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Basketball from a fans perspective

Editor’s note

We are about two weeks into NBA play, college basketball begins tonight lasting until early April. There should be plenty of basketball to cover over the next 5-6 months. Beginning today a change, Off the dribble will return to a daily publishing schedule. The exception to the schedule will be vacation time. Expect to read reports on a 7 day a week schedule. If you enjoy reading this blog invite your friends to read it on occasion. Thank you for whatever length of time you’ve hung with me. 

The NCAA is a joke!

Marcus has been telling me for the last two years, “The NCAA isn’t going to do anything to Kansas.” I said “No, this time it’s different…they are accused of five level one violations, level one being the most serious of all. I’d mentioned the fact Oklahoma State self-reported, and the NCAA slammed them, no NCAA Tournament play for you (2022). The organization announced a decision would be rendered for Kansas and Louisville through an Independent Accountability Resource Process. So what occurs going forward, the administration at Kansas announced Bill Self would miss the first four games of the season with only the Duke game considered a tough one. At last the NCAA will announce punishment for the guilty parties or at least that’s what most of us were led to believe. On Thursday November 3^rd came a ruling from IARP on Louisville basketball.

Garry Parrish who covers college basketball for CBS Sports claims the IARP committee has no clue what it is doing and uses this as the example. An Adidas representative agreed to buy a prospect for Louisville to the tune of $100,000 this is what the IARP concluded. “It is our interpretation that (Adidas was) primarily motivated by brand promotion, and they were trying to take steps to promote their brand, not promote the institution.” That certainly sounds like double-talk to me but what do I know? Louisville will face minor recruiting restrictions and a small fine. The program is not expected to be very good but if they have a good tournament run, they could earn an NCAA Tournament berth in 2023. Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks have nothing to worry about regarding the program, if all Louisville receives is a slap on the wrist with evidence rest easy Jayhawk Nation. As for me the NCAA allowed the indictment against Kansas that first started in 2017 to drag on and on without any resolution, this should prove to all the NCAA is a joke if the punishment winds up the coach missing but four games.

Sparkling game

Why is the headline a positive, after all the Lakers lost on Friday? Truth is the defense which has mostly been there for the Lakers thus far betrayed them, the Jazz scored 130 points on them. You can eliminate the conversation about the Jazz tanking for Victor Wembanyama, the game provides them with a 7-win start. The headline is a testimony to Russell Westbrook despite the loss, once again he emerged from the bench to have an outstanding game for the Lakers.

Westbrook’s line, 26 points on 64.3% shooting (60% from 3) along with 6 assists and 3 rebounds. After all the negatives written by me over the last year, I am going to continue to promote Westbrooks good play. Can Westbrook continue in this vital role the length of the season…I believe that is possible. Now we are back to the question, do the Lakers continue their effort to trade Westbrook or should they adopt a wait and see attitude? As indicated earlier I’ve gone back and forth on this issue, I’m really unsure if I’m the guy to make the call at this point, that’s for someone else to make the call. This is still early but Darvin Ham is already pushing him for 6^th Man of the Year in the NBA.

I could be wrong…on the other hand

If it should occur remember where you heard it first. There are reports Nets owner Joe Tsai is highly upset with Kyrie Irving and the drama surrounding him. I’ve read reports (none documented) the Nets might possibly release the unpredictable point guard. Your next question, of course Irving would be paid, an NBA team cannot release a player under contract without payment. Irving is operating under a 4-year contract that pays him $136,490,600, an average annual salary of $34,122,650. I realize as you do that’s a great deal of money to pay a player not on your roster.

This has occurred in the past although it wasn’t Kyrie Irving type money. The Lakers signed Luol Deng to a 4-year contract, two years later he was released. He would sign a free agent contract with the Wolves but was NBA history by 2019. The Lakers under a payment agreement had been paying Deng since that year. Payment was deferred and Deng was still being paid through April 2022. The principal reason I claim Irving will be released are the stipulations which allow him to return. Of the 6 conditions it’s possible he does all except the first one. “Apologize and condemn the film he promoted”, I believe I heard Irving claim no connection to the film except the link to his social media page.

It’s that time of the year

The college basketball season begins tonight, now the dilemma for me (and maybe you). “Which NBA team is playing? I hope it doesn’t conflict with the college game.” That’s been the issue for me once basketball season begins. We’ll see number 4 Kentucky play Howard University; Mississippi Valley State is facing number 5 Baylor and Jacksonville is matched against number 7 Duke. Indiana number 13 is host for Morehead State, Tennessee number 11 is home against Tennessee Tech, Lindenwood faces Dayton ranked number 24. The games mentioned represent Top 25 teams in action, there are a larger number of unranked teams scheduled to play on Monday evening.

How do you pronounce his name 

I’ve discussed the increasing number of International players now at American colleges and in the NBA. I can only speak for myself; I am only fluent in English (really American). I am familiar with a few words and phrases in French, Spanish and German however that’s not speaking the language. Probably the first name I remember struggling with was former Mavs power forward Dirk Nowitzki. I listened to the media pronounce his name over and over before I learned to speak it correctly. I didn’t use the Google tool which I would discover later.

The next name was that of the Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo, I used the Google pronunciation tool. Antetokounmpo would become Aan tuh-tuh-koom-pow phonetically. Last year courtesy of YouTube I was alerted to Victor Wembanyama however the correct pronunciation of his last name was a mystery. Then the light bulb in my brain turned on, why not use the Google tool on his name? I use the tool and discovered phonetically it was Wuhm-ban-yaa-muh, of course it helped to hear numerous media people also pronounce his name. If you are like me your American ears must adjust to pronounce the names correctly. This is not intended as a negative it’s just an explanation of today.