All right, welcome back to sports week. If you missed yesterday, then we’re talking sports all week. If you’re not interested, that’s okay. Next week we will be returning to our regularly scheduled programming.
So today is basketball. Basketball is awesome. To watch. I prefer to watch college over pro. And March Madness is one of my favorite times of the year. But out of due diligence, let’s still start with pro. They’ve been at it longer and deserve our attention.
I’m a Mavs fan. What did you expect? I live in Texas and I’m originally from Dallas. I grew up with Mark Aguirre and Rolando Blackman. I remember when Jason Kidd played for us the first time. I’m a huge Dirk fan. And so of course I was thrilled last year. We were driving to camp in New Mexico, with the ESPNradio app on my phone plugged into the radio in the van, as the Mavericks won the NBA championship. Brian, Cody, and I driving down the road, screaming in the van, hoping to find a truck stop where we could see the end of the game. Great time. Not so great this year. But that is a good segue to…
My second team is the OKC Thunder. And before you cry “bandwagon”, you need to know 2 things. 1) Kevin Durant played for the Texas Longhorns. And 2) I was a Seattle Sonics fan before they moved to Oklahoma. I have my old Gary Payton Sonics jersey hanging in the closet right now. And since I wasn’t from Seattle, it didn’t hurt my feelings that they moved. In fact, they came closer. And I even went to college in Oklahoma. Well, for one year. But still it is a small connection. Anyway, I loved the Sonics. Payton, Shawn Kemp, Nate McMillan, Hersey Hawkins, Sam Perkins. Loved those guys. They are also some of my first basketball videogame memories, playing NBA Live and NBA Jam in the early 90’s. So I’m glad they moved south. I’m glad they turned into the Thunder. I had my doubts both about Oklahoma and the name, but it seems to have worked out. They’re young. They play hard. I like them.
Now I told you, I’m a college fan first. I cheer for four teams: Texas, Arizona, Memphis, and whoever is playing Duke. Seriously, I pick Duke to go out in the second round of the tournament every year. No matter what. It’s just on principle. Now I don’t have any problem with Duke fan. Whoever you are. I’m glad you enjoy the team. I just enjoy cheering against them.
Texas again is pretty obvious. Home team. Good basketball. Coach Barnes goes to my church. Didn’t have a great year this year, but I’m hoping with all our young players that we will be much more solid next year.
Arizona is a different story. I have been an Arizona fan for a long time. I loved Lute Olsen. I loved how he coached, fundamentals and defense, and I loved how his teams played. I think Sean Miller has done a great job stepping into this program. They have a great recruiting class this year and should be really good.
Memphis is another hometown team. I lived there for 7 years, and so I like to cheer for them. That’s it. Oh and they gave me an old Memphis State Basketball shirt from the old days. Very cool.
I also like to play basketball. Unfortunately I’m terrible. No really, terrible. But we have fun as long as we don’t have any angry serious players on the court.
Thoughts?
Todd
He’s not terrible. Unless he shoots. Or dribbles too long.
i was really impressed with your picks in this years ncaa tourney…i was figuring on an easy win over music boy when you offered a chance for everyone to go against you in a pool.
my favorite teams are pacers, illini and whoever plays arizona. i did really love watching those old sonic teams, they were really good and should have a title, if they had played in a different era.
we got to see harden here at asu for a bit, and he is a big part of that thunder team, do you think they can beat the spurs? i believe the fourth quarter in game one was a fluke…but we shall see…
Yeah, if it wasn’t for those Bulls…
I think the Thunder can beat the Spurs. I don’t know if they will. The Spurs are so deep. That was the first game Manu has played like that all playoffs. We’ll see if it’s an aberration. Spurs held game one at home. That’s all so far. Durant and Westbrook actually played under their norm, so there is definitely a shot. But Pop is a great coach. And the Spurs are disciplined and deep. Great series. Glad we get to watch it.
not looking good for the OKC; that’s alright tho, they stole our team from seattle so they can lose until they return ’em. Go Tar Heels!!!
Ahhh! Basketball! When I was little I loved watching the Harlem Globtrotters and love for the sport ensued. We have had a hoop over the garage almost everywhere I’ve lived since I was 4. Got a few scrapes in the drive-way along-the-way from trying to do things I saw those globtrotters do, but such is life. In school I was a basketball cheerleader and played trumpet in the pep band. I really enjoy men’s basketball over women’s, and again, since leaving high school, I am into college ball. (Except I followed Michael Jordan’s career from college through pro so for a few years was into the pro side bc he was Amazing!)
I have rooted for Kansas University – ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!!!!! – for… ever… (except when I was a student at Wichita State and there was a big game between KU and WSU and I had to be loyal to my school – what a game!). This year KU, K-State and WSU all made the March madness playoffs and my fantasy was for a rematch of KU and WSU! (Like most fantasies, it remained just that). Although I would have been happy for Memphis and KU to have made the final game (I root for Memphis except for when they play Kansas teams, but like WSU, Memphis lost first game).