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There are two things every white guy secretly wishes he can do in his lifetime… 1 moon walk, and 2 dunk a basketball on a regulation height rim. I have to tell you, after seeing this debacle today … Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, and Cory Booker might have a problem.

As someone who actually is Michael Jackson and who himself moonwalked back in the 70’s when in high school…I can assure you there was nothing racial attached to the moonwalking per se. In fact, I became somewhat iconic with the black girls in my school. I do know this though…Putin and Trump are laughing hysterically right now. Where do you even go from here? He was going to dance at the presser but his wife wouldn’t let him. Trust me, I know that look from the woman standing next to you…and his wife had that look. Even if he wasn’t telling the truth, I have to tell you I kind of liked him. Hell…if Trump dumps Pence at some point, this guy might actually resonate. I do want to see the moonwalk first though.

This should be fairly simple. If it is proved the sitting governor of Virginia is in truth one of the people in this photo he should resign sometime today. Even in Oklahoma this wouldn’t stand given how quickly the University of Oklahoma on two separate occasions in the past several years handled similar issues of racism like this one in Virginia. I actually applaud OU in that in both instances students were expelled and a fraternity was closed down. Even in Oklahoma this doesn’t get excused in public. To think this occurred in what is regarded as a somewhat progressive state such as Virginia is disturbing, but in reality… not a shock. As crazy as this sounds, I actually think racism in America has even gotten worse despite the fact Barack Obama was elected to two terms. Actually, if memory serves me correct…Obama carried Virginia twice and at one time Senator Tim Kane was thought to be in the running to be VP on the ticket.

To me, the most stunning thing is that this photo went unchallenged by the school itself at the time thirty years ago. Reagan would have been in his second term and the nation was embroiled in Iran-Contra at the time, but it’s just stunning this photo was deemed okay in Virginia in 1985.

To the Dems credit, this isn’t going to be allowed to stand. You’ll notice, or at least I did, that Joe Biden was the first person on the record saying this isn’t okay. That would tell me Joe Biden is running for president add to the fact he served alongside Barack Obama for eight years and probably knows of stories directed at he and Obama which would probably turn our stomachs in regards to the human condition as far as the level of racism still in America.

This one isn’t on Trump. This one is just on the basic understanding that racism in America or the understanding of it is not really grasped by white Americans.

For Sam Anderson

Again, I go back to the biblical ending in Philadelphia when this season appears to have changed for the Thunder. In those waning seconds when Paul George curled along the top of the key and swished the ball thru the net to erase the bitter disappointment of what would have been a devastating loss to the Sixers….then and there this season changed.

Maybe in this age of millennial fascination with numbers and no regard for the human element in the games we play, they could be right. Maybe there’s a chart or a graph or some other bullshit from those who didn’t play or coach sports beyond the eighth grade…but I still believe the human part of the game does indeed still matter.

Last night in Miami—the Thunder won their 7th straight since the Paul George Miracle in Philly. All is smiles in Thunder Nation right now as the Thunder are in third place in the West and only two games behind the Warriors in the current fight for second place in the West. That’s right–the Denver Nuggets with a win last night over Houston sit atop the West.

Putting the Nuggets aside…think back to last season and remember how far back the Thunder were in the standings at this point in the season to the Warriors and Rockets. It was staggering as in they didn’t deserve to be mentioned in the same breath with those two teams. This team since Philly is different. They’ve shown when they focus and play with a mission they have a right to be in the discussion…. in fact, multiple discussions.

As in…Paul George is playing better overall basketball in Oklahoma City right now than either Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook did in their MVP seasons wearing Thunder blue.

I don’t write that with my Nick Gallo Sippy Thunder Cup near my keyboard. I write that as a brutally candid observer of NBA basketball for the past fifty-five years. For the record…I became an NBA self proclaimed savant at the age of six. Take that however you might.

If I had to vote right now at this moment…Paul George would have my MVP vote for this reason…. He’s doing all this having to mesh his game with Russell Westbrook’s game and at times that isn’t easy. But what Paul George has done on both sides of the floor is beyond even what I saw with Durant in OKC’s love affair with KD. Simply put, I wouldn’t trade Paul George for the reigning two time NBA Finals MVP. Paul George is a better defensive player than Durant and has shown this season he’s an excellent passer as well. This isn’t meant as a diss of Kevin Durant, but as a compliment of Paul George.

Paul George on Friday night torched the Miami Heat for 43 points on 23 shots. He went 10-16 shooting the trey. The ten makes are a Thunder record even in the wake of Durant’s 40-50-90 MVP season when all the angry white people in Oklahoma who voted for Trump still loved KD. Back then Kevin was a slave who knew his place. Harsh? Maybe take a look in the mirror, Oklahoma. Maybe Neil Young confused Alabama with Oklahoma. We’ll have to ask Jalen Hurts at some point.

But I don’t want to write about that bullshit right now because I’m on a basketball high as are the Thunder.

If Russell Westbrook were sitting next to me right now…I’d kiss him. Through all my bitching and moaning on here about the way he plays at times…HE WAS MAURICE CHEEKS LAST NIGHT!

14 points on 6-10. 12 rebounds. 14 assists. Smart, crisp decision making. That was Maurice Cheeks in 1983. Now…I know Russell wasn’t born until 1988, but trust me, Wild Thing…you were Maurice Cheeks last night in Miami. Why would that be a bad thing to keep doing?

And for the record, Dennis Schroder was superb as well in Miami scoring 28 points and making another argument for Sixth Man of the Year consideration.

But here’s the thing in closing while I’m on this high. Paul George could win the MVP and Denis Schroder could win Sixth Man of the Year… but Russell Westbrook is the engine which drives this car. Period. This is still Russell Westbrook’s car.

And when Russell Westbrook plays like he did in Miami on Friday night, the possibilities for this Thunder team are the sky.

The Thunder at Boston on the ABC Sunday Super Bowl preview. What a time to show the world what the Thunder could be, no?

Oklahoma, this is what Sam Anderson was trying to tell you…grow up.

This was an interesting game last night in Oakland. The Warriors were riding high with an eleven game winning streak, but Klay Thompson missed his first game of the season with an illness and the Warriors were just really sloppy and got hammered on their defensive boards. The Warriors had no answer for Joel Imbiid. Watching the Warriors without Klay Thompson seemed odd. It didn’t look right with just one Splash Brother. Thompson becomes a free agent this summer and as an NBA fan I hope he stays with the Warriors. It’ll be very interesting to see how the Warriors are configured next season as Durant, Thompson, Green, and Cousins are free agents.

Amazingly…you look at the Western Conference standings and there’s the Denver Nuggets just a half game out of first behind the Warriors. This deep into the season and the realization starts to become real that perhaps these Nuggets won’t collapse and fall out of a top four seed in the West.

Being that you’re the same age as my son, this is what I would say to you in regards to this Kevin Durant situation as per Nick’s ceremony. Go high and make a gesture of public kindness to Kevin Durant regarding his presence at Nick Collison’s ceremony. I’m assuming since you met Michelle Obama on her book tour in Denver you read the book. You know what the Obamas would say, right?

“When they go low, we go high.”

I read the book.

Why ruin a beautiful opportunity to restore a friendship over something this petty? Maybe a letter to the sports page to the Daily Oklahoman from both you and Nick explaining why it’s time to let this go and move on could be a nice touch. Lord knows, that newspaper could use some clicks given the fact they’re on their third ownership group in the past five years in the internet age. Maybe you could help them appear relevant since apparently their writers can’t.

Why not make a gesture of public kindness to Kevin Durant?

Why not take the opportunity to nudge this city along? To show decency, kindness, and human empathy to the guy who by his own words admits he wishes his own life as a man were more on track like yours? Apparently none of that is taught in all these churches these angry white people attend every Sunday. The New Testament must not be that big of a deal in the era of Trump Christianity.

But why not?

Lord knows, nobody better than you knows what a complete pain in the ass Berry Tramel can be at times– so why not do something in which all of this can be put behind all parties and everyone can move along with their lives?

You don’t think Durant would love to be Uncle Kevin?

Here’s another book for you…The Last Pass by Gary Pomerantz. Why don’t you pick up a copy and read it. It’s about friendship. About a friendship between Bob Cousy and Bill Russell. And the lifelong regret Bob Cousy carries insidefor not helping his friend come to terms with the fans in Boston or maybe himself as well.

Granted, Kevin Durant left and it hurt. But at the end of the day when neither one of you will be playing basketball any longer maybe restoring your friendship wouldn’t be a bad thing for either one of you.

Take it from someone twice your age, while trophies and rings and such are all okay—as you get older you realize the most important things in your life are the relationships–both family and friends. I know you already know that. But you’re in a completely different situation here in that you can help an entire city grow up a little and take a step forward as one. You’d think with all these friggin’ T-shirts they put on the seats for playoff games one shirt might say, “Touch Someone With Kindness Today.”

That’s it. That’s my avuncular life lecture.

Why not?

Jerry West is one of the smartest guys I’ve ever observed in professional sports. A Hall of Fame player, a championship head coach, and a championship GM and consultant. When he talks, I take the time to listen. I respect his takes.

Like I wrote on here earlier, my initial response to Kevin Durant leaving to play for Golden State was negative. It took me about six months to get over it. I’m over it. In fact, in a way, a part of me has to admit other than the Thunder the Warriors are the team I watch most often when they’re playing against a top eight team on the road. They play the game the right way. They move the ball. Ron Adams has them playing championship defense. I’ve seen Durant’s game as an overall player flourish. Durant is on my list as either the second best player in the world or the third best player in the world. He is a generational iconic player.

He never played money games with OKC. He fulfilled his contractual obligations to the fullest and in fact played very well in the Game 7 defeat to the Warriors in 2016. He became by the letter of the CBA a free agent after nine years of contractual ‘slavery’ to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

He never did the bullshit we saw from Kawhi in San Antonio, or like Jimmy Butler did in Minnesota or like Anthony Davis is presently doing in New Orleans. He fulfilled his contractual word.

He never was a problem within the community. He opened a restaurant in Bricktown. His foundation donated a million dollars to the tornado victims in Moore. He talked up Oklahoma City on a Sixty Minutes piece. He was the face of a city as it was growing thru the transitional facelifts of MAPS. He was the literal pulse of a city coming back from the dead. He was a part of all this we see in downtown Oklahoma City. You think Mick Cornett did this all by himself? I read Mick Cornett’s book and he’s a smart dude, but he and the others in MAPS should say a little prayer for Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook every chance they get.

And let me be clear with this, unlike Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant was accessible and professional to the local media… especially Berry Tramel. He didn’t play games. He was a professional. He didn’t drone, “The execution was really good.”

So he left after nine years and pursued something different. My son after nine years left his Fortune 500 job in downtown Oklahoma City which earned him a better job in Denver. More money, a better place to live, a better educational system for my grandchildren some day, four major league sports teams, trout fishing, ski slopes, Washington Park, etc.

Tell me what my son did wrong?

And the answer is he did nothing wrong.

Tell me what Kevin Durant did which was wrong other than not meeting with Russell and Nick and explain to them in person why he made his decision.

My advice to Kevin Durant after reading the supportive letters Berry Tramel got in support from OKC Thunder fans of his column makes me realize Kevin Durant shouldn’t come back for Nick Collison’s jersey ceremony. He should call Nick in private. He should do the same with Russell. But there’s no reason for him to waste an airline ticket to come back to what in essence is a city it was ten years ago only with a facelift via MAPS. Kendra Horn, baby…I’m guessing you’re a one termer.

Let it go… Kevin Durant.

Is it racial thing per se? I don’t think so. Here’s what I think…it’s a state which ranks dead last in education and at the end of the day is in essence still a college market even after Hurricane Katrina.

So while I think Kevin Durant should make the effort to rekindle his friendships with Russell and Nick…don’t come back. You don’t owe these people a thing. Move forward, and grow as a man. Learn from this. We all learn in different ways.

Bill Russell after eleven world championships never came to terms with the fans in Boston and had his own Celtics jersey retired in private. The same will probably be true for Kevin Durant in Oklahoma City.

Forgiveness and kindness…such flawed concepts in our biblical heartland.

My bad. I should have known better.

Howard Schultz was on Morning Joe earlier today and I watched with interest. You will not find many people as open to various view points as I am. I have no political ideology per se. I recoil equally at times to the American Freedom Caucus and those on the extreme left who think their way is the only way. Neither one of those approaches will ever sustain long term is my take given the current state of American politics. Usually…it is a blending of ideas and thought which give a policy the best chance for success.

So—I watched Morning Joe this morning. Howard Schultz was on trying to explain what exactly it is he’s trying to do with this independent presidential run he’s talking about. Now putting aside the fact no one asked him why he sold the Sonics to Clay Bennett and then feigned faux anger after the team was moved to Oklahoma City…I thought his answers were interesting and well thought out. His thoughts on Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren were interesting in relation to health care and the proposed net worth tax.

He’s a lifelong Democrat and of course we all know the Starsbucks story where he as an employer provides health care to his employees and an array of progressive benefits to his employees.

At least with Schultz his comments will be adult and part of a process in which hopefully all become more enlightened about issues such as health care, the debt, trade policies, taxation, immigration, etc.

Here’s a video of Schultz on Morning Joe this morning. It was interesting. But at the end of the day he’s saying what I’m saying….both parties are broken and it won’t matter if Kamala Harris or Elizabeth Warren or whoever could beat Donald Trump. Here’s a suggestion from me to Howard Schultz….give Michael Bennet a call.

With OKC missing both Steven Adams (ankle) and Terrance Ferguson (back spasms) the Thunder still did what they needed to do against a 20-30 Orlando team which is going nowhere. Just win and that’s exactly what the Thunder did with a 126-117 win on Tuesday night.

That’s the mantra right now in OKC as the Thunder won their sixth straight and improved to 32-18 as the goals for the league’s highest pay-rolled team are in reset mode with 32 games remaining in the regular season.

These Thunder aren’t going to catch the Warriors, but the realistic reset should be to see if Oklahoma City can catch Denver and possibly capture the No. 2 seed in the West. Denver holds a 2-0 series lead head to head with the Thunder so far this season, but still, that should be the goal for the Thunder.

Orlando isn’t much and it shows why every year it was wise of Billy Donovan to change his mind about coaching the Magic and taking the Thunder job instead. But that doesn’t matter. In the midst of an 82 game season and being on the road without two starters any team in the league would take this road win which was played in an arena which looked like it had more Thunder fans than Magic fans in attendance.

MVP candidate Paul George dropped 31 first half points and finished with 35 points. Streaky sixth man Dennis Schroder picked up the scoring slack with 18 of his 21 points in the 4th period when the Thunder finally corralled a Magic team which doesn’t appear to have any plan with what it’s doing with its basketball team. Maybe Howard Schultz could buy the Magic and move them back to Seattle and nobody would notice…especially the fans in Orlando.

Former Thunder backup point guard DJ Augustin starts at the point for these Magic and that in in itself should tell you where the Magic are as an NBA franchise currently. Augustin came to the Thunder with Kyle Singler in the dubious Reggie Jackson trade with Detroit. Add to the fact, DJ Augustin was Kevin Durant’s point guard for Kevin’s one year of college ball played in Austin at Texas. So many ironic little twists here and there. We have no idea if DJ Augustin is coming to Nick Collison’s jersey retirement ceremony or if that’s okay with Berry Tramel, but I’m guessing that would be a pass for DJ. BTW, I met DJ after the one game Durant played in Norman versus OU. Very nice guy.

Russell Westbrook had a nice game, but again he knows what he can do physically with DJ any time he wants to at the rim or in the paint. This isn’t rocket science. But still for Westbrook, it was one of his steadier games of late with 23 points scored on 12 shots.

Nerlens Noel started in place of Steven Adams and played around 34 minutes of very solid ball. Again, in Noel, the Thunder have a unique defensive talent as the No. 7 guy in their rotation. Just me thinking out loud here, but if I’m Sam Presti…. I’d take the money I’m going to save from not having Alex Abrines on my payroll next season, plus the money I’m going to save from redoing Andre Roberson’s option year and I’m going to do my best to keep Nerlens Noel in Oklahoma City.

Wild Thing Jr. (Diallo) started in place of Terrance Ferguson and was okay. But it was stunning in watching him play these minutes how in comparison how good Terrance Ferguson has been of late. Terrance Ferguson has turned himself into a ball player. So in essence that has made up for the Jeremy Lamb and Dion Waiters experiments at the shooting guard position. In fact, for me, Sam Presti finally finding his two way shooting guard is right there along with Paul George’s excellent play as the second most important storyline for the Thunder fifty games in this season.

Jerami Grant was excellent. I love Jeremy Grant and he’s always got a spot on my basketball team as long as I’m the GM. So versatile. Jerami Grant is my third most important storyline for the Thunder this season.

I give Billy Donovan good marks because even with the two scratches he didn’t go very long with Abrines and basically played with eight players. I felt like I was watching a Mike D’Antoni coached team. Keep staggering the bench lineups. That’s my fourth storyline.

The Thunder now head south to Miami for a game against the Heat. I think Dion Waiters is still playing for the Heat last time I checked. I have no idea if he’s attending Nick Collison’s jersey ceremony, but if he is we just have to hope Berry Tramel is okay with it. It’s so interesting to follow the former Thunder players and how their careers have panned out.

But in closing, we clearly know how Kevin Durant’s career panned out and unless Berry Tramel for some reason which I don’t understand has chased off Durant from coming…he’s still planning on attending Nick’s well earned night.

Now…in some circles, I guess this ceremony will either give NBA general managers the green light to pursue Durant this summer or pass on the NBA’s second or third best player who never in his time in OKC did anything wrong except decide to leave when he became free to do so under the rules of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement.

Moving forward…the Thunder in Miami on Friday in a game the Heat need to win to stay as the No. 7 seed in the East.

My god… I knew the Daily Oklahoman was an empty vessel as far intellectual curiosity, balance of thought, and sound overall writing, but Barry Tramel my lone ray of hope for this market ended all that today with a column on Kevin Durant’s return to Oklahoma City.

I feel violated. Almost ill after reading Tramel’s jaded take on Durant’s return for Nick Collison’s jersey ceremony.

The gist of Tramel’s piece suggests that Durant has to go to the pretense of all this to reinvent his reputation so as some NBA owner will offer him another island full of money to come play in another city. Are you kidding me?

Kevin Durant doesn’t need to return to Oklahoma City to vindicate his current reputation heading into this off season after he wins his third ring in three years with the Warriors. And just so this hasn’t escaped Barry Tramel—Kevin Durant is the reigning two time NBA Finals MVP.

He’ll land on his feet even if he and Draymond Green never blow kisses to each other again on Instagram.

Rest assured in the mercenary world of the NBA… the other twenty-eight teams would take Kevin Durant without blinking….especially the Hall of Fame coach in San Antonio who needs his next Tim Duncan. Rule No. 1 of Coaching…’Player Makes the Coach.’

I don’t lay awake at night worrying about Durant or Westbrook or Paul George or any of the stars in the NBA. I think any player in the NBA pretty well has the money part of life figured out compared to the rest of us.

Kevin Durant doesn’t have to rebuild his reputation. He didn’t slug a white trash female student in a Norman bar. He didn’t punch his pregnant girlfriend in the stomach in the midst of a bad night. He didn’t get busted on a drug test or get pulled over for a DUI as best I know. He didn’t drag his girlfriend down a flight of stairs by her braids. He didn’t get caught on a cell phone punching his girlfriend in an elevator.

Here’s what Kevin Durant did… he took a phone call from Jerry West during his recruitment in the Hamptons and listened to what one of the smartest people involved in the NBA said to him. He heard from Jerry West’s vast arsenal of basketball knowledge why if Durant stayed in Oklahoma City with Russell Westbrook he’d probably never win a ring. That was Kevin Durant’s primary crime albeit some immaturity on how he handled the exit.

Now if we live in Oklahoma City and go to bed wearing our Little Nick Gallo official Thunder footie jammies with No. 0 on the back, then I guess we’ll never come to terms with Kevin Durant’s reason for leaving Oklahoma City.

This is simple. If I’m full of shit then Russell Westbrook and the Thunder only have to do one thing to prove me wrong. That being, finish as the No. 2 seed in the West and either walk the walk or be quiet.

I’m embarrassed for Barry Tramel.