1-Man’s Opinion on Sports-Friday. “Lakers-Lonzo Ball-ball beginning”

Posted by on September 29th, 2017  •  0 Comments  • 

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“Lakers-Lonzo Ball-ball has arrived”

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They the roll the ball out onto the floor tomorrow night…the ball for Lonzo Ball and his Lakers teammates to play win.

The Lakers unveil the much-awited debut of the UCLA one and done guard, whom many think is the next coming of Magic Johnson.

The Minnesota Timberwolves will be in town to face the Lakers in a preseason game at the Staples Center.

Ball is coming off quite a week, of interviews, camera shoots, press conference, already anointed the next one, without having played a game yet in the NBA.

To me, a bit of a reach to already compare him to the last one, Earvin Johnson.

But when you are the Lakers, and you have strung together four horrid seasons in a row, you grasp on any shooting comet in the sky.

Yes Ball was named MVP in the Las Vegas Summer League.

Yes, he led UCLA to the NCAA tournament.

Yes, he is as gifted a passer as we have seen in ages.

Yes, he runs the floor, and has size, and can go rebound.

But now he starts playing against real players. The Timberwolves come to town with hot shooting Ricky Rubio. They have budding superstar Andrew Wiggins too.

While all eyes will be on Ball playing ball, the Lakers need to also see the growth of 18M free agent G-Kantavious Pope, whom they signed out of Detroit.

And there will be a sighting of young guns Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kouzma, another year of Julius Randle, and even NBA-D-League shooter Evander Blue.

It will be fascinating to see how well this very young team plays together.

The hype will be about Ball more than anything else.

On paper, this would be a pretty good team in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Only time will tell what kind of team it will be in the NBA.

Ball-ball, and his father LaVar, about to descend in Tinseltown.

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1-Man’s Opinion on Sports-Thursday. “College Basketball-Money & Power Corrupt”

Posted by on September 28th, 2017  •  0 Comments  • 

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“College Basketball-Money & Power Corrupt”

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Rick Pitino is gone.

For all the great things he has accomplished, for all the wins, the 7.7M salary he earns, he couldn’t do the job correctly, honestly or with responsibility.

He was swept out of the University of Louisville…12-hours after the FBI slush fund scandal involving Adidas shoe company, and at least 4-assistants, broke loose.

Pitino invoked the phrase “he saw nothing-he knew nothing”

But in previous scandals involving programs Pitino has been around, it’s the same old story.

This time he claims he had no knowledge two of his assistant coaches hooked up to deliver over 100,000 to top recruit Bryan Bowen, who chose UL despite hardly having been recruited. Now we know he took six figures of cash, to sign on the dotted line.

Of course Pitino didn’t know.

Just like a year ago, he was not aware one of his assistants was using an escort ring for sex parties with potential recruits, their fathers, their guardians. That led to harsh NCAA sanctions too.

Of course Pitino didn’t know.

Prior to that, the messy lawsuit, in which Pitino finally admitted to having sex in a restaurant with the wife of his team manager. At first denials, then a lawsuit, and allegations of an abortion and an attempt of extortion.

Pitino began his career as a coach at Hawaii. When he was interim head coach, the Rainbow Warriors got hit with sanctions.

He was rewmofed after a 5-minute meeting with the school President. He leaves with a (416-141) record at the UL, and an NCAA ring.

He won a title down the road to at the University of Kentucky. His prior stops were building a tourney team at Providence College.

His tours of duties in the NBA involving coaching the Knicks and Celtics, though there was not much success.

It boggles the mind why someone, who has had so much success, has to cheat? Or maybe, they cheat because that’s the only way they can succeed?

Pitino is without 7.7M left per year on what could have been a lifetime deal. A Hall of Famer in basketball, now on the steps of the Hall of Shame too.

Too big..too powerful…too many excuses.

“I didn’t know”.

You are the CEO of one of the top programs in the nation. You are supposed to know, and you are supposed to do something about it too.

Money and power corrupt people.

Maybe Rick Pitino should have known that too.

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1-Man’s Opinion on Sports-Wednesday. “Demons in College Basketball-Are They at San Diego State”

Posted by on September 27th, 2017  •  2 responses  • 

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“1st Day on the Job-1st Controversy”

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It is Brian Dutcher’s show now at San Diego State, taking over as head coach, the first day of practice, after 17-years as the lead assistant to Steve Fisher.

Excitement about what he inherts. Ambition to put his own stamps on the program. Uncertainty as to how complete a team he has. And controversy too. As he called it the demons of basketball out there.

His first preseason press conference involved all the typical basketball questions, about his 3-return starters, led by guards Trey Kell and Jeremy Hemsley.

There were questions about the transfers coming in, the 7’1-C-Kam Rooks from Cal, and USF high scoring guard Devin Watson.

And questions about 3-young freshman, led by the highly regarded 6’9-jumping jack Jalen McDaniels.

But there were also lots of questions about the story of former Aztecs coach Tony Bland.

A transfer from Syracuse, he helped lay the ground work for all the great things Fisher built at SDSU. Then he came back and served as a Fisher assistant and a recruiter.

Gone to other jobs, noteably a 4-year stint as an assistant at USC, now Bland’s name is back in the news.

Arrested, handcuffed in Tampa;. Indicted as part of an FBI probe into pay for play scandals, involving assistants at 4-big time programs.

Felony charges Bland, plus assistants at Arizona, Oklahoma State and Auburn were part of an Adidas slush fund program. Those coaches paid money, in some cases 110,000-to steer players to certain player agents and financial advisors.

An Adidas rep was also arrested for making 6-figure payments to players to sign with schools, and then sign with agents as they headed to the NBA. Included are players who wound up on Rick Pitino’s team at Louisville.

Bland had it made as a fast track assistant coach. Why he would do this is stunning. Chuck Person, who had a great NBA career with the Indiana Pacers, was also in handcuffs last night, for doing the same at his Alma Mater-Auburn.

Bland was trapped in a sting in Las Vegas, given 13,000 to deliver to playes, and giving $9,000 to two USC players with the promise he would deliver them to a specific agent once they filed for the NBA draft.

Coaching on Andy Enfield’s new staff, that has turned around the program, the Trojans removed Bland from the coaching staff as the NCAA indictments were handed down.

Dutcher was beseiged with those questions, but had no answers. He said he worked well with Bland. There were never a hint of problems here with Bland. And that he had no knowledge that the NCAA has been on campus to question San Diego State about Bland’s tenure here.

Welcome to Day 1-of the rest of your life, answering questions about your players, your program, its history and success. Coaches hate to answer questions about what happens in the middle of the night.

Whether it is on campus at SDSU, or in this case, Tampa, with an ex Aztecs player and assistant coach, if it’s happening in the middle of the night, it’s not good news..

Tracking the Tony Bland story, with hopes it does not become part of the story of Brian Dutcher’s first year at SDSU..

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1-Man’s Opinion on Sports-Tuesday. “NBA-Legacies on the Line”

Posted by on September 26th, 2017  •  0 Comments  • 

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“Legacies on the Line”

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Move over baseball pennant races.

Step aside foul mouth President Donald Trump.

Make room for the NBA.

It started yesterday, with all 30-teams opening training camps with their media days.

In Los Angeles, a new era begins on one side of town. On the other, a possible rebuild will begin.

The Lakers and Clippers, separated by just a hallway at the Staples Center, are universes apart in the heart of the fans in the market.

The Lakers, with all those banners and all those trophies in the building. The Clippers, with no banners, and only hopes they can take the step to the next level.

Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka now have their Lakers team on the floor. The Kobe Bryant era is now over. Thankfully, so is the Jim Buss era.

The Lakers believe they will be about winning today with a young team, but looking forward to next summer, when the bumper crop of 2018 NBA free agents come available, and they will have cap room.

The Clippers broke up their big three, moving G-Chris Paul, ending the run CP3-Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan had together. All those 50-plus win regular seasons, followed by the heartbreaks every spring in the first or second playoff rounds.

The Lake-show brings back cornerstone forwards Brandon Ingram and Julius Randle. Jordan Clarkson returns at guard. Larry Nance and Lu’El Deng provide play off the bench.

But this season will be all about Lonzo Ball, and how quickly he can play in the NBA, and he will play lots of minutes, after his one and done season at UCLA, and after the all things his father LaVar had to say.

The hidden additions who will help include C-Brook Lopez from Brooklyn, journeyman big body Andrew Bogut, a former lst round pick, and the arrival of stick your nose in it defender Kentavious Pope from Detroit.

In the other lockeroom, there will be 9-new faces on the floor today in Hawaii as the Clips camp open.

Jerry West is a consultant. There’s a new GM too.

Gone are Chris Paul, and off the bench firepower guys JJ Redick-Jamal Crawford and defender Luke Mbah-A-Moute.

Shooting forward Danillo Gallinari brings his offense onto the floor after a good run in Denver, to compliment Griffin. Guard Milos Teodosic hopes to backup the injured Austin Rivers.

And there should be points from ex-Rockets guard Patrick Beverly, former Laker Lou Williams and Sam Dekker-a 3-point shooter.

What’s at stake beginning today will be reputations and legacies.

Can Magic Johnson actually bring something similar to ‘Showtime’ back to Lakers basketball? A great player, he failed as a coach. Now he tries it as a GM.

And will this be a time for Doc Rivers to reinvent himself? The former successful NBA head coach, was stripped of his duties as GM-Team President, after all the post season failures.

Yes it will be interesting watching how many games the guys in Purple & Gold, and team in Red win.

But it will be just as interesting to see what becomes of the legacies Magic Johnson and Doc Rivers. Can they get their good reputations back?.

Lakers-Clippers-trying to head in different directions.

Better than dealing with Trump talks and the NFL battle for LA.

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1-Man’s Opinion on Sports-Monday. “Congrats to President Donald Trump”

Posted by on September 25th, 2017  •  2 responses  • 

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“Congrats to Donald Trump”

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He has been President and Commander in Chiefs for 9-months.

He has finally gotten something accomplished.

He has not reformed the flaws in Obamacare. He has not gotten the wall at the Mexican border built. We are still awaiting the coal mine jobs he promised in West Virginia. Is there progress on tax reform?

And he has not solved all the international issues, ie-Russian government, North Korea missles, nor global warming, the confederate flag issue, nor Fake News or computer hacking.

And how many of his dream hires are still left from his opening day lineup?

But I will say this, he has finally unified our country.

With his fiery rhetoric at that appearance in Alabama, coupled with his long standing late night tweets about the American flag, and NFL players, he has unified our country.

NFL fans, players, owners lit up the President on twitter, and then with enormous emotional displays as the National Anthem was played, defiance against him played out on network TV.

Across the country, the reaction has been unanimous, across the board, condemning the leader in the White House.

The Steelers players and coaches refused to stand on the sidelines during the anthem, staying in the locker-room, the lone exception being left tackle Alejandro Villanueva who served three tours in Afghanistan before beginning his NFL career.

At 13-other games, the protests from those in NFL raged. Players stood locked arm in arm in a show of unity.

Owners, and front office people, stood with their players on the sidelines.

Some players knelt during the anthem. Others more defiant sat. 1-turned his back. Some raised black power fists.

The quotes and tweets from the NFL leadership were pointed and strong.

Trump’s strongest supporter, New England owner Robert Kraft had lots to say. Saints coach Sean Payton was even more exact in his critique.
It went on and on, from city to city, team to team, player to player.

Below are the choices quotes and the TV scans I did of what the teams did after what Trump said and did:

NFL….League wide flashback at President Donald Trump for comments NFL teams should “fire” players who don’t stand for National Anthem
…”Fire son of bitch”
…”Privledge to make millions-don’t disrespect the flag”
…”Fans should boycott the games”
…”Goodell trying justify disrespect to flag”
…Standing for flag is respectful..sitting-kneeling is not”
…”Visiting the White House in as honor”
…”Golden State invitation is rescinded.”

NFL…Response around sports:
…Roger Goodell..”Trump is divisive leader”
…DeMaurice Smith…”Right of every citizen”
…John Mara-Giants…”Inappropriate comments”
…Steven Ross-Miami…”NFL is unifying leadership”
…Jed York-49ers..”Callous statement”
…Arthur Blank-Falcons..”Demonizing viewpoint”
…Steve Bisciotti-Ravens…”Highest form of democracy-protests”
…Robert Kraft-Patriots..”Deeply disappointed”
…Jim Haslam-Browns..”Misguided-uninformed”
…Mark Murphy-Redskins..”Offensive comments”
…Sean Payton-Saints..”We need dignity in the White House”
…Pete Carroll-Seattle..”Time to take a stand”
…Jim Irsay-Colts..”Sports unifies country”
…Mike Tomlin-Steelers…”Stay in our lockeroom”
…Richard Sherman-Seahawks..”This president in unacceptable”
…Steven Haushka-Seattle..”White People need see inequality exists”
…Tom Brady-Patriots..”Strength-Passion-Brotherhood”
…Chris McCain-Chargers..”President is not on our side”
…Philip Rivers-Chargers..”Show Your Love for country-flag-neighbor”
…Alex Smith-Chiefs..”I’d be lying if I said the comments didn’t upset me”
…Alex Smith-Chiefs..”This league isn’t perfect..no one is…I’m proud of NFL”
…Chris Collinsworth-NBC..”Trump needs to apologize…-

…LeBron James called President “U-bum”
…Steph Curry…”Our right to feel the way we do:”
…Chris Paul…”Stay in your lane”

…Richard Petty-NASCAR owner said he would fire any employee not stand
…Richard Childress-NASCAR owner said there would be discipline his team.

NFL…Steelers stayed in lockeroom as a team in protest of Trump comments-Pittsburgh sideline empty during anthem-pittsburgh OT-Alejandro Villanueva stood entrance to field-hand over heart-for anthem
…Chiefs LB-Justin Houston turned his back to field-knelt and prayed.
…Ravens-Jaguars players linked arm on sidelines during anthem
…Giants players raised fist in black power salute
…Eagles players knelt across sidelines
…Patriots QB-Tom Brady locked arms
…Packers QB-Aaron Rodgers knelt
…Broncos LB-Von Miller led 32-players kneel down
…Carolina-DE-Julius Peppers refused to come out of lockeroom
…Miami owner Steven Ross-stood locked in arms with players
…Lions owner Martha Ford stood with Detroit players
…Chargers owner Dean Spanos-GM-Tom Telesco-locked arms with players-Melvin Ingram kneeled-5 players sat down…
…Saints-RB-Adrian Peterson sat
…Patriots fans booed 20-players who knelt during anthem.

As I sat and watched the demonstrations around the NFL, as I read the key quotes from players in the 32-different NFL cities, I got sick to my stomach. Our so-called leader calling out NFL players, the same players, led by Houston Texans star JJ Watt, who raised 31M in flood relief for lives destroyed in Houston.

Donald Trump is entitled to his opinion, just like Colin Kaeperneck, who started all this a year ago, is.

The difference is Trump is supposed to represent a nation, and solve problems, not continually create problems.

He is a reality show TV cartoon character, who has accomplished nothing, but divide people, his party and the country. He was voted in by ‘Angry America’ and has done nothing to solve their problems, nor anyone else’s.

But credit him with this. He has unified virtually everyone in the NFL. They all think he is wrong with what he just did.

I’ll lift his favorite quote from the reality TV world he seems to live in, and borrow it now.

I’d bet a lot of people, a majority of people, would like to invoke his favorite phrase against him….”You’re fired.”

The next words I’d like to hear are ‘impeachment’.

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