BASKETBALL FROM A FANS PERSPECTIVE

The exploding shoe and the after effect
It didn’t really explode, if you saw the Duke-North Carolina game you witnessed the event.  Duke’s Zion Williamson attempting a cut, slipped and his Nike shoe literally disintegrated in front of our eyes.   Twisting his knee Williamson was forced to the sidelines and missed the balance of the game.  North Carolina then proceeded a beat-down on the Dukees winning 88-72.  I haven’t read an update however it was said Wednesday evening “He’d suffered a mild right knee sprain.” 

The aftermath of the PG 2.5 PE shoe failure impacted Nike first as the stock tumbled significantly.  The company indicated it would conduct a full-scale investigation to determine why the shoe came apart in the manner it did.  We cannot fully delve into the mechanics of the shoe, we’ve gone from canvas Converse Chuck Taylors to many brands being manufactured from leather and composite material.  That was only the beginning, numerous media persons, former and active players have spoken with one voice. 

They have stated in unison Zion Williamson needs to sit down for the remainder of Duke’s season.  I’m not sure how I feel about this matter, if he continues to play the balance of the season Williamson could risk further injury possibly impacting his draft status.  On the other hand, he attends Duke with the intention to play basketball.  We cannot point fingers at the NCAA this time as Boogie Cousins did, they are not the culprits it’s the NBA with its no high school players in the draft rule. 

As for me
The ESPN.com NBA page contained a story on former NBA official Tim Donaghy on Tuesday morning, you remember him, don’t you?   He pleaded guilty to betting on games although there was never any proof, he fixed games.  I’m providing a platform for an issue I detest, cheating.  I didn’t fall off the turnip truck yesterday cheating goes on in various forms in the NBA, NFL, college and all other sports.  Find it, address it and conclude the story, as for me it’s my belief cheaters never win in the end.  Their reputation is forever tainted in some circles. 

Update   
Unless you live in the Bay Area you might have not kept up with construction for Chase Center Arena.  The Warriors will move next fall from Oracle in Oakland to San Francisco and a new arena.  Chase Arena with a seating capacity of 18,064 is slightly smaller than 19,000 seat Oracle Arena.  The only announced planned arena in other NBA news is the Clippers arena in Inglewood.  As mentioned previously the arena would replace Staples Center as home for the Clippers, this project is tied up in litigation.  Probably no matter the arena is tied up in legal matters.  The Clippers are tied to the lease at Staples until 2024 thus ample time to resolve any pending legal matters.          

And you thought you knew geography
If for instance you said college basketball and Nevada your thoughts immediately focused on UNLV.  After all the late Jerry Tarkanian-built UNLV basketball into a national power.  His successors continued the winning trend but nowhere near the level of Tark the Shark.  As for the other school, Eric Musselman arrived for the 2015-16 season and led the University of Nevada-Reno to national prominence.  As for the headline it’s aimed at me and not you.  

It was reported two players who hail from the east coast believed they were headed for the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.  They didn’t realize until much later the University of Nevada-Reno is closer to San Francisco (218 road miles) than it is Las Vegas 438 road miles.  The campus in Reno had intermittent success over the years prior to Musselman’s arrival, anytime Nevada basketball was discussed it centered around UNLV.  The school in addition to winning consistently sent several talented players into the NBA.  That situation exists no more, Eric Musselman is responsible for placing Reno on the map despite some of us having no idea where it was located.