Month: February 2021

It is never easy in Ames for OU, but for the first time since 2011 the Sooners got it done with a hard fought 66-56 win to sweep the Cyclones in a season during the Lon Kruger Era.

You have to play hard in the Big 12 for forty minutes regardless the foe. Iowa State erased an OU twenty-one point first half lead and actually took a two point lead midway in the second half, but Hall of Famer Lon Kruger called a timeout, inserted Kur Kuath for defense at the five, and his Sooners responded by winning the last ten minutes on the road against a scrappy Iowa State team.

Since Elijah Harkless become eligible the Sooners are 8-1 with the lone loss being a one possesion in Lubbock against Chris Beard’s tough Red Raider ball club.

Austin Reeves once again lead the Sooners with 22 points while DeVion Harman and Moj Gibson combined for twenty points. Do it all Elijah Harkless narrowly missed a double double, but seemingly came up with most of the crucial fifty fifty balls when OU finally separated in the final minutes of the game.

OU takes sole possession of second place in the Big 12 with the win behind No. 2 Baylor and improves to 15-6 overall. The goal now for OU is to win their way to a regional No. 2 seed or No. 3 seed and avpid playing either Gonzaga or Baylor until an Elite 8 regional final.

The Sooners head to Manhattan, Kansas for a game against the Wildcats. Manhattan is the lone Big 12 campus I’ve never been to a foorball or basketball game to minus West Virginia. I think I might just see if OU has some extra tickets to sit near the Sooners bench area and make the trip.

It’s a tough.. tough league. I can’t wait for the Bedlam doubleheader coming up, plus Cade and O State host Texas Tech on Big 12 Monday. I might actually go to that one as well on Monday as we head into the goal achieving portion of college hoops.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzwuSG5l6nhr7lDs2lZIQIQ

I was going to do a Smerconish Saturday with my book review of the New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, but when Michael featured the Chris Norton Story…I had a change of heart. The book review can come on Monday to close out my Black History month here on the blog.

I had never known of Chris Norton and the Seven Yards book which is now coming out in a docu film.

What an inspirational story in these times all of us need to be inspired in a serious way.

Michael during the interview told Chris he cried seven times while watching the film. I watched some of the trailers I’ve linked above and cried throughout all of them.

It’s like the Paul Newman/Frank Galvin character said in The Verdict, ” We begin to lose faith in ourselves, in others around us, and even in our institutions. We look for guidance in some way or another.”

The Verdict Paul Newman – YouTube

I can never get enough of this scene.T

The Thunder dropped to 11-18 with a solid wire to wire 98-85 loss to the Bucks in Milwaukee on Friday night. There was no real turning point in this game. The Thunder did what they should have been doing about two weeks ago and lost.

The Thunder at 11-18 which translates to a .379 winning perecenatge currently stands as the fifth worse team in the NBA and a team which just pissed away the 17th pick in this past summer’s NBA draft.

If I had to pick a Thunder player of the game…I’d probably go with the guys who I now are going to play hard every night at this point, that being Lu Dort, Isiah Roby, Mike Muscala, Diallo, and Kenrich. Pick one of these guys—they always play hard. SGA and Darius Bazely—step up and show me some professional toughness.

This is when you find out about character in certain guys because this won’t be pretty in Oklahoma City with 43 games still remaining on the 72 game schedule.

I’m okay as a blogger/fan because OU has an even deeper more talented team than they did with the Buddy Hield Final Four team and I’ve enjoyed following Cade Cunningham’s one and done season with O State. Plus, I love ice hockey and I enjoy watching other NBA teams beyond the Thunder.

So for me…the storyline with the Thunder is simply this—you can’t f–k this up and waste another draft pick this coming summer.

The storyline for me in Oklahoma City the next two season will be if the Thunder can economically survive as an NBA franchise in a predominantly white market where 75% of the ticketholders love Donald Trump and probably have little empathy for Black Lives Matter parades.

So…if I’m Sam Presti and I’ve just pissed away last year’s pick on a kid who looks like a refugee from the Bosnian War….what I’m going to do with this top five pick is pick a player who gives my team credibility, plus entertainment value to sell tickets and put people in the seats.

Here’s what I would do first…I’d scratch the center from USC–Evan Mobley from my top five because centers in the NBA are like running backs in the NFL valuewise. Namely, for what NBA teams ask out of the center position currently–I don’t think I’d use a top five pick on a center unless I was sure he was a not miss type of player… maybe even quasi generational.

Learn from the mistake you just made by overpaying Steven Adams in a big way.

Portland took Greg Oden, OKC took Kevin Durant. Know what I mean? How did that work out for Portland.

I’m not huge on Jalen Suggs from Gonzaga even though I think he’s a solid guard. I think Jerod Butler at Baylor in the mid first range could give you what Jalen Suggs is going to give you.

This leaves me with three players at the top of my list in no real specific order… Cade Cunningham, Jonathon Kuminga and Jalen Green. Two of these kids are in the G League’s Professional Pathway Program — which in retrospect is what Cade should have done as well.

What’s happening to Cade in some of these Big 12 games is that excellent coaches in the league like Bill Self, Lon Kruger, Chris Beard, Bob Huggins, Jaime Dixon, and maybe even Scott Drew for godssake are throwing two to three guys at Cade every time he gets near the lane. In the NBA’s flowing pick and roll game with space galore that won’t be as much of a concern for Cade.

BTW, the top five coaches I just named from the Big 12 are all more qualified as head coaches than the five guys coaching in the Northwest Diivison of the NBA in my opinion… minus Terry Stotts at Portland. Keep in mind with all due respect to Quin Snyder, the current head coach at Utah with the NBA’s best record this season so far, he got fired at Missouri when they were a Big 12 member. That’s not a diss at Coach Snyder…just an obeservation. It’s a tough league…much tougher than a Greek B League.

I haven’t featured Jalen Green on my blog yet. I’ll do that now. Then maybe later today after OU plays at Iowa State…I’ll post something on the G League’s Professional Pathway Program and why it should turn out to be a good thing for players like Cade Cunningham, Jonathon Kuminga, and Jalen Green in the future.

Clearly…I’m a hoops junkie and maybe now with the Trump Family mafia running a Palm Springs HOA…I can keep more of my attention on sports.

So here’s a look at the talented Jalen Green.

If you keep a close eye on the video you’ll see Jalen versus Poku in a recent G League game. Berry Tramel, who I like, can’t write fiduciary malpractice on Sam Presti for this pick because he wants to continue having off the record access — so I’ll write it for him–fiduciary malpractice. It’s kind of sad actually.

Here’s Jalen.

Jalen Green G League Highlights – YouTube

Mike Muscala 21 PTS: All Possessions (2021-02-18) – YouTube

Big game for the Thunder tonight in Milwaukee against the disappointing Bucks. Big Al Horford should be back in the lineup, but we hope he doesn’t do too much because this is a game the Thunder need to lose so as they fall to 11-18 on the season.

I ‘think’ the Thunder are currently right there in the vicinity of having the 6th worse record in the league—so this is when the Thunder need to start knuckling down and losing games with consistent regularity.

Mike Muscala has been superb this season in playing the stretch five role off the bench to perfection. He’s been a bright spot for the Thunder and has given these younger guys an example of what it means to be a professional in the NBA.

I’ve wanted to do something like this on my blog for Mike Muscala and since he was the Thunder Player of the Game versus Memphis this seems like a logical spot to do so.

Mike was a second round pick from Bucknell and was the 44th pick in the 2013 draft. Anotherwords…I keep hearing this nonsens from the Thunder media that its hard to know what you’re drafting in the 17th spot such as was the case with Poku. Let’s keep this in mind on this Thunder team…almost all of these guys are second round picks minus SGA and Big Al Horford.

Presti has done much better in the second round than he has the first round since he drafted James Harden in the 2011 draft.

Since taking Harden in the first round…this is who the Thunder have used their first round picks on… Steven Adams (role player), Andre Roberson (role player), Cam Payne, Josh Huestis (role player), Terrance Ferguson (probably out of the league after this season), and this year the 17th pick in the draft–Poku.

Out of those six players not one to date has proven they can shoot a basketball with any efficency or NBA level touch whatsoever. As in none.

So in closing my post on Mike Muscala–here’s my unsolicited suggestion to Sam Presti ….maybe draft some players with all these draft picks who can shoot a basketball.

Keep up the good work, Mike Muscala.

JERAMI GRANT HIGHLIGHTS (43 PTS 1 BLK 2 REB) vs CHICAGO BULLS – YouTube

Both Jerami and Domas are having career seasons in Detroit and Indiana respectively. Other than every fan who saw them play in Oklahoma City—who could have seen this coming?

Jerami’s numbers so far this season are: 23.8 ppg, 5.3 rb, 2.9 ast, 1.2 blk, 0.5 stl, PER 18.81, 44.3% fg, 38.7 3pt, 90.7 ft. If his overall fg% were a little higher you could even maintain Jerami was in that rarified air of possibly having a 50-40-90 season shooting the ball.

But who really in the Oklahoma City basketball operation puts a value on scoring the ball with these numbers and being one one of the most versatile defenders in the NBA?

Who would want Jerami as a building block after losing or trading away Kevin Durant, James Harden, or Russell Westbrook minus the two Thunder drones Royce Young and Little Nick Gallo?

And then of course—there’s Domas Sabonis. Who could have seen this coming with Domas as well?

Look at this video of Domas as a rookie and then flash over to Poku’s 0-4 night with four turnovers in his last G League game? I won’t put it on my blog simply because I have a heart. There’s no Trump in el prez. Berry Tramel speaks of GM fiduciary malpractice from time to time…if this isn’t GM fiduciary malpractice there is no such thing.

Domas’s numbers so far this season: 21.5 ppg, 11.6 rb, 5.7 ast, 1.6 blk, 0.7 stl, 20.75 PER, 52.8% fg, 35.8% 3pt, 71%ft. Incredible stats…he’s averaging a double double and his team is going to make the playoffs most likely.

Throw in the Thunder 5 in Brooklyn who make up the nucleus of the team most are picking to win the East if Durant stays healthy and it’s pretty clear to me who the Eastern Conference Executive of the Year is…namely, Sam Presti. Slam dunk.

Jimmy Buffett “Come Monday/Changes In Latitudes/Why Don’t We Get Drunk” Live – YouTube

Well… I guess Ted Cruz has just been so overworked these past four years figuratively going down on Donald Trump every day during Trump’s 1,460 days in the White House something had to give.

It must have been last week in the impeachment trial when he worked overtime as an impartial Senate juror actually joining the defense team which put him over the top of senatorial fatigue.

So forget that his constituents in Texas are freezing to death…we as Americans just want to make sure Ted Cruz has a good time in Cancun.

The songs are are on me….Senator Cruz.

This seemed the appropriate way to end the thread. Be safe it’s still slick out there… but getting better every day in Oklahoma.

JA MORANT HIGHLIGHTS (15 PTS 12 AST 11 REB) vs OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER – YouTube

I actually watched this game last night as the OU-Texas game has been put on hold because of the weather conditions in Oklahoma and Texas.

Ja Morant is a player I’d pay to see in person this season if fans were allowed inside Chesapeake Energy Arena. Plus, his Memphis team is about one to two years ahead of the Thunder in their rebuild process.

So I watched this game with some real interest evaluating the Thunder and what they need to do in this summer’s draft to make their team at least viable enough to contend for a number 8-10 seed next season.

Morant has a different gear than Shai and he’s exactly the kind of point guard a GM would want to build his team around. Shai is a solid hybrid guard—but I’m not sure he’s one which gets the Thunder past the first round at any point in the rebuild near future.

I would take Cade if the opportunity is there for Sam Presti. I’d put him alongside Shai and Dort in a three guard offense. I’d do with them what Brooks did with Harden and Westbrook in 2012. I’d put Roby at the four and either draft or trade for a physical center who can run, rebound, and protect the rim. I’m not sure I’d take Evan Mobley because his body needs an overhaul. No more Serbian projects.

Theo Maledon would be my Sixth Man. If still around Mikey Muscala would be my seventh man. Muscala has been excellent this season…btw. Darius Bazely would not start for me, but he would be my third guy off the bench for his offense.

I’m leaving my ninth and tenth spots open for the time being. I’d keep Kenrich as my eleventh guy because he’s the perfect 11th guy role-wise and personality-wise. There will nights when he doesn’t get off the bench.

If Presti can’t get Cade then I’d opt first for Johnathon Kuminga or Jalen Green because you can’t waste this pick on someone who can’t score the ball….not only for competitive reasons, but because the Thunder are going to need an exciting player to help sell tickets this coming summer for next season.

My take is the OKC Thunder fans will support the team, but not if Presti pisses away another first round pick as it appears he might have done with Operation Poku.

Pray for Poku to rehab his shot.

How can I write this delicately with some dignity attached?

First I would write the world just became kinder, gentler and hopefully smarter.

My first voting experience came in the Election of 1976 with Jimmy Carter defeating Gerald Ford.

I registered as a Republican and voted for Ford inspite of the pardon of Nixon because I thought the pardon was the best option in not tearing our country apart. I then remained a Republican until the election of 2000 when I parted ways with the party and became a registered Independent. I consider myself an Independent to this day with no party affiliation. My voting in presidential elections to date has been six votes for the Republican candidate, five votes for the Democratic candidate. My sole independnt vote was for John Anderson in 1980.

My historical opinion of Rush Limbaugh is fairly parallel to what I think of Donald Trump…with the exception being Limbaugh at least didn’t run for or hold office.

As I look at the scorched earth of current American politics…I view five media people most responsible for where we are as a country circa February 2021.

The five I hold most responsible are in this chronological order…. 1 Rush Limbaugh, 2 Roger Ailes, 3 Rupert Murdoch, 4 Sean Hannity, and 5 Donald Trump.

As a decent person should I mourn the death of Rush Limbaugh or piss on him in eulogy?

I would say me pissing on anyone in death would be a bad reflection of my spiritual balance and not say much about me as a human being.

So instead of pissing on Rush Limbaugh today…instead, I’m going to pray for his soul and hope his next stop in his spiritual journey shows a significant upturn in the decency and empathy categories.

I can’t believe the party of family values and the Christian evangelical movement has sunk this low, but here we are.

The party of Liincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, even Nixon for god’s sake, Reagan, Bush 41, even Bush 43 for god’s sake….has sunk to this level.

There’s lesson to be learned for the Heritage Foundation types like James Lankford…that being, when you have political sex with a street whore—you become street whore as well.

The narrative in this country isn’t China, Islamic radicalized terrorists, or immigration, but how the Republican Party with its domestic terrorism wing of the party has become the number one threat to American democracy and soverignty.

It’s stunning. Like watching the fall of the Soviet Union.

I was going to do my Michelle Alexander book review for Black History month this morning, but how can I ignore Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell are having a rap war.

As someone who went to John Marshall…how can I take my eyes off these old white men men rapping each other.

What’s next….Mike Pence and Lindsey Graham giving us a video of nude mud wrestling?

My, my, my….the acorn didn’t fall far from the tree.

Cade Cunningham Highlights vs Iowa State – YouTube

O State hosted the worst team in the Big 12 per the Iowa State Cyclones and it went as it should have gone with the Cowboys coasting to an easy win.

These aren’t Fred Hoiberg’s Cyclones, but any Big 12 win this season is one you put in your pocket. Iowa State was a collective 4-28 in its previous thirty-two true road games so this a win O State had to have.

You always have to consider the level of the opponent, but Cade was excellent in this game. He looked like someone in the talk for the NPOTY award.

There was space much like he’ll see next year in the NBA and his overall game flowed for all to see. This is the Cade Cunningham I’m pretty sure we’ll see as his maturity and game evolve.

O State still has three conference games against the best two teams in the conference in Baylor and OU—with two of those being at home…so I’m very interested to see Cade play those games since he sat the first game versus Baylor because of Covid protocol.

I actually think both SGA and Bazely are somewhat soft—I’d love to see something with Cade and Dort plus whatever the Thunder could package for Bazely and SGA. I like Roby and Maledon. But I don’t like Maledon as a starter.

I’d love to see a private poll of NBA general managers choice if they had to pick between Ja Morant in Memphis and SGA. I’d personally take Ja Morant.

Nice win for O State and a game which I hope kick starts Cade turning it loose a bit with his overall game.

OU’s game with Texas has been kicked back to Thursday now due to the most recent snow storm of Tuesday night.

In a sidenote basketball footnote… my fourth or fifth tier storyline Oklahoma City Thunder lost at home to Portland by a 115-104 count when Damian Lillard finally got serios about the game in the final four minutes.

That’s one ‘graph on the Thunder on my blog. Right now they’re borderline two ‘graph worthy. We’ll leave multiple ‘graph’ stories to the Cupcake beat writers at Daily Thunder. It’s a good thing I have a sense of humor. Those kids are adorable.