FROM 'PATHETIC' WNBA TO ANTSY LEBRON TO WALKING -- WHAT'S THAT? -- IN THE NBA

 

Of All Things:

WHAT’S LEFT … for those pathetic losers in the WNBA who

are doing their best to overcome all the interest in women’s 

hoops built by CAITLIN CLARK’s arrival? … Now both 

teams in the league finals are leaving the floor prior to the 

National Anthem … returning as soon as it is over.

Introducing a segment he called “They’ve got gripes with the 

stars and stripes,” late-night talk show host/comedian GREG 

GUTFELD said, “Protesting the anthem has been common 

practice for many WNBA teams for years … The league’s rule 

book says players, coaches and trainers must stand and line up 

for the anthem but nobody enforces it … so they get up and 

leave when they play the Star-Spangled Banner … just like 

when men leave a bar when the WNBA is on.”

SPEAKING OF WHICH … You’ve got to believe that 

eventually the NBA’s legion of fans will become weary of 

such nonsense and find other, more satisfying, ways to spend 

their money … Or did you miss LEBRON JAMES’ disrespect 

of the National Anthem prior to the NY Knicks’ home-opener 

at Madison Square Garden? Instead of leaving the floor, he 

lined up with his new teammates then proceeded to work on his 

golf swing and shooting technique while they played the Star-

Spangled Banner.

YOU SHOULD expect better, especially from a vetteran 

sportscaster like TIM BRANDO who worked the Nebraska-

Oregon football game for Fox and said the following:

“To this point [0-0, outset of second quarter] it appears, at least 

to my eyes … if you’re trying to win this game -- and you are 

Oregon -- despite the quarterback position … that’s a very 

difficult spot for a program to be in … one of the magnitude of 

this, for coach DAN LANNING.

Say what?

WHILE WE’RE at it … Nebraska lost 17-14 when former 

Cornhuskers’ QB DYLAN RAIOLA came off the bench in the 

fourth quarter to rally the Ducks from an 8-point deficit … 

Object of considerable controversy during his two seasons at 

Nebraska, the former five-star recruit completed 11 of 18 passes 

for only 59 yards but it was a seven-yard hookup to 

 JAMMARI JOHNSON with 28 seconds to go that provided 

the come-from-behind victory – and Brando every reason to say

 I told you so.

With All-American DANTE MOORE still sidelined – and the 

Ducks coming off their worst game of the season, a 17-15 loss 

to UCLA -- Lanning opted to replace Raiola with former walk-

on DUSTIN THOMAS … a decision that did not sit well with 

anyone including Brando … and, by halftime when the visitors 

led 7-0 on one of the all-time great receptions in the back of the 

end zone by KWASI GILMER, it had been 

apparent Lanning had made a mistake … to everyone, that is, 

but the coach himself. On its eight first-half possessions, 

Oregon punted seven times in addition to a lost fumble. Not 

util the Ducks trailed 14-6 after three quarters … and Thomas 

was 9 for 20 passing, with two interceptions, did Lanning 

finally relent. On came Raiola, and everything changed … 

despite another blue-ribbon performance by the player who 

replaced him in Omaha … former UVA quarterback

 ANTHONY COLANDREA who threw for one touchdown 

and ran for another. 

WITH FOUR SECONDS left in a first half dominated by both 

defenses, it was Colandrea passing 17 yards to Gilmer … then 

had to wait five minutes while the play, ruled a touchdown on 

the field, went to video replay … and Brando was sure the call 

would be overturned because, he suggested, there was no way 

Gilmer had gotten one foot down before tumbling out of 

bounds. There was no question he was in control of the football 

before he slammed into the ground.

“Oh my, what an amazing throw and catch,” said Brando, “but 

it’s coming back.”

When the call was upheld … you almost had to feel sorry for 

Brando, in particular, who continued to insist Gilmer

had not gotten his left foot down even though a Fox replay 

clearly showed he had … “I think they might have seen the 

rong foot,” Brando said, refusing to give in.

Quoting PETER KING on the NFL coach who became

“the best color commentator ever” (as told to 

BRANKILMEADE on ‘One Nation’):“

"One of the reasons JOHN MADDEN was great at everything 

is … he always had questions. He was always curious.”

AND, NOW THIS … from the big book “IT MUST BE SO”

… comes a bold prediction from STEPHEN A. SMITH. To 

wit: “It’s over for DAN QUINN. This is it.” …like he knew 

something about the embattled NFL Commanders’ coach 

nobody else did.

FINALLY: THE NBA has been ignoring its rule book for years 

… like, for example, what constitutes traveling. Basically, 

always been “two steps without a dribble,” which was the 

standard for walking as far back as the 1940s … when this 

OLD, old-timer started playing the game … That is, BMJ … 

before MICHAEL JORDAN came along – and changed 

everthing.

It only got worse from there … when game officials became 

reluctant to blow the whistle on the league’s first REALLY 

super-star and meal ticket … who became basketball’s G.O.A.T 

… Then, to keep MJ’s rivals from pleading favoritism, 

combined with not wanting to turn the NBA into a whistlefest, 

the officials began looking away at just about everything … 

other than severe body con tact …All of which is a not-so-

briefly-told lead-in to what the Timberwolves’  LaMELLO 

BALLL did Wednesday night in Miami against the Heat AND 

reaction to it as heard on ESPN’s ‘Get up’ the next morning.

From the Court of Absurdity came Ball’s taking not one, two or 

three … even four or five … but six (count ‘em) steps before 

launching the pelota. Then, adding to the nuttiness was ESPN’s

 DAN GRAZIANO (?)who said, “There were two officials 

there. What are we doing? I mean, do we not call this any 

more?”

To which former WNBA rookie of the year and two-time all-

star CHINEY OGWUMIKE disagreed … thereby only adding 

to the stupidity ... “Come on now, it was the first game of the 

year for the referees as well. What I saw [demonstrating] was 

1-2-3-4. It’s fine,” she said ...winning the SAY WHAT? Award 

of the Week … Sorry about that, T. 

Brando. You will have to settle for second this time.

Oh, by the way, the Timberwolves won 131-106 as R0Y 

EDWARDSscored 45 points. Ball finished with 21 to go with 

six assists. It was the Timberwolves’ biggest margin of victory 

to open the season.

Until next time ...