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Hank Gathers

20 years ago today, Hank Gathers took his last dunk, his last shot, and collapsed on the court against Portland.  There have been many articles written about Hank, and even a movie.  I was only 10 years old at the time, and it didn’t quite sit in what had happened.  Why such a great athlete in great shape passed out and died right there on the court.  One of the most memorable scenes for me was when LMU made the NCAA tournament and Bo Kimble, with a heavy heart, shot every one of his first free throws left handed as tribute.  To this day that image sticks with me.

NCAA Tournament- Long Beach, CA. Bo Kimble in action, shooting a free throw with his left hand in honor of Hank Gathers, 3/16/90.

Hank’s death gives us one of the ultimate “what if’s”.  Think for a second the ramifications of his passing and let’s play “what if Hank did not die”:

• Would the LMU vs UNLV game be one of the most exciting, highest scoring games ever?!
• Would LMU win the NCAA tournament, knock off eventual Champ UNLV and then take care of Duke? (or would Duke win and carry a dynasty forward with 3 straight wins -they already won in ’91 and ’92)
• Does Hank go first overall and change the destiny of the NJ Nets? (no more Derrick Coleman)
• Was Hank a product of Westhead’s “System”, or was he really that dominant?  Personally I think he was that dominant.  In ’88-’89 he averaged 32.7 pts and 13.7 rebs a game, leading the nation.  In 1990 before he passed away he put up 48pts and 13rebs against LSU’s Shaquille O’Neal.
• Does Len Bias and then Hank Gather’s death (only 4 years apart) change the NBA landscape? Does Jordan win all those rings?  Do we have 2 torches to carry us through the 90′s to the Kobe, LBJ, Wade era?

I did not know Hank Gathers, but from all accounts he sounded like a great kid.  Anytime someone is taken away from us too early it is tragic.  For anyone under the age of 25 that probably doesn’t remember, this is a good article to read and realize how special Hank really was and how the game of basketball lost a great, special player.

My rationale for Duke’s success over the past 15 years comes down to one simple formula.  great coaching + 3-point baskets + good players.  Well, no duh you say.  But lets take a look at this formula a bit deeper so we can see the real genius behind this strategy for building a successful basketball program.

Great Coaching - this is the consistent through out a really good program, great coaching.  Players come and go, but a trusted system with emphasis on help-side defense and the 3 point shot stays the same.  All the haters in the world can argue as much as they want, but the fact remains, Coach K is a very, very good coach.

3point baskets - Now this is another no brainer, but combined with the last part of the equation, it becomes magnified a bit more.  Duke relies heavily on the 3 point shot.  Since 2002, Duke has averaged just over 20 3point shots per game (20.26).  Wow, that is a lot of shots, about 1 per 2 minutes.  The inception of a standardized 3point line in 1986 has changed the game of college basketball completely.  Gone are the days of dominant post play, and emphasis on getting to the paint to score.  A team can shoot from outside and get more points than a team that drives to the hoop.  Duke will happily trade 3 point baskets for 2 point baskets during a game.  The 3 point shot will allow a hot team to stay in games where they are physically and athletically out matched.

Good players - What do i mean by good players? I mean talented basketball players who know how to play, and hustle.  I don’t mean “great” players.  Think about it for a bit.  Coach K recruits all of these good basketball players, why? Because a good player, will stick around school for 4 years, while a great player in this day and age will stay maybe 2 years tops.  Being able to have a team that grows and the turnover is only every 4 years is a huge advantage over a team that is constantly changing their players.  Communication on defense, knowing how your teammates play, knowing all of the offensive plays and how a defense reacts to those plays, trusting your teammates.  Those are all huge things that can only be built over time.

So, the next time you watch a college basketball game and see a not-as-talented Duke team beating an over-hyped , athletically gifted team, don’t immediately assume it is because the officials were hypnotized by Dick Vitale.  Maybe, just maybe, it is because they play as a team, one who may not be able to take you one-on-one every time down the floor, but a team that will score 3 points to your 2, and will slide over to take help-side charges.

Meet Jim Boeheim, winner of the 2003 National Championship.

Meet Paul Harris. Boeheim once called him the best freshman that he recruited since Carmelo Anthony. (Thanks for that Jim, since Paul started all of three years after Melo).

Paul Harris didn’t declare for the NBA Draft but someone declared for him. Syracuse University issued a press release stating that Harris declared for the Draft. Concerning his entrance of the NBA Draft, Harris told the Post Standard “I didn’t know a thing about it, I didn’t do that. I don’t have a clue who actually did it.”

Boeheim just watched his best chance at a title since Melo enter the draft

Boeheim’s response was that he had not talked to Paul Harris in two weeks and that “he told me that the week before the Oklahoma game.” Way to check your facts before throwing unconfirmed speculation out in the public domain Coach.

These are the facts: The Syracuse University Coach (who is in the Hall of Fame) decided that he would declare on behalf of Paul Harris that Paul Harris had entered the Draft. Paul Harris had not actually planned to enter the Draft. Boeheim didn’t bother asking Paul Harris whether he intended to enter the Draft. Boeheim decided that it would be more prudent to just go ahead and enter Paul’s name without speaking to Harris for two weeks. Boeheim’s excuse—Paul didn’t return my calls.

Perhaps Harris didn’t return those calls because he was justifiably despondent. After all, Coach Boeheim wouldn’t play him even though he is a superior rebounder, defender, and athlete. Nonetheless, a failure to return a phone call doesn’t sound like an invitation to send out a press release that one of your players has declared for the Draft.

It’s time someone called out Boeheim on this. This is a Coach pushing his own agenda; an agenda that doesn’t include Paul Harris. Jim Boeheim should be ashamed of himself. The Basketball Hall of Fame should give Boeheim his plaque back. Don’t tell me that the NCAA is where caring happens.

Where do you find ties this long?

Just when we thought we’d heard the last out of Isiah Thomas. He’s back. Now as the head coach of the Florida International men’s basketball team. In charge of teaching young men how to be better basketball players, and better citizens of the world. Perfect.

As a gesture of goodwill, he’s voiced his intent to donate his first year salary back to the athletic department at Florida International. The terms of his contract have not been released, but I’m sure he’ll really miss whatever they’re paying him. John Calipari had just become the highest-paid coach in college basketball with his 8-year, $31.65 million deal, paying out around $4 million a year. And no sooner did Isiah swoop in and take the crown. Even without his FIU salary, Thomas still has two years left on his contract with the Knicks and is slated to pull in about $12 million in that time span. Amounting to $6 million a year.

Laughing all the way to the bank

So what is FIU getting out of their highest-paid coach in college basketball? A man that has lost a sexual harassment suit and allegedly blamed his daughter when he was taken to the hospital after overdosing on sleeping pills. He ran the Knicks into the ground and made them arguably the worst team in the history of sports because of their bloated payroll and miniscule win total. All while he was the General Manager, and at times the head coach as well. During his five years as an NBA head coach (three in Indiana that Pacers fans are still trying to forget) he amassed a 187 and 223 record, winning 45.6% of his games.

And when posed with the question, “Will you go on the record as saying that the overdose [on sleeping pills that you admitted to earlier] was not a suicide attempt?” Instead of a simple yes or no, he responds with a cryptic, “I love living… I don’t know what else I can say.” Let me answer that. How about “Yes, I will go on the record. It was not a suicide attempt.” Or “No, I tried to kill myself and but it didn’t work. I’ve sought counseling and I very much want to live now.” Is it that hard to pick one of those?

How many games till FIU students will be holding up signs like this?

Of the hiring, FIU’s president said “This is bigger than basketball and bigger than athletics.” Yes, hiring a womanizer to run a group of young men usually is. He went on to say, “Having a nationally recognized coach like Isiah at FIU will have a positive impact on our university as a whole, helping us achieve additional national exposure.” Well if all you’re looking for is a nationally recognized coach like Isiah and expect that to have a positive impact on your university, why didn’t you just hire Dave Bliss. Or how about Jim Harrick, I don’t think he’s busy. Maybe Kelvin Sampson, he’s pretty well known.

And if it couldn’t get any better, it’s been reported that Tim Hardaway, yes, that Tim Hardaway, is being considered for an assistant coaching position. Other candidates for the staff include Shawn Kemp, Lonny Baxter, Don Imus and Tim Donaghey.

Don’t get me wrong, removing Billy Packer was a welcome change, and long overdue. But replacing one bad announcer with another isn’t really a change. It was really just an ACC shift. I’ve never heard any announcer openly root for any team than Billy Packer for Duke. Until maybe I heard Clark Kellogg root for UNC while doing the championship game.

In case there is anyone out there besides Clark “Kelly” Kellogg and Jim “Nancy” Nance, that don’t think they should be replaced, I decided to collect a few of Kelly’s rambling buffoonery during this year’s contest. Cause we all know, the game wasn’t that entertaining to begin with.

Michigan State is on it’s heels just a bit here.

How does one find themselves on their heels just a bit. I’ve seen teams were knocked on their heels, and teams that weren’t, but never on their heels just a bit.

They are the epitome of the spurtability team.

Excuse me? Did you just say what I thought you said? Please Nancy, don’t ask him what he means, please don’t do it. Noooooo, you asked.

Other than Lawson, the Michigan State guards are smaller than Fraser and Ellington.

And other than the words that come out of your mouth, you’re a great announcer Kelly. And other than Tyler Hansbrough UNC doesn’t have any Player of the Year recipients on their roster. Come on Clark, Step it up.

He went for a lower body root canal and got called for a foul.

There are some things that just should never be said in our day-to-day lives or on TV. This is one of them. I don’t know where to start with this one.

The overall size of UNC has just been too much for Michigan State, inside and on the perimeter.

They’re clicking on all cylinders thus far tonight.

I don’t know about Kelly and Nancy, but if I hear my cylinders clicking, I’m pulling over, getting out of the car and waiting for a tow truck before the thing explodes.

You can’t spurt-proof North Carolina if you don’t make open shots.

Well at least you didn’t say “spurtability” again.

No Clark Kellogg at halftime so my rage has shifted to the ridiculous Microsoft/HP commercial.

I don’t want to pay for the brand, I want to pay for the computing power.

Right, because HP isn’t a brand, and neither is Microsoft or Windows. And they don’t charge you for those brands either.

Michigan State needs to approach this game in 4-minute chunks. Plus 2, Plus 4, anything positive will do.

I’m no mathematician Clark, but if they’re down 21 points at half-time. They’re going to need more than Plus 2, Plus 4 during five, four-minute chunks. That only adds up to 20 points. Of course anything positive will do, if they’re not trying to win the game.

Side note, is the song “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-a-Lot really appropriate to use when pushing a Burger King kids meal? Regardless, the cast of coaches in the Rock Band commercial just made up for all of the other shitty commercials.

He got a lot of arm, but he also got some arm as well.

Just when I thought Clark Kellogg might have been all idioted-out for the night, he came up with this gem. Thanks Clark, for ruining another NCAA Championship game. It wasn’t much of a contest, but at least a decent announcing crew could’ve made the second half watchable.

It was nice to see Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison repping UNC well, taking a break from their respective teams to attend the championship games since the playoffs aren’t an option for either of them. I wondered where Marvin Williams was, oh right, playing for a team that wins games.

Final Tallies:

Cousey Award Mentions (Man Kelly and Nancy really love UNC) – 3
Cries of dismay at calls that went against UNC – 4
Mentions of spurtability – 3
Times Danny Green’s mouth closed – 1 (probably none but you gotta pity the poor guy)

Blue Chips 2, feature John Calipari

The “Blue Chips” award to John Calipari, for going to Kentucky.  How does a coach get really good young recruits to go to schools like UMass and Memphis?  I have no idea, but Calapari has a knack for it.  I am not accusing John of any illegal recruiting violations or shawdy academic records (although i did hear a funny rumor that Joey Dorsey is illiterate, not that illiteracy is comical, but the fact someone can graduate college not being able to read).  What i am saying is that i foresee some troubles down in bluegrass country as this school has a lot higher visibility than Memphis or UMass.

The “Poster” award goes to Durrell Summers from Michgan St.  The majority of the time Stanley Roberts will posterize other players, and on certain occasions, whole teams (like he did later in the game against the Spartans).  Unfortunately for him, when you contest as many shots as he does, you are bound to get dunked on.

The “Gunner” award to A.J. Price.  Price should never shoot the ball 20 times in a pickup game, never mind in the Final Four.  If he spent half as much time in the gym practicing shooting, as he did in the dorms handling laptops, maybe the Huskies would have won the game.

The “BCS Bowl game” award to the lax officiating in the UConn Michigan St game.  Apparently the game plan for the 3 officials was “no blood no foul”, unless of course on a charge.  I think the Spartans played very hard, hustled more, and just plain wanted the ball more than the Huskies.  I like Tom Izzo, he is a very good coach, however, i particularly do not care for his, as Rodney Griffen says, football on the hardwood game planning.

The “Bro” award to Draymond Green of Michigan St.  Someone needs to get this kid a training bra.  I haven’t seen manboobs

One of the Most exciting teams in NCAA history

like that since Phil Mickelson jogged at Augusta. I wonder if Green has to use the woman’s locker room to shower.

The “UNLV NCAA Title game” award goes to the Tar Heels beating bejesus out of the Spartans.  This was like UNLVhanding Duke a103-73 loss in 1990.  With the exception being, that game was inifinitely more entertaining.  From the high flying dunks, to the aerobatic blocked shots, the Runnin’ Rebs were playing like they were paid to win.

I couldn’t believe that Louisville and UConn were number one seeds. And I was shocked that Memphis and Duke were number two seeds. But then the question remained, if not those teams, then who? And I had no answer.
Well after watching a tournament with very few upsets, and very little excitement, we finally got some great games last weekend with the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games. This weekend couldn’t be further from that. After watching 3/4 of the worst Final Four I’m aware of, I finally have my answer. Undoubtedly, this is the weakest NCAA Tournament field I’ve ever seen.

But after next weekend’s UNC (there’s another half to play but they’re completely outplaying Villanova at this point) at Michigan State (yeah, it’s a home game) final, this abysmal tournament will be over, and us basketball fans can get ready for the NBA Playoffs, Where Amazing Happens. I just hope One Shining Moment isn’t such a bust. Luther Vandross deserves better.

To think, we could’ve had Lousville, Missouri, Pitt and Oklahoma. That would’ve easily been one of the most exciting Final Fours in recent history. And imagine the scoring and SportCenter Top 10 plays that would’ve come out of a Missouri vs. Oklahoma final, if the two had been able to each pull off another upset. Instead we’ve been gifted another 40 minutes of football on the hardwood starring Michigan St. and Psyco-T.

At least one thing can salvage my night. Caddyshack, featuring classic Bill Murray and Chevy Chase stealing the show, just came on Bravo. To quote Chevy, to the NCAA I say, “Thank you very little.” Or was that Fletch.

And remember, a flute with no holes is not a flute. And a donut with no holes is a danish. What’s an NCAA tournament without great teams? It may just be 2009.

3. Wake Forest.  I know they screwed the pooch in my bracket, and trust me i did not want to include them on this list for that reason alone, but when you come out to Guns ‘N Roses, “Welcome to the jungle“, along with the mascot riding a Chopper, that’s pretty bad ass.

2. *Howard University. A lot of other schools copy this, but the Bison originated this hysterical, and very coordinated send off to an opposing player who has fouled out.  The player is already salty he fouled out of the game, mix that with hearing this every time he walks until he sits down on the bench, and you have a recipe for humiliation.  Under any other circumstance, this would be my favorite, but….

1. North Carolina A&T. Now, i have already given NC A&T props where you can watch all the antics here, but i did some more research.  The song that is played when a player fouls out is called “Sit Down, Ho” by Maceo. How many schools will play this song during a game? Zero, never mind playing this EVERYTIME an opposing player fouls out.

*editors note: This is actually Harding University.  With the recent credit crunch The Drubbing R&D staff has been slashed tremendously.  We apologize for the error, and should have known it was not Howard with the large amount of white fans in the stands.

I have no idea either Dino, how a team that talented can be coached so poorly.

The “Thanks for effing my bracket” award to the Demon Deacons of Wake Forest.  You may have 3 top 20 NBA talent players on your team, but you decided to mail in the first round game to Cleveland St.  May you enjoy a long year of high ankle sprains, Jeff Teague.

The “How the hell did you punch a ticket to the Big Dance” award to Minnesota.  Nothing against the Gophers, i actually like Tubby Smith as a coach, but Minnesota is just not good and because they got into the tournament we do not get to enjoy Steph Curry or Patty Mills carry their teams.  Davidson lost all 7 of their games to teams with 20 plus wins.  3 of St Mary’s 6 losses were to a very good Gonzaga team.
As a side note, a great game between those two talented players will be on ESPN 2 tonight, i highly suggested you check it out.

The “Most overrated Conference for Sports” award goes to the Big Ten.  That conference is more overrated than Tyler Hansbrough and Eli Manning combined.  It is bad enough we have to endure the Big Ten sending 2 teams to the BCS bowl games year after year (because they are too chicken shit to have a year end tournament) and we get to watch those over-matched teams get beaten like a rented mule.  Now, we have to watch 7 teams from a mediocre conference in the NCAA tournament? Give me a break.  Big Ten basketball is about as exciting as watching paint dry.  A typical conference game looks like ten, 8year old kids who ride the short bus trying to hump each others leg.

The “Bob Huggins” award formerly the “Lute Olson” award goes to West Virginia for losing in the first round to a double digit seed.  The Wildcats of Arizona were known for their early exits in the tournament, until

You have a better chance of making Bob a Designated Driver during Saint Patrick's Day then you do of him coaching your team out of the 1st round.

finally Lute got over the hump and won the big dance in 1997.  Since then he has passed the torch to Mr. Huggins.  Looks like a change in scenery from Cincinnati to West Virginia has not helped Bob’s tournament coaching record.

The “Walter Sobchak This Isn’t Nam There Are Rules Here” award to Lazar Haywood for stepping over the inbounds line against Missouri.  I feel bad for the kid, i really do, because the odds of Marquette inbounding and scoring with only 5 seconds left against a tough full court defense was pretty difficult.  But, you can move side to side all you want, just cannot cross that line, and that is the difference between going back to class or possibly moving on to the Sweet 16.