Basketball from a fan perspective

Shut up Jeff Van Gundy

We are entitled to our opinions but only to a point, I have mentioned on more than one occasion how upset I become with ESPN’s Jeff Van Gundy at times.  His drifting mind during NBA telecast causes him to string together things which have no connection to what we are viewing.  Once during a game, he commented on the number of championships won by the Lakers.  “The only championships by the Lakers that should be counted are those won in Los Angeles.”  

I thought it was a silly comment at the time however consider this fact.  I’m watching the Warriors-Blazers game from Chase Center in San Francisco Sunday night, while shooting free throws the television camera catches sight of Warriors Championship banners.  The 2015, 2017 and 2018 championships are prominently displayed along with the 1975 championship.  There are two other banners, 1947 and 1956, what’s that all about?  They were won by the Philadelphia Warriors when the franchise was located in that city, what did you say Jeff, I can’t hear you?    

This remains funny to me after all these years

Sometimes there are incidents in sports that are downright funny, this is an example of one from four years ago.  Tauren Prince now with the Nets arrived in the NBA from Baylor, they had just lost their NCAA match versus Ivy League Yale.  Players must attend post-game press conferences, often the questions asked by reporters are plain dumb.  Listen and view the response by Prince to the reporter’s question, check the link below. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atr60tR7Emottps://www.youtube.com/watch?

Howard basketball

There was a seismic shock last summer in the basketball world, Makur Maker 6-11 power forward chose HBCU Howard University over Kentucky and several other blue blood programs.  It was mentioned Maker became the first 5-star prospect to attend an HBCU school in 20 years, fast forward to the season start.  Maker appeared in two games and averaged 11.5 ppg in two losses and then the announcement. 

Howard Head Coach Blakeney announced Maker would be “shut down”, he’s got a groin injury which he sustained in practice earlier.  That was November 28, since then Howard’s played three additional games with Maker remaining sidelined.  So much was hoped for Maker, Howard and other HBCU schools, the hope has come crashing down with him sidelined.  Prior to this account being written a search was made for an update on Maker’s status and there was no updated information.       

The ‘Goat’

NYC has certainly turned out its share of playground legends.  A name most familiar with is Earl Manigault nicknamed the ‘Goat.’ He died in 1998 at the age of 53 but his name lives on especially in famed Rucker Park in the city.  How did he get the nickname, he claimed a teacher in high school couldn’t pronounce his name?  The teacher kept pronouncing his last name as Mani-goat, back then before Rivals and all those other scouting sites the Goat would have been a 5-star prospect.  There were overriding factors in his life which caused him to never reach the level many expected.  Standing 6 foot 1 it was said Goat had a 42-inch vertical however that statement and another account are the stuff of legend. 

It’s claimed there was a quarter placed on top of a basketball backboard, it’s said Goat was able to rise to the level allowing him to pick off the quarter.  Considering the top of a backboard is 13 feet off the ground that would be an amazing feat.  Despite his basketball prowess drugs and grades would impact his life to the point he was never able to attend college for any length of time.  After a semester at Johnson C. Smith College in North Carolina he returned home where his drug problem led to a prison sentence.  In and out of trouble with law enforcement the Goat was finally able to kick the drug habit.  The balance of his life was committed to aiding community kids in efforts to remain on the straight and narrow.  This but a brief look at the life of a NYC playground legend nicknamed ‘The Goat.’