A fans perspective

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A divorce

The headline above might be a slight bit misleading but read on anyway. The ownership group of the Dallas Mavericks has made it known they intend to pursue a new arena. Their lease at American Airlines Center which they share with the NHL Stars expires in 2031 so change must occur soon due to time required to construct a new arena. Also of note, the NHL Stars are seeking a ‘divorce,’ they intend to build their own arena. The Stars are reported to be looking at a location in Plano about 20 miles north of downtown.

The Mavericks are currently considering four potential sites for their new arena, including a parcel of land in Irving formerly occupied by Texas Stadium, which has remained vacant since its demolition in 2010. Ownership is aligning with the prevailing trend of integrated development around new sports venues, planning to incorporate retail, office space, and additional entertainment facilities into the project. To meet the proposed 2031 completion deadline, it is essential for Mavericks ownership to promptly finalize the location and initiate groundbreaking. So the latest developments as they are known regarding a new Mavericks arena.

He’s the one 

In the instance of the statement you are about to read I am unable to provide you a shred of evidence, you must see for yourself what I believe has occurred. Rookie Cooper Flagg is the leader of the Dallas Mavericks, I wouldn’t have written this back in October. As we approach the end of the year we see this as evidence, he’s scoring nearly 20 points a game with 6.5 rebounds and almost 4 assists while shooting 49% from the floor. In addition sometimes a key element we miss is his defensive effort, he’s not a great defender but above average.

Why do I claim Flagg is the leader of these Mavs, the talented Anthony Davis continues to suffer. AD remains unable to remain healthy and in the lineup for an extended period of time. Kyrie Irving is talented enough to qualify as a leader however at age 33 his ‘shelf-life’ is somewhat limited by his age. Who remains, talented Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II however both are better suited with the second unit of the Mavs. Although I wasn’t able to witness the entire game Flagg and the Mavs came up short Monday evening against the Portland Blazers 125-122. I believe the Mavs might have lost the game due to Flagg’s poor game, the 15 points are average however he shot rather poorly (6-20) from the field.

A party of one

Before I weigh into this story I will say up front I like Scott Drew for this feat alone. In 2003 he took over a Baylor program which was decimated by scandal. This from Wikipedia: “Drew took over Baylor as a program in ruins, following decades of mediocre-to-poor performance and a public scandal that resulted in numerous NCAA sanctions. After four seasons rebuilding the program, Drew turned Baylor from a program with only one NCAA tournament appearance since 1950 into a perennial tournament contender.”

I wanted to provide you this up front to allow you to understand this is the fork in the road for me and the coach. He is a party of one, he is the only college coach apparently okay with adding former NBA draft pick James Nnaji to the Baylor roster. I have no intention to detail all their concerns let’s just say Drew is the lone coach okay with this development. Those opposed, UConn’s Dan Hurley, Michigan State’s Tom Izzo has probably been the most outspoken however even Mark Few of Gonzaga weighed in on this development. Him I intend to quote, “We really don’t have any organizational or any real rules right now. I think guys are just trying to do whatever they can. Until there’s a rule that says you can’t do it, it’s hard to blame anybody for doing what they’re doing. Our lack of leadership has really shown.” Although there is no quote Arkansas’s John Calipari lined up with the throng of coaches opposed to the change.

Maybe in truth the real culprit is the NCAA which has been in charge of validating athletes to play. Prior to my account being published the NCAA offered its explanation for the change and while it wasn’t overpowering there were concerns they mentioned which should be resolved. As an example we have allowed Euro players to attend college although technically they too are professionals. The point is valid, there can be no halfway on this issue…either you are eligible to play as an amateur or you are not.

I don’t hold grudges

Among the notable exceptions in sports media commentary is Bill Simmons, who recently stirred discussion with his suggestion that "The Lakers should consider trading LeBron James for Jimmy Butler." I should have taken into account the source of the proposal before moving on i.e., Simmons. My chief question for Simmons is straightforward: What possible benefit could there be in orchestrating a trade of this magnitude? Reports have indicated that LeBron is reluctant to pass control of the Lakers to Luka Doncic. If LeBron were to be traded, would he really arrive in San Francisco and immediately take over Steph Curry’s team, that scenario seems highly unlikely.

My longstanding grudge with Simmons goes back quite a few years, although the specifics have become hazy over time. What I do recall is that the Lakers were considering a significant move, and Simmons—while voicing his opposition—admitted in the same breath to being a Celtics fan. With the history of fierce rivalry between the Showtime Lakers and the Larry Bird-led Celtics, I found myself immediately discounting Simmons’ opinions on the matter. Over the years, my feelings toward Simmons have softened somewhat, although I still recognize his loyalty to the Celtics. Memories linger of iconic moments like Kevin McHale’s ‘clothesline’ foul on Kurt Rambis and the sweltering conditions in the Lakers’ locker room at the old Boston Garden. These instances remind me of the deep-rooted rivalry that continues to color my perception of Simmons and his commentary. The bottom line I must admit for Simmons and others I do hold grudges.