Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

Prime destinations

Every athlete whether it’s trade or free agency is headed to Los Angeles, New York or Chicago, there are other prime destinations in the NBA. Besides the three cities above it’s my contention we must now add San Antonio to the list. I wouldn’t have written this 4-5 years ago but now it’s real, the question becomes what occurred in the intervening years…my contention the Wemby factor. Yes, the opportunity to join the Spurs and Victor Wembanyama is real and is likely to continue.

Consider this fact, the Kings DeAron Fox has requested the team trade him. The reported destination of choice for Fox the Spurs. Of course this move and others in the future are predicated on Wemby remaining healthy enduring the NBA wars. Next time you read or hear of a player deciding to cast his lot with the Spurs remember the why. This next statement is a guess on my part but I’m sure veterans Harrison Barnes and Chris Paul could have chosen another destination. Those two might have been the first “Wemby factor” moves by NBA veterans

SMH

As a member of Laker Nation I have attempted to refrain commentary regarding Bronny James. If you care, you might check back to what I wrote weeks and days before the NBA Draft. He needed additional play at the college level, I thought that would be accomplished based on the school he was reported to be transferring to. There were two factors here, first USC was not a good team, on top of that due to his health issues he played all of the season as a reserve. Then it occurred he announced his declaration for the 2024 draft, second round draft choices generally don’t have lasting NBA careers. A second round pick wouldn’t necessarily be a waste.

What I wanted did not come about, I wanted Bronny to spend extensive time in the G-League. Bronny is bounced back and forth between the parent club and the South Bay Lakers, currently he’s with the Lakers. On Tuesday night against the Sixers Bronny was inserted into the lineup and the results were certainly underwhelming, 0-5 from the floor and 0-3 from the three line. I claim no expertise in reading body language but I do have a concern, whether it was nervousness or something else Bronny did not appear comfortable in his 15 minutes on the court. In addition there were three TO’s in his time on the court. How about the future for the youngster, I’m afraid that is far too difficult a task for me because it would be pure speculation on my part. There might be factors in place I am unaware. 

Don’t hate me

A YouTube channel Sports Reels presented its list of the Top 5 NBA point guards all-time. They are:

1.Steph Curry

2.Magic Johnson

3.Isiah Thomas

4.Oscar Robertson

5.Russell Westbrook

It’s not mine but I take issue with their projected list of all-time greats. Allow me to explain, I love me some Steph Curry but to surpass point guard Magic Johnson, that’s a stretch for me! The narration saying, “Curry is a better shooter than Magic.” We have two players from different eras, one (Curry) more a shooter over a passer (Magic). Truth is in my view Curry and Westbrook are more combo guards than true point guards. In addition they left the NBA’s all-time assist leader John Stockton off their list.

Look around you…it’s clear

Those of us in the continental United States have heard plenty of complaints. Before I began allow me to state up front I am not the one complaining. I believe the influx of foreign athletes to the NBA makes it that much better, we have a substantial number of talented youth arriving attending American colleges or beginning play in the NBA. The question might be asked how did the landscape of amateur and professional basketball change, that’s an easy answer…the NBA.

Euro players arrive on these shores playing for European teams, the same could be said about a number arriving from nations on the African continent. What is the change I speak of, well there is the NBA Global Academy. This training facility is located in Canberra Australia, Josh Giddey of the Bulls became the first athlete from the academy to be drafted in the NBA. We also have the NBA Academy Africa located in Slay Senegal, this facility is also intended to train youth in basketball skills. Also there is NBA Academy Latin America, it's located in San Luis Potosi about a 5 hour drive north of the capital of Mexico City. School studies are also provided to attendees.  

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

Most haunted franchise

This was a topic of discussion on one of ESPN’s family of channels this morning. The most haunted franchise in sports, almost always having good teams but just not good enough to win a championship. One caller suggested it was the NFL Cowboys another said the baseball Brewers, a third mentioned the NFL Bills. One caller claimed the team’s got to be the Los Angeles Clippers, before reading this is not intended to be 100% complete however it’s as accurate as possible from memory. 

Steve Ballmer one of the richest persons in the world now owns the Clippers. Teams on occasion change ownership, the Clippers are one of the rarest professional teams, the former owner was fired. The NBA literally forced Donald Sterling out of business due to racist remarks he’d made but that might have been the final detail. Perhaps a portion of this is the manner the team arrived in Los Angeles. After relocating from Buffalo to San Diego owner Sterling decided to move the team, understand this Sterling moved the team to Los Angeles without NBA approval. The Clippers were a poorly run franchise in those days almost always a loser. Then a change did come about, how it occurred I’m unsure but it did.

The Clippers became contenders but always managed to come up short, from the Lob City crew going forward they were good even better some years than the Lakers. Steve Ballmer decided to build him a palatial sports arena and to get out from under the shadow of the Lakers. We are in the middle of the 2024-25 season and the Clippers record is good, is it good enough to contend for a championship? If at some future date they win an NBA Championship I could no longer consider them the most haunted franchise in professional sports. 

Bits n Pieces  

Checking most NBA Mock Draft sites immediately behind Cooper Flagg are two Rutgers players, Dylan Harper (son of former NBA player) Ron and Ace Bailey. A basketball team is more than two members of the roster however these two have me scratching my head. As this is written the Scarlet Knights have a 10-10 record and 3 wins and 6 losses in the conference. I’ve only seen bits and pieces of Rutgers however check this out, Harper is scoring at an 18.6 point per game while Bailey is 19.8 points. Wonderful things were expected from these 5 star freshman and I’m unsure of what might be the issue.

As this is written it appears there are four teams capable of drafting Duke’s Cooper Flagg. Of course this is not set in stone and the team with the worst won-loss record is not guaranteed the top pick in the draft. Based on the current standings the Jazz, Pelicans, Blazers and Spurs will have an opportunity to choose Flagg in the June draft. Should the pick fall to the Spurs it will prove quite interesting. Drafting Wemby two years ago and adding Flagg to the roster for next season. Of course this is pure speculation on my part however it could occur.

Are the Lakers improved with JJ Redick as head coach over last season? Consider this first, two games were postponed due to the tragic fires in the Los Angeles metro. With that in mind, last season the Lakers were at .500 with a 24-24 record. This season they have 26 wins versus 18 losses so consider this fact. Worst case scenario If they lose both games their record would be 26-20.

Mizzou will earn an invitation to the NCAA Tournament this year unless the roof falls in. As this is written I am unable to project injury which might ultimately be the decider, in the meantime check this out. The rankings beginning January 27 place Mizzou on the top end as the number 30 team in the nation, on the low end at 21. Here are the rankings, AP 25, Coaches 21, NET 25 and KenPom 30. This presents evidence Mizzou basketball is light years above that of last season. Are these Tigers capable of beating the Tigers from Auburn for conference supremacy?  Gary Parrish of CBS Sports claims “This Missouri team The is better than NC State last season, if you remember NC State was a Final Four team.

Name, Image & Likeness

As I see it, there is no requirement for you to agree with me. When I first heard of NIL, I was concerned my thought was simple, these athletes being paid makes them pros. Then I began to think over past events that affected college athletes. I’m unsure how the conversation began but I held a discussion with an acquaintance who played college football. Keep in mind this fact, Jim played football at a Division II program.

He informed me from time to time he’d open his locker and there would be a wad of cash, no note or any clue where the money came from. Keep in mind Jim’s was a small Division II school, imagine what boosters might provide a Michigan or Alabama player. It was said without offering any proof UCLA basketball dominated back in the day because players were “steered” to the schools with money promises. Howard Porter was not paid while at Villanova however he’d signed a professional contract with an ABA team, this would have made him ineligible and his school. Years later when the news was finally revealed Villanova had to forfeit its 1971 NCAA Championship. Coach Larry Brown at Kansas had a player with a family emergency, he needed to fly home. The student-athlete didn’t have the airfare so Brown reached into his pocket and gave the player money for the flight home. Later when the incident was uncovered Kansas basketball was hit with a penalty and placed on probation.

Finally we close this out with the Ed O’Bannon story, after playing for UCLA he discovered his likeness on a video game. Despite the manufacturer making millions off the resemblance O’Bannon hadn’t received a penny. O’Bannon filed a lawsuit against the NCAA and EA Sports. EA Sports settled with O’Bannon for $15 million dollars which might lead one to assume a hefty sum must have gone in the coffers of EA Sports. For those who believe NIL money will ruin football and basketball it was already there…it just wasn’t visible

Basketball from a fans perspective

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It’s far too early to determine

AJ Dybantsa had no games scheduled therefore he took the opportunity to fly to Paris last week. Imagine that a 17-year old flying to Europe on his own money, that’s what NIL will do for you. That’s a story for another time and place, what was the purpose? Dybantsa made the trip to see the NBA Paris Games and mentioned he was thrilled with the play of Wemby, more on that later. He’s headed to BYU in the fall for his freshman year.

In case you might not be aware Dybantsa has been mentioned as the top draft pick in the June 2026 NBA Draft by several mock draft sites. The 6 foot 9 Dybantsa indicates “I want to play with Wemby” however exciting as that might sound there are several issues that might prevent that from occurring. We are attempting to determine the order of the 2025 draft, no one has entertained who might draft Dybantsa if he is available. It’s possible he could be available when it’s time for the Spurs pick. Second or maybe first, we need to determine if he’s got an NBA game, we believe he does however there is no guarantee of that as a fact.

What is the issue?

I’m unsure of the why, former NBA players such as Gilbert Arenas manage to push my buttons with his takes. I can now add Paul Pierce to the list based on his podcast statement. I’m paraphrasing his comment but he indicated the Suns should trade Kevin Durant to the Thunder for Chet Holmgren. No such trade has been mentioned except by Paul’s assertion. This is the basis for his trade, he claims the Thunder haven’t really missed the injured Holmgren in the lineup, he played the first 10 games and that’s been it. According to Pierce you can plug Durant into the structure of the Thunder easily or something similar. What’s wrong with this trade, plenty in my mind.

There are championship aspirations by the Thunder for this season no doubt…but. Durant is now 36 (37 years old in September), Holmgren is 22 years old. This is no criticism of Durant he remains one of the NBA’s greats but what team even one chasing a championship trade a 22 year old for a player about to turn 37. Thunder GM Sam Presti has been running the team since the Seattle days, does Pierce think Presti’s going to all of a sudden become excited about Durant? Some might remember Durant was originally drafted by the Sonics and moved to Oklahoma when the franchise relocated there. This is the second bizarre thing expressed by Pierce, he suggested Hollywood should make a movie about LaVar Ball based on the story two sons becoming NBA players…what!

The standings

If you check the college basketball standings on Sunday January 26 they look peculiar. For the first time in recent memory Missouri basketball is outstanding compared to that being played in Lawrence Kansas, what you just read is distressing to fans of Jayhawk Nation. After Saturday’s action Kansas has 14 wins and 5 losses, they have 5 wins and 3 losses in the Big XII. Across Stateline Road and 150 miles down Interstate 70 lies Columbia home of the Tigers. Currently their record is 16 wins and 4 losses, they are 5 wins up and 2 down in the SEC.

Not only do the Tigers have a better won-loss record they also have a victory over their border neighbors. Understand this on December 8 these same Tigers beat the Jayhawks 76-67, could the Missouri victory have occurred in Lawrence…probably not but it wasn’t played there. The weekly poll will be out by the time this is read, currently Kansas is 12 in the AP Poll and 11 in the Coaches Poll. As for Missouri they sat at 22 and 24. After Missouri’s upset victory over Ole Miss and the Kansas loss to Houston how will the polls appear for the border teams? It seems Kansas has “magic” with voters so I have doubts they drop extremely far, as for Missouri a question exists will they rise significantly?

The sports fan

This definition comes from vocabulary.com: “an enthusiastic devotee of sports,” synonyms: fan, rooter.” That’s a bland definition from reality because most sports fans live vicariously through the wins and losses of their favorites. They cannot get enough discussion with their friends and acquaintances or listening to radio and television mention of their favorite team. When reviewing the team “they” is often exchanged for “we” as if the individual is on the team’s roster. The most difficult role of fandom is to remain faithful especially during difficult periods of time.

I could use me as an example, my (notice the possession) Lakers won back to back NBA Championships in 2009 and 2010. From that point up to 2020 was quite trying as they always fell short of the mark. Laker Nation is experiencing a similar experience each season since that championship, we have found them lacking the ultimate prize. What occurs for Laker Nation and me, nothing changes, we are disappointed but continue to love our team despite the downturn. What takes place for Laker Nation in 2025, I have no idea. I hope June will see them crowned NBA Champions however if that fails to occur I will remain that…a fan and member of Laker Nation. I believe I can place myself in the realm of “rabid fan.”

“Build it and they will come”

The headline is from the 1989 Kevin Costner movie classic, the shorten version of the story his character built a baseball diamond on his farm. The “Build it they will come” belief no longer exists for a variety of reasons. Last spring voters in Jackson County Missouri rejected plans for a downtown Royals baseball stadium and renovated Chiefs Arrowhead. Here me, opposition not only exists in Kansas City and Jackson County but all over. Remember the Sixers and their desire for a downtown arena, it’s coming but not in downtown Philly. It’s going to be eventually built near the existing Wells Fargo Center which is south of the planned location.

In San Antonio there appears to be no boisterous opposition to a new arena only of the quiet variety, allow an explanation. Once again the plan is for a downtown Spurs arena to replace Frost Bank Center, the present arena was opened in 2002 however the Wemby factor is part of this effort. One of the Bexar commissioners said this, “What’s to become of Frost Bank, will it sit in a manner similar to the Alamodome?” For those unfamiliar with the story the Alamodome was built with the hope San Antonio would eventually become home to an NFL team, that never came. The building served as home for the Spurs until AT&T (now Frost Bank) opened. In closing the question becomes is there a requirement for citizens to underwrite most of the costs for these sports palaces? I like new as most folks might but there is a point that becomes too far for citizens.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

Mizzou did it again

Remember what I wrote about SEC men’s basketball? “Win all your games at home and steal one or two on the road,” this Mizzou game wasn’t on the road. Ole Miss was the number 16 team in the nation and were the visitors, I didn’t know a great deal about Ole Miss except they had an outstanding record prior to the early evening match yesterday. It was a team victory for Mizzou, of the starters guard Tamar Bates led the way with 14 points, firepower off the bench came from Caleb Grill scoring 25 points.

The chief area of concern for me has always been rebounds and Mizzou managed to come out on top 39 to 28. Mizzou shot a scorching 44% from three. Am I surprised with the victory, to a degree but this team continues to provide to all this is not the same Mizzou team that stumbled through much of last season. This becomes win number 16 overall and they now have 5 conference wins. I hate to look too far ahead but I can say this with confidence, every win going forward especially in the tough SEC is good for the resume. Mizzou now gets a break until their February 1 game on the road against Mississippi State.

The NBA Internationally speaking

This past Thursday afternoon and late yesterday morning (our time) the Spurs and Pacers played games in the NBA Paris Games 2055, the outcome of each game was significant however it was the other thing. The NBA continues to expand the game on an international basis. This international emphasis began under the late David Stern at the time he was NBA commissioner. Until I began to research this subject I had no idea the number of international regular season games that have been played to date.

We must return to 1990 to uncover the first regular season international NBA game played, it was Suns and Jazz in Tokyo Japan. There have been 11 games played at several locations in Japan, 9 in London England. 13 in Mexico City and 5 played in Paris. During the commissioner’s press conference a member of the media from Germany asked the question, “When will Germany get an NBA game?” The commissioner didn’t provide an answer however Adam Silver made note the number of German players in the NBA.

Who are your best   

If you were asked to assemble a starting five NBA team who’s on it and why? There is so much worthwhile talent to choose from so my list certainly might be different from yours. My team will have two guards, two forwards and a center, with that said here goes. Based on his potential and what I’ve witnessed to date Victor Wembanyama is my center. I know he’s “only” 235 pounds but the total package he presents will not allow me to place him anywhere else except at center. 21-year old Paolo Banchero of the Magic is my power forward, his total game is among the best in the NBA. I have a friend who indicates he’s a Celtic fan, despite this fact he picks on Jayson Tatum. That is not me, the 26-year old Dukee is the key to the success of this franchise and my small forward.

The guard positions are difficult because of this fact alone, Chris Paul is the last true point guard remaining. There is no one behind him, there are plenty of combo guards so among them I must choose the best for my team. My point guard (combo) is Shai-Gilgeous Alexander of the Thunder, looking at his numbers tell me something SGA doesn’t do well. Finally we arrive at shooting guard, while this cause some concern on my part I ultimately made a choice. Would it be 28-year old Devin Booker of the Suns or 25-year old Jordan Poole of the Wizards as my pick? I am going with Booker based on his volume of work, he becomes my shooting guard. I am comfortable with all my choices with the exception of my shooting guard. What about yours, what is the composition of your team?

I’m pleased

If you’ve read this blog any length of time you are aware of my belief, I have long maintained there was no merger between the American Basketball Association and the NBA in 1976. Using the term “merger” might sound more friendly than a takeover which in essence is what really occurred. Practically everything we read indicates the ABA would soon go out of business, the ABA would likely have been forced to shut down by 1978 at the earliest, 1980 at the latest from what I’ve been able to determine by reading the history.   

Back to the terminology a moment, I’ve never read any term other than merger until recently. An ESPN story regarding Maverick Carter’s attempt to start a new basketball league, this from that article. “The NBA has not faced a significant rival 5-on-5 league since the 1970s, when it merged with the short-lived American Basketball Association and absorbed four of its teams—the Pacers, Nets, Nuggets and Spurs.” I underlined and bold printed the word I wanted you to focus on. To my knowledge I believe this to be the case, the word merger continues to be utilized by many in the media that is far from correct and it appears to be the case for this ESPN writer as well.

Best of the best

The Chicago Bulls born of expansion in 1966 have seen a number of players over that course of time wearing the jersey. Several of the names below played exclusively in the old Chicago Stadium now demolished while others played there and the United Center which opened in 1994. Certainly, the Michael Jordan Bulls teams were undoubtedly the best however there were others who played for the Bulls over time. Although I never witnessed the play of all below are those I believe to be the Top 10 players in Bulls history. I had difficulty excluding Norm Van Lier and Nate Thurmond, both distinguished themselves while playing for the Bulls.

Michael Jordan

Scottie Pippen

Artis Gilmore

Horace Grant

Chet Walker

Bob Love

Jimmy Butler

Toni Kukoc

Jerry Sloan

Bill Cartwright

Norm Van Lier

Nate Thurmond

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Celtic Green 

Rivals week was advertisement for the weeks forthcoming slate of NBA games. I cannot speak for the balance of the NBA I can for Celtics-Lakers. How far back does their rivalry go, certainly a very lengthy period of history in the NBA. It was Russell, Cousy, Sam and KC Jones against Baylor, West and Chamberlain. Later the opposition would become Bird and McHale versus Magic, Kareem plus Worthy. In later years it became Bryant and Gasol facing Pierce and Garnett, as you can see this rivalry is epic dating back to the 1960’s. Although we have a different generation the Purple and Gold saw those Green Celtic colors and it was on, final score Lakers 117 Celtics 96.

This was beyond a doubt the best Laker game of the season as they held the prolific 3-point shooting Celtics to 34.1% while they managed a sizzling 42.9%. 6 foot 5 Max Christie didn’t score much but that wasn’t his assignment on Thursday evening it was to harass 7 foot 3 Kristaps Porzingis. Porzingis scored 22 points but only took 5 shots from three so the bizarre strategy utilized by the Lakers appeared to work. The Lakers held the Celtics in check allowing them but 38.5% shooting from the floor. Has this team turned the corner, I really don’t have a clue…I can repeat what I said earlier. This is the best version of the Lakers I’ve seen thus far this season. I’m going to give the defending NBA Champion a pardon, they played an OT game previously and this was a back-to-back effort, the Celtics had “tired legs.”  

I don’t agree

This is one of those rare occasions I disagree with Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com. He’s looking at potential College Coach of the Year, of the three candidates he named I only agree with one of the names. Duke basketball was presumed to be good coming into the season, although just a freshman they have Cooper Flagg almost certainly to be the top pick in the June NBA Draft. There are other freshman added to the Duke roster, Coach John Scheyer has put together an outstanding record to date but wasn’t that what he was supposed to do?  Next up, Auburn basketball under Bruce Pearl is 17-1 and 8-0 in the SEC, Auburn was 27-7 last season which says to me without checking most of the starters must have returned.

Auburn was also like Duke supposed to be good this season. The one name on his list I will agree with is Mark Pope at Kentucky. John Calipari departed for Arkansas he left the “cupboard” bare, Pope arrived had to put his system and players in place. We find Kentucky with a 14-4 record as this is written, but wait there is one more just as worthy for consideration. Dennis Gates at Mizzou has turned the program around, truth is they sit above Kentucky in the current SEC standings. Mizzou was not expected to compete after the horrendous record of last year. Mizzou was 8-24 overall plus 0-18 in the conference, this season they are 15-4 largely 4-2. The college basketball season is nowhere close to completion however Gates has done an outstanding job to date. This award should go to a coach whose team exceeds expectations, that would be only Kentucky and Mizzou.

Bits n Pieces of information

The NBA in Europe, that was the dream at one time for former NBA Commissioner David Stern. It just might come into existence however not in the manner some might have guessed. Nothing is set in stone, not a nation or city has been identified however preliminary plans have been laid out. It is clear the Lakers will not be jetting to Berlin or Paris for a game. It would appear if NBA Europe comes into existence it would likely appear similar to NFL Europe. If you remember the NFL exported its game to Europe, the football league existed from 1991-2007. As plans are further identified regarding NBA Europe I will update you with as much detail as is available. 

I guess my thought process might not be quite precise in attracting talent to a school, in the day of Name, Image & Likeness plus the portal transfer might a school be a destination for an unexpected reason? How about that 5-star prospect and the lure of the coach/school over the other above. Caleb Wilson’s decided to attend North Carolina over Kentucky, he’s a 6 foot 9 forward and is number 5 on Rivals, 6 with On3 and 9 rating on 247Sports. His words to ESPN, “I picked North Carolina because of their culture and the history of the program.” At 17 or 18 years of age how much could Wilson know about the words highlighted in his comment?

This is the bother for me

He was there and then he wasn’t…the HE I speak of is Andre Drummond. AD mentioned the year they won the championship they had JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard two 7-footers. For the most part AD played power forward. After the exit of the duo a few years later the Lakers signed Drummond during the trade deadline, I thought the 6-11 270 pound Drummond would be the answer however he was allowed to walk after the season.

Later I read AD had issues with how Drummond clogged the lane, not allowing AD to operate as he was accustom. Once again it’s been mentioned that the Lakers need another Big and its AD making the declaration. I’d held the belief it might be Jaxson Hayes but it’s clear he’s not it, the Lakers undoubtedly need a center. The Lakers had a center but decided to trade him, in 2016 they made Ivica Zubac the 32nd pick in the second round. The 7 foot 240 pound Zubac from Croatia had some difficulty adjusting to rugged play in the NBA. In February 2019, a decision was made to trade the Big Man to the Clippers. After playing mostly a reserve role for the Lakers Zubac became a starter for his new team.

He can score when called upon but that’s not his forte, clogging the lane and rebounds has been his primary role. I have maintained for years it seems, the Lakers must have an excellent scouting staff, they have drafted quality talent over the years. The problem is not developing that talent…case in point Zubac. Doug Christie provides evidence, although not a center he occupied plenty of space on the bench until JJ Redick became coach.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

Weather and natural disasters

The Wednesday game between the Bucks and Pelicans was postponed due to a snowstorm. NO, the game was not to be played in Milwaukee which certainly sees its share of winter storms it was New Orleans. Up to 10 inches of snow fell in and around the city becoming the first substantial snow the area had seen since 2009. As you were made aware earlier the Lakers had two games postponed and the Clippers had one deferred due to the highly destructive wildfires that occurred in the Southern California area.   

This should have been a win…but it wasn’t

Mizzou men’s basketball team was on a four game winning streak after losing to number one Auburn. The Texas Longhorns would be the opponent Tuesday night, there is always a danger when playing on the road but I felt confident the win streak could continue only that didn’t occur. The Longhorns beat my Tigers 61-53. Almost everything Mizzou’s accomplished this season from a positive viewpoint went away in the execution of this game. There was poor shooting…poor rebounding and poor…., okay enough of that you get the point.

Is there another “poor” I could add…no I don’t think so that just about does it. Whatever area Mizzou could perform poorly they did but guess what…this should have been a win. As evidence they shot a pathetic 31.3% from the floor, on the other hand Texas shot a “sizzling” 34%. Shooting from three was even worst for Mizzou (18.2%) however it wasn’t much better for Texas who managed to shoot 20%. This game needs to be locked away in a vault and forgotten as soon as possible. Next up for Mizzou on the schedule is number 16 Ole Miss, they will visit Mizzou Arena for a late Saturday afternoon game. It will be a tough match but hopefully Mizzou starts a new winning streak.

What about Steph

If the season ended today the Warriors would miss the playoffs, the 2024-25 season would become the third consecutive year without the team appearing in the playoffs. Has the time come for Dub Nation to begin a rebuild, that might be the belief due to the team lacking production in several areas. As this written the Warriors have 21 wins but also 21 losses, before delving further I am making no claims about my ability to see all there is regarding the Warriors just my observation. Leader Steph Curry is still Curry however he’s 36-years old now, similar to LeBron his play cannot remain at an elite level. 

The other member of the Splash Brothers, Klay Thompson is now sinking baskets for the Mavs, mercurial Draymond Green who is the heart and soul of the team is now 34-years old. The balance of the supporting cast fails to reach the level of those championship Warrior teams. If you check out the Warriors roster a portion of the problem is evident…lack of height. They have 7 foot Quinten Post but that’s it in the height department, are there efforts to address this prior to the trade deadline? The Warriors brought in Buddy Hield and more recently Dennis Schroeder, perhaps there was a belief they would become Splash Brothers II. Andrew Wiggins and Trayce Jackson-Davis add to the mix of seasoned veterans. It’s probably just me but I believe it’s time for the Warriors to begin a serious re-build. 

Is it reputation

This is written Tuesday evening January 21 regarding Kansas basketball. If you are part of Jayhawk Nation you should stop reading at this point to avoid being upset. The AP Top 25 poll places Kansas in the number 12 slot, the Coaches poll has them at number 11. Both numbers are decent however it makes for a question which must be answered. We are in Week 12 of play however if we check the preseason poll Kansas is number one in both polls, what occurred between then and now?

Currently Kansas is tied for 5th place in the Big XII Conference race, it’s still early in the season however that’s quite a drop from preseason number one to the present. Kansas has lost 4 games, to unranked Creighton, Mizzou unranked at the time the teams met, the other losses have come against West Virginia and Iowa State. Some might question the intent of this article and here it is warts and all. I have believed for a time Kansas has sustained its lofty position boosted by guys like Dick Vitale (whom I like) and others. The reputation of the school allows Bill Self and staff carte blanche with a number of high school prospects. This also exists for transfer portal players however there is a key…molding this mix of talent into a cohesive unit. So far at least that appears to be the chief issue for the 2024-25 Kansas Jayhawks.

We are still in January, there is adequate time for this group of Jayhawks to put it together. As for Bill Self he's a two time NCAA Champion, I hardly believe he’s forgotten how to coach, the problem is the changing college basketball landscape. It’s changed on Self and he’s scrambling to adjust to it. Perhaps the greatest question which cannot be answered until March will they be able to compete for conference domination?

Basketball from a fans perspective

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Too tough

I am asking the question about me, allow a little more detail. On Sunday evening the Clippers along with Kawhi Leonard played my Lakers beating them 116-102. Leonard played 24 minutes scoring 19 points. I didn’t see the game but this would appear to be a good outing for him. This was a back to back for the Clippers with the Bulls in town on Monday, the outcome this time was different for the home team. The Bulls were winners 112-99, the box score indicates Leonard didn’t play in the game.

Apparently he’s on a minutes restriction in addition to not playing back to back games. Since his return to active status Leonard’s time on the court has averaged 22 minutes a game in the 5 played thus far. He is averaging 14 points a game in the limited time spent on the court, this is where you make the call. Leonard said early on he was going to ease himself back into play or similar words. I was the one who wrote, “Don’t expect the old Leonard back after surgery and the layoff.” In addition to that fact the wear and tear on a 33-year old NBA body over a career. Maybe I’m expecting too much, am I too tough?

I’m guilty as well

No New Year’s resolutions for me, besides the fact January is half over. If I were to resolve to make a change it would have been announced before now. This is not a resolution just something I hope to avoid in the future, if for example you read an account written after January 20 consider it was written in front of this declaration. In 2025 I am going to make a valiant effort to quit comparing players with one exception. Players active today will continue to be compared to their contemporaries.

You will no longer read anything in this blog comparing athletes from different era’s compared to one another. An example might be Oscar Robertson comparison him to Russell Westbrook and vice versa. The reasoning is simple, a number of aspects of the game have changed between Robertson’s last year as an active player in 1974 and 2025. Sizable portions of the NBA game have changed significantly over time, until Professor Brown or someone else is able to provide us a DeLoren with a flux capacitor the on court battle will never occur.  

The tough SEC

Dennis Gates Mizzou Tigers have little time to relish their 83-65 victory over Arkansas this past Saturday. They are about to begin play over the next few weeks one of the toughest schedules in the nation I believe. Check this out, last night on Mizzou’s schedule was SEC member Texas (12-6 1-4 conference) then it’s on to play number 21 Ole Miss. From there its number 15 Mississippi followed by number 6 Tennessee and number 11 Texas A&M.

The rankings may have changed a slight bit by the time you read this because the conference members might have incurred an additional loss, which could move them up or down in the Top 25. It’s been my contention for a time that SEC men’s basketball is the toughest conference in the nation. SEC teams knocking off one another it’s easy to see why a .500 conference record just might be enough to earn an NCAA berth for Mizzou or any other SEC team. This is why I continue to state, win all your home games guilty and steal one or two on the road.

Key role model

Maybe you saw the same photo I did last month after the game. The Spurs journeyed to NYC for a match against the Nets. After the game Victor Wembanyama spotted a youngster in the stands with a sign, he’d brought along his jersey to the game and evidently wanted to exchange it for Wemby’s. From the photo the youth appeared to between 7 and 8 years old. A photo and video was taken with Wemby trading his autographed jersey for the youth one, that was then what you are about to read is now.

Somehow, that jersey made its way to an auction house and is now up for bid with an asking price of $10,000. Now I am reasonably sure junior didn’t make a decision to sell his prized autographed jersey, who do we suppose was responsible for it being placed on auction? Wemby was made aware of the sale and he didn’t publicly comment he did however released a crying emoji on his social media page. A number of fans claim the jersey is no longer the property of Wemby, the new owner can do with it what he desires, on the other hand what do you think of this account?

Storming the court

This past Sunday students from Vanderbilt University stormed the court, the Commodores men’s team had just beaten number 6 Tennessee 76-75. The school joins conference member Mizzou, back in December they had also been fined $250,000 for storming the court after their victory over Kansas. I believe most of us are aware of this issue however I became curious, where did it begin? Research took me back to 1950, 75 years ago to the first court storming. Students and cheerleaders stormed the court at the old Madison Square Garden after City College of New York won the NIT and NCAA Tournament. There have been other instances of court storming due to significant games won, as an example.

The game that placed college basketball in the national spotlight, the 1968 game between Lew Alcindor’s UCLA Bruins and Elvin Hayes and the Houston Cougars. That game played in Houston’s Astrodome saw Houston win with a 71-69 win ending UCLA’s 47-game winning streak. The game was noteworthy being the first nationally televised college basketball game. In 1974 Notre Dame ended UCLA’s 88-game winning streak with a 71-70 victory. Of course most realize the danger of court storming, someone could be seriously injured and that’s why there are rules in place prohibiting it. As you might realize despite the best efforts by school’s across the nation to curtail court storming it continues to occur. The SEC fines its members large sums of money as almost certainly other conferences as well.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

Who's first?  

Discussions surrounding NBA expansion have been ongoing for a time. The commissioner’s office has made no firm commitment except you might be aware of the cities mentioned. Las Vegas and Seattle appear to be slam dunks but there are others to consider. A return to Vancouver who lost its franchise to Memphis however there might be another Canadian city moving to the forefront. Montreal, with its metro population of 4.4 million, is actually larger than Vancouver so population is a non-issue.

This from the web, “71% of Montrealer’s spoke French as their first language. 58.5% of Montrealer’s speak both French and English and finally 20.4% speak English as their first language.” There would appear to be no language barrier unlike that which might occur with a Mexico City NBA franchise. As for existing sports, the NHL Canadians are an institution in the city. The Alouettes of the CFL founded in 1946 are second in length of tenure to the NHL team. Is the interest there for an NBA team in Canada’s second largest city, that’s an unknown at least for now. From what I read there is interest although unlike Seattle which is anxious for a return of the NBA there appears no major outpouring of significance.

Bits n Pieces of information 

If he is drafted you’ll have more information than a nationally known member of the media. The athlete in question is named Xaivian Lee and he’s a 6 foot 4 180 pound point guard, Lee is in his junior year at Princeton. I know what you are thinking…an NBA player from an Ivy League school. Now that you’ve finished laughing allow me to provide you with a little additional background. Lee hails from Toronto Canada, a well-known hotbed for basketball talent. I guess you might have figured as much. It seems Toronto high school basketball is responsible for 98% of Canadian players in college, the NBA and internationally. As we arrive closer to the June draft I will send out a reminder to be aware of his name.

The Ja Morant almost SportsCenter dunk on Wemby recently I forgot to communicate this observation. I could say this is now, back in the day the speedy guard would have found himself planted on the court back in the day. I cannot imagine Morant driving on Charles Oakley, Ben Wallace, Shaq or others I might have omitted. Players of today might be better conditioned but they certainly are not as tough as some players of the past. Some of you are saying MJ would drive in a comparable manner, tell me have you ever heard of the Jordan Rules?

The usual suspects, the teams at the top of the NBA standings are those having the best defense rating. Who are they:

1.Cavs

2.Thunder

3.Celtics

4.Rockets

5.Grizzlies

More than likely the 2025 NBA Champion team will come from one of the above or it could be the Knicks, Nuggets or Mavs. There have been numerous complaints regarding 3-point shooting and other aspects of the game. My focus is on the defensive rating, that’s where I believe we should be considering.

Beal v Reaves

Any effort Laker management undertakes to improve the team is a good thing, there are exceptions to my statement, however. Sometimes the rumors are worrisome because they might not be coming from the front office but somebody is talking to someone. The latest rumor has the Lakers acquiring disgruntled shooting guard Bradley Beal of the Suns for Austin Reaves and my initial question is why? Beal is 31-years old which certainly is not old however Reaves is only age 26 so there is that question…but wait there is more.

Beal is scoring at a 17.5 ppg clip 3.6 rebounds 3.3 assists and 48.5% shooting, 38.5% of it comes from three. As for Reaves his numbers are 17.9 ppg 4.3 rebounds 6.2 assists 43.6% shooting, 39.4% from three. Finally check out the defensive rating for the pair, Beal is 118.2 and Reaves 117.9. Just to provide a point of reference I utilized statmuse.com, SGA is the top performer in the NBA with a 102.5 rating. As you can see if we just look strictly at the numbers there appears to be no advantage for the Lakers to make this trade. I sure hope this is just a rumor circulating because it certainly doesn’t look good from where I sit however I’m only a fan. 

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

This is changed

The Battle of Los Angeles will occur this evening, Clippers v Lakers. This is similar to the NFL Giants v Jets or Mets v Yankees, it could also be The Ohio State v Michigan…okay enough of that you get the point. Both teams are fighting once again for the hearts and minds of Angelenos however this is changed. In years past Staples Center now Crypto.com was arranged based on who represented the home team. The Lakers and Clippers shared the same arena, for Laker games seating capacity was 18,000 plus and Clipper games it was 19,000 plus.

The teams will truly be a home and home series because tonight’s game will be played in the Intuit Dome the new home of the Clippers. The game will be totally different based on this change, there will be 18,000 fans plus The Wall rooting for the Clippers. I imagine there is likely to be a contingent of Laker Nation in attendance. As for the records the Lakers have won 22 games losing 17 and the Clippers are 23-17. As this is written the Clippers are in first place in the Pacific Division standings while the Lakers are in second place. From the 1950 movie classic All about Eve, “Fasten you seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.” This match will be available on NBA TV and other services beginning at 9:00 p.m. Eastern 8:00 p.m. Central.

He’s not Tim Duncan

Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas has done it once again in a recent podcast. This time the subject was Victor Wembanyama and his impact on the NBA, this was his take. “He (Wemby) cannot be the face of the NBA because he plays in small-market San Antonio, look at Tim Duncan etc. etc. etc.” I guess I must listen to one the Arenas podcast rather than pieces because what comes across to me appears to not be well thought out. I don’t know if this is a fact but my understanding is despite his prowess on the basketball court Duncan was/is a private person. I would imagine there were offers at the time he played I just have doubts he ever acted on them, that’s item 1.

Item 2, perhaps its winning Super Bowls or something else I’m really unsure. Every NFL fan from Paris France to Paris Texas, Athens Georgia to Athens Greece is acquainted with Patrick Mahomes. I make the statement based on a belief that even those who might not be aware of him have seen his face on numerous State Farm, Head and Shoulders, Adidas and Subway commercials. There are two or three local commercials he appears in as well. Mahomes plays in small-market Kansas City with a population close to 600,000. That’s a large number of people but nowhere close to New York, Los Angeles, Chicago or Philadelphia. According to the web Mahomes earns $25M in commercials annually.

I’ve said this previously

A story popped up regarding Roger Brown on my social media page. For some of you Brown was one of a number of basketball players named in the 1961 point shaving scandal. He, Connie Hawkins, Tony Jackson and Doug Moe received lifetime bans from the NBA. None of those named were proven guilty in any court and they never played in the NBA with the exception of Hawkins. Over the years we’ve read the stories time and again but the question becomes were there actually any guilty parties? My research says yes but not the names generally associated with the scandal. Below is what I uncovered from the internet:

There were 37 arrests of players from 22 colleges

At least nine players received money from gamblers or fixers, but were never convicted

Two players received bribe offers but never reported them

Nearly 50 people associated with the scandal were banned from the NBA, including future Hall of Famers Connie Hawkins and Roger Brown.

I continue to argue that a series of events similar to what occurred in 1961 is not possible today for a variety of reasons. Although not the same but intricately connected is Jontay Porter. This former Raptor player has received a lifetime ban however it’s for events that could be documented and proven. It’s my understanding players of that period received lifetime bans without adequate legal representation or evidence. Notice the number of guilty players who took money but were never convicted of anything. No, if a similar event occurred in this age today’s basketball players are a bit more knowledgeable regarding their rights than many were in the 1960’s.

Little movement

The most recent Top 10 boy’s high school teams in Missouri saw little movement, below are the schools and city locations, they are:

  1.Oak Park HS (KC) 11-1

  2.Chaminade (STL) 7-4

  3.De Smet (STL) 11-1

  4.Vashon (STL) 12-1

  5.Principa (STL) 11-0

  6.Kickapoo (Springfield) 12-2

  7.Sikeston 10-1

  8.Rockhurst (KC) 10-1

  9.Battle (Columbia) 7-3

10.Rock Bridge (Columbia) 7-2

si.com/high-school/missouri/top-25-missouri-boys-high-school-basketball-state-rankings 

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

What are they doing?

Laker GM Rod Pelinka owes me no explanation however I’m confused. What is the front office attempting, Laker Nation is aware a Big Man has long been needed. An assortment of names have been mentioned as candidates and one by one other teams acquired them or they remain with their present team. The events are not in order, back in the summer we heard the name of Isiah Hartenstein then with the Knicks now with the Thunder.

More recently the name of Nick Richards Hornets center was reported to be on the Lakers radar and them BAM he’s traded to the Suns. Also mentioned the names of center Jusuf Nurkic of the Suns and Jonas Valanciunas Wizards center, as this is written both remain with their respective teams. Then it was Christian Koloko, the Lakers were forced to wait on the 7 foot Koloko for clearance from the NBA due to a health issue. After Koloko was cleared and added to the roster he’s rarely seen the court, the latest addition to the Lakers roster is 6 foot 10 260 pound Trey Jamison undrafted in 2023. Jamison is reported to be a shot blocker and lob threat. Of all the names mentioned the injured Mitchell Robinson appears the most NBA ready but there are two issues. At the top of the list he’s injured and second to that Robinson is a member of the Knicks. With Karl-Anthony Towns on board now Robinson is less likely to see action than previously.

If the Lakers can manage to arrange a trade with the Knicks he is NBA ready and although an NBA veteran he’s only 26 years old, the downside is Robinson’s history of injury. I can’t be GM of the Lakers because I have no idea the intricacies of managing a trade. Up to this point, unlike others in Laker Nation I have attempted to retain a neutral approach regarding Pelinka however he’s got to make a move that works. The Lakers front office has made a number of trades and player acquisitions in the recent path I’m unsure if we can place a stamp of approval on any of them.

Fool’s Gold

In American History it’s recorded scores of people headed to California in the 1840’s, the basis for the legion of settlers to head west, gold had been discovered. I read thousands and thousands on the east coast, Midwest and other areas traveled to California dreaming of striking it rich. Many prospectors believing they would become rich with their discovery had to deal with Fool’s Gold. My understanding the mineral appears to be the real thing it just ain’t. This season as this is written the Cavs have played 37 games of the number played they have won 33 of them.

That’s quite an impressive winning streak, in the standings they are ahead of the defending NBA Champion Celtics. They are tied with the Grizzlies in team scoring with a sizzling 122.9 ppg, on the other side they surrender 111.4 ppg. Let’s contrast that number with the 108.4 the Celtics give up and in the West we see the Thunder (103.6) and Rockets (107.1). Despite what the naysayers love to say, “Nobody plays defense in the NBA.” I can agree by saying bad NBA teams play little if any defense, that’s a partial explanation why they are awful. Is this Cavs Fool’s Gold, before you Cav fans become further upset with me allow me to say this. The NBA season is extensive, we are in January, check back with me once the playoffs begin.

A second look

I believe we can look at Mizzou’s Dennis Gates differently this year, last season was a disaster the team failing to win a single SEC conference game. Could the record have been better last season, no one could say for sure but it certainly appears it could have been. Countless numbers in Mizzou Nation and in local sports media wanted Gates gone, this despite the fact when he arrived the team had only won 12 games and he improved it to 25 wins in his first year. If this appears an excuse for the poor play of last season so be it however here goes. Transfer guard Caleb Grill missed the majority of games last season with injuries, he only appeared in 9 games.

To date he’s seen action in 12 games, his 12.2 points a game scoring average might appear ordinary this is the standout portion. He’s shooting 53.3% from the floor with 48.6% of it from the three line, he contributed 22 points off the bench in Mizzou’s upset win against Florida. Transfer John Tonji also injured much of last season appeared in only 8 games for Mizzou. After the season he transferred to Wisconsin, he’s the leading scorer averaging 18.2 points a game for the Badgers. The coach recruited well in the transfer portal the two named prove it, neither was healthy last season. Can I prove Mizzou would have been more competitive with these two in the lineup on a regular basis? My quick response is NO, I cannot provide you one shred of evidence to prove they would have been better. This is the portion I believe, they would have not gone through the SEC race with not a single victory.

The Philly mystification

Surely you remember the Sixers wanted a new arena. Apparently playing second fiddle to the NHL Flyers and other events may have been the driving force. In any event they rolled out plans for a new arena, 76 Place nearly two years ago, it was to be built downtown near the Chinatown section of the city. That was the plan however citizens groups fought it despite the fact Philly’s mayor ok’d the effort and the majority of city council members voted in favor of 76 Place. In the 9th hour the effort by all parties becomes null and void, the Sixers agree to remain at Wells Fargo for now.

But wait there is more, there will be a new arena built in south Philly near Wells Fargo. It will become the “new” home of the Flyers, Sixers and serve as host for other events, the planned opening date is 2031. As I first indicated I was unsure who won this WWE match between the people and billionaire owners. This will be a joint venture between the Sixers and Comcast Spectacor, as this is written it appears the arena would be constructed without taxpayer funds being expended. So now this makes for two out of three planned NBA arenas, OKC and now Philly. Currently a new arena in San Antonio is awaiting further input from the city and is no place close to a done deal.

Basketball from a fans perspective

Published daily except Tuesdays & Thursdays

A closer look

The video looked SportsCenter worthy however it was rejected, allow the explanation. The 6 foot 2 Ja Morant dunked on 7 foot 5 Victor Wembanyama which looked outstanding until you take a closer look. It failed to make the SportsCenter Top 10 because impressive as it looked it didn’t result in two points. In the video the game officials whistle could be heard yet Morant continued his drive. 

The whistle was blown because Morant was called for a travel, Wemby hearing the officials whistle probably relaxed until he saw Morant continuing to drive toward the basket and him. Morant extends his left arm into Wemby’s chest while dunking the ball with his right. If there was no travel Morant would have been called for an offensive foul anyway, in conclusion the action looked good however that’s all I can say. So mark that up for what it appeared a terrific play that was judged null and void.

“The truth is out there”

The headline is from the old television series The X-Files. What you are about to read has nothing to do with UFO’s, Big Foot or Nessie its Kansas basketball. If you are a fan of the program this warning, what you are about to read you will hate. In addition you will conclude “This is written by a Mizzou fan.” I will repeat this again at the beginning, Bill Self has not forgotten how to coach he is not the issue. Number one, the Big XII continues to add teams what once was an 8 team conference has grown to 12 and what is it now 16? Kansas is no longer able to dominate this conference as it once did, those days are history now. 

Number two—coaching, this issue can be debated however few of the coaches in years past were able to offer any serious competition to Self and Kansas basketball. That’s changed now with a different breed of coaches now prowling the sidelines for a number of the Big XII schools. Number three is NIL, if it boils down to money my guess there are programs around the nation that offer a prospect equal to or perhaps more money than Kansas. There might be other issues however those are the one’s that stand out to me. From many of the letters I’m reading a number of fans are upset in this order, the roster then the assistant coaches and finally Bill Self

Pay attention

Tuesday evening the Mizzou Tigers beat their second Top 10 team this season, the first was then number one Kansas on December 8 and now it’s number 5 Florida. The Tigers arrived in Florida for their match against the Gators, they managed to hold court most of the game compiling a huge lead. In the second half of the game the Gators came roaring back in an effort to win, the Gators would come up short with the Tigers winning 83-82. The usual suspects were key to the victory, Caleb Grill emerged from the Tiger bench scoring 22 points shooting a sizzling 6 of 10 from three.

There were other Tigers who contributed to this win, forward Mark Mitchell added 15 points, in addition guards Anthony Robinson and Tamar Bates contributed 12 and 10 points, respectively. Florida was led by Walter Clayton with 28 points. Once again Mizzou held its own in the rebound department Florida had one more team rebound (37) to Mizzou’s. I continue to promote my belief regarding winning in the SEC, teams must win all their home games and steal one or two on the road. The season is young but Mizzou has certainly registered a quality road win beating Florida. Have they punched their ticket for the NCAA Tournament, that’s yet to be determined but they are certainly headed in that direction.

Bits n Pieces 

Where is he, you remember Oliver Rioux don’t you, he’s the 7 foot 9 basketball player from the Montreal Canada area. He left in 2021 and enrolled at IMG Academy in Florida to enhance his basketball skill. When it came time for college Rioux remained in the state enrolling at the University of Florida. Some might be wondering about his status, a decision was made to redshirt him for his freshman year. We can only assume there is much work required for him to become ready to play at the collegiate level. If you were thinking “Wemby” thin you can remove that thought from your mind, Rioux checks in at 309 pounds. I will continue to update you as news further develops on Rioux.

Ever since his play against Team USA I have been solidly in Cooper Flagg’s corner. I’ve defended him against all the naysayers including former NBA player Gilbert Arenas. Last year after extolling the talent Victor Wembanyama possessed I looked at his negatives. I’m going to do the same with Flagg based on scouting reports, the following is not me…it’s the view of scouts. “Doesn’t necessarily project as a first option or an elite iso-scorer.” One site listed “20 stat strengths, the stat weakness side listed TO’s.” Keep in mind my belief scouts are not specifying Flagg is bound for greatness, my thought they indicate he is a genuine NBA prospect. 

The strange events surrounding 76Place appear even more perplexing as I write this on Monday. It is extremely difficult to speculate on this project lacking all the pieces of the puzzle in front of me. As more information is revealed it’s more confusing than what was divulged on Sunday. My thought, the Sixers are going to build an arena somewhere other than downtown. Now it appears if there is a new arena it will be built in south Philly which is the location of Wells Fargo Center, you confused? I certainly am at this point that’s why I intend to leave this story where it is until there is solid information to act on.