The holiday season starts te best part of the year, at least some of us at Game Over think so.  Why? - because now starts 12 hour Saturdays and triple-headers on weeknights of college basketball.  Speaking of which, did you check out the Memphis - Georgetown game yesterday?  We did and we learned more from what we saw than from what was said.

College basketball really took off on television when New York's own Al McGuire retired from coaching after winning the 1977 NCAA Championship with his Marquette Warriors (now Eagles) defeating the Dean Smith UNC Tar Heels.  The reason - he teamed with Billy Packer on the NBC College Basketball broadcasts and we, the public, had a coach that taught us the game as coaches think and teach.

The loss of such a teacher was evident during the Memphis - Georgetown game.  Now we know all your coaches tell you how when the ball is passed you need to see the ball and your man.  And when your man moves you have to open-up so that you can see the ball and your man as he runs his part of the offense.  Well . . . , lets just say someone is doing laps today at Georgetown for not doing what he's supposed to do.

The play opened with the ball in the right wing, passed down to the block.  The defender on his man at the top of the circle didn't open his shoulder so that he could see the ball drop down to the block and therefore his man set him up, cut down the lane and recieved a nice pass for a lay-up.  This is fundamental basketball - on the defensive side.  There is NO EXCUSE for allowing that play to happen.  So what happened on that play? - the defender on the ball was trying to get by with just his talent instead of increasing his court talent with knowledge and movement to prevent the easy play from happening.  He apparently hasn't learned from countless times going through the shell drill how to jump to the ball.  Ballers, young and old, male and female, it takes more than talent to be a great baller - it takes the teachings of your coaches to make you a superior player.

And there was no one to discuss the play as we had with coaches such as Al McGuire.  When we watch a game, we want it to be our classroom as well.  There is no reason any High School Ballplayer cannot come to Monday's practice after watching games on Saturday and becoming a smarter player.

So when you watch games, don't just look at what happens with the ball, look off the ball and understand defensive movement.  It's the men off the ball that direct how the ball moves more than the defender on the ball.

Some of you must of heard us when school got back into session.  There was movement in the standings as we crown a new leader-or-the-pack, Yves Jules of Canarsie.  Yves, not in the top ten as of last week had heavy voter turnout.  But he wasn't the only one as Keith  of Jefferson jumps from a tie for 6th into 2nd place.  Last weeks leader, Lance Stephenson, holds 3rd Place.  Sylven Landesberg of Holy Cross takes 4th with Erving Walker of Christ the King holding 5th Place by himself.  Eric Touche of Jefferson and Kembas Walker of Rice share the 6th - 7th spots while Brandon Romain of Boys & Girls is in 8th.  Curtis Loving of Wadleigh shares 9th with Kevin Jones of Mount Vernon.

Long Island has joined the party as several write-ins have now appeared on the voting page.  Don't be shy and register for the free Game Over Monster shirt.  It's gong to someone - why not you?  See you Sunday with the next update.  Game Over.

The best part of Thanksgiving (besides no school and leftovers) is the college basketball season gets into full gear.  Depending on your cable system, there wre 12 (tweleve!) games on tv on Friday alone.  Talk about getting stuffed.  And of course we had a great side helping of NBA games.

We're now a month into the NBA season and let's face it, if your a New York Knick fan, when do we officially start the clock on the draft (and do we have a 1st round draft pick this year?).  Yesterday's survival against a team that is as woeful as the Knicks (Da Bulls), was their Thanksgiving meal.  Now they face the Jazz, the Suns and the Celtics.  Oh boy.  And the NJ, er, soon to be Brooklyn Nets, aren't actually doing much better.  So who is the best Metropolitan area team?  Early voting goes to undefeated Seton Hall!  How about Bobby Gonzalez - comes from Manhattan and is making his impression felt right-away in the Big East.  #23 Virginia went home with a spanking.  The Pirates will make the season fun to watch in the metro area, even though they may not be able to take down Big East favorite Georgetown.

We are going into Thanksgiving with four leaders in the Game Over All-City Voting.  Erving Walker, Sylvan Landesberg, Brandon Romain and Darryl Bryant are in the short lead going into the weekend.  Eric Troche, Keith Spellman (big opening night of 29 pts in Jefferson win over Wadleigh) and Kemba Walker are 5, 6 and 7.  Write in Devon Elliott of Bishop Loughlin is now eligible for votes so please consider him as you look at the top NYC high school basketball players. 

Voting has officially opened.  We need to hear from you, your firends, your family, and everyone else.  Get the word out.  The Top Ten finishers all receive Game Over All-City trophies.  And voters, we haven't forgotten about you, with registering with your Email address and name, are automatically qualified to win gifts from Game Over.  To kick the voting off we are going to give one lucky winner an exclusive Monster T-shirt.  Not yet available in stores or online from www.gameovernyc.com (but will be for X-mas, so don't worry if you don't win, you can still get one, or five!) you can be the first to wear it proudly.  Be sure to register to win.

A new voting update will be posted on Sunday, so vote today to make yourself heard.  Game Over.

One thing about the New York press is its like a bulldog - once it locks its jaws on a story, it isn't letting go until its satisfied.  And the story they are keen on is Isiah and the Knicks.  Yeah, they stunk the house out last night, losing to the Warriors 108-82.  What's worse it the boos that are now following Isiah.  When can we get back to the business of winning?  We were sold on the idea that Zach Randolph was going to be the missing piece to finally have us play in late April and early May.  Is MSG just waiting until it gets so bad that it has no choice to let isiah go?  Or do they really feel he is the best man to do the job?  Whatever, just make a decision.  Game Over.

You don't think having one of the Top 3 Freshmen on your campus helps recruiting and creating a sense of being the "Hip" school?  When OJ Mayo, the phenom contacted USC saying he was coming aboard, you knew other ballers were going to keep an eyeful.  So what is going to walk into USC's new gym next year other than Beverly Hills HSer and actor/rapper than Lil' Romeo.  He's more than entertainer, (USC is just not giving out a scholie just to make noise, you know he can hold his own) as his 13.9 ppg and 5.6 assists tells the story.  Think Master P isn't the proud dad?  Question - who will walk on next to make USC the big school?  Wonder how many Lil' Romeo USC jerseys will be found in LA and the country.  USC may be hot, but UCLA is best in land, not just L.A. 

We at Game Over, like all of you, have been sitting back and watching the latest from 33rd St and 7th Avenue with keen interest.  We will not debate here the merits of what is going on with the Knicks (they may not even know themselves), whether Isiah sent Stephon home or he left on his own (with or without permission), whether it is due to starting or not starting.  After getting murdered, killed, (or whatever you can call a 32 point blow-out to the Nuggets), we have one and only one interest.  Whether Isiah's time is actually being looked at as when the next A Train is going to come, or he is safe as president/coach, we just want the Knicks to play ball.  Play ball the New York way.  The way it was when we were growing up.  Whether you remember Clyde, The Pearl, and the Captain, or the recent edition of Patrick Ewwwwwing!, Starks, and Mase, it hasn't been the same for too long.  Whatever it is, whatever the problem, fix it.  We want our New York ball back.  Game Over.