Basketball from a fans perspective                                                                                         
Can he coach?
We could pose the question regarding Mizzou Coach Cuonzo Martin.  We don’t know if he can coach we know he can recruit, the coach received a commitment from another blue chip prospect.  It’s not just the Porters’ who hope to turn the Mizzou program around.  Torrence Watson a 6-4 175 pound shooting guard had committed to Ohio State once again a coach firing possibly impacted Watson’s decision.  

June 5th Thad Matta was fired as head coach at Ohio State I cannot truthfully confirm this was the basis for Watson changing his mind.  Might I remind you again Cuonzo Martin is from the St. Louis Metro, Watson is from St. Louis is there a trend developing here?  Webster Groves is a city in St. Louis County and the home of Carte’Are Gordon.  Gordon is a 6-8 260 pound power forward, last year he committed to St. Louis University.  From Gordon’s Snapchat account this was seen, SLU or Miz?  Is there a hidden meaning in this?    

Basketball Power Index
You know what I always say; “I’m from Missouri you’ve got to Show Me“, this is defiantly a Show Me time for me.  ESPN’s Basketball Power Index rated the Big 12 pre-season.  They excluded transfer players however in order:

West Virginia-6
Oklahoma-8
TCU-9
Kansas-10

If I understand this correctly ESPN claims Kansas is likely to finish 4th in the conference race.  I realize this is not an actual prediction but a power rating however shouldn’t a power rating provide us an example of the position a team might finish?  I’ve stated annually every year it seems pundits claim somebody will rise up and dethrone Kansas.  The only instance this has occurred was in the post-season Big 12 Tournament.  

Inside the mind of Steve Ballmer
It’s impossible to gain entrance to the mind of the man however these are my thoughts.  At the time Ballmer purchased the Clippers the team was riding high, after years of mediocre play they had become a playoff team every season despite the failure to win a championship.  Their co-tenants at Staple Centers were wallowing in last place under the leadership of former Laker Byron Scott.  The Lakers appeared mismanaged on the court and the front office.  Jeanie Buss fired her brother and the GM, she hired Magic Johnson as president and he hired Rob Pelinka as GM.  

Under new leadership the Lakers had an outstanding draft and made several changes in the composition of the team.  In the meantime Chris Paul decided his services would be better serve with the Rockets and requested a trade.  Over the spring and summer the media especially nationally was discussing the Lakers over the Clippers.  A team with only 26 wins was in the news more than the playoff team.  Somewhere in the middle of this Ballmer decides his team needs its own arena.  So at the dawn of the NBA season that’s a thumbnail sketch where we stand.  It’s yet to be determined if the Lakers are truly improved and some of the luster has left the Clippers.