FIVE MO' THINGS, 2/15/13
1) Bill Koch's write-up on Cashmere Wright.  There should be more of these as Cash nears the end of his Cincinnati career.  Know how we always romanticize the Huggins-era guys?  Ten years from now, Wright should be afforded the same type of reverence.  Cash came in as, at the time, Mick's most talked-about recruit.  He'll leave as his most accomplished, and a cornerstone to the program's rebuilding. 

The thing about Cashmere, and Bill lists many of his statistical accolades, is that we'll never really know how good he could have been given his numerous knee issues.  He's made many huge shots throughout his Bearcat career (hopefully he has more in him), but more than anything he finally stabilized what had been, for years, UC's shakiest position.  Between Steve Logan's graduation and Devan Downey's arrival, UC used a bunch of shaky, and often not-very-good point guards.  Mick's early point guards included guys like Jamual Warren, Timmy Crowell, and an out-of-position Deonta Vaughn.  Point guard play, with a few exceptions, had been an issue at UC going back to the latter part of the 90s.  These last four seasons, the Bearcats have at least had stability, and often excellent play, at that position these last four years.

Cashmere Wright is going to be very difficult to replace.  Enjoy him before they have to.

2) Xavier and Dayton tomorrow.  Every game is critical for the Musketeers, who play a Flyer team that's inventing new ways to lose.  The Archie Miller years kinda seem like an extension of the Brian Gregory years now, don't they?  Lack of individual development, few players who high-level discernible basketball skills, maddening losses, games given away....all hallmarks of the BG years, all things that have exemplified the early going of the Archie administration.

UD might not even qualify for the A-10 Tournament, which would be embarrassing, but frankly, might be what the program needs.  (I don't like saying this, by the way) I've always gotten the sense, back to when I was a student there, that the school believes that the program was better than it actually is.  The school, the basketball program, and its fans are always quick to point out how well-attended Flyers games are and they never fail to mention what a great place UD Arena is and how great the atmosphere for bigger games is. These things are true, but they deflect how much the program has, in my mind, underachieved.

Perhaps the embarrassment of not even qualifying for the league tournament will cause enough disaffection for the school to do some serious evaluating of what should be a proud program.  I fear it won't.

3) Michael Jordan turns 50 this weekend and I feel old.


Here's the ultimate compliment I can pay an athlete: Michael Jordan knocked my favorite NBA team out of the playoffs five times and I still revered him, still coerced my mom into buying his shoes, still had Jordan t-shirts, and multiple Jordan posters.  No other athlete will ever be able to do that.

I know we're in the midst of this MJ/LeBron debate, mainly because LeBron James is playing incredibly (last night was no exception) and because of Jordan's 50th birthday.  The debate is worthwhile, yet not entirely valid.  LeBron James is a different type of player than Jordan is, more reliant on his passing, often dependent on his sheer size, and while he's good defensively, the Heat do often hide him on defense.  Jordan might have been the best defensive player of his era.

LeBron James is the best active basketball player on the planet, immensely fun to watch, and most frightening....he's still getting better.  For now, that should be good enough. 

And while one day he may surpass Jordan the basketball player (though again, when he prevents six Hall of Famers from winning championships, call me), he'll never approach Michael Jordan.

Many of us are NBA fans because of Michael Jordan.  He is the most culturally relevant athlete in our history, fair or not.  He was at his peak during a time when we were less jaded, when the media was more protective of stars (Jordan's off-court exploits would have been talked about non-stop if he was playing now), and when we were more willing to focus solely on what was happening on the court and on the field with our athletes.  We were more willing to make these guys heroes, where now we're looking for any reason to cut into them. It's easier, and maybe more fun for some, to dislike than like.

Growing up in the 80s and 90s a HUGE NBA fan, I couldn't find one person who disliked Michael Jordan.  Bulls games monopolized national TV, his teams always won (in the 90s at least), his face was on TV non-stop, and he continually stuck daggers into the championship hopes of some very popular and memorable teams.  Nowadays, Jordan would be booed mercifully in nearly every arena, we'd pick apart his every quote, and we'd piss and moan about his overexposure. 

And if he'd played 20-25 years ago, LeBron might have been Teflon.

We're not getting back to that time, when a player's talents were so transcendent that he was universally beloved.  And so, we're never getting another Michael Jordan.

4) Ladies and gentlemen, Frank Martin.

5) A six-man rotation to accommodate Mike Leake?  Yes, the Reds are paying Mike more than $3 million.  Yes, Dusty said that he's operating as if he has six starters.  And yes, the Reds will need six, and likely seven or eight people to start games this season.  But a six-man rotation?  No.

Simple math.  If the Reds were to use an uninterrupted six-man rotation, Johnny Cueto makes 27 starts.  If the Reds were to use an uninterrupted five-man rotation, Johnny Cueto makes 33 starts.  I prefer Johnny start more games. 

....But Wait There's More....

-We're having a watch party for the UC/UConn game next Thursday at the Holy Grail Banks....

-Tubby Smith danced to Ke$ha after a Minnesota win....

--Plenty more later, included today's radio show on ESPN1530.  This is the only Harlem Shake video I'm posting....