A New Season II

Here we are again to start a new NBA season.Last year I asked the question...Could the San Antionio Spurs repeat? I said No. I was right. Then, I asked the question... Could the Boston Celtics win it all?...I was right again. Man! I'm going to step out there again,with a prediction on this new season. Can the Boston Celtics repeat? No! Kevin Garnett is great...but,he's not a real dominate type needed to carry a team sometimes. It showed in the playoffs. Paul Pierce,well he can carry a team[proved it early in his career,can't do it now. He need help]James Posey is Gone! That's Huge Mistake! So, my choice is a tough one this year.I'll pick one team....but, I can make a case for at lease three teams to win it all.Los Angles Lakers,New Orleans Hornets,Phoenix Suns. My choice...Phoenix Suns. I can't go against Shaq! The most dominate big man in the history of basketball...still the best at 35.Although Superman Dwight Howard is coming on strong...a force.[Howard still need a go-to move,then work all the rest of his moves off that].Getting back to the Suns,cutting Steve Nash minutes during the regular season[he's 35]should have him rested and ready for the playoffs. Same for Shaq...Rested and Ready for the playoffs.Shaq was built for the playoffs.They will take it all this year. There I said it. MVP...take your pick. Kobe Bryant,LeBron James,Chris Paul..All will have outstanding seasons. Now let's talk about CHICAGO!The Chicago Bulls ...they picked up the number one draft pick,by chance...and drafted Derrick Rose. Great move! Now the Bulls go on and make blunders...there is still time to fix. 1. Not making a move at the guard position. Kirk Hinrich needs to GO! Too slow for the point...not tall enough for the 2 guard,can't play defense on anybody.Larry Hughes needs to GO! He's just not a winner.Larry is just out there getting paid. 2. Derrick Rose! Give the kid heavy minutes! 35+ every night! Otherwies you ruin him! AKA...Joakim Noah,Tyrus Thomas,Thabo Sefolosha.These guys need minutes! The ONLY way you get better in this league. 3. Get rid of the Big Poluka Aaron Gray. Nothing aganist you man...you might be a great guy. But as far as basketball...You are slow,can't guard anybody,no downlow moves,if you needed a coach to teach you bigman moves last season...You don't have it! Don't have the mindset to dominate. I see it! Don't you KNOW your opponent see it TOO? The only good thing you can do is shoot freethrows...But, you can't get to the line to DO THAT! 4 . Fire the General Manager! John Paxson! Proved to be one of the worse GM's out there. He will start the season on the HOT SEAT! If Derrick Rose starts the season unhappy,Pax will be GONE! 5. Need of a GO-TO Guy Big Time! Ben Gordon can't do it...although he's proved it a few times.He's Short! Put a big guard on him ...Ben Gordon has problems. Plus he has hurt feelings from the contract talks.Ben you should have took 10! The 5 year 50 million dollar contract offered.Ben settled for 1 year 6 million. Becomes a free agent next year...and you still won't get over 10 mil. I'm a BIG Ben Gordon fan! He put his work in!You can see it in his body.Fire your agent! 010

International Basketball

With the Olympics in full force,Team USA now dubbed the Redeem Team was playing China before ONE BILLION watchers! Yes ,ONE BILLION! A record to view a basketball game...any game for that matter. Leads me to address why NBA players are now bolting the NBA for the International stage. 5'5" Earl Boykins just became Italy's highest paid player...What? Earl Boykins? He's 32 years old! Carlos Arroyo,He Gone! Josh Childress,He Gone! Nenad Kerstic,He Gone! Bostjan Nachbar ,signed in Moscow....He Gone!Jannero Pargo One of Chicago's Finest! Has reached an agreement with the same team,Moscow Dynamo for a one-year deal...He Gone! Carlos Navarro,He Gone! Carlos Delfino,you know it...He Gone! Kobe Bryant said he would leave for Europe for 50 million a year. LeBron James free agency is coming up next year...If Bron Bron was trading on the NYSE,he would be trading for like 500.00 a share.He's all business.He has Warren Buffett as a buddy!What's keeping him from going? Ben Gordon and the Chicago Bulls can't come to terms...Overseas??? Dallas Mavericks 2008 draft pick Shan Foster is playing in Europe. Follow the money...It's overseas right now.With a BILLION people watching basketball, you can't help but have big sponsers,commercials,shoe deals,endorsements,etc.But, the biggest of all...maybe not the biggest name in the bunch...Brandon Jennings from Oak Hill Academy High School,not going to college,not going to the NBDL,but, headed overseas! WOW! Signing a contract to play overseas in Italy.I think it's a tip of the iceburg,more high schoolers will bolt to Europe. With a declining US economy,getting paid in Euros,and not the declining dollar,a bigger audience with the world being the stage,You really don't need an agent if you are playing in the NBA, salary caps are already pre-determined. Just follow the money!

Cazzie Russell A Chicago Legend

This is the first of many post about Chicago Urban Legends. Cazzie Russell was from Chicago's Altgeld Gardens housing projects on the far south side. He went to Carver H.S., class of 1962.Where he learned from and played with Tommy Hawkins[Another Chicago Urban Legend].Cazzie stood about 6'6",averaged about 25pts. per game as a senior.A person having a big influence on Cazzie was Larry Hawkins[no relations to Tommy Hawkins or Connie Hawkins!]. Larry was Cazzie's coach and kept him on the straight and narrow.Larry was a great ball player in his own right,can still be found at the University of Chicago helping people. Cazzie was so dynamic he could have went to almost any school in the country at the time. He was being heavily recurited by UCLA,University of Michigan,University Of Cincinnati[which featured the Great Oscar Robertson]who even came to visit Cazzie! Cazzie chose the Uni. Of Michigan, because he felt he would play more there.At the Uni. of Michigan,Cazzie averaged about 24pts. per game,and was a 3-time All American.Cazzie put Uni. of Michigan basketball program on the map!He was the Uni. of Michigan's first Superstar...By the time it was over they built a new arena,Crisler Arena,"The house that Cazzie built".He also was the first to have his number [33]retired at the Uni. of Michigan. Cazzie was the number one draft pick in 1966 by the NBA. Drafted by the New York Knicks.Played his first five seasons for New York. And was part of the 1970 Championship run that featured...Willis Reed,Bill Bradley,and Walt Frazier,which beat the L.A. Lakers and Wilt Chamberlain.Cazzie went on to play 12 seasons in the NBA 1966-1978.Here's to you Cazzie Russell a positive influence on kids back in the day. And Still a positive influence today! One of the great Chicago Urban Legends.

WHY !

Why did certain Chicago area basketball players make the Chicago Urban Legends list,while others did not? To quote Ozzy Osbourne... "I DON'T KNOW". There's always going to be people who should be on something and left off. That don't diminish who they are as a person,or as a player. Also,just because one made it to the NBA does not constitue being a Urban Legend. NBA is not the tell all ,do all when it comes to basketball. There's like 480 players in the NBA...And I can tell you with a clear mind...not all are the best players in the world! Not even half! WHY? Politics,breaks,being in the right place at the right time,psychological make up.That's the new thing in the NBA[not really new]doing mental, and behavior studies and questions on players to see if there is any problems in the future.Coming soon to a NBA team near you...DNA testing. OH NO! Way to go Eddie Curry! Ok Ok here's a list of players not on the Chicago Urban Legends, not saying they will or will not be on in the future. George Mikan,Isiah Thomas,Mark Aguirre,Maurice Cheeks,Jamie Brandon,Darrell Walker,Terry Cummings,Lee CummingsTerry's brother,Don Ross,Cory Blackwell,Ronnie Lester,Bo Ellis,Lafayette Lever,Alfredrick Hughes,Andre Battle,Larry Hawkins,Eddie Johnson,Hersey Hawkins,Quentin Richardson,Johnnie Selvie....Did I miss anyone? skoolofskills.org