Do you ever try to watch your favorite D-League team on futurecast and all you get is buffering, static, or just nothing? Well, this happens to me countless times when I’m trying to watch my team.  Don’t get me wrong, I think futurecast is one of the best things about the D-League! I love that I can watch my team no matter where they are playing or just check out a player I’m interested in. However, how can some broadcasted games be so good and some be so bad!?

I would have to say that Iowa is the worst futurecat I’ve ever TRIED to watch.  It freezes up constantly! I hear the announcers who keep announcing the game, but all I see is a frozen Courtney Sims with a weird look on his face. They also try to show replays, which is a nice touch, but usually this results in missing the whole next possession (if Futurecast is even working).

I would say the best overall Futurecast is the Dakota Wizards; they have good announcing and not so much buffering. However, I do like Sioux Falls’s scoreboard -- they have the score, quarter, time remaining, and shot clock on the screen -- much needed info! I also like that they have stats on the players pop up after they make a shot (that is if they put the right player’s stats up that they are talking about). I also think their announcers do a good job!

Tonight, I tuned into the Austin at Albuquerque game.  It’s a good thing that Albuquerque has more letters than Austin or I would have had no idea which team was winning. It’s so blurry, if it wasn’t for Brad Stricker and Carldell “Squeaky” Johnson having different jerseys I wouldn’t have been able to tell them apart! (ZING! -- Scott)

Now, I haven’t had a chance to check out every D-League teams Futurecast (I tend to watch the Central Division), so I can’t officially say these are the best or worst.  From what I watch, however, this is my consensus.

Let me know if you got any other good or bad ones for me to check out!

UPDATE: He apparently had asked for a trade, which makes sense, just have to believe there was something else out there that may have filled a more pressing need, as the Wizards have lost four of their past six games.   (Link Courtesy of Lou "Captain Albano" Babiarz, best D-League beat writer in the Midwest D-League World)

Yesterday, the most marketable play in all the D-League, Rod Benson, and subsequently, the Boom Tho Movement, moved to Reno, Nevada for Jesse Smith, who is, in my expert opinion, as Boom Tho as these guys.

Jesse's claims to fame don't include a line of clothing, self produced music videos, ESPN features, blogs on Yahoo! Sports, a D-League All-Star Game Appearance, free tickets to D-League games, or cool catch phrases.  Smith's dad however, is a (retired) professional bareback rodeo rider, so that's... something, I think.

Also, Smith hasn't ever been in an NBA camp, he didn't go to Berkeley with a major in Political Science (Smith went to Idaho State, and from what I can tell, never decided on a major), he isn't looking for a Boom Tho Girl (He's in fact, apparently, already found one (props)).  He also hasn't interviewed Blake Ahearn about the wonderment of Mr. Pete Maravich, nor does he have any videos on youtube involving sweet tricks using quarters that may help you get a lady or win a bet versus a certain PA announcer about not being able to balance a beer bottle on his head.

Things that Smith has done: scored the first points in Reno Bighorns basketball history, averaged nine points and seven boards over 83 career D-League games, and, since the all-star break has put up this stat line: 5.5 points and 3.8 rebounds, shooting 41% from the field.  Benson's career D-League numbers are 120 games, just 46 starts, averaging 10.3 points and 8.6 rebounds.

Now, I'm sure Coach Ticknor has a reason for making this trade that's not visible to the outside eye, but from my vantage point, it just didn't/doesn't make sense.  I would have agreed that one of the posts needed to be moved (too many good players all playing the same position), but I don't think it was the right idea to go for another big man.  Watching most of Dakota's games, they could really use depth at the 2/3.  They took care of this a bit with the signing of Romel Beck, but I don't think a third wingman would hurt, as the Wizards currently bring to the table four point guards, two 3's, and four big's.

Denham Brown, who they traded one of the best D-League point guards in Dontell Jefferson for, has somehow wound up on Iowa's roster (Brown was injured a long time ago, waived due to injury, and now popped up with Iowa).  It's too late, but if I was calling the shots, that's where the Wizards have struggled as of late.  A slashing wingman.  Rod Benson's fan favoriteness, along with his energy and charisma off the bench, certainly wasn't the biggest problem as of late - 12 points, 12 boards, and two blocks in 25 minutes off the bench last game.  He was also a solid contributor on the last championship in Dakota, which ought to mean something.

Anyway, I'll miss Rod.  Being based here in Bismarck, North Dakota, it was fun reading his blogs.  It was fun dominating him in Madden last season.  My favorite Rod Benson moment however may have come at the last game he played in a Wizards uniform:  When a ballboy asked Benson if Renaldo Major wasn't playing 'cause his back, Rod quickly replied, "No, it's 'cause you're back."

Classic.  Boom Tho.

You know Coleman Collins. He's the Mad Ants' 6-9 power forward from Virgina Tech. He's averaging 11 PPG and 6 boards a game (mostly) off the bench this season for the Ants. Last summer he spent some time with the Phoenix Suns. And yes, I know what you're thinking. The above picture makes him look like a frog. But I promise, he doesn't always look like a frog. Coleman was kind enough to answer 27 awesome questions about life, basketball, and pizza, and I must say this: Man has some taste. Check it after the jump!"

Even though it's generally considered poor etiquette to speak ill of the departed, I am the best dunker on the Mad Ants, and was always, even when those two guys (Eric Smith and Shawn Hawkins) were here on the team. Ask anyone." - Coleman Collins

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• Colorado 113, Austin 106  -  This was a goody. Two of the top teams in the league grinding it out and it didn't disappoint, but in the end Colorado managed to capitalize off the 22 Toros turnovers (that has a nice ring to it). I'm giving one Dominique Coleman my NOD OF THE NIGHT. Coleman had 17 points (7 for 10 shooting), 7 boards, 10 dimes, 2 steals, and just one turnover in 36 minutes. I've been really impressed with this guy lately. He's becoming the go-to guy for the 14ers and there aren't many leaders more able in this league. Josh Davis had a usual impressive game with 29 minutes and 7 rebounds and Trey Gilder came off the bench for the 14ers to add 10 boards and 2 blocks (his 3 for 11 shooting isn't quite as positive, however). The Toros did put up a fight though. Marcus Williams was just as brilliant as ever with 31 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 blocks (tell me why this guy is still in the D-League). Despite his 7 turnovers (funny), Ezra Williams looked good with 23 and 11 boards and Carldell "Squeaky" Johnson had a solid night with 19 points, 6 dimes and 4 nice robberies. I'd love to see more matchups like this one. Both teams came to play, but Austin could have easily won this one if they had just toned down the turnovers.
• Anaheim 112, Fort Wayne 107  -  Fort Wayne continues their losing ways, and to a team they have the talent to beat no less (the "Flight"-less Arsenal). The Ants shot  a paltry 42% and were outrebounded 57-35 along with not being able to capitalize on the 17 Anaheim TO's. Cedric Bozeman had a near trip-dub with 22 points, 16 boards and 8 assists. Kedrick Brown was close as well with 25 points, 9 rebounds and 6 dimes. The Arsenal's Marcus Campbell also had 20 and 9 boards in the win. Chris Hunter had a decent game for the Ants, with 32 points (14 from FT, perfect from the line - nice to see from the big guy) but Bozeman bossed him around on the glass and he only picked up half of what Bozey pulled down. Carl Elliott was a mess. This kid's in a slump and it's a damn shame. It took Elliott 7 shots to get 2 points and this performance didn't get coach Jaren Jackson to pull him out and stick in seldom used guard Jarred Axon. Jackson needs to shake up this rotation (I think he's been shaking it up plenty already! No one seems to even have an idea of how many minutes they'll get each night... Interesting coaching strategy from JJ -- Scott). Walker Russell was his normal self with 18 points and 8 assists, but it wasn't enough, and the Ants lost yet another one to a mediocre team.

As I'd heard last week after the mass D-League tryouts, Demetris Nichols was the best non-D-League prospect there (Rumor is he never missed a shot at the tryout), but for the time, only Cheikh Samb was going to stick.  I've got word tonight from his agent that he is on his way to New York.  It sounds like D'Antoni wanted to get the guys he had acquired via trade into some sort of rotation before bringing Nichols aboard, so that issue is apparently figured out..

Nichols is a stud. Syracuse fans know it, Knicks fans love him, and he's even starting to grow on yours truly.  Although I wasn't a fan of him in the D-League last year (he stood at the 3-point line and couldn't hit his shots), this year I am a fan (he stands at the 3-point line and hits his shots).  

The 6'8" swingman averaged 20 points, five rebounds and shot 44% from 3-point land.  Along with being a solid defender and having good size out of the 3-spot, I'm not sure what's not to like.  In his last game with the Iowa Energy, he had 20 points, six boards, and five assists.

Rejoice, D-League fans, the NBA does know how to use 10-days!

According to our poll with the call-up rankings, it seems Blake Ahearn is next!