Shut UP and Dance: The Los Angeles Lakers need to learn how to dance better ...

Laker Talk reigns supreme in my world and during a recent chat with a friend it was mentioned,

"The Lakers Just need to learn how to Dance."

For your listening pleasure:

"We got Ron Artest, don't YOU know he's a crazy man. DEFENSE ALL CRAZY MAN."

I paused and looked at my friend who proceeded to say,

"Yeah, you can put the two most talented dancers in the world together but that doesn't necessarily mean they will dance well together," he said emphatically.

"The Lakers have talent," he continued, "But, Can they dance together?  Can they Play together?  Because right now, they're not dancing (well) together."

Makes sense, I said, "If we are talking about gelling, camaraderie and unity, this does seem to be an issue."  There were moments in the last game versus Orlando that I thought I saw slight "dissing" (on the floor) from a couple of the Vets towards D'Angelo.



Is there is a disconnect?  Is this about the mixture of "talent" and individuals including an aged Kobe Bryant who has already missed the last two and now possibly a third in a row: "Rest" and "Sick" are being used as his excuses or ailments.  Is THIS the same Kobe that dropped free throws after tearing his achilles?

Scott said at shootaround that Kobe wasn't feeling very good last night. Upset stomach. He’ll talk to him later about that and his back.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) November 13, 2015

Achilles' Last Stand, if you will _ Zep

As a kid I remember seeing footage of Lynn Swan taking ballet so he could improve on things like double toe-touching while catching a ball going out of bounds.

Hey, maybe some of these Lakers could use a little help there (footwork) too.

Maybe Football knows something that "we" don't

But, the point is this:  Coach or No Coach, talent or NO talent, THIS team needs to figure out how to work together, as a unit, or else they will continue to suffer "Ls" and those "Ls" might lead to an early departure of Byron Scott whose head is ALREADY being called for.

I don't blame people for suggesting so.  The same thing happened with Mike D'Antoni.  BUT, After going through Mike Brown to Mike D'Antoni to Byron Scott, the most successful coach has been:

Bernie Bickerstaff

Albeit a very small sample size he had success with the Lakers.  Additionally, at what point do you STOP the coaching carousel, sit back and allow a team to play some ball.

We did know that THIS team was NOT necessarily a playoff team, correct?  I say THAT because I believe that ANYONE TEAM can beat ANY OTHER team on ANY given Day.

That being said, we realize how stacked the West is and that the Lakers are starting a 19 year old at point who has been thrust into action with two "other" rookies (granted both are sophmore players).

Progress is happening and THAT is what MANY fans really want to see.  Yes, a "double u" is nice but rather than seeing RE-gression we hope we see PRO-gression.

One THING IS CERTAIN: You definitely need to have the right dance partner(s) if you want to win.

"The rumba is a vertical expression of a horizontal desire" _JLO

Speaking of horizontal AND vertical desires..

Happy Friday

Scrubs

July 19, 2014

I rolled up to a local park, with Bob, and we were getting ready to play some hoop.

Bob starting shooting on one end of the full court.  There was two kids shooting at the other.

I went to the park bench to put my shoes on.

The kids start chattering right away and Bob, seemingly, was taken aback. 

Kid with sweatband (smally): "Man, you
shoot 1 for 20."

Bob (perplexed): " Oh.. Well..I'm 2 for 4 right now.."

Smally: "Man you a scrub"

Bob: "A scrub ?"

Chauncey (I chime in) :" Oh, yeah.. The only scrubs I know are the ones at the hospital!"

Smally and his cohort (Bigs) quickly look over at me.

Bob: " I don't know about no scrub"

I get up with a smile on my face and I look forward to this old bag of bones hitting the court, grabbing a ball, and draining some shots.

"Ouch, " I say, "I'm in pain.  I can barely move." (Acting Old and scrub-like)

Bob smiles and passes me the ball.

I miss a short shot but quickly rebound and get a put-back.  I focus.  I know these two little teenage smack -running warriors are standing mid-court staring at this old scrub just waiting for weak game.

I start hustling.

Turn -around shot.  In.

I start dribbling.  Behind-the-back and through- the-legs.

Kids in unison: " uh ohhhhhh"

I'm like, "that's right. Scrubs! " I say, " hey, have you heard our new song? "

And in great rhythm and melody, borrowing from Whodini's song, "Friends," I begin to sing:

"Scrubs... How many of us are there...Scrubs..."

Smally: "Man.. I ain't no scrub."

Chauncey: "Man, you might want to be after you see these shots go down.

I hit.  I hit again. Three pointer.  Step -back two fade-away.  Holy crap! I think to myself.  My shots are dropping as I'm calling out this smack -runner.  Thank you Baby Jesus, I declare to myself internally.

Bob (to Chauncey): "You want to just play these kids 2 on 2?"

Chauncey (to the kids):  "Hey, we need to warm up, so can we play you 2 on 2?"

"Sure, " says Bigs... He paused a moment..thought about it... "Ahhh.."

Chauncey:  "Yeah, I got that past you homie."

So we get ready to play. I ask about what ball we're using.  Smally says he wants me to choose cause he "doesn't want to hear any excuses when he beats our sorry asses."

Whoa.

I choose our ball and drain the top of the key shot for ball out.

Yesss.  Take that punk (inner voice)

We fail to score possession one and next thing you know it's 7-0 and then 9-4 (Kids). These kids are hitting and we're not.   Holy crap!

Bigs had made 2 of his 4 twos with the help of the home court hoop gods: a high bouncer off the heel that rattled around the rim and IN and the other was a hard bouncer off the backboard from the top wing that caught the soft front of the rim for another two points.

Bigs drained the last one just straight in.

"Game," they say.

And I hear Smally say, under his breath, "scrubs... How many of us are there.."

They walk off.

Victorious in smack AND game.

Leaving two (temporary) scrubs on the court wallowing on both counts.

DAMN.  I shoulda just stayed at home on the couch, I ponder internally.

"What about another game!?" I yell.

"Nah, we been here for awhile now and have to get back."

That's right... The street lights are on! ( I don't say)

Ummm... "Go home to your mother!" Is something that never came out of my mouth.

There was nothing I could say that could help this unfamiliar and awkward situation.

"Word yo your mother?"

"Damn," I say to Bob... " we just got schooled by some kids..."

Humility

Thank you, hoop Gods.

Another time Smally / Bigs ... Another time

The Gasol brothers better watch out because of these two kids can take down Chauncey and Bob, the SKY is the limit INDEED!!

@CBigUpps

BasketBall Lore: Dr. Jack Ramsay

Dr. Jack Ramsay represented so many things.  Among those many things would be Basketball Lore.  The world and Basketball lost a LEGEND on Monday, April 28, 2014.  Dr. Jack Ramsay was 89.