The Basketball Diairies – December 15 2011
Time for the Lakers to share the limelight?
The arrival of all-star Chris Paul in Los Angeles is no surprise. That he has signed for the Lakers’ tenants at the Staples Centre, the much maligned Clippers, is. After the farce that surrounded the NBA’s veto of his proposed move to the Lakers, Chris Paul ending up with the city’s poor relations is rubbing salt into an open wound. Like a kid who got his Christmas presents early, Clippers power forward Blake Griffin responded enthusiastically to the news “It’s going to be lob city!”
In stark contrast to the waves of optimism rippling out of the Clippers camp, Lakerland seems to be far from the happiest place on earth. On hearing of Lamar Odom being traded to the Dallas Mavericks, Kobe Bryant was heard to say “I don’t like it to be honest with you. I don’t like it.” He won’t be the only one. Clippers season tickets have sold out and could it be time for the Hollywood Glitterati to desert their Lakers for pastures new? The times they are a changin’ in LA.
For one night only!
Many people have special dates in their diaries, birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve but for Fab Flournoy one date stands out above all others, December 1oth. The Newcastle Eagles’ coach lost his inspirational brother Jimmy on this day and he commemorates the occasion with an annual bash that has become part of BBL folklore. Usually teetotal, Flournoy spends the evening drinking, dancing and bonding with his ‘Band of Brothers’, the Eagles roster and backroom staff.
As it’s the one and only night of the year that he drinks alcohol, Flournoy makes the most of it. Legend has it that last year Fab ended up on assistant coach, Dave Forrester’s sofa having lost his phone, car keys and one shoe! Word has it that one of the first things that forward Andy Thomson asked about on joining the Eagles was the annual drinking session. Judging by the Eagles form so far this season, mixing a bit of pleasure with business certainly hasn’t done them any harm!
Seconds Out
It was seconds out in more ways than one for Cincinnati as they bounced back from the hullabaloo surrounding their battle with cross city rivals Xavier. Missing star man, Yancy Gates, who is one of three Bearcats suspended for six games with another sitting out one game, Cincinnati defeated Wright State 76-53 on Wednesday. It was a relief for all concerned to finally start talking basketball again.
Forward Gates will be relieved to hear that no criminal charges will be brought against him or his teammates after he was clearly seen punching Xavier Centre Kenny Frease in Saturday’s ill-tempered tussle. The incredible scenes on court were exacerbated by post-game comments from Xavier’s Tu Holloway, “We got a whole bunch of gangstas in the locker room”, citing disrespect for the no.8 ranked Musketeers in the run up to the game by their opponents as the spark that ignited a bench clearing brawl.
The rivalry has a history of bad blood with big public University Cincinnati and the small private Xavier rarely seeing eye to eye. The game is often dubbed the cross town shootout, perhaps they’d better come up with a better name for future match ups!
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