Today's Warnings : 12 September, 2008

There has been a veritable treasure trove of great content flying around out there, which until now, I've not had time to link to. Enjoy Today's Warnings:

• I haven't been this excited about an addition to the blogosphere for some time, but I'm really keen to hear the new podcasts which John Rillie is formulating for his site. The melodic tones of JR will be coming at you with news across the basketball world -- definitely worth looking out for. Podcasting is something I've been interested in doing for sometime myself, but I haven't done for a couple of reasons. The first being that I haven't found someone to bounce off in the studio (two voices are better than one); and the second is that I'm pretty sure noone enjoys listening to my voice as much as I do!
• The World Hoops Blog just keeps on getting better and better. In the time since Paulie Danger started that site it seems to have come on in leaps and bounds. He has now added a guest blogger to his arsenal and his knowledge of world ball just keeps on growing.
• The hidden talents of some NBL players are amazing. JR might want to get in contact with Gold Coast Blaze import, Luke Whitehead, who apparently is a bit of an expert in the field of music and video mixing. You can check out his website here.
• As a former Sydney Kings fan (who am I kidding, I'm still a Kings fan), it's always hard to see Ebi Ere in a new uniform, as he is now for the Melbourne Tigers. I'm pretty sure it's even harder for South Dragons fans right now though.
• If you can find a better NBA video blogger out there than Ethan at NESW Sports right now, well I can only imagine that you are talking about a guy that goes by the moniker of Odenized and who is now under the employ of SLAM magazine. The Ethanator just keeps on coming out with quality content lately... I just don't know where he finds it all!
• It's constantly amazing to find how many extremely active basketball discussion boards exist out there. If you're an Indiana Pacers fan, check out Pacers Digest which has plenty of discussion going on there -- someone on the boards was even nice enough to link to ...a stern warning's article on Wat Misaka.
• NBL stars contributing to a good cause for the Starlight Foundation charity.
• Everything that is wrong with that new OKC Thunder logo (via Upside and Motor).
• The Charlotte Bobcats as Transformers.
• Shaq has announced that he will play out the next two seasons and then move on to the big Shaq Diesel in the basketball sky. Brandon at BallerBlogger says the future is bright for NBA big men with plenty of players taking over the mantle of most dominant (including a Mr Oden).
• Does anyone know the Cleveland White Horses?
  
  
  
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NBL 2008/09 Season Previews : Part 1

Today ...a stern warning brings you Part 1 of our National Basketball League Season Previews for 2008/09. This season sees one of the greater concentrations of talent in NBL history, due to the removal of three teams from the competition. With that shift in talent comes a lot of uncertainty, making it perhaps the most exciting championship to be decided in league history.

ADELAIDE 36ERS

Adelaide should be one of the most improved teams in the league this year. Despite the loss of star import Julius Hodge (whose NBA ambitions had to be submitted to), the Sixers have done well to recruit a stacked roster. Arguably the two biggest Australian signings were snared by Adelaide in the off-season, in former Baylor point guard Aaron Bruce and former NBA centre Luke Schenscher. They certainly had no problems last season in putting points on the board, unfortunately they allowed their opponents to do the same and they will hope to address that this year with the big red-head inside to intimidate.

Despite the key signings bringing excitement to the City of Churches, the fact remains that the two are untested at NBL level and existing teammates Brett Maher, Adam Ballinger and co do not know what to expect from this season.

GUARDS

Combo guard Brett Maher is an Adelaide institution. The sharp-shooter has seen a lot of success and more recently failure, punctuated by injury and off-court pains, in Sixers colours. As he nears the end of his storied career, he is lucky to have some support in the backcourt.

Aaron Bruce has proven at the collegiate level that he can run a team. He can score the ball and distribute well. Well enough indeed that he has had serious interest from NBA clubs in the lead up to this past NBA draft. He is a near certainty to be in Boomers colours for much of his career and Adelaide will hope to keep him around for as long as possible.

Brad Davidson was a solid performer for a struggling Adelaide side last season. His 13.3ppg, 4.5apg and 3.3rpg ensured a steady presence in the backcourt, whilst Maher missed much of the season. The Queenslander and former Townsville Finalist comes into this season with niggling injuries, so may start slowly.

Promising youngster Ryan Kersten will provide additional support at the point, along with Erik Burdon.

FORWARDS

Mark Tyndale is largely unknown in Australia, but comes to Adelaide with an impressive NCAA resume. He seems to the type of player that can do a bit of everything and will be called upon to play the two and three spots for the Sixers, covering the role left by Julius Hodge.

Adam Ballinger has been one of the most underrated and quietly spectacular performers in the NBL for some time now, originally with the Titans, then the Hawks and now with the Sixers. Balls does a bit of everything, from rebounding and shot-blocking to drilling three point bombs. All of this with deadly efficiency. He forms a solid base for the Adelaide front-line to rely upon.

Similarly, Jacob Holmes’ presence on the bench gives the Sixers an all-round weapon. Holmes returned to Adelaide, along with coach Scott Ninnis, from the South Dragons. Holmes is an undersized, yet excellent rebounder and can score inside and out. Not many teams can boast a player of his skill off the bench.

CENTRE

Big Bird, Luke Schenscher, is a 7’1” pillar to be reckoned with in the key. His size combined with skill is near to unprecedented at NBL level and he certainly will provide the Sixers with a second layer of defence, despite his apparent lack of foot-speed. He can score steadily inside on simple shots and will grab his fair share of rebounds, complementing Ballinger well.

David Cooper is somewhat the opposite of Schensch inside. An undersized energy player, he will block shots like crazy when on court and relies on his agility and hustle to help the team out, making him a fan favourite wherever he goes.

A STERN PREDICTION

End of regular season prediction: 7th

Despite great strides in the off-season, the ten team competition means that every squad is stacked, so the Sixers have merely kept with the status quo of the league. Add that to the fact that a new coach and new key components to the roster will take some getting used to, and the Sixers will struggle to crack the top six.

CAIRNS TAIPANS

Once again the Taipans have built an impressive roster going into this season. They seem to be loaded with stars at every position and the loss of Nathan Jawai to the NBA has been nicely covered by the addition of do-it-all Canadian Dave Thomas and former King, Ian Crosswhite. However, as with last season, much will come down to the health of Stephen Black, Martin Cattalini and Darnell Mee.

GUARDS

Stephen Black is as good as they come in the NBL right now as a backcourt shooter. The fact that he has been unavailable for Boomers duties in recent times is nothing but a shame. He has encountered his fair share (or an unfair share) of injuries and once again this will be a concern for the ‘Pans going into 2008-09. Not many around the league can produce the quality of his 17 and 5 game, but can he keep it on the court? He played 31 games last season. Will he replicate or beat that? That is the question.

Darnell Mee is another example of a player who has shown so much skill and class in his time, yet currently struggles to be there for tip-off time. Mee is the type of player who can control both ends of the court and has the size to give nightmares to opposing backcourts. His naturalisation was a boon for the Boomers which soon after turned into disappointment as he appeared not to have the same gas in the tank as he used to. If the supporting cast is on target, then he can be a great piece to complement the rest of this squad.

Gary Boodnikoff will swing between the two and the three positions and provides an excellent touch from the outside, coupled with good size. After an extremely promising 2005-06 season, he never seems to have recovered from a 2006 injury which has seen his remarkable shooting percentages plummet. The Taipans will be hoping that he is back to this old form (15ppg, 5rpg, 51% FG) and can lead the charge where Mee and Black miss time.

Kerry Williams and Scott Cook are two promising guards whose numbers will be called if injury strikes the aforementioned stars.

FORWARDS

Martin Cattalini is a perennial MVP candidate who missed half of last season with an achilles injury and will be preparing to come back firing in 2008-09. 2006-07 saw what Catt is capable of, with a 24 and 7 season making him a near unstoppable target for opposing defences. Look for him to return resoundingly this season as he tries to bring the Taipans back to prominence.

Dave Thomas is one of the most respected players in the NBL and has proven that he will fit into any squad in his time with both Canberra and Melbourne. As one of the league’s premier defenders, his arrival in Cairns was met with much fanfare. More than anyone, Thomas’ tempo-setting play may determine the fate of the team this season.

Larry Abney, “the Birdman” will man both the power forward and centre spot this season. His high-flying play is not as impressive as it was when he first entered the league with Townsville, but he certainly is capable of putting up a double-double every night and setting the crowd alight with some impressive jams. The arrival of a big man inside may mean that Abney can ply his trade more efficiently at the four position.

Aaron Grabau is a Taipans institution. Having his number retired this week, the athletic swingman will fill in admirably off the bench and play his trademark defence and put down the dunks afforded to him. The type of player that every team needs.

CENTRE

Ian Crosswhite proved himself to be a surprisingly versatile big man in his time with the Sydney Kings. As someone who is a legitimate 6’11”, yet can pass the ball out of the high post and can even occasionally knock down an outside jumper, Cairns did well to secure him from the Kings fallout. Abney will likely start at centre, but Crossy will no doubt play a large number of minutes, particularly against teams with solid centres like New Zealand and Perth.

Matt Smith has been a success story in his short in and out of the squad and provides energy when called upon at the end of the bench. When given the opportunity he performs.

A STERN PREDICTION

End of regular season prediction: 4th

Much of this team’s showing depends on injuries and the potential continued decline of Darnell Mee. Fourth would appear that the best that this team can hope for, but realistically they could fall anywhere from 3rd through to 6th. They certainly play all of the right cards in terms of having shooters, solid defenders and low post scorers – they just need to put it all together this season or risk another disappointment.


GOLD COAST BLAZE

The Blaze are potentially the hardest team to predict in this championship. They have an aged superstar at the point, backed up by a totally unproven youngster. Their go-to player at shooting guard is injured as the season commences. They have a quality import who has guarded Michael Jordan in the NBA who is returning from a stroke. Their other import is an undersized power forward who arrived halfway through last season and a series of retreads and journeymen manning the rest of their front court arsenal. Their new coach, Brendan Joyce has had a mixture of championship success and bottom-of-the-barrel failure and will try to mould this into a team that overachieves.

GUARDS

Shane Heal is no doubt the most well known name still in Australian basketball. He can shoot the ball with alarming range and brings cockiness to any squad he joins. However his recent adventures with the South Dragons have been panned by many as a failure and the results certainly indicated as much. Playing under friend Joyce may mould his game into a strong veteran presence and take away the stress of captain-coaching that he had in Victoria. There will be plenty of people looking to see the Hammer fail on the Gold Coast and the blonde bomber will do everything in his power to prove them wrong.

James Harvey is one of the best flat-out scorers in the league. His career has been one that has constantly just fallen short of greatness, most recently culminating in his omission from the Beijing Boomers squad which disappointed him immensely. He will be looking to prove Brian Goorjian wrong on that front, but will first need to recover from an ankle injury which has sidelined him for the pre-season and threatens to do so for some weeks to come. When he is healthy in the backcourt with Heal, defenders better look out on that perimeter.

Daniel Joyce has had a tonne of criticism lumped on his slight shoulders in his short time in the league. Labelled as turnover prone and a poor shooter, many claim he has only had minutes in his previous time in Wollongong due to nepotism. Many forget that he is only 20 years of age and still has plenty of room for growth. The situation with the Blaze will give him ample room for that development as he is the sole backup plan should Heal missed extended time, which is not unlikely at his age. Joyce is in a sink or swim situation and his father will give him every opportunity to swim.

Tyson Demos is an as yet unproven commodity at the two guard who may get a chance to show his athleticism with Harvey’s potential absence.

FORWARD

A large amount of shock ensued in the Gold Coast community when Juaquin Hawkins last year went down with a stroke. The team confirmed that they wanted him back and he is ready to go for the new season. A powerful top-notch defender at the 2/3, he will likely get the toughest assignments on that end of the court. His offensive contributions are not on par with those traditionally expected of an import, but with the backcourt that the Blaze have, he won’t be touching the ball all that much anyway.

Luke Whitehead is as unassuming as they come at the power forward position. Standing barely over 6’6”, he still managed to grab close to 10 rebounds per game last season, after arriving late to cover for Hawkins subsequent to his health scare. Statistically he has not impressed greatly in other categories, but the Blaze must like what they see as they have asked him to start afresh in 2008. Like Harvey, he opens the season with a potential setback through an ankle injury.

Pero Cameron continues to be a force, 120kg of force. The former World 1st Team member is 34 years old, but his game does not rely on athleticism, rather an unwieldy combination of finesse and brute force. Known for his ability to shoot the three and then power layups underneath, his body mass makes him one of the harder players to control. The big Kiwi’s contributions both on and off the court will be valuable to the Blaze.

Casey Frank is an impact player. A crowd favourite for his spectacularly surprising dunks in traffic, he has been somewhat inconsistent at times. The Blaze hope to get more of the massive games that he has already shown in this pre-season. Perhaps this is the season where he becomes a consistent force in this league.

Scott McGregor has seen a few NBL teams in the period between his Baby Boomer Under-23 Gold Medal and now. His Finals experience and all-round ability on the court are vital in leading this team. Whilst he may not be the leading scorer on a nightly basis, he certainly will be one of the most vocal in the locker room and will cover where gaps arise on the court.

CENTRE

Ben Melmeth, Mr Expansion Team, has played for almost every new team that has come into this league in recent times. From Hunter, to New Zealand, to Singapore to the Gold Coast he’s certainly seen his fair share of startup clubs. A soft touch in the paint along with a solid body to box out with makes him the stereotypical mobile centre. He lacks the size and shot blocking ability of some of the games behemoths and that is where the Blaze will struggle at times. They could do a lot worse than having Melmeth in the middle though.

Greg Vanderjagt, recently described by former teammate John Rillie as having hands like feet, will get his chances to play with the Blaze. His big body makes him an ever-tantalizing proposition to develop, however he has yet to reach anything more than backup status.

A STERN PREDICTION

End of regular season prediction: 8th

As must be clear by now, much of this team’s fortunes will hinge on the injury status of Harvey and Whitehead and the ability for Heal to lead this team, without grabbing too much of the spotlight for himself. They have a solid stable of big men, none of which is particularly dominant and I’m sure they wish they could trade one of those forwards for a solid veteran guard to backup Heal and Harvey. Eighth may even be a stretch for this squad, with the wooden spoon a not unlikely possibility.

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"Wat" an NBA pioneer

An education on the history of basketball is a wonderful thing. The stars of the NBA today dazzle us with their athleticism and celebrity-power. However often we forget that these players live in an era where they are paid millions, thus providing them with the best technologies and allowing them to concentrate on basketball as their sole career option. Back in the day, many a career was forged on skill and dedication -- and if someone was a professional player, you knew that they loved the game.

Many of the players from yesteryear are lost from our memories, in the days before live streaming broadcasts of games and websites like this. On that note, it is fantastic when documentaries are released, highlighting the careers of these forefathers of this fine sport.

One such film is that focused on Wataru "Wat" Misaka, the first non-white player to enter the ranks of pro ball in the USA. Misaka played in the Basketball Association of America, which is now known as the NBA.

The film, titled "Transcending" is being shown today in Salt Lake City, to celebrate this Utah pioneer of ethnic minorities in American basketball. The 5'7" Japanese American point guard, was drafted in the first round by the New York Knicks in 1947. Prior to that, "Wat" had led the University of Utah to its only two national championships.

Misaka has not been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He's not even mentioned in the hall of fame's tribute to diversity in basketball.

"It wasn't a big thing. I was a nobody, not good enough to make the team," Misaka said. "Maybe nobody knew that there was any history being made."

Misaka only played a short while with the Knicks, scoring seven points in three games, before being cut "for reasons never made clear to him."

In the same year as he became the first ethnic minority to play pro basketball, Jackie Robinson did the same in baseball, to much greater fanfare. Wat's opinion on the matter seems to be that he simply wasn't good enough to be made a big deal over.

He was the first ethnic minority player in the NBA, but there were no news conferences or interviews with journalists.

"It wasn't a big thing," he said. "Nobody cared."

In 1947, Wat was not considered a Yao Ming or even a Wang Zhi Zhi. The NBA was not headed by David Stern and the insatiable thirst to conquest the East was not in place, thus Wat's short pro stint went unnoticed and largely unheralded.

On being cut from the Knicks squad, Wat said, "I was surprised. It was a disappointment."

Back then, Misaka said, pro basketball players didn't make million-dollar salaries, so he wasn't missing out on much. Misaka returned to Utah to complete his mechanical engineering degree.

Clearly this was a very different scenario to today's players who will continue to strive at getting a shot at the big pay-day.

Given the time in history that Misaka played his basketball, he did encounter his share of racism. However he ignored this largely.

"I was the only one not white, but I couldn't see myself," he said. And when he heard racial slurs coming from the stands, Misaka said he took it as if they just didn't like him because he was on the opposing team. "I chose not to listen to it," he said.

He did find New York very welcoming, despite the fact that World War II was only recent history.

"Whether real or not, I felt less prejudice against me in New York than I did anywhere else," said Misaka. "Playing for Utah (at Madison Square Garden), New Yorkers are great fans of underdogs and they really backed us up, even against St. John's. When I went back as a Knick, there were people who remembered me from playing for Utah and would say hello on the streets, sometimes."

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Fake Kenny Anderson cons Long Beach residents

A man by the name of Michael Anderson has been arrested on charges of conning Long Beach passers by, saying that he was former NBA star Kenny Anderson.

Michael A, who as far as can be gathered, is no relation to Kenny A, would say that he locked his keys in his car and ask for a ride to a locksmith. At that point he would also ask to borrow money to pay the locksmith and never be seen again.

"Anderson was charged with second-degree scheme to defraud, two counts of third-degree identity theft and three counts of petit larceny. He was to be arraigned Tuesday in Long Beach City Court."

I guess there aren't a lot of hardcore basketball fans around Long Beach, or this guy really does look like the former Georgia Tech and New Jersey Nets star.

Meanwhile, officers are on the look out for a man by the name of Antoine Walker, suspected of impersonating a professional basketball player.

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Today's Warnings : 9 September, 2008

As we work our way through the off-season, here are Today's Warnings. Also look out over the coming days for a preview feature on the upcoming NBL season and a review on the Great Britain v Czech Republic game I attended on Saturday. ...a stern warning hasn't been updated as much as I'd like lately, but plane travel and all that will do that to you.

• The fundamental of basketball, the ball, has been a bit of an issue in the NBA in the last couple of years. Many players were not happy with being sprung with a new ball at the commencement of the 2006-07 season and the NBA responded by replacing the ball with the old one, mid-season. Then the D-League became a guinea-pig arena, not just for players, but for game balls. The NBA tested three different composite balls last year in the D-League, with a view to finding the right one for the big boys. Now, the NBA has decided to stick with the leather ball and let the D-Leaguers use what their big brothers play with. Experiment over. For now.
• Apparently the odds-makers are warming a little more to the Toronto Raptors' chances this season.
• Paul at WHB gives his ideas on how to blog to your audience. Based on my experience in this game, he's got some very solid opinions there; worth reading.
• The other day John Rillie was dishing the dirt on his teammates (Homicide copped it for his driving) and now it appears not even his ex-teammates are safe as JR tells us that Greg Vanderjagt's hands are like feet. Well I hope he has toes that are capable of catching caroms off all of those Pero Cameron and Shane Heal three-pointers he's walked into at the Gold Coast.
• You may have read articles in the past about NBA ballers who rap/sing/howl. Well this one is the best one you will ever read. DJ Leon Smith, the former editor of my favourite all-time (now defunct) basketball newspaper in PBT, breaks down all of the NBA ballers of the past, complete with clips of their work. How many DJs do you know who are also NBA aficionados? Exactly.
• Some nice semi-old school Dallas Mavs jerseys here at Upside & Motor.
• Video of 1995 NBA bloopers from the Ethanator.
• Kobe has decided to get his hand operated on before the NBA season tips off. You always have to wonder how these things take so long to be spotted and acted on. Then again, Bryant was involved in a little tournament called the Olympics this Summer.
• Meanwhile, I've been trying to avoid talking about the fact that ANOTHER Portland Trail Blazer is undergoing surgery this off-season, as bone spurs are removed from Channing Frye's ankle. I mean, is that it? Can we relax now?
  
  
  
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Today's Warnings : 6 September, 2008

Pretty much everyone not named Ben Gordon has got a team to report to now and players are starting to filter into their practice facilities for the lead up to training camp. Here are Today's Warnings, from Brisbane to Boston:

• The bigger they are, the harder they fall. The current recessionary climate we're in has hit house prices everywhere. NBA stars with multi-million dollar houses are not immune to this either, with both AI and Sheed having to cut the asking prices on their former residences which are for sale in Philly and Oregon, respectively.
• The bad boys from Kansas, who apparently have never touched weed in their lives, were fined $20k and will still potentially face suspensions.
• The World Hoops Blog is celebrating and has created the inaugural All World (Hoops Blog) Team. I don't think JR is happy sitting on that bench behind Kobe. I'm pretty sure that he wouldn't mess with Lauren Jackson though - I know Lisa Leslie wouldn't.
• Brandon at Ballerblogger is questioning all of the Rudy Fernandez love and wonders if Nate McMillan is gushing a little too much about the wiry Spaniard. I think it was Henry Abbott that pointed out a week ago or so, that Nate Dogg had the same praise for Taurean Green at the start of his rookie season, the same rookie season that saw Green get splinters in his rear before getting traded, never having experienced much more than the D-League.
• Anniversary celebrations are going on like crazy everywhere. JR, On Fire is getting over the hangover from the first birthday celebrations at his blog... and he's got a lot of stuff for you to read, including an exclusive video interview with Homicide, street baller extraordinaire.
• Chicago Bulls fans, watch this space. I'll report tomorrow on the Great Britain v Czech Republic basketball match that I will be attending today at London's O2 Arena. The British fans will be thrilled to see Luol Deng in the Team GB colours.
• Hall of Fame inductee, Adrian Dantley. A quiet achiever and a helluva scorer.
• Kevin Johnson always seemed to be one of the genuine nice guys of the NBA and by most accounts was a very honest reliable guy. I remember reports that referees would look to KJ to decide which way to make a call sometimes when they were unsure. On that basis, I sincerely hope that these reports are false about wrongdoing at a camp he conducted.
  
  
  
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Phoenix Powered by the Sun : Solar Power at US Airways Center

The Phoenix Suns have seen the future of energy usage and it's solar. The Suns today announced a program to use solar panels to power the US Airways Center.

Professional sports teams are often seen as operating in a different stratosphere to the rest of us -- a world dominated by ridiculous amounts of money, with little regard for anything else outside of it. But every so often, the NBA shows that it cares.

Aid operations by players in New Orleans during and after the Hurricane Katrina crisis, Basketball Without Borders journeys and now the Suns switching to renewable energy through the use of solar power. Apparently the main push behind the project was the environmentally-conscious star of the Suns, Steve Nash.

"He is the ultimate green boy," Suns spokeswoman Jamie Morris said. Nash is reportedly also installing solar panels at his home.

The system is expected to be operational in 2009 and has the Suns very excited:

"We expect the solar technology to reduce the traditional power usage for a portion of the center's Casino Arizona Pavilion load by about 25 percent or the equivalent of 26 Suns home games each season," said Kerr. "This demonstrates our ongoing commitment to promote and implement environmentally friendly initiatives that have a positive impact on everyone who follows the Suns or visits US Airways Center."

And doesn't the Suns using the sun make for great headlines.

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Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad Boys, You Make Me Feel So Good...

The news last night that new NBA draftees Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur were sent home from the NBA's mandatory rookie program yesterday interested me a little. I can't say I was shocked, as nothing tends to shock when it comes to NBA players, or professional sports people in general, and their behaviour.

At that stage, the official word from the NBA was that the violations were unspecified.

“The players were sent home for violating program rules,” NBA spokesman Tim Frank said. “They will be appropriately sanctioned and will have to repeat the program next year.”

The fact that the NBA was not revealing anything could just be a privacy issue, couldn't it? However, where there is smoke there is fire... or in this case, there's smoke and there's marijuana it seems.

This news came out today from ESPN, stating that indeed there was more than just smoke at the rookie transition program. Arthur and Chalmers were "caught in their hotel room with marijuana and women, according to several sources."

If indeed this turns out to be true, this is yet another example of where NBA players distance themselves from the ordinary man or woman in society. That's not to say that many of us fan-faithful don't enjoy those very same vices that these young men are alleged of being involved in. Rather, the fact that makes the ordinary Joe in the street cringe is that these guys have been presented with the opportunity to earn millions in a job that they presumably love, yet they can't sacrifice a few pleasures of life in order to take that opportunity, whilst they are sitting right under Commissioner Stern's nose.

That is not the best sign to give a new employer regarding your commitment to a job you've been hired for. There must be some people in the head offices in Miami and Memphis really scratching their heads over their new recruits and how they will fit into the master plan now.

Henry Abbott at Truehoop wrote some great words yesterday on Monta Ellis' ankle injury, the potential that it was caused by something other than basketball and the fact that NBA players are people too. He noted that they still need to be able to engage in things like snowboarding without feeling that they have to hide it from their employer -- just as most of the rest of us would not have to hide a ski trip from our bosses. I agree with that sentiment to a large extent. However I think most fans draw the line at this sort of behaviour, which is clearly not-conducive to basketball and more so, is a slap in the face to the millionaire opportunities that these young men are being given for their basketball talent.

These sorts of situations must have David Stern clenching his fists, as they bring the NBA inches back toward the dark ages, largely associated with the "gangsta" period of the NBA when Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury entered the league with their tattoos and bravado. For what it's worth, Iverson proved to be great for the league, the jury is still out on Marbury, but all of that is beside the point.

The NBA will no doubt come down hard on both former-Jayhawks, suspending them for their first potential NBA games, if indeed they are proven guilty. It's the only thing that can be done to try and keep the NBA fan-friendly.

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Today's Warnings : 3 September, 2008

Things at ...a stern warning have been a little quiet lately. The aim here is not to flood you with content for the sake of it, but to write articles that have some meaning. Since there hasn't been any particularly striking issue in the last couple of days, there hasn't been any particularly striking prose either. That's not to say that there isn't a barrage of other great stuff going on around the net, so here are Today's Warnings:

• Grant Hill is doing great work to help stop the spread of MRSA, an infection that he himself has had to battle in the past.
• Today is Oklahoma City Thunder... or whatever... unveilling day.
• Yuta Tabuse, legend of NBA Summer League, has decided to play in Japan rather than follow the NBA fringes in the D League, this year.
• Sad news of another knife killing in London, United Kingdom. This has been a massive problem in the last few years. This time a boy, aged 14, by the name of Shaquille Smith was killed. I can't help but think that he was named after the Big Aristotle, Shaq Diesel, given his age and the popularity of the NBA star at that time. Here is hoping that the violence can be stopped and lives can be saved.
• This Friday, the Basketball Hall of Fame will enshrine seven new members: Adrian Dantley, William Davidson, Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, Pat Riley, Cathy Rush and Dick Vitale. David Friedman's always stellar analysis of the NBA gives us a great breakdown here of the history of the Dream Shake himself, Hakeem Olajuwon.
• As mentioned here previously, Give Me The Rock are churning out some Fantasy NBA wisdom. If you want to get yourself a free guide to the upcoming season, check them out here.
• Now there is a LeBron movie!
• Rudy Fernandez, finally, in Blazers red... (via the Oregonian Blazers Blog).
• Where are Amaré and the Suns going? Will they soon fall out of the playoffs? Without moves, and an aging roster, the obvious answer is yes.

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Today's Warnings : 1 September, 2008

A pinch and a punch for the first of the month. Is it already September?

• Word on the street is that Ebi Ere did a "CJ Bruton" and didn't leave the South Dragons for the NBA as he originally said, but instead will become a Melbourne Tiger very soon. Perhaps he got lost flying out of Melbourne Airport, went across town for a drink and was seduced by the beauty and majesty of Seamus McPeake? Time will tell how this all fits under the NBL's *cough* famously strict *cough* points cap. The Tigers certainly have a super team on their hands once again.
• World Hoops Blog is serving up the links once again, fresh and hot.
• There are a lot of athlete bloggers out there these days, as blogged about quite a bit by our friend JR recently. Gone are the days of the inarticulate sports star stereotype (well, they're not gone entirely -- don't worry). See if you can link each of these items of fabulous thought-provoking prose with its sports star writer.
• I don't know how really, well I do actually (it was due to Carolyn at And One blog I think), but I got to playing this Court Rivals basketball simulation game lately. It might be worth a try if you've got time you want to waste.
• Fantasy NBA season is fast approaching and Give Me The Rock has been doing plenty of analysis on what you should, shouldn't and did do in FNBA.
• The Ethanator just keeps coming at you with great vintage Michael Jordan videos -- he practically invented Michael Jordan. Sort of.
• TWolves Blog has one of the prettiest sites out there -- now they've even got pretty new uniforms to match in Minny. They've also got one on of my biggest man-crushes (in a purely basketball way) ever in Mike Miller on board. The site is worth a look.
• As a Blazers fan, I think I like this attitude from Travis Outlaw. He's not content to stay as the Blazers' 6th man and wants to work his way up to being a star. That's got to be a good thing for the team, with plenty of competition coming at Martell Webster and Rudy Fernandez. However I guess it means that surely within the next two-three seasons one of those guys will be shipped out.

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