SHADES OF JACK MOLINAS & etc

 Should anyone be surprised that the NBA is embroiled in a gambling scandal? Pas moi, dudes and dudettes, Gamblers and basketball go back a long time. I was just graduating from St Mary's College in the Spring of 1961 when the Jack Molinas' orchestrated college scandal was uncovered. Many players I knew were involved, either as point-shavers or as players who knew about the gambling and kept their knowledge a secret. Players such as Connie "The Hawk" Hawkins, Tony Jackson, Doug Moe, and Roger Brown and others were banned for life from the NBA. All four mentioned above could have been NBA All Stars and even perhaps Hall of Fame inductees. I devote a page or two in my memoir The Mad Manchurian, to that scandal and how I was personally affected by it. 

What bothers me about this particular scandal are the two players, Chauncy Billups and Terry Rozier who appear to be significantly involved. Other than they might be gambling addicts, which the info I'm reading doesn't suggest, there doesn't seem any financial reward these two could achieve by their actions. Billups approximate net worth according to the info I found on the internet is 35 million. Terry Rozier's net worth is approximately ten million dollars based on his contract with the Miami Heat. Holy Dinero?  A California public school teacher with 30 years experience earns from ninety thousand to one hundred-thirty thousand per year. I could have used numbers from careers that more closely resemble professional sports, but I wanted to make a point of the disparity we're looking at in this scandal. Why in hell of logic would Billups and Rozier allow themselves to be involved in something that netted them a few measly thousands? I understand Dontae Jones, a fringe NBA player with a low ball NBA contract who was deeply in debt and probably addicted to gambling, helping gamblers. Rozier and Billups are not as far as the news goes, deeply in gambling debt. Are there there much greater $ bribes the public is not aware of? Not that I've read or heard. Billups and Rozier are connected to gambler friends. Maybe that's it, some kind of loyalty to old chums from the hood. I can't see that either. Scratching my head, and coming up with little else, I'm left with a Forrest Gump qoute, "Stupid is, what stupi does."

Etc:

Time for the Warriors to figure out a permanent solution to the prolonged Kuminga drama. They signed him to a fair and lucartive contract. It was thought to be the solution. It helpted but not enoght. Kuminga started the season playing well within Coach Kerr's system, but then regressed, became injured, and is no AWOL. I'll not second guess Warrior player management, but it's high time something happens because, at least for the moment, I'm looking at Kuminga still as an unhappy camper. In my opinion, it is not an advantage for the Warriors to wait too much longer to find the right trade, not if they want to accomplish anything other than a play-in sport in the NBA Western Conference Playoffs. If I were them, I'd be looking for a strong defender and first round unrestricted draft choices. A lot of teams might find a young athletic slasher with an advantageous contract like Kuminga's a good acquisition. 

CP 3 retiring at the end of this season. Chris Paul is a shoo-in HofF player. He has brought honor to the NBA. He was always edgy and tough, but never dirty, even though there were times when he guarded our Steph Curry in ways that made me want to go on the court and set a few hard picks on him. I can see Chris going into coaching. 

Two teams to watch as of today: The Toronto Raptors and the Detroit Pistons. There is lots of talk about OKC repeating as NBA Champs. I believe the Nuggest are the better team in the West. We'll see. 

i was unaware that Jalen Eillimas was Vietnamses on his mother's side. One more country heard from to make the NBA an international sport. One of these days, the NBA will surpass soccer. You read it here first. 

Instead of a poem, I'm offering a novel: The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly from a Mickey Haller Lincoln Lawyer series about Artificial Intelligence. I do so, alarmed by the possibilitie that AI, if it is not governed properly by some kind of government oversight can cause a lot of damage, particularly to our young people whose brains have not yet developed fully. 

PLUS/MINUS & OTHER OBSERVATIONS

I apologizes to my readers for my recent scanty blogging. I'm still recovering from a heart surgery and somethimes my energy level goes on a vacation. I find that extremly annoying, as my energy neve flagged as a player, teacher, or writer. Not rational? Okay, but at 87, I get to be grumpy. 

So, I start by being grumpy about the constant and insipid conseerns over frigging plus/minuses for players. For anyone who doesn't know what basketball plus/minus is, here's it in a nutshell: 

My Warriors: Jimmy Butler said, "We're not guarding nobody." Excusing Jimmy's double negative, he's right. The Warriors , win or lose, are always the best version of themselves when they let their Defense dictate their Offense. 

On Joe Mazzola on "having fun." I'm not sure where or from whom the concept of "fun" came into the NBA league's vernacular. Coach Steve Kerr introduced "Joy" I always translated his meaning to be that in order to play the pro game with its impossible long and stressful schedule, you had to go out on the court with joy for the game an for the fact that you could this, be this kind of superb athlete, be "happy in you work" as actor Sessue Hayakawa said in the role of camp commander in the movie Bridge on the River Kwai. But, "NOT Fun" The Brit General played by Sir Alec Guinees would never have been able to sell that to his troops. I agree with Coach Mazzola. Like Coach Joe, I was never very good with fun if it applied to playing on the big court of the NBA or any court from high school through college or even on the playground courts in pick up games. I reserved having fun to hanging with friends and playing pinball at the local arcade. As an adult, I reserved the notion of "Fun" with playing with my children. My point is that FUN should be stricken from the vocabulary of the serious sportsman and the word replaced with PLEASURE. Pleasure is what all players and coaches must feel as they step onto the court, a deep abiding pleasure a their good fortune that they are there, in the life of athletics. It is a sensory experience. It is not whoope or delight. It comes with an understanding that you and your body are honoring each other.      

Ah, well, enought with the philosophy. 

A team to watch this season as of today: Detroit Pistons. After years of being terrible, they are emerging as a top contender in the East behind Cade Cunningham and Coach J B Bickerstaf. J.B.'s father Bernie and I were inducted into the first WCC Hall of Fame - he from the U of San Diego and moi from St. Marys' College. J.B. and Bernie are the first father/son coaching team. Great guys, great coaches. After Lenny Wilkens, J.B. may be the best coach to call on if your team is losing and you neede an overhaul to get back on to a winning track. 

Speaking of Lenny Wilkins, My friend and teamate passed away recently. He was a super pt guard and outstanding coach. It is noteworthy to poing out to basketball folks that Lenny never went to his right. Hardly ever, and all his opponents knew it, but still could not sotp him. He and Zelmo Beatty when they were with the Saint Louis Hawks were, in my opinion, the first dynamimic pick and roll offense in NBA history. Now Pick and Roll offisen is almost a cliche. 

Things don't look good for my Sacrramento, Kings. Lots of consecutive losses until the night before last when they surprisingly beat the Timbervolves. Luck, timing and the Stars. While my wife's grandson and my basketball buddy belives the Kings need to blow things up, I'm not so sure. Sabonus is clearly unhappy, and suffering some injuries. His absence affects the Kings negatively. But I saw some promise finally from Keagn Murry recently that leads me to believe he is finally coming into his own and maybe that big stretch 4 the Kings have desperately needed. My biggest concern with the Kings is with Coach Doug Christie, who truly did not earn the job, but was popular with the Kings' owner V. Ranadive. Is see no substance there, no understanding of match-ups. His offense is pretty ho-hum and predictable. It's my opinion that the Kings should fire Christie now, bring in a coach with lots of experience to shore things up and perhaps encourage Sabonis to buy into his team again. Nique Clifford is a find, DeRosen is as always the master of the midlevel jumper. Lavine needs to perk up. Schroder at pt guard is adequate. Monk is a solid rotation player and and Westbrook is a terrific energy guy. I'm not saying they could compete for the West, but they sure as hell could be better than their recorord indicates. Firs Chistie, do it NOW. 

Recently I bought the new Tops trading cards for my grandson, Leo and he is now in possession of a Cooper Flagg signature card and a Dylan Harper rookie card. If I'd only known how popular trading cards would be and how much $ some of the elite cards would bring, I wouldn't have lost my signed Wilt Chamberlain rookie card. Ugh. I'd  be a millionaire. 

On the Life side of my blog: I've been reading about AI and how it can be used negatively. Avatar friends for teens? fake friends? How can that be good for teens whose ages make them vulnerable to peer pressure? If you want a fictional possibilities, read The Proving Ground by Miachael Connely in his Mickey Haller Lincoln Lawyer series. 

Latest article from The Athletic is about stars being injured. I'v ebeen calling for a shorter season and more innovative fitness training. I also believe we are starting our youngster should not be involved in such serious hoops as is the case these days with all the AAU pressure. 

To lighten the subject, here's a poem I wrote a while back about the philosophy my high School basketbll coach had about injuries. 

Spit On It

 

The first time he landed wrong
he came up lame and wished for a miracle
that never happened. All season
he limped, but sucked it up the way
the older boys said he must to be a man
and not a pussy, a dictum he carried
with him into other sports and into life.
 
Today, he hears on television that so and so
won’t play because of a bruised knee
or a sore shoulder or ankle, and he hears
his high school coach yelling, “Spit on it!”
which never worked. Or did it? He recalls
the passage from the Bible where Jesus cures
blindness by mixing mud with his saliva
and rubbing it into the blind man’s eyes.
Scientists have proven saliva contains
a healing agent called histatin. As for mud,
who knows? So, he does not complain
that his knees throb or his fingers
are arthritic, or raising his right arm
causes him to grit his teeth. He sucks it up,
spits and rubs. He says it see

AMAZINGLY LUCKY

 As a rookie first round pick by the Philadelphia Warriors in 1961, I was priviledged to begin my NBA career witnessing the greatest basketball player of all time, my fellow teammate, Wilt Chamberlain. No player at that time or players that followed could ever match the amazing athleticism and scoring ability of The Dipper. It is now my privilege at the end of my life - I will be 87 on the 26th of this month - to witness the modern incarnation of Wilt Chamberlain in the body of Victor Wembanyama. With apologies  to Nikola Jokic, presently the most skilled and efficient center in the NBA, who has a chance by the end of this career to be the NBA's GOAT, the Serbian big man does not possess the variety of skills that Wemby possesses, nor does he have the grace of function the 7'5" Frenchman is blessed with. I saw Wilt at the height of his power. I believe jokic's game is set. It is possible he will improve, but I doubt it. He is who he is. As for Victor Wembanyama, he has more in his bag. It will be a delight to see over the years what he pulls out of that bag. Oh, La vache!

The World Series set to begin, here's a haiku from my forthcoming collection of sports haiku:

34

Broom handle poised
On his shoulder ready to swing
For the window

W

NBA 24/25 SEASON OPENERS

 If anyone doubted it before this season, Alperen Sengun, the Turkish center for the Houston Rockets

in winning pocker, he'd be a Straight Flush to the Joker's Royal Flush. It would not surprise me if Sengun turnes out to be as good as Jokic. Bite my tongue, you say. Yep, maybe so, but the Rocket's Turkish Pasha has so much upside left, who knows what the future has in store for him. He is certainly the Hub of the Rocket's wheel. Note: The Rockets are sporting the tallest starting Five in NBA history. They will be a tough team to beat. Ok, so OKC beat them. But the Rockets took last year's NBA Champs to double OH VA TIME. I think most NBA fans already had the Rockets as a contender and perhaps even possible winning the West. My only problem that assessment is the coaching. I'm not on the Udoka bandwagen as much as most fans and talking heads are. He's tough and smart, but I do not see enough creativity in his approach to the game. He makes solid choices, but not the risky ones. He proved that to me last season with the Warriors outcoached him, especially in the closing minutes. 

As for the Thunder, they're still the team to beat in the West. Everybody that loves Curuso's game raise their hands. Mine's up. Ichabod Crane, oops, I mean Chet Holgren could have a break out season based on what I saw last night. No surprising, OKC missed Jalen Williams. 

Do the Lakers have any idea what their rotation will be? It doesn't look that way to me based on what I saw last night. Ok, LeBron was not there, but where were all the rest of the players? The Lakers will not win if they have to rely on Doncic playing 40 minutes a game. I also wonder how long it will take JJ Redick to figure out that DeAndre Ayton is playing for his check and not for his team. This guy has all the tools, but doesn't use them. The word is SOFT. It's only one game, so I'll cut him some slack. But I'll take bets Ayton is soon backing up some other big. At least Jaxson Hayes plays with energy.

Based on their firs outing, the Golden State Warriors, baring injuries, are going to win a lot of games. This is a team of players that know eachother and the system well. The Addition of Al Horford provides them with additional stability, smarts, rim protection and locker room presence. One may argue they are too old, but there is something to say for experience and intelligence. Jimmy Butler had a monster opening game. And I was impressed with Jonathon Kuminga, who played within himself and allowed the game to come to him, I have not been a big fan of JK, but I will own my mistake if he plays to his potential and proves me wrong. I'm crossing my fingers that Buddy Heild continues to play the way he did last night. Grandson, John Clark, a King's fan, says that won't happen. That Buddy only plays well when there is no pressure. Humm! Second Round draft pick, Will Richard impressed. And what can we say more about Steph Curry. Great dagger shot at the end. Did that shot originate on the east bank of the Mississippi? 

In honor of KD

KD       By Tom Mesche

 

From our seats

beneath the basket,
watching KD
before the game,
I’m wondering
where have I seen
such fluid grace before,
almost like liquid,
as if Durant
was out to prove
the truth
inscribed on Keats’ tombstone:
Here lies one whose name
is writ in water.
 

 

THE START OF THE NBA SEASON 2025/26

 i'm excited about my Warriors signing Al Horford, one of the great unsung super stars and glue guys in the NBA. If he can stay healthy, he will do for the Warriors what he's done for every team he's played for: Power in the paint, scoring from the 3, rebounding, and provising smarts, and locker room presence. The dubs signed Jonathon Kuminga, so that's a done deal. Proof there's a God. Both teams win. The Warriors retain the right to trade JK and JK gets the paycheck he felt he deserved. The later is in question in my mind. Look up the numbers, they should shock you. Coach Kerr said it best once the signing was announced that JK will be given every opportunity to be the player he believes himself to be. Ah, egos and Super Egos!!! It has been my experience that a great many athletes by the time they readch the collegiate level have a skewed view of their abilities. Mirror mirror, on the wall who's the . . . you get my meaning. Okay, okay, benefit of the doubt, JK is a super athlete. Maybe, just mybe, he will grow his game. I never want a player to fail. However, I believe as many coaches and talking heads do, that the Warriors still need to acquire a third young three-point shooter/athletic wing. In the meantime, let's see if Jk can fill the void. As for where the Warriors will wind up in the |Western Conference, I never sell Coach Kerr short. Remember, when Jimmy Butler joined the team last season, the Dubs were 20 wins to 8 losses before Steph Curry injured his ham-string. 

At this early stage of the season, the following teams appear to me to be the creme-de la-creme:

UGGETS: The acquisition of Jonas Valuncuna to back up Jokic creates a wall of strenght and talent at the five. Cam Johnson is a hundered percent better defender than M. Porter and a more conssistent 3 pt wing. Brown comes back for onball defense in the backcourt. Tim Hardaway Jr adds the increased bench strengh at the wing. A team that took the N\BA champs to the 7th game in the West has impromve their roster mightily. 

OKC: Not much to say here. They're the champs and check off all the positional boxes. I like the Nuggets over them.  

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: I'm slipping my Dubs in here as a surprise team. The addition of Al Horford and a full year of Butler and Curry and Coach Kerr's smart. There are a few teams with greater athleticism and youth, but I'm going with experience and smarts.

The next two team have huge asterisks next to them.

DALLES MAVERICKS: I'm not a fan of Jason Kidd as a coach, that's one turn off for me. The other questions: Can Anthony Davis arrive at the playoffs healthy? Same goes for Kyrie Irving. Additional consideration: Will Cooper Flagg be ready as a rookie? On the positive side, there's talk that Mav's cent Lively grew three inches over the summer. Whoa! Making him 7'2"

HOUSTON ROCKETS: The Rockets would have been my third choice had not pt guard Fred VanVleet not been lost to the team for the season. The addition of KD, of course, makes the Rockets stronger, but they still remain young and in need need  of a team leader. The Rockets have a powerful young center in Alperen Sengun and two excellent backup centers in Capella and Steven Adams who will teach the team to do the Haka, the traditional Maori war dance, which mignt be worth a few extra fear points. Coaching in the clutch might be a problem. I sense inflexibility in Ime Udoka. 

LA LAKERS: It will all come down to Doncic. Can he be the leader of the team and its top scorer, and leader in assists. He damn-well almost did int the year before in the NBA Finals, so why not in LA? Then the question becomes how does LeBron fit in? Another questionmark: JJ Redick's coaching. I do not see anything better than average here. Hw made some questionable decisions in last season's playoffs. 

LA CLIPPERS: Okay, they are worth mentiong. But too many ifs for me. Those ifs: Can Kawhi state healthy? Can Brook Lopez help? Will they miss Norm Powell's creative shooting? Will Beale get his Wizards' mojo back? back?

From my collection in progress:  Landscape of Sports Haiku.  

On the outdoor court
Two boys playin basketball 
Ignoring the rain