Ben Wallace Gets First Double Double of the Season

Detroit Pistons center Ben Wallace did his part to uphold the "NBA as Thugs' image with a DUI AND a concealed weapons bust. While not up to the Reggie Harding standard of behavior yet, Ben is off to a good start in upholding the Pistons center tradition.

NBA Players and Arrests- Like America and Apple Pie

Interesting off season for the NBA and its players. The owners would rather not play at all than contrinue with the sordid mess that has become the NBA. Fans don't care. Corporate dollars don't care. And the players, when they're not getting oversized grotesque tattos are continually in the news with arrests and trials. The latest is former NBA Player Tate George, who at least this time is up for a Ponzi Scheme and not the run of the mill assault, mahem, murder, sex or drug offenses. So at least we have that. God I miss the real pro basketball.... from the Wilt - Russell confrontations through to the Detroit Pistons 'Bad Boys'. Ever since Dennis Rodman showed up with tattoos and his dyed hair the sport has simply died and been replaced by thugs who have turned pro besketball into pro wrestling. I wish it would come back, and hopefully the owners will just shut down the whole thing until they can grab the sport back from these bums.

Some Days Are Harder Than Others

I just learned moments ago that former UNLV center Lewis Brown died of a heart attack today in Los Angeles at 56 years old. Lewis played for the Rochester Zeniths in the Continental Basketball League after his UNLV days and parlayed that into a brief stint with the Washington Bullets in the NBA. What made me even sadder was learning that Lewis had spent the last ten years of his life living on the mean streets of Compton. How terrible that had to have been for him. Lewis was a difficult person at times, but he certainly didn't deserve this fate. If only I had known, if only the word was out about his plight, help was surely available to him. Alas, it's too late...Lewis Brown has died and nothing can change those last years...years that had to have been so, so horrible for him. He deserved better. I wish I could have helped.

Metta World Peace

Ron Artest has changed his name to Metta World Peace. And if you don't like it he's liable to punch your face in. Wonder if Sarah Palin ever 'interviewed' him?

So Does Anyone Miss the NBA Yet?

Other than the occasional murder, drug bust, and other NBA style bad behavior, the off season has been unusually quiet as the two sides try to have their way in the CBA negotiations. Actually the biggest news seems to be players getting even more outrageous carnival tattoos on their bodies, surely away to drive coprporate America even further away from this cesspool that was once such a marvelous showcase for the sport of basketball. If it wasn't for gambling and fantasy leagues, this sport would probably never be missed except for those who enjoy basketainment that's more like pro rasslin' than any other 'legitimate' sport.

We are very pleased to be able to offer a newly created set of 50 'Classic Basketball' collector cards that depict the top stars of the first of the 20th century. These are a must for the serious basketball fan who values the history of the game. Unlike baseball, where the past stars are revered and their exploits passed on from generation to generation, the pioneer basketball stars are largely forgotten. For example, everyone knows of Babe Ruth, but few know that Bobby McDermott was chosed the top player from the first half of the 20th century. The top player for the second half? Michael Jordan. Both prolific guards...Jordan with the Chicago Bulls and McDermott with the Fort Wayne (now Detroit) Pistons. You can go to the Reach Sporting Goods Store located at www.ShopTV4U.com to check the cards out. You can also get them as posters suitable for framing. Proceeds from these cards go to support the Pre 1965 NBA Players Association. This fine group, headed by former NBA star of the 1950's Bill Tosheff, has been fighting for the pension rights of the forgotten players of the early days of the NBA. You'd think that with all of the money in the NBA that this woud be a moot point, but that's another story for another day.

Classic Basketball Card Set Coming in April!

Wait until you see the new 60 card set of Classic Basketball Cards that care coming to Basketball Illustrated and ShopTV4U.Com from Reach Sporting Goods. They are beautiful, and long needed for the true sports collector. There are many historic stars of pro basketball that have been simply overlooked by the new generation of fans. Can you imagine a baseball fan not knowing who Babe Ruth was? Well, Bobby McDermott was the Babe Ruth of pro basketball but he is virtually unknown today. In fact, McDermott was selected as the best basketball player of the first half century in poll taken in 1950. Imagine us forgetting Wilt Chamberlain or Michael Jordan? Anyway, these 60 cards are outstanding. You'll read about them shortly on Basketball Illustrated when they are released in April.