Jul
14
From the Archives – May 2003 – Wheeling for Respect
Filed Under Profiles/Features, Hoops Scoops | Leave a Comment
Two years ago today, Canada defeated the United States by eight points in the Wheelchair Basketball World Championship for Women? Who cares, you say. While this author may have once shared a similar view and still does not follow the sport of wheelchair basketball religiously, I got a first-hand account of how hard these athletes work while writing a feature story on the highly accomplished University of Illinois’ women’s team five years ago for an undergraduate broadcast journalism class.
Jul
14
30 Years, 3 Referees & 134 Reported Phone Calls
Filed Under Floor Burns, NBA, Commentary | Leave a Comment
Approximately 30 years ago to the day, the NBA announced that it would add a third referee to games on an experimental basis that has now become the norm. With that said, it is unknown whether such expansion so diluted the quality of officiating in the league that it would have to later accept third-tier officials like Tim Donaghy, whose saga, in all seriousness, took another strange turn earlier today.
Jul
14
Packer Packs His Bags, Kellogg Stuffs His Stat Sheets
Filed Under Commentary, Tourney History, NCAA Basketball | Leave a Comment
While one Packer – Brett Favre – asked for his release today, another Packer – Billy – amicably parted ways with CBS Sports after being the network’s lead college basketball analyst for what seemed like forever but was actually 27 years. Replacing the often irritable yet highly knowledgeable Packer will be the stat-sheet stuffer himself, Clark Kellogg, who will be paired with Jim Natz during the 2009 Final Four.
Jul
14
July 14, 2004 – Lakers Bids Adieu to Shaq Fu
Filed Under On This Day . . ., Loose Balls | Leave a Comment
While the summer of 1996 was one of love for the Los Angeles Lakers, the summer of 2004 was one of separation for the franchise as team owner Jerry Buss decided that he would rather have this Staples Center menu feature Kobe beef over the next decade rather than a rack of Shaq and a fill of Phil.
Jul
14
Similarities Abound for Dunkers of Different Statures
Filed Under Getting Dunked On, Loose Balls | Leave a Comment
While David “Skywalker” Thompson and Anthony “Spud” Webb may share the same birth date and alma mater in North Carolina State University, the names of these players most often conjure up images of the most powerful act in the sport of basketball – the slam dunk – which would actually come as a surprise to anyone who stood these guys back-to-back during the prime of their professional careers and compared their physical attributes.