April 2, 2020
OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO ONE AND ALL AS WE TRY TO MAKE OUR WAY SAFELY THROUGH THE PANDEMIC
PLEASE SUPPORT AREA BUSINESSES PLEASE
I ask you to strongly consider supporting local businesses as much as you can. Stay safe. Be careful. Follow all of the precautions that have been mentioned. But, there are a lot of businesses that are the backbone of our communities that could really use you as a customer in these challenging times. Purchasing gift cards at these restaurants would also be a wonderful idea. Here is the status of our restaurant sponsors in the Denham Springs Community:
Buddy’s Bar B Q
Drive-Thru
Duke’s Seafood & Steakhouse
To Go
Maria’s Mexican Restaurant
To Go
Curbside
WAITR
Please try to patronize these outstanding businesses and shop locally when you can. THANK YOU
A NEW COLUMNIST WHO WILL WORK FOR FREE!
This newsletter marks the return of FINE IDEAS, a column that I’ve written in year’s past, but has been dormant for awhile. The scope of the column will be a tad different than prior efforts.—We will use this column as a vehicle to promote our EBay store, ArrestedDevelopmentMediaGuides, as customers of the store will receive this column
See FINE IDEAS below, following THE WIZARDRY OF OS and HEY REF.
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THE WIZARDRY OF OS
I had a friend text me last night with a question from the LSU Basketball twitter account. Who would be your All-LSU starting five?
If you know anything about me (not that you would), I take these types of questions too seriously. As a stalling mechanism, I asked if we are trying to win a game or just name the five best players. My friend asked if there was a difference. So I was able to explain that the best five wouldn’t necessarily fill all the roles needed to be effective. My stalling had worked.
Eventually the response came. “Oh for Pete’s sake- win a game I guess.” A perfect phrase, considering one of the five would certainly be Pete Maravich. I had my answer by then. For the purpose of winning a game, I want Shaq at center, Rudy Macklin at power forward, Pete Maravich at small forward, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf at shooting guard, and a healthy Randy Livingston at the point.
I know I cheated a bit, but it's all made up anyway. Randy Livingston graduated high school a year ahead of me and was a legend in New Orleans. I was extremely excited when he signed with LSU for obvious reasons. One of those reasons was that, at that time, almost all of the top players from New Orleans would go to anywhere but LSU, usually Georgetown. Randy was the best of all of them and he chose LSU.
Then he tore his ACL the summer before his freshman year at a time where an ACL injury took a year to recover from and the prospect of returning to 100% was not guaranteed. Randy did not return to 100%, but he played the first 16 games of the 1994-95 season and every game was a joy to watch for me whose basketball idol was Magic Johnson because of his passing.
The current era of basketball is highlighted by amazing ball handling and three point shooting. At that time, Magic, Bird, Stockton, and others were throwing no look passes all over the court setting up easy baskets. Jason Kidd and Randy Livingston were the next generation of players who would set up their teammates with their brilliant court vision and understanding of the game. They saw the game before it happened. They had eyes in the back of their head.
I don’t remember all the details of that 1995-95 season, my freshman year at LSU. I remember the George Mason game for sure. George Mason was Loyola Marymount light, meaning they played at a very fast pace. LSU scored 127 points on 38 assists and Randy had 18 assists that night. Coach Brown scheduled a number of high profile games during that time period, and that team didn’t have the firepower to hang with UCLA and Oklahoma State. I also seem to recall that since Randy wasn’t really 100%, he didn’t play in every game.
Still, LSU was 10-6 overall when Randy tore his ACL again at Arkansas. My heart and the heart of every other Tigers sank as soon as he went down. We just knew. The Tigers finished 12-15 that year.
But, Randy averaged 9.4 assists a game that year which is still the season record at LSU. To put that in greater perspective, Trae Young led the country in assists in 2017-18 with 8.7 per game. The next year it was Ja Morant with 10 per game, and this year the leaders (whose names you won’t know) averaged 8 per game. For the 1994-95 season, Nelson Haggerty averaged 10.2 assists per game. In the years since, the nation's leader in assists has been over 9.4 per game only three times.
At this point, I should also acknowledge Avery Johnson who played at Southern. In 1986-87, he averaged 10.7 assists which is great, but nothing compared to the next year when he averaged 13.3 assists per game! Maybe I will go deeper into these numbers in the future, but for now, I will simply point out that there were a number of teams who played with the pedal to the metal.
As it turned out, it was a fun question to think about last night. I also went on to give my top five regardless of position, top 5 overachievers, and top 5 leapers. I will keep those in my back pocket since the current sports situation is going to be frozen for a while.
HEY REF
As our nation watches in horror at how the Corona pandemic is ravaging our planet with skyrocketing sickness and death you wish something would put a smile on your face. Well, I’m no comedian and probably the worst joke teller in the world but I do remember a joke from long ago that might put a little bit of a smile on your face. I haven’t heard or told this joke in a very long time and there’s a good reason why. Here goes, let me take you back to the days when LSU baseball coach Skip Bertman was taking his Tigers on what seemed a yearly trip to Omaha. Standing in line to buy game souvenirs were some fans from Baton Rouge and Florida. (You can fill in that spot with your favorite or should I say your least favorite team).
When it came time to pay for their selections the Tiger faithful pulled out their checkbooks and paid for their purchases then went to their seats. But when the Gator fans tried to pay with a check they were told “NO CHECKS ACCEPTED”. One Florida fan got upset and pointed out that those fans from Baton Rouge had just paid with a check and wanted to know “WHY” he couldn’t. The worker looked at them and said “Well, that easy. You see they’ll be back next year”! Or so the joke goes… I can see you smiling!
Well, since I’m dwelling on past events I want to share with you a column I wrote back in May 2012. It dealt with the fact that many present day and former players had lodged a lawsuit against the NFL. In the suit many of those players were blaming the league and its owners for failing to educate them on the dangers of continued blows to the head they suffered in the course of their employment in the NFL. We all know how the suit was settled but as I did then and as I do now, the players had to know the dangers if they used common sense, etc. So I hope you enjoy what I wrote some eight years ago because I still feel today as I did back then.
Here’s a “BEST OF HEY REF”…
ENJOY!!
If you’ve been paying attention and you should’ve been, this writer attempts to challenge your brain and see just where all this fits in the greater scheme of our lives. And again this week two things have put a special feeling where the sun don’t shine! First off I’d like to revisit one such case from a few weeks back.
After I read the list of former NFL players getting into an ever expanding group suing the league over so called negligence informing players of the danger of concussions, etc. I about threw up. These aren’t just of bunch of weak minded individuals; rather they all are college educated men that should’ve also been able to use a God given talent called “COMMON SENSE”!!
Presently there are more than 1,000 former entertainers claiming the “League failed to protect NFL players from brain injuries linked to football-related concussions”. The suit continues; “the NFL didn’t do enough to inform players about the dangers of concussions in the past and not enough is being done now to take care of them”.
Would someone please sit me down and explain why this just doesn’t compute in the REAL world? In today’s “we’ll sue, we’ll sue, we’ll sue… ” for just about anything I shouldn’t be surprised and I’m not. Really, I’m not surprised some greedy, money hungry sorry excuse for a human being is trying to cash in because they see an easy target that can afford to lose a few million.
But for the life of me why would a supposedly intelligent individual want to add their name onto this list? It brings back a few lines from the movie “The King’s Speech”. While the Duke of York was trying to tell his perspective new doctor what the Royal doctors said about cigarette smoking and how this new physician emphatically disagreed with their diagnosis he pointed out that they’ve all been knighted, the new doc replied that their ignorance was “official”.
So, that’s how I felt when I read that my hero from many days gone by; Bob Lilly, signed on as a plaintiff. In my very short football career of Jr. High and some high school I figured out from the very beginning that ramming my head into either the ground or another player wasn’t good for my neck, spine and/or life. I do have a four year degree as a master electrician and attended LSU for four weeks but no real college education.
So when I see this list and the names on it I wonder what these guys did for the three or four years they were attending classes. Just put this whole thing in a trash bag because that’s where this adventure belongs. As a nation and people our courts should be used to help those that have been wronged. If you were looking for an example of a frivolous lawsuit, this is your lucky day! I’ve wasted enough time, energy, ink and space so I’ll end this so you can contemplate why our legal system moves at a snail’s pace.
Congrats to former Tiger great; Charles Alexander. It was released today that he’ll be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. In my opinion it’s come too many years late to be enshrined for such a great player and man. He played the game just before all the money tarnished the reputations of so many players, coaches and former volleyball players. Sorry HOGS, I do call ‘em as I see ‘em.
The way I want to end this week’s discussion is the way I’ll begin next week’s. Once again the Tiger baseball team is positioning itself for a run that I hope ends with an LSU victory in the last game in Omaha. Yes, it’s getting close to a title chase we’ve come to expect every year. And this could be a bad thing.
I hate over confidence. Never should a team go into any game without respecting its opposition. Also, baseball is a team sport like so many and each player must be able to do it all. I bring this up because I don’t condone the so-called “Raph Rhymes Watch” boldly printed after each Tiger game.
His.476 average is absolutely unheard of in today’s game no matter the level. But the increased attention WILL NOT BODE WELL FOR THE TEAM! Put it off till the end of the season so that all of our attentions will be toward wining as a team and not like a traveling circus. OK, I’ll get all kinds of hate mail but I’m a big boy so bring it on. We win as a team but lose as 9 individuals on the diamond.
Till next week… …
FINE IDEAS By Jon Fine
If the world was right, we’d be in the midst of March Madness, with the Final 4 coming up Saturday and One Shining Moment on Monday Night. Following are shining moments from three past NCAA Tournaments whose impact transcended the sports world. In a metaphorical sense, their star still shines today!..........................................
We're not sure if George Washington University Athletic Director Bob Faris ever sang "I Got You Babe". But, if he did, it was only for one season. Sonny & Cher came out with this huge hit in 1965. George Washington hired Babe McCarthy for the 1966-67 season and it was not a huge hit. The Colonials went 6-18. McCarthy had encountered a lot more success at Mississippi State, where he went 169-85 over 10 years (1955-56 to 1964-65). McCarthy made a huge Civil Rights impact in 1963, when he snuck his MSU Basketball out of Starkville to play Loyola-Illinois (and its 4 Black starters) in a first round NCAA game, defying the edict of MSU's President and an injunction procured by two state senators. Mississippi State lost to Loyola-Illinois 61-51, but society won that night. McCarthy later coached in the ABA for 7 seasons (1967-68 –1973-74) and was a 2 time ABA Coach of the Year.
You likely have heard of Don Haskins' 1965-66 Texas Western (now UTEP) Miners Basketball team. Their story was told to the country in the book and movie, both named Glory Road. The Miners were national champions. They did this by starting 5 Black players and defeated a Kentucky team whose starting 5 was all White. This was the first time, ever, that an all African-American starting 5 team won the national championship. The Miners only loss in this season came to Seattle, 74-72, in their regular season finale. They were 3 points from being undefeated!
The Miners season brings back memories of one of my favorite college basketball announcers, Al McGuire. As colorful and kooky as they come, McGuire often expressed his opinion that when a team is undefeated late in the season, it is advisable to lose a game before the NCAA Tournament. That way, the kids will pay more attention in practice to their coach, realize they are not invincible and the team will have a better chance of going undefeated when it really matters—in the Big Dance. Texas Western followed this formula for success in 1965-66.
I’m not sure how McGuire derived this paradoxical point of view, but I’d guess that his theory emanates from his 1970-71 Marquette Warriors team, which was undefeated, before falling to Ohio State, 70-69, in the NCAA Tournament Final 4.
A poignant basketball/life story emerged during the 1989-90 post season. Superstar player Hank Gathers of Loyola Marymount died on the floor during a WCC Tournament game against Portland in 1990. Gathers had led the nation in scoring and rebounding—at present, one of only 3 players to do this in NCAA History. After the rest of the WCC Tournament was cancelled, Paul Westhead's LMU team made a remarkable run in the NCAA Tournament, becoming a sentimental favorite for fans throughout the world. The Lions defeated New Mexico State 111-92, Michigan 149-115, and Alabama 62-60 in the Sweet 16, before falling to eventual national champion UNLV 131-101 in the Elite 8. Perhaps the most memorable moments of this tournament were Bo Kimble, a pal of Gathers going back to their days as kids in Philadelphia, paying tribute to his fallen teammate and best friend, by shooting his first free throw left handed in every tournament game he went to the line. Gathers had been a southpaw.
What is often forgotten in this saga is that Gathers and Kimble had a brief stop in between their journey from Dobbins Technical HS in North Philadelphia to Loyola Marymount. The 1985-86 USC Basketball team went 11-17, finishing last in the Pac 10 (when it had 10 members) with a conference record of 5-13
USC featured a pair of Freshmen named Hank Gathers (known as Eric then) and Bo Kimble (make that Greg back then)… Kimble averaged 12 ppg, with Gathers averaging 8 ppg. They both left after one season and transferred to Loyola Marymount.
Westhead’s journey through college basketball and the NBA to Loyola Marymount in the 1980’s played a significant role in shaping Basketball history. In 1979, Westhead left LaSalle to become an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers under Jack McKinney, whom Westhead had previously been an assistant to at St Joseph’s—a Philadelphia Big 5 school like LaSalle. Early in the 1979-80 season McKinney got into a bad accident while bicycling and almost died. Westhead took over the Lakers and led Magic and Kareem to the 1979-80 NBA Championship. McKinney never got his job back. But, Westhead lasted only one more full season (1980-81) and a handful of games in 1981-82. Owner Jerry Buss (or was it Magic?) fired him. The reason given was that the Lakers were too structured, as a half-court team, and needed to play 94 feet! How ironic given the breakneck style he coached at LaSalle and an even accelerated version with which his teams would play at Loyola Marymount!! Assistant coach Pat Riley (one of the Kentucky starters in 1966) took over. Showtime was installed. And the rest is history. Westhead became head coach of the Chicago Bulls for one season (1982-83). He came to Loyola Marymount in 1985-86, where his teams played at an unprecedented fast pace. it was not unusual to see LMU and opponents score in the 100s.
On sale at ArrestedDevelopmentMediaGuides: 1965-66 George Washington Colonials Basketball Media Guide, with Babe McCarthy on the front cover…
The 1985-86 USC Trojans Basketball Media Guide featuring Eric (Hank) Gathers and Greg (Bo) Kimble… On auction is the 1965-66 Texas Western Miners Basketball Media Guide and the 1989-90 Loyola Marymount Lions Basketball Media Guide, with Hank Gathers on the front cover. Visit JonFineProductions.com, click on the ArrestedDevelopmentMediaGuide icon, search for any publication you might be interested in, and you’re good to go!
Although I understand the Governors of Texas and Florida restricting the visits of Louisiana residents to their states, a part of me says this is just their being sore sports for the whipping LSU put on UT and UF in football. There will be more credence to this theory when Alabama, Georgia and Oklahoma follow suit. I don’t think that Ohio will take any action prohibiting Louisiana citizens from entering their state. Yet, there is conjecture that Ohio will wage an opposite sort of vindictiveness. Look for Ohio to outlaw their citizens from travelling to Louisiana… and if they get their way, they’ll make this retroactive to 2018. This will be called the Joe Burrow Proclamation.
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