Basketball from a fans perspective

I’m only the messenger

If you are in the position of delivering bad news the messenger is often attacked.  That is the case for me with this account.  Many of my friends who root for the team ranked lower will say I’m picking on their team.  Question, the best college basketball team in the State of Kansas is_______.  I will save you, it’s Wichita State.  In the latest AP and USA Today Top 25 Coaches Poll Wichita State is listed at the number five position in both polls.  You asked “Where are the Kansas Jayhawks?”  Kansas is listed as the number 12 team on both polls.   

All in the Family

No, not Archie Bunker’s family but LaVar Ball’s.  I’ve read several emails regarding LaVar’s behavior defending him.  Unlike several I don’t believe I ever dealt with how he raised his children or his family dynamics.  LaVar might not have originated the term however I heard him say it first.  When questioned by a member of the media he said: “Stay in your lane.”  Those are words he could utilize when discussing the Lakers. 

Well maybe he can coach the game, where does his basketball expertise come from you ask?  It’s been reported he averaged two (2) points a game in college, this from a man claiming he could beat Michael Jordan on the court back in the day.  Has LaVar Ball the right to his own opinion, most certainly however there are many who don’t care about his view of a particular subject.  Is it necessary for ESPN to place a mike in front of him or write about every asinine thing he comes up with? 

It might be even better for LaVar if he concentrated on his company brand rather than the Lakers.  The Better Business Bureau has received 32 complaints regarding his company since BBB began sales.  The bureau awards his company 1 star out of a possible 5 and an F rating.  I wonder how he’s going to explain this. 

Highly unusual

On more than one occasion I have mentioned the college winner is in April when the NCAA Champion is crowned.  In between time we entertain ourselves with the weekly polls throughout the season.  Sometimes it appears the polls change daily although that’s not actually the case.  Voting is still conducted on a once a week basis.  The latest team to lose the top spot is Michigan State which lost over the weekend.   Let’s go back and check at the beginning of the season Duke was number one, since that time Villanova and Michigan State have spent a period of time in the top slot. 

Is there more parity in the college ranks, I believe that might indeed be the case?  Traditional powers such as North Carolina, Kentucky, Louisville and UCLA appear to just be hanging around.  They are competitive but nowhere (at least to this point) playing championship level basketball.  Check out the SEC and Big 12 as example and check the number of schools each of these conferences has in the Top 25.  How about the balance of the season leading up to the NCAA Tourney?  With an apology to Betty Davis in her line from the 1950 Classic All About Eve “Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy night.” ride.