The views and opinions of the guest columnists are not necessarily those of Gameovernyc.com, or its editors. Please address any comments to DrG@gameovernyc.com





Minnesota Timberwolves Need Three Balls


8/7/03
The game of basketball is played with one ball. In the case of the Timberwolves they need at least three. Garnett needs one, Cassell definetly needs one, and Wally and Latrell can share. I wonder how these guys are going to get along with the one ball to share among them. I think if they can get it together and play a team game they will be in the Finals next year. Remember you heard it hear first!


Notable Name


8/6/03
Steve Smith, who has been in the league for about 13 years, is again a free agent. Last year the Spurs paid him about 1 million. True, he hardly played, but he is still a starter in this league. He can play the 2 or 3, no problem. I think we will see him in the league this year. If not, don't feel bad for Steve, he left with a ring.


A Different Kind Of Story


8/5/03
During the summer months I take time out of my life and work with kids accross the country in different urban communities. This summer I am working with the Philadelphia Youth Network in North Philly, a stones throw from Temple Univ. The kids are considered "At Risk" but the ONLY thing they are "At Risk" of is having nobody care for them. They are in need of guidance from mature adults who care and are not just collecting a paycheck. So with that said, I just want to acknowledge the staff of the American Street Youth Opportunity Center for their work in their community. They are doing a great job servicing the youth and administering their programs. Now if we could have some athletes who have extra time on their hands get involved with these types of organizations they would have less inclination to get in trouble over the summer of off-season months.


Is It Just ME!



8/4/03
Is it just me or does anyone else think something is rotten in Colorado. The prosecutor in this case said he has enough to convict Kobe. Now all of this info about this girl is coming to light. It seems we are dealing with an unstable personality to say the least. Is she credible enough to have the fate of this young man hang in the balance based on her testimony. I think not.


It's Getting Better



8/4/03
Magic's show is getting better. After a slow start the show has grown on me a bit. It is starting to focus on some of the off court action. Those of us who know basketball can see the shortcomings as far as the on court action is concerned. I happen to have spent quite a bit of time around Oklahoma University Basketball teams the last ten years and I know Nick Wells. As a player at OU he could not get off the bench and saw very little playing time at OU. He is from Norman, OK hardly the street ball capital of the US. As a matter of fact, had he gone up to OKC and played they would have sent baby Vince right back to Norman crying. I would like to know the criteria used to pick the players.


Has Big Dog Turned Into A Big Puppy


7/27/03
Glenn Robinson has turned into the player whom nobody can get along with. We all remember the fanfare that surrounded his entry into the league and the success that he had his first few years, but what has happened since? How old is he, 30? Is he over the hill? No. I saw a game last season and he looked pretty good to me. The only thing I can see that would make him a liability is his attitude. Now I ask this: you take a player like Glenn and team him up with a player like Allen Iverson and you expect to make a cohesive unit? As a first year coach I would think Randy Ayers would have enough to think about.



Keith Van Horn To Be A Knick

07/26/03
I just hope the Knicks do not tout this guy as the great white hope. Any time the Knicks get a white player they tend to juice him up to be more then he can be. The one word you associate with Keith is fragile. In temperment as well as body. He can play thats for sure. But for how long and how hard, those are the questions.



Who Got Game?

7/26/03
I know I dogged Magic's Show so just to let you know I am fair minded I have watched every show and it still has not gotten any better.

Sorry To See You Go


7/25/03
Latrell is gone. This man over the last few years was the heart and soul of the Knicks. When you needed someone to go the basket with reckless abandon who did you call? When you needed a defensive stop, who did you call? When you needed someone to push his teammates or talk trash to the opponent? Who did you call? The question is now for all of those things, who do you call? Keith Van Horn? Allen Houston? Kurt Thomas? Who? I LOVE NEW YORK but like a women they make it hard sometimes.


Justice Or Just Us


7/22/03
There is no way that Kobe can get a fair trial in the part of Colorado that he was charged. Are there any Black people in Vail? Second, things are coming out left and right about this young girl. T hird, did you see Kobe crying on TV? I don't think the boy did it. Being young rich and black in America makes you a target plain and simple. If not by the police then by scandalous individuals. These young men must stop putting themselves in compromising situations that allow people with bad intentions the space to do them harm. The NBA should instigate some sort of policy or program to educate these young players. Now in Kobe's case he should have known better than to cheat on his wife ten minutes after talking to her. It is his fault for putting himself in this position. But lets keep it real; you got to know your ho!



College's Don't Pay Players Yeah Right!!!



7/18/03
Since when do colleges play by the rules. First, the rules are unfair. The NCAA is an autocratic body that serves no intrest that I can figure out. Who put them in charge anyway. How a player can be expected to survive on an NCAA Grant In Aid scholarship is beyond me. Basically you are expected to survive on your meal card. I guess all you are suppose to do is eat, go to class and play ball. Well I have news for you NCAA. Flash ---- players are getting paid under the table, boosters are giving money, cars, houses and other necessities to players who bring in millions of dollars in revenue to these institutions of higher pimping. If you think Chris Webber is the only one, think again. I bet half of the schools have a similar situation with their star players. And you know what the strange thing is? The fact that you can fix the situation simply by paying the players.

Lakers Load Up

7/15/03
Lets look at the latest moves by the Lakers. First Karl Malone; at forty he won't be around much longer but for the short time that he is, he will make a difference. The Lakers just got stronger, wiser and more offensively potent. With Malone and Shaq on the block!!! Now Gary Payton; I have always loved his game and his attitude. His addition gives the Lakers a true stopper and another player that truly loves the game and has a work ethic to match. The only thing I worry about is the trend that these sort of moves set. They have basically went out and bought themselves a team without regard for the salary cap. By going around the rules and making all sort of backdoor deals we will never know about it seems that they may have adopted a win at any cost mentality.

What's Up with The Gauchos?



7/14/03
Those of you from the NYC area are very familiar with this team, but when did they adopt such a win at any cost attitude? This past month the team was playing and was down 5 points with about two minutes left. The team was a little short handed as some players were playing in another tournament out of town. Two minutes before the game was over some of the other players showed up from the other game. The coach changed the whole five and promptly lost the game. As a player, I personally would quit and find another team. I find quiting a distasteful alternative but sometimes you are left no choice.



Lebron puts on a show!



7/11/03
The Man's debut was a success as far as the Summer League goes. He sure looked like the best player on the floor to me. 14 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists in 20 minutes against some veteran players. If he can stay away from drugs and scandalous women he may have a chance.



Say it ain't so Kobe.



7/10/03
Humor me for a minute and think back about 20 years to Magic's first couple of years with the Lakers. If you can remember Mike McGee, Norm Nixon and Magic were the Laker guards. They were also party buddies. Suddenly two of the three were traded. T he rumor was that they were having a bad influence on a young Magic. TOO many women and the hint of drug use. Let's not forget the times we are talking about. The whole Suns team was accused of drug use by their star Walter Davis. Back to the Lakers and Kobe. I'm not placing any blame on Magic, I'm just pointing out the similarities in both their lives in LA. And since Magic has been through this all I would think he would keep a close eye on what goes on with the Laker players, especially their most highly prized employee. I know as a businessman Magic knows the value of a clean cut Kobe Bryant. My overall point is this: Judging from the comments made on the show "Who's Got Game?" regarding sexual promiscuity and then having a Laker arrested on sex charges the very next day, I have to wonder what is the attitude on sex in these people's lives and where does Magic stand where all this is concerned.



Magic Fouls Out.


7/7/03
MAGIC's SHOW UPDATE
What type of message, if any, is Magic trying to send to the youth of America. One of the players during this week's show was explaining to the audience that he had slept with three different women since his arrival in NYC. I would think that since Magic's promiscuity is well documented and led to his HIV status that this is not an attitude that the show should glorify or promote. Now maybe I'm jumping the gun and a later show will show this young brother realizing that this is not the type of behavior to encourage to young people. By the way, the number one cause of death among Afro-Americans between the ages of 18-34 is what? AIDS.



Jordan gets no run.


7/3/03
Micheal Jordan Owner?
Over the last 15 years we have been blessed with the presence of MJ in the NBA and almost everywhere else you looked. The league prospered, the fans were entertained and the Bulls made history. Now the Wizards, after selling out almost every game the last two years, have kicked MJ to the curb. Also last week the Bucks dissed MJ by telling him his money was no good in Milwaukee. Even though MJ has all the money in the world he can't seem to buy an NBA franchise. What's the deal here? I don't know all the stipulations required to purchase an NBA team but you can bet your bottom dollar if it were just money, Mike would have been an owner three years ago. Mike went to Washington with the idea that he would become part owner when he finished playing. The agreement was to play, put some people in the stands, money in the coffers and be rewarded with ownership. He was double crossed by Abe Pollin and crew. My question is this: How come the main stream media has not commented on this issue? Just a thought!!

DRAFT REPORT

6/28/03
It took some time but I am finally ready to talk about the draft. Let me break it down to the best and worst lists.
Best Comment: Jay Bilas on Oregon's Luke Ridnour, saying "He can't guard the chair I'm sitting in." That was cold. But Ridnour came back strong saying he could eaisly hold the chair to under twenty if he had a big man behind him.
Worst Result: Luke Walton going to the Lakers. Now we all remember how one sided Bill Walton's comments were during the playoffs when he did the Laker games. Think about what those games will be about now if Luke makes the team.
Best pick: Maciej Lampe, Knicks. Now hear me out on this, and think hard about what I'm going to say. Other teams ran away from him like a
crackhead runs away from TNT when they hit the block, because there might be issues with his contract, not because he can't play. Now let's remember the guy is only 18 years old. Even if he can't come for three years he will still only be 21. He is big and the kid can shoot. By the way who did the Knicks draft last year?
Best Rumor: T.J.Ford, Milwaukee. What's up here? Now we all will be watching the Bucks because of Micheal Jordan. But are we suppose to believe that the Bucks are going to play Micheal Redd, Sam Cassell, Gary Payton and T.J Ford in the same backourt? I smell big trade and big changes in Mil. when Mr Jordan comes to town.
Worst Pick: Mike Sweetney, Knicks. I love NY, grew up in the Bronx. Get this, you have four undersized power foreards on your roster already, none of whom you can trade, you say because of their contracts . . . and you draft ANOTHER ONE? Someone explain the thinking to me. Is Mike any different than Lee Nailon, Clarence Witherspoon, Kurt Thomas, or Othella Harrington? I don't think so. And what are they going to do when McDyess gets to humpin out the gym again? I love NY!

LEBRON $ LEBRON $ LEBRON $

6/26/03
Let's talk a little about Lebron James. First, I have this to say. The United States is a capitalist institution built on the backs of slaves, people of Asian descent, and immigrants from all over Europe. That said how many parents in this country would deny or critize their chid and tell him not to take a contract for 90 MILLION DOLLARS! I know I wouldn't. And neither would any of you who are reading this column! If Lebron was bad enough to get paid before he scored one NBA basket more power to him. Nike has been selling shoes since I was in High school. The white with the black Nike swoosh was the only stlye they had. I had a pair of Nike for the game (30 dollars) and a pair of Tom McAnn jox (15 dollars) for practice. Don't laugh, I averaged 30 points and 15 rebounds my senior year. But back to the point. Nike can afford to pay therefore I'm glad a brother is getting it. And I think it is great that a young kid is the one to benefit. Young kids are the ones who made Nike what it is. But one thing, Lebron is in for some trouble cause the NBA is no joke and he is young and the players will have a point to prove to him personally when the league starts. I however wish him all the best. He seems like a decent kid and probably deserves what he has gotten.


6\25\03
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to the Doc "G" underground sports report. I will be bringing you the news that the news thought unfit to print, and we all know that's a hell of a lot. We will be bringing you the news with the hard core commentary that you can only get from someone who has experienced battles on the blacktop and the hardwood for over thirty years. From the Garden to the Battleground on Amsterdam, from the Rucker to Mt. Vernon. I will provide insight, commentary and just plain fact. So get ready, here's this weeks comments:


MAGIC JOHNSON's new show

I watch very little MTV. I prefer BET, but I do watch Puffy's, excuse me, P DIDDY's show Making Of THE BAND. I find it very entertaining. Now, let me give Magic his. We all know who he is and all he has accomplished. However the one thing Magic has not been able to master is TELEVISION. We all remember his show and now Who Got Game. Hey, I'm glad someone will win 100k but damn, WHAT IS THE SHOW ABOUT! I was glad to see the cameras in Harlem but damn . . . WHAT'S THE SHOW ABOUT! Maybe it will get better next week.

New Coach for The Sixers
Nothing against Randy Ayers but when he was at Ohio State, did he win? The most famous players in the last twenty years for OSU were who? Jimmy Jackson and Tony Campell. Why is that there never is any mention of the only player ever to win an NCAA, CBA, and NBA championship, and a former player of the Sixers, as their coach. That man, HENRY BIBBY, is currently head coach at USC. Just a thought. Any questions, ask Steve Burtt about Bibby's coaching ability. I watched Steve night after night when he played for Bibby in Oklahoma City (CBA) give cats 40 and 50. See you next week.The views and opinions of the guest columnists are not necessarily those of Gameovernyc.com, or its editors. Please address any comments to DrG@gameovernyc.comThe views and opinions of the guest columnists are not necessarily those of Gameovernyc.com, or its editors. Please address any comments to DrG@gameovernyc.com