A FEW EARLY OBSERVATIONS OF THE 2026 PLAYOFFS

 After leaving everything that their bodies could give on the court defeating the Clippers to make it to the second round of the Playin, the Dubs had nothing left in their collective tanks and lost to a highly motivated, younger and more agressive Suns. So starts the off season for the Warriors. If the management and ownership continues to be determined to give Step Curry and Draymond another chance at a title, they better have a terrific plan. Curry, Green, and Butler make up the bulk of the Warriors payfoll. So, how do the Warriors go about finding and paying for the kind of player they need to accomplish their goal? Porzinis is a free agent, but it's certainly reasonable to wonder if his on-gong health issues preclude the Warriors signing him to a new contract. Furthermore, don't believe it's NOT LOGICAL to count of Butler and Moody to be 100 percent next season. That said, what can Curry and Green expect next season? Another Play In Purgatory. I wish I didn't hav eto say it, but that's what is looks like to me. There is a first round draft choic to consdier, But at pick around #14 or so, will there be a game changer left? A soldid player, yes, but probably not a game changer. Moe, I'd select Yaxel Longenber from the Michian if he was available. 

Okay, enough of the Warriors. Biting my tongue, I'm pulling for the LA Lakers. The reason is simple; the Lakers are the undergog and pulled off a terrific win over the Rockets in Houston. That the Lakers were without Doncic and Reeves adds to the HOO RAH lever of that upset. Got to hand it to Lebron. Instead of trying to make up for the lack of scorrying by Doncic and Reeves'a absence, he contentrated on assisting his teamates. The accuracy of his passes made it possible for the rest of his team to catch the ball in the flow for good looks. 

Congrats to BJ Bickerstaff for winning Coach of the Year. I was sorrry to see the Pistons go down agaisnt Orlands, but I have no dog in thea fight. Orlanda has a wonderful coach and some terrific players. Duren must give the Pistons a better game in the next game. 

Denver and TWolves will be an interessting series. Denver won well if not convincinly. Boston is a shoe in for the Finals in the East in my opinion. Jayson Tatum is playing like a true PRO. Hawks run offense can't match the Knicks over all D game. But, I like the young Hawks. Jalen Johnston can't disappear in the fourth. 

                                                    TIP OF THE PEN

Writer's fatigue: Be careful you don't write too long. You are the only one who can judge how tired you are. Wriging when tired is a waste of time. I write only in the morning, And occasionaly a little editing in the evening. In addition, it is wise to carefully read through what you wrote in the final half hour of work. That's usually where you'll find the most mistaakes. 

                                                              LIFE 

Shout out for Pope Leo for hosting Villanova and Nortre Dame basketball teams to start next years NCAA basketball season. Love the guys who dressed up as Pope Leo at a recent Whie Sox game. The Pope is Chicago rasised and a big White Sox fan. It's fun to talk about fun stuff and not about the ridiculous man in the White House. 

                                                           LITURTURE

With the playoffs starting and the intensity level arching into the rafters, I thought this little tough poem about my little tough high school coach would be appropriate. 

BEN NEFF  

Coach, I loved you. I owe my fundamentals
to you. I do not hold it against you
that you called me a sonovabitch and
that you questioned what I was good for
and that your anger wound up as spit in my face.
Those of us who could withstand your anger
learned how to play the game of basketball
so well that we carried it with us into college
and me into the pros. But I remember a boy
trying out for the team you frightened badly,
who ran and you chased him and he swung
Up in to the standard and sat like a bird
perched above the hoop crying while you
threw basketballs at him, one after the other,
and the rest of us, thinking it was funny,
fed you the balls, throwing nice crisp
two-handed chest passes just the way
you taught us, fingers straight, thumbs down. 

 Wolverines if he was availbale 

KINGS AND QUEENS OF WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

I guess it's part of being old, being forgetful. But the evidence in my case is clearl. i completly forgot to post this Blog. Mea Culpa, and off we go:

 Isn't it about time Gino Auriemma stop thinking of himself as the King of Women's Basketball? his display of anger at the end of the Final Four loss to the University of South Carolina was a shameful exhibition of inflated ego. And, yes, Coach Staely should not have responded, but, hey, she was the winning coach. When UCon, earlier in the season had crushed her team, she'd said nothing. I give Coach Auriemma lot of credit for what he's accomplished at UCon and how much that has helped develop interest in the women's game of hoops, but no one crowned him. And no one has crowned Coach Stately either. If there is a crown to be bestowed on someone, how about on the head of Pat Summitt of the University of Tennessee? 

And, guess what? The Gamecocks of South Carolina lost in the finals to the bruins of UCLA. Congrats to Cori Close, perhaps the Princess of Women's college basketbal. Only time wil tell. Righ Gino? right Dawn? 

 Since Coach Summitt, the game of women's basketball has grown rapidely. The WNBA has found a strong foothold on television and with advertisers. I look back and wishi there had abeen such a viable league when my daughter was hooping, wearing her father's jersey number. More and more the the chasm between the interest in the mens and women's game is tightening. The Warriors reign as Kings of Bay Area basketball and the Valkyerie reign as Queens. 

   I do believe it is high time an NBA team hire a woman coach. Coach Becky Hammon of the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA and Coach Dawn Staley would be better choices than some of the refried beans some NBA teams keep rehiring. 

I was sorry to read that Dick Motta was not incucted into the 2026 Neismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The Coach of the Championship 1978 NBA title dererved it. "The opera is not over until the fat lady sings" one of his statements that he read from someplace has not become a part of sports legend. Dick, you probably don't read sports blogs, but if by chance you read this one, I've always consiidered you one of the best coaches in our league, and I'd bet that you could show some of the young coaches in the league now a thing or two. If anyone is interested in Coach Motta, Jason Quick of The Athletic wrote a great piece about him two AThletic's ago. 

I have to admit, I was surpirsed how easily the U of Michigan Wolverines taming the Arizona Wildcats in the Final Four. But what do I know. This year I had Florida winning it all. I was very impressed with the Wolverine's poing guard Elliot Cadeau. His last name is french and means gift. And he was to his coach and teammate. He's too small to make it in the NBA, but could if he develope a three point shot. Monsieur Cadewu, that's your summer job, 

                                                      TIP OF THE PEN

Details when writing a mystery series. You must pay attention that all your details that tend to repeat themselves when writing a mystery series remain the same from novel to novle. For example if you have you detective/cop/etc in the habit of drinking a certain type of beer, it should be the same kind it all the books. Same goes for the car he drives unles he changes for a particular reason. True for the kind of breakfast your character prefers. The name of some of the touchstones in the neighborhood should be the same to remind the reader of the environment. Clothes she or he prefers. If your character is a jogger, be sure he joggs in all the books, enjoys the same views as he runs. Vary the way you write about these topeics, but be certain they are always there. 

LEBRON AT FFORTY-ON

He wonders where his three point shot has gone
Goen fishing, the critics say of him
His smile is sly.
His passes hit their mark. 
He downs the Rocket with assists.
He says, a win's a win. 

 between the two league is