"Basketball Beyond the Floor"

"But if there is one quality I see fading from U.S.A. Basketball, it is the concept of teamwork. The individual, 'me first' approach just does not work"- Lisa Leslie in Don't Let the Lipstick Fool You- The Making of a Champion (with Larry Burrett). She feels the U.S.A. Men's National Basketball team has problems playing overseas since their opponents have better team skills than individual talent. Interesting. This is the one contradiction she gets caught in over the course of the book: "There is nothing wrong with averaging 6 points per game in the Olympics if your team wins gold. It is not OK to average thirty points individually while you watch your team loose". True. But on February 7th, 1990 with Morningside High school, she scored 101 points in a single game. South Torranee, her opponent, forfeited the game in the second half wondering what she was doing. I say 'her' opponent because her team just fed her desire to make that milestone and feed her the ball. Lisa Leslie is a legend and forever will be a legend in the WNBA. Her stats and life story proves this as chronicled in the book. And although I could have done without the details of her engagement to husband Michael Lockwood (and his added commentary) she really got personal with this book and that takes a lot of courage. (Incidently, one of the same reasons I loved Character Driven by Derek Fisher). Let's peel back the layers.



A little indigestion - nothing to worry about



"We keep winning gold medals but it does not seem to matter. Nobody seems to pay attention and it is really hard for me to digest" (Lisa Leslie). The age old argument for why the WNBA can't survive on its own without the NBA. This is an argument hard for ME to digest. How quickly we forget the WNBA is only 14 years old with its inaugural season in 1997. Now flip to the NBA. Technically, the league began in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). They changed it to the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1949 after merging with the National Basketball League (NBL). This makes professional basketball for men 64 years old. I would hope that after leagues merging and sustaining itself for this long, it would be successful enough to stand on its own. The WNBA has 50 years to catch this milestone. Plus, the NBA has 30 teams in its league to the WNBA's current 12. Another mild difference? No Canadian teams in the WNBA. See? I knew we could find a solution.



More than just a Basketball Player



"...the players are responsible for the WNBA's image and I believe the best and strongest image is the one that shows the unique beauty and strength of women" (Lisa Leslie). Hence, the title of the book Don't Let the Lipstick Fool You. When Tina Thompson was with the Houston Comets (now folded), I remember watching her for the first time and remembering two things. One, her aggressive style of play and two, the bright red lipstick. One of the things Lisa Leslie argues in her book is for the need for players to properly present themselves as neat and tidy before stepping onto to the court. I believe she means to give respect to yourself, your opponents, fans and the game. She certainly endeared herself to fans and the Los Angeles Sparks as an organization (and a team she stayed with for the duration of her career) by the way she presented herself. When the WNBA celebrated its 10th season, the Sparks honoured Lisa on her birthday by dedicating a portion of the court at the Staples Centre as "Lisa Leslie Court" - a testament to all her hard work and determination in making the league what it is. I think it's funny and admirable she gives credit to Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Billy Jean King, Ann Meyers, Nancy Lieberman and Pat Summit (to name a few) as blazing the trail for her and other female athletes like her. She says she and her WNBA colleagues are riding their coat tails. Very interesting.



Spreading the Wealth



In the beginning, the WNBA had teams in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Sacramento and Utah (Western Division) and New York, Houston, Cleveland and Charlotte (Eastern Division). This is where it gets interesting. WNBA officials figured out who its top 16 players were and assigned 2 to each of its teams. Some might say that is a little elementary, maybe better off in pick-up leagues and not at the professional level. However, I think this method worked; especially for the first year of a new league. It would have been interesting if Lisa Leslie talked to some of her friends in the NBA, namely Dwayne Wade and LeBron James, to see what they thought about NBA officials spreading out the talent pool.



Flick Pick of the Week

This week I want you to check out "Love and Basketball" starring Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan. This is a cute story about two kids who have a real thing for basketball and how each is trying to carve a future in it. Oh and they have a thing for each other, too. Next week we will be discussing the book: Blood on the Horns by Roland Lazenby. This is another gem my mom bought for me (remember Hoop Dreams?). There are probably enough books about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls to fill the United Centre, but this one will open your eyes. Happy reading and see you on Tuesday for another serving of Jiggly Bits.

"Jiggly Bits"

Chris Paul has met with the management of the New Orleans Hornets and did not request a trade according to Hornets' General Manager, Dell Demps. In a statement read by Harold Kaufman of the Hornets' management team, this is a direct quotation from Chris Paul commenting on yesterday's meeting: ``I have been a Hornet my entire career and hope to represent the City of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana for many years to come``. The operative word here is ``hope``. While the meeting came off as positive, we didn`t hear directly from Chris Paul himself (at the time I am writing this) except from a prepared statement. But since this statement is all we have to go on right now, let`s roll with it. This statement sounds more like he`s running for office and not trying to keep or look for a new job in the NBA. Sure, I know sporting events are a welcome distraction from the every day woes of the average fan, but some of these players are being heralded as the second coming of the Holy One himself. The City of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana have been through hell and back with Hurricane Katrina and I hope for their sake Chris Paul stays for that reason. But realistically, he is responsible for winning basketball games and the future of the City of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana is the responsibility of their local governments and the United States Government. Since Chris Paul has two years left on his contract with the Hornets, he has to wait before he has full control of where and when he goes. But the moves he has control over now are the firing and hiring of agents, which he has done. He is now represented by Leon Rose who also represents LeBron James. Paul has also agreed to work with LeBron James` LRMR marketing agency. Hmmm. Maybe he does want to play with LeBron in Miami. But please, for the love of all things sacred and the game of basketball, read the fine print before you declare you hate a player for making a decision based on what`s best for him, instead of the city in which he lives. Now we can move on to some discussion on my stand-out trades and another fine being doled out by the NBA for disparaging comments.

Matt Barnes and Kobe Bryant: the new Batman and Robin

I love this move. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. But I really don`t think this is a case of anything going beyond trash talk. There is a difference between genuine hate and trash talking rivalry - any athlete knows this. Remember, Matt Barnes went to UCLA and Kobe Bryant personally rallied for Barnes to play in Los Angeles. These are key points. Barnes could have gone to the Cavs for more money and Miami was also on the table of options believe it or not. Think back to last summer and Ron Artest signing with the Lakers. Kobe pushed for him even after physical battles during the regular season and a confrontation in the playoffs. Maybe Barnes is a second choice since Kobe pushed for Raja Bell who ended up with the Utah Jazz - who knows. All I know is, the Lakers are showing they are ready to take on the league and the `three kings` in Miami this season.

T-MAC is `take me back` in Chicago

We have heard this story before. Think back to 10 years ago. Chicago was also in his list of options in 2000 but ended up going from the Raptors to Orlando instead. It was a different time then. The Chicago Bulls were in the post-Jordan era and Tracey McGrady was not willing to take on the baggage. Now he has players like Derrick Rose in favour of him coming to Chicago but I would be a little weary of that. Remember, 10 years ago Derrick Rose was 11 years old right when Tracey McGrady was really becoming `T-MAC`. So this may just be a case of Rose wanting to play with the guy he grew up watching in all those highlight reels. For it to work in Chicago for McGrady this time around, I really don`t see him starting. Maybe as the Bulls` 6th man. There are a few players I wouldn`t want to see minutes taken away from: Ronnie Brewer, Kurt Thomas (more of a proven veteran leader than McGrady), Luol Deng and of course, Carlos Boozer and Rose. Plus, don`t forget about McGrady`s back and knee. I wouldn`t want to see him working the hot-cold baths in the training room while his team is out on the road trying to win basketball games.

David Stern forgot how to add and subtract

This one just kills me. Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations David Khan was recently fined $50,000 for comments he made about Michael Beasley`s past marijuana use. According to my source, the Timberwolves as a team were also fined for the comments its President made. This means the NBA is collecting $100,000 dollars for comments they feel are equal to the severity of Dan Gilbert`s rant on LeBron James leaving Cleveland. I think Dan Gilbert`s comments on LeBron James are far worse than what David Khan said about Beasley. By the NBA essentially fining both situations $100,000, they are saying both hold the same weight. In a radio interview on an ESPN affiliate, David Khan called Michael Beasley (who was recently acquired by the Timberwolves) ``a very young and imature kid who smoked too much marijuana``. Not a good thing to say about a player who is supposed to be a part of the Timberwolves family and should be fined. Good move on that part. But not status worthy of Dan Gilbert`s hissy fit.

Basketball Beyond the Floor

Remember to join me here on the DNB this Thursday when we will be discussing WNBA retiree Lisa Leslie`s life and career chronicled in Don`t Let the Lipstick Fool You. You will agree with the title after you read this book. Happy reading and see you on Thursday.

"Basketball Beyond The Floor"

If you are in pre-school or primary grades, have young nieces or nephews, sons or daughters, are a fan of hip hop or just want a break from heavy reading, today's edition of 'Basketball Beyond the Floor' is for you. As promised, we will be discussing And the Winner Is...by LL. Cool J, Queen of the Scene by Queen Latifah and Long Shot - Never too small to dream BIG by NBA All-Star Chris Paul. Most children's books like these for this age level are designed to build the confidence of young athletes, to keep trying and never give up. A pretty standard theme and sometimes over used, so I was a little skeptical doing research on and reading these books. To ensure I covered all angles, I enlisted the help of some 5 or 6 year-olds on my street (age level appropriate to these books). Each came with mixed reviews but my young helpers were able to tell me a quick summary of the plot and main characters so it was clear each book did it's job to communicate their respective themes. Let's dive in.

And the Winner is....By LL. Cool J.

One of the reasons I choose this particular book and the two others we will be discussing today, is they were actually written by the people they claim to be written by. Sometimes, books for this age level with celebrities attached, focus on the star quality before the content. If I was grading LL. Cool J's first attempt at children's literature on my own, I would say he is borderline in this area. However, my young book reviewers had this to say about the hip hop author:

- "Music was good"
- "Liked the pictures"
- "I liked how it said 'I never give up', you shouldn't give up and always keep trying"
- "I didn't like when he (LL. Cool J plays himself to act out both sides) was acting mean"
- "Too fast".

The book came with a CD of LL. Cool J telling the story through rapping. Other than the direction at the beginning to turn to page one, it was hard to follow for someone who can't read because he moves at a brisk pace. But the concept was an interesting attempt by Scholastic Inc. to try something new. This book comes from a "Hip Kid Hop" line of picture books with CD singles. Entertaining for young ones and with an important theme of winning and loosing gracefully - enjoyed fully with some adult assistance.

Queen of the Scene By Queen Latifah

This is another children's book which comes with a CD to supposedly enhance the reading experience. There was no direction and unless you can read and are quick to follow the words, the story is not really absorbed properly by the young reader on their own. After LL. Cool J's fast paced pep talk, I let a 6 year-old who is proficient at reading attempt the book on her own and she found it hard to follow. This is not too say the book isn't worth your time. It totally is - especially for young girls. The illustrations are fantastic and come from the same illustrator as Long Shot, Frank Morrision. On the first page, the main character is flying high off the ground to slam the ball a la Lisa Leslie or LeBron-esqe. I like the way it is written because it shows girls can be confident and talented and stand up for themselves: "So girl, take pride - Even if at first you fall - Keep giving it another try. The Queen in you walks tall". Confident, but not cocky - there's a difference: "If you are standing on the sidelines, 'cause you don't have heart, then get yourself right back in there.." or "In any sandbox I go to - Nobody can be mean". Queen Latifah is involved in many charities that help empower children and be the best they can be. I recommend every young girl own a copy of this book or at least read it.

Long Shot - Never too small to dream BIG by Chris Paul

This is the best book out of the three as far as basketball content goes. Like most kids in the Jordan era, Chris Paul begins the book with his dreams of playing like MJ but laments on his size and wonders how he's going to get past it. I love how he refers to his grandfather as 'Papa Chilly' (the kids in my group did, too) who gives Paul this advice: "...you can't make yourself taller, but you can get faster and stronger...work harder than everyone else out on the court and your size won't matter". I think this is a little better and more realistic advice to give to a young athlete than telling them they can be like MJ. Sure, with hard work and perseverance you can be MJ but what if your height (like with Chris Paul) leaves you with more to work at to get there. There is nothing wrong with telling a child to strive for an A+ or win a basketball game because let's face it, we don't step on a court or go to school with the intention to loose or fail. But as we all know sometimes we have to loose because the other team is better or we tackled a subject we are not familiar with. This book accomplishes this. The message is good for parents and children alike since it shows how family support is important and how cheering rather than applying pressure on our kids is our role at our niece/nephew/grandchild's/child's game. I got the book from the library to read and research for this piece but I ended up buying it for my nephew who is turning one years old soon. Shhhh.

Flick Pick of the Week

James the dinoblogger is going to laugh but the movie I want you to watch this weekend is Space Jam starring Michael Jordan, Bugs Bunny (with Billy West as the voice of Bugs) and the rest the Looney Tunes characters. I love this movie not only because of the basketball theme but for the amount of cameos from NBA players and Hollywood personalities. It really grabs the attention of the young viewer with the crazy storyline: MJ leaves basketball to pursue baseball (ironic given he tried that in real life) but he returns to help the Looney Tunes challenge the Nerdlucks. Funny for the adults to watch even if it's at NBA players like Charles Barkley thinking they can act. Very entertaining.

Next Thursday, we will be discussing Don't let the Lipstick Fool You by Lisa Leslie, recently retired from the L.A. Sparks of the WNBA. I am in the middle of it now and already I know I wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alley much less defend her on the court. I have followed her career from start to finish and even now as I am reading her book, I am learning new things from behind the scenes of her life getting to the WNBA, the Olympics and more. The title will really make you laugh when you read it. Happy reading and see you on Tuesday for another serving of Jiggly Bits.