Basketball from a fans perspective
Published Monday-Friday
My intention
This is change number well guess what I’ve lost count of the changes. The revised plan is for me to attempting for Words eye view to become a Monday through Friday publication beginning this morning. The chief reason for the change basketball news on Monday has been delayed until Wednesday morning. You say there could be breaking news on Saturday or Sunday I can agree however I’ll just deal with that possibility occurring. Here goes change number-------I don’t remember.
He replaced the guy who replaced that other guy
Sports fans I’m going to admit up front I don’t know a great deal about Chris Holtmann. He’s the new men’s basketball coach at Ohio State the balance of this account I had to research. Holtmann replaces the recently fired Thad Matta who held the job for 13 seasons at the school. The resume for the new coach looks impressive, he’s 45-years old and he guided Butler to a 70-31 record in three seasons.
After Brad Stevens departed Butler for the NBA Celtics the school hired Brandon Miller as head coach. Holtmann was hired as assistant coach at Butler he would assume the role of interim head coach when Miller took a medical leave of absence, later the interim tag was moved and he assumed the duties as head coach. Ohio State (at least under Matta) was an able recruiter of basketball talent. It’s now up to Holtmann if he can manage to keep the pipeline full of prospective recruits.
SEC Country
On the map the State of Missouri shares borders with SEC rivals Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee that’s it. The move to the SEC was not done with geography in mind it was done with $$$ as the basis for the move. Naturally change is difficult for some me included, Neil asked me just the other day; “Are you okay with Mizzou in the SEC?” Before the 2012 move Mizzou was a member of the Big 12 Conference and its previous incarnations.
I wasn’t pleased at first, the rivalries I’d grown accustom to as a youngster and now an adult were no longer there. I wanted continued play against Iowa State, Kansas State and especially Kansas in basketball. My chief concern with the SEC at this juncture the football and basketball teams have not been competitive that’s the only downsize for me. Rivalries are established, Mike Anderson at Arkansas former Mizzou coach, Calipari’s Kentucky Wildcats and Frank Martin at South Carolina are just a few of the new rivalries in my view. Yes Neil it’s been kinda rocky at first but I’m actually okay with the move now.
Sad news
I’ve noted in the past most Euro players I’m unfamiliar with until the draft. Even at that time they are just a name we have no idea if they can play at the NBA level. An even worse outcome is an injury or illness preventing them from determining if they can play. That is the case for Jonathan Jeanne the 7-footer from France. Jeanne was projected as a mid-first round pick until a medical exam indicated Marfan syndrome.
If the medical condition sounds familiar it should if you remember Isaiah Austin, expected to be drafted in 2014 Austin was never able to fulfill his NBA aspirations. Although his doctor later cleared him to play no NBA team chose to sign Austin he’s currently playing in Europe. “The disease affects the heart, eyes, blood vessels and bones. Treatment includes medication to keep the blood pressure low, eye glasses or contact lens and surgery.” We shall await further news regarding Jeanne.
