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Basketball from a fans perspective

The past weekend

What happened this past Saturday, was it an anomaly? Every regional team within 125-mile radius of Kansas City team lost their games. We can begin the account with the Kansas City Roos (UMKC) located in the middle of the city, they lost to Oral Roberts 85-57. The Mizzou game was not played in Columbia rather Starkville Mississippi where the Bulldogs beat the Tigers 63-53. West of Kansas City is Lawrence home of the Jayhawks, but they were on the road too, Ames Iowa.

They were losers to Iowa State 68-53, traveling further west on I-70 we arrive at Manhattan Kansas home of Kansas State. The Wildcats too were on the road playing the University of Texas and following the same pattern suit losing their match 69-66. Okay I just figured out the problem and I guess by now you have too. Other than the Roos the other three teams were all on the road. So we now can conclude the home team with the exception of one game prevailed.

You dance with the one that brung ya  

The title of this piece was attributed to the late Darrell Royal Texas football coach. His explanation “he meant he would use players and plays that had been successful in previous seasons.” Although it’s only been a season and a half that might be the case for the Lakers Russell Westbrook. As one story was being finished, I received an alert indicating the Nets had traded Kyrie Irving to the Mavs for a host of players and draft choices. No reuniting with LeBron James which has been mentioned since the Irving news first broke.

It’s apparent there are few takers for Westbrook, and it appears the Lakers will sink or swim with him on the team. On the surface this member of Laker Nation says it appears to be working i.e. Westbrook off the bench with the second unit. Westbrook’s scoring average is at a career low however that is dictated more by the role he is now playing for the Lakers. He is rebounding the ball at a 6 a game and his assist total is 7.5 both good numbers for a 6-foot 3 inch-point guard. The only three numbers that stick out for me his shooting from the floor and three certainly nothing to write home about. Westbrook’s shooting from the line back to his OKC days was only average and that’s continued.

Maybe it’s a sealed locker room but I’ve heard not one single complaint regarding Westbrook. So the Lakers need to prepare themselves for a stretch run to earn themselves a playoff berth. As for Irving should he not sign with the Mavs we’ll deal with that over the summer. I’m going to close this out with a late breaking account, this trade becomes curiouser and curiouser if bleacherreport.com is true. The dot com site claim Nets owner Joe Tsai didn’t want Irving to become a Laker. Whether it was the fact Irving wanted to rejoin LeBron James or something else, the wish was only partially granted Irving got his trade.    

Who wins It all

Jay Bilas former Duke player turned ESPN analyst is one of those voices when he speaks, I listen. He was discussing the potential 2023 NCAA champions and he provided us a few names.

Purdue

Alabama

Houston

UCLA

Arizona

Tennessee

Texas

Kansas

Xavier

UConn

Virginia

What do you think, does the Bilas list have any surprises for you? Surprises for me, Texas, Xavier and Houston. There might be others but those stand out for me.

The mouth of the South

Every time Charles Barkley makes a statement, I agree with he provides me with two or three that only make sense to him. The latest Barkleyism, “Why Tom Brady’s career is unparalleled and way better than LeBron James.” Mr. Barkley you do realize one of the individuals you are discussing played in the NFL while the other plays in the NBA. Even the dynamics of the ball are different, a football is oblong and can bounce but certainly not in the same manner of a round basketball. You do realize the physical requirements for an NFL quarterback are far different from playing point forward in the NBA. Tom Brady’s had an amazing NFL career no disagreement here, but my question is why the comparison? Finally I don’t know about you, but I’ve grown tired of the constant comparison of player A to player B which is rampant in this day and age. It’s quite clear Barkley has fallen into this trend as well.

Black History Moment

The history has been corrected; it now says Bill Russell became the first black coach in the NBA. Russell took over the Celtics in 1966 and served as player coach until 1969. Who was the first black coach in professional basketball, that would be the late John McClendon of the Cleveland Pipers? Now I’m sure you are unfamiliar with the Pipers; they were a team in the newly formed American Basketball League in 1961. This should not be confused with the American Basketball Association which came into existence in 1966.

How McClendon was hired in the first place is even more interesting. The owner of the team was a person who was later identified more with baseball than basketball, George Steinbrenner. It was reported When the team was searching for a coach Steinbrenner informed his GM “Hire the best basketball coach available.” This GM sought out and hired McClendon and the rest of the story is history now. In the middle ‘50’s McClendon’s Tennessee A&I (now Tennessee State) teams won three consecutive NAIA championships, so the coaches resume detailed success on the basketball court. McClendon’s success would see him enshrined in the Naismith and College Basketball Hall of Fame.