.
Celebrity website or news gatherer?
Until last spring most of us familiar with TMZ believed its purpose was to gather celebrity news. Now TMZ is in the forefront of the two biggest sports stories this year. TMZ is responsible for Donald Sterling no longer owning the Clippers. They were able to secure a tape where Sterling made what many construe to be racist remarks. Sterling’s history outside of basketball may have entered into the decision in his judgment. TMZ released on two occasions the elevator tape involving former Ravens running back Ray Rice assaulting his then fiancée and now wife.
Release of the second video forced the hand of Commissioner Roger Goodell. We are unsure of the next order of events. Did the Ravens release Rice first and the life-time ban by the NFL applied afterwards? The latest from TMZ; “Former Hawk Dominique Wilkins is attempting to purchase the Atlanta Hawks.” The timing of this report may have been driven by the report of impropriety in the Hawks front office. One last question, the number of news sources working and a celebrity website is first with a news story is mind-boggling. I’m unsure at this point if we can discount any future news or sports story TMZ reports.
"Close the borders”
I’ve mentioned previously one of my friends chief complaints has been Mizzou seemed to recruit everywhere except inside the State of Missouri. Mizzou football Coach Gary Pinkel coined the phrase “Close the borders” his intent was to allow no quality football recruit to escape the state. I’ve always maintained; “Some kids don’t care to remain in Missouri while others leave to play for a Bill Self or a Roy Williams.” Mizzou received a verbal commitment from 4-star prospect Cullen VanLeer. VanLeer is a 6-4 shooting guard from Pacific (MO) about 40 miles from downtown St. Louis.
Mizzou and Coach Anderson now has verbal commits from both sides of the state. 6-7 225 pound power forward Kevin Puryear committed earlier in the month. Puryear is from Blue Springs located in metro Kansas City. As for the season Mizzou fans have no idea what 2014-15 holds, as mentioned previously a new coach is in place along with the coaches new system. Lastly the SEC should be improved over last season where Kentucky and Florida led the way, Georgia, LSU and Arkansas all appear improved. To date there appears to be no question on Mizzou recruiting despite the depature of Frank Haith to Tulsa.
He led them to the Promised Land
I can imagine what could have been can’t I? Okay I’m not asking permission just informing you. Kansas City might still be in the NBA if Kings management hadn’t been so shortsighted. I was reminded of Moses Malone watching NBA TV and a program titled NB80’s. Malone was a 6-10 215 pound talent when he graduated from high school in Virginia in 1974. He was headed to Maryland but decided in favor of the ABA’s Utah Stars who drafted him. Remember in that day the NBA did not draft high school talent. In 1976 the NBA and ABA merged and the Stars alone with a number of ABA teams were dissolved. These former ABA players were placed in a pool and drafted by NBA teams. This is the Kansas City portion of this story, teams would draft in order of their recent completed season. The Kings had the third worst record in the NBA, the Bulls going first chose 7-2 center Artis Gilmore. Next up where the Blazers who held the Hawks pick, they went with power forward Maurice Lucas.
As for the future Gilmore would go on to score over 24,000 points and would be elected to the Naismith Hall of Fame. As for Lucas he would be key to the Blazers 1977 NBA Championship Bill Walton stated as much. Number 20 worn by Lucas would be retired by the Blazers. The Kings with the third pick choose---are you ready for the name? They picked Ron Boone and with the fifth pick the Blazers would chose Malone although he never suited up for them. Ron Boone whom the Kings picked was a serviceable player but nowhere near the talent Malone would become. The ABA was not the NBA but Malone had come into the league from high school and finished the season with 18.8 ppg and 14.6 rebounds a game. The 76ers had a very talented team with Dr. J., George McGinnis, Kobe Bryant’s dad Joe and others competed but never won a championship until the team acquired Malone. Moses Malone would led the 76ers to the promised land of an NBA Championship.
This move is unusual
Thon Maker and his brother Matur are headed to Canada. Basketball talent has headed south from our northern neighbor this time it’s the reverse. The Maker brothers were born in the Sudan emigrated to Australia and eventually to the US. The elder brother Thon is the number one high school prospect in the Class of 2016. Thon is extremely thin for a 7-footer as is his brother. The brothers have enrolled at Athletes Institute an Orangeville a prep school some 50 miles from Toronto. Guardian for the youngsters indicates he made this move based on the schools strength and conditioning program. I certainly have no authority in this decision however it is a little confusing. Athletes Institute is likely a good school but to make a move strictly on the basis of strength and conditioning sounds a little strange to me.
