The view of a fan

Published Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday  

Beginning today

Life is all about change, we don’t often enjoy it yet most of the time we accept it. This is a change occurring for Off the Dribble this week, this is the last Sunday edition. Beginning September 14, it will return to a 4 day a week schedule, publishing dates will be Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Although this remains a labor of love publishing, writing and the research required is taking a great deal more time than it once did.  My hopeful plan is for you to continue reading, discussing interesting portions you discover with your friends and acquaintances. I look forward to this continued effort it will just occur on a different day, thank you for being a loyal reader whether you are new or longtime.

Top 25 college basketball teams

On the cbs.com college basketball page they covered the Top 25 college basketball teams over the last 25 years. I have no intention to cover 25 only the first five, it begins with Duke. The Blue Devils have won 721 games while losing 171 since the 2000-01 season. They have won three national championships, 2001, 2010, and 2015. In second place the University of Kansas, the Jayhawks have won 717 games losing 175 from 2000-01. 2008 and 2022 witnessed them winning national championships. Third place we find the University of Connecticut with 590 games and lost 262 during this period.

UConn in April is the most successful of all of the teams, winning championships in 2004, 2011, 2014, 2023 and 2024. The University of North Carolina lands in position four, they won 639 games while losing 251. The years 2005, 2009 and 2017 the Tarheels won the championship. Number five is probably surprising to most reading this, it was for me. Michigan State University, the Spartans were winners 617 times and were losers 254, during this period they won 0 national championships. There you have it the Top Five college basketball programs in the nation. Number six is really no surprise, the University of Kentucky. The Wildcats won 651 games losing 222, their lone championship occurred in 2012. What do you think, are most of the suspects in place for you?

Source cbssports.com college basketball

Dr. J. & Pistol Pete

This story arrived on one of the social media sites I regularly utilize, I thought it was worth sharing because it’s a story few of us are aware. It simply states, “What if.” Julius Erving a.k.a. Dr. J. had exhibited his tremendous talent in the ABA his first two seasons while playing for the Virginia Squires. The basis for what occurred next is not quite clear however it could have changed the direction of at least one NBA franchise. After the Virginia Squires season was complete Erving signed a contract with the Atlanta Hawks, he actually played for them in two exhibition games. A court ruling sent him back to the ABA and he never saw the city again except while playing for the Sixers. Your question of course, what occurred for these series of events to unfold? The NBA at the time had a rule in place which prohibited underclassmen from the draft, the ABA had no such rule. Although Erving had played for the ABA Squires the Bucks decided to draft him with the 12th pick in the first round of the 1972 draft.

At the time the Bucks drafted Erving they already had Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar on their roster, we fast forward to the spring of 1972 which saw Erving sign a contract with the Hawks for the 1972-73 season. This was done despite the fact the Bucks held Erving’s draft rights. The Hawks had a formidable team as well, Walt Bellamy at center, Lou Hudson shooting guard and Pistol ‘Pete’ Maravich at the point. Needless to say Erving would play those two games mentioned earlier before the NBA began fining the Hawks, this due to the fact the Bucks owned Erving’s draft rights. Can you imagine the high flying Dr. J. teammates with the skillful passing of Pistol Pete, these two plus sharpshooting Lou Hudson and Walt Bellamy in the post. This Hawks team might have been much more successful than it turned out to be however this scenario only ends with what if. Check out NBA history if you are unfamiliar with the names of Hudson or Bellamy, both former players are enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame.

I worry

Sports betting on a national scale first came to light in has the Black Sox baseball scandal in 1919. There is no record earlier than 1919 that although surely individuals probably were wagering on sports although most college and professional sports were in their infancy. College basketball experienced two major gambling scandals the first occurring in 1951 and later in 1961. There have been other smaller instances of players reported to be gambling themselves or involved with organized criminal elements. What is most interesting at the time these events unfolded there was no legalized gambling as there is now. As for the NBA in 2024, Jontay Porter who played for the Raptors was given a lifetime ban by the NBA for violating their gambling policies.

Porter is also to face criminal charges involving his gambling. As this is written free agent Malik Beasley is under investigation by the NBA for, you guessed it gambling. Three college players have been kicked out of school by San Jose State and Fresno State for betting on their own performance. Many of you reading this are aware for years there was no talk regarding the NBA in Las Vegas, the chief concern…sports betting. I worry that a trend might have begun now with sports betting and gambling being legalized now. I have no solutions to this conundrum just a continued worry on my part, I hate for a single tinge of any pro sports be tinged in this manner. As this was being completed I came across an ESPN story indicating 13 players from 6 different colleges were involved in gambling schemes.

The Western Conference Gauntlet

The Western Conference race this upcoming season looks very tough, I am making this statement prior to the start of the season, the NBA Champion team will be a Western Conference team. So what are saying Larry Laker, are you stating the Celtics, Knicks or Pacers can’t win in 2026? Yes, that’s exactly what I’m stating. Those teams named and maybe one other are certainly very good however they will not have enough to overcome the Western Conference representative. I could be discussing the Thunder who return all their key players, once you have climbed the mountain (championship) it becomes less difficult the second or third time around. The Wolves, Nuggets, Clippers, Lakers, Rockets, Grizzlies and Mavs all appear to be ready to battle for Western Conference supremacy.

The Rockets have Kevin Durant who still remains a formidable opponent on the court. The Grizzlies suffered injuries which curtailed their aspirations last season, as for the Lakers Deandre Ayton might be challenged with an expiring contract plus they will have a slimmed down Luka Doncic day one. I almost forgot, the old man LeBron James who will play a huge role. The Mavs roster resembled a hospital ward last season, with a healthy AD and a return of Kyrie Irving plus Cooper Flagg. There is Ant Man with the Wolves, the “old” Clippers and The Joker and his Nuggets. Did I leave anyone out, yes I did, the Warriors and Steph Curry might not win but could certainly play spoiler denying one of these teams the opportunity to compete for the conference championship. Only one of these teams can emerge from the fray so perhaps that Eastern Conference team will discover the “bark might be worse than the bite” for their Western Conference foe.