He can coach and teach
SMU was ineligible for the NCAA Tournament this past season. The NCAA slapped Larry Brown with a suspension and the team has been placed on probation for three years and loss of several scholarships. “The NCAA found Brown failed to report violations when a former administrative assistant committed academic fraud on behalf of a student-athlete and he initially lied to enforcement staff about his knowledge of the potential violations.” In all likelihood we’ll not witness SMU post-season basketball until 2019.
Two years prior to Brown’s arrival the team finished a combined 33-34, his first year on the job the Mustangs finished 15-17. Since then his teams have won 27, 27 and 25. Larry Brown remains the only coach to win an NCAA Championship (Kansas) and NBA Championship (Pistons). The only concern at this stage is his age at 75 years young how much longer does he intend to coach? This we do know Hall of Fame Coach Larry Brown can teach and coach the game quite well.
I don’t think so
SB Nation Clips Nation ran a story “Are there any former Clippers worthy enough to have their numbers retired”? You realize this is a bone of contention for Doc Rivers especially sharing Staples Center with the number of retired Laker jerseys. In fact he has the jerseys hidden from site during Clipper games. In any event the account in SB Nations Clips Nation listed Bob McAdoo, Randy Smith, Danny Manning and Elton Brand. Before we proceed I’ve believed for a number of years it’s unsound for the Kings to retire Tiny Archibald and Oscar Robertson’s jersey. Both played for the franchise neither ever played in Sacramento. McAdoo had a 14-year NBA career including 4.5 years with the Buffalo Braves.
Randy Smith also played for the Braves before sitting foot in California in that one year he played for the San Diego Clippers. The others to be considered were Danny Manning and Elton Brand who are also questionable. Let’s check it out, Manning spent 5.5 years of his 15-year NBA career as a member of the Clippers for Brand it was 7 of his 16 years. This has noting to do with ability rather where you began your career. Based on this fact I could see Manning and Brand before the other two. You probably believe I’m being too strict in my interpretation of retired jersey and you could be correct. I have an issue retiring the jersey of a player who spent little if any time in a particular city.
How does he handle this development?
My good friend Sean will be faced with quite a dilemma this winter if this should occur. Allow me to explain my friend is an Auburn alum however he lived in Connecticut for a number of years. During this time he became passionate about UConn basketball and Coach Jim Calhoun. After Calhoun retired Sean remained a faithful fan to the program but now a dilemma he might never imagined has possibly surfaced. One school Auburn is an SEC school and UConn is a member of the American Athletic Conference so no problem, two schools in two different conferences.
They would never play one another-----right? Well not exactly the two schools are scheduled to play one another although the contract is yet to be signed as this is written. I’m anxious to see how Sean will handle this development if the schools manage to play one another. If Sean attends the game will he sit on the Auburn side or UConn? Maybe he changes sides at half-time in the same manner parents with off-spring playing for both teams, stay tuned for an update this upcoming season.
Another commit
Mizzou announcing the commitment of Kedric Jacoby Kemp caught me off-guard. My thought the school had issued all scholarships available. Kemp is 6-9 (or 6-10) 220 pound forward; home is Layton Utah a city in metro St Lake City. I have no idea if Kemp has game or not because he’s flown beneath everyone’s radar until now although Rivals awarded him three stars.
Bill Russell’s team
This is not a reference to Russell’s Celtics its Russell’s San Francisco Dons. The Dons won two consecutive NCAA Championships (1955, 1956) led by Russell and a point guard who would join him on the Celtics K.C. Jones. USF held the consecutive win streak record of 60 games until it was broken by John Wooden’s UCLA team. January 27 1973 UCLA beat Notre Dame breaking the Don’s record and Wooden’s team would continue on up to 88 consecutive games.
Its ironic Notre would be the school that stopped the UCLA winning streak since it had begun against them. USF continued winning until the 1980’s when improprieties caused the president to shut-down the program in 1982. For the first time in history a Division I program imposed a “death-penalty” on itself. USF continues to play basketball however the program has never returned to its ‘50’s or even ‘80’s level. Warriors’ fans have reason to be excited about their basketball over the last several years. Who was first, it was Bill Russell and his San Francisco Don’s teams.
