THE LEAGUE^©

SEAN ELLIOTT

Through hard work, dedication, and sheer courage, Sean Elliot became one of the most admired men to ever play in the NBA.  Nicknamed the Ninja for his deadly three-point shot and tenacious defense, Elliott, who overcame life-threatening illness at the peak of his NBA career, may not go down as one of the game’s all-time greats, but to NBA fans worldwide he will be remembered as one of the league’s most resilient players ever.  His storybook-turned-tragic career helped lay the foundation for a San Antonio Spurs dynasty that today includes 4 NBA championships.  That he overcame organ transplant surgery to return to the NBA’s hardwood became an inspirational can do story to organ-donor recipients and the common man alike that with faith, perseverance, and a positive attitude anything is possible.

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LORD OF THE LEAGUE, LOTL, NBA, NBA Finals, NBA Playoffs, San Antonio Spurs, Sean Elliott, THE LEAGUE, The L | 24 Comments »

BALL IN … 

What a terrific NBA season it’s shaping up to be!  Not only is it anybody’s guess who will win this year’s title, but after viewing a slate of nine out of ten games yesterday, I came to realize how truly competitive the league has suddenly become.  It’s refreshing to see.  And when you consider the heat the league has taken from its critics in recent years, yours truly included, suffice it to say, we’ve come a long from the blacktop to the hardwood.

For starters, you gotta love the positive way NBA refs have rallied around their reputations to not only call a well-officiated product, but they’ve been far more approachable to players and coaches.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen officials make an effort to explain to a player why his actions resulted in a foul or violation.  What’s more, I’ve even seen them make every effort to hear why a player thought his action could have been viewed differently.  As a result, there is far less less mean-muggin’ between players and officials, leading to far fewer unsportsmanlike incidents on the floor, and thus, in the media.

Speaking of the media, how about the fantastic job being done by ESPN, Fox Sports, TNT, and NBA TV, etc.  It’s refreshing to read, see, and hear the marked improvement in the way the game is not only being portrayed, but is being covered and reported as well.  Perhaps Commissioner Stern is correct in assuming this year’s playoff ratings will reflect a dramatic improvement over last year’s numbers.  I, for one, truly hope so.

With so many things looking up, how ’bout we take a look at MeanD’s Big Board to see what else is happening Around the L:

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LORD OF THE LEAGUE, LOTL, MeanD's Big Board, NBA, Player Rankings, THE LEAGUE, The L | 31 Comments »

PHIL JACKSON
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Rarely do great players make great coaches – whether due to genetics, the single-minded pursuit of athletic perfection, or fate; seldom do the two twain become one.  It has, however, been established throughout sports history that smart players often make excellent coaches.  Legendary Lakers’ announcer Chick Hearn once raved on-air about the basketball IQ of former Laker Rick Fox (paraphrase), “Show me a smart player, and I’ll show you a future champion.”   Philip Douglas Jackson has been both, a smart player and a champion, at virtually every level of basketball.

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LORD OF THE LEAGUE, LOTL, NBA, Phil Jackson, THE LEAGUE, The L | 19 Comments »