Vision Circle

When's the last time an NBA player got THIS headline?

Philanthropist Smith Retires from League. I remember when he donated the loot for the student center. The next step for the big money makers is philanthropy.

And Here Lies Jerry Buss...

owner of the los angeles lakers who pulled the single silliest move in the history of a franchise built on the backs of mikan, chamberlain, jabbar and o'neal. there are other numbers in the rafters, including #32 (my personal favorite), but none are bigger than those of the big men who dominated the low post in LA. buss traded shaq and here comes the hammer...it seems some of his old peeps had a meeting and put together the LARGEST TRADE in NBA HISTORY...and guess who's involved...

C-O-N-spiracy...

This letter was written to a dismayed friend in Detroit, downtrodden about the demise of his defense-oriented squad. At the hint of a conspiracy theory, I "penned" the following:

The Scoop on Ben Wallace

ESPN's Scoop Jackson recently cobbled together a few words about the engine that drives the Pistons...

LKS, you are right...Wiley is missed...there are a number of places Scoop could have with this, but does not bring it home because...

The Tyranny of Progress

It seems that we all lose a little perspective along the way. Then again, that works both ways. Grandparents hate hiphop and loved the juke joint. Parents hate hiphop but got "Between the Sheets" with them boys from Teaneck (Isley's for the "new"). I was going through a list of TOP 10 Power Forwards in the history of the association and thought I'd share.

So I got ta thinkin' that based on an entire career - and its current trajectory, I don't have much of a problem with this list...

Goes Sheed, So Goeth The Pistons

A look at the boxscore from last night's Detroit-Miami matchup reveals two things. First the game got away from the Pistons in one quarter--the second. Every other quarter the game was close. The second, was Rasheed Wallace's line. A couple of points on a couple of shots.

When the Pistons don't get production out of Wallace--who is really their only postup threat, they don't win. It's that simple.

But the way the Pistons broke down mentally was frustrating not just from the standpoint of a supporter (as Prince noted "fan" is short for "fanatic").

The Association

What would Ralph Dub have said about Nash winning the league MVP? I can't say that I know the answer to that, but I can say that it would have been something that has not blessed the back pages since the announcement. I think Nash probably had more of a singular impact on the regular season (in terms of wins) than any of the player in the league. In fact, I think it's a bit of BS to argue for Shaq when we all know damn well he doesn't even do the regular season anymore.

American Express and Coach K

I'm watching the NBA Playoffs, and I'm hearing this voice during the commercials talking about what the various teams and players bring to the table. I realize it's Coach K from Duke and he's shilling for American Express. It's all good, but I'm trying to figure out something. When was the last time we heard a college baseball coach talking as a voice of authority about a major league baseball squad? I'm firmly convinced that the entire notion of a "pure" college game juxtaposed against a "lazy" pro game is a myth. It sells tickets for a weaker product--I can understand why Duke alumni might want to watch them play from afar but not someone from Whittier--and ensures high ratings for the March college tournament.

Rex Chapman speaks on inter-racial dating

I've followed Rex Chapman since he was a McDonald's all star. Could jump out of the gym, and had a real nice stroke. Ended up coming out a couple of years early and being drafted by the Charlotte Hornets. When Magic announced that he had HIV/AIDS and was retiring, Chapman was one of the first people to step up with loot and with support. I'm not sure what provoked his statemenets on UK's stance towards his inter-racial dating, but they were interesting. What jumped out at me was when he talked about then vs. now. "I don't know how it is now, but that's how it was twenty years ago."

I did the math quickly in my head.

Twenty years. DAMN. That went by quick.

So quick that I wouldn't be surprised if things haven't changed all that much.

Why Blacks don't play baseball

I was listening to the Kojo Nnamdi Show today, and part of the discussion centered on African American sports preferences. An old head like Gerald Early loves baseball like it was his second wife. But for a guy like me? I'm down with baseball when the Tigers are doing work. I keep up with them enough to have been happy that Alan Trammel, Lance Parrish, and Kirk Gibson were brought back into the fold, but I don't live and breathe baseball.

I live and breathe basketball. When I'm not thinking about writing, or researching, or writing? I'm thinking about a crossover. A jumpshot. A behind the back look off bounce pass on the break. And truth be told? I can't play. I play well enough to hold my own, but I can count the number of times I've been in the zone during a pickup game on one hand with two fingers lopped off. And I'm not alone. Starting with my generation I think, blacks have turned their backs on baseball.

Why?