Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Basketball from a fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

What time is it? Game time Whoooo
The above title is the preparation for the game in the huddle by more than a few NBA teams. Players are in a circle usually in the tunnel prior to the court. The team captain or a designated cheer leader begins it. He says: “What time is it?” The response from the team: “It’s game time, Whooo. It is game time as the NBA prepares to kick off (ya, it’s a football term) season number 75. The next statement was not checked but it’s believed this might be a record number of first year coaches. Jason Kidd and Rick Carlisle are just new guys in place although they have head coaching experience. The majority are first time head coaches which says one thing is needed…patience.  There are new coaches in place for the most part because the other guy couldn’t do it, he was unable to raise the level of play of the team.

“No need of crying over spilled milk”
I’ve always taken the adage above to inform us “what occurred is in the past”, you have no method of fixing or correcting the event or events. The NBA news on Monday reminded me of what might have been. Michael Porter Jr. signed a 5-year extension with the Nuggets for a reported $207 million. You should know the story by now I’ve cried enough about it. Rivals 5-star prospect and the prospective number one pick in the NBA draft arrived on the campus of Mizzou in the fall of 2017. Mizzou fans were quite excited with his arrival and then it occurred…. injury.

MPJ managed to play a total of 3 games for the Tigers and then departed for the NBA. The Nuggets drafted him with the 14th pick in the first round of the 2018 draft, after sitting out what would have been his rookie year MPJ would show flashes of potential when on the court. The 2020-21 season would be his first as a starter and small forward for the Nuggets and the balance of the story is left for you to uncover. I ain’t mad at MPJ signing a fat contract, I’m sad for Mizzou Nation which never had the opportunity to see this talented youngster play to his full potential.

We shall see if the report is correct
Anthony Davis has gone on record saying he doesn’t want to play the 5. That’s understandable however suppose that supplies the Lakers with a dynamic starting lineup, would he be willing to move for periods during a game. There is no Shaq for AD to guard, no Kareem skyhook to contest just a bunch of guys given the task of playing center in today’s NBA. AD at 6 foot 10 ½ and 253 pounds has the height plus the bulk to play the position, the only legitimate center in today’s NBA in my view is Joel Embiid.

Even Embiid drifts out to the 3-point line during the course of games. If AD moves willingly the Lakers will have all sorts of combos to toss at opposing teams. In addition, AD might be a greater force defensively at the center position than power forward, I’m excited about the prospect at the center position and who plays major minutes at the shooting guard. Reports are Wayne Ellington has the inside track due to his prolific shooting, despite this fact I wouldn’t count out Talen-Horton Tucker at least yet. 

Say what?
Owner Steve Ballmer is quite excited about the prospect of his Clippers playing in the Intuit Dome. Ballmer has clearly gone over the top with his praise and excitement. “You must be pretty worried about us”. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer Shades Laker Fans. That’s the headline in bballrumors.com and maybe other publications, what about this from a Laker fan? “17-0, but the Lakers are scared of you”, this fan and others make the same declaration. Come and talk smack to us once you (Clippers) win a championship, arenas don’t win championships teams do.

How did it all begin
If you read this blog any length of time you realize my allegiance to the Lakers. What about the other basketball team the Mizzou Tigers, that’s quite an interesting story? It’s connected to Kansas basketball; I realize that’s shocking but true. It began as a youth, although I’ve always lived on the Missouri side of State Line Road the basketball played at Kansas was more exciting than what I saw being played in Columbia. This loyalty existed right up to the time I began working for the local cable company, I found myself surrounded by Kansas basketball fans although my employment was on the Missouri side of the line. It might have begun accidently, or it could have been on purpose I don’t remember.

Those employees who were basketball fans were extolling the virtues of Kansas basketball. I must have said something positive about Mizzou basketball at this point, I then began to delve into the history and the coach of this program. Acquaintances were not particularly pleased with veteran Coach Norm Stewart. They claimed he did not develop basketball talent from the Kansas City metro. That was an issue I couldn’t fully address being a late arrival to the discussion. I cannot provide the year, but it would be some point in the mid to late 1990’s Mizzou moved to the forefront for me. There have been periods of poor play during this time there have always been immense success.

No NCAA Championship has occurred for Mizzou however we could make the same statement about other programs. Kansas basketball has certainly been more successful on the court however the team for me…the Mizzou Tigers. An interesting note, how did Mizzou’s athletic teams become nicknamed the Tigers? During the American Civil War Missouri was a divided state the same as Kentucky, both states holding slaves but southern and northern influence on its politics. One of the battles during the war saw a group of southern sympathizers marching toward Columbia to capture the city. The northern defenders of the city referred to themselves as Tigers later the nickname was applied to the sports teams.

Monday, September 27, 2021

Basketball from a fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Bits n Pieces 
The ESPN NBA page headline on Saturday is the basis for my laughter. The headline: “Why LeBron fell from the number 1 spot for 2021-22” it read. 1. LeBron will be 37 years old before the season is complete. 2. Over the course of his career the LeBron at 36 is not the LeBron at 26. This poll is an artificial assessment by a person or persons, we can agree or choose to disagree if that is our view. I choose to disagree because its my belief it just ain’t that important. What is important is the last game of the NBA Championship game. Hopefully from this Laker fans view LeBron will be at center court holding the Larry O’Brien and The Bill Russell MVP Trophy’s.

There are whispers about Carmelo Anthony, the chief one heard. “He’s (Carmelo) is chasing a ring at this point”, that might well be the case but ask the others. Who are the others, Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller, Patrick Ewing and the late Elgin Baylor among others? All the names and others have numerous honors in basketball, but they are missing one element…no championship ring. Are you a lesser player with no championship on your resume, of course not but unfortunately, we tend to judge a players worth based on the number of championships won? Back to Anthony, despite more than one NBA stop he’s been a valued member despite anything former coach George Karl has to say. There is no guarantee the Lakers win it all 2022 but this should be his last season and Anthony’s been a good one.

Ben Wallace wasn’t drafted in 1996, last month he was enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. Late word came today the Lakers converted guard Austin Reaves contract and he will occupy the 14th roster spot. What does this mean, well I ain’t sayin’ he’s HOF material but it is interesting. The former Oklahoma guard went undrafted in the 2021 draft. Of the three rookies who played in the summer Reaves game appeared to be the best of the trio.   

Store the name Jon Bol in your memory bank, he’s only 15-years old. Bol is 7 feet 2 and a slim 205 pounds. He plays for St. Louis Christian Academy, in AAU ball he plays for Bradley Beal and you have an idea where this is headed don’t you? St. Louis is the prime recruiting territory of Mizzou coach Cuonzo Martin. Remember the name Jon Bol and the story.

The Big O
Oscar Robertson is one of the All-Time college and NBA greats. Robertson nicknamed the Big O was the first big guard in the NBA, he played the point at 6 foot 5 and 205 pounds. At the time most point guards ranged from 5 feet 11 to about 6 foot 3, none approached the weight and height of Robertson. Much has said about Laker guard Russell Westbrook and his triple-doubles, who was the first to it was Robertson? The Cincinnati Royals made Robertson a territorial pick in the 1960 NBA Draft, what’s a territorial pick you ask?

In the first 20 years of the BAA/NBA, the league was still trying to gain the support of fans who lived in or near the teams' home markets. To achieve this, the league introduced the territorial pick rule to help teams get popular players from colleges in their area who would have strong local support. Before the draft, a team could give up its first-round draft pick and then select any player from within a 50-mile (80 km) radius of its home arena. Although the territorial picks were selected before the draft, these picks were not factored into the overall selection count of the draft; therefore, the first non-territorial pick of the draft was considered the first overall pick.”  Wikipedia

Despite having one of the best players in the NBA the Royals had difficulty playing for a championship. The gigantic shadow of Bill Russell’s Celtics blocked any hope for a Royals advancement. The Royals did the unthinkable they traded Robertson to the Bucks where he would team with Kareem Abdul Jabbar they would win the Bucks first NBA Championship. Robertson is enshrined in the Naismith, College and FIBA Halls of Fame. There are far too many honors to list them all for Robertson, let’s just say he plowed the ground in front of Russell Westbrook.

BYU is pleased too
Earlier we discussed the Houston entry to the Big XII Conference, what about the others? In the western part of the nation BYU has long played quality football but as an independent they haven’t received a great deal of love in the selection area. As a Power 5 member the Cougars will be competing for major bowl games with other power schools. For basketball BYU is a member of the West Coast Conference, basketball has been a source of pride for fans of the program for years.

If you were to ask the question how competitive the basketball is, we must return to the 2004-05 season to see a less than productive BYU team, in the last two seasons under Mark Pope BYU’s won 20 and 24 games with an NCAA invitation. As with Houston the same scenario should apply for BYU, having Kansas, Baylor, West Virginia and others on their schedule should bolster the school’s ability to recruit especially the western part of the nation. After fears of dying, it is clear the Big XII intends to be a practical conference in football and basketball into the future.

Sunday, September 26, 2021

Basketball from a fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

What do we know about Kawhi Leonard and his ACL surgery, exactly nothing, this we do know he signed an extension? For the first time since the surgery his name hit the internet, “What was the timeline on his return” was the question on most minds? When…we don’t know, he is continuing to rehab the partial tear in his right ACL. In truth an injury of this degree is difficult to figure out a return date all we can do is guess.

It’s believed the earliest Kawhi might return would be mid to late February or he could miss the entire season. I found an article on bleacherreport.com, the story profiled 10 former or present day NBA players who underwent ACL surgery. Of course, nothing of this type is ever equal, there are individuals who heal faster than others. At the same time in reading the account all were able to return to action successfully after rehab. Among the active players returning successfully from ACL injuries are Derrick Rose, Kyle Lowry, Ricky Rubio and Danilo Gallinari. Hopefully Kawhi will return successfully as those named.

The Smith factor
No, this is not about Agent Smith the antagonist in The Matrix series, it’s Stephen A. Smith. I quit watching ESPN’s First Take so I could avoid his spin on stuff, yet he’s permeated my space. I cannot read the NBA page on the website without seeing a statement made by Smith. I don’t read the account however it smacks me in the face. When I pursue sources other than ESPN.com a statement by Smith is almost always reported by others. My question who appointed him the king of sports journalism?

I find few instances of agreement and that is okay, what I find most irritating is him playing at general manager. Smith is in no position to decide who goes or who stays on any team. He’s entitled to his own opinion on practically any manner however just because he says it doesn’t make it so. Smith has no idea the requirements to complete a trade…how can he suppose Dame Lillard or anyone else be traded.

I am just not sure what to do at this point regarding my irritation with this over the top media coverage of Smith and his opinions. I’m sure some of you like my cousin enjoy his banter and pronouncements, I have found him to be loud and often times plain obnoxious. In addition, in certain areas he’s been proven wrong more than correct when it comes to picking winners. For my cousin and you hopefully this is the last time you will see this or a similar column.   

The return
One of the all-time great Spurs is returning…Manu Ginobili. Oh, I hope this isn’t confusing Ginobili is 44-years old now and certainly isn’t resuming his play on the basketball court. The Spurs have been trying for to him to return in a role with the Spurs. According to the news Ginobili will take on a player centric role with the team, he will aid in player development for the Spurs. It’s good to see Ginobili return to the Spurs and this little tidbit of information. He was one of those guys I hated, it seemed he always came off the bench or as a starter sank a basket or stole the ball. When this effort occurred against other NBA teams it was no big deal, it seemed far too often it happened against my Lakers. Of course, all is forgiven now with his retirement as an active player. 

Upcoming key NBA dates
September 28-NBA Training Camps open

October 3-Nets at Lakers pre-season 3:30 p.m. Eastern 2:30 Central on TNT

October 4-15 Balance of pre-season games scheduled

October 19-Regular season begins 

I’m reluctant
His name is Robert Jennings, he hails from DeSoto in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metro. As for his size and position he’s a 6-foot 7-inch 220-pound power forward. The main reason for the headline Jennings is an athlete in the “I might choose Mizzou as my school of choice”. The problem Jennings announced he’s reduced the number possible destinations to, Texas Tech and you guessed it Mizzou. As for how he might be viewed Rivals list Jennings as a 3-star prospect although they did not assign a ranking for him in the Class of 2022.

Despite my reluctance all I can say at this point I hope he decides in favor of Mizzou, no disrespect toward Texas Tech it’s program or fans. So, you see my reluctance, every time I become too excited about a prospect his final choice comes down to a school other than Mizzou. As an example, I was aware Aidan Shaw had Mizzou as a possible destination. A kid on the Kansas side of the line and Bill Self recruiting him, I (along with others) believed Shaw was headed to Lawrence Kansas. Imagine my shock and surprise when Shaw announced his chose was Mizzou over Kansas and others, can I say I’m ready for another surprise?

Friday, September 24, 2021

Basketball from a fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

His vocabulary      
If you lived in the New York Metro you’ve been listening to Knicks broadcaster Walt Frazier for years. For those unfamiliar with the name Frazier played ten seasons for the Knicks and was chosen to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987. At the time the NBA selected its all-time Top 50 Players Frazier was one of the honorees. Those outside the metro able to view Knick games on NBA League Pass or NBA TV are familiar with his voice during Knick broadcasts.

During a part of a recent Knicks game Frazier used the word sagacious (suh-gey-shuh s) in a description of game action. I had no idea of the definition, nor do I remember hearing the word in the past. For dummies like me I decided to check the dictionary; “having or showing acute mental discernment and keen practical sense; shrewd” Only Frazier’s broadcast would have such a word, thus ends today’s teaching moment from Walt Frazier courtesy of Larry Laker. (dictionary.com)

“Houston, we are a go”
The headline above represent the words of astronauts over the generations. Those might also be the words of the University of Houston. This former member of the defunct Southwest Conference and later American Athletic Conference is on the way to the Big XII. From Houston this is a good move in countless ways, they become a member of a Power 5 Conference, that’s number one. Number two, it’s the rivalry. They will have Baylor, Texas Tech and TCU all Texas schools on their schedule every season.

We guess the schools might not have a football game scheduled every season, basketball is a different matter. We are unsure why the decision to add Houston took an inordinate amount of time, on the surface it would appear easy. Number three might be recruiting; Texas still is a hotbed for high school basketball talent. There are other areas it is helpful for Houston to become a Big XII member but the foot dragging was clearly with the Big XII. How do we know there was a delay consider this, the length of time since Mizzou and Texas A&M left for the SEC?

Bits n Pieces 
We have discussed the fact this upcoming season will be the last for Coach K. The coach will leave a tremendous legacy in his retirement. Despite his retirement it’s hoped high profile recruits will manage to find their way to Durham North Carolina. Who knows maybe it’s already begun to occur, on Tuesday Dereck Lively II 7 foot 1 and 220 pounds gave his verbal commitment to Duke? Lively is a 5-star recruit and ranked number three in the Class of 2022 by Rivals. No Coach K., no matter we move on.

A new player in town, Link Prep is a new basketball prep school found in Branson (MO). Many are probably familiar with the city due to the entertainment park Silver Dollar City located there. If you are geographically challenged Branson is 209 miles southeast of Kansas City and 251 miles southwest of St. Louis. The city is in the middle of the Ozark part of the State of Missouri. As for Link the school is only three years old and similar to others is not sanctioned by the state athletic association. Link Prep plays a national schedule and recruits from the entire nation.

This story is really just beginning, since the end of the Sixer season multiple stories have been written and reported regarding Ben Simmons. The point guard went on record saying “I will not report to training camp (on Monday).” We don’t know the full extent of this feud, is Simmons trying to force the Sixers to trade him? He further claims he wants out of Philadelphia, it will be interesting over the next few weeks to see how this matter is eventually resolved. As this was completed came word from Sixers coach Doc Rivers, he claims a desire for Simmons to remain a Sixer. 

My remembrance
Can we say Clippers owner Steve Ballmer might be a little tardy to the party? He was quite vocal in pointing out a desire for his team to play in their own arena, which is okay, the best play dates are the fault of the earlier ownership. It was made known the Lakers would move out of the Forum to Staples Center well before its planned 1999 opening. The Lakers along with the NHL Kings signed contracts early saying they intended to move into the new arena. The Clippers then owned by Donald Sterling played their games at the Pond at Anaheim (now Honda Center) from 1994 through 1999. An account in the Los Angeles Times April 17, 1998, says: “The Clippers, who have never shared in the glamour and the glory of the Lakers and Kings, will now at least get to share their new home. The Clippers have agreed to a six-year lease to play in the downtown Staples Center when it opens in the fall of 1999.”

For reasons unknown then owner Sterling must have decided it would be helpful to play at Staples rather than remain in Anaheim. For owner Ballmer it’s a legacy issue over a building. Until the Clippers win at least a single championship they will remain in second place in the mind of most in Southern California. Want further proof, my wife loves the game show program Wheel of Fortune. The other evening when Pat Sajak discussed a contestants love of Los Angeles sports she named the Rams, Dodgers and Lakers. There was no mention by her of the Clippers who moved to the city in 1984.  Finally, Laker fans haven’t forgotten the Doc River Clipper years and the issue of the banners. Sharing the same arena with the Lakers whenever the Clippers played, he had the retired Laker jerseys concealed. Now think about this a minute, isn’t that silly? Anybody that’s ever been in Staples Center at other times is aware behind the coverings in the rafters are retired Laker jerseys.

Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Basketball from a fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

“The champ is here, the champ is here!” 
The headline is the announcement made when the late Muhammed Ali would head for the boxing ring and his match. In this instance we are not discussing the late heavyweight boxing champ rather it’s the Milwaukee Bucks. There are times I disagree with the take of Shaquille O’Neal, this time I don’t. Individuals in the media have awarded the Lakers the west and the Nets the east. Well, the west is certainly up in the air and subject to debate we might make the same statement for the east. The Nets have been awarded the east championship prior to the first game of the 2021-22 season. Have we forgotten so soon the Bucks won it all last season, I don’t believe they are going to simply concede the east crown to the Nets?

I know what I said last season, the expectation was great at this address calling for a Suns win for a variety of reasons chief among them Chris Paul. We know the ability of The Greek Freak, but it appeared at times he was incapable of forcing his will upon his team. We saw his ability in that last game plus The Invisible Man Khris Middleton also came to play. It wasn’t just those two the balance of the Bucks roster came together in order to win the championship. You can sell this team short and pick them to finish behind the Nets, that ain’t me. I leave you with my statement, “I’m from Missouri, you’ve got to Show Me” the Bucks can’t repeat in the east.

BMOC
You must be a certain age to recognize BMOC, it stands for Big Man on Campus. The word was applied to JJ Redick while a member of the Duke Blue Devils. He won the Rupp Trophy 2 seasons, College Player of the Year in 2006 and a lights out shooter especially from three. He was stamped a “can’t miss” NBA player when drafted 11 in the first round of the 2006 NBA Draft. Then it occurred, like a number of other outstanding collegiate players steering the ship in NBA waters would prove far more difficult.  It would be the 2013-14 season while a member of the Clippers he began to display his skill.

No longer playing starter minutes Redick would become a valuable reserve and 3-point specialist. He would continue this role with successive teams, the Sixers and Pelicans. Redick would play one more season with the Mavs, on September 21 he announced after 15 years he was retiring. The guy who came into the NBA with star written on his jersey managed a long and successful NBA career. He made a great deal of money during his time so his future should be secure. At this point we are unsure if he heads for the broadcast booth or into business. Whatever direction Redick travels he will be successful. He managed to make himself valuable by becoming a specialist. Good luck in your future endeavors JJ Redick and thanks. 

Is there a need?
The Lakers brought Kenneth Faried in for a workout, it’s highly likely Faried wants back in the NBA. He’s not been on an NBA roster since 2019 but is only thirty-two which on the Lakers would make him a “youngster.” In all seriousness “The Manimal” as he was nicknamed might become Montrezl Harrell 2.0. Is Faried worth a roster spot, moreover is there a requirement for an NBA specialist in the Small-Ball era? Dennis Rodman could have scored baskets however his concentration on rebounds and tough defense saw enshrinement in the Naismith Hall of Fame.

JJ Redick is searching for a team, although he certainly could retire, he wants one more shot as an NBA player (see above story he did retire). Did I mention Redick is a 3-point specialist, over the course of his career he’s been the distance shooter for more than one franchise. Reddick’s shooting has been invaluable to NBA teams. We consider this an example of one specialist from the past (Rodman) and one from the present (Redick). There are others but, in a discussion, we came to one conclusion specialist can only be used by “good” teams. Back to Rodman, he played valuable minutes for the Pistons and Bulls, in both instances we are discussing championship teams. For the Spurs and the Lakers his value was diminished due to the team.

Oden is in a good place
There are occasions an athlete reaches the NBA and we discover they are just not that good. Good in that dominance at the collegiate level does not occur one level above. This was mentioned in the past a writer listed NBA busts, guys whose career simply didn’t match their hype. This writer listed Greg Oden’s name among the cast, and I screamed loudly NO….NO!  Oden is now a member of the Ohio State coaching staff as a graduate assistant, he returned to school and received his degree two years ago but I’m getting ahead of myself. Oden graduated from Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis and chose to attend Ohio State.

In 2007 the Blazers made the 7-foot 273-pound Oden the top choice in that year’s draft, the long and storied NBA career predicted never came to fruition. Nagging injuries would dog him throughout his brief NBA career. The NBA has changed however this provides you an idea why he was the top choice in 2007. I’m reminded over and over one NBA scout compared Oden to the second coming of Bill Russell, which was the thought of his defensive prowess. After a time with the Heat and play in China Oden gave it up in 2016 injuries robbing him of the promise. So, what did he do, he returned to Ohio State and obtained his degree? He’s married now and hopes the job at Ohio State will allow him to become a head coach at some future date, here’s hoping it is soon. 


Monday, September 20, 2021

Basketball from a fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

It’s basketball and not football
Matt Norlander writing for CBS Sports.com basketball claims the Big XII snubbed Memphis. He further declares the school should now concentrate further on the best sport at the school…basketball. As for the snub I can’t address that, the basketball I will try. Memphis plays football in the same manner of others however the basketball has long overshadowed football. That’s not all bad, there are schools in truth round ball is more storied than the pigskin. Who are they, how about Syracuse for one they had the great fullback Jim Brown play for them, but the Orangemen’s basketball program overshadows even Brown? If one says Kansas, the late Gayle Sayers once ran the football for a very good team.

Even Sayers is overshadowed by the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, JoJo White and Paul Pierce. Kentucky, football is certainly played at the university but there is no comparison to the Wildcat basketball program. One year Kentucky had a significant number of players chosen in the first round of the NBA Draft. The UConn program has not been as significant since Jim Calhoun retired however it is on the way back with a famous family name at the helm, Dan Hurley. Carolina Blue, we could probably name more NBA players than NFL emerging from the school. Under Coach K. Duke basketball has reigned supreme, does Duke really play football. There are others omitted in this brief overview, this is intended to point out the significance of basketball over football at these institutions and others, enjoy. 

Soon
NBA training camps open next week, the last two seasons has seen the NBA schedule being severely affected by covid. As this is written the season will begin on time, you remember the history, play stopped in March of 2020 and resumed in late June. The Lakers won the championship in October in the Bubble that was Orlando. This was the latest time ever for a team to be crowned and with a short turn around play begin in December for the 2020-21 NBA season.

Glitches occurred however the season was completed with the Bucks becoming 2021 NBA Champions. The conclusion of the 2021 championship and the NBA Draft was late although not as much as the previous year. Hopefully the 2021-22 season will see play on its regular schedule with no complications. This is a human problem, there is no intent to overlook the tragedy and impact of covid here and across the world. The illness and death continuing to rage are far more important than any basketball game. With that said the majority look forward to the NBA season and the joy it brings for us.

Bits n Pieces  
Sam Martin plays basketball for the University of MO-Kansas City. No worry if you are unfamiliar with his name, you are more aware of his cousin. Martin’s high school numbers in Texas were good enough to secure a basketball scholarship. Redshirted last season Martin was invisible, so we expect to see him debut this fall and winter for UMKC. Oh, I almost forgot you should be familiar with his cousin if you follow the NFL. Martin’s cousin is Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Martin is no distant relative. It turns out Martin and Mahomes are first cousins.

Jerry Colangelo is stepping down from his duties with USA Basketball. The new managing director of USA Basketball is former NBA player Grant Hill. The first order of business for Hill is to hire a coach for Team USA. Congratulations to Hill in this new endeavor, there is no doubt in his ability to lead to continued success for Team USA basketball.

The time, in this instance we are not discussing the R&B music group from Minneapolis the Time. We are discussing Time Zones, Eastern, Central and others. With the additions of a quartet of schools the Big XII will be spread across three Time Zones. The greatest concentration of schools are in the Central Time Zone although longtime member West Virginia is on Eastern time. New members UCF and Cincinnati are on eastern time as well. The addition of BYU adds one conference member in the Mountain Time Zone. If we check out other conferences this issue is not as uncommon as we might first perceive. The AAC has teams in distinctive time zones, so does the Atlantic 10 and the venerable Big 10. As you can see this issue of teams playing in different time zones is not as unusual as you might initially have perceived.

I admit I was unfamiliar with the coach and the school however the news is historic. Sarah Gayler was named head men’s basketball coach at Brescia University; she becomes the first woman ever to coach men’s basketball in NAIA history. The school is in Owensboro Kentucky about 100 miles southwest of Louisville to provide you an idea of its location. This hire was not made to fill a quota Gayler has spent the last two seasons working for the NBA Bucks, she’s served as a Jr. NBA Coach in China and India. In addition, she’s been an intern during the NBA Summer League. “I’ve been part of a men’s program for the last 12 (years)” were her words.

Sunday, September 19, 2021

Basketball from a fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Geography is interesting
Stillwell is 45 miles from Lawrence Kansas home of the Kansas Jayhawks. The University of Missouri is located in Columbia and 150 miles from Stillwell. What does geography have to do with basketball, Mizzou received a commitment from 4-star and Class of 2022 prospect Aiden Shaw. Shaw attends Blue Valley High School in Stillwell; he might be a tweener at 6-foot 8-inches and a slim 190 pounds. It will be interesting to see if he plays at small forward or shooting guard since he’s got 3-point range. Shaw becomes the highest rated Mizzou prospect since Michael Porter Jr., Jontay Porter and Jeremiah Tilmon committed four years ago. Among the schools recruiting Shaw, Iowa State, Nebraska, Arkansas, Maryland along with Kansas and others.

The secondary reason this is a big deal, Stillwell although on the Kansas side is included in the Kansas City (MO) metro and perhaps Shaw is the first prospect who chose Mizzou over Kansas. There is an added ingredient, Shaw claims Kansas quit recruiting him after a time however there might have been other factors. A check shows three Rivals Top 50 in the Class of 2022 have committed to Kansas. Bill Self and staff were supposed to have backed away, based on this and the present roster perhaps there might have been more a concern on other prospects by Kansas, who really knows the true account? Shaw joins 6-foot 4-inch point guard Christian Jones from East St. Louis, his a July 2021 commit. Are there more prospects for Mizzou, which becomes a question because there is only one senior on the team for the upcoming season? IF EVERYONE returns and with these two additions will there be a requirement to recruit extensively?

It’s official now
A groundbreaking occurred on Friday for owner Steve Ballmer and the Clippers. This ultramodern arena will be in Inglewood and why is a new arena important. We need to ask owner Steve Ballmer, he believes the Clippers require their own identity, if they continue to share Staples Center with the Lakers and Kings, he believes this would be impossible. Ballmer went on to state this is one of the few areas with two NBA teams, “I grew up in Detroit and everybody rooted for the Pistons.” Ballmer’s point is valid, New York City has two NBA teams but two buildings.

The Knicks play in revered Madison Square Garden while home for the Nets is Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The separate venues extends to the baseball teams too, the Yankees in Yankee Stadium while the Mets play baseball at Citi Field. Football is a different matter, we can understand why NFL teams can share one stadium. NFL games are generally 7 days apart, an NFL team playing on Thursday night is not scheduled to play until the following Sunday hence the NFL Giants and Jets can share MetLife Stadium successfully.

As for the NFL in Los Angeles we could make the same statement for SoFi Stadium home of the Chargers and Rams. Back to Ballmer and company a moment, the prediction this new arena will turn out to be a good move for the Clippers and Lakers. Perhaps war has been declared, owner Ballmer says, “I hope Laker fans feel threatened by the new Clippers Arena.” The Clippers and Intuit a company that specializes in financial software signed a 25-year naming rights agreement. The name on the outside of the building will be the Intuit Dome. The most important part no taxpayer expense, the $1.8 billion arena will be built with private funds. With groundbreaking complete on Friday Clipper fans can look forward to the Intuit Dome opening in 2024. 

Television & the NBA 
Television has been an integral part of the NBA since the 1953-54 season. The defunct DuMont Network had the first national television contract but not for long. The smaller number of stations caused the NBA to move its telecast to the NBC Television Network the very next season. You are familiar with the national networks over the years, there’s been ABC, CBS and later with the advent of television cable. The USA Network, TBS, TNT and ESPN all broadcast partners at times, but what about the regionals? Over the years the broadcast names and even the teams have changed. As we head into the 2021-22 season the regional broadcasters are:

Altitude Sports – Nuggets

AT&T Sportsnet – Rockets, Jazz & Blazers (2021-22)

(incl. Root Sports)

Bally Sports – Hawks, Nets, Hornets, Cavs, Pistons, Mavs, Pacers, Clippers, Grizzlies, Heat, Bucks, Wolves, Pelicans, Thunder, Magic, Suns, Spurs

(incl. YES Network)

NBC Sports Regional Networks – Celtics, Bulls, Warriors, Sixers, Kings, Wizards

MSG – Knicks

Spectrum Sports - Lakers

Sportsnet and TSN - Raptors

(Shared rates)

The Blindside  
After reading of the early part of Jimmy Butler’s childhood all I could think was the 2009 movie The Blindside. The movie was loosely based on former NFL left tackle Michael Oher. Butler’s childhood was a carbon copy of Oher, his father left the family when Butler was an infant. At the age of 13 his mother decided to kick him out of the house, he would later state she said, “I don’t like the look of you.” Butler shows he stayed with friends moving from place-to-place friend to friend during his teen years. At Tomball High School near Houston Butler gravitated to sports particularly football and basketball.

Butler’s bio says he was not heavily recruited from high school, he chose to attend Tyler Junior College and from there it was onto Marquette University and eventually he made it to the NBA. The Bulls would become his first team, drafted as the 30th pick in the first round of the 2011 draft. He would play for the Wolves and Sixers before arriving in South Beach. The Heat become his fourth team, but this movement has little to do with lack of talent or effort on his part. Butler is a 5X NBA All Star is now a valued member of the Heat; it’s hoped Butler can one day lead the team to the NBA Finals.

Friday, September 17, 2021

Basketball from a fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Continuing to break new ground
The NBA unlike other professional sports continues to level the field in all forms of hiring. This extends from the league offices down to individual teams in the league. Once again, the NBA and the Milwaukee Bucks broke new ground with this latest news. Wednesday the Milwaukee Bucks announced the hiring of Lisa Byington as its play-by-play television announcer. The announcement indicated Byington had done play-by-play for an NCAA Tournament men’s game last spring. Rest assured she hired based on the belief in her ability and not a single game; we have no idea the quality of her broadcast skills however the Bucks must have believed in her ability in the broadcast field. Congratulations to Lisa Byington in this new endeavor upcoming.

Calipari does it again
On September 7 Coach Cal and Kentucky received a verbal commitment from Shaedon Sharpe 5-star prospect and Rivals number one prospect in the Class of 2022. Sharpe is a 6-foot 4-inch shooting guard and attends Glendale Christian Academy in Glendale Arizona. This past Wednesday came more good news of another commitment, this from Chris Livingston 6-foot 7-inch small forward who is a 5-star prospect and Rivals number 8 prospect in the Class of 2022. 

Livingston attends Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. I wrote earlier the 2020-21 down season was a glitch for Kentucky basketball. The crop of first-year students beginning play in the fall plus these and others next year can we say Kentucky might be in a good place? An update the third 5-star prospect was omitted, that would be Skyy Clark. Clark is a 6-foot 2-inch point guard and hails from Nashville, his commit dates back to last October.   

Membership
As mentioned previously the invitation to join the Big XII Conference is now official for BYU, Houston UCF and Cincinnati, the next question what are the anticipated dates play will begin? The times discussed here are subject to change based on an early buy out, but it appears BYU will be first, they will join the Big XII for the 2023-24 season. The commissioner indicates the other three schools will join no later than July 1, 2024.

BYU is the exception being an Independent Houston, UCF and Cincinnati belong to the American Athletic Conference, what occurs here? Reports are circulating the AAC is looking toward adding schools to replace the three moving to the Big XII. The schools mentioned are strictly speculation at this point, two stand out over other names, they are Alabama-Birmingham and Texas-San Antonio. The domino effect of Texas and   Oklahoma has caused quite a bit of movement among conferences across the nation.

The Admiral  
Spurs center David Robinson retired in 2003, if you unfamiliar with him that’s easy to understand. Despite a Naismith and FIBA Hall of Fame enshrinement he’s usually not included in a discussion of all-time great NBA centers. His background, the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, how did he arrive in the NBA from a service academy might be a question? The military service academies have provided more than a few NFL players however the NBA has been a far different story. The issue might be simply a height matter, 6-foot 7 inches is the maximum height of a military officer.

That was the case with Robinson at the time he qualified for and entered Annapolis. No way could anyone have predicted he would grow to 7-foot one over the next 4 years, his height would prevent him from serving aboard a nuclear submarine. The military service commitment for the academy graduate was reduced, and Robinson began play for the NBA Spurs as a 24-year-old newcomer. He would play until 2003 and was a 2-time NBA Champion and NBA MVP in 1995. The honors mentioned are just a few The Admiral earned during a brilliant amateur and professional career. Although he’s been retired for some years, he is a name from the NBA’s past you should know.

Bet you didn’t know this?
Move over Michael Jordan, there’s someone with more NBA Championship rings than you. If you guessed Bill Russell, you are correct however that’s not the individual we are discussing. If you thought it might be Magic Johnson that’s incorrect too, besides the fact his total is 5 NBA Championships. This ring holder played in MJ’s era and was a teammate at one time. No, it’s not Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant or any other former Bulls player. It is…. drum roll please…Steve Kerr.

The count begins, Kerr was on the 3-peat Bulls team so that’s three rings. Later he would head to San Antonio as a player and won two more rings with the Spurs, are you keeping count? As head coach of the Golden State Warriors Kerr has won three additional rings for a total of 8 NBA Championship rings. Okay so Kerr didn’t win all his rings as a player it doesn’t really matter, they still represent him being a member of two NBA Championship teams (Bulls & Spurs) as a player and three as Warriors coach.

Wednesday, September 15, 2021

Basketball from a fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

The 75th Anniversary
We have mentioned the youthful age of the NBA in the past compared to other professional sports. 75 years might seem ancient depending on your age, versus football, baseball and hockey played well over 100 years the NBA is quite young. The NFL began play in 1922, college football in the 1890’s. As for baseball in 1898 the National League began play and the NHL in 1917. Now that’s out of the way allow us to return briefly to the NBA’s more recent past.

The first game in NBA history witnessed the Toronto Huskies in action versus the New York Knicks, it was played at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. The 75th Anniversary Game will be played November 1, 2021, at Madison Square Garden between the Raptors and the Knicks. As for the Huskies they would shut down after a single season in the Basketball Association of America forerunner of today’s NBA. The game will be telecast on NBA TV for fans, surely a ceremony of some sort will be held prior to the beginning of the game.

Paul George can play
If you read an earlier assessment of the 2021-22 Clippers you might have come to the wrong conclusion. I don’t remember the exact words, but I said something to the effect, “With no Kawhi Leonard for a major portion of the season, in fact he might miss the season the Clippers won’t compete for the championship.” Several might have believed I was stating Paul George couldn’t lead the Clippers without Kawhi, that was not the case. PG is a very talented player he appears (notice the word) unable to “lead” a team deep into the playoffs. Kawhi Leonard is not a vocal leader however he manages to provide leadership by scoring and rebounding the basketball.

Over the course of his career PG has come up short even when Kawhi was available. We can simply look back to the 2020 playoffs as an example. Leadership on the basketball court is sometimes difficult to define. It can be getting in teammates face and imploring him to play better. It could be unafraid to take the difficult shot when the clock is about to expire. It also could be stepping to the line and taking the free-throw that wins the game. It could also be diving on the floor to gain control of a loose ball, all those and several missing hopefully you get the idea. In closing there are more than a few talented NBA players like PG missing in this account. In this instance the focus is only regarding Paul George.

He was scorched
The Last Dance documentary provided us insight on the championship Michael Jordan led Bulls. The story unfolded before us provided us a great deal of information many of us had no prior knowledge. For several old enough to remember there was an adversarial relationship with Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause. While serving in the front office Krause had issues with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Coach Phil Jackson just to name a few. Several incidents were detailed in The Last Dance but there was an issue for me, Krause left the Bulls and died in 2017. The producers of this documentary were able to contact most of the individuals and they provided their perspective except one…Krause.

The documentary was released in 2020 and we have no idea when production first began on this project and the time it was completed. We never had the opportunity to hear Jerry Krause defend himself we even heard from Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf but nary a word from Krause. The production people contacted Krause and he declined we just don’t know. This wouldn’t have been a huge issue if not for Magic Johnson. What has Magic got to do with this when he spent his entire career as a Laker. For unknown reasons he decided to inform us his view of this issue. His words, “Jerry Krause destroyed the Chicago Bulls Dynasty: I think if they were able to keep the team together, they probably would have won 10, 11, 12 championships.” I believe we realize players talk among themselves, but this is one time Magic needs to zip it, he really has no clue of all the intangibles that existed at the time.

Too many intangibles
Recently a story came to our attention that requires further detail. The story revolved around a 6-foot 5-inch 8th grade student who was termed “the best 8th grade player in the nation.” He’s even been nicknamed the “Baby KD” a reference to Kevin Durant, of course no way can a middle school student be compared to Durant. There is video of Christian Jones Jr. on YouTube, and you can check it for yourself. Hold on a moment, let’s not get too excited the youngster is yet to earn honors at the high school level.

Several might remember this story from the past, a Kansas City Star reporter wrote of a young man I know personally. He wrote “___________ is the best 8th grade basketball player in the Kansas City Metro”, this was quite interesting I thought. Fast forward the young man was good, good enough to become a starter in high school all four years however there was an issue. Talent around him caught up and might have exceeded him in that area. With that l say let’s not become too excited regarding talent until it reaches a certain age.

Monday, September 13, 2021

Basketball from a fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

How about the basketball
BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF are now official, it will be at least 2024 before play begins but they are in. The quartet of schools is now part of the Big XII Conference, this move like others is strictly a “football move.” Despite the previous statement this is a basketball blog, let’s check out the basketball programs at each of the new Big XII partners. First is the University of Central Florida, they have a former Dukee Johnny Dawkins as head coach. After a very brief NBA tenure Dawkins turned to coaching. He was a Duke assistant then associate head coach before running the program at Stanford for a time. In 2016 Dawkins took over at UCF, since that time his teams have finished 94-60.

Last season UCF finished with a record of 11-12 however that is not the norm, apart from last season Dawkins teams have been winners. Dawkins was the UCF coach while Tacko Fall who is now a member of the Cavs played at the school, expect them to continue playing competitive basketball. The University of Houston is led by veteran Coach Kelvin Sampson. On the job at Houston since 2014 this past season saw the Houston Cougars reach the Final Four, last year’s team finished with 28 wins versus only 4 losses. Since his 2014 arrival Sampson’s Cougars have won 167 games losing only 64, expect continued good play from Houston. The University of Cincinnati holds a unique distinction, they become the third Big XII team with a NCAA Championship on their resume.

If we check the NBA history Cincinnati has turned out a great number of NBA talent including the great Oscar Robertson.  There is a new man in charge at Cincinnati Wes Miller, he takes over the basketball program after attaining success at UNC-Greensboro. We close with a brief look at Brigham Young University or BYU. Mark Pope is entering his third season as head coach of the program however his first two seasons appear noteworthy. BYU finished last season with a 20-7 record, the previous year it was 24-8. Fans of BYU are likely as proud of their basketball program as football. For those of us in the former Big XII we must become accustomed to the newbies, BYU’s home is Provo Utah. The University of Cincinnati is in Ohio, while the University of Houston is Texas and UCF is in Orlando Florida.

Naismith Hall of Fame
No one individual or team earns more praise than another, if he were alive, we believe the late Lowell Gibbs “Cotton” Fitzsimmons would agree. Born in Hannibal Missouri in 1931 the 5 foot 7 Fitzsimmons would play the game at Hannibal-LaGrange and Midwestern State College. He moved into the coaching ranks at Moberly (MO) Junior College, and it was on to Kansas State before being hired by the Suns his first as an NBA coach. Fitzsimmons had several stops during his coaching tenure and certainly he may have won more at other stops, but it was the Kansas City Kings he may have impacted the most. You might have remembered reading the franchise was not very successful under several coaches while here.

In 13 seasons while in Kansas City (1972-1985) the Kings finished above .500 few times only once under Phil Johnson. The other times there was a plus .500 team and a playoff appearance it was Fitzsimmons. The Kings team earned, a playoff berth every season under Fitzsimmons except one, they exceeded expectations when they played for the Western Conference Championship in 1981.  Fitzsimmons led teams won over 1,000 games if we combine his college and NBA coaching record. The coach died in 2004 so his induction to the Hall of Fame was posthumous, this two-time NBA Coach of the Year was certainly more than deserving and this honor was overdue a few might believe. This is all speculation on my part, but it is the belief Fitzsimmons foresaw the future of the franchise in Kansas City. He surprised many when he chose to resign, he might have thought Kings ownership was misdirected perhaps that’s why he chose to resign. Fitzsimmons wasn’t burned out because he would go on to coach the Spurs and later return to lead the Suns. 

Bobby who?
His last name is Jones, his given name Robert Clyde Jones although he played as Bobby Jones. If you are unfamiliar with the name allow a brief account on this member of the Naismith Hall of Fame. He was a member of Big Blue Nation i.e., the Carolina Tarheels. The 6-foot 9 Jones had a choice when he emerged from college so instead of the Houston Rockets, he chose, no it occurred in this manner. Larry Brown (yes that guy) was in the middle of this move. The Carolina ABA franchise had moved to St. Louis and the former Carolina player (and now a coach) wanted Jones on his Nuggets team. The Nuggets made a trade for Jones and outbid the NBA Rockets for his services. Although Jones played well for the Nuggets management was concerned about his health problems.

Jones had an irregular heartbeat which required daily medication, in addition asthma and a history of epileptic seizures caused concern. After Jones was traded to the Sixers, he changed roles. A starter during his tenure in Denver, with the Sixers he agreed to become the teams 6th Man.  Jones would sparkle in that role, by the time he retired in 1986 he’d been nicknamed “The Secretary of Defense” for obvious reasons. Jones was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1983, he made the NBA All Defensive First Team 8 times. He was an NBA All Star 4 times and NBA Champion (1983) with the Sixers. One might think Jones couldn’t score the ball however that was not the case, he did the dirty work, rebounds and defender. With Moses Malone, Dr. J. and others Jones sacrificed his scoring to play defense so his teammates could. His 12.1 ppg average provides us proof he could score when called on. Bobby Jones a name from the ABA and NBA past you should be acquainted with. 

A name we’d forgotten
In the trade for Marc Gasol the Lakers acquired the draft rights to Chinese center Wang Zhelin. You might not remember the story; the Grizzlies drafted the 7-foot 270-pound Zhelin with the 57th pick in the second round of the 2016 draft. Although he played in the NBA Summer League, he never decided in favor of play in the NBA. Zhelin is now 27 years old is he ready for the rigors of playing in the NBA, at this point we are unsure of his status since it appears he prefers to remain and play in China?

Perhaps this just might be another case of a traditional Big Man unable to adapt his skills to the 21st Century NBA or small ball we just don’t know. On the other hand, perhaps an NBA decision might have been impacted by the team holding his draft rights, we don’t know. It would prove interesting if Zhelin decided in favor of the Lakers and the NBA. The numbers Zhelin put up for the Fujian Sturgeons certainly indicate there is degree of skill however the Chinese Basketball Sturgeons are not the Bucks or Nets. I wonder with the much larger Asian population in Southern Cal if that might be more appealing than possibly playing in Memphis…just sayin’ don’t make it so. 

Sunday, September 12, 2021

Basketball from a fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Paint dries much faster
I certainly claim no expertise in this area, I believe there are fast drying paints on the market. Within a short space of time a room could be fully dry or nearly so, where am I going with this story you ask? It was reported a week ago (maybe longer I’m unsure) DeAndre Jordan late of the Nets and Pistons would accept a buyout. Once the buyout was complete and he cleared waivers Jordan would sign with the Lakers.  From those of us in Laker Nation we believed that move was solid as we waited and waited and waited. No DeAndre Jordan news, what the heck is taking so long for him to clear waivers and sign? Then it arrived, no proclamation but a report on Thursday indicating the veteran center had signed a 1-year contract.

Two issues at the beginning, a masterful job must be conducted by Frank Vogel and staff to mold all the moving parts (acquired free agents) into a working cohesive unit. The second issue it would appear Marc Gasol is now history, he is a much better shooter from distance over Jordan but weaker in other areas. I realize he’s older than LeBron however the skill set of the Laker forward (point) exceeds that of Gasol. With the return of Dwight Howard plus Jordan plus AD it would appear quite difficult for Gasol to warrant PT. As this was completed it was announced Gasol had been traded to the Grizzlies. It is just a short time now to September 28 the start of Laker training camp. I’m sure many are questioning NBA basketball at a time we are just beginning the NFL season. This is America, this is what we do, enjoy the ability to watch both sports at the same time. 

It’s too bad 
A few can remember seeing Bill Russell or Magic Johnson in action during their prime or near the end of career in person, others might have seen them play on television. We cannot make the same statement regarding the American Basketball Association; the league went out of business in 1976. Despite the fact four ABA teams were absorbed into the NBA there was no merger in a true sense. As you are aware the Nets, Spurs, Nuggets and Pacers were the ABA survivors. We mentioned previously the remaining players were placed in a pool and NBA teams drafted them but the point here, the NBA might have wanted the talent over adding the teams. The ABA would have never survived, the league was drowning in red ink but it’s our contention near the end the talent with the established NBA was near the same level. Don’t confuse the statement NEAR is not stating on the same level. At that time there were more NBA teams over the 6-7 existing ABA teams.

Those who might have been too young have seen video of Dr. J., Moses Malone, George Gervin and others of that era. We have evidence of their skill thanks to the time they played in the NBA (and YouTube). With no national television contract for the ABA little video evidence exists today.  It’s our contention the ABA changed the course of professional basketball. Consider this, the NBA game of that era was slow and methodical while the ABA played a wide open “run and gun” type of offense. The ABA originated the 3-point basket, held the first slam dunk championship in 1976 the merger year. No national television contract plus finance forced the league to eventually accommodate the larger and more established NBA. An “ABA” would have a great deal of difficulty existing today, the financial requirements far exceed those of America in 1967. It’s reported an expansion NBA team could be about $1 billion at the present. Sadly, it’s over, there will NEVER be another ABA like the one existing between 1967-1976, R.I.P. American Basketball Association.

Is it over for Jahlil Okafor?
The Nets have released him, Okafor is but 25-years old but his tenure in the NBA just might be over. He was the third pick in the 2015 draft by the Sixers, but his fate might have been sealed very early in his NBA career. If you remember he’d been drafted by the Sixers after they drafted Joel Embiid a year earlier, injuries will sideline Embiid it seemed almost continuously. 

Okafor would find playing time with the absence of Embiid, but the injury bug would later strike him too. In addition, there was Nerlens Noel factor who was drafted in 2013. From the Sixers it was the Nets then the Pistons and back to the Nets, on September 9 Okafor was released. There are doubts another NBA team will pick him up at this stage. Injuries, the change to small-ball and finally Okafor’s attitude. All the items mentioned may have been contributing factors in this once promising talent to be considered a bust. There remains hope for Okafor if not the NBA he could always seek playing time in Europe.

Never again 
The 2020-21 NCAA Championship saw Gonzaga accomplish a rare feat at the time they played Baylor, the Spokane Washington school had won 31 consecutive games an amazing accomplishment. College teams rarely achieve this feat of winning without a loss, in the 2014-15 season Kentucky had several close games but managed to play in the semi-finals undefeated, they had a sparkling 38-0 record. Kentucky would lose to Wisconsin and finish with a 38-1 record, prior to that we’d have to return to the distant past. Bobby Knight’s Indiana Hoosiers won the 1976 NCAA Championship with a 32-0 record, we’d have to travel back a few more years to uncover the next few teams.

UCLA under John Wooden dominated college basketball in the middle ‘60’s up through the middle ‘70’s. The Wooden led Bruins finished in 1972 and 1973 with identical records 32-0 as they won it all. Wooden’s first NCAA Championship team was in 1964, the Bruins finished that championship season 30-0. They say records are made to be broken however in this day it is difficult to see an undefeated NCAA Championship team. Players leave school early for the NBA, in other instances injury might affect a competitive team and finally this fact. We have high school players headed to Australia and the G-League bypassing college all together. Never say never although it might be difficult for an undefeated college team to ever win a championship.

Friday, September 10, 2021

Basketball from a fans perspective

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Lob City A’ Deux
Two issues, the Lakers lack of production from the center position. After the exit of JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard the team required replacements and they found it in Marc Gasol. Unfortunately, Gasol’s play was less than spectacular that’s why Andre Drummond was later acquired on waivers. For several reasons his play was also found to be wanting, the Lakers made no effort to sign Drummond long-term after the season. There were doubts Gasol would return, there were reports he was considering retirement. The 2021 free agent period saw Howard return to the Lakers on another 1-year contract, surprise.

The initial thought of many Gasol could retire if he desired, Howard would become the starter with Anthony Davis as the backup. That was then this is now, in a series of moves DeAndre Jordan indicates he will sign with the Lakers (he signed on Thursday) . So, what occurs now you might ask. Jordan will likely also sign a 1-year contract since the Lakers have little cap space. Will Gasol retire leaving play to the duo of Howard/Jordan or will he remain and allow for even more flexibility in reserve play at the center position? With Jordan’s return to Los Angeles the thought of Lob City might return once again with the passing skill of Westbrook/LeBron/Rondo. We could visualize the leaping ability of Howard and Jordan around the basket this upcoming season.   

Their resume is outstanding
It appears BYU, Houston, Cincinnati and UCF will be extended an invitation to join the Big XII Conference as soon as today. As you are aware Texas and Oklahoma bolted for the SEC, it was feared for a time the Big XII   would disband, those schools remaining would scatter for parts unknown to conferences across the nation. This latest proposal to add schools is good on several levels, the proposed entrants have good football programs, in addition they play highly competitive basketball.

We don’t know if this is true however there were reports UCF has wanted for several years to join a Power Five Conference for football alone. As for the travel in this age schools are no longer bound by geography with air travel being the mode of transportation. Recruiting for each of the schools would receive a giant boost since they would be tied into SEC and Pac-12 territory. Houston would immediately gain foes from the State of Texas with Texas Tech, Baylor and TCU on their schedule. There might be other incentives we failed to cover that will provide an enhancement to the Big XII Conference, these are but a few that come to mind.

Who are they?
More than likely the names are unfamiliar to you, the passage of time plus none are presently at the school is vital. Their names are Gene Bartow, Joey Meyer, Mike Davis and Jon Scheyer, let’s see if we can provide you a little history behind the names. Bartow replaced legendary John Wooden at UCLA in 1975; Meyer replaced his dad, Ray Meyer after the 1984 basketball season. The elder Meyer was DePaul’s head coach from 1942-1984, finally Davis took over the Indiana program succeeding Bobby Knight in 2000.

As for Jon Scheyer he’s not begun yet, this assistant will take over the Duke basketball program for Coach K. a role held from 1980 through the 2020-21 basketball season. The veteran coach will retire after the upcoming season. Coaching especially at the collegiate level is difficult as is, to replace a winning legendary coach is even more difficult. Scheyer will face the same pressure the trio faced when they replaced the legend. One huge difference social media was non-existent at the time of these coaching changes except for Joey Meyer and Davis, ESPN had made its debut by the time they took over DePaul and Indiana. Scheyer realizes the huge shoes he is attempting to fill, the only advice to live by is simple. You are not Coach K., be the best version of yourself you can be.   

When is a story no longer valid?
The question asked in the headline is easy to answer for me perhaps you as well. It’s easy when you’ve heard the story so many times you lose count the number of times you either read it or heard it reported. What is this all about, the Lakers signed Luol Deng in 2016 and he played little for them before he was later waived in 2018. Was it a mistake, of course it was since the Lakers are still paying him in 2021?  Recently an NBA website reminded us once again how much Deng is being paid for not playing.

The baseball Mets signed Bobby Bonilla to a huge contract, Bonilla has not played for them since 1999 yet every July 1 since that year a large check arrives in the mail payable to Bonilla. The Lakers and Mets front offices errored in signing Deng and Bonilla, when it was first noted it was news not now. Both stories have been told over and over and over, a few in the public might be unfamiliar with the payout story, but most are.

An earlier Glory Road
The 2006 movie drama told the story of the 1966 Texas Western Miners (now Texas-El Paso). Don Haskins all black starting team defeated the all-white Kentucky Wildcats for the 1966 NCAA Championship. Haskins was quoted about this historic game in this manner, “I really didn’t think about starting five black players. I just wanted to put my five best players on the court. Later he said, “I just wanted to win that game.” Later he would say, “I certainly did not expect to be some racial pioneer or to change the world” yet Haskins was one of the keys that brought about change. A name from the past largely overlooked is that of Babe McCarthy. James Harrison “Babe” McCarthy was born October 1, 1923, from 1955 through 1965 he was head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs, he would go on to coach George Washington University.

Much later after the American Basketball Association was begun, he found success at the pro level. His last job was coach of the Kentucky Colonels, and that state was an important portion of his life. McCarthy was coaching at the height of the civil rights movement in the American south and his Mississippi State team would play a unique role in history. At that time there was a strict policy in place white teams did not play teams comprised of black players. McCarthy teams had been denied the opportunity to play in the NCAA Tournament in the past, in 1963 events would take a different course. The prevailing view McCarthy intended to compete no matter who Mississippi State faced. The legislature of the state even became embroiled in this issue, a restraining order was to be served on the team.

Mississippi State was scheduled to leave early Thursday morning and law enforcement aware of the plan intended to serve them with the injunction. This is the series of events that would transpire over the next few days. “McCarthy, the athletic director, and the assistant athletic director drove to Memphis, and then flew to Nashville. The team itself sent the freshman squad to the airport as scheduled posing as the varsity team. The real varsity team hid in a dorm on campus. The next morning, they boarded a private plane at the airport and flew to Nashville to meet the coach and team officials. From Nashville, the whole group took a commercial flight to the game at East Lansing, Michigan.”1. Mississippi State would play Loyola of Chicago (the eventual NCAA Champion) in that first game, the Bulldogs would lose 61-51 against Loyola with its four black starters. It was not only McCarthy but others who proved how remarkably ridiculous   the lengths the State of Mississippi undertook to stop Mississippi State from playing a game. McCarthy died in March 1975 at the age of 51 from colon cancer, Babe McCarthy a name from the past all basketball fans should know.

1. Wikipedia