as for the other aspects you must take with a grain of salt. My belief has always been to view them with a skeptical eye because forecast often fail to produce the results projected. With that said allow me to discuss the latest ESPN.com revelation. They forecast they believe NBA teams that will experience turmoil during the 2014-15 season. I read it and certainly it’s not all baloney, my question is how can you predict with a degree of certainty player A and newly acquired player B will clash on the court. Predicting team turmoil is a little beyond my ability (and maybe ESPN.com as well).
“Mr. Referee”
I once heard a referee (don’t remember his name) state; “An official should be invisible; he shouldn’t over shadow the game.” I’m unsure if that statement fit 74-year old Dick Bavetta, he never was invisible. At the same time he was Mr. Consistency during his time on the court, at times he did become visible but always appeared fair in his rulings. Bavetta retires after 39-years of officiating NBA basketball perhaps the longest tenured referee in NBA history. It’s not often one will say they miss a referee however I can make the statement with conviction. Thanks Dick for your time on the court and enjoy your retirement.
“Mr. Excitement”
Did you have an opportunity to see any portion of the Steve Ballmer “pep rally”? I’m referring to his introduction as owner of the Clippers. Some of you might believe I have a problem since he owns the other Los Angeles team. The last three seasons of competition have clearly favored the Clippers prior to that no clear rivalry existed. When the teams met the Lakers were perennial winners, in addition they hold the all-time won-loss record versus their Staples Center co-tenants.
Bill Self versus Mizzou
I’m sure this will upset my Kansas friends but I don’t understand why Bill Self refuses to schedule Mizzou. First point Mizzou was not the first school to leave the conference, Colorado and Nebraska left the year prior to Mizzou’s SEC move. Point two none of the other Big XII schools seem to have an issue scheduling Mizzou, Texas A&M, Colorado or Nebraska. Last season Kansas played Pac-12 Colorado figure that one out. It appears Kansas is the only school with issues scheduling Mizzou on the basketball court. Mizzou played new Big XII Conference member West Virginia last year, Texas A&M had Big Ten Nebraska on their schedule. Oklahoma State also played Colorado last year while Oklahoma faced Texas A&M.
The trend most likely will continue although much of the non-conference schedule is yet to be finalized. Announced earlier Oklahoma State will play Mizzou at the Sprint Center in December. The silliness existing between Mizzou and Kansas after 100 years of action on the court is ridiculous. Should the two teams ever meet the Jayhawks would appear to be heavily favored at least for now. It’s not just Mizzou Self refuses to schedule Wichita State as well. It was apparent Wichita State the best college team in the State of Kansas last season. Sorry sports fans I lay the blame for failure of Mizzou-Kansas to renew their rivalry these two former at the feet of Bill Self. I believe Self is one of the most successful collegiate coaches but he’s missed the boat on this one.
They refuse to fix anything
I once wrote the NCAA is a unique position, they can fix much of their 1950 operation. Well they intend to conduct business as per usual. After asking for court delays on the Ed O’Bannon case it goes before the judge. The courts ruled in favor of O’Bannon indicating the NCAA owed the former UCLA basketball player and others financial compensation. Instead of moving on Mark Emmert announced the NCAA intends to appeal the judgment. The year is 2014 everywhere except the headquarters of the NCAA, there it’s 1953.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
“You play to win the game”
A number of you might be familiar with the Herm Edwards press conference during his tenure with the Jets. The former coaches’ quote has become historic, tape and sound bits resonate 12 years after the fact. If you are unfamiliar with this sound bit check it out on You Tube it’s a classic. The point of course you must play the games to win, you cannot win on paper just check with the Pacers. With that statement let’s explore the 2014-15 Chicago Bulls. Despite the arrival of LeBron James I believe a healthy Derrick Rose will lead the team to the Eastern Conference finals.
The Bulls have made a number of significant moves over the off-season not involving Rose. The Bulls drafted the shooter they needed (Doug McDermott), signed free agent Pau Gasol plus power forward Nikola Mirotic from Real Madrid. These newbie’s plus holdovers Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson add firepower (and hopefully defense) to the Bulls run. We know in advance Tom Thibodeau teams play tough hard-nose defense however two questions remain. First can the newcomers and holdovers blend into a cohesive team and two will Rose remain injury-free during the season.
Don’t bother reading this
If you are a Kobe hater don’t waste your time reading this. It appears Kobe and I are on the same page regarding the potential talent of Andrew Wiggins. Kobe is reported to have stated; “Cleveland is making the same mistake the Charlotte Hornets made with me.” Students of the game remember the Hornets drafted Kobe but traded his rights to the Lakers. We can look back with different eyes than Kobe some 15 years later. Hornets’ management may have believed Kobe would leave as free agent after his rookie contract expired.
There was a slight difference in the two athletes’ path to the NBA. Wiggins arrives in the NBA after one year at Kansas, and Kobe came into the NBA from Lower Merion High School. Hornets’ management may have believed (mistakenly) Kobe might not be able to play at the NBA level. Few high school players were drafted prior to Kobe so there was no barometer to determine his future. Who could have speculated at the time the Hornets would draft a player who would eventually be enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame.
The rich become richer (again)
Weston Florida is some 30 minutes from Miami; Weston is also the home of Prince Ali. Never heard of Ali you soon will. He’s a 6-4 180 pound shooting guard ranked number 27 in the Class of 2015 by Rivals. A select number of schools appear to corner the market on basketball talent. You know the schools, Kentucky, Kansas, Florida, Duke, North Carolina and UCLA. Ali verbally committed to UCLA and is headed to California next August. The hope he has defensive skills, the video available on YouTube only details his offensive game which is quite impressive.
Bits n Pieces
I’ve stated on several occasions my desire to avoid arguing salaries. Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless are discussing player salaries. Bayless mentions Tim Duncan’s name in the conversation and this is Smith’s response. “Duncan’s from the Virgin Islands he doesn’t need the money LeBron requires.” After hearing this comment I thought; “he didn’t really say that did he? “
“The crappy guy never gets a second chance” so says Dan Patrick. He was speaking of the 49ers Aldon Smith and his off the field problems. At the same time the NBA has had several players with gun and drug issues. Like Smith they too are talented but cannot seem to avoid problems not related to on-court performance. I’m not going to name the players; you can formulate your own list.
The issues facing the NCAA cannot be fixed overnight; they are far too many and far reaching. As president of the organization Mark Emmert is in a unique position he can provide change. His predecessors view was similar to the fairy tale “The Emperor has no clothes.” The public has a far different perception of the NCAA than the NCAA has of itself. Someone said Emmert (on the job since 2010) can make change; they can no longer conduct business as usual.
Demolish Kemper Arena is my view now, given adequate time there are three other metro arenas that could serve as host for basketball. Sprint Center (2007) can hold up to 19,000 fans for basketball while Independence Events Center (opened in 2009) has a 6,000 seat capacity. Finally there is venerable old Municipal Auditorium home of more NCAA Championships than any other arena in the nation, it can seat nearly 11,000.
A number of you might be familiar with the Herm Edwards press conference during his tenure with the Jets. The former coaches’ quote has become historic, tape and sound bits resonate 12 years after the fact. If you are unfamiliar with this sound bit check it out on You Tube it’s a classic. The point of course you must play the games to win, you cannot win on paper just check with the Pacers. With that statement let’s explore the 2014-15 Chicago Bulls. Despite the arrival of LeBron James I believe a healthy Derrick Rose will lead the team to the Eastern Conference finals.
The Bulls have made a number of significant moves over the off-season not involving Rose. The Bulls drafted the shooter they needed (Doug McDermott), signed free agent Pau Gasol plus power forward Nikola Mirotic from Real Madrid. These newbie’s plus holdovers Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson add firepower (and hopefully defense) to the Bulls run. We know in advance Tom Thibodeau teams play tough hard-nose defense however two questions remain. First can the newcomers and holdovers blend into a cohesive team and two will Rose remain injury-free during the season.
Don’t bother reading this
If you are a Kobe hater don’t waste your time reading this. It appears Kobe and I are on the same page regarding the potential talent of Andrew Wiggins. Kobe is reported to have stated; “Cleveland is making the same mistake the Charlotte Hornets made with me.” Students of the game remember the Hornets drafted Kobe but traded his rights to the Lakers. We can look back with different eyes than Kobe some 15 years later. Hornets’ management may have believed Kobe would leave as free agent after his rookie contract expired.
There was a slight difference in the two athletes’ path to the NBA. Wiggins arrives in the NBA after one year at Kansas, and Kobe came into the NBA from Lower Merion High School. Hornets’ management may have believed (mistakenly) Kobe might not be able to play at the NBA level. Few high school players were drafted prior to Kobe so there was no barometer to determine his future. Who could have speculated at the time the Hornets would draft a player who would eventually be enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame.
The rich become richer (again)
Weston Florida is some 30 minutes from Miami; Weston is also the home of Prince Ali. Never heard of Ali you soon will. He’s a 6-4 180 pound shooting guard ranked number 27 in the Class of 2015 by Rivals. A select number of schools appear to corner the market on basketball talent. You know the schools, Kentucky, Kansas, Florida, Duke, North Carolina and UCLA. Ali verbally committed to UCLA and is headed to California next August. The hope he has defensive skills, the video available on YouTube only details his offensive game which is quite impressive.
Bits n Pieces
I’ve stated on several occasions my desire to avoid arguing salaries. Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless are discussing player salaries. Bayless mentions Tim Duncan’s name in the conversation and this is Smith’s response. “Duncan’s from the Virgin Islands he doesn’t need the money LeBron requires.” After hearing this comment I thought; “he didn’t really say that did he? “
“The crappy guy never gets a second chance” so says Dan Patrick. He was speaking of the 49ers Aldon Smith and his off the field problems. At the same time the NBA has had several players with gun and drug issues. Like Smith they too are talented but cannot seem to avoid problems not related to on-court performance. I’m not going to name the players; you can formulate your own list.
The issues facing the NCAA cannot be fixed overnight; they are far too many and far reaching. As president of the organization Mark Emmert is in a unique position he can provide change. His predecessors view was similar to the fairy tale “The Emperor has no clothes.” The public has a far different perception of the NCAA than the NCAA has of itself. Someone said Emmert (on the job since 2010) can make change; they can no longer conduct business as usual.
Demolish Kemper Arena is my view now, given adequate time there are three other metro arenas that could serve as host for basketball. Sprint Center (2007) can hold up to 19,000 fans for basketball while Independence Events Center (opened in 2009) has a 6,000 seat capacity. Finally there is venerable old Municipal Auditorium home of more NCAA Championships than any other arena in the nation, it can seat nearly 11,000.
Monday, August 18, 2014
I can understand
Coach Larry Brown indicated he thought Emmanuel Mudiay made a bad choice choosing a pro career over SMU. A number of folks might believe Brown is concerned more about the loss to his team than the young man, you can forget that. Brown going back to his days at UCLA and Kansas has always had the best interest of his players. Brown suffered the wrath of the NCAA for his actions which caused a penalty for Kansas. The coach paid airfare for a player who lacked the funds to return home for a family illness. The Larry Brown I‘m familiar with is a Hall of Fame coach but he also is a caring individual Allen Iverson and Brown butted heads on more than one occasion with Brown. I witnessed a recent interview with Iverson and he spoke in glowing terms of Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown.
Bits n Pieces
Reports have circulated for years collegiate coaches hate AAU basketball, despite this view none have ever gone on record as to why. Have you noticed there never seems to be a shortage of collegiate coaches in attendance at tournaments?
This is a follow-up to an earlier story on the planned San Francisco arena. The original planned location fell into disfavor with environmentalist groups. A portion of ground in the Mission Bay area has been purchased and the project appears a go. The loser in this story is Oakland which hoped to keep the Warriors on their side of the bay.
A “made for television” event, 19 collegiate games will kick off the 2014-15 season. The basketball marathon is scheduled for November 17 and 18. The games will start every two hours for 24 consecutive hours on ESPN’s network of channels. A few of the schools include Florida, SMU, Gonzaga and San Diego State.
The Gordon Gekko character in the movie Wall Street is based on a real person. The star of the movie Michael Douglas claims he modeled the character after Pat Riley. At that time Riley was roaming the sidelines as coach of the Lakers in 1987 when the move was released.
Pacer fans and Mark Cuban will be unhappy with make take, a crowd of folks have reported on the injury to the Pacers Paul George. Consider this fact; NBA athletes first began representing Team USA in 1992. In the 22-year history of practice and competition the George injury is the first instance of an NBA player suffering a serious injury.
“What do I do? “
The question was asked by many basketball players facing retirement. Most if not all have been cheered since they were in elementary school. That’s quite an adjustment from fans singing your praises to retirement and “what do I do know? “We’ve read a number of stories former athletes facing financial shortcomings, at the same time many have endure substance abuse issues. There are feel good stories after retirement. Magic Johnson’s business success off the basketball court has been well documented but he’s not the only former player. Few of you might be familiar with Junior Bridgeman; he was drafted by the Lakers but never played for them. He was the 8th pick in 1975 but was traded for a player who might be more familiar to you.
Bridgeman along with several other players was traded to the Bucks for Kareem Abdul Jabbar; Bridgeman had a modest 10-year career. This 6-5 shooting guard managed to score 13.6 ppg and finished scoring 11,517 points. Bridgeman began planning ahead for that day he would retire, his focus would be I need to earn enough money to last me the rest of my life. He purchased a Wendy‘s Restaurant on his retirement. Not satisfied with just collecting a check he worked behind the counter learning all the nuances of the restaurant business. One restaurant became two and the balance of the story is history. Today Bridgeman owns over 160 Wendy’s and 100 Chili‘s Restaurants, his net worth is $400 millions dollars. Back in the day the most Bridgeman earn in one season was $350,000.
This isn’t the first time
Rob Fultord Huntington Prep (WV) coach was hired over the summer as a Mizzou assistant coach. In early August Montague “Teki” Gill-Caesar a 6-6 forward committed to Mizzou receiving the final 2014 scholarship. More recently 6-10 220 pound power forward Thomas Bryant added Mizzou to the list of schools he intends to visit. Bryant is listed by Rivals as the number 34 prospect in the Class of 2015; he’s not committed however I can hear the howls if he decides to chose Mizzou.
I’ve heard the whispers already Mizzou is utilizing its connections to Huntington to aid recruiting. No requirement for me to toss rocks at other programs however I don‘t think Mizzou is the first school to have a possible advantage in recruiting? Kentucky, Duke, Kansas and other schools might not have hired an assistant coach recently but can you say with conviction it’s not occurred in the past? As for other news forward Torren Jones was dismissed from the squad no additional details were offered.
Coach Larry Brown indicated he thought Emmanuel Mudiay made a bad choice choosing a pro career over SMU. A number of folks might believe Brown is concerned more about the loss to his team than the young man, you can forget that. Brown going back to his days at UCLA and Kansas has always had the best interest of his players. Brown suffered the wrath of the NCAA for his actions which caused a penalty for Kansas. The coach paid airfare for a player who lacked the funds to return home for a family illness. The Larry Brown I‘m familiar with is a Hall of Fame coach but he also is a caring individual Allen Iverson and Brown butted heads on more than one occasion with Brown. I witnessed a recent interview with Iverson and he spoke in glowing terms of Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown.
Bits n Pieces
Reports have circulated for years collegiate coaches hate AAU basketball, despite this view none have ever gone on record as to why. Have you noticed there never seems to be a shortage of collegiate coaches in attendance at tournaments?
This is a follow-up to an earlier story on the planned San Francisco arena. The original planned location fell into disfavor with environmentalist groups. A portion of ground in the Mission Bay area has been purchased and the project appears a go. The loser in this story is Oakland which hoped to keep the Warriors on their side of the bay.
A “made for television” event, 19 collegiate games will kick off the 2014-15 season. The basketball marathon is scheduled for November 17 and 18. The games will start every two hours for 24 consecutive hours on ESPN’s network of channels. A few of the schools include Florida, SMU, Gonzaga and San Diego State.
The Gordon Gekko character in the movie Wall Street is based on a real person. The star of the movie Michael Douglas claims he modeled the character after Pat Riley. At that time Riley was roaming the sidelines as coach of the Lakers in 1987 when the move was released.
Pacer fans and Mark Cuban will be unhappy with make take, a crowd of folks have reported on the injury to the Pacers Paul George. Consider this fact; NBA athletes first began representing Team USA in 1992. In the 22-year history of practice and competition the George injury is the first instance of an NBA player suffering a serious injury.
“What do I do? “
The question was asked by many basketball players facing retirement. Most if not all have been cheered since they were in elementary school. That’s quite an adjustment from fans singing your praises to retirement and “what do I do know? “We’ve read a number of stories former athletes facing financial shortcomings, at the same time many have endure substance abuse issues. There are feel good stories after retirement. Magic Johnson’s business success off the basketball court has been well documented but he’s not the only former player. Few of you might be familiar with Junior Bridgeman; he was drafted by the Lakers but never played for them. He was the 8th pick in 1975 but was traded for a player who might be more familiar to you.
Bridgeman along with several other players was traded to the Bucks for Kareem Abdul Jabbar; Bridgeman had a modest 10-year career. This 6-5 shooting guard managed to score 13.6 ppg and finished scoring 11,517 points. Bridgeman began planning ahead for that day he would retire, his focus would be I need to earn enough money to last me the rest of my life. He purchased a Wendy‘s Restaurant on his retirement. Not satisfied with just collecting a check he worked behind the counter learning all the nuances of the restaurant business. One restaurant became two and the balance of the story is history. Today Bridgeman owns over 160 Wendy’s and 100 Chili‘s Restaurants, his net worth is $400 millions dollars. Back in the day the most Bridgeman earn in one season was $350,000.
This isn’t the first time
Rob Fultord Huntington Prep (WV) coach was hired over the summer as a Mizzou assistant coach. In early August Montague “Teki” Gill-Caesar a 6-6 forward committed to Mizzou receiving the final 2014 scholarship. More recently 6-10 220 pound power forward Thomas Bryant added Mizzou to the list of schools he intends to visit. Bryant is listed by Rivals as the number 34 prospect in the Class of 2015; he’s not committed however I can hear the howls if he decides to chose Mizzou.
I’ve heard the whispers already Mizzou is utilizing its connections to Huntington to aid recruiting. No requirement for me to toss rocks at other programs however I don‘t think Mizzou is the first school to have a possible advantage in recruiting? Kentucky, Duke, Kansas and other schools might not have hired an assistant coach recently but can you say with conviction it’s not occurred in the past? As for other news forward Torren Jones was dismissed from the squad no additional details were offered.
Friday, August 15, 2014
All-time winners
I wanted to share facts I believe might interest several of you. Kentucky’s Wildcats sit in the top spot with 2,111 wins in their basketball history. Right behind them with 2,101 wins are the Kansas Jayhawks. They are followed by North Carolina, Duke and Syracuse. Surprise for me (maybe you too) Temple and St. John’s sit in front of UCLA. Also surprising Missouri State (Springfield) at number 29 is in front of traditional basketball powers Georgetown and Ohio State. Note: Missouri State competed at the NAIA, Division II and finally Division I level. Oklahoma is perceived more for football than basketball at least until the late ‘60’s. The “football” school sits in 37th place among the Top 50 programs. My Mizzou Tigers you might ask, well they are number 35.
“Has curse been lifted?”
The above was the recent headline on the ESPN.com NBA page. The reference of course the specter of Donald Sterling no longer hangs over the Clippers franchise. Despite the talent exhibited by Chris Paul and Blake Griffin the coaching of Doc Rivers they came up short last season. The Clippers have never advanced past the second round in their playoff history, the time is now for them to put up or shut up. They must prove they are a championship quality team.
Haters will hate
One of the Laker fan websites contained this story; “The Lakers are the second most hated team in the NBA.” Who finishes ahead of them, I have know idea I didn’t read the article but it did prompt this response. I’ve held conversations with individuals and they inform me, “I hate the Lakers and Kobe Bryant.” I’m tempted to ask them “what are you going to do in 5 years when Kobe’s gone, will you then love the Lakers?” Once upon a time it bothered me a great deal to read or hear negative comments regarding my favorite team but no more.
I’ve discovered an interesting coloration folks still hate the Yankees despite they haven’t won the World Series since 2009. These fans continue to hate them because they are the Yankees and they have had a long history of Worlds Series success. The Patriots are the reigning team to hate in the NFL, even years when they make the playoffs but fail to play in the Super Bowl. I don’t have enough information on the NHL or MLS however I’m sure there are hated hockey and soccer teams that fit this account too. The Lakers with 16 NBA Championships fall right into the group, teams opposing fans “love to hate.”
Do we truly know?
Better yet can we determine the fire that might burn inside a player? We can access the physical tools but it’s often difficult to gauge the mental aspects. Since the early exit of Kansas and Andrew Wiggins NBA declaration many in this market questioned his ability. They questioned whether “fire burned” in his belly. *“Does he have the fire inside to maximize his abilities and develop a killer instinct? He has a laid back demeanor; will he continue to work hard after he starts cashing 7-figure checks? One aspect of his game that was put on center stage throughout the (NCAA) tournament was his tendency to disappear throughout stretches of the game.
For 10 minutes, you will be watching the best player the college game has had to offer in the last 10 years. Then for 5 minutes, you will forget that he is even on the floor offensively.” This was a pre-draft scouting report written on------well it wasn’t Andrew Wiggins the report was written on Thunder forward Kevin Durant. Nobody is claiming Wiggins will be the next Durant but these local guys need to be real careful accessing the ability of an athlete. After all if they were that good as gauging talent they would be working for some NBA team---correct? *Sean Deveney Sporting News
The Princeton Offense
I wasn’t familiar with the Triangle Offense although Phil Jackson/Tex Winter implemented it with great success with the Bulls. Later the two would implement the offense with the Lakers. I have an elementary understanding of the triangle and how it works and why it’s successful. This offensive scheme and others require players able to run it successfully. As for Byron Scott it’s been mentioned his historical connection to the Lakers.
I wasn’t familiar with the type of offense Scott has utilized over his coaching career. Phil Jackson was a disciple of Tex Winter who perfected the triangle offense, as for Scott he follows Pete Carril who ran the offense for over 20 years at Princeton University. The Princeton Offense “emphasizes constant motion, passing, back-door cuts, picks on and off the ball, and disciplined teamwork.” Reading the Wikipedia comment you can see elements of the Princeton Offense appear identical to the Triangle Offense.
Nothing but big men
The African continent has produced a number of talented athletes. Several have managed successful NBA careers. There are two players currently in high school from the continent which were mentioned previously. 7-4 Takco Fall plays in the Orlando Florida area, Fall is from the Republic of Senegal. In addition there is 7-0 Thon Maker playing his high school ball in Virginia; Maker from the Republic of Sudan visited Mizzou earlier in the summer. I was curious, in the recent past we discussed the number of basketball players in the NBA from Africa.
I believe Hakeem Olajuwon may have been the first prospect (1981) to emerge from the African continent but was soon followed by a number of talented prospects. Olajuwon’s NBA career beginning in 1984 certainly contributed to the stream of talent, a number have attended colleges in the U.S. while others came directly from their native countries. Interesting the count of talent consists of centers, power forwards and small forwards, to date no guards have managed an NBA careers.
I wanted to share facts I believe might interest several of you. Kentucky’s Wildcats sit in the top spot with 2,111 wins in their basketball history. Right behind them with 2,101 wins are the Kansas Jayhawks. They are followed by North Carolina, Duke and Syracuse. Surprise for me (maybe you too) Temple and St. John’s sit in front of UCLA. Also surprising Missouri State (Springfield) at number 29 is in front of traditional basketball powers Georgetown and Ohio State. Note: Missouri State competed at the NAIA, Division II and finally Division I level. Oklahoma is perceived more for football than basketball at least until the late ‘60’s. The “football” school sits in 37th place among the Top 50 programs. My Mizzou Tigers you might ask, well they are number 35.
“Has curse been lifted?”
The above was the recent headline on the ESPN.com NBA page. The reference of course the specter of Donald Sterling no longer hangs over the Clippers franchise. Despite the talent exhibited by Chris Paul and Blake Griffin the coaching of Doc Rivers they came up short last season. The Clippers have never advanced past the second round in their playoff history, the time is now for them to put up or shut up. They must prove they are a championship quality team.
Haters will hate
One of the Laker fan websites contained this story; “The Lakers are the second most hated team in the NBA.” Who finishes ahead of them, I have know idea I didn’t read the article but it did prompt this response. I’ve held conversations with individuals and they inform me, “I hate the Lakers and Kobe Bryant.” I’m tempted to ask them “what are you going to do in 5 years when Kobe’s gone, will you then love the Lakers?” Once upon a time it bothered me a great deal to read or hear negative comments regarding my favorite team but no more.
I’ve discovered an interesting coloration folks still hate the Yankees despite they haven’t won the World Series since 2009. These fans continue to hate them because they are the Yankees and they have had a long history of Worlds Series success. The Patriots are the reigning team to hate in the NFL, even years when they make the playoffs but fail to play in the Super Bowl. I don’t have enough information on the NHL or MLS however I’m sure there are hated hockey and soccer teams that fit this account too. The Lakers with 16 NBA Championships fall right into the group, teams opposing fans “love to hate.”
Do we truly know?
Better yet can we determine the fire that might burn inside a player? We can access the physical tools but it’s often difficult to gauge the mental aspects. Since the early exit of Kansas and Andrew Wiggins NBA declaration many in this market questioned his ability. They questioned whether “fire burned” in his belly. *“Does he have the fire inside to maximize his abilities and develop a killer instinct? He has a laid back demeanor; will he continue to work hard after he starts cashing 7-figure checks? One aspect of his game that was put on center stage throughout the (NCAA) tournament was his tendency to disappear throughout stretches of the game.
For 10 minutes, you will be watching the best player the college game has had to offer in the last 10 years. Then for 5 minutes, you will forget that he is even on the floor offensively.” This was a pre-draft scouting report written on------well it wasn’t Andrew Wiggins the report was written on Thunder forward Kevin Durant. Nobody is claiming Wiggins will be the next Durant but these local guys need to be real careful accessing the ability of an athlete. After all if they were that good as gauging talent they would be working for some NBA team---correct? *Sean Deveney Sporting News
The Princeton Offense
I wasn’t familiar with the Triangle Offense although Phil Jackson/Tex Winter implemented it with great success with the Bulls. Later the two would implement the offense with the Lakers. I have an elementary understanding of the triangle and how it works and why it’s successful. This offensive scheme and others require players able to run it successfully. As for Byron Scott it’s been mentioned his historical connection to the Lakers.
I wasn’t familiar with the type of offense Scott has utilized over his coaching career. Phil Jackson was a disciple of Tex Winter who perfected the triangle offense, as for Scott he follows Pete Carril who ran the offense for over 20 years at Princeton University. The Princeton Offense “emphasizes constant motion, passing, back-door cuts, picks on and off the ball, and disciplined teamwork.” Reading the Wikipedia comment you can see elements of the Princeton Offense appear identical to the Triangle Offense.
Nothing but big men
The African continent has produced a number of talented athletes. Several have managed successful NBA careers. There are two players currently in high school from the continent which were mentioned previously. 7-4 Takco Fall plays in the Orlando Florida area, Fall is from the Republic of Senegal. In addition there is 7-0 Thon Maker playing his high school ball in Virginia; Maker from the Republic of Sudan visited Mizzou earlier in the summer. I was curious, in the recent past we discussed the number of basketball players in the NBA from Africa.
I believe Hakeem Olajuwon may have been the first prospect (1981) to emerge from the African continent but was soon followed by a number of talented prospects. Olajuwon’s NBA career beginning in 1984 certainly contributed to the stream of talent, a number have attended colleges in the U.S. while others came directly from their native countries. Interesting the count of talent consists of centers, power forwards and small forwards, to date no guards have managed an NBA careers.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
IT’S A DONE DEAL
The Sterling saga is officially over; Steve Ballmer has taken over as owner, if we didn’t know already the NBA has attorneys too. In response to Sterling’s antitrust lawsuit the NBA filed a counterclaim stating he caused “devastating and incaluable harm to the league.” No monetary amount was listed by the NBA in its suit. Poor, poor Donald Sterling he’s got to suffer with a $1 billion dollar payoff for a team he paid $12.5 million to acquire. As I attempted to point in previous accounts this is more than a TMZ tape although it certainly played a role. For reasons none of us will ever know Donald Sterling has the worst won-loss record as an owner in NBA history. A portion of this is based on his longevity as an owner. Read the Wikipedia page on Donald Sterling for complete details.
Just a portion reads; “At his introductory news conference in San Diego, (the franchise later moved to Los Angeles) Sterling vowed to "spend unlimited sums" to build the Clippers into a contender and he embarked on a county-wide marketing campaign featuring his smiling face on billboards and the backs of buses. The ads read: "My Promise: I will make you proud of the Clippers". Unlike Buss' instant success with the Lakers (including winning an NBA championship in his first season as owner, 1979–80), Sterling and his Clippers struggled through many lackluster seasons, and they did not have their first winning season until the 1991–92 season, eleven years into his ownership. In Sterling's 33 years of owning the Clippers through 2013–14, the Clippers lost 50 or more games 22 times, 60 or more on eight occasions, and 70 games once. Their 9–41 record in the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season projected to another 60-loss season.”
Why?
Greg Oden was arrested and jailed on a felony battery charge. The record says he physically assaulted a former girl friend and the question remains why? Physical violence is certainly not the manner to resolve disputes. We have no idea the weight and height of the victim; we have Oden’s numbers however. He stands seven feet tall and weighs a hefty 273 pounds; in a basketball contest he could find himself over matched against a woman that might be a far different case. Surely there is a better method for Ray Rice and Greg Oden to resolve disputes other than using their fists.
“The elephant in the room”
I believe the time is now to discuss the “elephant in the room.” The elephant is Douglas Richard McDermott or simply Doug McDermott. Maybe he’s known to you by his pseudonym; “Doug McBuckets.” You’ve heard the stories; “he can play in college but he’s too slow for the NBA.” The other report; “he’s strictly a shooter or McDermott plays at a mid-major school” or the most blatant statement of all, “The NBA needs another great white hope.” Others have compared him to Gonzaga’s Adam Morrison who was never able to play at the level he exhibited in college.
As for the mid-major proclamation they might have forgotten Larry Bird played at Indiana State. Let’s just say this 6-8 225 pound small forward can play at the NBA level. The Nuggets drafted him with the number 11 pick and traded him to the Bulls. One of the best defensive teams in the NBA the Bulls often lack scoring punch especially with Derrick Rose missing. There will be an adjustment period for him, we don’t know if McDermott is a starter or coming off the bench he should address the scoring issues suffered at times last season by the Bulls.
Playing at home
I’m watching the Royals-White Sox home opener on television. The White Sox batter rolls out to the second baseman that makes a toss to first for the out the Kansas City crowd cheers. It got me to thinking what’s the most difficult sport for an opposing team to play on the road? I offer no proof and you are free to formulate your own opinion. I believe the opposition college basketball court may be the most difficult for opponents. Imagine a visiting team at Rupp Arena, the Dean Dome or Allen Fieldhouse?
I believe a tie might exist between NHL hockey and the NBA followed by college football, NFL and Major League Baseball concludes our unscientific poll. All sports require efficient skill play but I believe baseball played on enemy turf causes less stress for the opposition than any of the other sports mentioned. College basketball is by far the most difficult on an opposing court. Envision 9,000 screaming fans packed inside tiny Cameron Indoor Stadium screaming for Duke or 8,000 boisterous patrons inside Philadelphia’s Palestra rooting for St. Joseph, Temple or Villanova.
The Sterling saga is officially over; Steve Ballmer has taken over as owner, if we didn’t know already the NBA has attorneys too. In response to Sterling’s antitrust lawsuit the NBA filed a counterclaim stating he caused “devastating and incaluable harm to the league.” No monetary amount was listed by the NBA in its suit. Poor, poor Donald Sterling he’s got to suffer with a $1 billion dollar payoff for a team he paid $12.5 million to acquire. As I attempted to point in previous accounts this is more than a TMZ tape although it certainly played a role. For reasons none of us will ever know Donald Sterling has the worst won-loss record as an owner in NBA history. A portion of this is based on his longevity as an owner. Read the Wikipedia page on Donald Sterling for complete details.
Just a portion reads; “At his introductory news conference in San Diego, (the franchise later moved to Los Angeles) Sterling vowed to "spend unlimited sums" to build the Clippers into a contender and he embarked on a county-wide marketing campaign featuring his smiling face on billboards and the backs of buses. The ads read: "My Promise: I will make you proud of the Clippers". Unlike Buss' instant success with the Lakers (including winning an NBA championship in his first season as owner, 1979–80), Sterling and his Clippers struggled through many lackluster seasons, and they did not have their first winning season until the 1991–92 season, eleven years into his ownership. In Sterling's 33 years of owning the Clippers through 2013–14, the Clippers lost 50 or more games 22 times, 60 or more on eight occasions, and 70 games once. Their 9–41 record in the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season projected to another 60-loss season.”
Why?
Greg Oden was arrested and jailed on a felony battery charge. The record says he physically assaulted a former girl friend and the question remains why? Physical violence is certainly not the manner to resolve disputes. We have no idea the weight and height of the victim; we have Oden’s numbers however. He stands seven feet tall and weighs a hefty 273 pounds; in a basketball contest he could find himself over matched against a woman that might be a far different case. Surely there is a better method for Ray Rice and Greg Oden to resolve disputes other than using their fists.
“The elephant in the room”
I believe the time is now to discuss the “elephant in the room.” The elephant is Douglas Richard McDermott or simply Doug McDermott. Maybe he’s known to you by his pseudonym; “Doug McBuckets.” You’ve heard the stories; “he can play in college but he’s too slow for the NBA.” The other report; “he’s strictly a shooter or McDermott plays at a mid-major school” or the most blatant statement of all, “The NBA needs another great white hope.” Others have compared him to Gonzaga’s Adam Morrison who was never able to play at the level he exhibited in college.
As for the mid-major proclamation they might have forgotten Larry Bird played at Indiana State. Let’s just say this 6-8 225 pound small forward can play at the NBA level. The Nuggets drafted him with the number 11 pick and traded him to the Bulls. One of the best defensive teams in the NBA the Bulls often lack scoring punch especially with Derrick Rose missing. There will be an adjustment period for him, we don’t know if McDermott is a starter or coming off the bench he should address the scoring issues suffered at times last season by the Bulls.
Playing at home
I’m watching the Royals-White Sox home opener on television. The White Sox batter rolls out to the second baseman that makes a toss to first for the out the Kansas City crowd cheers. It got me to thinking what’s the most difficult sport for an opposing team to play on the road? I offer no proof and you are free to formulate your own opinion. I believe the opposition college basketball court may be the most difficult for opponents. Imagine a visiting team at Rupp Arena, the Dean Dome or Allen Fieldhouse?
I believe a tie might exist between NHL hockey and the NBA followed by college football, NFL and Major League Baseball concludes our unscientific poll. All sports require efficient skill play but I believe baseball played on enemy turf causes less stress for the opposition than any of the other sports mentioned. College basketball is by far the most difficult on an opposing court. Envision 9,000 screaming fans packed inside tiny Cameron Indoor Stadium screaming for Duke or 8,000 boisterous patrons inside Philadelphia’s Palestra rooting for St. Joseph, Temple or Villanova.
Monday, August 11, 2014
The court case may be over
We can never be for sure but it appears the saga that has become Sterling versus Sterling in the courts appears to be over. Last Friday the appellate court hearing the case ruled Donald cannot block sale of the Clippers by his wife Shirley. Will the “king of lawsuits (Sterling)” file an appeal, only he knows? My take Donald should accept his portion of $2 billion dollars and enjoy the balance of his life minus the Clippers. Even the most vocal Sterling ally must admit he’s been a pathetic owner over the years.
I ain’t mad at him
Several in the media are referring to LeBron as the GM of the Cavs. They make this statement because it appears he’s “choosing” players to fill out the teams’ roster. Kevin Love is on the way, already signed and delivered are Mike Miller and James Jones. Waiting in the wings is Ray Allen (I believe he should retire). Maybe part of LeBron’s actions are based on his prior tour of duty, you remember don’t you? He said over and over he needed help; management applied band aids rather than utilize major surgery to overhaul the roster. The Cavs might not win this first year in LeBron’s return however he wants to be surrounded by players he believes are capable of winning an NBA Championship. Guess what---this time I ain’t mad at LeBron.
Overlooked
I failed to follow Perry Ellis very closely last season; I’m referring to the basketball player not the designer. The media (and fans) were so focused on Andrew Wiggins and later Joel Embiid sophomore Ellis was basically ignored. This 6-8 225 forward raised his numbers considerably over his freshman year. His scoring average rose from 5.8 ppg to 13.5. Besides his scoring the other numbers were considerably higher than his freshman year. As usual Kansas has re-loaded and has another incoming crop of freshman prospects. This Wichita native is the clear leader of this Kansas Jayhawk team. This is no predictor of NBA success however the remainder of his time at Kansas should be successful.
Want a refund?
Are you one of the folks that refuse to believe the Cavs-Wolves trade is a done deal? I read on Thursday the NBA Store will offer refunds for anyone who may have purchased an Andrew Wiggins Cavs jersey. There are two stories circulating, the other report indicates the supplier never shipped the jerseys. Interesting I went to the NBA Store site and located a Wiggins jersey #21.
Bits n Pieces
Hope this doesn’t sound hatin’ but LeBron James has chosen his Cavs number. He’s going ol skool on us reverting to the number 23 he wore previously. I’m unsure about you but somehow this decision doesn’t exactly surprise me, what do you think?
6 foot (or 5-10) 160 pound Allen Iverson was always considered a tough player on the basketball court. I suspect a portion of this toughness comes due to his football background. While enrolled at Bethel High in Hampton (VA) Iverson was Associated Press Player of the Year in football and basketball. What position did he play in football? He played quarterback what else what you expect?
I have no desire to discuss the Ray Rice in further detail other than “the crime should fit the punishment.” I tire of respondents using the term “thug basketball” and other assorted words disparaging the NBA. Check the records; the NFL has likely suffered double the amount of criminal activity versus the NBA.
“They better be ready to play some defense" were the words uttered by new Laker Coach Byron Scott. His comment was certainly music to my ears, last years team appeared to have no problems scoring (Wesley Johnson admitted as much) defending was their dilemma. I checked the numbers the Lakers finished 29th in team defense, there are only 30 teams in the NBA.
Duke scores once again in its recruiting efforts. They were able to secure the services of Chase Jeter (Rivals number 8, Class of 2015). The 6-11 225 pound power forward attends Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas. Jeter could be described in today’s vernacular as a stretch four; he’s got 3-point range.
We can never be for sure but it appears the saga that has become Sterling versus Sterling in the courts appears to be over. Last Friday the appellate court hearing the case ruled Donald cannot block sale of the Clippers by his wife Shirley. Will the “king of lawsuits (Sterling)” file an appeal, only he knows? My take Donald should accept his portion of $2 billion dollars and enjoy the balance of his life minus the Clippers. Even the most vocal Sterling ally must admit he’s been a pathetic owner over the years.
I ain’t mad at him
Several in the media are referring to LeBron as the GM of the Cavs. They make this statement because it appears he’s “choosing” players to fill out the teams’ roster. Kevin Love is on the way, already signed and delivered are Mike Miller and James Jones. Waiting in the wings is Ray Allen (I believe he should retire). Maybe part of LeBron’s actions are based on his prior tour of duty, you remember don’t you? He said over and over he needed help; management applied band aids rather than utilize major surgery to overhaul the roster. The Cavs might not win this first year in LeBron’s return however he wants to be surrounded by players he believes are capable of winning an NBA Championship. Guess what---this time I ain’t mad at LeBron.
Overlooked
I failed to follow Perry Ellis very closely last season; I’m referring to the basketball player not the designer. The media (and fans) were so focused on Andrew Wiggins and later Joel Embiid sophomore Ellis was basically ignored. This 6-8 225 forward raised his numbers considerably over his freshman year. His scoring average rose from 5.8 ppg to 13.5. Besides his scoring the other numbers were considerably higher than his freshman year. As usual Kansas has re-loaded and has another incoming crop of freshman prospects. This Wichita native is the clear leader of this Kansas Jayhawk team. This is no predictor of NBA success however the remainder of his time at Kansas should be successful.
Want a refund?
Are you one of the folks that refuse to believe the Cavs-Wolves trade is a done deal? I read on Thursday the NBA Store will offer refunds for anyone who may have purchased an Andrew Wiggins Cavs jersey. There are two stories circulating, the other report indicates the supplier never shipped the jerseys. Interesting I went to the NBA Store site and located a Wiggins jersey #21.
Bits n Pieces
Hope this doesn’t sound hatin’ but LeBron James has chosen his Cavs number. He’s going ol skool on us reverting to the number 23 he wore previously. I’m unsure about you but somehow this decision doesn’t exactly surprise me, what do you think?
6 foot (or 5-10) 160 pound Allen Iverson was always considered a tough player on the basketball court. I suspect a portion of this toughness comes due to his football background. While enrolled at Bethel High in Hampton (VA) Iverson was Associated Press Player of the Year in football and basketball. What position did he play in football? He played quarterback what else what you expect?
I have no desire to discuss the Ray Rice in further detail other than “the crime should fit the punishment.” I tire of respondents using the term “thug basketball” and other assorted words disparaging the NBA. Check the records; the NFL has likely suffered double the amount of criminal activity versus the NBA.
“They better be ready to play some defense" were the words uttered by new Laker Coach Byron Scott. His comment was certainly music to my ears, last years team appeared to have no problems scoring (Wesley Johnson admitted as much) defending was their dilemma. I checked the numbers the Lakers finished 29th in team defense, there are only 30 teams in the NBA.
Duke scores once again in its recruiting efforts. They were able to secure the services of Chase Jeter (Rivals number 8, Class of 2015). The 6-11 225 pound power forward attends Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas. Jeter could be described in today’s vernacular as a stretch four; he’s got 3-point range.
Friday, August 8, 2014
I wondered
My memory is not what it should be at times so I depend on others. The question was based on the Andrew Wiggins trade. First round draft choices have been traded in the past however I questioned if the first pick in the NBA Draft ever been traded. No one could answer my question I had to consult the web. In 1993 first pick Chris Webber was drafted by the Magic and before the evening concluded was traded to the Warriors.
Why?
There is no method to verify this report since it originated from TMZ however keep in mind it was TMZ that detailed the physical altercation between Ravens running back Ray Rice and his fiancée (now his wife). Later TMZ secured the infamous audio recording of Donald Sterling. Back to the matter at hand, I’d written earlier Michael Beasley had been in Los Angeles to work out for the Lakers. In the earlier report it was detailed the talent Beasley possessed but also mentioned his past. Beasley had exhibited a number of immature actions off the court over his NBA career this is the latest. According to TMZ Beasley rented a Porsche 911 while in the city, the problem Beasley failed to return it. A tow truck had to be dispatched to recover the vehicle. The rental (less the tow we guess) amounted to $1,744.34. With this latest incident I would be surprised if the Lakers sign him.
NBA making history
Why should anyone be shocked or surprised the NBA would make history once again? The NBA has long been the leader among major professional sports in hiring and promoting diversity with minorities and women. The Spurs announced Tuesday they will hire Becky Hammon as an assistant coach, she will assume duties immediately after the WNBA is completed. Hammon a 16-year WNBA veteran will become the first full-time assistant female coach in the NBA. Could we foresee a female head coach in the NBA one day?
He was overlooked again
The Naismith Hall of Fame passed over Spencer Haywood again. I believe his exclusion might be based on the later portion of his professional career; there were a number of drug related issues. Haywood was outstanding on the basketball court at the time he burst on the national scene in 1967-68. At Trinidad Junior College in Colorado he averaged 28 points and 22 rebounds a game before heading for Detroit and the University of the same name. This 6-8 power forward scored 32 points while snatching 21 rebounds a game. He was ready for the NBA but the NBA wasn’t ready for him, at that time there was no early entry. The NBA did not draft underclassmen.
That was the NBA the ABA in operation at the time had no reservations about drafting and signing underclassmen. Haywood signed with the ABA Denver Rockets and tore up the league averaging 30 points and 19.5 rebounds a game. He was named Rookie of the Year and league MVP, the next season he left for the Sonics of the NBA. Sam Schulman then owner of the Sonics filed an anti-trust law suit against the NBA due to them not allowing Haywood to play; the suit eventually went to the Supreme Court before the NBA settled. Haywood played for a number of NBA teams before closing out his career in 1983 with the Washington Bullets. Perhaps his honesty may have worked against him, he’s spoken openly of his cocaine addition in the latter years of his NBA career. His addition caused disagreements with his coaches and teammates and likely shortened his NBA career. Despite a shortened career he still managed to finish averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds a game.
What to expect
We have no idea what to expect from Mizzou’s 2014-15 team. As mentioned previously a new coach (Kim Anderson) is in place with a brand-new system. The offense, well the bulk of team scoring departed with Jabari Brown and Jordan Clarkson left for the NBA plus graduating seniors. Unlike the last coaching change the cupboard is not exactly bare this time. The departed Frank Haith left the program in pretty good shape however it’s a good news bad news situation. The good 9 letterman return that played collegiate minutes last season. The bad is really not real bad, 5 freshmen arrive in Columbia.
It’s yet to be determined who plays major minutes in the fall and winter for Mizzou. We might envision Keith Shamburger playing major minutes for a couple of reasons. This senior transfer played point guard for Hawaii last season and brings a veteran presence to this young team. It will be interesting to see how Anderson and staff mold this mix of freshman and returnees. Mizzou will receive an early season test as they head to Hawaii in late November. Maui Invitational Tournament particiipants include Purdue, Kansas State, Arizona, Pittsburg, Chaminade, BYU, San Diego State and Mizzou.
My memory is not what it should be at times so I depend on others. The question was based on the Andrew Wiggins trade. First round draft choices have been traded in the past however I questioned if the first pick in the NBA Draft ever been traded. No one could answer my question I had to consult the web. In 1993 first pick Chris Webber was drafted by the Magic and before the evening concluded was traded to the Warriors.
Why?
There is no method to verify this report since it originated from TMZ however keep in mind it was TMZ that detailed the physical altercation between Ravens running back Ray Rice and his fiancée (now his wife). Later TMZ secured the infamous audio recording of Donald Sterling. Back to the matter at hand, I’d written earlier Michael Beasley had been in Los Angeles to work out for the Lakers. In the earlier report it was detailed the talent Beasley possessed but also mentioned his past. Beasley had exhibited a number of immature actions off the court over his NBA career this is the latest. According to TMZ Beasley rented a Porsche 911 while in the city, the problem Beasley failed to return it. A tow truck had to be dispatched to recover the vehicle. The rental (less the tow we guess) amounted to $1,744.34. With this latest incident I would be surprised if the Lakers sign him.
NBA making history
Why should anyone be shocked or surprised the NBA would make history once again? The NBA has long been the leader among major professional sports in hiring and promoting diversity with minorities and women. The Spurs announced Tuesday they will hire Becky Hammon as an assistant coach, she will assume duties immediately after the WNBA is completed. Hammon a 16-year WNBA veteran will become the first full-time assistant female coach in the NBA. Could we foresee a female head coach in the NBA one day?
He was overlooked again
The Naismith Hall of Fame passed over Spencer Haywood again. I believe his exclusion might be based on the later portion of his professional career; there were a number of drug related issues. Haywood was outstanding on the basketball court at the time he burst on the national scene in 1967-68. At Trinidad Junior College in Colorado he averaged 28 points and 22 rebounds a game before heading for Detroit and the University of the same name. This 6-8 power forward scored 32 points while snatching 21 rebounds a game. He was ready for the NBA but the NBA wasn’t ready for him, at that time there was no early entry. The NBA did not draft underclassmen.
That was the NBA the ABA in operation at the time had no reservations about drafting and signing underclassmen. Haywood signed with the ABA Denver Rockets and tore up the league averaging 30 points and 19.5 rebounds a game. He was named Rookie of the Year and league MVP, the next season he left for the Sonics of the NBA. Sam Schulman then owner of the Sonics filed an anti-trust law suit against the NBA due to them not allowing Haywood to play; the suit eventually went to the Supreme Court before the NBA settled. Haywood played for a number of NBA teams before closing out his career in 1983 with the Washington Bullets. Perhaps his honesty may have worked against him, he’s spoken openly of his cocaine addition in the latter years of his NBA career. His addition caused disagreements with his coaches and teammates and likely shortened his NBA career. Despite a shortened career he still managed to finish averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds a game.
What to expect
We have no idea what to expect from Mizzou’s 2014-15 team. As mentioned previously a new coach (Kim Anderson) is in place with a brand-new system. The offense, well the bulk of team scoring departed with Jabari Brown and Jordan Clarkson left for the NBA plus graduating seniors. Unlike the last coaching change the cupboard is not exactly bare this time. The departed Frank Haith left the program in pretty good shape however it’s a good news bad news situation. The good 9 letterman return that played collegiate minutes last season. The bad is really not real bad, 5 freshmen arrive in Columbia.
It’s yet to be determined who plays major minutes in the fall and winter for Mizzou. We might envision Keith Shamburger playing major minutes for a couple of reasons. This senior transfer played point guard for Hawaii last season and brings a veteran presence to this young team. It will be interesting to see how Anderson and staff mold this mix of freshman and returnees. Mizzou will receive an early season test as they head to Hawaii in late November. Maui Invitational Tournament particiipants include Purdue, Kansas State, Arizona, Pittsburg, Chaminade, BYU, San Diego State and Mizzou.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
A year of change
We knew the 2014-15 season would be different for the Pacers. They would approach the season seeking approval of their fans and others they were a championship team. The season has changed before an official tosses up the basketball for the first time. Lance Stephenson the talented but mercurial member of the team is gone, the free agent expected to return signed instead with the Hornets. The latest news is even more devastating, the talented Paul George playing for Team USA broke his leg.
The medical report indicates George will make a complete recovery however he’ll miss the season. Finally there is the enigma by the name of Roy Hibbert. He stands 7-2 and weighs a hefty 290 pounds, he’s not injured but nobody has a clue which Hibbert shows up for games. If this sounds like a doom and gloom report that is not the intent. The Pacers have appeared on the edge of becoming a great team (and may still become one) for the past few years. They will be a good team the balance of the roster should still be competitive however the crystal ball sees no NBA Championship in 2015.
‘Oh Canada’
4-star prospect Montaque Gill-Caesar reclassified and moved into the Class of 2014. The 6-6 small forward visited the Mizzou campus in June and indicated he was pleased with the coaching staff and the facilities. He was so pleased Gill-Caesar nicknamed “Teki” announced he’s headed to Mizzou gaining the last available 2014 scholarship. As for the reference to the Canadian National Anthem that is easily explained, Teki’s home is Vaughan Ontario a metro Toronto city.
Gill-Caesar is just one of the latest talents to surface from Huntington Prep in West Virginia. Most Mizzou fans had two concerns with the departure of Frank Haith and his replacement Kim Anderson. They worried about Anderson’s adjustment from D-II to D-I and recruiting. The recruiting appears to be okay now if Anderson can make the coaching adjustment all will be right in the world. There will be adjustments required all around, new coach, new system and new players. Mizzou fans must be patient while all these elements merge..
He’s gone
Technically speaking Andrew Wiggins is still a member of the Cavs. I haven’t changed my mind; I continue to believe the Cavs should hold on to Wiggins however that’s not going to be the case. Wiggins will be packaged in a trade for the Wolves Kevin Love. This trade will occur as soon at then end of 30 day time limit which occurs before the end of August. A player trade prior to playing for the team that’s drafted you is not unusual, it’s occurred several time over the years. Two players have been traded already from the 2014 NBA Draft. Doug McDermott was the 11th pick in the first round by the Nuggets, his draft rights were then traded to the Bulls. My Lakers were involved in another move on draft night. Jordan Clarkson with the 46th pick in the second round by the Wizards, his rights were later dealt to the Lakers.
In this instance trading a rookie is not a determent to his career, simply stated the receiving team might cherish the abilities of that player more than the team that dealt him. We could probably guess the Sonics had no idea of Scottie Pippen’s future. Pippen was the 5th pick in the first round of the 1987 by the Seattle Sonics later he was traded to the Bulls; he never wore a Sonics jersey. Look what he accomplished over the course of his NBA career. Pippen was a two-time Gold Medal Olympic Champion and six time NBA Champion, he was chosen to the NBA 50th Anniversary All Time Team. In 2010 Pippen was accorded the honor of being elected to the Hall of Fame in Springfield. Don’t misunderstand this is not written as if Wiggins is headed to the Hall of Fame too. We often cannot predict the future, who knew Pippen from tiny Central Arkansas would go on to have such an outstanding basketball career.
They object---how surprising
There were plenty of complaints by the media and fans of the 76ers last season. It appeared the team was losing on purpose in order to affect there draft stock. Whether this was true or not was unproven. At one point the Sixers experienced a 26-game losing streak. This off-season the NBA began discussing proposals for lottery changes, which team you think objected to changing the present system-------you guessed it the Sixers? According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst it’s a little more than a team losing on purpose. Windhorst claims gate receipts were down for teams when the opposition was the Sixers. So whether they were losing on purpose is unknown, what appears true finances of the opposition was reduced.
We knew the 2014-15 season would be different for the Pacers. They would approach the season seeking approval of their fans and others they were a championship team. The season has changed before an official tosses up the basketball for the first time. Lance Stephenson the talented but mercurial member of the team is gone, the free agent expected to return signed instead with the Hornets. The latest news is even more devastating, the talented Paul George playing for Team USA broke his leg.
The medical report indicates George will make a complete recovery however he’ll miss the season. Finally there is the enigma by the name of Roy Hibbert. He stands 7-2 and weighs a hefty 290 pounds, he’s not injured but nobody has a clue which Hibbert shows up for games. If this sounds like a doom and gloom report that is not the intent. The Pacers have appeared on the edge of becoming a great team (and may still become one) for the past few years. They will be a good team the balance of the roster should still be competitive however the crystal ball sees no NBA Championship in 2015.
‘Oh Canada’
4-star prospect Montaque Gill-Caesar reclassified and moved into the Class of 2014. The 6-6 small forward visited the Mizzou campus in June and indicated he was pleased with the coaching staff and the facilities. He was so pleased Gill-Caesar nicknamed “Teki” announced he’s headed to Mizzou gaining the last available 2014 scholarship. As for the reference to the Canadian National Anthem that is easily explained, Teki’s home is Vaughan Ontario a metro Toronto city.
Gill-Caesar is just one of the latest talents to surface from Huntington Prep in West Virginia. Most Mizzou fans had two concerns with the departure of Frank Haith and his replacement Kim Anderson. They worried about Anderson’s adjustment from D-II to D-I and recruiting. The recruiting appears to be okay now if Anderson can make the coaching adjustment all will be right in the world. There will be adjustments required all around, new coach, new system and new players. Mizzou fans must be patient while all these elements merge..
He’s gone
Technically speaking Andrew Wiggins is still a member of the Cavs. I haven’t changed my mind; I continue to believe the Cavs should hold on to Wiggins however that’s not going to be the case. Wiggins will be packaged in a trade for the Wolves Kevin Love. This trade will occur as soon at then end of 30 day time limit which occurs before the end of August. A player trade prior to playing for the team that’s drafted you is not unusual, it’s occurred several time over the years. Two players have been traded already from the 2014 NBA Draft. Doug McDermott was the 11th pick in the first round by the Nuggets, his draft rights were then traded to the Bulls. My Lakers were involved in another move on draft night. Jordan Clarkson with the 46th pick in the second round by the Wizards, his rights were later dealt to the Lakers.
In this instance trading a rookie is not a determent to his career, simply stated the receiving team might cherish the abilities of that player more than the team that dealt him. We could probably guess the Sonics had no idea of Scottie Pippen’s future. Pippen was the 5th pick in the first round of the 1987 by the Seattle Sonics later he was traded to the Bulls; he never wore a Sonics jersey. Look what he accomplished over the course of his NBA career. Pippen was a two-time Gold Medal Olympic Champion and six time NBA Champion, he was chosen to the NBA 50th Anniversary All Time Team. In 2010 Pippen was accorded the honor of being elected to the Hall of Fame in Springfield. Don’t misunderstand this is not written as if Wiggins is headed to the Hall of Fame too. We often cannot predict the future, who knew Pippen from tiny Central Arkansas would go on to have such an outstanding basketball career.
They object---how surprising
There were plenty of complaints by the media and fans of the 76ers last season. It appeared the team was losing on purpose in order to affect there draft stock. Whether this was true or not was unproven. At one point the Sixers experienced a 26-game losing streak. This off-season the NBA began discussing proposals for lottery changes, which team you think objected to changing the present system-------you guessed it the Sixers? According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst it’s a little more than a team losing on purpose. Windhorst claims gate receipts were down for teams when the opposition was the Sixers. So whether they were losing on purpose is unknown, what appears true finances of the opposition was reduced.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Bits n Pieces
Maryland and Rutgers are now members of the Big 10 Conference, I was unaware the schools had been admitted in April. The Big 10 has always been a strong basketball conference adding these two schools should continue that trend. .
A number of folks who were Heat fans appear to have switched their allegiance to the Cavs. Were these folks Heat fans all along or fans of LeBron James? I’m not mad at them however this change is noticeable among some fans.
Speaking of LeBron did you hear the Coach Cal story? 9-year old LeBron James Jr. and his AAU team recently played in Lexington Kentucky. Should we suppose Cal was there to recruit young LeBron Jr. or just watch the 10 and under team?
I was anxious to see Derrick Rose in action. The injury riddled last two seasons have seen little of Rose on the basketball court. Playing for Team USA should provide him plenty of opportunity to tune his game prior to the NBA season.
Speaking of Mark Cuban
In spring or early summer I mentioned Mavs owner Mark Cuban stated the NBA could eclipse the NFL in popularity. Several in the media roundly criticized him for the statement; the only member of the media agreeing to a point was Mike Wilbon. If the NFL continues to experience Ray Rice stories we have no idea what the future might hold. The NFL has a large contingent of female fans, if the league continues to administer minimal punishment for these types of incidents the NFL will suffer. As a reminder Wilbon stated “heavyweight championship boxing and baseball were ahead of the NFL in popularity 40 years ago in the eyes of sports fans.”
I wonder---------
The Lakers brought Michael Beasley in for a workout, as this is written there is no indication they intend to sign him. He played for Kansas State and though he left after his freshman year I had plenty of opportunities to see him in action during an outstanding year. Beasley can into the NBA the second pick in the 2008 draft, since that honor he’s had an up and down NBA career. This 6-10 235 pound small forward has managed to play for four NBA teams and none seem compelled to maintain him on their roster.
Beasley’s career numbers are actually good excluding last season with the Heat. The stumbling block has been his maturity and judgment during his NBA years. Several years ago the Lakers faced a similar issue when Ron Artest was signed. They took a chance and the rest is history, World Peace certainly was quirky at times however I don’t believe he gave the coach or management any problems. I’m going to step into the shoes of the Laker general manager; I sign Beasley to a 1-year contract at league minimum. If for any reason Beasley becomes a distraction or fails to adhere to team standards he is history.
Seattle still wants the NBA
Chris Hansen failed in his effort to secure a franchise for Seattle; it certainly wasn’t for lack of effort. News reports at the time indicated his groups’ financial package was actually superior to that of the Sacramento group. It remains my belief former Commissioner Stern wanted the franchise to remain in Sacramento. Although time has passed Hansen indicated they were still interested in securing an NBA team for Seattle.
“No one in our ownership group is interested in being a majority owner in an NHL franchise. That's been the case since the start.” Hopefully NHL purists will not consider the statement a slam at their sport, it’s the belief of Hansen’s’ group an NBA team is a better fit for the metro. Despite comments from hockey interest it’s been my belief the same situation exist in Kansas City. Although the interest has been collegiate basketball that’s still the winter sport prefer by most here. I guess we could consider the NFL Chiefs a winter sport so I would state basketball comes in second and then hockey.
Maryland and Rutgers are now members of the Big 10 Conference, I was unaware the schools had been admitted in April. The Big 10 has always been a strong basketball conference adding these two schools should continue that trend. .
A number of folks who were Heat fans appear to have switched their allegiance to the Cavs. Were these folks Heat fans all along or fans of LeBron James? I’m not mad at them however this change is noticeable among some fans.
Speaking of LeBron did you hear the Coach Cal story? 9-year old LeBron James Jr. and his AAU team recently played in Lexington Kentucky. Should we suppose Cal was there to recruit young LeBron Jr. or just watch the 10 and under team?
I was anxious to see Derrick Rose in action. The injury riddled last two seasons have seen little of Rose on the basketball court. Playing for Team USA should provide him plenty of opportunity to tune his game prior to the NBA season.
Speaking of Mark Cuban
In spring or early summer I mentioned Mavs owner Mark Cuban stated the NBA could eclipse the NFL in popularity. Several in the media roundly criticized him for the statement; the only member of the media agreeing to a point was Mike Wilbon. If the NFL continues to experience Ray Rice stories we have no idea what the future might hold. The NFL has a large contingent of female fans, if the league continues to administer minimal punishment for these types of incidents the NFL will suffer. As a reminder Wilbon stated “heavyweight championship boxing and baseball were ahead of the NFL in popularity 40 years ago in the eyes of sports fans.”
I wonder---------
The Lakers brought Michael Beasley in for a workout, as this is written there is no indication they intend to sign him. He played for Kansas State and though he left after his freshman year I had plenty of opportunities to see him in action during an outstanding year. Beasley can into the NBA the second pick in the 2008 draft, since that honor he’s had an up and down NBA career. This 6-10 235 pound small forward has managed to play for four NBA teams and none seem compelled to maintain him on their roster.
Beasley’s career numbers are actually good excluding last season with the Heat. The stumbling block has been his maturity and judgment during his NBA years. Several years ago the Lakers faced a similar issue when Ron Artest was signed. They took a chance and the rest is history, World Peace certainly was quirky at times however I don’t believe he gave the coach or management any problems. I’m going to step into the shoes of the Laker general manager; I sign Beasley to a 1-year contract at league minimum. If for any reason Beasley becomes a distraction or fails to adhere to team standards he is history.
Seattle still wants the NBA
Chris Hansen failed in his effort to secure a franchise for Seattle; it certainly wasn’t for lack of effort. News reports at the time indicated his groups’ financial package was actually superior to that of the Sacramento group. It remains my belief former Commissioner Stern wanted the franchise to remain in Sacramento. Although time has passed Hansen indicated they were still interested in securing an NBA team for Seattle.
“No one in our ownership group is interested in being a majority owner in an NHL franchise. That's been the case since the start.” Hopefully NHL purists will not consider the statement a slam at their sport, it’s the belief of Hansen’s’ group an NBA team is a better fit for the metro. Despite comments from hockey interest it’s been my belief the same situation exist in Kansas City. Although the interest has been collegiate basketball that’s still the winter sport prefer by most here. I guess we could consider the NFL Chiefs a winter sport so I would state basketball comes in second and then hockey.
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