Lonzo, You will be Missed. Lavar? You won't be.
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First of all, what a night last night! Great games and great action! I was 4-0 because a push is a win and WVU pushed so we are back on the right track here. Let’s see what happens tonight and we could be rolling.
Before I get into the picks, I’m gonna comment on Lavar Ball. I shouldn’t really because he doesn’t merit comment but since everyone else is, I figured I would.
Lavar, please just shut up man.
You don’t run a HS, you don’t run UCLA, and you will certainly not run any aspect of the NBA. I respect that you run your family and you have done a good job training your sons to be elite High School and College basketball players. That’s it. I understand that you never had your 15 minutes or 10 minutes or 1 minute of fame on NFL practice squads and as the 10th man on the Washington State team before moving on to Division II. I’m not sure if it is the receding hair line (the only thing you have in common with Lebron as a side note) but there are some serious insecurities that are shining through here and please just let your talented sons showcase their talent without your now increasingly NEGATIVE influence. Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley are two of the greatest of all time, the mere fact that I have to write a sentence with your name in the same literary breath as theirs means two things: One is that you are a marketing genius in a pathetic world of social media and rewards for self-aggrandizement. But I give you a degree of credit for this because yes, people are talking about you. Two is that you are without a doubt DELUSIONAL about your athletic prowess and really everything surrounding your own atletic career. Your son Lonzo is very good, let the light be on him. Let’s see if he can be an NBA MVP like Steph Curry, let’s see if he can be a Top 10 player of all time like Magic and Kobe. Honestly, between you and me, my bet is that he doesn’t. And he doesn’t even come close. My bet is that whatever team drafts him doesn’t have a winning record their first year. Being a number one or top five pick guarantees you nothing in the world of legacy and greatness. Concentrate on building your little flash in the pan BBB clothing brand behind the scenes, and please don’t put added pressure on your son who is pretty fun to watch actually.
(Note: If he does become an all-time great or BBB becomes a huge brand, I will happily congratulate you both and eat my words. And honestly no hate, best of luck in the quest.)
Side note: Please go to Wikipedia and look at Lavar’s profile because some genius compares his stats form Washington State to Jordan’s with the Bulls that year and it is good solid stuff.
I think I’m a pretty good dude. I could probably toot my own horn on things here and there, but my man Lavar, never have I needed to repeat a saying that my main man Gani Lawal (a GREAT dude who was with me in Milan and played at Ga. Tech and in the NBA) told our locker room several times. My friend Roscoe and I both love the quote, and it is “Real G’s walk in silence.” In between your diarrheas from the mouth, digest that saying and think about it, and hopefully it makes an impression on you. Narcissism is a hell of a thing though. You are a tremendous marketer of yourself, and only an above average marketer of your children. If you continue down this path, let’s try to change that.
Finally, I don’t know Michael Jordan other than he was one of my heroes growing up for the way he played the game. I do know Charles Barkley a little bit and he is one of the most genuinely nice and gregarious people I know. Does his mouth have a filter? No, he says whatever he wants and it’s usually something funny. But I don’t think I have ever heard him talk about how successful he was or how great he is, (other than maybe how great Auburn is) and he was literally infinitely, and I mean infinitely better at the game of basketball and sport in general than our man Lavar. The Round Mound of Rebound certainly doesn’t need me to defend him, but just back off of Charles my man.
Ok enough, I’ve said my two cents. I don’t have kids, but maybe much like Lavar Ball, I want to give my kids every opportunity to succeed. I want them to be the absolute best they can be at whatever path they choose. To some degree, I respect that Lavar Ball thinks along these same lines, I just think we may have different methods as to how we go about obtaining the results. I still have to find a girl, get married, and lose my virginity before I have to cross this bridge though. Wish me luck.
Now, the picks!
UNC vs. Butler
Butler +8
I almost picked UNC to win the whole shebang. They are big and strong and wear that sexy blue color and I love teams who crush the offensive glass. I think Butler will have to crowd the paint, rebound as a group, and shoot the ball well to have a chance to win. But if they do two of those three, then they can cover. I'm taking a feisty Butler team and the points.
UK vs. UCLA
UK +2
Lavar Ball, exit stage right. For now, I guess. This is a monster game and the marquee game of the night for sure. Lavar Ball disgusts me, but his sons game is silky smooth and I appreciate the rickety old man jumper he hoists with efficiency. UCLA has a deep team and are one of the few teams that can match up with Kentucky athletically. BUT they can't matchup all the way. UK is too athletic and too fast in this one and they will be out for blood and jacked up after UCLA beat them in Rupp halfway through the season. I think all the Lavar ridiculousness causes a bit of a distraction for the UCLA squad and only makes UK want it more so say good night Bruins as Kentucky wins this one and marches on. Plus, did you think I wasn't gonna pick my bracket champ? Come on people.
South Carolina vs. Baylor
Baylor -3
Man, South Carolina is such an awesome story. And if they play even remotely close to how they played in the second half against Duke, this game will go their way and go their way heavy. HOWEVER, I think Baylor is a really good team and their big boys inside are big enough to make those shooting percentages go way down. I’m taking the Baylor Bears bringing joy to Waco, Texas, which in general is a place I think needs joy as often as possible.
Wisconsin vs. Florida
Florida -1
Wisconsin shocked the world against Villanova. That was awesome and Nigel Hayes is a stud. This would be the game I would lay off of because I’m not positive on my pick here, but I think Florida has come a long long way since even a month ago and other than not being able to beat Vanderbilt (baffling), they pretty much took care of the rest of their schedule (outside of Kentucky.) Plus, and this is a big plus, they have the Barry kid that shoots underhand free throws which any basketball purist has to appreciate. As a Georgia fan, it pains me to pick Florida because they wear jeans shorts and eat their own boogers, but you know what, it’s fine. Go Gators.
Those are the picks, I’ll try to get some good footage from this evening and make another video post later on. BUT GOOD LUCK! LETS KEEP THIS GRAVY TRAIN ROLLING.
