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Basketball from a fans perspective

Basketball remains number one

I cannot help it, I’m excited about the NFL Chiefs and their second Super Bowl in the last three years. It’s my opinion they have the best quarterback in the NFL and a team of guys who want to win at the highest level. Barring major injury the team should be set for the next several years. I salute you SUPER BOWL Champion Kansas City Chiefs. Despite me gushing over with praise for this football team basketball continues to be first in my heart.

SMH  

You remember the Chris Beard story; the Texas coach was arrested on a domestic violence charge in December. His girlfriend made an effort to say it didn’t occur although she must have called law enforcement. After being suspended by the school Beard was then fired last month, yesterday on Wednesday the court dismissed the felony charge primarily based on the testimony of the girl friend. We shouldn’t feel sorry for Beard more than likely he was paid but this is the part that causes me to shake my head. Beard now has no job doing the one thing he loves…coaching basketball. Don’t misunderstand the statement, the intent here is to detail violence whether it occurred or not never resolves an issue.  

Years ago but the pain is still there

Joe Dumars moved from the basketball court to the front office, a key member of the Piston’s Bad Boy teams he became the GM and president of basketball operations. Despite a number of key moves while occupying the chair one bad move continues to resonate for him. April 2014 Dumars stepped down as president of basketball operations, how do I know a move he made years ago still concerns him. Just this year Dumars reflected on it. The 2003 NBA draft was LeBron’s, and the Cavs had the top pick, everyone was aware where the Akron Ohio wunderkind was headed. What about number two, there was potential talent available. Carmelo Anthony at Syracuse had demonstrated his ability all season long. Also in that year’s draft was Dwayne Wade who played at Marquette.

Unlike other names probably fewer fans were familiar with Wade until he willed his Marquette team’s advance in the NCAA tourney. Also available was Georgia Tech’s Chris Bosh but none of the names would be announced as the pick for the Pistons. The Pistons chose 7-foot 250-pound Darko Milicic with the second pick in that year’s draft. The Serbian youngster was raw but appeared to have that thing p o t e n t i a l. The shorten version of the story it was discovered the potential did not quite fit what the Pistons envisioned draft night. Milicic remained a Piston until 2006 and then it was the Magic, Grizzlies, Knicks, and Celtics. By 2012 Milicic’s NBA career was over with not a great deal to prove he was the player many first believed back in 2003. He returned to Serbia purchased land and is reported to have become a successful farmer. We can debate the fortunes of the Pistons had they chosen Anthony or Wade, but it appears after all this time Dumars still regrets that draft.

You cannot help but be impressed

Forget the Auburn blowout loss, Mizzou was bound to have a very poor game. Hopefully this was the one and only hopefully. Consider this bit of information a fact, whether Mizzou’s next game is a win or not they have the largest win total since the 2017-18 season. How did they accomplish this feat, work…work…and more work. The first key, the coaching staff assembled a collection of athletes the majority from mid major programs around the nation. They were able to blend this group from all over into a cohesive capable bunch. Besides the win total the most impressive part the patience of the team. Just like Dennis Gates they never seemed appear upset at one another over a stray pass or missed shot. No angry glances at that particular player, they never appear in a hurry even when the score doesn’t favor them. As for individual team members, I believed there might be issues regarding Isiaih Mosley. Winning early the sharpshooter transfer from Missouri State could be seen on the bench.

That became his permanent position, anytime the media questioned Gates his explanation was simple. “He’s got issues to work out” without providing us any clue what that meant. Then it occurred, Mosely enters the game as a reserve, the next two would see him inserted into the starting lineup. I’m sure there are other issues hidden from our view, but I like this coach, I like his players. In closing I like the direction Mizzou is heading there is only one problem. This is the part I like; national folks are recognizing the job Gates has accomplished in just a short bit of time. I listened to a radio interview with Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports, Dodd had nothing but praise when the coaches name was mentioned. Mizzou must do its homework to ensure other programs don’t swoop in attempting to lure Gates away with more money or prestige. Recently we read the Bama announcement involving Nate Oats. Oats hired by Alabama in 2019 the school signed him to a 6-year $30M extension to guarantee he remained in place…hear that Mizzou Athletic?

A further explanation

I covered the history of the Rockets but I’m unsure if the team name was explained. Today you hear Houston and Rockets, and the first thought might be NASA, the space program and all that. Houston is synonymous with Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center. The franchise was an NBA expansion team that entered the NBA in 1967 from San Diego California, yes California and not Texas. A contest was held to name the team and Rockets was chosen for two reasons.

Rockets paid homage to the theme at the time “A City in Motion.” In addition General Dynamics built the Atlas rocket for the military during this time. The Rockets would remain in San Diego until 1971 when the team was sold to Houston interests. Hemorrhaging money the owner was left with no other choice but to sale the team. I was unable to locate information relating to local investors stepping in to save the team for San Diego. Naturally with the move to Houston it probably was decided to continue the name, after all Houston had been so closely associated with the space program.