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Basketball from a fans perspective

No votes

Don’t expect Mizzou to receive any votes in the weekly Top 25 poll. I say this despite the fact they won their 5th game in a row without a defeat. It's good for members of Mizzou Nation to see them winning in this early basketball season. For the 5^th game in a row Mizzou had a plus 20 assist afternoon against Mississippi Valley State University. What I’ve enjoy so much this early season is the unselfish factor among this group of Tigers. 

In addition there is no single scorer to key on in the offense coach Gates runs. Mizzou had 5 players in double figures with starter D’Moni Hodge and Isiaih Mosley in a reserve role with 18 points. The one negative once again rebounding the basketball although MVSU finished the early evening only slightly ahead. Mizzou Nation must relish the good times because ahead lies the tough, touch SEC Conference. It should be of note, I watched this game on ESPN+ I decided to pay to see. 

Maybe I’m the one off base

On Sunday I published a story indicating James Harden was a talented athlete. Despite offering praise I indicated he was not a leader. After writing and publishing that story along with others I had a thought, maybe I’m off base. Despite one’s talent it fails to make everyone a leader, I could use my favorite player the late Kobe Bryant. I don’t remember a fellow NBA player making this statement however a number of fans did. They said, “He’s (Kobe) not a leader,” my response is perhaps. Reading what many wrote about Kobe his mindset might have stated “If you are not going to help…get out of the way.”

Recently I read Laker coach Phil Handy said “Guys would show up at the gym at 6:00 a.m. and Kobe had already been there an hour or so.” His leadership was the role he embraced; he expected his teammates to play close to the same level as himself. That mentality might also be James Harden and a host of others who believe their game provides leadership rather than cajoling a teammate.  Everyone cannot take on the role of a Magic Johnson or Chris Paul. If you read the James Hardin story yesterday do me a favor, apologize for me. Let’s just say I was unable to see the Big Picture on this one, I may have missed on this.

“The World’s most Famous Arena”

The headline above represents Madison Square Garden and the name often attributed to the home of the NBA Knicks, NHL Rangers and other entertainment venues. This building at 4 Pennsylvania Plaza in Manhattan is the fourth arena to hold that name. Even more interesting the arena opened in 1968 is actually not square, if you check photos of the outside, they detail a round building. In any event the history behind the name is quite noteworthy. The first MSG opened in 1879, the second in 1890 and number three opened in 1925.

Although the Pennsylvania location is the oldest NBA arena operating today it’s been renovated several times over the years. The arena is also home to the St. John’s Red Storm basketball team and boxing, mixed martial arts, concerts, ice shows, circuses, professional wrestling and other forms of sports and entertainment. MSG also is unique in another area, generally most sports events the crowd will be dressed casually not in Spike Lee’s house. It would appear Wall Street types leave their office and head for the arena some evening rather than home. This is but a brief look at Madison Square Garden, “The World’s most Famous Arena.”

The Kangaroos

The University of MO-Kansas City or UMKC has a new coach too. We welcome veteran coach Marvin Menzies to the barbeque capital of the nation. Menzies took over when Billy Donlon decided he would take an assistant job at Clemson. I thought the Donlon move was a little strange, granted Clemson is certainly more big-time basketball than Summit League. To leave a head coaching job for an assistant seemed a backward move to me. In any event Menzies is a veteran coach whose been around the block for a time. Kansas City will become his third stop as a head coach, but he brings a veteran presence to a team striving to improve.

Last season Kansas City finished tied for third place with a 12-6 record, 19-12 overall. Menzies is in the same position as Dennis Gates some 150 miles down I-70. Most of us in Kansas City have no idea what to expect, we must adopt a wait and see attitude. One more note which has nothing to do with Menzies. You might have noticed I used Kansas City to describe the team. I believed about two years ago the school decided to place Kansas City on the team’s jerseys and they would go by that name in the media. I’m unsure as to the why, UMKC could be confusing to someone in Maine but certainly not University of Missouri-Kansas City. Oh well they don’t pay me the big bucks for these decisions, truth is they pay me NO bucks. By the way the team nickname kangaroos still bothers me.

It's just me

You realize I have no control over anything an NBA team decides to do. My only control is to complain to readers like you so here goes. I’ve had a long-held belief you only retire jerseys of athletes who played for the franchise in that city. As an example the Sacramento Kings have retired Oscar Robertson and Tiny Archibald’s jersey numbers. Robertson played for the franchise when it was the Cincinnati Royals, as for Tiny he played exclusively when the Kings called Kansas City home. 

There are probably other teams however the Kings and their retired jerseys are the first that come to mind. Okay Larry Laker where are you going with this account…tell us please? This early season has seen the Lakers retire number 99 which belonged to the late George Mikan. Mikan was a giant in more than one way, the 6 foot 10 Mikan was an early basketball pioneer for the NBA. With that said what’s the problem with retiring his jersey? Mikan retired as a player in 1956, at that time the franchise was headquartered in Minneapolis. The Lakers did not move to Los Angeles until 1960 so you see the issue. I know I said at the beginning of this rant it’s just me with the problem.