Basketball from a fans perspective
What’s the excuse?
I write apologies from time to time to readers, the effort to publish Words eye view takes time. I attempt to ensure it’s as accurate as possible however with me doing everything there are errors. What’s the excuse for NBA.com NBA page I might ask? They cited a story on the Pelicans adding a player to the roster and releasing another. They provided a link to Reggie Williams, turns out this was the 52-year old Williams when it should have reflected the 30-year old Reggie Williams. It might not be as funny to you as it is me. With an army of writers and proof-readers they make a mistake of epic proportions.
Pulling a semi-trailer truck
Watching Mizzou struggle on the court all season I allow my imagination to run wild. Coach Kim Anderson must believe he’s pulling a semi-trailer UP HILL! Out of curiosity I looked up the information pertain to the weight of a semi-trailer, it‘s about 80,000 pounds less cargo inside the vehicle. Mizzou can’t shoot at times, can’t defend, doesn’t box out, and can’t rebound.
Exactly what can you do you might ask? Here’s what I believe no team including Mizzou loses games on purpose, they are a mix bag of talent. A couple of times this season in a perfect storm of sorts everything comes together and they are able to win. Somebody said “How can Anderson be expected to do any better he inherited a vehicle on 3 flat tires and requiring an engine overhaul?”
They are history
NBA teams have been on the move since the league was founded. The Syracuse Nationals moved to Philadelphia where they were reborn as the Sixers. Clipper basketball began in Buffalo with a team nicknamed the Braves. On the other hand a number of franchises simply ceased operations never to be heard from again. In this instance I’m referring to NBA franchises located in larger metro areas that simply went out of existence. The Chicago Stags were born in 1946 and died in 1950 closing shop. The original Baltimore Bullets were part of three leagues; they came into being in 1944 lasting to 1947 in the American Basketball League. 1947-1949 the Bullets moved into the Basketball Association of America.
In the 1949 season as part of the merger the Bullets moved into the NBA where they lasted until 1954 before folding. Hockey fans probably believed the name Washington Capitals was original not so. The NHL team was founded in 1974 the basketball team by the same name began play in 1946. The Washington Capitols were a Basketball Association charter member when they came into existence in 1946. The team would move into the new NBA in 1949, the Capitols lasted until the middle of the 1951 season. From 1946 through 1949 the team was coached by legendary Red Auerbach. He would later move to Boston and coach the Celtics to one of the best records in NBA history. The Pittsburgh Ironmen lasted all of one season in the BAA 1946-47.
Best team in the nation---maybe!!!
The downhill side of the collegiate season is at hand. Sitting at the top of the heap is Gonzaga with a 28-0 record as this is written; the Spokane (WA) School has a history of producing winning teams. It is difficult for those in the Midwest and East Coast Time Zones to make an assessment of the Zags. That might be somewhat correct but we could cite the example of UCLA, Oregon and Arizona to contradict that observation.
UCLA, Oregon and Arizona receive large amounts of national exposure over a number of other schools because they are UCLA, Oregon and Arizona. Despite the school’s stellar record Gonzaga is just a blip on the radar screen on sports media. I would really like to see a deep NCAA playoff run then perhaps Mark Few and crew might receive credit for being one of the most successful programs in the country. NOTE: I did it once again, I wrote this prior to Gonzaga’s weekend loss.
