There is a distinction between lack of talent and lack of effort!
-------Larry Laker
Leave her alone!
Recent Ashley Judd headlines did not generate from the entertainment side. Ms Judd was subject to unkind remarks via Twitter. I’m unsure if a portion of the criticism involved her passion for Kentucky basketball. She certainly is not late to the party as a fan; I first remember the television camera focusing on her back in the Tubby Smith days. Smith coached the Wildcat program from 1997 through 2007, she was spotted in the stands rooting for her team during the two sub par years Billy Gillispie coached the team.
Ms Judd has continued to follow the program since John Calipari took over. Appreciate her passion and loyalty to her alma mater and its basketball program. One additional tidbit she is not a celebrity who attends games looking for the television camera. Most of the time she sits in the student section and we know she court afford court-side seats. There are a number of celebrities who attend sports events “to be seen” please don’t count Ashley Judd in that number. Win or lose she is steadfast in her devotion to Kentucky basketball, that’s more than can be said for an array of celebrities.
How you miss a game
I know Duke beat Michigan State; I realize Wisconsin won a close match against Kentucky. The result was the Badgers broke the 38 game win streak of Kentucky. I wasn’t in Indianapolis or in front of my television set how do I know? I promised my wife I would attend a civic event Saturday evening. My plans were to DVR the games and see both later that night. A young lady sitting at the table next to me turn her tablet on keeping track of the Duke-Michigan State score. I asked her to not give me any information; later she forgot her promise and gave me the final score of the game.
Okay now I should be okay with the Kentucky-Wisconsin game at least I thought.
The moderator of the event in addition to describing the evening event provides the gathering continuous updates on Kentucky-Wisconsin. At the conclusion of the event we are walking out of the hotel and pass the bar where a large crowd is gathered. I told my wife I might as well watch the last 30 seconds since my plan to view the game in its entirety was gone. I stood in the bar and watch Wisconsin close the door on the Kentucky win streak and their hopes for a national championship.
Bits n Pieces
To the surprise of no one Shaka Smart accepted the Texas job. We are unsure if there was a Gregg Marshall factor in this hire. Smart and Marshall were under consideration to become head coach at Texas, for reasons other than a pay raise Marshall chose to remain at home (Wichita State). Interesting in that local radio guy has said nothing regarding his early claim; “Marshall has coached his last game at Wichita State.“ We can all speculate on news however this host offered few bits of knowledge for this take.
A Kansas City Star reporter re-checked the 2012 All Metro teams. He noted Willie Cauley’s (Stein was added later) name was missing from the first and second teams. They did select him as an honorable mention, in fairness to the newspaper the Kentucky All American was just tall (6-11). He wasn’t the best player on his Olathe (KS) Northwest team that was Shavon Shields at Nebraska. Shavon was an All Metro first team selection and the son of former Chiefs lineman Will Shields
By now I’m sure you’ve read or heard the comments of UConn Coach Geno Auriemma regarding men’s basketball. No doubt the guy knows his X’s and O’s about basketball however the guy coaches the women’s game. I’m sure my next statement will upset women who read Words eye view. There are portions of the game requiring a fix however the women’s game unwatchable too. Excluding Auriemma’s UConn and Tennessee who are the other traditional winning women’s teams?
Who got next?
Yao Ming’s NBA career with the Rockets was cut short in 2011 due to injury. We beloved the popularity of basketball in China (especially the NBA) would produce another NBA talent. China loves former NBA player Stephen Marbury he indicates he’s reached heights never experienced with the Knicks are other NBA teams. Emmanuel Mudiay was headed to SMU but decided instead to play in China. Why China over Europe to begin his pro career? The Lakers drafted Sun Yue a 6-9 shooting guard in 2007. Vying for an NBA championship may not have prevented Yue from gaining adequate time to adjust to NBA life.
Injury and time spent in the D-League time the Lakers made the decision to not re-sign Yue. He headed back to China where he continues to play to this day. Also drafted that same year was 7-foot Yi Jianlian who played until 2012 before he returned home. Who has next you might ask, are there NBA prospects on the horizon from China? Zhou Qi a 7-2 center who plays for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers is from Henan, China. The other prospect is Wang Zhelin also a 7 foot center, he plays for the Fujian Sturgeons and home is Fujian, China.
