Ghostbusters
The setting: The mayor’s office
Ghostbusters are reporting on the coming catastrophe facing New York City.
- Ray Stanz: “Fire and Brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling.”
- Egon Spengler: “Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes! Volcanoes!”
- Winston Zeddemore: “The dead rising from the grave!”
- Peter Venkman: “Human sacrifice! Dogs and cats living together! Mass hysteria!”
Okay I know you are asking what the 1984 classic Ghostbusters connection to basketball is. I’m exaggerating however the developments with Mizzou basketball recruiting is quite significant. If you check the ESPN Top Recruiting Classes for 2017 it will be revealed what caused me to fall out of my chair while reading. There it was right in front of my face in black and white, Missouri with the 21st best recruiting class in the nation and Kansas number 24.
Decommitments play a roll in the change the article pointed out. Can you remember the last time Mizzou was listed ahead of Kansas in basketball recruiting---I can how about never? I’m unsure how many scholarships Kansas has available Mizzou has
NBA Coach of the Year
There are plenty of candidates for coach of the year in the NBA this season. We could begin in Boston with Brad Stevens, then maybe Pop, Greg Popovich? The Warriors are motoring along and might be better this season than last despite losing key contributors in the off season. Steve Kerr was able to blend Kevin Durant into the mix of talent. I didn’t forget the Cavs, despite speed bumps Tyronn Lue has managed to soothe egos while maintaining a winning spirit and attitude.
My candidates for coach of the year is between two guys I thought at one time were only average coaches. Over the course of time their coaching skill has grown significantly. The first candidate is Quin Snyder with the Jazz and the other is Mike D’Antoni of the Rockets. It’s got to be D’Antoni for me, he’s turned an under .500 team into a championship quality team. Of course the change required a cooperative effort by the Rockets. He arrived on the scene and said; “James Harden you’re my point guard.” Scores of people including me laughed out loud D‘Antoni‘s got to be kidding. The results thus far speak for themselves, no drum roll my coach of the year is Mike D’Antoni.
Way too early Top 25
The close of the collegiate season a number of the media begin looking ahead toward the 2017-18 season. Mizzou certainly is no place close to qualifying but I found this interesting for those in the Kansas City Metro.
ESPN.com
Wichita State 6
Kansas 9
Fox Sports.com
Kansas 5
Wichita State 10
SI.com
Wichita State 9
Kansas 11
Sporting News.com
Kansas 4
Wichita State 9
As you can see many of the publications are unsure which is the best college basketball team in the State of Kansas.
Who is he
I can’t travel back in time to determine my reaction; this account is a representation of two different conversations. One involved Patrick Ewing and the moderator said “Kids will have no idea who Ewing is other than Georgetown‘s coach. His parents are likely to know but not him.” I questioned that thought process, I‘m sure they might have no first hand knowledge of Ewing but I’m sure the students of the game know him.
As an example I know of George Mikan and Bob Cousy but was never witness to their play. The second conversation involved Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook’s triple-double effort. The host said; “One good thing about Westbrook it allows the younger generation to shine a light on Robertson and his Hall of Fame career.” Both the A and B stories call for the same response, 95% of basketball fans under age 25 probably have no idea the exploits of Ewing or Robertson don’t assume the other 5% don’t have a clue.
