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Basketball from a fans perspective

It’s more than this two

I haven’t completely turned off local sports talk radio. I especially appreciate listening to the “experts”, in this instance I’d attached the names of Gary Parrish CBS Sports and Mike DeCourcy Sporting News. There are others but since I listen to them on a weekly basis my ears are attuned to their insight into college basketball. They are opinionated without going over the top, they are informed and always provide vital information. This is the part I love the most, they are not “actors”, there are many print, radio or television folks who are just that, actors. I’ve often discovered these actors are not fully informed yet make up for this by over the top bravado.

I’ve always approached sports news from this position, “Tell me something I don’t know” rather than provide me a theatrical style to the question. DeCourcy provided a bit of controversy listening to his comment while driving to work this morning. He claims American High School basketball is no longer preeminent in the world, talent continues to exist but nothing like the recent past. DeCourcy cited his belief “there is no Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant or Kevin Garnett” among the crop of talent graduating high school up to 1996. He cited James Wiseman (Class of 2019) as another example, “He has all the physical tools but is not where he should be on the talent scale.

Bits n Pieces 

The NBA in Canada, no this is not the Raptors or the Grizzlies who departed Vancouver in 2001. This is the first Canadian NBA team, or maybe we should say Basketball Association of America team. The Toronto Huskies were a charter member beginning play in 1946. The Huskies lasted but a single season, the history indicates poor play (22-38) led to less-than-ideal attendance as well. We could add the ownership into the equation they ceased operations in 1947. It would be 48 years before Toronto would see another NBA team in the city, in 1995 the Raptors were born of expansion. I also discovered there was an effort to resurrect Huskies for a team name, but it failed to materialize. It was said management ruled it out because a logo couldn’t be designed that didn’t resemble the T-Wolves. 

You ever read something and say, “That ain’t right?” That was me conducting research on college Big Men. My initial research led me to the 7-foot Bill Spivey who played at Kentucky from 1949-1951. Spivey was vital to the success Kentucky experienced while he was there, but he wasn’t the first. I believe that the first 7-foot player to taste success in college was Bob Kurland. Kurland played at Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State) from 1944-1946, he changed the game while playing. It was said Kurland would leap above the rim for opponents shots which led to the NCAA banning defensive goal tending in 1945. It’s also claimed Kurland was the first player to dunk a basketball in a game. So there is your brief history of Big Man play in NCAA basketball.

Some are shocked others might be surprised, I have friends who work at Kansas University I also have colleagues who are fans of the basketball program, truth is I have kinfolk too. Recently I was standing in line at a local BBQ restaurant and walking in my friend. I was the one who mentioned the Mizzou and Kansas loss in the NCAA, we both expressed our disappointment and then Jim told me a story which had both of us laughing. He said, “I met Dennis Gates right after he got here.” Jim proceeds to tell me the story Gates saw the Jayhawk lapel pin on his suit jacket, he immediately said “We are coming after you guys.” Jim and I both had a laugh about the story. I said, “He’s coming at you about your association with the program.” 

Speak it

There are things we desire and there is a belief that a segment of folks believe you can speak whatever it is into existence. That might be the hope for a sector of the populace in San Antonio who identify as Spurs fans. The Spurs have long been out of the playoff picture, as the season is in its final days thoughts of the NBA Draft are on the mind of Spurs Nation. As this is written the Pistons have the worst won-loss record in the association followed by the Rockets and finally the Spurs. The lottery is weighted in favor of the team with the worst won-loss record.

If the season ended today the Pistons would have the most ping-pong balls in the hopper followed by the Rockets and Spurs. Despite that fact the Spurs intend to speak to Victor Wembanyama in Silver and Black. An artist in the city has painted a mural of the French teen in a Spurs jersey, the mural is placed in front of a San Antonio restaurant. I read this comment a week ago by Wembanyama, he said it doesn’t matter. Whatever team drafts him just being in the NBA is okay for him. Technically speaking the youngster is correct, you can be drafted by a team with a “bad front office” or a “bad team.” Despite that fact you only must live in that city 6 months of the year so just being drafted ensures you are a winner.