Basketball from a
fan’s perspective
The “wheelchair” game
I’d almost forgotten about the game until a Bleacher Report video surfaced. Allow me to set the stage, 2008 the first game of the NBA championship final round June 5th. Celtic Paul Pierce was injured in the 3rd quarter, he was “hurt” so badly two teammates had to carry his body off the court to a waiting wheelchair.
Pierce is wheeled into the Celtics locker room but a few
minutes later would prove far more interesting. He would emerge from the locker room with no apparent limp, Pierce hit his
first two baskets both 3-pointers. The
Celtics went on to win Game one, to this day several Laker fans concluded
Pierce deserved an Academy Award. No
question he out-acted the best in Hollywood that day.
A new challenge
Several former NBA players have moved into the coaching ranks generally as NBA coaches. Despite the fact they are likely more familiar with the pro game there are more former NBA players coaching the college game over the NBA. The latest is Juwan Howard at the University of Michigan, earlier this spring Jerry Stackhouse took over the Vanderbilt program, just a few of the others:
Several former NBA players have moved into the coaching ranks generally as NBA coaches. Despite the fact they are likely more familiar with the pro game there are more former NBA players coaching the college game over the NBA. The latest is Juwan Howard at the University of Michigan, earlier this spring Jerry Stackhouse took over the Vanderbilt program, just a few of the others:
Patrick Ewing-Georgetown
Terry Porter-University of Portland
Damon Stoudemire-University of Pacific
Donyell Marshall-Central Connecticut
Danny Manning-Wake Forest
Dan Majerle-Grand Canyon
Penny Hardaway-University of Memphis
Larry Krystkowiak-University of Utah
Amir Abdur-Rahim-Kennesaw State
Terry Porter-University of Portland
Damon Stoudemire-University of Pacific
Donyell Marshall-Central Connecticut
Danny Manning-Wake Forest
Dan Majerle-Grand Canyon
Penny Hardaway-University of Memphis
Larry Krystkowiak-University of Utah
Amir Abdur-Rahim-Kennesaw State
This account should not be considered complete, it represents
several NBA players who returned to the college game to coach.
Changes are coming
Division I basketball will look slightly different in the fall, Division II and III will see the change in the following year. The 3-point line moves from its current 20.75 feet to 22.15 feet and 21.65 in the corners, the change reflects FIBA rules. In case you don’t have it committed to memory in the NBA the distance is 23.75 feet and 22 feet in the corners.
Division I basketball will look slightly different in the fall, Division II and III will see the change in the following year. The 3-point line moves from its current 20.75 feet to 22.15 feet and 21.65 in the corners, the change reflects FIBA rules. In case you don’t have it committed to memory in the NBA the distance is 23.75 feet and 22 feet in the corners.
Teams regaining offensive rebounds will now have 20 seconds
to shoot rather than the shot-clock recycling to 30. These changes don’t impact NAIA affiliated
schools however it’s likely they will follow soon, if not the upcoming season
certainly by 2020-21. In the non-con
portion of the season several D-I schools will on occasion schedule NAIA competition. We can guess the NAIA school being the
visiting team will tailor their teams game to the new rules.
They are losers even if they win
Prior to the start of the NBA championship Ray Ratto wrote a story for Deadspin. The writer pointed out his belief Oakland embraced the Warriors while ownership never fully might have embraced Oakland. As you are aware once this series is over the Warriors move from Oracle across the bay to the sparkling new Chase Center in San Francisco.
Prior to the start of the NBA championship Ray Ratto wrote a story for Deadspin. The writer pointed out his belief Oakland embraced the Warriors while ownership never fully might have embraced Oakland. As you are aware once this series is over the Warriors move from Oracle across the bay to the sparkling new Chase Center in San Francisco.
Ratto claims the team moved to Oakland nearly 50 years ago
and continued playing as the “San Francisco” Warriors. With no connection to the bay area and a
portion of this took place several years ago most of us must take Ratto’s story
as being the truth. Its documented
Oracle might be the most raucous arena in the NBA, can this be transferred to
Chase Center? That question of course
cannot be answered until the Warriors begin play next season in their new home.
Most Iconic Laker
More and more I’m turned off by a handful of sports debates, Wednesday morning another one occurred. On ESPN’s Get Up one of the conversations dealt with “Most Iconic Laker, Kobe or Magic”. For this Laker fan this is no debate just opinion, as an example both won 5 championships. That’s the beginning and end of the analysis for me.
More and more I’m turned off by a handful of sports debates, Wednesday morning another one occurred. On ESPN’s Get Up one of the conversations dealt with “Most Iconic Laker, Kobe or Magic”. For this Laker fan this is no debate just opinion, as an example both won 5 championships. That’s the beginning and end of the analysis for me.
We have two Hall of Fame players, Kobe is waiting for time to
elapse between retirement and nomination, both played in different eras and
each was key to Laker championship success.
Which is the better fruit, apples or oranges? Are Ford automobiles and trucks better than
Chevy's or vice versa? We all have
opinions even analyst and former player don’t agree, is your opinion more
important than mine?
