When I regularly covered the NBA on a daily basis too many years ago, a number of us promised ourselves that when new days arrived, we would never bore people by talking about the good old days. The notion that the past is always better than the present is a sermon delivered by the aged and, as Pete Townshend once wrote, “Hope I die before I get old.” But having observed the Philadelphia 76ers the last two years, I can’t help myself: Tanking
Sports journalist Bryan Burwell, who wrote for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and occasionally made appearances on ESPN’s The Sports Reporters and worked as on-air talent for CBS Sports 920 in St. Louis, passed away early Thursday after enduring a brief battle with cancer. He was 59. Burwell was well-respected and well-liked in the industry. His colleague and fellow sportswriter at the Post-Dispatch, Bernie Miklasz, wrote a touching tribute about him. Here is an emotionally evocative excerpt: Until the end of his life,
Monday afternoon New York Knicks All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony was basking in his career accomplishment. A night earlier, in a home game against the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden he scored a very important basket — two important baskets, really. The first basket came with 7:41 left in the first quarter, when he hit his second shot in the game, a three. That shot gave New York an early 15-to-five lead. It also gave Anthony 20,002 career points, putting him
Though the Atlanta Hawks have only just begun rebuilding their image in the NBA, senseless words now have it falling apart. The Atlanta Hawks are in too deep now, and it has little to do with owner Bruce Levenson. As alluded to in last night’s Tweet post, general manager Danny Ferry is in hot water for reading a racially insensitive scouting report aloud during a conference call with Hawks management and ownership back in June. Some of the
The record $2 billion sale of the Los Angeles Clippers was completed Tuesday, with new owner Steve Ballmer saying he will be “hardcore.” The NBA announced the completion of the sale following disgraced former owner Donald Sterling’s failed attempt in a California court to block the the authority of his estranged wife Shelly Sterling to sell the team on behalf of the Sterling Family Trust. Sterling still has legal recourse, and given his history will probably use it. However, he cannot reclaim the
Friday was a big day for the Sacramento Kings. As many prepared for the 2014 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction, including 14-year veteran Mitch Richmond who played seven seasons with in Sactown, Kings forward Rudy Guy was accepting an invitation to join Team USA in Chicago. Should he make the final cut, Gay would help to fill the huge void now felt with the recent losses of Paul George (injury) and Kevin Durant (withdrawal). Gay was a member of the 2010
With so many talented point guards looking to make it into Team USA and only so much room on the roster, Jerry Colangelo and the coaching staff have some tough decisions to make. Colangelo did specify the number of point guards he wants on the team, though, and that somewhat narrows down the choices he’s going to have. Sam Amick of USA Today has details: As Colangelo detailed in an interview with USA TODAY Sports, the most likely plan would be to
Former Los Angeles Lakers guard and current WNBA Atlanta Dream head coach Michael Cooper has been diagnosed with early stage tongue cancer. The Dream announced that Cooper will undergo surgery at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University in Atlanta this week. The doctors expect a full recovery — typical recovery time is two weeks. Assistant coach Karleen Thompson will assume coaching duties while he is out. Cooper remained optimistic and confident in the Emory medical staff. [Read more…]