Words eye view

Basketball from a fan perspective

The Zen of Kobe Bryant

“Learn to love the hate.  Embrace it.  Enjoy it.  You earned it.  Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and everyone should have one about you.  Haters are a good problem to have.  Nobody hates the good ones.  They hate the great ones.”

Kobe Bean Bryant

He ain’t done nothing yet

Mizzou’s win Saturday over Alabama might be coach Cuonzo Martin’s most noteworthy event since his arrival in Columbia.  More significant than recruiting Michael Porter Jr. to Mizzou, injuries saw Jr. play only 3 games and depart for the NBA.  The Tigers won 20 games in the coaches’ first year at the helm, the win over Alabama was number 13 and his Missouri State team once won 26.  As you can see the numbers don’t reveal what many of us witnessed. 

I’ve nicknamed this Mizzou squad the “Rodney Dangerfield” team, nobody gives them any respect.  The win Saturday reflected the coach, they play tough hard-nose defense.  This team is not built around a bunch of guys who can score the ball, in fact sometimes they have difficulty scoring.  The toughness of a coach who recovered from injury while an athlete, recuperated from non-Hodgkin lymphoma. 

We are witnessing this year what should have occurred last season, injuries and other factors contributed to a 15-16 record 7-11 in the SEC.  Don’t consider this revisionist history the coach believes it and I’m dumb enough to believe him.  In closing consider the fact he ain’t done nothing yet, Mizzou must finish the season strong.  They will earn an NCAA invitation, if they make the second weekend of the tournament it will be historic for him at Mizzou.  The team is looking forward to exceeding the Sweet 16 finish of Cuonzo's 2013-14 Tennessee team, the best is still yet to come for this coach.  

Lights out shooting

The Warriors lost their game against the Mavs 134-132. I’m sure Steph Curry would have rather won the game.  Despite the loss Saturday night, we witnessed a thing of beauty.  Curry scored 57 points on 61.3% shooting with 57.9% from the 3-line, in 37 minutes on the floor Curry had only 3 TO’s. 

This is written ahead of time

Kansas is ranked the number 22 or 23 team in the nation depending on which poll you read.  This is written ahead of time, without research we cannot determine the date, the date we are referencing is the last time the Kansas Jayhawks were not in the Top 25.  We are not there yet; voting will not occur on the Top 25 until Monday, but they will fall out of the poll.  How did this unfold, the latest example was the loss to West Virginia 91-79?  It might be more than that, Kansas is a good team but certainly nowhere close to any of the past teams. 

The last 7 games has witnessed Kansas winning only 2 of them.   Of the remaining 6 games on their schedule, they should be favored in 2 the remainder might be a toss up to determine a winner.  During the SEC-Big 12 Challenge color analyst Dick Vitale stated his belief the penalty hanging over the head of Kansas might be a reason for their poor play this season.  I can’t by that, regardless of any forthcoming judgment by the NCAA this team has not been placed on probation.  We must face the facts for the first time in several years Bill Self’s failed to produce a championship caliber team.