Kareem, the Soul of the NBA & etc

 In the 1970/71 NBA season, I played against Lew Alcindor, now Kareem Abdul Jabbar, the Milwaukee's first round draft choice out of UCLA. A rookie, he was already a force and he would remain one for the rest of his 21seasons in the league, most of which were spent as a Los Angles Laker. My one memory of Jabbar from those day was how impossible he made it for any player to drive the paint, to do anything in the paint, for that matter. Since a lot of my game, even back then in my last year in the NBA when I was less than my physical best, had to do with getting put backs off the offensive glass, playing against Kareem was particularly frustrating. 

That was then, this is now. Kareen is long in retirement. I am even longer retired. Today, I hardly think of Kareen as a professional basketball player any more, He has published non fiction and fiction, written articles, led progressive discussions about race and society. He is quoted often on a variety of subject that affect this county and the world. No, I can't think of him as the man with the sky hook or the player who swatted away my meager efforts to score. When I think of Kareem in 2021 in terms of basketball, I think of him as the one player that exemplifies the soul of the NBA. 

If it were the power of the NBA, I would think of Wilt Chamberlain; if it were the skill of the NBA, I would chose Michael Jordan; if it were the finesse of the NBA, I'd select Steph Curry; if it were the energy of the NBA, I'd see Magic, and for basketball smarts, I'd select Larry Bird. (Wasn't it Bird who said once, "I wasn't a very good student, but I'm a PhD in basketball?") And so he was. And so it is that the core, the spiritual intelligence of the soul of the NBA belongs to the thoughtful, scholarly, and empathic Hall of Fame Center, Kareen Abdul Jabbar.   

Why am I writing this today, when it is something that I've long believed? It is because on Facebook this morning I saw Kareem's thoughts on NFL QB, Aaron Rodgers. Kareem said, "Rodger's ignorance regarding the science of immunology brings back to life the old stereo type of he big dumb jock. His utter lack of even the most basic knowledge is shocking."

DUMB JOCKS, that's what Donald Trump and his ultra conservative, racist minions have been calling us from the time Colin Kaepernick knelt on the field during the national anthem to the statement that Lebron James should keep on dribbling instead of speaking out against racial inequity. And Rodgers, by his stupidity about COVID has played right into these despicable Trumpian people's hands.   

I wonder if All State Insurance Company that is providing Aaron Rodgers with a hefty paycheck to endorse their product believes we're all a bunch of dumb jocks? Dumb enough to buy their insurance? Rodgers will assuredly become the poster child for Anti-Vaxxers. Is All State hoping to cash in on the Anti-Vaxxer market? 

Well, as the saying goes, I guess Aaron Rodgers should just keep passing the football and stop talking about medical science as if he know what the F--K he's talking about. 

A VERY LARGE ETC: For those of you NBA fans who didn't see Steph Curry's magnificent 50 point production against the Atlanta Hawks, you missed some beautiful magic. Curry is Macavity the Mystery Cat, (When opponents try to guard him, he is never there.) the elegance and grace of Barishnikov, and Henri Matisse (critically defining color and shape in modern 20th century art.) - oh, yes, Curry and the Art of Basketball. 

I watched with mild interest Markief Morris's hard foul on Nicola Jokic and the Joker losing his temper slamming the back of Morris. And now the NBA is in an uproar. Not to mention a few Serbian brothers now versus the brothers. How the NBA has changed? In the NBA of 1960's and '70's that episode would have been considered a little manly disagreement, emphasis on the little. Here's a small poem on the subject from the prospective of a man who played in the NBA in the Sixties. 

In the Moment   by Tom Meschery

The whistle blows
and I'm caught
between curbing my anger
or punching the player
who just fouled me.
Oh, what the hell, I think. 

A Major League City with a Small Town Newspaper & etc.

 The fifth game of the 2021 World Serie was played yesterday. The Atlanta Braves were leading  the Houston Astros 3-1 and could have won the title with a win. Instead, the Astros won. It is not unusual in sports for teams to rally during championships and extend the series. What is unusual and shameful is that the Sacramento Bee, the newspaper that services a major league sports city (home to the NBA's Kings)  with a metropolitan area population of over two million people, did not carry a word about the game in its morning newspaper. THE WORLD SERIES????? For the last four years the Sacramento Bee does not bring its readership any news that developed after - I'm guessing - 2 p.m. It is disgusting. My wife and I agree we continue our subscription only because we don't want to see another newspaper fold and its assets broken down and sold separately to make money for the greedy hedge fund sharks that gobbled up the paper and promised to make it a gold standard newspaper again. There's not enough gold in their standard to fill a cavity. 

Let's hear it for Alana Beard, the retired WNBA All-Star and now business woman in her quest to bring a WNBA team to Oakland, CA. The Warriors and Raiders have left. The A's are threating to leave to Las Vegas, where else? I'm betting the Oakland fans will embrace the new team. And if she can't get Oakland to back her, why wouldn't the Warriors be willing to have WNBA team in Chase Arena? 

Let's not get overly enthusiastic over Jimmy G's impressive performance against the Chicago Bears, a team missing its best passer rusher. On the other hand, it is enough reason to stick with him at QB. As I stated in a previous blog, Lance needs to watch and learn. I don't know what goes on in NFL practices, but it seems as if, given their commitment to him, Lance should get lots of reps with the starters in practice and at least a few chances at specific times during games. And not simply for running plays. Mentor teachers know a young teacher needs time by him/herself to run a class. They hand over the reins and let the run. Football in no different. Finally, I must say I was impressed with Garappolo and wish that this his states against the Bears become his stats for the rest of the season. If that happens, holy-think-thank, what do the 49ers do then? 

A quick observation: OKC has found its point guard of the future in 6'8" barely 19 year old Australian Josh Giddy. The kid has all the right instincts.  And just a baby. 

Franz Wagner is making heads turn in the NBA in his rookie season. And some teams that passed on him, might be having regrets. I'm thinking of my Warriors who took Jonothan Kuminga ahead of Wagner. The question in this case is - and will only be played out in time - has Wagner reached his potential, given a certain amount of improvement due to experience? As for Kuminga, he is 19 years old and has clearly not reached the skills set his awesome physical talent portends. I'm betting on Kuminga in the long run.    

I'm happy to see that the average NBA dance team member makes around $500 per game with a bonus of approx $1,500.00. This is a part time job, but not an easy one to handle ie: juggling practice sessions,  if they have a fulltime employment, which I dare say all the women (and now some men) must have to support themselves.  The Warriors according to the internet pay $600 per game. I've never been a fan of most of the grind and hump dance routines, but there is no doubt these dancers work their butts of, and lately I've been noticing more creative routines with more narrative for the discerning fans. I'd bump the salary per game to $800. As an incentive to attract the very best dancers. Fans are paying big bucks to go to games; they deserve the best entertainment. My wife says lower the price of hotdogs. Food might be classified as entertainment, no? 

By the way, an NBA mop boy can make up to $90,000 per year with benefit. One can start a family on that salary and with a second income for spouse live a pretty decent life. Some teachers don't make $90, 000 per year. (In California, a teacher with 10 years experience makes $72,937 per year). I note the disparity not because mop boys should get less, but for God's sake, teacher should get more. 

So wishing only the best for mop boys, let's consider changing their title to something like Custodial Assistant. Just in case, later in life a mop boy's son asks his dad what he did for a living. Mop boy at forty years old doesn't sound too dignified. 

Sometimes less is more as in these three lines by William Shakespeare in honor of the World Series:

"What work's, my countrymen, in hand?
               Where go you
With bats and clubs?

Random Subjects

 Like the honey bee flighting from flower to flower, I'm going to flip from subject to subject:

If the NFL doesn't reveal all of the evidence it culled from the Washington them, Congress should investigate. There is too much history of racism with that team to call Gruden's vile emails a one-off.

I think it is time to do away with the NBA corner shot. It's too easy and nothing to be excited about the way it was when the 3 point line was introduced. Consider, the percentage from the corner is over 50%.Let the 3 point line begin four feet back from the corner. By doing away with the existing corner shot, we create a true value to making 3s and might possibly renew the value of the middle distance shot. 

As much as I'd like to see Trey lance start for the 49ers the rest of the way, at this point with the team falling apart, it would endanger his confidence. Let him watch and learn, then have a full summer off and a good training camp and come in fresh. Trade Garappolo for a good offensive lineman. 

Not much I know about baseball, but the World Series has started. Who can I cheer for now that our west coast teams have been eliminated? Guess it has to be Atlanta. Not much I admire of Texas these day although I should not blame the Astros for Texas' primitive and racist state government

I do not believe the LA Lakers collective old timer All Star strategy will work. Nothing against old timers, mind you, since I am one. 

Isn't it amazing how Andre Igudala can miss from distance time after time during the game, then when the shot counts, he drills it. 

I'm not saying the following NFL teams will win the Super Bowl, but they are the teams that have all the ingredients position by position to win it all: In no special order: Dallas Cowboys; Arizona Cardinals; (Are there really a lot of the bird variety in Arizona?): Tampa Bay Buccaneers; the Los  Vegas Raiders, and the Buffalo Bills. 

If the NBA wants to decrease the number of injuries to players, the league should mandate all training staff should incorporate Asian martial arts training into each player physical fitness plan. And all Bigs should be required to take ballet lessons. 

 As for the NBA 75th Anniversary team: In my opinion these four players should not have been on it: Hal Greer, Elvin Hayes, Sam Jones, and Jerry Lucas, and replaced by these four players: Klay Thompson, Tony Parker, Tracy McGrady, and Pau Gasol. I won't comment on why but let me just say in the case of Elvin Hayes, if he wasn't the biggest ball hog in the game, he'd have never piled up his All Star numbers, and he  was not a great locker room guy. Ask any teammate.

Here's a pome in honor of one of the honored members of the Anniversary Team, and one of my all time favorite players and a true gentleman. I wrote the poem in his voice, thus the poem in italics.

Earl "The Pearl" Monroe     by Tom Meschery

In the rec leagues
they called me Black Jesus.
When I walked onto the court
the crowd parted like the Red Sea.
In college, someone found a rhyme
and I became a pearl.
I guess I've been a mixed
metaphor ever since. Sometimes
when I backed a player
down into the paint
and spun into my shot,
I knew before the ball left
my fingers it was going in.
At that moment,
I could have heled lepers,
raised the dead. 
 

Jon Gruden & racism and NBA Players Arrested and Etc

 Jon Gruden in an email to Bruce Allen, the President of the Washington NFl team, once known by the racist slur "The Redskins," referring to De Maurice Smith, the African American NFLPA director in 2011, said of him that he had "lips the size of Michellin tires." You don't get more racist than that. Gruden, now the coach of the Los Vegas Raiders claims that back then he referred to people who lie (meaning Mr. Smith) as having "rubber lips." Really, Jon? Got caught being a racist and pulling shit out of the air? I check out the Urban Dictionary to see what it says about rubber lips. Definition #1: Someone who mangles the pronunciation of a word through lingual clumsiness. Definition #2: The rubbery shape of a person's lips. Think Mick Jagger. Nowhere could I find having rubber lips meaning to lie. That pretty much hoists you, Jon, on your own petard, wouldn't you say? 

Another thought to keep in mind for those still willing to give Gruden the benefit of the doubt. To whom was Jon Gruden emailing this slur? Answer: To the brother of George Allen, famous for his racist "Maccaca Moment" to describe a man of color who was tracking his political speeches. Aha! And lets make a further connection: Bruce Allen was hired by Washington team owner Daniel Snyder a staunch conservative Republican who was proud of his team's name "Redskins" considered racist my Native Americans. Voila! And lest we forget, Mr. Snyder donated $1 million dollars to racist ex-president Donald Trump. Checkmate, baby!

There is a whole lot of inductive reasoning going on, Jon, that leads to a reasonable conclusion about you that in 2011 you meant exactly what what spewed out of your mouth to be  a racist slur. Nobody believes that rubber lip lie crap, 

Would Jon Gruden of today use raciest slurs? Probably not, not that he might not want to, but because in today's media sensitive society, he'd be caught out pronto and would be out of a job just as fast. Jon Gruden is not a stupid man, but he might very well be a deeply ingrained racist. The evidence seems overwhelming.

On to another distasteful subject:

Can't believe that retired NBA players scammed our NBA health insurance. Shame and for shame on you guys. What's so nuts to me is why? WHY IN THE HELL DO IT? The money doesn't make sense. Let's just say that all these scammers when they played only received veteran's minimum. In the year 2000 the minimum for vets with 4 years experience was $510,000 dollars but probably higher in most cases. But lets just say it was the basic minimum and each of the scanners played eight year seasons. That comes to $4,080,000, not a bad for 8 years work. So, now these guys are scamming a health system for 10 or 20 lousy grand? What's up with that? The only thing I can think of is they're broke and desperate. 

I'm thinking of teachers minimum starting salaries, Small business owners, social workers paychecks and I have no sympathy for these guys. Every single one of the scammers should pay back what they scammed, and they should serve jail time. And they should made to pay for their own health insurance. 

On a happier note, a much happier note, my Golden State Warriors are going to be a vastly improved team this coming season. Kudos to Bob Myers and Joe Lacob for insisting a WIN NOW strategy does not preclude a WIN LATER draft strategy. The Dubs are now a far better shooting team that the last season with Jordan Poole coming into his own and with the addition of Howard Porter Jr and Nemanja Bjelica to space the floor. Let's hear it for drafting Moses Moody and Kuminga. And sticking with Wiseman and not panicking because he was so raw. Klay will be back by mid year. Go Warriors!

I'm also happy to report -  in my humble opinion - that the Sacramento Kings, my fall back team due to the fact I live in Sacramento, with the addition of Devion Mitchell and other vets Like Tristan Thompson, will be a much better team this year. I'm betting they will make the playoffs. I'm not betting a whole lot, but I AM betting. 

Here's a poem from my first collection of poetry Nothing You Lose Can Be Replaced. 

Oscar      by Tom Meschery

          Oscar Robertson, The Big O, Hall of fame guard Cincinnati Royals & Milwaukee Bucks     

Always at those moments
when we thought the game was ours,
out came the cavalry bugler
blowing charge. It was Cincinnati
1963, but today it's pure Hollywood,
soldiers suddenly appearing on the horizon,
the terrified Apache, who always suffered
a losing season, high-tailing it across the border. . . 
were only and an average team. Don't you remember
the Warriors won most of those games.
not anymore. Today, I can't use 
wins and losses, but Oscar's jumpers,
rising over Embry's crushing picks,
the bugle's notes fading into applause - 
I need those picture, like movies
I can watch over and over.

It's About Frigging Time

 It should have happened long ago. Today the NFL announced that they would clamp down on Taunting. It's been going on far too long, and has, in some minds, especially young athletes, a part of the game as they see their favorite football players taunting opponents. Taunting is not cool. It is not manly. It is dishonorable, It is childish. It adds nothing to the game unless you are the kind of knuckle head fan who likes to see stupidity. It is not strategic and it provides the taunter with no advantage, except the enmity of the tauntee. It is not gamesmanship. It is small mindedness.. Taunting is a form of bullying. Those of you in the NFL who taunt, consider the example you are setting for the youngster playing football.  

It should have happened long ago. Today the NBA rules committee announced that in the upcoming season the league would pay greater attention to players on offense drawing fouls, the example they gave was of a player dribble up the court with a defensive player behind him. The player with the ball suddenly stops and the player behind him has no place to go except run into him. Foul against the defense? No longer. It will be called from now on as a no-call (get on with the game) or a foul on the player dribbling who stopped. No longer will offense be able to leap into a defender and get a guaranteed foul and freethrows. A no-call or a charging foul on the offense. Players who try to get this kind of advantage are to put it mildly sneaks. 

In both cases, the acts have something to do with a player's attitude to winning. If winning is one's only goal, then any advantage one can gain seems worth doing.

Here's a small poem by William Makepeace Thackery

Who Misses or Who Wins

Who misses or who wins the prize
Go lose or conquer as you can:
But if you fall, or if you rise,
Be each, pray God, a gentleman.     

COVID Knuckleheads & Simmon's Commentary

 Okay, let's get this right, QBS Kirk Cousins and Lamar Jackson will not get their COVID vaccinations. Cousins, I read in the news, questions the science. I guess he's a scientist and not just a so-so quarterback. Jackson has already had the COVED19 twice. Guess he'd like to try for a third bout. He might want to read a little about the virus's long term side effects. Do both of these men qualify for the term Knucklehead? Oh, by the way, the Pfitzer vaccine is approved by the CDC and the FDA. 

P.S. Has any reporter found out the number of Republican Anti-vaxxer politicians who have secretly had vaccinations? Might be a good article. 

Ben Simmons wants out of Philadelphia. I say to the 76ers, good riddance, but management doesn't see it that way. They are willing to trade him, but are asking for the moon as well as a couple of planets. This for a guy who refuses to learn to shoot properly. KNUCLEHEAD???? His free throw % an embarrassment. To all the teams who have a need for Simmon's unique skills (I do believe he is a unique passer and finisher and rim scorer) I say to them, DON'T DO IT. As much as I admire Philly's GM Daryl Moray's defense of Hong Kong protestors, I humbly suggest, let him suck it up. Simmons is a Super Star Project. Yes, PROJECT. As long as he shoots the basketball like my Aunt Nellie without her specs, he will be a project and never truly fit on any team. And he will never be worth the $ and loss of draft choices, etc.  And, to Moray here's my humble advice, if you can get Brogdan from the Pacers or another true point guard plus one downtown shooter like Buddy Heild in, say a 3 way deal, go for it. And this is just by way of an aside: The 76ers would not have fallen to the Hawks had Danny Green been healthy and hitting threes. Even with Simmons scared to death of taking a shot in the final game. 

In closing, I wonder if anyone is annoyed that the dual screens during commercial breaks are of equal size. I'm  not against the double screens per se. However, shouldn't the players get a teeeeeny bigger screen than frigging Rolex or Mortgage banking?

As it's base ball season in full swing, here's one of my poems bout pitching.

LOOKING AT AN X-RAY OF MY BACK   by Tom Meschery

I say to my doctor, my spine
looks like a curve ball
and he says
it's a breaking pitch
to the inside. I think that's funny,
so i say I can still win a game 
or two even at my age,
you know. And he says
you can't fool anybody
with that pitch at any age. 

Osaka Sadness and Etc

 As an athlete who's played at the highest level of his sport, I found Naomi Osaka's interview heartbreaking, particularly the part about not being happy with winning, only relieved. Winning tennis no longer makes her happy, she said. Osaka has recently opted out of the last two tour tournaments and chose not to compete in the Olympic games for her country, citing mental health issues. It was very brave of her to share what her problem was. Could she have some back too early for the US Open? I believe her body language on the court proved it even more than the mistakes she would have never made had she been mentally ready and engaged in the game. 

Serena Williams, when asked how she deals with the pressures of professional tennis (the constant attention of media, the demands on one's personal life) she said she had "thick skin." Clearly, Naomi could use a thicker skin. Naomi Osaka's depression and anxiety could have had more to do with her empathy for the suffering in the COVID world around her and her horror over the greedy and power MAD politicians that endanger humanity. Need I mention the environment, the racial divisions, the violence, and the rapidly growing separation between the rich and the poor? Osaka's skin is  not thick enough to withstand such inhumanity. For that, she has lost heart. It will take her time, meditation, love, and support to find her way back to tennis so that she can once again feel the joy of victory. 

Etc:

If Daryl Morey doesn't become more realistic about Ben Simmon's value, he'll wind up out thinking himself. He better ask himself if the 76ers can start the season with this problem still unresolved. Simmons has already said, he's a no show for training camp. 

The Sacramento Kings should take a flyer with Simmons, but only if it requires giving up Heild and Bagley and maybe a first round draft choice down the line. No more. Simmons defense and athletic skills would help to change the defensive culture of the Kings who sorely need to get tons tougher in that category. Not to mention that Simmons at close to 7 feet can run like a deer and finish at the basket. The speed of a Fox Simmons, Davion Mitchell, Terese Haliburton would be impressive and effective. They'd have virtually no consistent 3 pts scoring without Buddy, but at this point in Kings history they need Big D before Big 3

To the PGA, adjust your split screen policy and give a larger screen to the match and a lesser screen to the commercials. Ask yourselves, are you selling products or providing sporting entertainment? 

A lovely little poem for you fly fishermen   by Philip Raisor from his book of poems, Headhunting.  

from Four Legal Weapons.

Before the art comes the hook,
disguise, let's say, as a Wooly Bugger.
I attach a sliver of marabou to the shank
and wrap the hackle feather tighter
than most. Beautiful, yes, but remember:
downstream is the hunger waiting to fry.    

Tony Finau and Other Stuff

 A big HooWah for Tony Finau, a man of color, who won the Northern Trust tourny. He's advanced to the Fed Ex Finals. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Finau is of Tongan and Samoan descent and the first of Pacific Island heritage to play golf at the highest level on the PGA tour. 

It's not news that are few men of color playing professional golf on the PGA Tour. That goes for the Women's tour as well. But let's stay with men for the time being. Before Tiger Woods took the game to a  new level, there were a few African American men who distinguished themselves: Lee Elder and Calvin Peete, for example. Today on tour there are two noteworthy black players on tour: Cameron Champ and Harold Varner III. It is understandable in a country that is so divided between the rich and poor. Golf is expensive to play and to learn. Similarly, so is tennis. Yesterday I saw two African Americans playing against each other in the first round of the U..S. Open. "Wow!" I said. However, when the camera panned into the stands I also noted there was very little racial diversity sitting watching. Ditto the fans watching golf at the National and the BMW. A sport has to be accessible to youngsters for them to catch the fever. Golf and tennis are not even in the same city let alone the same neighborhood. 

STUFF:

What are the bookies saying about the odds that the 49ers two QB system will work? 

Since defensive linemen in football in a punting situation by rule can release as soon as the ball is snapped, why the heck don't they sprint back to become blockers for the receiver rather than try to block the punt, an act of futility as far as I'm concerned.

There should be a  rule in soccer that says once the ball crosses mid field, it can not come back, which it does so often I'm half asleep before there looks like a reasonable attack unfolding. 

Another NFL question. Why do coaches keep their stars (the ones not coming off of injuries) from getting any real game time during exhibition season? Are they so certain that the vet will be game ready to play from the get-go? I guess we'll find out this season. 

Lots of talk in our sports page about high school athletes leaving their district schools and enrolling in schools with more elite programs. This is a  trend that has been going on now for at least the last 15 years. In basketball, for example, there are basketball academies for the extremely gifted that have their own schedules and play against each other and are scouted by the pros. If this trend continues and there doesn't seem any reason to believe it won't, it is time to consider the European model of school boy and girl sports. No sports in school. Sports clubs for athletics. I love the democracy of high school sports and would hate to see this happen, but it looks to me that sports in our country is fast becoming more of an oligarchy than a democracy. 

Here's a fabulous poem about baseball written by Robert Hamlin from his neat poetry book, Keeping Score

A HERO FOR ALL SEASONS

I remember Eddie Yost:

Who raised the base on balls 
to the level of art.

Who took batting practice
to practice not to hit.

Who once fouled off nineteen
third strikes to earn a walk.

Who persuaded kids too small
for football and too short
for basketball
that litt'uns could also be big'uns.


 

D2021 Warriors and KIngs & a Few Other Comments

 Warriors first. Jonathon Kuminga No 7. As they say, great upside, but will he learn to shoot free throws?. I've been watching him the last two days playing in the summer leagues. He's 18 yrs old in a grown man's body with marvelous athleticism. Right this minute he is valuable as a rebounder and a downhill scorer. He has a lot to learn. His growth will be better served in practice time and in big boy NBA games. There are a lot of mentors on the Dubs who will provide the rookie with ways to improve his game.  Igudala, for example. Welcome home Mr. Clutch! Now for the 14th pick, Moses Moody. He too has upside, but how high is the question. If it turns out his ceiling is as a strong reserve, well so be it. Bench is essential to winning in the NBA. I'm pulling for Moody because my grandson is named Moses, named for Moses Malone, not the Biblical prophet.  

Sacramento Kings: Davion Mitchell in the first round. He's short at 6 ft. But he's a bulldog with lots of skills. If his Baylor senior year 3 pt shot proves to be his NBA 3 pt shot, he'll help a great deal because he'll be a big plus on D and while not giving up anything on offense. The Kings sure need to improve their team and individual D.  It will be interesting to see what the Kings do with Buddy Hield. Bit of advise from an old NBA Jock: Hield is a downtown proven 3  point threat. Don't give him up unless you get equal value back. No first round draft choices in 2050 and other Sam Presti rookie nonsense. 

Other observations by teams: Miami Heat. I'm going out on a limb and say Lowry will not be the magic bullet at guard the Heat need. I'm not a big Butler fan either. He's a mid range shooting threat and a strong defender, but he's undersized and is no longer the youthful Butler of yore. And, I don't trust a player who bailed the way he did on the Timberwolves and Coach Tibs who gave him his start to fame with the Chicago Bulls. Character means a lot. Anyway, let's  remember Lowry is not a spring chicken himself. Unless Toronto has other ideas for Drajic, the clever vet guard will help the Raptors. Look for Van Vleet to get more open looks with Drajic feeding him. 

Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham is the real deal. He will have a long outstanding career in the NBA. Will he be a super star? Maybe, but for sure he's going to be a franchise player, having more to do with leadership and smarts than point totals. Read this morning that he's already being called Motorcade. Kudos to Detroit sports writers.

Cavs: Baring injuries, Mobley is a future Hall of Fame player. Get him into the weight room.

Orlando: Suggs will also have a long career in the NBA. A Billups type of guard. Already asserting his leadership. But wait! It's only Summer League. Franz Wagner? See me shrugging my shoulders. Any team interested in a down-town 29 years old Lativian shooter, keep an eye on Janis Timma. 

Raptors: Don't trade Siakim, Barnes is a question mark. 

Rockets: Green can get 20 easily every night. We'll see how dedicated he is to defense. Wasn't that a recent super star problem for the Rockets? According to my wife, Green gets the most handsome rookie award. 

I'm saving the Olympics for my next Blog, but here's a poem for the 2021 Tokyo Olympic high divers. I got a nose bleed simply watching them.

HIGH DIVER by Robert Francis.

How deep is his duplicity who in a flash

Passes from resting bird to flying bird to fish,

Who momentarily is sculpture, then all motion,

Speed and splash, then climbs again to contemplation.

He is the archer who himself is bow and arrow,
He is the upper-under-world-commuting hero.

His downward going has the air of sacrifice

To some dark seaweed-bearded seagod face to face

Or goddess. Rippling and responsive lies the water
For him to contemplate, then powerfully to enter. 

Random Comments

 Random Comment #1: NBA average free throw shooting percentage: 77.2%; WNBA average free throw shooting percentage: 80.2%

Random Comment #2: PGA of the Tee 290 yards; LPGA of the Tee; 254 yards. Makes one think that if LPGA gals were allowed to tee off 40 yards in front of the men, they could compete at every other level. Make that happen, and wouldn't a competition between genders knock the socks off of any previous golf tournament TV ratings?  

Random Comment #3 Does Ben Simmons  of the Philly 76ers, have no shame? How does a guy pulling down this amount of $ shoot so dismally? 23 % from the field. Less than 30% from the free throw line. Come On, Ben!!!

Random Comment #4: Happy to read the NFL is being sued by Saint Louis folks for the team relocating to LA. through the use of some pretty slimy tactics. How about Seattle filing a suit against the Oklahoma Thunder's owner for his slimy relocation tactic moving his newly bought team to OKC. (When he bought the team he said he wouldn't move it, Right. Liar, liar, pants on fire!)

Random Comment #5: In todays The Athletic, evaluating 2021 NBA draftee: About 3 pt shooting Corey Kispert from the Zags: "Kispert is 22, which is a fossil relative to the other players available. . . "  Takes me back to 1961 when I was drafted #1 by the Philadelphia Warriors (San Francisco Warriors/Golden State) I was a 22 year old fossil and gave the NBA and my teams ten pretty damn good years of production. I'm not sure what the diff between 10 years and 15 years means in the NBA. Lots of first round draft choices who are teens wind up in the G League being paid first round draft choice salaries while not helping the home team at all. I'm thinking of a knock-down shooter like Kisspert and another 24 year old from U of Oregon by the name of Chris Duarte. Both can come in and produce right now, not three years from now. 

Random Comment #6: As per John Hollinger in The Athletic talking about Free Agency: As a result, teams are likely to pump the brakes on a max deal for Lonzo Ball. Something in the range of 100 million over 4 years seems more likely. As my wife said, "Awh, poor baby, how will he ever manage?"

Random Comment #7: Big ATTABOY to Jacob Stenmstz, the first Orthodox Jew to be drafted #1 in the MBL. Reminds me I need to re-read Chaim Potok's The Chosen. The first part of the book takes place on the baseball field.

Random Comment #8: Nigeria and now the Aussies beat our boys in red, white and blue. And the Argentinians pushed USA hard. Now JaVale Magee joins the team. Really???? 

Random Comment #9: Congrats to Natalie Diaz for winning a Pulitzer Prize this year for poetry for her Post Colonial Love Poem, published by Greywolf Press. Natalie played basketball for Old Dominion and pro ball in Europe and Asia. Makes one think basketball players should write more poetry. 

Natalie doesn't write poems about basketball as far as I know. She does start one stanza on the Teotlachco ball court. If you're scratching your head, the Aztecs invented basketball. 

Instead of a poem, here's one of a series of Why Indians are Good at Basketball written by Nicole Tower, a journalism student at Arizona State University

We know how  to block shots, how to stuff them down your throat because when you say, "Shoot!" we hear howitzer and Hotchkiss and Springfield Model 1873.

Nigeria Beat USA + Nostalgia

 I just finished watching Nigeria's Olympic Basketball Team defeat our Team U.S.A. in a practice game in prep for the real thing in Japan. It was a first effort by both teams and could easily be an indicator of the teams' strengths and weaknesses. It was clear to me that this game was not being taken lightly by both teams. I was cheering for our guys, but by the fourth quarter when it appeared that Nigeria might upset us, I suddenly found myself cheering for the Nigerians to win. That's exactly what happened. The green and white beat the Red, White and Blue. 

 A team from the continent of Africa has never beaten a basketball team from the Untied States before. How good must the Nigerian players feel being the first. Forget, this was a practice game. It was a W. The Nigerian players will not only be heroes in their own country but in all the countries of Africa. It is probably a good time to be sure all my readers understand, there was no dearth of NBA players on the Nigerian team. Over the years the countries of Africa, primarily of West Africa, have sent the NBA some fabulous athletes, beginning with legendary Hall of Fame center for the Houston Rockets, Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon. And I should point out that many of the great European basketball players that played in the NBA in recent past and play now have West African family roots. 

I was not being disloyal pulling for Nigeria to win, I was remembering fondly and with a modicum of pride, that I was one of the first NBA players to bring basketball to West Africa. In the Summer of 1963, Bill Russell and Bob Cousy of the Boston Celtics, as part of a joint NBA and United States Information Agency (USIA) good will project, traveled to West Africa to hold basketball clinics. They worked only in the country of Senegal. The following summer, John Havelick, KC Jones, and I made the same trip to Senegal and to three additional countries: Mali, Ivory Coast and Liberia. To say basketball was in its infant stages is an understatement. Many of the young men and women we coached didn't have athletic shoes. Some played in their bare feet. Many shot the ball with two hands.The following summer I went back to West Africa with Siugo Green, point guard, of the Saint Louis Hawks, to coach again. And after I retired from the NBA in 1971, I returned for four months to West Africa in the fall of 1981, By then,  our earlier coaching lessons had taken root and many of the players were demonstrating great promise. In the 21st century, the NBA has benefited greatly from that promise.  

That was the last time I was in Africa, but I've traveled there often over the years in my memory and in my heart.  So, right on Nigeria! Right on West Africa! I'll bet you Hakeem The Dream watched tonight's game and was smiling at the outcome.

I wrote this poem for my third book of poetry, Sweat: New and Selected Poems About Sports. 

Hakeeem Olajuwon

           aka Hakeem The Dream

In Africa each morning practice starts
with warm-ups. The youngest on the team,
perhaps sixteen, always the first waiting for me,
sit in the thin shade below the backboard, 
reading the latest article about Hakeem.  
We stretch hamstrings, then slow jog
around the court. He keeps pace, all the while
talking about The Dream. "Dis donc," he says,
"With The Dream we would defeat Senegal
and be Champions of West Africa   
"Que pensez vous, entraineur?" What do I think?
I can't think about anything other than the red
and smoky sun rising over the opposite basket,
the heat already seating my shirt, and how
the rains suddenly begin half way through practice.
I shag his jump shots, the ones he says 
are like Hakeem's. He says he too will attend
the University of Houston, later play in the NBA.
"Vous m'assistez?" But his shots are ugly, too flat;
they lack the back-spin, the softness of the Dream's.
I nod my head, whatever I can do - my best shot,
I am in the country of Burkina Fasso.
Its name means Land of Up-Right people. 

Speculations, Comments, and Stupidities

I rely on The Athletic for my sports news now that our local newspaper, The Sacramento Bee, no longer does late news of any kind. For my readers information, newspapers all over the country are being bought by hedge funds and are being systematically dismantled. For example what pleasure can be derived from reading about the winner of this year's Masters two days after the green jacket was presented to the first Japanese golfer, Hideki Matsuyama?

This is by way of an intro to some of the info I've been reading on The Athletic. I'll start with three:

Warriors: Lots of speculations about what the Warriors should or should not do about this years' draft, mainly centering around should they use last years exceptionally talented first round draft choice in a  trade of solid vets to join Mr. Curry for a run at the championship, or should they bundle their 7 & 14 picks to move up to a fourth for a better youngster. The writers provide scenarios in between these two larger themes. It is my humble conclusion (and as a prior Warrior I have no inside info) that the Warriors are going to stay pat with what they've got. Sometimes teams need to make judgements and take risks. I believe taking the risk that Wiseman will be a better offensive and defensive contributor next season after a real off-season is odds on likely. He just has to be 50% better to make an impact. This would allow the Warriors to use Loony in a true back up role where he is more comfortable and for which he is better suited. As for #7 & 14, I can name a couple of college players in the draft who are not in diapers and NBA ready to contribute. I'll not name names. So Klay comes back as strong or close to strong and what do you have? On the other hand, let's say the Bucks are willing to give up Giannis for Wiseman and Wiggins and the 7th and 14th. Is that truly a no-brainer? Speculation is fun. 

Comments about the  Playoffs: I'm rooting for the Bucks to win in the East because I've always held a soft spot in my heart for Milwaukee, a true working mans town and home to my good friend Charlie Dee who never saw a scrum in rugby or a political battle he didn't like. As for the championship, I'm all in for the Suns. I'm a big fan of Coach Monty Williams, who might be the perfect example of a pro coach that has found the middle ground between toughness and compassion, between "his way' and "their way" And let's all cheer for Chris Paul. There is not a player I can think of who deserves the ring more. Always the true professional, never a complainer, always a mentor for his younger teammates. Go Chris!!

Stupidities: Todays The Athletic about Mavs hiring Jason Kidd and Blazers hiring Chauncy Billups, Kidd with a spousal abuse history (he pleaded guilty in 2001) and Billups with a more serious sexual abuse accusation for which he was found not guilty. The stupidity here is not that these two men have a dubious history. One owned up, the other was found not guilty - end of story. Move on to what makes them good candidates. Kidd has had two tries and flamed out in both. This should not inspire a lot of confidence in Mr. Doncic. Other than one year as an assistant with the Clippers, Billups has miniscule experience. Why is that important, considering Steve Kerr of the Warriors was selected having no prior experience coaching at all? Because the person the Blazers brought in for two interviews, Becky Hammon, the assistant coach for the last five years with Pop in San Antonio, is far more qualified than Billups. Talk about tokenism. Stupid? You bet. Both teams, on both counts. 

Lot's of pro golf these days. Rocket Mortgage Championship. Where the hell are the superstars in golf these days? The Open in Scotland coming up. Here's a lovely Haiku by Andy Brumer

Is golf an art
or a science?
Does a coin have one side or two? 

A Few Comments and Observations from this Morning's Sports Page

 Clippers defeat the Mavs. I was pulling for the Mavs, not for any basketball reason, but because Mav's owner Mark Cuban was such a vocal critic of psycho Donald Trump. Such a comment will cost me Trump supporter. To which I reply who wants them?

What Dallas wants  (desperately needs) is a better supporting cast for their super star. Let's start by getting rid of Porzingis So he knocks down the 3 ball occasionally and dunks a wide open feed, Big Deal! The Mavs get more D out of flat footed Boban the Giant. Ever notice that when Porzingis catches the ball within 10/15 feet from the basket with a smaller man guarding him, the 7 foot plus passes out rather than turning into a jump shot. Is he afraid of a little body contact? And who the hell can he guard? Make a trade, Mavs; there might be a sucker out there. Think young, long, athletic 3's and 4's. Next on the list is a rim protecting center who will love every minute of Donic's lob passes. Imagine a Clint Capella of the Hawks or DeAndre Jordan in his heyday. They also need a true point guard off the bench who doesn't need to score but can play solid D. Will Kleeber ever be be a reliable shooter? This a a long shot, and I don't know if it's what can be done, but how about keeping Boban in Dallas all summer working on footwork, low post moves, and maybe ballet lessons. I'm not kidding. If the bieeeegggg man were only slightly better, he'd be one hell of a back up center. You can not teach height. 

I understand what a force Denver's Jokic is, but why don't I like him? My wife says it's because he's always wiping his nose on his shirt. Maybe it's because I'm getting tired of his "pitiful pearl" whining to the officials. Jokic is huge, talented, the difference between the Nuggets losing or winning. What does he expect? He needs to check out a clip of Shaq with the Lakers. Opponents beat on the big fella relentlessly, and he hardly ever said anything, just beat everybody down. I was never a great Shaq fan, but the man was not a complainer. Have I beat this drum before? If so, it deserves beating. 

Will 76ers' Joel Embid ever stay healthy through a full season? But he played through the slight miniscus tear, and darn near brought his team from behind to beat the Hawks who almost blew a 30 point lead. 

Let's close with a hats off to two women in sports: 

Yako Sasso, a 19 year old from the Philippines won this year's U.S. Women's Open. She tied Inbee Park as the youngest winner in event's history. Question? Why are there so many Asians in women's pro golf compared to men's?

Simon Biles won her 7th U.S. All-Around Championship. Did we have any doubt?

It's take me out to the ball game season, so here's a baseball poem.

LOOKING AT AN X-RAY OF MY BACK   by Tom Meschery

I say to my doctor my spine 
looks like a curve ball,
and he says
it's breaking pitch
to the inside. I think that's funny,

Commetns & Observations

 Lets start with Phil Michelson winning the PGA. At my age, I'm always excited to watch a senior citizen beating the youngsters. I'm a little concerned, however, about the writer in my local paper referring to Mickelson as the  "Peoples' Champion." Given that Phil is clearly a millionaire a couple of times over and has griped and grumbled over the burden of high taxes on the rich, it doesn't seem to fit his conservative mindset. But I love the story about Phil flying all night cross-country during a tournament to be at his daughter's recital, then flying back again to play. A good father deserves a pass from a grumpy liberal like myself. So right on, Phil. Let's hear it for over 50. 

Norway vs Scotland for the Gold in the Mixed Doubles International Curling Championship in Aberdeen, Scotland. Canada vs Sweden for Bronze. U.S. needs to work at its game. 

I saw some moves by 76ers' Joel Embid in yesterdays win over the Washington Wizards that made me appreciate the big fella better - on the dead run down the center of the paint, received the pass and made a lovely finesse underhand reverse English layup, ala Step Curry. How about a three way tie for MVP: Jokic, Curry and Embid?

Why can't opponents figure out that Trae Young is going to shoot a floater when he penetrates the paint?

I love the way Russell Westbrook handled his trade to the Wizards like a true professional, never a whine, played hard 100%. Deserves a lot of credit. If he could ever hit consistent 3's he'd be un-guardable, but he rushes his shot. Hummingbird reflexes. A summer project? What do you say, Russell?

Knicks in the playoffs after an 8 year absence. Give Tibs and Julius Randle tons of credit. I wonder if the Lakers would love to have Randle back? 

Speaking of the Lakers, Andre Drummond has been a great surprise. Low post centers still have a value in the NBA. 

Speaking of the Lakers, it looks as if AD and LeBron are finally physically ready, which does not bode well for the rest of the Western Conference. 

The importance of three point shooting never more evident than the Utah win over the Griz last night.

Offense smashes into the chest of the defender, knocking him ass over tea kettle and the defender is called for a block??????? What the F- - k! Player sets a screen for dribbling teammate; player guarding the dribbler smashes into the blocker, spinning the blocker around. Ref calls moving screen????? OMG!  

The worst dribble-bully in the league is LeBron James. He lowers his shoulder and smashes into defenders at an All Star rate. Rarely get called for a charge. Harden ain't too bad at it either, although Harden's acting job, thrusting his arms dramatically into the air wins the Meschery Shakespeare Award. By the way, is anybody tired of LeBron always grabbing his head and writhing in pain when he gets knocked down 

Keep a lookout at the end of the season for Meschery's Gotcha Awards.

Instead of a poem. 

I urge all my readers to look up on the internet the story of Louis Armstrong's life as a virtually destitute child in New Orleans and being taken into the home of a Jewish family by the name of Karnovsky. You'll be inspired. Satchmo in Yiddish means "Fat Cheeks."

". . . It's a wonderful woild. . . oh, yeah!"

A Little Golf, Maybe and more

On the day the 2021 PGA begins on Kiawah Island, I was thinking of my friend Andy Brumer, a skilled golfer and a terrific poet, whose book, The Poetics of Golf, for you golf fans is a must read. Which made me think that it was high  time I wrote something about golf. Okay, so I don't know squat about golf. Should that stop me from writing about it? I watch golf, These days mostly because it is so peaceful on the eyes and mind, like a soccer field without the players. And in golf, there is scenery: trees in every variety in abundance, lakes, streams and oceans. Ducks, geese, and a the occasional solitary alligator refusing to acknowledge the golf ball in its path to water. The sport is also beautiful, not in the kinematic sense of a Steph Curry magically dribbling through the Lakers for a layup or LeBron James clutch long-range jumper that broke my heart last night as the Lakers defeated my Dubs in the Play In. It's the precision of golf that gets me. Every stroke depends on it from the drive off the tee, to the approach from a sand-trap to the putt. It's minimalist poetry.  

I'm a great fan of the walk from Tee to second shot. The golfer's mind must be reasonably at rest, since he or she has little idea what to expect until she reaches her ball and determines her next shot, unless, of coarse he has seen the flight of the ball heading to New Jersey, in which case he is cursing himself down the fairway. Watching from my seat in front of the TV I do not know the turmoil going on in the golfer's mind, and imagine most golfers are enjoying the fresh air and a brief stretch of the legs. I repeat, I know nothing about golf. 

I have my favorites. They have little to do with the numbers of majors they've won. I would mention all the old greats, except I never watched them. I'm a Johnny-come-lately to golf. I cheer for Little Tommy Fleetwood. Bubba Watson and his pink driver is a favorite. I've always liked lefties in all sports. In basketball, they're really tough to defend. My wife loves Jordan Spieth because his caddie is "gorgeous." I'm a Spieth fan also because of how he cherishes and cares for his challenged little sister. He's not a bad golfer too, and I'm pulling for him or Jason Day to win this years PGA. Sergio Garcia is one of the golfers I've always enjoyed watching, although he's slipped some. DeChambeau drives me nuts with his robot like approach to the game. I used to like Matt Kuchar until he tried to under pay his Hispanic caddie. I'm a Hideki Matsuyama fan since his brilliant win at the Masters this year, but also because I lived four years in Japan as a child, and I have a sportswriter friend, Ed Odevan. writing from Tokyo. I like personal connections to influence my preferences. I'm for Tony Finau because golf is really too white and needs a little color to perk it up. Nervous nelly Keegan Bradley is a golfer I get a big kick out of. Love his approach to the tee: step up, step back, spin the club, step up again, maybe back and forth again. Take a lude, dude! Top of my favorite's list is Rory Mcllroy. Do I have a reason? No. It's a gut reaction to his game, how it appeals to my to my senses, which is how I usually judge athletes in all sports. It is why LeBron James will never rank in the top ten of my greatest basketball players. 

From Andy Bruner's The Poetics of Golf, Some may call this prose, I call it prose poetry.

Pro-trait #11: Se Ri Pak

Who has the best swing in golf? It's Se Ri  Pak. Why? Because of  the smooth and silky way she takes it back. Sam Sneed said  the swing should resist friction like oil. Nor did he care if it belonged to a boy or a goil. Who has the best swing in golf? It's Se Ri Pak. Why? Because it looks like it grows from the root of a flower and that nothing fed it from a mechanical source.

    Who has the best swing in golf?

     A magazine editor asked me to choose one, and I thought, "Even a dunce by using his eyes can deduce it's "Se Ri Pak's" And he printed it. 

World Mixed Double Curling Championship

 A bit of a fake out to start as I want to say a few words first about the Sacramento Kings. I've lived in Sacramento for the last twelve years. Although I am a Warrior, both ex-player and resolute fan, even during those dreadful years of losses before Curry and the Dubs, I have adopted the Kings as my team of second choice. I have watched and shaken my head at their futile attempt to make the playoffs. If I were asked how futile has this season looked, for the first time in my memory, at least since the owner stupidly fired Mike Malone, I can say not that futile, in fact somewhat encouraging. Despite their record every single start has improved his game. And most importantly, the new GM Monte McNair managed to acquire through some nifty trades, three solid reserves, and in the case of Terrance Davis ii, a possible starter, to replace the previous weak bench. 

Stability combined with smart leadership from the top is the best sign that the future can change. To be sure, there needs to be filled and questions about personnel and coaches that must be addressed and answered, but I see a number of key players that could make up a strong playoff ready core. I wish I felt better about Marvin Bagley's ability to stay healthy because his growth was very positive, and a speedy power forward with an inside and outside game is exactly what the Kings need to get to the next level.

 Another huge encouraging sign is the instant production of rookie pt guard Tyreese Haliburton, a thoroughly mature presence coming in out of college. (Might this say something about one and done projects?) In the past, I've been very critical of Coach Luke Walton, but I've changed my mind, or perhaps Luke has changed it for me. Team growth has been there. Such growth is always the result of coaching decisions and effort. With that in mind, and with the caveat that I'm still not happy with individual defense, it seems the wisest choice is to keep Luke for one more season and see whet he can achieve with some roster stability. I will be the first guy to cheer for Bill Walton's son. 

Today' headline online: "Norway and the United States had quick six-end wins in Monday evening's opening round-robin session for Group B in the World Mixed Doubles Championship being played in Aberdeen, Scotland. I love Scotland. My wife and I visited there during their three days of summer. A delightful country of Trump haters. I love curling. Turn on your TV and watch. I'll bet some of you will be hooked. It's bocce ball on ice played with stones and brooms. Tell me that doesn't peak your interest. Our two champs representing the United States are Tabitha Peterson and Joe Polo.

 We pay so much attention to the so-called big three and a half sports, hockey representing the half - a Canadian sport really -  that we forget so many other interesting sports. My apologies to golf and tennis; they are not exactly under appreciated sports and have a huge fan base. What I'm talking about are sports like badminton, curling, softball, fencing, gymnastics (other than in an Olympic year), bowling, etc. As a country we need to give a little more love in the way of viewership to these sports and their devoted athletes and coaches. 

Curling by Tom Meschery

Let's hear it for curling, a sport in which
two brooms, like blockers in the NFL
(I'm thinking Packers, Green Bay in the snow.)
lead the running back, a guy names Stone
down the icy field; masked fans in parkas,
sipping from their flasks. They're watching curling
on local ice, while I'm enjoying building
this extended metaphor; thinking that Milton
had he a sense of humor, which there's no
evidence he possessed, might have appreciated.
My wife also enjoys curling,. "What's not to like
about a sport played with brooms?" she asks.
"The ice needs cleaning, and the players
are only doing what any good wife would do."
She's talking to me while dusting,
which comes before vacuuming, a rule
in her sport that must never be broken.

2021 MVP and etc

 Got my comeuppance for a mistake on my last blog, misusing the term begging the question when I should have written raising the question. I taught rhetoric for years and should have known better. No excuse for sloppy writing. Thanks Mike C. 

Read in The Athletic this morning Draymond Green's reasons why Steph Curry should be MVP this 2021 NBA season. I am in complete agreement with Draymond. Both of us acknowledge that Nikola Jokic is deserving and worthy, but what Curry has done this year translates beyond basketball. 

On the basketball end of things, both men in my mind are tied over the importance to their teams. Warriors and Nuggets would collapse without their stars. Individual performances are about different strokes, each player excelling in their special ways, Curry's magical threes and dribble drives and sheer ballhandling magic; Jokic with his improbable over-the-head threes that arc into the sky before dropping, moistened by rain clouds, into the net, and his bruising muscle shots in the paint, and deft passing to cutters from the high post. The only difference between the two seems to be team standings, the Nuggets in the thick of battle for the Western Conference title, while the Warriors remain a wild longshot to get beyond the first round of the playoffs. However, let's not forget the Warriors making it into the 8th spot in the Play In round was unlikely and would never have happened without the brilliance of Step Curry. 

Let us consider another factor that the NBA should consider this year to determine the MVP and that is value to the league and to all of the NBA's fans in a year when fans and non fans of sports needed desperately to be cheered up. Steph Curry's magical year did just that. 

Assuming that Jokic and Curry are the two most logical choices for MVP this year, ask yourself which of the two provided you with more viewing pleasure and excitement. Curry hands down. We may be awed by what Jokic can do as a big, but we experience pure pleasure watching Steph Curry darting around opponents and sinking amazing long threes and doing his little dance afterwards, smiling that smile that makes all mothers see him as their fantasy son-in-law. 

One might argue I'm not talking sports but public relations. Well, maybe it is -  the relationship of the public to the player. In this case, this year, the public needs to be taken into consideration. 

All things are not equal. The NBA needs to be wise this season. What Curry had accomplished goes beyond basketball and arguably beyond sports. He has given us joy in the midst of national crises. He should be honored for it. This is the year when the NBA must select co-MVPs. It is the only thing that makes sense. 

Another of my little quatrains to close.

Ezra Pound   by Tom Meschery

Lo, down the track cometh the sprinter
Aye, it is with great exertion he finishes
Leaning into the tape
Does he not appear effortless?

Shame on sportswriter Nick Canepa of the San Diego Union Tribune

 Nick Canepa's fantasy ownership of an NFL team fell as flat as his over used cliche about inmates running the asylum. He was talking about Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers being upset that he wasn't consulted about the draft pick, which brought rookie QB Jordan Love, "QB in waiting" to the team last season Rodger's beef was that the team had a greater need to strengthen other positions. (The playoffs proved Aaron was right.) Canepa's point was, and I assume still is, that a player or players should have no say in coaching and GM decisions, which reminds me of the old TV series title Father Knows Best, Balderdash! 

Sounds a lot like the conservative pun-drips of Fox News telling LeBron James to shut up and stick to dribbling. How arrogant, they claim, of professional athletes that they have opinions and a platform from which to speak How dare they? Well, this isn't news. I get it. There are people in sports who still hearken back to the "Good Old Days" of complete control of teams by ownership. So, write on, Canepa. It's a free country again.

Except that you dissed my league, NBA. What was that all about? Here's what you wrote: ". . . there are now babies in the NFL who want to act as if they're in the NBA, which is a pathetic handful of teams made up of rich, entitled children. . ." You call them, "showrunners." Like, they want to run the show? Gee, how creative! You point to LeBron James as the superstar "showrunner". Can you name another? Hmmm? The NBA and its owners - some conservative, some liberals - have wisely chosen to be a 50 50 league. They understand that theirs is a symbiotic relationship between owners and workers. Owners, coaches, GMs and players share in this equality. Players may be critics, so too owners and coaches and GMs (GM Daryl Morey of the Rockets for example). The NBA is by far the most transparent of all the pro leagues. The players may be rich (so are movie stars and mortgage bankers) but they are not children but grown men who have a constitutional right to speak their minds. That is as long as we believe in the Bill of Rights, Which begs the question, Nick Canepa, do you believe in free speech?  

There is a marvelous collection of poems about sports and sports in poetry compiled by Lillian Morrison called Sprints and Distances. It's been a while, so it may be out of print. You will find some wonderful old-timey poems within as well as some that sound very modern. Many are classic poems. I love to browse through this book from time to time. Today's poem to end the Blog is a prayer. 

PRAYER   by Charles Beeching

God who created me
   Nimble and light of limb,
In three elements free,
    To run, to ride, to swim:
Not  when the sense is dim,
     But now from the heart of joy,
I would remember Him;
   Take the thanks of a boy.

The NBA Play In & etc

 I better get my two cents in before the NBA PLAY IN starts. My original thoughts were along the line of LeBron's, terrible idea that makes a mockery of the season. I have slowly changed my mind as I've become aware of the increased competitiveness of the teams below sixth place in the conference standings and the increased fan interest in those teams' cities. It has always been a problem for me to take games seriously at the end of the NBA season between teams that are already eliminated or on the verge of elimination. The Play In has changed that. For example, up to last night's loss to the Spurs, I still felt the Sacramento Kings had an outside chance to make the 10th spot in the Play In. As for my Warriors, they're in 8th place and still have a shot shot at 6th and certainly 7th. Seventh just sounds better than 8th. See what I mean about the nature of competition? If you've got something to root for, you root. The NBA has provided That Something to root for with the PLAY IN format. 

And, of course, let's not forget the additional revenue the Play In will generate, which will help players and owners tremendously this COVID season without ticket sales, etc. LeBron may feel secure in his own contract, but the lack of cash might be the difference a bench reserve stays on a team or is waived. LeBron should not forget there are 15 players trying to make a living. Not to mention how positive revenue streams have on over-all effect on hiring of management employees and arena workers. 

I have a suggestion for the NBA. This year is the perfect year to name co-equal MVPs: Curry and Jokic. There have never been two players that I recall in recent NBA history that have carried their teams on their talented shoulders. I'll even forgive Jokic, his constantly running nose. He is indeed a force. As for Curry, can anyone deny what he has and still is accomplishing this season. It is time for the NBA to drop the idea that the MVP must be from a winning team. 

Some talk about the 49ers signing Richard Sherman in this mornings sports page. I don't blog much about the NFL. In this case, I'll opine, it's always a good idea for a team with Championship aspirations to have one of its main players be a loud cocky voice that resonates in the locker room, in practices, and games. Sherman walks his talk and the rest of the team knows it. It's a mental thing. Sign the dude!

Baseball season is on the way. Here is a Haiku to kick the season off as perhaps Walt Whitman might have written about it.

WALT WHITMAN   by Tom Meschery

I marked, where, isolated
On a little mound of earth, he rubbed
The ball, tenderly, 'till, he felt its worth
Between split fingers, launch'd it forth.

                                                                                                                                               

More ABout the Sacramento Kings

The Athletic, an online sports newscast I subscribe to because our local paper (The most pitiful on the face of the planet) does not cover late news (sports and hard news) had a story about the Kings lack of defense, something to the effect that a team can't rely on offense to win games. Coach Walton of the Kings was quoted as saying, "You can't just try to outscore people."

   Yes you can, Luke. Mike D'Antoni did it rather successfully with the James Harden led Rockets. It was a coaching strategy. Houston never failed to make the playoffs. It ultimately failed in the later stages of the playoffs when it ran into playoff DEFENSE. Coach D'Antoni employed a strategy. The Kings outscoring opponents does not look to me like a strategy, at least not in any discernable way like the one used by the Rockets. 

   So, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, let me say that team defense is only as good as players'\ individual defense, and individual defense is only as good as players' willingness to suffer the hard work it takes to, first learn it, and second how to sustain it throughout a game. Team defense breaks down when one player out of the five is not doing his job. This is inscribed in stone commandments brought down from the Mount of Defense. 

   When watching our River City Kings, I have tried to see strategies on both ends of the court.. I wish I could say I see some. Either there isn't, or the players consistently deviate from it. 

   Enough said. The Kings have little chance of making the playoffs, which is a sad thing for a hugely loyal fan base. On to another Kings' subject.

   In yesterday's sports section of the Sacramento Bee's pitiful sports section (how can there be a newspaper that does not cover late news?) there was an article pointing to the owner of the Kings, Vivek Ranadive, as the principal reason for the Kings' years of failure. Without going into a bunch of details, the point of the article, I believe, was to suggest a change of ownership. This may indeed be the answer. It certainly was with the Golden State Warriors when the team was purchased by forward thinking men  like Joe Lacob and Peter Guber. But this may not be the right move for the Kings at this time. For the first time in my memory since Geoff Petri, the Kings have a GM with years of NBA experience at the helm. His recent acquisitions to bolster the Kings' bench was thoughtful and effective. I had hoped the three newbies would have helped right away, but it took too long, which seemed to me a coaching mistake. The present Kings team is better than their record or performance. So, back to firing the owner. Wouldn't that be fun? Guess you can't fire owners. They're the guys with the bucks. If it were me, I'd hang for a while and see what GM McNair can come up with. A real GM might slow down the meddling of Ranadive and allow Randadive to help the best way he can with an open checkbook. Give it two years.

   After that, I know an ownership group in Seattle that it itching to get back into the NBA. 

HOODIE   by January Gill O'Neil

A gray hoodie will not protect my son
from rain, from the New England Cold.
I see the partial eclipse of his face
as his head sinks into the half-dark
and shades his eyes. Even in our 
quiet suburb with its unlocked doors
I fear for his safety - the darkest child
on our street in the empire of blocks.
Sometimes I don't know who he is anymore
traveling the back roads between boy and man.
He strides a deep stride, pounds a basketball
into wet pavement. Will he take his shot
or is he waiting for the open-mouthed
orange rim to take a chance on him? I sing
his name to the night, ask for safe passage
from this borrowed body into the next
and wonder who could mistake him
for anything but good..  . 

Kings Make Smart Trades and Other Comments about Trades and Buyouts.

It appears that the owner of the Sacramento Kings - my default team after the Golden State Warriors - has finally hired an intelligent General Manager. GM Monte McNair's solid move to improve the Kings' reserves is proof to me that he knows what he's doing. The bench is now taller, longer, more athletic and better shooters. McNair stood pat with his starters, although my guess is he was sorely tempted to get a bunch of first and second round draft choices for a very desirable Harrison Barnes. Patience is a virtue. It is also important to remember that Harrison is only 28 years old, which some GMs and owners these days believe is long in the tooth. Take into consideration the great Dubs championship teams that were made of of a mix of youngsters (Step and Klay) and vets.(Igudala and Livingston). Delon Wright, Terrence Davis and even "long in the tooth" Maurice Harkless are huge upgrades over Walton's previous choices to relieve starters. With apologies to Cory Joseph, who I always liked for his smarts and tough D, but athletic he was not. McNair seems to be telling Kings fans that he is holding pat until the end of the season before making any BIG moves, and at the same time demonstrating some confidence that by creating a stronger bench, Luke Walton has the weapons to make it into the play-in tourney. A big V for Sacto if that happens. 

As far as other NBA teams. I think the Nets acquiring Aldridge on a buyout and the Lakers getting Drummond on a buyout are moves that border on the pathetic.. The Lakers must not be very confident in Gasol or that AD will be back and in form by playoffs. The Nets? I don't get  it at all. They have a wonderful discovery in their rookie Nicolas Claxon in the post. So what is their need at the power forward? Aldridge, a slow, pick and pot guy and Griffin not nearly the player he was. All I see is congestion in the paint, which will make it more difficult for Harden and Irving to drive? Is there an unspoken problem with KD that calls for midrange offense and bully boards? Do A & G really help on D? 

Good for the Magic. All in for youth. Has Bamba got it or not? Get draft choices, lot os them. Wendell Carter Jr. is young and could be a great future backup if Bamba proves to be the Big of the future. .Two first round picks and two in the second round, plus their own picks, not a bad haul.  

I think Miami helped themselves, by getting Oladipo, if only to light a fire under Herro. But, no doubt, Victor might be just enough addional scoring for the Heat to get back on track. The 76ers helped themselves with solid veteran guard, George Hill. Every NBA team should have one George Hill on its team. Wouldn't the Warriors love to have him for a couple of years, another Livingston type? 

Nuggets got a huge upgrade at the back up center position with JaVale McGee. I see lots of dunks when he's on the court giving Jocic a rest. Got to rest the big Serb for the playoffs.  

I'm afraid the Celtic didn't help themselves very much with Evan Fournier and Mo Wagner. They will miss Theis' toughness. If Wagner had Theis' toughness, he'd be a the center the Celtics are looking for. . 

Vucevic to the Bulls says they are committed to winning now. We'll see. I've never been a big fan of Lavine. Although he is a elite 3-point shooter, he doesn't play a smart game in my opinion. The big Finn has got to get tougher? And I worry that Vucevic will under perform in a different system. 

JJ Redick will help stretch the floor, but neither he nor Nicola Melli solve the Mavs true need, which is a true paint protector. 

We'll see if the Blazers made the right move trading Gary Trent Jr. for Norman Powell, both great 3- point shooters. Both good defenders. Nokic back will make more of a difference, although I'm not huge on the Serb. But Kantor as a back-up makes more sense than as a starter. 

For a close out poem I'm lifting from a book written by Andy Brumer called The Poetics of Golf. Don't let the lyrical title fool you jocks. If you like the sport of golf, you'll love this read. 

From "Should Lanterns Shine"  by Dylan Thomas

I have heard many years of telling,
And many years should see some change.
The ball I threw while playing in the park
Has not yet hit the ground. 

Elgin Bayor Gone but Never Forgotten

I saw Elgin Baylor in a Seattle University game leap out of bounds under the opponent's basket, catch the ball in mid air and in one motion throw the ball behind his back, swiftly and accurately, to a teammate cutting just beyond the midcourt (as if he knew Baylor would pass him the ball - how could he?) at an angle and took the pass like a miracle, which I thought at the time it was, and scored. 

Baylor was the town crier announcing today's athletic NBA players. I remember Elgin because for the first years I played in the NBA starting in 1961, Baylor was my defense assignment. As great a scorer Baylor was, he never scored more than 20 points on me. Why, you might ask. The answer is simple. By the time Elgin hit his 21st point, I was already fouled out and sitting on the bench watching some other poor soul take a beating. Elgin had a head-twitch that drove defenders crazy. He'd approach on the dribble, his head twitching, left, left, right, left. What was he signaling? Head twitch left would send you left, but Baylor drove right and scored. How many times I fell for this fake I can't remember or care to. At times when you thought as a defender you'd managed to stay with him and had a chance to block his shot, he fooled you by hanging in the air (think Julius Irving before the doctor) until gravity sent you down to earth while he remained aloft. 

Later, when I became the Warriors "power" forward (Rick Barry came along to claim the stretch 3 slot) my defense assignment was Rudy LaRusso. Baylor once quipped that no Laker vs Warriors game started before Meschery and LaRusso punched it out. He was not a visionary as it happened once during an exhibition game in Montana. Rudy and I duking it out before the ref had the chance to throw the ball up for the start of the game. 

Writers mention that Baylor was not as successful as a GM. Who cares. Elgin Baylor's legacy remains on the court, or in the air. Or in the universe where he now resides and in our fond memories. 

Found this on line. There was no mention of the writer.   

ELGIN

He defied air first,
before the Doc or the Hawk
and all the other species of birds
in the NBA sky.

A Few Comments Going into All Star Break 2021

 Six teams in the west: LA Lakers, LA Clips, Phoenix, Utah, Denver locked in for the playoffs, (based on volume of skilled personnel) after that it's a flip of the coin. Same holds true in the East. Only Philly, Brooklyn, Miami, and Milwaukee seem like a sure thing for reaching the finals of the playoffs before the coin goes up. It's been a weird season to say the least. So many teams are one injury or COVID restrictions from looking very ordinary, which demonstrates the value of certain players, and not necessarily scorers. Example, the Celtics loss of Marcus Smart on D. Or what happens to Phoenix and Utah if Chris Paul and Michael Connelly are lost before the playoffs?  The Blazers are hugely vulnerable if, say Derrick Jones is lost to them. Doubt me, check out his importance on defense, and shot blocking. Carmelo is still not a good defender. Will McCallum be back? There are too many X factors within the shadow of an already bizarre season to make a decent prediction beyond those few teams I've mentioned, and then maybe not even those top dogs..How about AD comes back, all's good, right? But then Caruso and Kuzma go down? Okay, just Caruso goes down. Does anybody doubt the Lakers loses significant point guard smarts, hustle, and chutzpah. 

Oh, well. 

Let's look at a couple of dark-horse teams I'm especially high on going into break. .

Recently I've come to love the look of the Washington Wizards as Bradley Beale and Russell Westbrook look like they play well together. All the Wiz positions seem to be jelling. Big Hair Lopez is clogging up the middle and can score that little hook of his. Hachimua (Japan's going nuts) is a quintessential power forward with mid-range shooting skills. Neto has been a surprise. Bertains can light it up from the 3. 

I'm also impressed with Charlotte. LeMelo is the real deal I was not willing at the start of the season to concede. Who'd have picked them to be second in their division at All Star break? LeMelo is going to be Rookie of the Year if he keeps doing what he's doing, which is as a down-hill-pressure-applier. 

And high fives to the Knicks. They'd be filling the Garden were it not for COVID. Tibs''great coaching, players playing aggressively on both ends. Immanuel Quigley a huge surprise. Perhaps a star is born. 

And finally a sad word about my home team, the Sacramento Kings, not to be confused with my real home team, the Warriors of San Francisco, ie Golden State. When you consider good teams are vulnerable with the loss of a key player, what does that mean for weak teams? If one key player goes down for the Kings, like Halibruton was down for the Charlotte Hornets game, its catastrophe. But there is more to say about the Kings unique form of catastrophe. 

Watching the Kings over a season, I've often thought that they'd been cursed. How can so many things go wrong for a franchise since Coach Rick Adelman was fired? Perhaps that's where they made their first mistake. Putting aside universally crazy mistakes such as hiring Vlade Divac as GM without an ounce of experience, let's consider what's going on with the present Kings. 

They have ABSOLUTELY no clue how to play DEFENSE  both individually and as a team. I have never seen such slow close-outs, no wonder opponents burn them from the 3 point line. One player playing team D right and 4 playing it wrong, or four playing it right and 1 playing it wrong does not cut it. I have written of this before. Since no one on the Kings is reading my blog, it's time for me to place the blame where it MUST belong - on the coach. You can't talk defense, Coach Walton, but not insist on it. You can not talk D, and not teach it. You got to own it. 

Therefore, it is time for GM McNair to find a new coach. New and new coaching staff, Not an interim coach and interim staff. A clean sweep McNair needs to do it now or as soon as possible, so the new coach and staff he choses has what's left of the season to TEACH AND INSIST. 

I'm not suggesting trades. Unless there is a perfect stud that will make a profound difference, the present roster has enough skills going for it, baring injuries, to start a culture. Trades can come in the summer. There certainly needs significant reserves improvement. But even so, fans calling for wholesale trades should consider how many games the Kings scored well enough to win, but lost because they couldn't guard their grandmothers.

Watching the Aussie Open last week, came across this small, wonderful little poem about tennis;

OLD TENNIS PLAYER  by Gwendolyn Brooks

Refuses

To refuse the racket, to mutter No to the net,
He leans to life, conspires to give and get
Others serving yet.  

  

A Word of Warning & etc.

If it hasn't been said already, I'm saying it now. Be careful making predictions based on the teams you're watching on TV these days. Between COVID protocols, injury absences, and general coaching strategies to rest vets, todays teams will not be the same teams you see after the NBA All-Star break. For example, the Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat will be far more impressive once the playoff push begins. I am basing this on the season getting back to normal as vaccines become more available and all the teams get their full rosters free of injuries on the court. 

I'm sure the pundits are noticing, but if they're not, the Sacramento Kings 12th pick in last years draft, Tyrese Haliburton, looks like he should have been a #1 or #2 selection based on his performance so far this season. I'm seeing a lot of Andre Igudala genes in him, that is he consistently makes clutch plays and clutch shots. And I love his calm. Leadership written all over him. 

On the subject of the Kings, Marvin Bagely lll, even while he is improving and is certainly working harder, remains a question mark. He seems physically weak to me. For the future of the Kings, he needs to be a stretch 3. It is the one position on the court the Kings are lacking. If they had one this season with Harrison Barnes in a  good place and playing extremely well at the 4, the Kings, led by a dynamic (Nate Archibald clone) DeAaron Fox, would have a strong chance of making the playoffs. But the absence of a solid 3 is a hole in their team that must be filled before they can get to that playoff level.    

Back to the draft: James Wiseman of the Warriors still remains in my mind the best long term impact pick of last years draft. Go Dubs!

It was said before the draft that it was not going to be such a great year for rookies. I think the rooks are proving the pundits wrong. Ball and Edwards, for example, look like the real deal. So does Achewa of the Heat. 

About the future draft, I recently watched Cad Cunningham, supposedly numero uno in next years draft. Word is he's the next Jason Tatum. Cad is good, but I don't think he's that explosive. Need to check on the other possibilities. The same evaluators who said last year's draftees were not going to be strong, are predicting this years players are much better.  

Is anyone wondering where the Timberwolves will wind up after center Carl Anthony Towns returns? (Hopefully in a good frame of mind and ball ready)  The wolves have found a really solid back up center and Edwards is the answer to their lack of an impact stretch 3. Kid can light it up. Can they get better on D? I'm hoping. Don't ask me why, but I have a soft sport for the Timberwolves since they got Ricky Rubio, and now he's back to end his career where he started. 

Can the Nets get better on D? Big Q. It is well documented by now that you can't go far in the playoffs without a solid defense..

Finally, what's the deal with Durant? I'm a little worried about where his head is since he left the Warriors. Am I mistaken, or is there a kind of arrogance or poutishness that wasn't there before. HisTweet Free Me, for example, sounds like a spoiled teenager. Comparing the NBA's strict COVID19 policy to a Wack ass PR tactic, is profoundly ignorant of the seriousness of this world pandemic. We're just lucky the NBA has been able to give us games at all. So, Kevin, put on your big boy pants and do some thinking. 

Instead of a poem, I'm going to end my blog with a suggestion. Do yourselves a favor folks. Go on line and find an editorial essay written by Leonard Pitts Jr of the Miami Herald called It is Different Being Us published in my newspaper The Sacramento Bee today, Monday 8th, 2021. It is Back History Month and what Mr. Pitts has to say and how he says it will inform your lives. I promise you. .

  

I Guess the Season Has Started

 The Harden trade completed, sending players hither and yon - confusing the hell out of my wife, who has no idea where Westbrook is playing these days -  the NBA 2021 season has officially started. 

A few words about the Hardin trade. The Beard gets the bad Karma award for dissing Rockets. Houston made you,James, have a little more class.I join everybody's question mark: how will the trio of Irving, Durant and Harden manage minutes and touches. If coaches can figure it out, offense will be unstoppable. However, championships are won on the D side, and Hardin can't defend, while Kyrie is not enthusiastic about defending beyond the first pass. DeAndre Jordan still can't shoot free-throws. And Nets are going to miss Mr. Super Afro a lot. 

Standings as of today, January 20 (Trump's Departure Date HOOWAH!): Under-performers of note are the Nuggets at 6/7; and Miami at 5/7. I'm real high on the Heats' Precious Achiuwa. How can you not love a 6"8",260 pound power forward?  Just what the doctor ordered to help Bam. (Bam & Precious) Heat lineup will solidify, then look for them to compete for Eastern Conference title again. 

Ditto, Nuggets in the West. Jocic trimmed and slimmed down body is a monster. Missing Jerami Grant, but Nuggets can upset anybody. Maybe not the Lakers who have better players all around than they did last season. Schroeder vs Rando, for one example. How the hell did the Raptors let Ibaka and Gasol leave. Huge mistake. Owners gotta pony up. You're zillionaires, pay the damn luxury tax. . 

Checking the rest of the league: I don't have a lot of faith in the Bucks to win the East. That is unless Giannis suddenly starts shooting a better percentage from the field. Again, it's all about playoffs, that's when defense picks up dramatically and all the teams are on to his drive/spin move. Oh, he'll score all right, but teams will sag off him and play him for the drive. The Clippers are going to miss Montrzel big time. Lucky they got Ibaka, but the Clips will miss Mantrzel's husstle points. Big Q, is, will Paul George be there during post season? 

Pundits seem high on the Suns. I buy that with Paul as distributor and Ayton growing into his talent. Jae Crowder, a great two -way guard pick up. Portland was high on my list at the start of this year, but now that they lost Nurkic (maybe for a season) and McCollum for at least a month, things not so rosy. I'm happy for Carmelo making a comeback but don't trust his court sense. Without Nurkic and a healthy McCollum, Dame can only carry this team into the playoffs. Good pick up of Jones.

Boston has got to find somebody in the post. Might have found a point guard of the future in Oegon Duck Pritchard. Hard to tellright now what kind of team they'll become later in the season.. They might very well surprise folks as it gets down to the wire. Philly, what can I say? Simmons can't shoot. Embid is physically unreliable. If Embid is really healthy at the end of the season, they can win the East.

Dallas needs a tough minded Big. Cauley Stein doesn't cut it. Imagine if the Mavs had, for exampe, Capella around the rim with Doncic passing. Porzingis is another player with unreliable physical health issues. There's some chatter about the Utah Jazz. Donovan Mitchell needs a second All Star at the wing. Bogan is a fine catch-and shoot to stretch the floor, but he can't really create for himself. 

Atlanta will be strong all season, but need something? I'm open to suggestions. They brought in enough players to assure they win their division. But compete for the East?  What's missing? Indiana Pacers is another team that remain dangerous about seven deep then, a drop off. Warren injured hurts. LeVert from the Nets will help. 

Finally, what to say about my Warriors? This year's playoffs depend on how fast rookie first rounder, James Wiseman grows into his awesome potential. He seems like a fast learner. Check back with me after All Star break. I'll leave it at that. 

On this day of transition, Thank God, from Trump to a real, caring, President, Joe Biden, I offer the National Youth Poet Laureate, Amanda Gorman, and her inauguration poem. Too long to post. Find it on any site.

For Draymond

 Reading this morning's Athletic, I felt so sorry for Draymond Green speaking about the terrorists storming and pillaging our national capital, how in his words, if those people had been of color they would have been met by the National Guard with guns and attack dogs, beaten into submission and hauled of in unmarked vans to jail. Draymond sounded so depressed. I thought of Doc Rivers' sorrowful question, I paraphrase: Why do we love a country so much that doesn't love us back? If this isn't what was in the back of Draymond mind, it surely must have been there like a shadow of thought. 

As athletes we grow up believing in a level playing field. No person of color (or any right-thinking white) is so foolish as to believe this works as a metaphor for equal rights and opportunity in America. As a goal, however, it is surely something to hope for and play for. Sadly, what I heard from Draymond was a hopelessness that such a future level playing field will never be attained. 

That Draymond and every African American watching the Capital debacle feels this way with its related depression and anger can not be left unrecognized. As a consequence of not dealing with the promise of a level playing field, I offer this poem by Langston Hughes:

What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up 
Like a raison in the sun?
Or fester like a sore - 
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and and sugar ovr
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load
Or does it explode?  

                                                            ***

So, is there anything this blog can offer that might help Draymond's depression? About the present, nothing helpful, I'm afraid. Our so-called president has managed to raise to the surface of our country all of its racial prejudices in a bunch so it sits on our body politic like scum. 

There is, however, a possible scumless FUTURE. And this might help. To identify it, one must look to television commercials for proof. Over the last decade, I'd been noticing more and more TV ads featuring inter-racial couples selling products. At first I thought these ads were designed by advertising companies for a targeted liberal east/ west coast audience, leaving the less liberal parts of America watching same-o-same-o un-mixed racial images. I telephoned my sister, a retired advertising exec to find out what the story was. The inter-racial commercials were viewed all over the country she told me. Her words, "The advertising industry has always been ahead of the demographic curve. Inter-racialism is where this country is trending."

Draymond, I don't know if this information helps you to visualize a better America. It does comfort me somewhat. I recognize it in the way my grandchildren and their friends and school mates think and inter-act positively with all races. I see the younger generations as multi cultural and multi-racial. And the generation of Trump voters see it too and are terrified by it. Thus their violence to hold on to their white power. But there is nothing they can do about the trend. An inter-racial society is coming. It is inevitable. And, Draymond, with this new and better generation of young people growing up and voting for change will finally come the level playing field you so desperately yearn for. Look around you. Check out the young people. Don't despair.