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Basketball from a fans perspective

I am disappointed

Do you mind if I share this with you? I figure you might not have a problem, okay here goes, I am disappointed, no I can say extremely frustrated with Anthony Davis. After the Lakers acquired AD and he was matched with LeBron James I had visions of multiple NBA championships. To date there’s been a single championship since the two became teammates. AD has budding superstar stamped on his forehead but there is a problem. He is unable to avoid the injury bug, you cannot be a superstar if you are always on the injured list.

The NBA championship year saw AD score at a 26-point game a clip along with nearly 10 rebounds. AD played 62 games that year but since it’s been 36, 40 and injured this season 25. The Lakers cannot sniff a championship with AD limited to the numbers just detailed for you. There is no effective method to avoid injury, I must come to the realization AD is just one of those players who suffers injuries continuously. In conclusion whatever I receive from him is all I’m gonna be given and I shouldn’t expect any more injuries and all.

Jerome Tang vs Dennis Gates    

Kansas State and Mizzou were in trouble, Bruce Weber and Cuonzo Martin had reached the end of their tenure at the school’s. Both were replaced, KSU hired Jerome Tang and Dennis Gates was contracted by Mizzou. It’s likely in both instances the question was asked “Jerome Who” in Manhattan and echoed in Columbia with “Dennis Who”. Unlike Mizzou where Dennis Gates was hired, I had no idea of the potency of KSU basketball. The Wildcats finished last season under Weber with a 14-17 won-loss record, under Tang they have exceeded last season’s total. The Tuesday win against KU became number 16. Briefly Tang served as an assistant at Baylor for Scott Drew serving in that capacity for the last 19 years.

Gates had a number of stops in his career as an assistant coach, from 2011-2019 he worked for Leonard Hamilton at Florida State before becoming head coach at Cleveland State in 2019. Mizzou finished last season with a 12-21 record, as this is written they are 14-4 in the tough SEC. A brief look at the background of each coach, now the basis for this piece. It seems one of the local sports talk radio stations has decided this is a contest between Tang and Gates, allow me to explain. One of the morning host had the same prepared speech as the afternoon guy. “If Dennis Gates is a B hire, then Jerome Tang is an A” these two-host stated at separate times. It irked me for more than one reason, why has this station decided a contest exists between the two? Based on the to date record both coaches appear good hires but why must 810 WHB decide to award grades?

A brief check

The name Kim English might be unknown to some of you reading this. English is a former Mizzou Tiger; he was the glue that held some of those teams together in the early 2000’s. He was a late second round pick by the Pistons in 2012 but only managed a “cup of coffee” in the NBA so to speak. English would spend the greater portion of his professional career in Europe. In 2015 he became an assistant first at Tulsa and then to Colorado and later Tennessee. March of 2021 George Mason University in Fairfax Virginia hired him as head coach.

I had no idea of the team English inherited but decided to check on his progress in his second year. The first year George Mason finished with a 14-16 record 7-9 in the Atlantic 10, this season’s team has 11 wins and 8 losses with a 3-3 record in the conference. I have no idea if Kim English will be successful at George Mason or some other school this I know for a fact, he’s a winner. When a coaching change occurred at Mizzou rather than leave for another school he remained. As I indicated earlier English became the glue that held those Mizzou teams together, good luck going forward in your coaching endeavor.

Villains

In an earlier period Dennis Rodman was a villain, he was a bad character to opposing teams and fans. Rodman performed the role far beyond anyone back then and into the present. In today’s NBA Draymond Green might come close to that role but what about others. It’s been my contention there were others who performed the role but in a different manner. Reggie Miller was that guy, it seems his ire was aimed more at Spike Lee and the Knicks than other teams, I could be wrong in my view. I don’t remember fury aimed at Miller beyond New York. On the other hand I cannot say the same about the late Kobe Bryant.

He was beloved by Laker fans, as for the rest of the NBA he clearly was a villain. Another villain of today is Patrick Beverley of the Lakers. He loves to get in an opposing players face (and head) during a game. Speaking of the Lakers LeBron James has also been anointed an anti-hero although many find excuses to plain hate him. Also many see the Suns Chris Paul as a villain, he’s been involved in a number of altercations over the course of his NBA career. An entire team can be cast as villains, so it was with the Bad Boy Pistons, fans everywhere hated the team especially center Bill Laimbeer. Ron Artest a.k.a. Metta World Peace was also perceived as a villain much of his NBA career. Rest assured the Lakers have been placed in the same role too, in their instance it’s probably more by winning than any other reason.

Closing this out a name few are familiar with John Brisker. The greater portion of his career was spent in the ABA although he would play briefly in the NBA. He played in the rough and tumble days of basketball when player fights occurred frequently. This is certainly not complete just a few thoughts, did I miss one of your favorites? I do find it strange, nothing like this ever existed with the Celtics. Contrast that with today, the Celtics are in the upper echelon of the league and the Lakers are below .500. Which team is receiving the most hate in print and over the airways?