Basketball from a fan’s perspective

BREAKING NEWS!

This is breaking news, its being reported the Brooklyn Nets intend to sign Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to their last roster spot.  They envision the former high school basketball talent as a reserve guard thus improving the team’s depth.  Mahomes would report to the Nets after the NFL season concludes even if that is the February Super Bowl.  The Nets after reviewing tape of his play in high school conclude he’s got enough potential talent to justify a minimum salary contract.  As for his contract it must be modified, as its currently written he is prohibited from playing basketball.  Contacted by the media the Nets front office simply stated, "We are going to sign all available basketball talent possible."  In today’s vernacular you have just been punked or if you are older its April Fool’s Day, relax and enjoy it and don’t get caught in anymore fake stories today.       

Hinkle Fieldhouse

I love old buildings including basketball arenas, all the locations in Indianapolis have been more interesting to yours truly than Hinkle.  The arena was opened in 1928 and what I discovered is the 6^th oldest basketball arena in current use.  Located on the Butler University campus the name on the front read Butler until 1966 when it was changed to Hinkle reflecting the school’s long time athletic director.  Undergoing several renovations over the years seating is smaller now (9,100) than it’s opening in 1928.  The building was the site of the 1954 state championship game when tiny Milan High School beat much larger Muncie Central.  If the building look familiar to you other than watching NCAA tournament games it should.  If you saw the 1986 movie Hoosiers, the final scenes in the movie were filmed inside Hinkle Fieldhouse.   

Is it fair?

Reports indicate several general managers in small market cities are upset regarding the week’s events.  They view the acquisition of Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge and Andre Drummond detail the continued domination by large market teams with deep pockets, is it fair?  Other professional sports leagues appear different, as an example the small market NFL Chiefs won the 2020 Super Bowl. 

The 2021 Super Bowl saw a match between two small market teams the Buccaneers and Chiefs.  In baseball the Kansas City Royals won it all in 2015 but for the most part in the NFL and Major League Baseball large market teams have dominated winning.  As for the NBA we make the same case, the Lakers and Celtics with 17 wins apiece have won almost half of the NBA’s championships.  Small market NBA teams will have difficulty attracting free agents so that’s where the other portion of the equation works.  A wise and astute front office will draft and trade for quality players allowing them to compete with the big boy franchises.  Much earlier the Bucks with Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Oscar Robertson won in Milwaukee.  The Cavs had LeBron in their lineup but won it all in 2016. 

The good citizens of San Antonio might not appreciate me referring to the city as a small market franchise, but it is.  They had a long run winning championships and competing.  I know what you are thinking, “If you can only list Milwaukee and Cleveland once and San Antonio the complaint is valid.”  That might be the case however some place in the middle of this diatribe was mentioned small market teams must do their homework to compete. 

They have become the departed

Mizzou guard’s Torrence Watson and Mark Smith along with Parker Braun and Ed Chang both reserves have joined Xavier Pinson in the transfer portal.  Watson played sparingly his sophomore season but was M.I.A. for most of his junior year.  For unknown reasons he fell out of favor with the coach and played little.  Smith is a senior and was to graduate anyway, all season he played hot and cold.  There were games he was lights out from the floor while in others he couldn’t toss the ball in the ocean.  The good, Smith could be counted to play tough defense which he exhibited quite often, and he appeared to be a good citizen and student. 

As for Braun he would play limited minutes as a reserve, Chang after transferring in as a 3-point specialist never saw the floor.  We reported on Pinson earlier as he was the first Mizzou player to announce he was leaving. Losing this many players would appear to be panic time except for the fact the transfer portal is full.  As this is written there are 100 players across the nation in the pool.  Four players (Smith’s a senior) are not going to fall into the lap of Cuonzo Martin, he and the staff must evaluate all and then choose the 4 they believe will fit Mizzou’s roster and style of play.  It would appear I am not the least bit upset regarding the departures and that is the case.  I have confidence in this coach and believe by August the discussion will center on the incoming freshman and how the transfers will fit with the holdovers.