Le Basketbawl

A death that shocked the NBA last Monday may lead to the betterment of many lives in the future. Former Portland Trail Blazers center Kevin Duckworth died Monday at the age of 44 as a result of congestive heart failure. Duckworth was twice named to the NBA Western Conference All-Star team, as well as the NBA Most Improved Player of the Year Award winner in 1992 while playing for Portland. He was on a He was on a promotional tour of the state for the team conducting a series of free basketball clinics when he died.

The team announced on it’s website Saturday the establishment of the Kevin Duckworth Memorial Scholarship Fund. The Trail Blazers in a partnership with The Oregon Community Foundation have set up the scholarship for needy students in the Oregon and Southwest area of Washington State. The team describes the scholarship as a vehicle that “incorporates Duck’s passions; athletics and the outdoors, offering education and training opportunities for under served youth in the areas of athletics, physical education, wildlife studies, fish and wildlife management and trades involving wood or iron works. Scholarships will be earmarked for individuals who meet state poverty guidelines and are looking to pursue post-secondary educational opportunities and training.”

Portland Team President Larry Miller said “Kevin left behind a legacy of generosity. This scholarship honors that legacy by allowing Kevin to continue to better the lives of people in our community for many years to come. Establishing this fund right away allows us to accommodate the requests of the many fans who are wondering what they can do as a remembrance on Kevin’s behalf. At the same time, we are continuing to explore other appropriate ways to honor Kevin next year and beyond.”

If you wish to contribute to help fund the scholarship you can send a tax-deductible donation to:
OCF’s Kevin Duckworth Memorial Scholarship Fund
1221 SW Yamhill St., Suite 100
Portland, OR 97205

You can also find out more information by contacting The Oregon Community Foundation at
http://www.ocf1.org/.

The Summer of 2008, has been the “Summer of Anticipation“! There was the anticipation, over the “Dark Knight” in movie theaters, and Stephanie Myers “Twilight” series in book stores. There was the anticipation before Senator Barack Obama picked Senator Joe Biden as his running mate. As of this writing there is still the anticipation of who Senator John McCain will choose to run with on his ticket (I’m guessing Governor Tim Pawlenty, we will see if I’m right.) In the world of basketball the Summer started off with the anticipation of Derrick Rose as the first choice of the 2008 NBA Draft, and ended with Team USA winning the Olympic Gold Medal. But all this may pale in comparison to the news that the “Associated Press” has reported. The NBA franchise now located in Oklahoma City will reveal their new name and colors on September 3.

The “Team Formerly Known As The Seattle SuperSonics” has reportedly applied for the trademark on six different names. They are the Barons, Bison, Energy, Marshalls, Thunder, and Wind. A television station in Oklahoma City earlier reported that the name would be the Thunder, however the team has not commented on the report.

Let’s break these names down, and see what makes sense. First of all we can rule out Barons immediately. The only type of Barons you would associate with the Southwest, are Robber Barons. Since they are stealing another city’s team that probably would not play too well in the press. Bison, I like but it may be too close to the Bulls when you put together the logo. Energy? What is this the politically correct choice, you’ll have a little green sprite, to represent the environment? No, we can put that one in the scrap heap. I like Marshalls also, but that is probably too violent an image for today’s society. The Wind? What is your logo a cloud blowing with his cheeks bulging out? I mean I get the reference “Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain.” But the Wind? No! Which I guess leaves us with the Thunder. Now is your mascot Thor the God Of Thunder? That could be cool! I guess we will just have to wait until September 3, to find out!

While I was living in Cleveland, and covering the Cavaliers, the Indians, and the Browns as Sports Director for “Metro Networks” I would watch a TV phenomenon with a mixture of amusement and disdain. When ever the Cleveland teams would make it into the post season, the News Anchors would wear the team caps on the newscast. When the Sports Anchor would come on to do his report, the News Anchors would pepper them with questions. Unfortunately it more times than not, just showed how little knowledge the Anchors had about the team, and in some cases sports in general.

That’s what happens when you step outside of your element, your comfort zone, your area of expertise. It would be like me writing an article on what has taken place in Georgia over the last couple of weeks (except for the fact that I do keep up with world affairs, unlike the anchors not keeping up with sports.) News Anchors should stick to news, as Sports Anchors should stick to sports, it’s just that simple!

I was reminded of that this morning when I received an e-mail from a buddy of mine who goes by the handle of MVNsoccer. If you ever want to know anything about the planet’s most popular game, check him out! This morning he sent me a link to an article that “Forbes Magazine” recently published FORBES: America’s Worst Cities To Be A Sports Fan. Now I have great respect for “Forbes Magazine” as well as the Forbes family. The late Malcolm Forbes, and now his son Steven who is the publisher, are considered economic geniuses, and they have the portfolio and the wealth to show it! Along with the “Wall Street Journal” they are probably the most revered publications in the economic community.

Tom Van Riper back on August 20, came up with what is his list based on certain economic parameters of the worst cities in the USA to be a sports fan. This was the formula Mr. Van Riper used to determine his list; “In figuring the toughest cities in which to be sports fans over the past year, we compared the latest median household income figures from the Census Bureau to the Fan Cost Index for each team compiled by Team Marketing. Those metros with the lowest ratios of income to ticket cost were deemed most expensive for fans. Those ratios were then compared to team performance, with regular season won-lost records and playoff outcomes combined for all teams in a given city.”

Tom, that’s all well and good if you are dealing in just the pure dollars and cents aspect, but that means very little to most sports fans. Sure economics play a part, but it is way down on the list as far as priorities for sports fans. Other wise why would fans pay thousands of dollars to get in to a Super Bowl or a World Series Game, or the NBA Finals? Tom, we are not talking about rational thinking. When it comes to sports that all goes out the window! Emotion Rules! Sports fans think with their hearts not their wallets!

Mr. Van Piper has Miami, as the worst city, and San Diego as the second worst city to be a sports fan in. I guess if you are just looking for bang for your buck this particular season, the formula works. But Tom, you are telling me that Miami, a city that won a NBA Finals in 2006, a city that has won two World Series since 1997, and have the only unbeaten team in the history of the NFL, is the worst city to be a fan in the United States? And we have not even brought up the weather!

Mr. Van Piper has my adopted home town of Cleveland as the ninth worst city to be a sports fan in. You want to talk about a city that it is tough to be a sports fan in? There is not much lower a sports fan can get, than walking half a mile, in the dark to get to your car with slush in your shoes, and the wind chill factor at ten below after your Browns have just been embarrassed. Or watching the Cleveland Cavaliers during the Ricky Davis years in a near empty freezing building going through the motions, in February. Or after being one win away from getting into the World Series, seeing the Indians trade last year’s Cy Young Award winner C.C. Sabathia to Milwaukee. That’s a city that it is tough to be a sports fan in!

So Forbes, let’s make a deal, okay? I will stay away from talking about Lehman Brothers, if you promise to stay away from what it takes to be a good sports city! Let’s all stick to what we know best!

The “Oregonian” reported Tuesday that former Portland Trail Blazers center Kevin Duckworth died on Monday. Duckworth, just 44 years old was traveling through out the state of Oregon for the Trail Blazers conducting free basketball clinics when he died. A Medical Examiner has not determined the cause of death at this time.

Duckworth was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs, but he did not play there for long. He was traded to the Blazers where he took the city of Portland and the NBA by storm. During his second season in the Association, he was named to the Western Conference All-Star team, and was name the NBA Most Improved Player for the year. The “Duck” had skills and was incredibly athletic for a man who was as big as he was. He played Portland until 1993, he played the next two seasons for Washington, moved on to the Milwaukee Bucks for a season, and ended his career at the end of the 1996-1997 campaign after playing for the L.A. Clippers.

The United States showed the rest of the planet, that they not only have the best players, they have the best team. Team USA has won the Gold Medal in Basketball in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, defeating Spain 118-107. The victory puts Team USA back on top of the World of Hoops for the first time since before the 2002 World Championship Games.

As I have written before on these pages, the 2008 edition of Team USA was nicknamed the “Redeem Team” for a reason. Not only to win the 2008 Games but to restore the United States back on top of the heap of Basketball. A combination of factors put the United States in the also ran column, ten years after the original “Dream Team” rocked the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. The main two however, were the rest of the world’s players were catching up with the Americans in the talent department. And now they were good enough that if they played at their best, and Team USA played as five different players, rather than as a team other teams could beat them.

Team USA came out of the starting blocks strong in the first quarter amassing a 38-31 lead at the end of the period. That was the only quarter in the contest that the Americans, dominated, but it was enough to keep them on top throughout the game and give them their first Olympic Gold Medal since 2000.

Guard Dwyane Wade who proved throughout these Games, that he is fully recovered from the injury that kept him sidelined this past season led Team USA once again. D-Wade came off the bench and scored a game high 27 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound. Kobe Bryant scored 20 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks, LeBron James had 14 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block. Carmelo Anthony scored 13 points, 1 rebound, Chris Paul also scored 13 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, in the victory.

This was the second time the Spanish time during these Games, after losing earlier in the Tournament 119-82. However this time time they were without one of their major components staring point guard Jose Calderon. Without Calderon in the game for Spain to be as competitive as they were was quite impressive. Forward Rudy Fernandaez led his team with 22 points, Pau Gasol, in the loss. The loss gives Spain the Silver Medal.

These next two weeks will be dominated in the United States by the Democratic Convention, followed in the first week of September by the Republican Convention. For the last two years this country has watched a winnowing down process that will result in the Democrats nominating Illinois Senator Barack Obama, and the GOP handing the mantle over to Arizona Senator John McCain. I have no interest in exploring the two candidates political views, this is not the place for that. Besides, that is not why you come here or to our sister site Slam Dunk Central. This is a Basketball Website, there are a myriad of other sites you can go to for political discussion.

However, as far as I am aware Barack Obama would be the first United States President who is an avid hoops fan. Basketball is a huge part of Mr. Obama’s life, he plays all the time on the campaign trail. He is so passionate about playing that on “Super Tuesday” reports indicate that he made sure time was allocated for him to play! The Senator along with his “Body Man” Reggie Love, play with Secret Service Agents every day since he has been running for President.

The Senator played basketball in high school according to the “The Honolulu Advertiser.” Reportedly his nickname at Punahou School in Hawaii was “O’Bomber.” And he was said to be known for his left-hand, double-pump shot. Now we know President Bush is big into baseball, in fact he was a former owner of the Texas Rangers. JFK, used to have touch football games on the White House lawn. If the Senator is elected might we see a “Presidential Basketball Court”? And tell me you are not already salivating at the thought of LeBron James taking on the President of the United States, in a game of H.O.R.S.E. Or even better, LBJ and the President going two on two against Reggie Love and Kobe?

Since the early days of the 20th Century the U.S. President has thrown a baseball from the stands on Opening Day of the MLB season. How about President Obama throwing up the first tip of the NBA season? The game could be held between the Washington Wizards and the previous NBA Champion!

Speaking of the Wizards, is the Senator a Wizards fan, or a Chicago Bulls fan? Let’s remember he went to Columbia University, and Harvard Law School. Could he be a Knicks or a Celtics fan? Who does he think is better LeBron or Kobe? Who would the Senator prefer as a center, Wilt Chamberlain or Bill Russell? Did you hear one question during the debates asking Mr. Obama who he thinks the greatest NBA head coach of all time is? Is he “Old School” and favor Red Auerbach, or lean towards Phil Jackson? Do you hear any of these hard hitting questions being raised by anybody on the political campaign trail? These are the questions I as a basketball fan want answered, and I’m sure you do also!

So as I wrote at the top, of this article I would never use this forum to impose my political views on you. However, if you are a basketball fan over 18 living in the United States the answer is clear. A vote for Barack Obama in November is a vote for basketball!

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction! Back in February when Dallas Mavericks veteran small forward Devean George refused a trade to the New Jersey Nets he was one of the most unpopular people in the “Lone Star State.” By refusing to go to the Nets, George almost ended up scuttling the deal that brought Dallas point guard Jason Kidd. The deal eventually was completed, but it was due to some last minute scrambling for substitute players.

Mavericks Team Owner Mark Cuban had no beef with George, however he was quite perturbed at his agent Mark Bartelstein. Cuban told reporters “Devean George did everything right. Devean George was very clear that he was going to defer to his agent. His agent was basically going to make the decision for him. Devean is fine. His agent, that’s a whole other story. I don’t understand the agent and his logic, if there is any, behind the decision. But it’s not Devean George.”

If someone had said at that point that Bartelstein, would get George a two year contract this Summer with Dallas, surely you would have thought them at the very least foolish. According to “ESPN.com” the agent says that George has received a two year deal from the Mavericks reported to be worth $4 million. The report also states that George can opt out of the deal after the upcoming season. New Dallas coach Rick Carlisle is reported to like the veteran for his outside shot.