There is a distinction between lack of talent and lack of effort!
-------Larry Laker
Your thoughts
This is written ahead of the NCAA selection announcement, later this afternoon the field 68 teams will be announced. For the most part we have no idea of who the teams are. The media has been ripe speculating on the number one seeds. As for the others there are automatic qualifiers and teams that won conference post-season tourneys. Hampton University won the Mid-Eastern Conference playoff so they arrive with a 16-17 record. UAB enters the tourney with a 19-15 record, Robert Morris 19-14 and Manhattan 19-13. There may be other schools I might have missed a cursory search provided proof of my point. Alum and fans of these institutions please don’t get upset with me.

I just question the wisdom of including team with less than stellar records. A portion of this change is based on the NCAA expanding the field of teams. From 1975-1978 the field was 32 times later it was increased from 40 to 48. In 1985 it became 64 teams and remained at that number until 2001 increasing to 65. In 2011 the number was raised to 68 where it lies at present. There was conversation about allowing additional teams which I would register an emphatic no. We have one team below .500 and three teams barely over the number the addition of more teams might only increase the likelihood of losing or sub par records. This is just me, I’m a party of one what do you think?

Missed this one
I’m always anxious when I compile an “all-time list” for fear I might overlook someone who should be included that’s what occurred last week. I missed former television host Bob Barker and the television quiz program he made famous The Price is Right. Barker served as host of the quiz program from 1972-2007 however he might have first gained a degree of notoriety on the basketball court. The 91-year old Barker attended Drury University (Springfield MO) on a basketball scholarship. He never completed college; World War II (1941) interrupted his academic and basketball career. Honors as a broadcaster and animal rights activist are far too numerous to detail; check out the nongenrian on the net if you have a chance.

“The Admiral”
He was nicknamed the admiral although he never rose to that level. If he’d remained in the navy it’s highly likely he would have risen to that rank. David Robinson entered Annapolis at 6-8 with the intent to make the navy a career however he grew to 7-1 by his senior year. He became an All American and his fate was sealed it would be the NBA over command of a destroyer. See Robinson was too tall to serve on active duty so he was allowed to serve two years. The Spurs would select him as the first pick in the first round of the 1987 NBA draft. Robinson and Coach Greg Popovich would arrive at nearly the same time; Robinson would become the first building block to the long playoff run experienced by the Spurs.

One the other names hung on Robinson was “Mr. Nice Guy” hinting his lack of toughness. He might not have looked tough on the court however his long distinguished record speaks for itself. He was Rookie of the Year in 1987, 2X NBA Champion, 1995 NBA MVP, 10X NBA All Star selection and Olympic champion. The list is far from complete and only represents a short list of the honors accorded Robinson. Likely one of the highest honors was his 2009 selection to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Robinson continues to give back involving himself in several civic and community activates. As for his naval career he left the service as a lieutenant junior grade.

Home for the NBA no longer
Tired of hearing me complain about no NBA in Kansas City, well I’m not by myself several other citizens’ might share my plight. The game only exists on television for many of the residents listed below. It should also be pointed out a number of the franchise moves occurred in the early days of the NBA. This was a period the NBA was attempting to become a full-fledged major league. Leadership believed the time had come for the league to move from many of its smaller markets. With that said movement in large markets didn’t always pan out either for a variety of reasons. As an example San Diego has been home base for two (2) franchises and today has neither. In the first case the Buffalo team moved and would become the San Diego Rockets, several years later they would move to Houston.

In 1978 the NBA awarded San Diego the expansion Clippers, former owner Donald Sterling would moved the team to Los Angeles in 1984. Milwaukee and Minneapolis lost the Hawks and Lakers however they now have the Bucks and Wolves. The Tri-Cities Blackhawks require a further explanation; the team represented Moline/Rock Island Illinois and Davenport Iowa. Mileage between the locations is in close proximity but how the games were divided between the three cities is a mystery to me. The team would move to Milwaukee and the named shortened to the Hawks. Later their journey would include a stop in St. Louis and a final move to Atlanta in 1968. As for the others a majority of its citizens with the possible exception of Seattle residents might not remember when their city served as home to an NBA team.

Ft. Wayne
Rochester
Syracuse
Cincinnati
Baltimore
Vancouver
Seattle

Who’s your MVP?
It’s difficult to remember a year the NBA MVP race was so wide open. In the past talk centered on LeBron, Durant, Rose, Kobe and Nash. We “knew” by the All Star break who would win the award. The 2014-15 season is totally different we have no idea who wins. This is in any order the leaders are; the Rockets James Harden, Warriors Steph Curry and LeBron James of the Cavs. Are there others, you bet there are? Russell Westbrook who’s been on an “Oscar Robertson” pace should be in the discussion.

Despite missing a significant number of games Kevin Durant deserves consideration. We could add Clipper Chris Paul to the mix and Damian Lillard of the Blazers. We could add teammate LeMarcus Aldridge to the discussion. I’ve read a number in the media are reluctant to include the Pelicans Anthony Davis but I believe his name should be included too. Which of the players mentioned should it be? On the other hand maybe there is someone I omitted? No one from the defending NBA champ Spurs is listed, they have suffered a significant number of injuries this season.