[Red State]

Says the father of Lonzo Ball, Lavar. You heard the man, Haase. Forget about Duke 2010.  ;)

[Red State]

Says the father of Lonzo Ball, Lavar. You heard the man, Haase. Forget about Duke 2010.  ;)

[2006alum]

[2006alum]

[Bruce Wang]

Ball & Sons have been a topic of Boston sports talk radio because the Celtics have Brooklyn's pick (been weird cheering against Brook & Jeremy).  Papa Ball has been a rationale for not drafting Lonzo.  Papa Ball's claim that he could beat Jordan one on one was a particular source of ridicule.  Toucher & Rich of 98.5, the SportsHub, pointed out that Papa Ball could not even win "The Scallenge".  For those of you remember the days when we were a force in MBB, $C fielded a goofy red-headed power forward by the name of Brian Scalabrine, who ended up as a towel waiver with the Celtics and various other NBA teams.  Scal was a regular guest on T&R on what they dubbed "White Boy Wednesdays".  In an NBA game, Scal looked slow and uncoordinated, so various listeners including one that had played D-1 basketball said they could beat him one-on-one.  So T&R set up "The Scallenge".  It's worth a look for the laughs and a sense of what good athletes even the bench warmers in the NBA are.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpiu8UtQ-6E

[Bruce Wang]

Ball & Sons have been a topic of Boston sports talk radio because the Celtics have Brooklyn's pick (been weird cheering against Brook & Jeremy).  Papa Ball has been a rationale for not drafting Lonzo.  Papa Ball's claim that he could beat Jordan one on one was a particular source of ridicule.  Toucher & Rich of 98.5, the SportsHub, pointed out that Papa Ball could not even win "The Scallenge".  For those of you remember the days when we were a force in MBB, $C fielded a goofy red-headed power forward by the name of Brian Scalabrine, who ended up as a towel waiver with the Celtics and various other NBA teams.  Scal was a regular guest on T&R on what they dubbed "White Boy Wednesdays".  In an NBA game, Scal looked slow and uncoordinated, so various listeners including one that had played D-1 basketball said they could beat him one-on-one.  So T&R set up "The Scallenge".  It's worth a look for the laughs and a sense of what good athletes even the bench warmers in the NBA are.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpiu8UtQ-6E

[Phogge]

My spouse, who heads the Grammar Police of West Marin, will not let me read any posts that include double negatives. In this case I have been sentenced to Saturday garage cleaning.

[Phogge]

My spouse, who heads the Grammar Police of West Marin, will not let me read any posts that include double negatives. In this case I have been sentenced to Saturday garage cleaning.

[washingtonismoney]

I wouldn't use Lavar Bell as a reason not to draft Lonzo. While Lavar seems to be a goofball, that's no crime. Plenty of kids have weird parents and do fine; there isn't much evidence (that I can see, at least) that somehow Lavar's a disruptive presence in Lonzo's life.

His on-the-court play is enough to draft him or not. He's one of the most interesting players I've ever seen. He's a genius passer. I can't recall a college point guard with comparable passing ability. The rest of his game is so, so odd: his jumper goes in when he takes it, but you have questions as to whether he'll be able to get a lot of shots off against pro defenders. He's average athletically. He never seems to get down into a defensive stance. Add it all up and you have a guy with supreme on-court production and an idiosyncratic game. I have no idea how it'll translate to the NBA, but I'm fascinated to see him next year.

[washingtonismoney]

I wouldn't use Lavar Bell as a reason not to draft Lonzo. While Lavar seems to be a goofball, that's no crime. Plenty of kids have weird parents and do fine; there isn't much evidence (that I can see, at least) that somehow Lavar's a disruptive presence in Lonzo's life.

His on-the-court play is enough to draft him or not. He's one of the most interesting players I've ever seen. He's a genius passer. I can't recall a college point guard with comparable passing ability. The rest of his game is so, so odd: his jumper goes in when he takes it, but you have questions as to whether he'll be able to get a lot of shots off against pro defenders. He's average athletically. He never seems to get down into a defensive stance. Add it all up and you have a guy with supreme on-court production and an idiosyncratic game. I have no idea how it'll translate to the NBA, but I'm fascinated to see him next year.

[cctop]

So T&R set up "The Scallenge".  It's worth a look for the laughs and a sense of what good athletes even the bench warmers in the NBA are.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpiu8UtQ-6E

I like to take my kids to watch the SF Bay Area Pro-Am games which are at Kezar Pavillion each summer.

It's a variety of current and former college players, the best of which are in the European leagues.  Occasionally a real live NBA player drops in.

My takeaway: even the guys who haven't sniffed the NBA are still amazing ballplayers.

[cctop]

So T&R set up "The Scallenge".  It's worth a look for the laughs and a sense of what good athletes even the bench warmers in the NBA are.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpiu8UtQ-6E

I like to take my kids to watch the SF Bay Area Pro-Am games which are at Kezar Pavillion each summer.

It's a variety of current and former college players, the best of which are in the European leagues.  Occasionally a real live NBA player drops in.

My takeaway: even the guys who haven't sniffed the NBA are still amazing ballplayers.

[OutsiderFan]

So is this some sort of shot at TJ Leaf, Thomas Welsh and Bryce Alford?

And what, exactly would be the point of making such a comment?  Dissuade Steve Alford from recruiting white players, given he says he wants all his sons going to UCLA?  Is Lavar Ball a eugenist?

[OutsiderFan]

So is this some sort of shot at TJ Leaf, Thomas Welsh and Bryce Alford?

And what, exactly would be the point of making such a comment?  Dissuade Steve Alford from recruiting white players, given he says he wants all his sons going to UCLA?  Is Lavar Ball a eugenist?

[fullmetal]

LaVar Ball is just making excuses for why his son didn't make deep into the tournament, I think.  Full of sound and fury, that one.

[fullmetal]

LaVar Ball is just making excuses for why his son didn't make deep into the tournament, I think.  Full of sound and fury, that one.

[OutsiderFan]

LaVar Ball is just making excuses for why his son didn't make deep into the tournament, I think.  Full of sound and fury, that one.

Full of another word that starts with "s" too.

But we certainly live in times where those who are full of that word that starts with "s" can see their fortunes rise, at least temporarily, trading on that six word phrase made famous by P.T. Barnum.

[OutsiderFan]

LaVar Ball is just making excuses for why his son didn't make deep into the tournament, I think.  Full of sound and fury, that one.

Full of another word that starts with "s" too.

But we certainly live in times where those who are full of that word that starts with "s" can see their fortunes rise, at least temporarily, trading on that six word phrase made famous by P.T. Barnum.

[fullmetal]

Well, let's not go too far down that rabbit hole. 

But I did start reading up on the Ball family (I haven't drank the Lonzo kool-aid yet), and Mama Ball (Tina) is a light-skinned blonde (passes for white, at the very least).  So LaVar is being racist, and his kids have a white mom.  Shoot, LaVar is pretty light-skinned himself (though that doesn't prove anything, as is the point of my rant).  There is no good reason that he should have associated skin color with basketball success.

If you read deeper, LaVar and Tina met while playing basketball in college, and LaVar has made statements that imply that he got together with Tina to raise basketball prodigies (he also says that he "only makes boys")...so the Ball brothers have a little bit of the Tiger Woods/Williams sisters family impulse behind their entrance into basketball.

For all of his father's good influence in his life, I hope Lonzo understands that he should not pick up on this part of his dad's craziness.

[fullmetal]

Well, let's not go too far down that rabbit hole. 

But I did start reading up on the Ball family (I haven't drank the Lonzo kool-aid yet), and Mama Ball (Tina) is a light-skinned blonde (passes for white, at the very least).  So LaVar is being racist, and his kids have a white mom.  Shoot, LaVar is pretty light-skinned himself (though that doesn't prove anything, as is the point of my rant).  There is no good reason that he should have associated skin color with basketball success.

If you read deeper, LaVar and Tina met while playing basketball in college, and LaVar has made statements that imply that he got together with Tina to raise basketball prodigies (he also says that he "only makes boys")...so the Ball brothers have a little bit of the Tiger Woods/Williams sisters family impulse behind their entrance into basketball.

For all of his father's good influence in his life, I hope Lonzo understands that he should not pick up on this part of his dad's craziness.

[FarmBoy]

[quote author=Publius link=topic=16767.msg191318#msg191318 date=1491570806]
So T&R set up "The Scallenge".  It's worth a look for the laughs and a sense of what good athletes even the bench warmers in the NBA are.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpiu8UtQ-6E

I like to take my kids to watch the SF Bay Area Pro-Am games which are at Kezar Pavillion each summer.

It's a variety of current and former college players, the best of which are in the European leagues.  Occasionally a real live NBA player drops in.

My takeaway: even the guys who haven't sniffed the NBA are still amazing ballplayers.
[/quote]

Two anecdotes:

My sophomore year at Stanford I was probably the peak of my basketball performance and overall fitness. My friends played a pretty competitive pick up game regularly and competed for championships in the IMs. A few of us could have played DII/DIII ball. One day, one of the basketball team walk ons who never sniffed the court, even in blow outs, wandered by and decided to join in. On the bench, next to guys like Mark Seaton, Tim Young, and Mark Madsen, he looked puny. On the court, he was a horse and pretty much unstoppable and made every jumper he took. It was no competition.

As a high school senior, in back to back weeks, I played against Kobe Bryant of Lower Marion and then the following week RIchard Hamilton of Coatesville (went on to win NCAA champsionship with UConn and then NBA championship with Detroit). After playing against Kobe, Rip just seemed like another good player. Clearly better than anyone on our team, but nothing to write home about. I'm sure if we didn't have to see Kobe twice a year in league play, we'd have been a lot more impressed by Rip.

[FarmBoy]

[quote author=Publius link=topic=16767.msg191318#msg191318 date=1491570806]
So T&R set up "The Scallenge".  It's worth a look for the laughs and a sense of what good athletes even the bench warmers in the NBA are.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpiu8UtQ-6E

I like to take my kids to watch the SF Bay Area Pro-Am games which are at Kezar Pavillion each summer.

It's a variety of current and former college players, the best of which are in the European leagues.  Occasionally a real live NBA player drops in.

My takeaway: even the guys who haven't sniffed the NBA are still amazing ballplayers.
[/quote]

Two anecdotes:

My sophomore year at Stanford I was probably the peak of my basketball performance and overall fitness. My friends played a pretty competitive pick up game regularly and competed for championships in the IMs. A few of us could have played DII/DIII ball. One day, one of the basketball team walk ons who never sniffed the court, even in blow outs, wandered by and decided to join in. On the bench, next to guys like Mark Seaton, Tim Young, and Mark Madsen, he looked puny. On the court, he was a horse and pretty much unstoppable and made every jumper he took. It was no competition.

As a high school senior, in back to back weeks, I played against Kobe Bryant of Lower Marion and then the following week RIchard Hamilton of Coatesville (went on to win NCAA champsionship with UConn and then NBA championship with Detroit). After playing against Kobe, Rip just seemed like another good player. Clearly better than anyone on our team, but nothing to write home about. I'm sure if we didn't have to see Kobe twice a year in league play, we'd have been a lot more impressed by Rip.

[Bruce Wang]

I've told the story here before, but I'll repeat it because we have enough newbies.  I was on Kirk Herbstreit's intramural 4th-6th grade basketball team.  I got put on Kirk's team to handicap him.  Kirk was quick as a cat and almost every shot went in.  He's the best athlete I've ever played ball with and hoops isn't his sport (became starting QB for Ohio State).  So it boogles my mind how good professional athletes must be.

By the way, that nice guy persona of his. 100% genuine.  He's exactly the way I remember him.

[Bruce Wang]

I've told the story here before, but I'll repeat it because we have enough newbies.  I was on Kirk Herbstreit's intramural 4th-6th grade basketball team.  I got put on Kirk's team to handicap him.  Kirk was quick as a cat and almost every shot went in.  He's the best athlete I've ever played ball with and hoops isn't his sport (became starting QB for Ohio State).  So it boogles my mind how good professional athletes must be.

By the way, that nice guy persona of his. 100% genuine.  He's exactly the way I remember him.

[Mick]

I've told the story here before, but I'll repeat it because we have enough newbies.  I was on Kirk Herbstreit's intramural 4th-6th grade basketball team.  I got put on Kirk's team to handicap him.  Kirk was quick as a cat and almost every shot went in.  He's the best athlete I've ever played ball with and hoops isn't his sport (became starting QB for Ohio State).  So it boogles my mind how good professional athletes must be.

By the way, that nice guy persona of his. 100% genuine.  He's exactly the way I remember him.

I played basketball against Ron Rivera in high school.  Ron played for Seaside High, and we had a 6'9", 300 pound player who ended up playing for the Rams.  Ron was already brobdingnagian and tough and our guy wasn't as athletic, but had six inches and seventy pounds on him, so it was a good matchup.  The most fun was watching the ball go up for a shot, and eight guys would just back away as those two behemoths fought for the ball.

My dad played against Louie Dampier, the old ABA three point champion.  It was a tournament, my dad was two years older than Dampier, and Dad would pick him up at the top of the key, then at the top of the circle, finally at half court.  Dampier could make shots from just about anywhere on the court.  My best friend's dad played center for Navy and held Wilt Chamberlain to a mere 38 points.  Both men said it was just an exceptional experience.

[Mick]

I've told the story here before, but I'll repeat it because we have enough newbies.  I was on Kirk Herbstreit's intramural 4th-6th grade basketball team.  I got put on Kirk's team to handicap him.  Kirk was quick as a cat and almost every shot went in.  He's the best athlete I've ever played ball with and hoops isn't his sport (became starting QB for Ohio State).  So it boogles my mind how good professional athletes must be.

By the way, that nice guy persona of his. 100% genuine.  He's exactly the way I remember him.

I played basketball against Ron Rivera in high school.  Ron played for Seaside High, and we had a 6'9", 300 pound player who ended up playing for the Rams.  Ron was already brobdingnagian and tough and our guy wasn't as athletic, but had six inches and seventy pounds on him, so it was a good matchup.  The most fun was watching the ball go up for a shot, and eight guys would just back away as those two behemoths fought for the ball.

My dad played against Louie Dampier, the old ABA three point champion.  It was a tournament, my dad was two years older than Dampier, and Dad would pick him up at the top of the key, then at the top of the circle, finally at half court.  Dampier could make shots from just about anywhere on the court.  My best friend's dad played center for Navy and held Wilt Chamberlain to a mere 38 points.  Both men said it was just an exceptional experience.

[Cap Heresy]

I played pickup against Sky King and several Ohio U. players. My main takeaway was how fast everybody was, even the big guys.

[Cap Heresy]

I played pickup against Sky King and several Ohio U. players. My main takeaway was how fast everybody was, even the big guys.

[Cap Heresy]

I wouldn't use Lavar Bell as a reason not to draft Lonzo. While Lavar seems to be a goofball, that's no crime. Plenty of kids have weird parents and do fine; there isn't much evidence (that I can see, at least) that somehow Lavar's a disruptive presence in Lonzo's life.

His on-the-court play is enough to draft him or not. He's one of the most interesting players I've ever seen. He's a genius passer. I can't recall a college point guard with comparable passing ability. The rest of his game is so, so odd: his jumper goes in when he takes it, but you have questions as to whether he'll be able to get a lot of shots off against pro defenders. He's average athletically. He never seems to get down into a defensive stance. Add it all up and you have a guy with supreme on-court production and an idiosyncratic game. I have no idea how it'll translate to the NBA, but I'm fascinated to see him next year.

As for great college passers, I submit Jason Kidd and Kendall Marshall. The latter might be a comparison to Lonzo, as his passing is so far above his other skills.

[Cap Heresy]

I wouldn't use Lavar Bell as a reason not to draft Lonzo. While Lavar seems to be a goofball, that's no crime. Plenty of kids have weird parents and do fine; there isn't much evidence (that I can see, at least) that somehow Lavar's a disruptive presence in Lonzo's life.

His on-the-court play is enough to draft him or not. He's one of the most interesting players I've ever seen. He's a genius passer. I can't recall a college point guard with comparable passing ability. The rest of his game is so, so odd: his jumper goes in when he takes it, but you have questions as to whether he'll be able to get a lot of shots off against pro defenders. He's average athletically. He never seems to get down into a defensive stance. Add it all up and you have a guy with supreme on-court production and an idiosyncratic game. I have no idea how it'll translate to the NBA, but I'm fascinated to see him next year.

As for great college passers, I submit Jason Kidd and Kendall Marshall. The latter might be a comparison to Lonzo, as his passing is so far above his other skills.

[Stymie]

I was 6th man on both Soph and Jun JVs, which was not bad given that I was 5' 2" back in those days.  My BB career ended when I was asked to guard a Junior HS guy named Bobby Staak in a scrimmage.  He could hit 50%+ from the 3-point circle 20 years before the 3-point circle existed, and went onto UConn (20+ scorer), the ABA and then Coach at Xavier and Wake Forest.  In his Senior year in HS he averaged 25+ (I guess), but lost out on player of the Conference (Fairfield County, CT) to a guy named Calvin Murphy.  When I sprouted to 5' 7" as a Freshman at LSJU, I started for Arroyo in our IM tream, and also against the British national champions (Cranwell) when at Britain I in 1966.  We thrashed them.

[Stymie]

I was 6th man on both Soph and Jun JVs, which was not bad given that I was 5' 2" back in those days.  My BB career ended when I was asked to guard a Junior HS guy named Bobby Staak in a scrimmage.  He could hit 50%+ from the 3-point circle 20 years before the 3-point circle existed, and went onto UConn (20+ scorer), the ABA and then Coach at Xavier and Wake Forest.  In his Senior year in HS he averaged 25+ (I guess), but lost out on player of the Conference (Fairfield County, CT) to a guy named Calvin Murphy.  When I sprouted to 5' 7" as a Freshman at LSJU, I started for Arroyo in our IM tream, and also against the British national champions (Cranwell) when at Britain I in 1966.  We thrashed them.

[bl82]

And here I was sure I was the only person who ever remembered a UConn back court of Bob Staak and Bobby Boyd.

Next thing I know someone will tell me that obscure UConn sharp shooter Lee Otis Wilson was the best long-ranger shooter prior to the NBA 3 point era

[bl82]

And here I was sure I was the only person who ever remembered a UConn back court of Bob Staak and Bobby Boyd.

Next thing I know someone will tell me that obscure UConn sharp shooter Lee Otis Wilson was the best long-ranger shooter prior to the NBA 3 point era

[FarmBoy]

And here I was sure I was the only person who ever remembered a UConn back court of Bob Staak and Bobby Boyd.

Next thing I know someone will tell me that obscure UConn sharp shooter Lee Otis Wilson was the best long-ranger shooter prior to the NBA 3 point era

I wonder where Pistol Pete would have rated. Supposedly, Dale Brown went back and looked at his college tape and concluded that had there been a 3 point line, he would have scored 57 points a game (instead of the meager 44 points a game he achieved).

[FarmBoy]

And here I was sure I was the only person who ever remembered a UConn back court of Bob Staak and Bobby Boyd.

Next thing I know someone will tell me that obscure UConn sharp shooter Lee Otis Wilson was the best long-ranger shooter prior to the NBA 3 point era

I wonder where Pistol Pete would have rated. Supposedly, Dale Brown went back and looked at his college tape and concluded that had there been a 3 point line, he would have scored 57 points a game (instead of the meager 44 points a game he achieved).

[Stymie]

And here I was sure I was the only person who ever remembered a UConn back court of Bob Staak and Bobby Boyd.

I knew Bobby S well.  He was a phenom.  His dad was our milkman and the coach of Bobby's Little League team.  He won the pitching LL trophy the year that I won the batting trophy and threw a no-hitter--you couldn't win two trophies back in those days.......

[Stymie]

And here I was sure I was the only person who ever remembered a UConn back court of Bob Staak and Bobby Boyd.

I knew Bobby S well.  He was a phenom.  His dad was our milkman and the coach of Bobby's Little League team.  He won the pitching LL trophy the year that I won the batting trophy and threw a no-hitter--you couldn't win two trophies back in those days.......

[Phogge]

I didn't know that Sky played hoops. If I remember correctly his plane or his daughter was named Penny. Maybe Bobbbbbbbb will know. Popular show in about 1954.

[Phogge]

I didn't know that Sky played hoops. If I remember correctly his plane or his daughter was named Penny. Maybe Bobbbbbbbb will know. Popular show in about 1954.