CAN I REMINISCE?

HOW YOU LIKE ME NOW?

First and foremost I have been a Brandon Jenning fan ever since he sported the high top fade at the McDonald's All American game. I am big fan of a guy who understands tradition. The first time I ever saw Jennings play was at the Rutgers Athletic Center right in my hometown of Piscataway, New Jersey as he obliterated my alma mater the Piscataway Chiefs torching them for 32 points while putting on one of the more impressive displays that I have ever seen from a high school point guard. And for all those quick to judge Jennings for going overseas, for all those quick to judge Jennings for his lack luster stats in Europe, for all those naysayers I would tell you that Brandon Jennings, because of his old school vibe is probably singing this song to you. Jennings went off for 55 points last night!!! That's a new Milwaukee Bucks record that he broke!! That's Kareem Abdul-Jabaar's record that he broke! The kid is nice. I covered him on opening night against the Sixers for Comcast Sportsnet and he almost had a triple double. Forget about what happened overseas, GM's in Europe are sometimes clueless. This guy is a star in the making. To top off why I am a big fan, the kid signs a contract for nearly $4.5 million and then goes out and does what? Buys a Ford Edge at the meager price of $26,900!!! Don't believe me? Check out this article. This kid gets it!!!

LOVE AND HATE

So we know that the college basketball season is upon us and we have to talk about the Big East Conference a little. Of course the conference won't be as strong as it was last year placing two teams in the Final Four in Villanova and UCONN. But the front runners this year are Villanova and West Virginia. But we have to talk about love and hate. Of course I love the Villanova Wildcats which is my Alma Mater. This is not just bias, this is fact. The wildcats return Scottie Reynolds who is a pre-season All American, Cory Fisher who is electric off the bounce and Cory Stokes one of the best shooters in the Big East. Add in a freshman class in Mouphtaou Yarou, Dominic Cheek and Malik Wayans and the Wildcats are even more scary.

West Virginia can be just as dominate. But I hate West Virginia. Why you ask? Because I can't shake the vision in college of their fans throwing coins at us while we were warming up. I hate the country rural landscape of Morgantown, as it is in the middle of nowhere. I hate that ESPN loves to send me there two or three times a year for games with the closest major airport being Pittsburgh about 90 minutes away. And last but not least I hate that loud musket that they shoot at halftime of every game, which has startled me every time I have stepped in that arena since I was a freshman in 1995. With that said the Mountaineers are tough. Devin Ebanks is a star in the making and don't be surprised if this is his last year in Morgantown. Da'Sean Butler is a real problem and with Joe Mazulla combined with Darryl Truck Bryant in the backcourt West Virginia should challenge for the Big East title.

WHO DAT? WHO DAT? WHO DAT SAY......

I'm just jumping on the bandwagon? Come on. For those that don't know I am originally from New Orleans, Louisiana. Lived there until I was 11 years old. So don't tell me I am just a Saints fan now. My dad and I have been Saints fans since way back when fans use to come to games like the picture above. The bag head fans were started in New Orleans. I sat through years of being ridiculed for being an "Aints" fan. They ain't gonna never win, they ain't gonna ever gonna make the playoffs. Most of you don't know what it feels like. You don't know what it feels like for your dad to take you to a game when the "Aints" are playing one of the worst teams in the league back in the 80's in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and still walk out with a loss. I look back on it and my Dad wanted to spare his poor son the feeling of a loss at a professional football game. He took me to a sure fire win and in typical Saints fan fashion it still turned out bad. So yes, now that the Saints are the best team in football, I am living it up. Drew Brees, Pierre Thomas, Marques Colston and Reggie Bush can do no wrong to me. Damn, you haters, let a man have his day in the sun.

SAYING GOODBYE

Why such an old picture of Allen Iverson you ask? I wanted to remember Allen Iverson like I met him, in a Georgetown Jersey instead of like this. It's sad to see one of the best little guys to ever play this game go out like this. But you have to wonder why Iverson won't accept the inevitable. You are getting old. Nobody, can compete against Father Time. Nobody has ever won this battle, especially at the guard position. Iverson's pride is probably what will do him in. His unwillingness to come off the bench and be a role player will of course be the cause of his demise. It's weird, but I'm torn on this one. On one hand I don't want to see Allen Iverson waiving a towel and coming out to mid-court to slap O.J. Mayo five or whispering in Mike Conley's ear "This is how I used to do it." Doesn't seem like Iverson deserves that. But on the other hand sometimes you have to pass on the legacy and let the young guys have there day. Iverson has never been the most humble or classy guy so why would I expect him to change now. But maybe if he retires it's for the better. It's better than being an old wounded vet telling war stories about back in the day. I dedicate this song to Iverson.