Yesterday, the Reno Bighorns averted disaster.  No, Damone Brown wasn't acquitted of being an accomplice to a drug dealer back in New York.  Not even close.

Reno traded big ol' Antonio Meeking for David Noel, a former second round pick of the Milwaukee Bucks.  This isn't what saved them however.  Meeking was averaging 17.5 points and eight boards, Noel was averaging 18 points, six boards, four assists.  Good trade. Pretty even, and will more than likely get Patrick Ewing Jr. some starter's minutes, as he's seeming more like a good basketball player everytime I see him.

When Reno made this trade, however, they also (thankfully) released a player.  That player: Dave Noel.  No, not David, just Dave.  Dave's a pretty good player, a rookie averaging 10 points off the bench for the Bighorns.  Nonetheless, they waived him due to injury.  I still haven't figured out what 'waived due to injury' entails, as Garry Hill-Thomas rejoined Reno within a week after being waived, so it doesn't exactly have to be anything serious.  Thus, I'm going to go with bruised ego.  I don't think a player named Dave Noel is going to mesh well with a former NBA player named David Noel.

Regardless, if he is brought back, what do the jersey's say?

If you're looking for love, and I'm talking real love: ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love, than look no further than the stands of your local D-League game. You see that guy sitting way up top by himself? The one who spends more time scribbling notes down on his clipboard than actually watching what's going on in the game?  That's a man who's in a relationship with an enigmatic lover... a man who's compulsive devotion goes far beyond anything you've ever experienced. To do what he does, that is, to be a D-League scout, your love for basketball must break all boundaries and enter the realm of obsession.

Being a D-League scout isn't easy. In fact it's got to be the toughest job in professional sports considering the pay is minimal, or for that matter non-existent. It's all about staying on the grind. Pushing forward when things are bleak. Staying positive when it seems all hope is lost. There are times when there seems to be no reward for their tireless effort. Struggling to find a purpose for all of their hard work. Life is funny that way-the complexity of our daily hustle takes its toll, the details of one-day bleed into the next. And sometimes they just gotta ask, why? "Why bother?"

Well their answer is always the same... "Because I love it... because every game I scout, every player I evaluate, every play I chart puts me one step closer to impressing that general manager or head coach into giving me a shot at as full time assistant" says Austin Toros scout John Jungers. There's so much parity in the D-League, the margin for error so small that the slightest bit of information can make the difference between victory and defeat... or the difference between a coach keeping his job or getting the boot. D-League scouts are invaluable, their information on an opposing team's strategies, tendencies, strengths and weaknesses are priceless to building a successful franchise... which makes you wonder why most of them don't get paid a penny to do it.

For scout's like John Jungers, a former stand-out captain at Texas A&M and head coach at Western Nebraska Community College, being passionate about the X and O's of the game helps them as they pay their dues and work up the ranks of the pro scout and coaching profession. Every night another city, another game. Waking up not knowing where they are, alone and far away from their family and loved ones. Most of the players don't even realize how those scouting reports end up on their locker room chairs. All of the work of the wandering scout, this unsung hero hustling his way from game to game, trying to prove his worth just as much as those players do every night they go out and play. 

So next time you're at a D-League game and have a few minutes, take the time to walk up to that unshaven, sleep deprived guy at the top of the stands and ask him to tell you a story about love. It might just be good enough to make you realize that money and fame hasn't taken over every part of professional basketball... at least not yet.

Short Answer:  Not if the NBA doesn't use them to their full potential.  I think this is one part of the NBA that could use some change.  

Don't get me wrong, I think 10-day's are great, probably the greatest thing to come out of the CBA besides former Minot SkyRocket's Head Coach Michael Sanders (Yes, that Mike Sanders.  From UCLA.  NBA vet.  My buyer-of-dinner last night.  Hire him.  I have his contact info.  Thanks).  They offer the NBA a chance to bring a D-League player in for a short-time; D-Leaguer's a chance to show what they can do on a bigger stage in a game with elevated talent.

Wait - that's what the 10-day's should do.  Unfortunately, that is more the exception, rather than the rule.  Since the inception of the D-League, there have been 90 separate D-League call-up's on 10-day contracts.  Although the D-League celebrated the 100th call-up last season, 10-day's can't be signed until January fifthish, when contracts become guaranteed for the remainder of the season.  Before this date, teams can sign a guy for one day and cut them the next (consequently, this happened in the great San Antonio Helps D-League Team Out By Exploiting Crazy D-League Rule '07).

Of these 90 10-day contract call-ups, 35 of them have been extended for the remainder of the season.  This means 65 of them have had at the most 20 day's to show the NBA what they're able to do.  Of those 65, 27 have got their original 10-day and been sent back to the D-League.  Some of them, like Anthony Tolliver earlier this season with New Orleans, haven't even made it into a game.  Others, like Courtney Sims, have had two 10-day contract's and played two total minutes.  If a guy isn't even going to be given a fair chance to show his talent's in an NBA game, why call him up?  Mr. David Stern, I'm looking to you for this answer, as if a team just wanted to watch a player in practice, they more than likely have the funds to travel to Bismarck, North Dakota and watch the loveliness that is a Blake (INTERVIEW COMING SOON.. Questions?) Ahearn jump shot.

The obvious rebuttal would be "well at least they're getting a shot to show the NBA what they've got to offer!"  To that, I answer, is that such a good thing?  Not to say that the D-League doesn't have talented players, it does, but it the NBA is turning into a league of the have's.  

Continue reading this post »

Colorado 124, Dakota 112  -  Well it looks like I was wrong on this one. The Wizards are slipping. They've lost 3 straight and have won only 4 of their last 10. And I look at their roster and I just don't understand it. The Wizards magically turned the ball over 26 times in this one. Maurice Baker ended with more turnovers (6) than field goals (5). Even Blake Ahearn had 5 of his own. However Blake was a saving grace as usual with 22 points and 6 dimes. Rod Benson and Richard Hendrix had their usual awesome games in tow. Rod with 12 and 12 and Richard Hendrix with 21 and 11 (again, Golden State has the most flawed decision making skills in basketball - and this is coming from a league that includes a team that agreed to trade Kwame Brown for Pau Gasol). Dakota was without Hamed Haddadi and Renaldo Major and it showed as the Wiz didn't have the heart for this one. Colorado snapped their two game skid and looked as great as ever. Dominique Coleman is getting my NOD OF THE NIGHT with a near triple double of 24 points, 9 boards, 8 dimes, and 3 steals for good measure. Coleman's been putting up nice numbers this season. Hint hint. Newcomer John Lucas led all scorers with 29 and had 3 robberies in the win and Josh Davis and Billy Thomas both picked up 19 points a piece and succeeded in having the most boring names on the court. Nice win for the 14ers. HEY COLORADIANS (that can't be right), GO SEE THE 14ERS PLAY. You people have it so good.

Hey everyone.  After Scott put out a call for contributors last week I thought I'd use the opportunity to write about my new hometown Austin Toros. I just moved here at the beginning of January, but I've been reading Ridiculous Upside for a little while and I'm excited to be contributing.  For now I'll be providing weekly looks at the Toros, with hopefully some more in-depth content later on.

This past week saw the departure of Pops Mensah-Bonsu to the Spurs, but Austin didn't falter, beating both of their opponents (they played Albuquerque twice).

Continue reading this post »