BASKETBALL FROM A FANS PERSPECTIVE

I remember  
The question is unfamiliar now due to the passage of time, the issue is irrelevant.  What is important is the message communicated to. This I do remember, when questioned about an issue the VP of Finance informed me.  “You are an authorized agent of XYZ Company, as an agent you are authorized to do____________.”  I raise the question due to the on-going trial in New York City regarding college basketball.  Brian Bowman II is currently playing professional basketball in Australia, originally, he was to attend Louisville until news broke of issues with the Louisville program. 

Brian Bowman Sr. testified he received a monetary sum to ensure his son attended Louisville.  The money was paid to him by former Louisville assistant coach Kenny Johnson.  Where did Johnson get the money, he certainly didn’t pay it out of his salary for coaching.  We assume at this point former head coach Rick Pitino was unaware of this incident, the question becomes who is punished?  The head coach and much of the staff has been dismissed to my knowledge so that portion of justice is done.  Johnson was acting as an agent for Louisville, business conducted by him should be treated in that manner.  In conclusion does the school face any punishment?  If so how severe should the punishment be? 

“Larry Laker, party of one”
Sometimes I believe that’s me, you are in a restaurant waiting for a table to be ready.  The host announces your name and how many persons there are in your party.  I believe the headline is me, I’m by myself any time the discussion revolves around Ball.  Not that Ball I speak of Lonzo the less talkative one.  By the time you read this Lonzo will have played his first exhibition game.  You remember off-season surgery kept him on the sidelines until Wednesday. 

There is also news of Lonzo’s weight gain, it’s being reported he’s up from 190 pounds last season to 205 currently.  There is no advantage in added weight if it slows one down on the court.  If it aids in durability that’s a different story, Lonzo had what Shaq would say “A bunch of knick-knack injuries.”  If he can play more minutes I believe his game can only grow playing with LeBron James.  On the other hand, I could be totally off-base…. we shall see. 

Basketball: A Love Story
A portion of the ESPN series focused on the first “loss” by the USA in Olympic basketball history.  The 1972 championship game featured a meeting between Team USA and the team from the former Soviet Union.  The U.S. won the game 50-49…. but wait an Olympic official emerged from the stands claiming the clock had not been started in time, 3 seconds must be placed back on the clock.  Then the impossible, an out of bounds throw from the opposite end line was captured by Alexander Belov.  Despite the presence of two Team USA players surrounding him Belov was able to lay the ball in, Soviet Union 51 Team USA 50. 

Mass confusion reigns on the court as coach Hank Iba and staff argued the basket was not legitimate since time had been placed back on the clock.  Team USA refused to accept their silver medals noting a second-place finish, during the medal ceremony the silver medal area of the stand remained empty.  46 years later those silver medals remain in the hands of the International Olympic Committee, Team USA never picked their medals up.  Do you want to know how deep this hurt runs, at least one team member has a stipulation in his will?  Should this player die relatives are to NOT pick up his silver medal.  Team USA to a man believes it won gold and refused to accept anything less.