Basketball from a fans perspective   

Published Monday through Friday

Can you imagine     

A friend was complaining about his inability to locate his favorite college basketball team on any of the cable or broadcast channels. I smiled because the history says something different, this is evidence for some and a reminder for others how it once was. This is a far different age from the 1950’s and 1960’s. Back then unless you lived near a college or university fans saw few games compared to today’s action. In that day there was no ESPN, FOX or Bally Sports, there was no streaming services as there is now. Can you imagine an NCAA Tournament without the opportunity to see all the games, it existed back then?

Before the advent of cable there was weekend coverage but few instances beyond that. Later the CBS broadcast network expanded coverage but even that was incomplete with the number of games scheduled. We have now the tournament available on 4-5 platforms, every game is telecast. As for in season coverage we must laugh now, a highly touted prospect might announce, “I’m going to _______ University in order to be on television.” Prospects no longer need choose a school on that basis ALL the games are available somewhere. Next time you hear a complaint someone’s inability to see their favorite college basketball team remember this tidbit of information and smile.

Nets (Mis)management

The headline read: “Part-time Kyrie want affect chemistry”. As often said here, “I’m from Missouri, you’ve got to show me.” The Nets will return Irving to the lineup on a part-time basis, for the near future he will play road games only. In addition, he will practice with the team it’s believed in New Jersey, this entire exercise for the benefit of a single player. This is no reflection on the talent of Irving, he is one of the most gifted athletes in the NBA. Chemistry well let’s just say it doesn’t arrive automatically, we can look no further than the dysfunctional Lakers for an example. Is it a “head” issue with Russell Westbrook or something else, despite training camp and nearly half a season under his belt he’s not blended with the team?

Whose fault is it; does it belong to Westbrook or Lakers management believing he could blend? As for the Nets all we can say is hopefully it works out for them, there is no guarantee it does. As a reminder at the beginning of this account I wrote, “I’m from Missouri, you’ve got to show me.” That applies here, if I’m wrong, I’m wrong but there is a final question. What occurs should the Nets make it to the championship round? Do they only play Irving in home games, or will the New York City Health Department revise its policy…inquiring minds want to know what occurs next? It appears the Nets need Kyrie Irving, KD is playing major minutes with little rest play and James “Milk Carton” Hardin continues his play at a pedestrian pace, they need help.

Blake Griffin is not the Lob City Griffin we remember, LaMarcus Aldridge is an average player at best this point in his career. The Nets can be beaten, they are not the juggernaut we believed they might be at least not yet. Kyrie Irving will make his NBA debut tonight; I might be more upset with Nets management than the player. This is what they said, “He can play, then he can’t play and finally he can play.” That is a briefing on what was stated last October and then from there the January retreat. What occurred, Nets management after insisting Irving couldn’t play surrendered from their earlier position. Irving can play road games and we’ll move our practice to New Jersey or some private facility in NYC.

Imagine this

I’m watching the Wichita State-Memphis game, the camera catches assistant coach Larry Brown. In one shot he’s talking to a player seated next to him. Brown is 81-years old now, he loves the game, why do you suppose he’s still coaching. He’s got to be financially solvent at his age so it’s the devotion to the game that is the driving point in his life now. Brown’s traveled the world coaching and playing basketball, he’s been head coach of 9 NBA teams, 3 college stops 2 as an assistant coach which includes his present stop at Memphis.

Earlier Brown won a Gold Medal with Team USA in the 1961 Maccabiah Games held in Israel, he won gold later as a member of the 1964 USA Olympic Team in Tokyo. Brown’s journey also includes serving as head coach of an Italian team and as head coach in the ABA coach. I’ve never read this to be a fact, it’s my belief Brown probably contacted head coach Penny Hardaway rather than the other way around. A former local radio host doesn’t like Brown, he claims the coach is a cheater, his words not mine. As for the cheating part Kansas was placed on probation after he left the program. Funny thing, this same radio guy has made little mention of Bill Self. This issue doesn’t affect my belief in the coach, and he will always remain one of my favorites.

A victim of NYC hype?

He’s 47 years old now and out of the NBA since 2002. He once appeared to have all the tools for an outstanding basketball career. LeBron James was on the cover of Sports Illustrated while in high school, this 6-foot 5 shooting guard accomplished the feat years prior to LeBron. Born in the Dominican Republic his parents emigrated the U.S. when Lopez was 14-years old. He would become a New York City sensation while playing at Rice High School in Harlem. Lopez was All-Everything include McDonald All-American. There were scores of schools trying to recruit him, but he decided to remain at home and attend St. John’s University.

The choice of St. John’s proved beneficial, and Lopez was productive during his four-year career. In the 1998 NBA Draft he was made the number 24 pick in the first round by the Vancouver Grizzlies (now in Memphis). The NBA proved quite a different story for Lopez as he was never able to gain traction, he would last but four years with two other NBA teams. We don’t know this to be a fact we can only ask the question, was playing in New York City a contributing factor in his largely unsuccessful NBA career? We might pose that same question to Stephon Marbury, the late Pearl Washington or Lenny Cooke. Those mentioned and others certainly were talented however they might have become victims of the New York City buildup.