Author: Mike

I love Russell Westbrook. He’s the same age of my son. Everything about Russell over these ten years or so has me even more fond of him as a young man than just a basketball superstar.

His relationship with his parents touches my heart. He calls them every day. He’s been a wonderful big brother to his younger brother Ray.

He married his college sweetheart from UCLA. He appears to be a wonderful father. His college coach at UCLA still talks about him fondly and his devotion to his alma mater.

What do you not like about Westbrook other than the fact he doesn’t like the college level media in Oklahoma? He shouldn’t be rude to them, but when every friggin day you’re taken apart on the Sports Animal I’m sure it gets old. You’ll notice Russell is always polite to the national media. Know what I mean?

But that comes with territory. If only these same people were so lazer focused on our sitting president and his performance.

But again, I don’t think Brian Davis is a racist. I don’t see that in the man. What I see is a savvy career announcer who knows his viewers in Oklahoma aren’t the sharpest pencils in the NBA pencil jar. I think what Brian Davis does is basically just dumb it down to the level of a certain percentage of the Fox audience–much like Sean Hannity does on Fox News Network.

But I don’t think there was any malicious intent by Brian Davis. Just more of the same in a market which went almost 70% for a sitting president who ran the Birther movement as a prelude to his presidency… and the same person who picked Jeff Sessions as the top lawyer in America.

If I were a black player would I want to play and live in Oklahoma City?

No–I wouldn’t. And again this isn’t to insinuate every Trump voter is a racist. Not at all. But if I were a black man this isn’t the place where I’d want my son to learn every man should be judged by the character of his heart as opposed to the color of his skin.

No preaching intended. Just the way I honestly feel.

Oklahoma City was very fortunate Russell Westbrook decided to stay here. He could have taken an easier route, but he didn’t.

So while I don’t think Brain Davis is a racist, it’s Westbrook as a man who has won my admiration as a man beyond what he does on a basketball court.

Every parent in America should pray to be as fortunate that their son turns out like Russell.

And you know what—I don’t think there would be anything wrong with Clay Bennett or Sam Presti saying in public what I just wrote. But they won’t because the people who buy their tickets wouldn’t think that was cool.

I love Tom Petty. He talks to me from heaven every now and again. He says, hang in there, Mike…the next place you’re going won’t be like Oklahoma. So–I’m thinking Tom Petty will be my theme music throughout these playoffs even if the Thunder get bounced in the first round.

You haven’t lived until you’ve karoked to either Tom Petty or Bob Dylan. Trust me on this.

Knock yourself out. Trust me…you’ll feel better…even in Oklahoma.

This is so cool. This could never happen in a stadium in Oklahoma. They’re too dumb to pull it off. Eventually… me, the wife, and the diva lab will end up in a nice little place a few blocks off the sleepy beaches of Melbourne, Florida. They both told me they love me, but they’re not going to Toronto with me in that it’s too cold for the wife and the lab despises the Toronto Maple Leafs.

It’s all about compromise I guess.

I trudge ahead in Oklahoma with the NBA’s second season set to begin even with Thunder homerette Brian Davis now officially suspended for Game 1 of the Utah series for his racial on air gaffe. I forge ahead in Oklahoma in what has to be the dumbest state of all fifty and maybe even Puerto Rico if they ever attain statehood.

Only in Oklahoma, a state which went 70% for wannabe porno star POTUS Donald Trump, could some harmless mole like Brian Davis be suspended for something this stupid. I mean, it’s not like he said ‘he just grabs a handful of pussy whenever’. Or he didn’t do anything like pee on a Russian prostitute in a Moscow bed where Obama once slept. Nor did Brian Davis have his thug mafia lawyer pay some upscale hooker like Stormy Daniels the sum of $130,000 to not have sex with him. For crying out loud he didn’t even insinuate Carly Fiorina’s ugly face could stop a semi truck.

Yet here we sit in Christian right Oklahoma with little harmless Brian Davis in handcuffs and not available for Game 1 of the Utah series.

Only, and I repeat, only could this happen in Oklahoma.

So…..my Power Poll. Well,–I’m going to have to put the Thunder back in there even though I swore I never would again. It must be the Scott Pruitt water I’ve been drinking with these same wild, crazy, and daft Okies. It must be doing bad things to me.

This is a tough Power Poll with the Steph Curry situation though because without Curry the Warriors are only 17-14 without him and are a net team negative points per game without him as well. With a healthy Steph Curry these Warriors would be a lock to repeat, but I’m not so sure what to think right now. The Spurs don’t have much left of what they used to be, but they still have Pop. So—all the sudden that series might maybe be interesting.

Anyway, my Power Poll for the first round.

1 Houston
2 Golden State
3 LeBron
4 Toronto
5 Philadelphia
6 Portland
7 Oklahoma City
8 Utah

So…Matt Pinto will be replacing Brian Davis. Which is actually good for me in that I’ll be able to possibly listen to portions of the Fox telecasts. Pinto is a pro and actually about the only guy in this market I would defer to from an NBA view. He knows his shit.

I’m still not sure if I’m going to pay money to attend a game in this Utah series though. These guys haven’t won be back to that extent. Fool me once…right? But I’m thinking I’m might go sneak over to the German beer hall in Bricktown for Game 2.

My wife won’t sit in the same house with me during a Thunder game so it will primarily be me and the diva lab Pauli at the Thunder Game Day watch party. Probably gonna cater this watch party with Earl’s BBQ ribs, some cole slaw, baked beans, and fried okra. Too cold for beer though on Sunday. I never drink beer if it’s not at least 82 degrees outside. Maybe just a ton of coffee for Game 1.

I have no idea whatsoever what will happen in this series, but Oklahoma does have Westbrook, Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony who between them went a combined 1-9 in post season play last season with the Thunder, the Pacers, and the NY Knicks.

So–I would think this series should be pretty interesting from a competitive standpoint.

I’m honestly not all that jacked about the Thunder, but the playoffs in general should be pretty good.

Hang in there, Brian Davis. You’re not a bad dude. The clouds will part and the sky will turn blue again for Game 2 and you’ll be back on the air saying goofy Oklahoma things like this never even happened.

I honestly didn’t even know there was some sort of racial comment issue during the telecast of the Thunder’s game versus Memphis.

You know why I didn’t know, because long ago during this season of angst I muted the Dimwit Twins on all Thunder telecasts. I don’t listen to Brian Davis and Michael Cage because they’re hopeless homers. In no way would I ever fathom Brian Davis to be a racist though. No way.

I’ll listen to Matt Pinto or watch the ESPN/ABC or TNT announcers, but long ago I gave up on Brian Davis.

Davis is probably fairly popular I’d guess with the strand of Thunder fans who became NBA fans only when OKC got its own team in 2008. Give me Breen, Jeff van Gundy, and Mark Jackson any day of the week over the homerfest. I do like Antonio Davis though. Pinto and Davis would be an interesting Thunder broadcast team for me.

Brian Davis actually seems like a nice man, but again he drives me crazy with his style in that he can hardly ever make an objective comment in regards to the Thunder. It’s almost like having Sean Hannity at courtside if you follow the drift.

He says stuff like Rattlesnake Jam or Si Senor when Abrines makes a three. This is who the guy is…a cornball on the air. But I’m guessing in private I’d probably like Davis as at times he’s let his cornball demeanor on the telecasts down and led me to believe he’s actually a fairly smart guy.

Howard Cosell was one of my favorite sportscasters growing up. He got in trouble for comparing the play of Washington Redskin Alvin Garrett to that a little money. Like in this deal with Davis, the politically correct crowd went nuts claiming racism.

No way. Cosell was an ardent admirer of Jackie Robinson and supporter of the Jackie Robinson Foundation. Cosell was also the lone voice in support of then Cassius Clay when the young Clay refused to report to duty for service in Vietnam. Howard Cosell was no racist and neither is Brian Davis.

But if I were a Thunder brass I would be thinking of making a change on the Thunder broadcasts and go with Pinto and Davis. But not for the reason of racism, but more for the reason they’d be a much better team in the booth and give us Thunder fans who actually watched the NBA before Hurricane Katrina something beyond Hee Haw on the Thunder telecasts.

I mean, I detest Trump and Sessions more than anybody, but to go crazy over this is absurd.

I feel weird, but it’s a good weird. I’m at peace and it has nothing to do with OKC’s chances in the upcoming playoffs. As a Thunder fan, I’m at peace. I feel better for these guys because they finally started tapping in on their team potential a little bit. Not that I think they can still be the 2011 Dallas Mavericks, but some peace knowing they didn’t just roll over and say fuck it at the end.

That’s what life is. A never ending sequence of pulling yourself up off the mat and competing.

But mostly, I’m happy for Russell and Nick.

This is part of the beauty of sport. How a black kid from LA and a white kid from Iowa can be part of something like this and in the process forge a friendship and a bond.

I have no idea whatsoever how many games the Oklahoma City Thunder will win in post season this go around. Teams which are 29th in free throw shooting and 27th in three point shooting efficiency are like dogs which play in the street.

But I know this. Both Russell Westbrook and Nick Collison are young men and basketball players who have made Oklahoma City a better place.

And for that, for right now, that’s enough for me.

I’m good.

In a season marked by times when you felt pain watching this team inflict pain upon itself, this regular season in Oklahoma City ended with some happiness with a regular season ending 137-123 win over nine dressed members of the Memphis Grizzlies.

The win improves this suddenly appearing normal Thunder to 48-34 and moves the Thunder up to the No. 4 seed in the West.

I have no idea how severe Corey Brewer’s leg injury is, but otherwise it was a lovely night to end a season of head scratching angst. I hope Corey Brewer is okay because he’ll be needed moving forward against the Utah Jazz in Round I.

For the time being I’m not going to think about the Utah Jazz. I’m just going to take a deep breathe and appreciate the fact these guys appear to be together in spirit and have earned themselves home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

For lifetime Thunder fans it was a lump in throat moment as Nick Collison possibly played in his last regular season game. The moment was beautiful as his friend Russell Westbrook spoke on Nick’s behalf before the game started. I won’t lie, it put a tear in the corner of my eyes.

Nick Collison is Oklahoma City Thunder basketball. Period. He is the one guy you’ve never heard criticized by one living member of the human race in Oklahoma during these Thunder years of NBA basketball in a college market.

I have no idea what position Sam Presti has in store for Nick Collison or if Nick will even stay in Oklahoma City, but Nick Collison is loved in this state for what he has stood for both on and off the court.

Russell Westbrook notched his second straight season of averaging a triple double and there was that as well. I’ve never written much about Russell’s rebounding numbers because in essence it’s a stupid conversation to be having if your brain is in place.

My thoughts go like this…Russell is OKC’s point guard. He is the fastest player in the league. Anytime Russell Westbrook has a rebound in his hands he is able to get the Thunder out in transition without a pass and thus down the court much faster. Both of these things are to the Thunder’s advantage. They really are.

My major concern with Russell is if he’ll be able to recalibrate himself in the last six minutes of games in post season play as far as getting his team into its offense as the pace slows down in grind it down games in the playoffs.

But I really don’t want to talk too much about things like this right now. Because for the first time since this season began I feel at peace somewhat. The Thunder survived themselves for the time being. They almost set themselves on fire, but didn’t and for that I’m grateful.

Little victories. You sometimes in life accept little victories. You thank God for the good feeling in your heart and try to move forward with some grace and dignity.

Wednesday night inside the Chesapeake Energy was full of little victories for a Thunder team which has been playing uphill for six months.

But on this night it was lovely.

My Thunder heart feels at peace at least until tip on Sunday evening when the Thunder host the Utah Jazz in Game 1 in what should be a rugged series.

I haven’t written much politically on here lately because in the Era of Trump it makes no real sense. Every day is a minimum of three rabbit holes and another dose of Trump fatigue.

So—today GOP Speaker of the House Paul Ryan told us he’s calling it quits and going back home to Wisconsin to be with his family. Whatever.

I think it’s always noble to put family over other things, but I doubt this was the only consideration. The main consideration I would think is that he discovered what previous GOP House Speaker John Boehner already knew. Which is…the modern Republican Party has become a rogue party in which even if one Democrat didn’t exist on the face of the Earth it would not be able to govern itself with any sense of unity or coherence.

This is what Paul Ryan came to realize. He realized he was missing time away from his children to in essence babysit a group of people who got their tax break and won’t be able to come to any terms of agreement on much of anything else.

So why embarrass yourself further and miss time away from your teenage children?

I’m sure Fox News Network will this spin this entirely different. But it is what it is.

Today’s three rabbitholes in case you need clarification… 1 Paul Ryan to step down, 2 Trump tells Putin he’s sending missiles to Syria, and 3 Trump seriously considering firing Mueller.

This is reality show Freak Down America. This is what America has become and no one more than Paul Ryan knows it.

Go home, Speaker Ryan and pray history will be forgiving.

For me…to get thru the rest of the week. This sustains me for some reason.

I have no idea what was said in private among this team before the Houston game, but evidently the gist of it was as a team they drew a line in the sand and agreed there was no more time left to continue pissing basketball games away.

For the second time in three nights, the OKC Thunder’s heart showed up and stayed on the court for 48 minutes in a critical 115-93 win over the Miami Heat on the road.

The win clinches a playoff spot for the Thunder and improves their record to 47-34. The Thunder could conceivably grab the No. 4 seed with a home win over Memphis and a sequence of results from other teams in the West.

This team will go as Russell Westbrook and Paul George go…period. On this night they were both excellent and Jerami Grant was sensational.

The Thunder started slowly, but fought back and basically dominated the game the final thirty-six minutes of play.

The Thunder hit 31-38 free throws and made three point shots when they had to. The Thunder also went on the high side of .500 on the road for the season at 21-20.

As a Thunder fan you don’t want to put your heart all the way out there, but there are some things trending for OKC right now which will make the first round interesting in the West — and especially for the Thunder.

This is Russell Westbrook’s time to show himself and Paul George whether he can be a championship point guard in the NBA.

To me–it’s that simple.

Can Russell Westbrook re-calibrate his game and along with Paul George put his team on his shoulders and win 16 games in post season play?

The Thunder end their regular season at home on Wednesday versus the Memphis Grizzlies.

Two games are left and the Thunder now stand at 46-34. I have no idea who shows up in Thunder unis this evening in Miami in a critical game versus the Heat. Long ago I stopped worrying about seeding position with this bunch. What difference does seeding mean when you don’t know which heart will show up on any given night wearing Thunder blue?

I calibrate my emotions carefully with this group of players and no longer put my heart on my sleeve. But I must admit with all the talent Westbrook, George, and Adams bring to the table as an NBA fan in general it’s hard not to take your eyes off them just for the sake of wondering what on any given night will bring.

We’ve seen glimpses of what they can do for a game here and there, but what we’ve never observed this season is consistent commitment to focus and effort. What we’ve seen is a team with attention deficit disorder.

But as you look across the NBA landscape there’s some other disorder out there as well and Steph Curry is missing the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Heck, the hottest team in the league are the surging Philadelphia 76’ers. Take away the Sixers on their current run and no one else in the league with enough talent to make serious noise is closing with a rush.

Toronto, Boston, and Cleveland are playing like teams with no real chance to win the NBA championship beyond the East.

Golden State has the issue with Steph’s fragile ankles. Houston and D’Antoni have never won anything in post season to date. Portland is closing with a thud. San Antonio doesn’t have the horses.

But you know who does have the horses if they could force themselves to focus on things like heart and effort—the threesome of Westbrook, Paul George, and Steven Adams.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s no way I’m putting the Thunder on my Power Poll again, but by the same token it’s hard to ignore these three players being on the same team.

I have no idea what happens tonight in Miami. I have no idea where the Thunder end up being seeded.

But I do know if the Thunder could grow up and stay that way long enough they have the best athlete in the NBA playing point guard. They have probably the third best small forward in the league behind LeBron and Durant in Paul George. And they have in Steven Adams a center who can punish certain teams with interior frailness.

So we’ll see what comes of this and if the Thunder can pretend to play like grownups for a sustained period of time in April.

Anything is possible in sport as we just witnessed Patrick Reed harness his inner self and basically beat the golfing world on Sunday at Augusta National with everybody rooting against him.

Can Russell Westbrook harness his inner self moving forward is the question.