How Did This Happen?

I was just surfing around the Internet and came across this picture of the 1992 Dream Team. Aside from Chuck Daley's blue suit, there is something else in this photograph that doesn't belong. When I saw this picture, the song "One of these things is not like the other..." started playing in the back of my mind.

How on earth did Christian Laettner get on this dream team (while he was still in college no less?) I have nothing against the guy, but everyone else in the photo is either an All stars, NBA champion, Hall of Famer, or a combination of the three.

Again, I'm not trying to bash the guy, but I'm just baffled by this. It's kind of like Danny Glover taking over the lead role in Predator 2 trying to replace Arnold. I guess it should give me hope and help me realize that anything is possible.

Ultimate Floppers

I used to think the NBA was full of floppers, but Bill Lambier, Manu Ginobli, Vlade Divac, Robert Horry, and Chris Paul could all take some lessons from these pros.



My recommendation? When one of these wussies is found guilty of convulsing for no reason, the punishment should be one minute in the octagon with Brock Lesnar. That might clean things up for soccer.

Gotta Love It

Basketball Shoes

I grew up wearing cheap sneakers from Sears. It wasn't until I got to Jr. High that I realized shoes can make a difference when you are playing sports. In high school I was a Converse guy. I wore Weapons and shortly later Bird, Magic, and Dr. J copied me and did so too. I don't think I've ever spent more than $60 on a pair of shoes.

Sometimes when I'm at the mall and walk by the Athletes Foot store,  I peak in just to see what shoes are available. After escaping the sale frenzied referees, I make my way to the newest models and am always shocked at how much shoes are selling for. I wonder if those $150-200 Kobe or Lebron shoes are worth it. For now I will just hope it is a bunch of hype. I'm sure my Western Family basketball shoes are just as nice as theirs. At least my shoes aren't promoted by muppets!

Which Generation Had the Best Players?

When I was in High School I remember thinking how great the NBA players were at that time. I grew up watching Dr. J, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Dominique Wilkins, and Michael Jordan. I remember smirking each time I saw black and white footage of players like Jerry West, Bill Russell, Oscar Robinson, Bob Cousy, and Elvin Hayes. I always thought "Those guys may have been good, but the players of today would destroy them."

These days I hear kids saying the same thing about the players from my generation. They now hold guys like Kobe and Lebron up on a pedestal and think they are the greatest players of all time. I'll admit the long striped tube socks and short shorts of the 70's and 80's may not have help the comparisons, but I still think the original Dream Team players were the greatest group. I admit that athleticism has evolved over time and that the younger athletes keep out performing their elders, especially when it comes to trick stuff and dunking. Most young punks today can dunk between and under their legs by the time they are in Jr. High.

I've also noticed that it's hard to compete with the "coolness" of today's street ball players. They have names like Hot Sauce, Mr. 720, and Skilz. Compare that with old fashioned names like Bank Shot McGee, Lefty Jones or Hook shot Taylor. At least you didn't have to listen to crappy rap music with F-bombs throughout the song when you watched the old timers highlight videos.

Looking Better

After several weeks of mediocre showings, it appears we are back on track. Today we had 12 players and the play was good. The game was close down to the very end. I have listed three reasons why morning ball rocks.

1) The skill level of our participants is great. No matter how the teams are divided, there is plenty of talent and good chemistry between the players.

2) Last week I played a pickup game somewhere else. I couldn't help but notice how many hot heads, jerks, and ball hogs there were. It made me grateful for our group. Not only are they all good ball players, but they are good guys too.

2) Playing to 50 points. I was taken back the first time I played to 50, but now I can't imagine going back to a wimpy game of 21.

A Call To Arms

This morning we only had 8 players show up to play basketball. This is insulting considering it is the week of NBA finals. What happened to the days when we'd have three teams of players and you would play your hardest in order to avoid sitting? On the bright side, at least there were fewer witnesses to see Jim totally abuse Tom by scoring at least 12 3 pointers on him.

As a result of recent poor showings, this blog has been designed to remind and encourage you to come out to morning ball. It will also be a way to shame those who say they will come but don't follow through. It's time for a return to the Glory Days of Morning Ball.

As an incentive to come out, your name will be added to the player Bio section after your next showing.