Jared Sullinger of Ohio State Buckeyes scored 18 pts in a blowout of George Mason (98-66) and informed (read taunted) a George Mason player, "It's over." Attention NBA general managers! Do not draft this guy! On the other hand, if Sullinger had had the ball in his hands with his team down by one with 5 seconds to go, and said the same thing, "It's over" then scored, I'd say draft him first round pronto. Only Sullinger didn't. He chose to be a bully.
Kendrick Perkins is young or foolish or both to call Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant soft. It doesn't matter what you think, young fellow, you never give your opponent an added incentive to KYA.
I'm loving the NCAA, although my second round picks were mostly loosers. And I hate the new Round of Four, but will suffer it if the NCAA can guarantee me at least one VCU out of the eight team bracket every year.
Can Jimeer Fredette play in the NBA? I didn't think so until I saw him perform at the Big Dance. He's no speedster, but he's tricky and has a great first step, and he can shoot the three from the four point line. Come to think of it, how's that for a new idea: a four and five point line. Talk about excitement.
Warriors, listen up, I've said it before, I'm saying it again, hire Bill Walton to coach Andres Biedrens over the off-season. If the Latvian has any pride at all he'll learn from a man like Walton and wind up better than any big man pick coming out of college this season.
I love the NCAA commercial informing viewers that NCAA athletes as a group have a higher academic performance than the rest of the student body. Could they say that if they compared only the football, basketball, and baseball teams to the rest of the student body? Not a chance.
I don't understand why college's so-called minor sports don't receive more sporting news coverage. Has any sportswriter checked out the tremendous performances of some of our university tennis, golf, soccer, swimming teams? Once a week, at least, the front page of every sporting section should be devoted to these student athletes. Front Page, Front, as in First Page. Not one mention of the pros or college semi-pros until the third page. Serves them right.
I watched Don Nelson on TV last night. I expected a little more hardball, but that's OK. Nelson has had a terrific career as a coach. His wins speak volumes about his ability. The one thing I couldn't understand was the part when he said his job with the Warriors was over when Biedrens rejected Nelson's suggestion to shoot free throws underhand. You got to be kidding, right? Nelson said he had Barry lined up to come in to teach Biedrens the technique. Sounds pretty logical to me. So, why over? Does Biedrens have that much power? Is so, he ought be able to grab a few more rebounds. Would something like this have happened with Phil Jackson or Greg Popovich? Or when Nelson was with Milwaukee. Weak owner is as bad as a weak player. Sports is the only place where the "Trickle Down Theory" of economics is valid.
Here's a poem for cross-country runners who get no ink.
Run Before Dawn by William Stafford
Most mornings I get away, slip out
the door before light, set forth on the dim gray
road, letting my feet find a cadence
that softly carries me on. Nobody
is up-all alone my journey begins.
Some days it's escape: the city is burning
behind me, cars have stalled in their tracks,
and everybody is fleeing like me but some other direction.
My stride is for life, a far place.
Other days it is hunting: maybe some game will cross
my path and my stride will follow for hours, matching
all turns. My breathing has caught the right beat
for endurance; familiar trance like scenes glide by.
And sometimes it's a dream of motion, streetlights coming near,
passing shadows that lean before me, lengthened
then fading, and a sound from a tree: a soul, or an owl.
These journeys are quiet. They mark my days with adventure
too precious for anyone else to share, little gems
of darkness, the world going by, and my breath, and the road.
