Basketball from a
fan’s perspective
Rivalry renewed
Mizzou and Kansas had one of the oldest college basketball rivalries in the nation, it dates to 1907. In 2012 all that changed, Mizzou left the Big 12 Conference for the SEC while Kansas remained. Although many on the Missouri side of state line wanted to continue play elements on the Kansas side refused. In 2013 this writer pointed to Rutgers and one other school as evidence this didn’t make sense. Rutgers and this long-time rival faced the same issue but concluded differently.
The two schools wanted to continue
play so they signed a home and home agreement to be played during the
non-conference portion of their schedules.
In 2013 the question was raised by this writer why Mizzou and Kansas couldn’t
set up the same type of schedule. The
two schools played an exhibition game for charity two years ago but that was
the only instance since 2012. Well there
is this news, today it was announced the two long-time rivals will play once
again each season for the next six.
2020-21: Dec.
12, 2020 – Sprint Center, Kansas City, Mo.
2021-22: TBD
– Lawrence, Kansas
2022-23: TBD
– Columbia, Missouri
2023-24: TBD
– Lawrence, Kansas
2024-25: TBD
– Columbia, Missouri
2025-26: Dec.
13, 2025 – Sprint Center, Kansas City, Mo. 1.
1.rockmnation.com
That’s Halloween scary
The headline from slamonline.com caught my eye immediately, “Zion Williamson to miss WEEKS at start of season.” The plural, weeks rather than singular and certainly more than day to day regarding his injury. There are few details as this is written, my first thought 6 foot 6 and a 280-pound frame, not only that issue but the floor. The few pre-season games we’ve managed to see Zion is sprinting up and down the court. As this account was being completed came word, surgery for a torn meniscus he’s out of action for 6-8 weeks.
Caught us (Laker Nation)
off guard
In the June 2018 draft the Lakers selected Moritz Wagner from Michigan with the 25th pick in the first round. Wagner is a 6-foot 11-inch 245-pound center/power forward but he’s now a member of the Wizards having been traded in July 2019. In 2018 the Lakers brought in several players for workouts prior to the draft, one in that number was Mitchell Robinson a 7-foot 1-inch 240-pound center. Robinson had been enrolled at Western Kentucky but left in his freshman year without ever playing.
In the June 2018 draft the Lakers selected Moritz Wagner from Michigan with the 25th pick in the first round. Wagner is a 6-foot 11-inch 245-pound center/power forward but he’s now a member of the Wizards having been traded in July 2019. In 2018 the Lakers brought in several players for workouts prior to the draft, one in that number was Mitchell Robinson a 7-foot 1-inch 240-pound center. Robinson had been enrolled at Western Kentucky but left in his freshman year without ever playing.
At the time it was reported he would
begin training for the 2018 NBA draft. Once
workouts proceeded it was reported the Lakers developed a great likeness for
Robinson, it was believed once the draft occurred, they would choose him. The draft unfolded and a strange thing
occurred the Lakers passed on Robinson.
Was it his short tenure at Western Kentucky or something else that
caused them to change their mind?
We’ll never know for sure the why
but this we do know; the Lakers allowed the Knicks to draft Robinson. Fast forward to 2019 on fansided.com it
was written there were 3 players the Lakers should have drafted instead
of Wagner; bet you can’t guess their number one pick? This is no projection of stardom for
Robinson, it’s high school no college and the NBA with the Knicks. Decisions of his choosing forced him to adapt
to NBA play on the fly. He’s raw but in
his brief time on the court he’s shown a propensity to block shots and rebound
the ball two keys for a Big Man to dominate play.
Quin
The Jazz coach is now 52-years old, he’s no longer the impulsive bad-decision making individual he was at Mizzou. Perhaps it might have been a good thing if Mizzou had not hired him. The decision to replace legendary coach Norm Stewart was Snyder or Bill Self. Perhaps not only Snyder’s history may have been different so too might have been Kansas basketball. The coach had to mature, there were several stops after he left Mizzou.
The Jazz coach is now 52-years old, he’s no longer the impulsive bad-decision making individual he was at Mizzou. Perhaps it might have been a good thing if Mizzou had not hired him. The decision to replace legendary coach Norm Stewart was Snyder or Bill Self. Perhaps not only Snyder’s history may have been different so too might have been Kansas basketball. The coach had to mature, there were several stops after he left Mizzou.
Snyder served in the G-League as head
coach and then had three stops in the NBA as an assistant and one in
Moscow. He was hired in 2014 as head
coach for the Jazz and he’s been on an upward trend since then. Despite the fact Snyder had two-years
remaining on his contract the Jazz gave him a long-term extension. The coach has proven he knows how to do that
coaching thing, everything considered, was he too young and too immature at the
time Mizzou hired him?
