Basketball from a fans perspective
This is a sad state of affairs
Figures in the U.S.
indicate the number of youth playing tackle football has shrunk
considerably. This is in part due to
parental concern regarding head injuries.
The number of youth referees might also witness a decrease in number
unless we clean up our act. We’ve
witnessed a couple of recent examples in Kansas and Missouri games, there might
be examples in your portion of the nation.
A Wichita Kansas police
captain shoved a 17-year old girl officiating a boys basketball game, video is available of him
walking on the court to take his son out of the game. The referee appears to warn him off the floor
and at that point he pushes her, he is facing a disorderly conduct charge. in
Raytown Missouri a relative of a middle school player was upset with an
official call. He decided to resolve the
perceived bad call by coming out of the stands and assaulting the referee. Fortunately, a Raytown police officer working
security arrested the man.
I have stated over
and over my belief that basketball might be the most difficult game to
officiate. Officials have made suspect
and sometimes bad calls since James Naismith might have tossed up the first
basketball. Physical violence is not
going to change any aspect of the game.
At the same time there are likely young people who might be motivated to
become an official. They just might
change their mind after reading or hearing of these violent incidents.
“Where in the world is
Carmen SanDiego?”
The PBS Network ran
a children’s quiz program from 1991-1995.
Its purpose was to help American children who were lacking in world
geography know how. The contestants were
required to locate Carmen SanDiego someplace in the world. I’m an adult who required a geography lesson as
well, I had no idea where Gillette College was located, the school is a 2-year
community college in Gillette Wyoming.
Gillette College has
an outstanding point guard, 6-3 Trent Williams from Bellaire Texas. According to Rock M Nation Mizzou’s fan website Cuonzo Martin is looking at him
for next season. His numbers are good
however they do represent competition against junior college players. Could Williams transfer these skills to the
D-1 level? That question cannot be
answered as this is written, in addition Williams might be one of several
potential point guards Mizzou might check out for next season.
Surprising
I missed the 2017 NBA
All-Star game last season on purpose. Sure,
I watched the other events, the celebrity game, 3-point shoot-out, the
slam-dunk contest however I skipped the game.
I’m tired of watching a game with little if any defense in which players
sprint up and down the court attempting to score baskets. This year there will be no change especially
with the new format instituted. This “choose
your sides team” certainly offers no more incentive for me to watch than prior
seasons. Are the participants going to
play defense, or is something else there-there I am unable to see?
History lessons
A few folks on the
Kansas side tend to believe Mizzou basketball is that of the last 3 years. The basketball program has been quite successful although no NCAA Championship banner hangs from the
rafters. Is winning a national
championship the mark of a great program…. that’s up for debate. The 2012 Mizzou team finished the season
winning 30 games while the 2009 team won 31.
Despite what you might tend to believe Mizzou basketball has been
good.
8X Big 8 & Big
12 Conference Tournament Champion
15X Big 6, Big 7 and
Big 8 Regular Season Champion
26 NCAA Tournament
appearances
13 NCAA Field of 32
appearances
7X NCAA Sweet
sixteen appearances
5 NCAA Elite 8
appearances
Mizzou has a winning
record against EVERY Big 8 school apart from Kansas. Against SEC rivals Mizzou holds an advantage
against 6 of them. Mizzou might not have
the national and international prestige of a Kansas but don’t allow the past three
years to cloud your vision.
