7-Year-Old Offers Analysis On NBA Teams
It sometimes just takes a pair of fresh eyes to really get to the bottom of things, even if those eyes belong to a 7-year-old. That seems to be the case with a young boy who write about four NBA teams, and was quite accurate in doing so.
Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown: Charlotte Bobcats
Charlotte Bobcats
Every Thursday Sports Grind Entertainment will present you with the Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown. The recipient of this honor goes to Charlotte Bobcats for losing 13 games in a row. Their last victory came November 24, a 108-106 win in overtime against the Washington Wizards. This is the second time the Bobcats have earned the Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown award for extended losing streaks. Last year the Bobcats lost 16 games in a row to earn the award.
New Orleans Hornets reportedly will become Pelicans
Shoeless Joe Jackson Once Played For The Pelicans
The New Orleans Hornets are expected to change their nickname to the Pelicans as early as the 2013-14 season. Louisiana is nicknamed the Pelican State. The brown pelican is the state bird and appears on the state flag and seal, and official state painting.
Tom Benson, who bought the team last year, said he wanted to change the name of franchise to something that’s more identifiable with the city than Hornets and suggested that Jazz, which moved with the team that relocated from New Orleans to Utah in 1979, was his first preference.
“We need to find a name like (Jazz),” Benson said after the purchase was finalized in April. “Whether we can get that or (they) let us use that, you’ve got to know we’re working on it. We’d like to change it tomorrow. We have not gotten that approved, but we’re not letting up on it, either. Because we’ve got a good relationship with the commissioner and his people and we’re going to be on them daily to do something.”
If the Hornets become the Pelicans, the next domino could be Charlotte reclaiming the Hornets nickname. The franchise started out there in 1988 and moved to New Orleans in 2002. The Bobcats, an expansion team that began play in 2004, were so named for former owner Robert Johnson, but the Hornets name is favored in the area—throwback Hornets gear is a common sight.
Charlotte Bobcats Unveil New Uniforms
No Longer Bob Johnson's Bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats are shaking up their look, but not the way some fans hoped. The NBA team is coming out with a new color scheme and new uniforms in time for next season. They’re switching to a darker navy blue, adding Carolina blue as an accent, and further de-emphasizing the orange color that dominated their uniforms their first two seasons.
They’re also shortening their nickname on the white home jerseys from “Bobcats” to “Cats.” The blue road jerseys will continue to say, “Charlotte.”
That’s just one change for the team, which Wednesday will introduce a new coach, Mike Dunlap, who will take over a young roster certain to evolve after a 7-59 season, starting with the No. 2 pick in the upcoming NBA draft.
The uniform changes, however, fall short of what a Facebook campaign in the Piedmont called “Bring Back the Buzz,” was lobbying the Bobcats to return the “Hornets” nickname that moved to New Orleans with Charlotte’s first NBA franchise.
For trademark reasons the Bobcats can’t directly address the “Hornets” nickname, at least until that team’s new owner, Tom Benson, follows through on plans to discard it for something more Louisiana-centric.
Thirty-five percent of those polled by the Bobcats said they’d like Carolina blue in the color mix as well as helping out vendors who have permission to reproduce mock jerseys, T-shirts, hats, who found it difficult to replicate the shade of blue on Bobcats uniforms. The team couldn’t get consistency from their vendors and were advised by clothing manufacturers the solution was switching to a more standard color, like navy blue.
Charlotte Bobcats Draft Party Reacts To Losing Number One Pick
The Charlotte Bobcats decided they should throw a draft party for its fans yesterday as they had a 25 percent chance of landing the number one spot for prized selection Anthony Davis out of Kentucky. That didn’t go as planned and the recently league owned New Orleans Hornets walked away with the prize selection.
Can you really call it a NBA Draft party if only 31 people show up?
Charlotte Bobcats Offer Season Tickets Prices According To Draft Lottery Spot
Creative
The Charlotte Bobcats could go from the NBA’s worst team to its best bargain.The team, 7-59 this year and trying to drum up interest, will tie the price of a portion of its season tickets to the number it draws in the draft lottery.
If the Bobcats get the No. 1 pick, those tickets would be $1 per game.
The Bobcats, 25th in attendance this year, can do no worse than the fourth overall pick ($4 a game) in the draft.
The reduced-price seats (about 500 of them) will be in the upper deck and fans can buy up to four tickets in the “Pay the Pick” promotion. Currently the cheapest season ticket is $344.
Paul Silas Out As Charlotte Bobcats Head Coach
Can't Relate Anymore
After a season in which the team wrapped up a 7-59 record, setting an NBA mark for the worst losing percentage in history, the Charlotte Bobcats did the expected and announced that head coach Paul Silas would not be brought back for another season.
Silas was brought in last year to replace coach Larry Brown, and immediately got his Bobcats to play better. Charlotte won six of its first eight games under Silas, but eventually leveled off and wound up dealing star forward Gerald Wallace to Portland Trail Blazersat the trading deadline. The Bobcats also traded guard Stephen Jackson before the season, and with a series of injuries weakening an already thin roster, Silas’s club was set up for its epic failure.
“I would like to personally thank Paul for everything he has done for this team under some pretty unique circumstances,” Rod Higgins, Bobcats president of basketball operations, said in a statement. “His basketball experience as a coach and a player speak for themselves. We have been fortunate to have someone of his character associated with this franchise and we hope he will continue to be a valuable resource to us in the future.”
Higgins said the team would immediately begin its coaching search. Nate McMillan, who played at North Carolina State, is the likely top target, but McMillan is expected to be a top candidate for several other jobs, too.
Silas has coached in the NBA for 11 seasons and compiled a record of 377-531 with the Los Angeles Clippers, Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Bobcats.
Charles Barkley Has Conspiracy Theory About NBA Draft Lottery
Comfortable In Drag
Charles Barkley has put the NBA on notice that he won’t believe the lottery is legit if this year’s biggest catch, Kentucky’s Anthony Davis, lands with the New Jersey Nets. Barkley said that he will “be watching the draft lottery very closely, because I don’t want no shenanigans.”
Asked to expand on that suspicion, Barkley said:
“I’m going to be very leery if Anthony Davis ends up in Brooklyn. You know, I’m going to be very leery because I know the NBA has a lot riding on that new arena, especially if Deron Williams leaves New Jersey. They didn’t get Dwight Howard. I’m going to be very leery if New Jersey gets that number one pick.”
Added Barkley:
“You know, I go back to Patrick Ewing, so I believe in the conspiracy theories.”
Charlotte Bobcats figure to have the best chance to win the lottery, but the Nets have an iffy situation, and could wind up with two first-round picks, or none.
Chris Kaman Poses With Dead Bobcat Before Game Versus Charlotte
Not Very Subtle
New Orleans Hornet Chris Kaman is trying to creative some kind of rivalry in his short time in there Big Easy with NBA worst Charlotte Bobcats. Kaman took the nonexistent rivalry to new heights when he posted a picture of him and a dead bocat on his Twitter page with the message.
“Guess who we r playing tonight?!
12 Seconds Of Worst NBA You Will Ever See
It’s only 12 seconds but it’s 12 seconds you won’t be able to turn away from as the New Jersey Nets and Charlotte Bobcats that definitely has Dr. James Naismith rolling over in his grave.
This might explain why the two teams record is a combined 18-59
Portland Trail Blazers Players Want Nate McMillan Fired
Outlook Not Good
Reports out of Portland is that players on the Trail Blazers roster are in a mini revolt because they want head coach Nate McMillan fired. Their recent performance against the Boston Celtics in which they were losing by 37 points at halftime.
Sources close to the situation say that McMillan has lost the locker room. According to one source, there’s a growing number of players who would like to see McMillan fired, with assistant coach Bernie Bickerstaff taking over as interim head coach. Bickerstaff has coached the Seattle SuperSonics, Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Bobcats, accumulating 414 wins throughout his career.
The players aren’t the only ones who are questioning McMillan. Sources within the organization have criticized the coach’s rotations and in-game adjustments.
Michael jordan Suing Chinese Apparel Company
got my hands up, they playin my song
Former NBA star and current Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan filed suit in a Chinese court against Qiaodan Sports Company Limited, a sportswear and footwear manufacturer, for unauthorized use of his name.
In a statement released through his spokeswoman, Jordan says he’s worked hard to establish his name and calls the issue “deeply disappointing to see a company build a business off my Chinese name without my permission, use the number 23 and even attempt to use the names of my children.”
Jordan says he’s “This complaint is not about money, it’s about principle and protecting my name.”
The Chinese company has registered and uses the name “Qiaodan” the moniker Jordan has been known by in China since he gained widespread popularity in the mid-1980s.
Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown: Charlotte Bobcats
Charlotte Bobcats
Every Thursday Sports Grind Entertainment will present you with the Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown. The recipient of this honor goes to Charlotte Bobcats for losing 16 games in a row to make their record to 3-26 on the season. This is the worst losing streak in Charlotte’s franchise history. The Bobcats haven’t won since Jan. 14 against Golden State Warriors.
Paul Pierce Moves Past Larry Bird For Second On Celtics Scoring List
The Truth Shall Set You Free
Paul Pierce passed Larry Bird for No. 2 on the Boston Celtics career scoring list, as he finished with 15 points as the Celtics increased its winning streak to five straight with a 94-84 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday night.
Pierce needed nine points to tie Bird’s total of 21,791. He had seven points at halftime, then hit a 3-pointer with 10:23 left in the third quarter to pass Bird.
Pierce nearly celebrated the milestone with a triple-double, coming up just short with nine assists and eight rebounds.
There was no announcement – or need for one – as everyone seemed to know what Pierce’s shot from the top of the key meant in addition to giving the Celtics a 48-40 lead early in the third quarter. Pierce knew he had it, raising his arms as Boston fans gave him a standing ovation. The applause lasted for several minutes.
The official announcement finally came during a time out with 5:14 left in the third and Pierce went to midcourt, blew a few kisses and bowed during another round of applause. There was one more when Pierce went to the bench with 3:57 left in the period.
Pierce still has a ways to go to become the Celtics all-time leading scorer as John Havlicek holds that mark with 26,395 points.
Larry Brown Ready To Coach Again
Never Trust A Man Who Wears A Bow Tie
Larry Brown has the itch to return to the NBA bench as CSN Chicago found out in an interview it did with the longtime coach.
“I want to get back badly. I just don’t know. The direction the NBA’s going, it seems like they just want to get young ex-players and if you look around the league, there’s not a lot of older coaches anymore. ‘Pop’ [Gregg Popovich] and maybe [Rick] Adelman, but most of these guys are younger, so I don’t know if I fit that mold, but I still believe that I have something to offer and I was disappointed the way Charlotte ended. We go to the playoffs and then, 14 games later, I’m fired.”
Under Armour Signs Footwear Deal With NBA
On The Block
Under Armour is signing its first official sponsorship deal with the NBA, according to the company. Under the multi-year deal, Under Armour will be able to show NBA endorsers Brandon Jennings of the Milwaukee Bucks, Derrick Williams of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kemba Walker of the Charlotte Bobcats and Greivis Vasquez of the Memphis Grizzlies in their NBA uniforms in advertising and promotional efforts.
Previously, UA endorsers could wear their shoes on the court but were not allowed to don their NBA uniforms in ads and marketing promoting the company’s new basketball footwear line. The company could also not use NBA trademarks.
The four athletic endorsers will be wearing shoes from UA’s new basketball footwear line on the court this season. Several other players have asked UA to send them the new kicks to try out on the down low, says Matt Mirchin, senior vice president of global sports marketing.
Metta World Peace Offers Solution To NBA Lockout
Offering Up Solutions
Metta World Peace, the basketball player formerly known as Ron Artest, has issued an interesting, unrealistic, challenge that could end the NBA’s nearly five-month old lockout: a one-on-one game against Michael Jordan.
“Come on Jordan!!,” Metta World Peace tweeted. “Bring it. One on one. I win lockout over. I’ll beat u with my eyes closed and a in and out burger in my right hand!!”
Jordan, who owns the Charlotte Bobcats, has become an important figure during this labor impasse, since he was on the other side of the negotiating table during the 1998-99 lockout and is now a leader among hardline owners. Jordan famously told then-Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin 13 years ago, “If you can’t make a profit, you should sell your team.” Now, players are imploring Jordan to listen to his own advice.
Meanwhile, Artest offered another lockout challenge, tweeting, “Billy hunter and David stern should do face off on HBO with Max Kellerman. Fans want to see the debate!! We are confused! Lockout?;why?”
NBA fines Miami Heat owner Micky Arison after comments
Greedy Pig
Miami Heat owner Micky Arison has been fined by the NBA, three days after he made references to the locked-out league’s ongoing collective bargaining process on his Twitter account. The NBA fined him $500,000e, or say publicly why Arison was sanctioned.
Arison posted several tweets Friday night, including a reply to someone who tweeted “How does it feel to be a part of ruining the best game in the world? NBA owners/players don’t give a damn about fans … Fans provide all the money you’re fighting over … you greedy pigs.” Arison replied by saying “Honestly u r barking at the wrong owner.”
That tweet was deleted a short time later.
The NBA typically prohibits owners from speaking publicly about the labor situation. Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan was fined in September after he told an Australian media outlet the NBA’s current business model was “broken.”
Michael Jordan Fined By NBA For Comments
got my hands up, they playin my song
Michael Jordan has been fined by the NBA for making comments about the league’s ongoing collective bargaining process. NBA spokesman Tim Frank confirmed the penalty for the Charlotte Bobcats owner for a reported $100,000.
In an interview last month with Australia’s Herald Sun, Jordan said the NBA’s current model was “broken” and called for revenue sharing for small market teams such as his Bobcats and the Milwaukee Bucks, whom Australian Andrew Bogut plays for. The Hall of Famer added that he knows “owners are not going to move off what we feel is very necessary for us to get a deal in place where we can coexist as partners.”
The NBA prohibits owners from speaking publicly about the labor situation.
Derek Anderson Finance Drug Ring?
PAY ME
A convicted drug dealer offered testimony against a partner charged with murder that said former NBA player Derek Anderson may have financed a cocaine operation. WAVE TV in Louisville, Ky. reported that Francois Cunningham exchanged recorded testimony for an early release on drug trafficking charges. A portion of his testimony seemed to implicate Anderson.
According to the report, Cunningham was asked by detectives if Anderson was present at any of his drug buys.
“Nah, he stays away from you know, he’s just the money and he’s not going to get around any of it,” said Cunningham. “But that’s who funnels the money.”
Anderson has never been charged with a crime connected to the investigation. He is a native of Louisville who played for the University of Kentucky and in the NBA for Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio Spurs, Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, and Charlotte Bobcats from 1997-2008. He made an estimated $60 million in salary during that time.
The target of the probe is Ricky Kelly, once charged with eight murders but now facing one murder charge in federal court. Cunningham testified that he did surveillance for Kelly on individuals who were later murdered by his partner.
David Stern Says NBA Won’t Discuss Contraction Until Deal Done
i said, no, no, no
NBA commissioner David Stern said owners and locked-out players have expressed support for eliminating teams, but contraction will be discussed only after a new labor agreement is in place. Stern said in an online podcast that owners could “buy in” needy teams with the television, international licensing and revenue sharing dollars due to them. The commissioner also said that the players have not dismissed the idea of cutting down from 30 teams.
“The players actually have been heard to suggest that as well, which was interesting because that means they are suggesting that we eliminate 30 jobs, or the potential for 30 jobs,” Stern said.”
The New Orleans Hornets, Sacramento Kings and Charlotte Bobcats are considered three of the top candidates for contraction.
Minnesota Timberwolves Lay Off Employees
Bring Back This Logo
Minnesota Timberwolves laid off at least 11 business side employees on Tuesday, many of them in the sales department, as the effects of the NBA lockout start to sink in across the league. So far the basketball side of the operations have been spared with the exception of former head coach Kurt Rambis.
The Timberwolves are at least the third team in the league to start laying off employees. The Charlotte Bobcats laid off at least seven last week, including radio play-by-play announcer Scott Lauer and the Detroit Pistons fired 15 employees earlier this month.
President of basketball operations for the Timberwolves David Kahn has continued though the search of who will replace Rambis by bringing in Mike Woodson, Terry Porter for an interview with the possibilities of still Don Nelson, Bernie Bickerstaff and Memphis Grizzlies assistant Dave Joerger as candidates.
Michael Jordan Dunks At 48
It shouldn’t be shocking to nobody that the man who once won back-to-back dunk contest in 1987 and 1988 can still dunk. These Charlotte Bobcat fantasy campers found out first hand that the 48 years old Michael Jordan still has it.
Stephen Jackson Says Charoltte Bobcats Didn’t Try To Make Playoffs
Nothing Says NBA Like Praying Hands & A Glock
New Milwaukee Bucks guard Stephen Jackson says he isn’t bitter about being traded by the Charlotte Bobcats on draft day however says the team wasn’t committed to make the playoffs last season. Jackson says he was confused as to why the Bobcats held him out with an injury toward the end of last season.
“The last 10 games, I could have played. But they shut me down. The team shut me down. So I kind of assumed they didn’t want to make the playoffs.”
Charlotte lost its first six games with Jackson out of the lineup before winning its final two games of the season. The Bobcats finished 34-48 and in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, three games behind the eighth-seeded Indiana Pacers.
Jackson averaged 18.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 67 games for the Bobcats last season.
