Playoff Musings Early

Usually the first round of the NBA playoffs are just getting warmed up as a preliminary of what will come. The LA OK City matchup is one of the more intriguing 1 versus 8 matchups in awhile. Yes, LA is up 2 zero, but now they go back to OK City and will have their hands full. They still seem a little banged up and there seems to be a sort of disconnected synergy with the Lakers. Kevin Durant is the real deal at 21. Imagine someone almost seven feet with a wingspan of a 7 foot 6 player that can do all he can. Expect the next couple games in Oklahoma City to be very interesting.

Dallas seems to be exposing San Antonios age. Phoenix may get by a banged up Portland team, but they still don't show the halfcourt game or any resemblance of defense, especially when a key stop needs to be made. Denver is tough at home and Utah is very injured with 2 starters out. So it will probably be some form of Denver, Dallas and the Lakers, but don't be surprised if it's Dallas. Still, if LA is healthy and they jell, they could take it all....they just have seemed very dysfunctional this season.

In the East it will eventually boil down to Cleveland and Orlando, with Atlanta causing some problems. I just don't see the Celtics, they seem a few steps too slow.

Speaking of Oklahoma City, they are young and talented, but what free agent wants to go there? They will always have middle of the road draft picks and its very doubtful they will pick up high impact free agents. OK City is not a destination point even with the great young Durant.

I really look for him to go to a glamour team as quickly as he can.

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Have you ever had a being in your life that gave you unconditional love....real unconditional love with no strings attached? I did with my dear friend Buddy the Dog. Buddy died last month at age 13. He was a great athlete, with tremendous jumping ability and great low end torque. Okay, maybe he did have some motivation for loving me, food. But he was a constant companion, and was always happy to see me, even when other people were not. He had some funny tricks down pat, and would tirelessly chase and retrieve a ball. He fought a real battle with tumors that riddled his body for the last 2 years. You would never know he was in pain until the end, he was really frisky. Plus, he was the best mannered dog I have ever seen, not to mention a fantastic dancer. He is survived by his mate Itsy Bitsy, but he is missed by me. Buddy, rest in peace my man, you were the greatest.

Cindarella Almost, My Autograph Experience

It's old news by now, but Duke won in the most thrilling NCAA final in quite awhile. Every possession counted and what a hard played game. Butler went dry for 7 plus minutes and it was the big difference in the end.

One thing I really admire about Duke and Coach K is the demeanor in the game Coach K shows. He lets his players play. This is because they are so well prepared. He has trust in his players. It is refreshing to see a coach have trust in his players instead of strutting the sidelines like a banty rooster in an Armani suit. This doesn't mean he doesn't take control during crucial situations...he does. It's just that he will also let the game unfold. I noticed that Huggins has also gone this way much more than the old Bob Huggins. John Wooden never had to do the Pitino/Jim Calhoun strut the whole game. In an 82 game season you never see Jerry Sloan or Phil Jackson doing this.

Coach K is the one percent of coaches who could coach in the NBA from college and do so immediately and have success. Remember, he had the dream team undefeated in the last olympics. Larry Brown had roughly the same cast with Tim Duncan 4 years earlier and absolutely botched it. He let his ego get in the way and avoided playing certain players and it cost him. So on any level my vote is that Coach K is truly at the top on ANY LEVEL.

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I remember growing up that the great Bill Russell once said he did not give out autographs. He said that people asking for them should get the autograph of the people who really made a difference in their lives, such as parents and teachers. My first autograph experience came when I was 14. It was at the Prescott recreation center. I was visiting my grandma and persuaded her to let me attend the big card featuring the legendary Don "Bulldog" Kent as well as the Monroe brothers, Sputnik and Sattelite. I arrived at the arena early and was outside talking when I noticed a Caddy pulling up and out stepped the great one, Don Kent. I immediately sprinted, ticket in hand. Unfortunately, I didn't see a 2 inch steel cable about 15 inches off the ground. When my feet hit the cable on a dead run, I went flying in the air about 10 feet and landed on the gravel and rock parking lot at the legendary wrestlers feet. I immediately got up and said, "Can I have your autograph Mr. Kent?" He said sure kid and signed it.

My other time was in San Diego at a Miami San Diego state game. This was when Miami brought back basketball and had Tito Horford and San Diego State had a flashy guard named Tony Gwynn. I was there with my 4 year old son and spotted Jerry West at halftime while I was talking with Canes announcer Sonny Hirsch during commercial breaks. So of course, I asked for Mr. Wests autograph for my son of course...who never heard of Jerry West. The autograph was for me. I did what Bill Russell said all autograph seekers did..."will you sign it for my mom, son, grandfather." Anyway, the ticket is long gone, just like that moment.

I have since recorded a few commercials with Earl Campbell, who was gracious enough to let me come to his office for a few hours. I know John Lucas fairly well, Mike Newlin pitched our company on the radio, I have met a ton of Oilers and Spurs, but Jerry West was the last person I have asked or received an autograph. But the greatest of them all was the fabulous Don "Bulldog " Kent.

Cinderalla Moves on and one Emotional Moment

Everyone has been telling us that Butler is not the Cinderella story, that they were ranked in the 11 spot early on. What these network gurus are missing is that this team is not a high major hoop brand, rated or not. And if they really were 11th best, why did they get such a crummy seed? Anyway, in my mind they are the Cinderella team in an upset laden tournament.

Butler won ugly versus Michigan State. My argument for pro basketball being far superior to college needed no more story line than Butler going scoreless for over 10 minutes and still winning. This would never happen in the pros, and remember, this is the 2nd best team in college basketball. The pro players are bigger, faster, better and stronger. The worst team, the Nets, would beat whomever wins tomorrow by 20 to 30. Much much better coaching in the NBA and a much faster game. College offenses are like comparing grade school math to a NASA rocket scientist when compared to the NBA. Remember college gurus Pitino and Calipari want nothing to do with the NBA. Just another pretty face in the NBA but on the college level the top dogs. Not downgrading college because the tournament turns what is basically a really irrelevant season into arguably the best event of the year.

Duke has made a believer out of me once again. They are big, and deep. Bob Knight had a talk with Johnny Orr once about Michigan when they were going to play. Orr was describing his team as having an all Big Ten champion sprinter, an All American long jumper as well as other track speed. As Orr walked away Knight said something to the effect of "Johnny, tomorrow we are playing a basketball game." This is what Duke has...basketball players. You hear how athletic the other teams are, but those teams still have to make shots. Duke makes shots. It reminds me of what Bum Phillips, the old Oilers coach said after a scouting combine. "I don't care how athletic these guys are, at the end of the day you still have to be able to play football."
Duke should win Monday, BUT, the charm of the NCAA tournament is that it is not best of 7, it is a one game shot. In an NBA best of 7 the best team comes out on top. This is a different game, so give Butler a shot. The team that was designed to beat Duke, with size and shooting and defense has been eliminated...Kansas.

Finally, I have never seen a more compelling scene than when Bob Huggins hugged his player, DeShawn Butler when he suffered a terrible injury competing against Duke. He cradled the players head and really displayed unconditional love like I have never seen at any level by a coach. Butler is a real quality kid who is graduating and won an award that basically named him citizen of the year, based on a combination of grades and voluteer work. I was sort of mad that the network kept the mike on long after Butler went down, capturing his screams. He was in terrible pain and it just seemed like they dwelled on it morbidly.

Have a happy tournament and Monday we will see if the slipper fits.

Almost the Mouse that Roared Final 4

In the 50's there was a book called the Mouse that Roared. It was about a small country of a few thousand people that declared war on the USA because the USA undercut prices on their only source of economy, wine. The USA did not know about this war and with a few archers invading New York City...their army was quite primitive...they caught our Secretary of Defense asleep at the wheel and captured a weapon that could destroy the world thus winning supreme power.

The last few weeks have been a tale of the Mouse that Roared. Many name brand big schools have been upset. It almost happened again with Baylor, but alas, it was not to be boys and girls. Baylor, a team most Big 12 opponents used to count on for 2 wins a year is a legitimate power. However, it could not beat Duke, allowing 2 late offensive rebounds turn into 2 Three balls late in the game. Couple that with a very dubious tech, and for a minute the Madison Avenue boys at CBS can stop worrying. The basketball gods have delivered their ratings darling, the Duke Blue Devils.

I have to hand the rebounding battle to Duke at the end. What I viewed against Purdue was not a fluke, they do indeed go for the gusto on the backboards..

But lets give some praise for the little guy. There are the Saint Marys, Xavier, Northern Iowa, Cornell, BYU, Old Dominion and the Cinderella story that keeps on going..Butler. In fact Butler is keeping on the Mouse that Roared theme alive and well in Indianapolis. If they win, it would be so cool.....and I don't have a horse in this race, but that would be a story.
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When I saw Kentucky play against West Virginia I kept thinking, what would this team be like if Cousins and Wall stuck around for 4 years. Probably an all time great team with the players Calipari would surround them with. Hope they don't take too big a pay cut going to the NBA.
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I have had a pipe dream about a scenario that would be so cool. The most recruited player in the country opts for Northern New Mexico Institute of Agriculture, spurning the big boys like Kansas and UCLA. This player is Magic Johnson, Lebron James, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wrapped into one total once in a lifetime package. NNMIA is a new D-1 school with a gym that holds all of 3000 people. This big time recruit allures a great supporting cast and start kicking butt against all comers. Our hero the superstar, is an altuistic sort that wants to start a new tradition. The NCAA is sniffing all areas of concern as the big schools are really mad about this new kid on the block. The coach is a sly dog who is having his last hurrah coaching at NNMIA and is able to bend the rules just enough to not get caught. In the middle is the town the school is located in, Gallup, New Mexico, inhabited primarily by Native Americans. I will let you know when Hollywood calls.

Courtside Houston Regional Semi-Finals

This tournament could be the ultimate breath of fresh air if something happens today, and that something is if Baylor beats the Dookies. Sorry for all you front runners and CBS execs on Madison Avenue that give us a dose of what we should like everyday in your subliminal messages, but a Final 4 without Duke, Carolina, and Kentucky would be a real breath of fresh air. Oh yeah, and no Ben Howland and UCLA. Hallelujah.

During the course of watching the Baylor-Saint Marys and Purdue-Duke games the ugly phenomena entered its head again. Here in Reliant with fourty five thousand of my closest friends, the disease, Front Runner Itis, reared its head again. Baylor-Saint Marys was a blowout. Afterwards, Purdue did everything to make every possession count and turn the night cap into an ugly affair. They succeeded until the final 6 minutes when size and talent took over. Now, I have every ounce of respect in the world for Coach K and his team. And also, Dickie V has given an awareness to college hoops like no other. HOWEVER, I thought during one timeout the Duke mascot would take his headpiece off and we would see Dickie V's chromedome smiling. This guy is unabashedly the frontrunning shill for Duke, Carolina and Kentucky. Why doesn't he just stand on the sideline in a blue and white cheerleader outfit?

There was a time boys and girls, when America got behind the underdog. Purdue was that underdog the other night. But ESPN has once again succeeded and made Duke the glamour team to root for. The fans, many of whom have maybe never been on the Duke campus and maybe never in North Carolina, were all gaga over the Blue Devils. I don't have a horse in this race so it's especially interesting to see. The fans who root for Duke do not seem as obnoxious as the Dallas Cowgirls fans.

And yes, the Duke team did get the easy regional because CBS wanted to pave the way to the final 4 this year as their media contract is up for bid and Duke sells. They were the number 4 rated number one seed and yet they got to open with the play-in game winner. What they did not count on is Baylor being good and playing them in Houston. Should be an exciting game.
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Colin Cowherd had a great show this week regarding New York vs. Los Angeles. It started where some myopic New Yorker called and said the Saint John basketball opening was the greatest. Cowherd countered saying that it was not, poor facilities, no income generated from a football program hurting it. Then he said something that most people from that area have never been able to comprehend...except the ones who have moved to LA. People in LA do not move to New York in droves, but people from New York move to LA in droves and stay if they can make it. You do the math...Brentwood or Brooklyn. An 8 foot mound of snow in a parking lot or a Pacific Sunset in February with the temp around 65? East Coasters, its' a big world out there...get hip and take that California trip. And visit the mecca of basketball while you are out there, the Staples Center. Alot more championships than the Gah-den, and it doens't smell like racoon urine.
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I see all these teams make March Madness and I have to ask myself one question. Why doesn't Arizona State make it more often? The only answer I can get is they don't pay enough money to the bigtime players. I have seen so many campuses and if I am 18, most don't compare to ASU. Sunshine, great facilities, entertainment right off campus no car needed, and beautiful, really beautiful women. 8 feet of snow in the parking lot in March, or coeds laying on the grass by the palm trees. This is a puzzle greater than Rubics Cube. Go underdogs and lets make this the un-brand name final 4!

That Was Madness

Finally for the first time in years we are back on the path of upset city in the madness that is the NCAA tournament. We are going to have a sweet 16 matchup of Kentucky- Cornell. This Cornell outfit is the first Ivy League team to make the sweet 16. Could there be a bigger contrast. Kentucky, an all-time basketball power that lives on the edge with coaches that push the envelope and fans that do not take kindly to second place and Cornell...Ivy League with a high percentage of graduation from the players. Oh yeah, Cornell hammered what has always been a tough Wisconsin team. The win was no fluke.

Earlier in the week I heard some announcer say that Vasquez from Maryland was considered the best Terp ever. Really? Over Len Bias, John Lucas, Bernard King and more. No way. Still in the Michigan State/Maryland thriller, you could see the isolation play forming and you just felt he was unstoppable...and he was. What a well coached thrilling game. The best part is that the coaches let the players play. My bone to pick with the college games is over coaching. This game was a great example where less was more.

West Virginia is really a hard playing team. Check out their interior passing. It is a thing of beauty.

The dagger shot by Northern Iowa against Kansas was just awesome. They could have run off 29 more seconds. It was a wide open look by a dead eye shooter. The shot put them over the top and don't you know the second guessing would have started had he missed. The beauty of the NCAA tourney is that with one and done, the best team doesn't always win. If you question this, see the University of Houston or Georgetown.

Syracuse looked like a machine with their wins. They just play in a higher gear. What passing and what a complete game when they are clicking. They are a force to be reckoned with. Kentucky looks really strong through the first 2 games as well.

If you were told a few years ago a team from Texas was in the sweet 16, you probably would not guess the Baylor Bears. Yet, coming back from massive probation just a few years ago, the Bears are in the Houston Regional. Don't count them out...they have 3 really good guards, size and a great shot blocker.

The step brother school from Kansas, Kansas State, is the one advancing in the tournament and they look like they belong as well.

Wrapping it up, if you like the unknown team and the mid major, this is the year for you. No North Carolina or UCLA. But an Ivy League, a Northern Iowa and a Saint Marys'. Who will be this years James Madison?

Len Bias Film..4 Months Later and I am STILL In Awe

Without Bias, an ESPN documentary about Len Bias has been on my recorder for almost 4 months now, and it still blows me away. There are so many elements to this film and on so many levels, that it still is hard to grasp them all. It's a very hard hitting and yet spiritual film on so many levels.

The first thing that hits me is how easy we forget. The start of the film, showing Len going against great competition still blows me away. What a talent. The ultimate inside outside player title probably does not do him justice. Just to make sure I wasn't reminiscing too much I even played the film to my son, who has played with many of the pros in the NBA. He was blown away as well. The one clip that stands out in the many is the one where he is about a foot above Michael Jordan on a 12 foot jump shot in a close game. Perfect elbow alignment, perfect arch and a poetry release. Oh yeah, ultra athletic as well. Could do it all.

What I also think about on the dawn of the 2010 NCAA tournament is how much the landscape has changed in college basketball since Len Bias graced the hardwood. Bias was not heavily recruited and developed under the college program for 3 years. This rarely happens in the modern day. Every year we have to put our hands around the college game because the elite freshmen bolt for the pros after one year. They do not even want to go to college. In the Bias era, a player could not go hardship until after his junior year. This process tended to weed out alot of the mistakes and built a better player in terms of fundamentals. In the Bias days you had a continuity to the program and some continuity with the star players. Now you really have to follow college basketball to know who is who. As a result, we have a sport that really is not relevant in the regular season unless you are rooting for a uniform. It only really matters in March. Now the players get the form that Len Bias had coming out of college after serving an apprenticeship in the pros. I am not going to deny a teenager the earning power that they get in tennis and other sports, but there is something to be said for playing under a Dean Smith or a Lefty Driesell for 3 or 4 years.

A couple of other mind blowers on this were the number of celebrities from every angle of life that were involved in the film. Politicians, Jesse Jackson, sports celebrities like Red Auerbach,

local leaders like Marion Berry...almost the entire Boston sporting press were in the story. The sheer mass of people attending the various memorial services will blow you away...it's as if a statesman died. Again, how easy we forget.

The time period also had some significance from a standpoint that this was right at the time period that crack cocaine posed a horrendous problem for many urban areas, particularly Washington, D.C.

Lastly, if you are a parent, you can especially appreciate the composure of Len Bias' parents. The way they have carry themselves has to be seen. Remember, they lost another son only a couple years later. Again, I don't want to ruin the film for you, but I strongly urge you to see Without Bias.