Words eye view 

Basketball from a fan perspective

Half-way there

Shaka Smart has been one of my personal favorite coaches going back to his days at VCU.  Since his arrival at Texas his teams never reached the level many of us expected.  His 2019 team won the NIT Championship, but nobody pays attention to that…it’s the NCAA Tournament with the prestige.  His 2020-2021 team is Big 12 post-season champion, his Longhorn team beat Oklahoma State 91-86.  Texas would have qualified for the Big Dance anyway however this championship win solidifies his effectiveness as a coach.  Texas has now set the stage for what is hoped a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, good luck coach Smart.   

Sorry KU Fans

Because I live in the Kansas City metro the local television news interviewed several Kansas fans disappointed about being eliminated from the Big 12 Tournament.  In addition, I read further commentary among several print outlets.  Covid was the responsible party for your team being eliminated from play, allow me to talk you down.  Next week is the true test, by all early indications your Jayhawks will be in the field of 64.  Quit crying, for me its easier to moan about a loss on the court rather than being shut down due to a medical issue.   

High school teammates

A while ago we discovered Jae Morant Grizzlies point guard and Zion Williamson Pelicans forward were teammates.  It wasn’t high school it was teammates on an AAU time during the summer.  As for others they attended the same high school and were teammates, Nate Thurmond and Gus Johnson are the first teammates of note.  They played at Akron’s Central High School in the 1960’s, in addition their excellent NBA careers led them to be enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame.  These high school teammates are brothers, Dick and Tom Van Arsdale.   

The brothers played at Emmerich Manual High School in Indianapolis; they would later attend the University of Indiana.  In 1965 Dick was drafted by the Knicks, twin brother Tom by the Pistons. The brothers played for several NBA teams prior to their retirement.   Mark Aguirre and Eddie Johnson played their basketball at Westinghouse High School in Chicago.  Aguirre spent most of his NBA career with the Mavs and Pistons.  As for Eddie Johnson it was the Kansas City/Sacramento Kings and Suns, both high school teammates played at Westinghouse in the late ‘70’s. 

These teammates passed the basketball to one another although one gravitated to football.  Donovan McNabb and Antoine Walker played at Mount Carmel High School in Chicago, McNabb like most played several sports, he was a quarterback in football which led him to Syracuse University and the NFL Eagles.  McNabb was a walk-on basketball player for a few seasons while in college.  His teammate Walker would play basketball for Kentucky and later became a member of the Celtics.  Please don’t consider this a complete account, there are others who were omitted and certainly it wasn’t intentional. 

Who was the first?  

An important news announcement came forth the first black female official was hired by the NFL.  This takes on more importance occurring during Women’s History Month.  Much earlier we noted the first female official worked Super Bowl 55.  I hope this is not perceived as raining on someone’s parade or accomplishment, that is not the intent. 

We can acknowledge the fact NFL football is followed by a greater number of fans than the NBA.  With that said we can also ask the question, who was first?  It certainly wasn’t the NFL, the NBA hired two female officials in 1997.  Over the years 7 women have been hired and have officiated NBA games, there are 5 currently serving in this role.  The fact the NFL has moved forward in its hiring practices for women is a good thing, it should be of note they are not the first league to hire female officials, who was the first?