Half-way there
I don’t remember the day; date and time I can remember only one issue. I quit watching ESPN’s First Take prior to the departure of Skip Bayless. Stephen A. Smith had gotten on my last nerve with his incredibly silly commentary (my view). I decided to boycott the program but there is still an issue.
Smith is touted as an NBA/college basketball aficionado therefore his beliefs are often added to the ESPN NBA page. Rather than mull over his future comments I intend to ignore them and him, hopefully I can stick to this message. In closing can we really trust the beliefs of Smith when he’s predicted the incorrect winning team six NBA championships in a row? Don’t just take my word search the net to back up my last closing statement.
A home
By now most are aware the Warriors will eventually have a new home. The 20,000 seat Chase Center will be built in San Francisco and open in 2019. The Warriors home for has been the Oracle Arena in Oakland. It should be of interest San Francisco has been home since 1962 but the team has moved all over the Bay area in a number of locals. From 1962-64 they played in the Cow Palace built in 1941 and still standing.
From 1964-66 time was split between the Civic Auditorium and War Memorial Gymnasium home to USF. While Oracle was being refurbished they played in the San Jose Arena (now the SAP Center 1996-97). My research indicates Warriors basketball was played in Southern California playing six games at the San Diego Sports Arena in 1971-72. As you can see since 1962 the Warriors have called six different buildings home, you might understand why they might be excited to move into the Chase Center.
Class of 2016
Who won the recruiting war for 2016--it appears Kentucky may have won although Duke came in a close second. Check this out, Rivals ranking behind the school:
Harry Giles forward - Duke #2
Jason Tatum forward - Duke#3
De’Aaron Fox guard - Kentucky #6
Bam Adebayo forward - Kentucky #7
Malik Monk guard - Kentucky #9
Marques Boldon center - Duke #11
Frank Jackson guard - Duke #12
Wenyen Gabriel forward - Kentucky #13
Sacha Killeya-Jones forward - Kentucky #24
Javin DeLaurier forward - Duke #39
He’s unknown to us
If we mentioned James A. Naismith or John Wooden those would be names familiar to most of you. William “Pop” Gates is likely a name we don’t know although we should since he’s in the Naismith Hall of Fame. The 6-2 guard played for the Harlem Rens, a barnstorming black team in the 1930’s. Jackie Robinson is given credit for breaking down racial barriers in baseball. Seven months prior Gates had broken the color barrier in the National Basketball League.
The National Basketball League or NBL would later merge with the Basketball Association of American and the NBA we recognize was born. How good was Gates you ask--he was selected on the NBL All-time team. Gates would end his active career playing for and coaching the Globetrotters. In 1989 he was inducted in the Hall of Fame as a player. In December 1999 Gates died at the age of 82 a true pioneer of the game. It’s too bad his name has largely been overlooked by many in the basketball community.
