R. P. S. A. Summer Basketball League registration is underway.  The league is sanctioned by the N. C. A. A.  There are four levels of competition to choose from Top Gun (played at Christ the King HS), Competitive, Intermediate and Recreational, played at Maurice and Forest Parks in Queens.  Every team will play 10 games plus playoffs.  To register visit www.rpsabasketball.com or for additional information call 917-951-4523 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

I might be wrong but I think I caught Jason Kidd and Lawerence Frank on last nights episode of Deadliest Catch, ya know the show that shows the ruff life at sea for King Crab fisherman.  How nice that these two would wind up on a fishing trip together sharing quality time this time of year.  Now Byron Scott on the other hand is still in the hunt this weekend for an NBA crown.  The same B Scott that was replaced as NJ Net's head coach after leading the NJ Nets to two of their best seasons in decades.  Rumors had it that B Scott was not the brains behind the Net's success, it was Eddie Jordan, Lawerence Frank and J Kidd, Scott was just a figure head.  Well  Coach Scott has proven 2 things . . . 1) he can flat out coach and 2) Fishing on the Baron sea for crabs is not the place to be this time of year.  Win or loose the NO Hornets with Coach Scott are this year's  NBA success story.  Game Over

The Cavs are down to the Celtics 3 games to 2 and there are questions as to why.  Are the Celtics, who only lost 16 games during the course of the season, just that much better?  Evidence so far may not support that theory as all they have done is hold home court - the next game is in Cleveland.  ARe the Celtics that much better defensively?  Last night LeBron James hit for 35 points - so he can score (as if we didn't know that).  What it comes down to is James supoorting cast.  At this time, the "Court" are no "Jordanairres".

When Michael Jordan ruled the land, he did so with a supporting cast that allowed him, in the triangle offense, to do as he pleased.  Scottie Pippin could take some of the pressure, Steve Kerr could hit a three, and we could go on-and-on, showing that each supporting character could actually play, though not at Mike's level of Airness.  What does Lebron have to support him?  Ilgauskas is a nice piece, but is on the down side of his career.  Ben Wallace?  The same.  Wally Szczerbiak?  His game left him a long time ago.  Delonte West? Not enough to help.  Do any of these names give you pause - Anderson Varejao, Joe Smith, Daniel Gibson, and Sasha Pavlovic?

The Cavs may win tomorrow and force a game 7.  They may even win the series and move on to face the Pistons.  But any future for this franchise will be doing what the Celtics did last year by acquiring a supporting (and could say better players) cast for Paul Pierce in Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.

I remember when the word came out that Pam Anderson had hepatitis, I listened to grown men argue about whether they would still date her.  The consensus was yes, by a wide margin.  It wasn't even close.  Well, then there is no surprise that D'Antoni took the Knick's coaching  job.  With all the problems the Knicks have with salary cap issues, bad contracts and a 23 win producing roster, Pam still looks good!  The Knick job and coaching in NYC is still the sexiest job in the NBA, even with all the drama and fickle fans, New York is still NY.  The courtside celebs, the endorsements, the MSG history, and add that there is no place to go but up . . . then why not?  Is this another example of the Knicks allowing someone again to pad their pockets for a few years and split after under-achieving?  Well, over the past few years the Suns have been the most watchable team in the NBA.  D'Antoni's 7-second offense is a thing of beauty when clicking.  From the most watchable team to the  NY Knicks makes for a compelling story in itself.  Pam is still Pam and the Knicks are the Knicks . . . some guys have all the luck.  I think?

So the report we have all heard today is that O.J. Mayo, super-frosh late of U.S.C. and NBA draft eligible, has been accepting payments from a sports agent as early has his time in high school.  Should we be surprised?  In this, what-is-the-world-doing-for-me world, O.J. is the victim that gets to sign a huge NBA contract, the agents involved, under California law, will be facing criminal charges, and U.S.C. will most likely be facing NCAA sanctions.

Do you think Tim Floyd, coach of U.S.C. would like to not have answered the phone that fateful day when Mayo said he was coming to play for the Trojans?  So U.S.C. had one year of Mayo, did some recruiting off of his presence, did a one-and-out against the Michael Beasley led Kansas State Wildcats, and now will most likely be spending some time in NCAA jail.  Where's the benefit.  The ironic thing is, as stated by Mayo himself, is that he has been poked and probed by the Pac-10 Conference and the NCAA at the time of enrollment and they found no violations.  For an organization that has been likened to the FBI, perhaps the NCAA should move out of the way and the FBI should come in and do the investigating.  They need to do something, or the next letters we'll be suggesting are CSI.  Game Over

So we were checking out the NBA double-header Thursday night and saw a wonderous sight in the second game.  There were still 99 ticks of the clock remaining.  Score showed the Spurs by 12.  As Al McGuire used to put it, a lifetime, in the world of basketball.  12 points is just 4 possessions, 4 three-pointers.  Any NBA team has someone or someones that can hit 4 three-pointers in a 1:39.  Just requires some stops on the other end.  So what do we see?  The Hornets call Game Over.

Where was Chris Paul, arguably the best point guard in the NBA during the last 1:39?  On the bench.  Did he have 6 fouls?  Nope.  Injured?  No sir.  Did the Hornets give up?  Yes.  What else could we take from what we saw?  The Spurs were playing well . . . well enough to have a 12 point lead.  But it just takes a quick hot hand to bring you back in the game.  Ask any Knick fan of Reggie Miller and their spine tingles.  The Hornets just called Game Over and gave it to the Spurs.  Game Over

Now, I'n not anti-King James and don't player-hate Tim Duncan, but I want to see an "old-fashion" Celtics - Lakers Final.  It's what the NBA needs.  A re-invention, re-establishment of the public power base.  It's okay to see the Spurs and Pistons and other "small-market" teams win every once-in-a-while, but its the storied teams that carry a league.  How else to you explain the Yankees? 

In fact, thats the other element to the equation.  Harkening back to the days of Magic vs. Bird (yes we know Magic was a point guard and Bird small forward), Parrish vs. Kareem, and Worthy vs. McHale with new match-ups led by Kobe and Garnett.  But during that recent series of battles in the 1980's, it also saw the resurrection of the Knicks, first with the acquisition of Bernard King and later the drafting of Pat Ewing (and future coach?) Mark Jackson.  So, my superstious friends, do we need the Celtics and Lakers to resurface as powers in the NBA for the Knicks to do the same?  If so, Let them battle it out this year and I'll take my chances for the future.  Game Over