Basketball from a fan’s perspective

He said everything is okay, actions speak otherwise    
LaVar Ball makes an inordinate amount of ridiculous statements, most of them don’t bare repeating.  If we listen (and believe) LaVar Ball everything is “okay” with Big Baller Brand.  “Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball filed suit late Tuesday night against the former co-founder and manager of Big Baller Brand, Alan Foster, for damages of more than $2 million plus interest.” 

That’s a tidbit of information ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne wrote about Lonzo Ball and his effort to extricate himself from BBB.  Lonzo is not talking much he leads that up to his over the top father, he does pursue legal action in the courts to attempt to recover his money.  Is Lonzo finished with BBB or is daddy still in charge of his life?  LaVar has a strange explanation for his son covering his BBB tattoo, you need to read it for yourself.  His response to his son’s action is comical in tone. 

The SEC just got stronger better
Once upon a time there was a common theme in the Southeastern Conference.  It was stated and partially true there were two seasons in the SEC, fall-winter football and spring football.  That’s changed over the last few years as basketball has been upward bound.  The SEC will always be football but recognizes the importance of competitive basketball.  We know this by the coaches the league has added over the last few years. 

John Calipari at Kentucky has been joined by Rick Barnes (Tennessee) Bruce Pearl (Auburn) Ben Howland (Mississippi State) and a few others.  Want further proof, Texas A&M will announce the hiring of Brent Landon Williams who goes by the nickname of “Buzz”.  He’s been a winning head coach first at Marquette and later at Virginia Tech, in 12-years only two losing seasons appear on his resume. 

Luv em
NBA teams and the league office loves brand new arenas.  You are aware by now this is the Warriors last season in Oakland playing at Oracle.  Next fall they move across the bay to San Francisco and the Chase Center.  The capacity of the arena will be slightly smaller with 18,000 capacity than Oracle.  Chase holds another distinction being privately financed. 

In 2017 the Pistons began play at Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit, this arena seats 20,000 for basketball.  In 2016 the Kings moved into Golden 1 Center a 17,000-capacity building in downtown Sacramento. In Los Angeles owner Steve Ballmer is attempting to distance his Clippers from the Lakers.  He plans on his own arena in Inglewood, no architectural designs exist currently, but we are likely to see drawings in the next few months.  Just a brief check on current new or planned arenas. 

“Big House” 
His given name was Clarence Gaines however “Big House” was the life-long nickname.  He attended Morgan State University on a football scholarship.  A teammate one day said; “Your as big as a house”, he stood 6 foot 3 and 265 pounds.  Of course, this was 1941 and the average height and weight of Americans was much less than it is today.  Although it was football that provided him an education, he would be forever linked to college basketball.  Gaines first served as head coach at Morgan State from 1941 through 1945. 

In 1946 he moved to Winston-Salem State and remained at the North Carolina school until 1993.  Gaines retired with 828 wins and 447 losses second only to Kentucky’s Adolph Rupp.  Gaines coached the legendary Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, Cleo Hill the first player drafted from a historically black college played at Winston-Salem.  This short account can only provide you a glimpse of the accolades of this coach who became a legend as well.  He died in 2005 at the age of 81 one year short of his induction into the College Basketball Hall of Fame.