Inside the Vipers Nest with the Doctor Professor

New Site For This Blog

2010-12-01T15:27:00.000-06:00

New and exciting things are coming for this Doctor Professor. Although this format has certainly suited me well, Jacob Berry and the good folks at 956sports.com have helped me to get my own domain name, allowing me to move this blog and all future posts to a new site:

http://www.thedoctorprofessor.com

It doesn't get much better than that, does it?

I'll see you there!

Big Moves

2010-11-30T16:03:00.000-06:00

You can never have enough depth, right?

The Vipers brought back Garrett Temple today.

So... here are the players you are now trying to squeeze into three spots:

Mustafa Shakur, Garrett Temple, Jerel McNeal, Antonio Anderson, Richard Roby and Terrel Harris.

It's incredible to think, that no matter who's at the PG, SG and SF positions, the Vipers are in good shape. Finding them all minutes could be tricky, but at the same time, it also forces them all to take their games to a higher level to earn playing time. They can't all play 30-to-40 minutes (unless there's mad wicked overtime).

Still, the acquisition of Temple is the right one. He's a good person, very coachable. He'll put his head down and hustle... do whatever is asked of him. And he has plenty of talent too. The man made some starts for the Spurs down the stretch last year. I don't really understand why the Spurs waived him this year. You can say he wasn't playing as well, but he only got a few minutes in three games off the bench, so that's not really fair. The Spurs are carrying the league-minimum of 13 players right now (max is 15). I guess they don't see a reason to carry more since they can only have 12 active on any given night. They could have assigned Temple to the Toros, but maybe they thought he didn't need anymore seasoning. Still, it would have been a smart way to hold onto a valuable player and get him ready in case the aging Spurs have any injuries. Oh well, just like with Luis Scola, the Spurs' loss is the Rockets' gain... or in this case... the Vipers' gain.

Stanley Robinson is a pretty intriguing acquisition too. The Vipers certainly needed some help in the size department. Patrick Sullivan was in a lot of foul trouble and didn't even play seven minutes on Sunday. Patrick Patterson is solid, but you never know when the Rockets will recall him. Mickell Gladness is a good piece to have. Mouhammad Faye barely plays. Robinson immediately bolsters the power forward position.

Over all, the Vipers have become incredibly deep at every position. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out as far as rotations and lineups go.

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

2010-11-26T20:33:00.001-06:00

I intended to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving yesterday, but it ended up being a busier day than anticipated. I started the day as a volunteer, along with other members of the front office and the entire Vipers basketball team, at the Salvation Army, serving meals to those in-need.

From there I went to the home of assistant coach Jai Steadman, where he and his girl friend hosted the entire team. After a great meal, I was invited to another friend's house, as I spent Thanksgiving evening with 956sports.com's Jacob Berry and his family.

It was a positively wonderful day on my first Thanksgiving away from home (I had always gone home to New York in the past). I know the players appreciated both the opportunity to help out in the community and to have a home to go to for Thanksgiving.

I have much to be thankful for... family and friends at the top of course. My profession is up there as well, though. For those of you who do not know, I am traveling with the Vipers this year. I will be providing the play-by-play for all games away from State Farm Arena this season.

It's an incredible opportunity and I can't thank everyone at the top enough, starting with Vipers President Bert Garcia, for having the confidence in me to allow this to happen. Hard work always pays off. Every single time.

It won't be my first time sliding over into the play-by-play role for the Vipers. I filled-in for two games each of the last two years. However, the consistent reps this year will give me a better opportunity to hone my craft in hopes of someday reaching the big leagues.

It's been a few years since I've had those consistent reps. I started broadcasting basketball during the 2005-06 season; my first of two years with Boston University women's basketball. During the 2007-08 season I was the play-by-play broadcaster for the University of Texas-Pan American, doing all men's games and as many women's games as I could.

These past two seasons I have been providing color commentary at home, and last season I was also the pre-game/halftime/post-game studio host when the team was on the road. That was all valuable on-air experience. Coupling that with my previous play-by-play experience, I am excited to see how much improvement I can make this year.

It's going to be fun!

Pre-game coverage on Saturday begins at 11:30 a.m. We'll have an interview with Terrel Harris during the Mega Energy halftime show. Talk to you then.

ANTONIO ANDERSON IS BACK!

2010-11-22T15:31:00.000-06:00

(My thinking is using all caps will help to convey the incredible awesomeness of that statement. So, please, take a moment to let it all sink in).

This is without a doubt the right move by Anderson. He's so close to the NBA, it's tantalizing. A number of teams have shown interest in Anderson over the last year, from Charlotte to Oklahoma City to Denver to Houston. That means he's doing something right. Coach Finch said a few weeks ago Inside the Vipers Nest that he thinks Anderson is an NBA players, it's just a matter of winning the numbers game and finding the right fit.

There's no question Anderson adds grit to the defense that is certainly needed. He's one of the best defensive players in the league and can certainly help to keep opposing teams from scoring 115 points on a nightly basis (granted, that's happen in all of one game, but it's never too early to add to the defense).

Anderson also adds fire power on offense, not only as a slasher that can play at shooting guard and small forward, but as a play maker. He can be the second point guard the Vipers need when Mustafa Shakur needs a breather, and he can be a dangerous weapon when they're both out there.

This certainly crowds the back court a little bit with Shakur, Richard Roby (31 points in the opener), Jerel McNeal and Isaiah Swann also back there, but it'll probably work itself out. Usually does.

What this does for both McNeal and Swann is help them to become more open for good three-point looks since they never have to worry about running the offense.

Terrel Harris had a very strong game starting at small forward (19 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists), so I can't imagine he gets pulled from the starting lineup. Does McNeal? Or does Anderson come off the bench for a couple of games (like Will Conroy in his first game with the Vipers and Mike Harris in his first two games after his first GATORADE Call-Up)?

Good problem to have, eh?

DONATE BLOOD

2010-11-20T15:08:00.000-06:00

I just donated blood for the first time in my life. We had a blood drive at the Vipers Pro-Shop today for United Blood Services benefiting the Mary Kay Foundation.

It was the easiest thing in the world. And it took all of 5 minutes and 52 seconds.

I just saved three lives.

Everyone who donated (we had a great turnout) saved three lives each.

I feel incredibly stupid for not donating in the past.

I plan to donate every 56 days for the rest of my life.

I found the hero in me. Find the Hero in You.

Donate today!

The Legends Traded Dar Tucker?

2010-11-19T12:04:00.000-06:00

Might he become the first player (I assume) in NBA Development League history to play in 51 games?

Not sure why the Legends would trade him to New Mexico after one game for a future second round pick. Tucker had a quiet 10 points and seven rebounds last night, but when used properly (read: for more than 17:19), he can dominate. Did so with the LA D-Fenders last year.

*shrug*

He stays in the Western Conference, so how this move affects the Vipers remains to be seen.

Title Defense Off to a Good Start

2010-11-18T23:26:00.000-06:00

The Vipers open the season with a win, raise the Championship banner and hand out Championship rings. Can you think of any better way to open the season? I have no plans to ever not wear this ring. Oh how sweet it is!

Pre-Season Finale Thoughts

2010-11-14T14:49:00.000-06:00

It was a quick day for the Vipers. Land in Dallas, grab some food to eat on the way to the Texas Legends practice facility, play a game, run back to the airport, eat, fly back to McAllen.

The Vipers got an exhibition against the Iowa Energy in during the trip (it was a tournament of sorts I guess. Texas-Tulsa Friday, Austin-Tulsa and RGV-Iowa Saturday, Texas-Iowa Sunday). The Vipers lost 112-92.

The Vipers played evenly with the Energy during the first quarter, but the second quarter wasn't pretty. Fouls, turnovers... The Vipers came back in the third to make it a five-point game, but the next time I looked up it was a 17-point game and the Energy maintained their lead.

Jerel McNeal had a nice shooting day for the Vipers. Patrick Patterson looked okay in his first game action since the NBA pre-season.

The Energy have a lot of talent on paper, although some of those names didn't play too well. Kyle Weaver struggled. Courtney Sims didn't look like a dominant big. I wasn't overly impressed with Conor Atchley either. Curtis Stinson did his usual thing. Chris Lofton looked great. Othyus Jeffers was unstoppable.

*shrug*

At the end of the day, it's a pre-season game. Does it mean anything? Maybe. But it's not like these teams were reviewing tape on each other before the game. They were worried about evaluating their own talent and running their own plays. So I don't worry about 20-point loss. The real thing doesn't start until Thursday.

Vipers vs. Iowa @ Frisco (11/13/10)

2010-11-13T14:34:00.000-06:00

I'm not so sure we'll be starting at 3:30 p.m. as scheduled. They're early in the 3rd Quarter of the Austin-Tulsa game (Toros 64, 66ers 53, 8:50 on the clock).

If I'm going to broadcast this game as planned (click here), I'm going to have to do it from the stands. That should be interesting. Although I have done that before...

Not entirely sure what time I'm going to get on the air because of this game. Not sure how much time's in-between games. I also need to get Iowa's roster numbers to go with their names. I will get on before the game starts, though.

Inside the Vipers Nest Now LIVE Online with VIDEO

2010-11-10T20:55:00.000-06:00

Thursday marks a historic happening for our weekly radio show, Inside the Vipers Nest... We will be streaming it live online through our partners at 956sports.com.

You can now watch (and listen) as Coach Finch, Analee and I talk about everything in the world of the Vipers.

The show runs from 6-to-7 p.m. on Jack FM (104.9 KJAV Alamo, 95.3 KZSP South Padre Island). Check it out!

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

2010-11-10T17:59:00.000-06:00

So, I'm sitting here at Mission High School watching the Vipers conduct an open practice in front of a plethora of students. They've been cheering throughout practice. For most of the players, it's things like, "let's go 45!" "Nice job 20!"

Except for one player.

"Let's go Stan!" "Yeah Stanley!"

Ladies and Gentlemen... Fourth-year Viper Stanley Asumnu

Live Blog: Pre-Season Game (11/9/10) – Rio Grande Valley Vipers vs. Halcones Universidad Veracruzana en Xalapa

2010-11-09T18:54:00.067-06:00

6:53 p.m. – Crowd is filing in. Fans are getting free chick-fil-a coupons. The redone UTPA Fieldhouse looks great. It's been a while since I've been here. Two years tomorrow.

6:55 p.m. – We have starters:

Vipers:
PG Mustafa Shakur (Arizona)
SG Jerel McNeal (Marquette)
SF Terrel Harris (Oklahoma State)
PF Patrick Sullivan (S.E. Louisiana)
C Mickell Gladness (Alabama A&M)

Halcones:
PG Orlando Mendez-Valdez (Western Kentucky)
SG Leandro Garcia (Texas A&M)
SF Jesse Pellot (Virginia Commonwealth University)
PF Santiago Aguirre (Westmont)
C Adam Parada (UC-Irvine)

6:58 p.m. – Funny moment... the players just lined up for the national anthems with 4:30 left until the anthems play. The buzzer sounded (they were testing it) so they all reacted. So we'll do the anthem early. Easier that way.

7:02 p.m. – The two teams met at center court at exchanged in the international game tradition of exchanging gifts. In this case, t-shirts.

7:04 p.m. – Paul Stoll was introduced as a reserve. Got a large ovation. They remember him. He has family here too.

7:06 p.m. – Vipers reserves getting introduced... Stanley Asumnu got the largest ovation.

7:09 p.m. – Teams have taken the court. Vipers wearing white practice tops and black practice bottoms. Saving the real uniforms for the real thing. Halcones win the tip, McNeal commits a quick foul, but Halcones turns it over. Vipers ball.

7:10 p.m. – First look at Mustafa Shakur running the point. I could get used to this. Well, not the turnover, but that was later. ... Gladness with a foul. We're 46 seconds in and the Vipers have committed two fouls.

7:11 p.m. – Terrel Harris good and the foul. By the way, live stats can be found here.

7:12 p.m. – The number of three-point lines on the court is confusing the heck out of me. Women's college, men's college, NBA... It doesn't help that there are also volleyball lines down. Gladness with a one handed slam. Aren't you glad he's a Viper?

7:14 p.m. – Gladness just committed his second foul. Still, Vipers lead 8-4 in opening minutes. Jordan Eglseder replaces Gladness.

7:20 p.m. – If you're looking at the box score and wondering, Patrick Patterson is not here yet. He'll join the team for practice in the morning. Marquis Gilstrap is hurt (knee) and Mouhammad Faye arrives tomorrow as well. So the Vipers are only playing with 15 players.

7:21 p.m. – Jesse Pellot just did a great job of creating a foul on Terrel Harris (translation: Pellot flopped after missing a shot with Harris in front of him but not facing him and a foul was called). Media timeout.

7:23 – Venom, presented by Kidiatric Therapy Services, just knocked over Fang, presented by Kidiatric Therapy Services, in a tricycle race with Bucky the Bronc. Talk about home cooking. Of course, Los Halcones almost knocked over Fang, presented by Kidiatric Therapy Services, by accident. They barely used any of the timeout. Guess they didn't have much to say down 18-11. *shrug*

7:26 – Paul Stoll is in the game!!! He missed a three and then made a GREAT bounce pass down low that led to a bucket plus a foul. He's running hard. Looks like he's in good shape. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want him to play well. I want the Vipers to win, but I'd like Stoll to show something on this stage. I've always thought he could play at the next level. I really want him to get that chance, whether it's with the Vipers or another NBA Development League team. He has such a great work ethic and basketball IQ. He's also really really good.

7:30 p.m. – Media time out, 2:01 left in the first, 27-24 Vipers.

7:33 – Isaiah Swann just hit a bucket. He's been quietly doing a nice jump in camp.

7:34 p.m. – 1:05 left in the first, 30-26 Vipers. Los Halcones just called a 20-second timeout. Interesting time to do it.

7:36 p.m. – Noe Alonzo just made a sick fake out move to get Ramon Harris to jump before hitting a three. Harris responds with the same move and a corner three. 32-29 Vipers at the end of the first quarter.

7:37 p.m. – First look at the Snake Charmers, presented by RGV Careers. They look good. I'm, of course, referring to their dance technique.

7:40 p.m – Nice mid-court steal by Clevin Hannah leading to a Richard Roby bucket.

7:42 p.m – Charles, the king of music at UTPA, is playing Jai Ho. They use that in Shudogg Millionaire, so I really enjoy the song. Hannah just hit another bucket. He's only 5-11, 160, but he makes his presence felt. Speaking of making his presence felt, Jesse Pellot has been everywhere for Halcones. He just hit his second bucket. Seems like he's made more.

7:44 p.m. – It seems weird to have music playing during a basketball game at a college arena. Of course, we have music throughout at Vipers games. It's just different for some reason.

7:45 p.m. – This is a really good game. 38-37 Vipers, 9:00 left in the second. Going in, who knew what would happen. The Mexican team, who just took the lead for the first time in a while, on a Pellot long two-pointer, are the four-time defending champs and are already 17-3 this season. The Vipers are on day four of training camp. But the Vipers have an incredible coaching staff and a lot of talented players. This was a game that could really go in so many different directions. I'm enjoying this direction.

7:48 p.m. – Threes are flying. Roby with a monster dunk, but Pellot again from downtown. 43-42 Halcones, under 7 minutes before halftime.

7:50 p.m – btw, former-Viper Maurice Carter is on the court for Halcones.

7:51 p.m. – 6:17 left in 2nd, 44-43 Vipers, Vipers call timeout.

7:52 p.m. – Build a Burger competition. Less than half court. This is good. Over at SPI for Beach Bash last year we accidentally did full court. That was one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

7:53 p.m. – Some little kids at the top of the bleachers are starting a Let's Go Vipers chant and stomping their feet. There's a really good crowd on hand.

7:55 p.m. – THE ANIMAL IS OUT OF THE CAGE!!!!!! Stanley Asumnu just dominated the rim to tie the game 46-46 around the 5:25 mark.

7:56 p.m. – Patrick Sullivan just got a nice feed underneath to give the Vipers the lead. This kid is legit.

7:59 p.m. – UTPA men's basketball head coach Ryan Marks is in the house.

8:00 p.m. – Shakur, McNeal and Sullivan just had the most beautiful set of passes to lead to a bucket... Vipers trail 54-53 3:20 left in the 2nd. ... Look at McNeal run the court in transition! This guy is good. Vipers lead 55-54, 2:45 left.

8:01 p.m. – Terrel Harris a nice lay-up to give the Vipers the lead back at 57-56, 2:25 left.

8:05 p.m. – The interesting thing about watching the game without a headset on is that I can hear Coach Finch interact with the officials. It's a relatively pleasant conversation.

8:08 p.m. – Wide open three Isaiah Swann, Vipers up 65-59, one minute left in 2nd.

8:10 p.m. – Vipers called a timeout so they could set-up a quick play to get a two-for-one. Shakur with a quick lay-up to make it 67-69. 32 seconds left in the 2nd.

8:12 p.m. – Los Halcones call a full timeout (They already used their :20).

8:15 p.m. – 69-59 Vipers at halftime. I should do some work on my game recap. Then maybe I'll tell you a little bit about Paul Stoll.

8:28 p.m. – So, Paul Stoll. Here's a guy who was one of the best point guard in all of DI during the 2007-08 season, when he was a senior. He was a constant triple-double threat. He consistently showed NBA range from behind the arc, an ability to crash for a rebound and, most importantly, incredible floor vision that helped him to be near the top in the nation in assists. A great defender and leader, Stoll played the majority of the season on a broken foot and with a broken nose. So you know what he did? He worked harder. He set the best example any player can possibly set for a team. The Broncs finished 18-13, the best record in Independent Basketball. They got championship rings. So did I. I was the radio broadcaster that season. It was a season I'll never forget. Stoll is an incredibly good person. He has family here today. I had a chance to see his mom. We chatted for a little while. Good to see them. Brings back good memories. I am wearing my championship ring today for the first time since November 10, 2008. This game is a more fulfilling ending to that chapter of my life. I am so happy it's taking place. And how appropriate that Stoll is involved in the game.

8:33 p.m. – Second half is underway. Vipers out there with Hannah, R. Harris, Derrick Roland (Texas A&M), David Potter and Eglseder. Vipers have been pretty liberal with the substitutions. After all, they need to evaluate 15 guys tonight. Okay, they don't need to evaluate certain guys. We know Shakur is going to be the starting point guard, but he needs minutes to get sharp. It's an interesting balance between getting guys sharp and making sure you see everyone. Luckily, the Vipers are the only team with two pre-season games. They face Iowa in Frisco, Texas on Saturday.

8:36 p.m. – Of course, the Vipers have a 77-62 lead with 8:45 remaining in the 3rd. Everyone's getting it done tonight, so the Vipers can certainly make changes at will.

8:38 p.m. – And it's a good substitution pattern too. It's not like the Vipers have a carousel going.

8:39 p.m. – Justin Griffin with an impressive dunk for Los Halcones. Vipers lead down to 81-66 at 7:06 mark.

8:40 p.m. – Mo Carter just hit back-to-back buckets to force a timeout by Coach Finch. 81-70 at 6:29 mark. Carter is playing the game of his life. He has 15 points. Wow.

8:45 p.m. – Stan just attempted a three from the left corner. Missed, but there was also contact on his right arm that might have hurt his trajectory (it was not a foul).

8:48 p.m. – Halcones on a 14-0 run. 81-78 Vipers, 4:15 left in the 3rd. ... Pellot trey. Make that 17-0. Tie game.

8:49 p.m. – Isaiah Swann makes a technical free throw off a 3-second violation to end the run at the 3:46 mark. 82-81 Vipers.

8:51 p.m. – Richard Roby three-pointer at a big time. 85-81 Vipers, 2:49 left in the 3rd. Timeout Halcones.

8:59 p.m. – The Vipers, specifically Mickell Gladness and Antoine Tisby, just had four or five chances at a lay-up underneath but kept missing until there was a foul. At least that means lots of offensive rebounds in the stat sheet!

9:00 p.m. – Mo Carter's number is falling off his jersey. It looks like masking tape (number 0). His jersey didn't have a number when he got here...

9:02 p.m – Vipers lead 95-91 after three quarters.

9:05 p.m. – Paul Stoll is back in the game. Just got fouled on a drive to the basket. Too strong on the first free throw. Misses the second too. Surprising to me. Stoll was one of the best free throw shooters in UTPA history. He was had some ridiculous streak of like 63 makes in a row. Or was it 37? I don't remember, but it was really really long.

9:10 p.m. – STOLL SCORES! Driving Lay-Up

9:11 p.m. – Noe Alonzo just missed a trey for Los Halcones and screamed an expletive while running back on defense. Figures that it's one of the few times no music was playing. Everyone could hear it. Now I finally understand why the play music in the NBA.

9:15 p.m. – Alonzo trey gives Los Halones a 102-99 lead under 8 minutes to play. After the Vipers respond, Alonzo hits another three, 105-101 Halcones, 7:18 left.

9:16 p.m. – Los Halcones are scoring at will, but the Vipers keep responding.

9:18 p.m. – 107-105 Halcones, 5:51 left. Halcones fans getting loud.

9:24 p.m. – Adam Parada just fouled out. Tied 111-111 with 2:06 left.

9:28 p.m. – Stan just took a big charge. 1:12 left. Still tied at 111.

9:29 p.m. – Derrick Roland just hit a long two with 59.5 seconds left to give the Vipers the lead ... Timeout Vipers with 13.5 seconds left. Vipers ball. 113-111 Vipers. Shot clock off.

9:32 p.m. – Hannah just hit a pair of free throws. 115-111 Vipers, 12.2 seconds left. Timeout Halcones.

9:35 p.m. – Teams just traded free throws. 117-113 Vipers, 5.6 seconds left.

9:37 p.m. – Pellot just hit a ridiculously long three. 117-116 Vipers, 1.6 seconds left. Timeout Vipers.

9:40 p.m. – Gladness hits first of two. Half a second left. Vipers lead 118-116. Timeout Vipers. I'll bet they're drawing up a miss the free throw play. Why else call timeout?

9:42 p.m. – I was right. Vipers win 118-116. Watch for the post-game video blog with me and ADB on rgvipers.com.

PAUL STOLL IS HERE

2010-11-09T18:52:00.000-06:00

It's official. Paul Stoll is with Halcones. More on him at halftime. Live Blog to follow.

Stan Just Walked in the Office

2010-11-09T11:56:00.000-06:00

The Vipers practiced from 9-to-11 a.m. this morning. The best apprentice in the NBA Development League, Stanley Asumnu, came from there to the office. Even though it's game night.

Look at that man hustle.

Oh, and it IS our Mo Carter

2010-11-09T11:06:00.000-06:00

Playing tonight for Halcones, former-Vipers Maurice Carter.

Carter started the 2008-09 season as a practice-squad layer for the Vipers and joined the active roster on January 15, 2009 as a backup point guard, averaging 3.6 points and 1.6 assists in 14 games. He was waived on March 4.

Actually, They're 17-3

2010-11-09T11:03:00.002-06:00

Close enough, right?

Check out their stats here.

The NBA Still Needs an IR

2010-11-07T23:13:00.000-06:00

I've said it before. I'll say it again. The NBA needs an IR.

Just read this on Jonathan Feigen's twitter:

Jonathan_Feigen Jonathan Feigen

Just visited with Aaron Brooks. Said he'll be out four to six weeks.

2 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

If the NBA had an IR, Brooks wouldn't have to count against the Rockets' roster limit while he's out, allowing the Rockets to bring in someone to help out with depth, such as Mustafa Shakur (or Antonio Anderson or Will Conroy). An IR would great increase the value of the NBA Development League and also help NBA teams dealing with injuries (imagine if the Rockets had been able to use an IR last year with Yao and T-Mac out).

Teams get by with their 15-man roster while dealing with injuries because they have to. But, for pete's sake, the Rockets #1 and #2 point guards are injured! They should be allowed to bring in someone to back up Ishmael Smith. As it stands now, if the Rockets want another point guard from outside the team, they have to clear a roster spot.

Maybe they can work that out in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Dampier Launch Scratched

2010-11-07T22:37:00.000-06:00

Potential good news for Vipers fans. The Rockets are not signing Erick Dampier after all.

I say potential good news because I'd been reading that Jermaine Taylor would have to be traded to make room for Dampier, meaning one fewer potential Rockets-assignee to the Vipers.

Of course, right now, the Rockets aren't in a position to be assigning guards. In fact, they need all hands on deck. Aaron Brooks and Kyle Lowry are both dealing with injuries, meaning Ishmael Smith not only started at point guard, but played 41:31 tonight. Taylor played for the first time all season tonight as the Rockets picked up their first win of the season. He played well, hitting 3-of-4 shots in 7:35 off the bench. Of course, that doesn't really surprise me. Taylor played well when given time down the stretch last year. He just needs playing time.

I'm not saying it's good that the Rockets aren't getting Dampier, but how many teams do you know of that carry four centers? The Rockets need all the depth they can get at the guard position right now. This is a good non-move by the Rockets. No need to hit the panic button, despite a 1-5 record buy jettisoning a potential big piece of your future for one-year of a #2 center. Yeah, Yao's limited, but he played well and made a big impact in 16:55 tonight. Jordan Hill's been playing well. The real key is to get Brad Miller going. The Rockets have two years of Miller, so rather than burying him on the bench this year by signing Dampier, it makes some sense to try to get Miller going.

All in all, I'm not concerned about the Rockets' "slow" start. They could just as easily be 6-0 as 1-5. True, the difference between contenders and pretenders is the ability to win close games, but losing close games early in the season means you have a good team and you're just a few adjustments away from turning the corner.

The Rockets are going to be there at the end of the season. Don't worry.

If You'd Read Your Game Notes...

2010-11-06T18:44:00.000-05:00

...You'd know it's Coach Finch's 41st birthday. Incredible to think he's entering his 14th season as a head coach and already has eight championships and five Coach of the Year awards on his resume.

Happy Birthday Chris!

Stanley Asumnu

2010-11-06T18:09:00.000-05:00

Looks incredible out there. They're scrimmaging right now. Asumnu looks to be in incredible shape. He's running hard and fast. His ball handling has been exceptional. He's doing his usual bang up job on defense, and he's all been very vocal. I've seen him play for a good two and a half years, but he looks different somehow. He's been working out at 5 a.m. everyday with our co-worker Shu Muthyala, Coach Steadman and Trainer Joe Resendez. To say the least, it has paid off.

If this scrimmage is an sort of indication of things to come, Stan is going to have the year of his life.

Just An Exhibition?

2010-11-06T17:22:00.000-05:00

So... funny story. Apparently the Mexican basketball season starts in August. And the team the Vipers are playing on Tuesday, Halcones UV Xalapa, are the four-time defending champions. According to a team history they sent me, they went 32-8 last year (although one of their staff members just told me they were 47-3). According to the same history, they were 46-2 during the 2008-09 season, 41-7 during the 2007-08 season, 30-6 during the 2006 season... But wait! There's more. I asked the staff member what their record this year is. He told me they're not doing so well this year. They're only 18-4.

Umm... what?

The roster they sent me has one notable on it – Maurice Carter. I have not been able to confirm which Maurice Carter that is, but there's probably a 50/50 chance that it's the one who played briefly for the Vipers during the 2008-09 season.

Apparently they might be adding another player before the game too. A guy who they have the rights to and has played for the Falcons since graduating from college. It sounds like are about to bring him back. Anybody remember UTPA superstar point guard Paul Stoll (class of 2008)? He might be suiting up for the Falcons on Tuesday at his alma matter against the Vipers. How cool would that be?

Two Practices a Day...

2010-11-06T16:15:00.000-05:00

...gets the players in shape. The Vipers, like many teams (I assume) around the NBA Development League are running two-a-day practices out of the gate. It's a good move because it increases your practice time, lets you work on things and get to know each other.

Beyond that, the thing I like about two-a-days is it better simulates game day (when you have a morning shootaround and an evening game). It's about endurance and conditioning.

I enjoy watching the coaches run practice. They're teaching, and they do a good job of it.

Mustafa Shakur

2010-11-06T11:12:00.000-05:00

We all know what he can do on the court, but a few minutes ago he pulled a few of his teammates aside and gave them a little pep-talk during drills. It focused on how everyone's tired and it's the first day of camp, but they still need to make the basic plays.

It appears the Vipers didn't only get a great player, but a leader too.

The Big E

2010-11-06T09:53:00.001-05:00

I'm not going to sit here and grade any of these guys on basketball ability. That's for the coaches to do. I will say this, though, Jordan Eglseder (EGG-uhl-seed-er) has a great attitude. He's vocal and cheers on his teammates. When you have 17 players for 10 spots, it's always a big plus when you find a guy who will cheer on the guys who are trying to take his spot.

Title Defense Underway

2010-11-06T09:22:00.002-05:00

Vipers are currently running practice with the 2010 Western Conference All-Star coaching staff of Chris Finch, Paul Mokeski and Jai Steadman. Vipers GM/Rockets VP of Players Personnel Gersson Rosas and a new Rockets scout are in attendance,

Here we go.

The Title Defense Begins...

2010-11-06T01:04:00.000-05:00

... at 9:00 a.m. when the Vipers open training camp.

17 players on the roster, 14 of them new.

I'm very interested to see what the first few days of practice will be like.

Will let you know.

MUSTAFA!

2010-11-03T22:58:00.000-05:00

I'm still in awe over the fact that the Vipers were able to pull off the trade of the pre-season, by acquiring the best point guard in the league in Mustafa Shakur.

More on how this all came together and what it means for the Vipers Thursday, 6-to-7 p.m. Inside the Vipers Nest on 104.9 Jack FM (95.3 FM on South Padre Island).

In addition to that, the draft and the roster, we'll chat about the grueling training camp ahead, we'll be joined by original Snake Charmer Cathy to talk about the Swimsuit Calendar, the tryout process, and just how close she got to becoming a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader. We'll close it up with out Top 10 Things to do on the ride from State Farm Arena to Toyota Center.

And of course, we'll continue the, find a new nickname for the Bulldog, Analee Flores. Right now, Mary from Brownsville is in the lead. She called in last week and suggested Nefertiti (Queen of the Nile). We'll keep looking this week. Winner gets four free tickets to Tuesday's pre-season game against the defending Mexican Champs at the UTPA Fieldhouse.

Don't lose the number – 1-866-598-5267

The Steal of the Draft...

2010-11-02T13:26:00.002-05:00

...goes to... the Maine Red Claws.

Guard JaJuan Smith (6-3, 195, Tennessee) was taken in the 6th round (94th overall). Here's what he did after Oklahoma City recalled all of their NBA-assignees from Tulsa following game one of the semifinals.

(I know it's small... click on it to see the full size pic)

Strong Draft

2010-11-01T23:11:00.000-05:00

When you look at the NBA Development League Draft pool this year, you really do see an unprecedented amount of talent. Of course, the talent pool seems to get deeper every year, so that's to be expected.

Look who the Vipers got.

The Vipers basketball staff is going to have a lot of tough decisions over the next few weeks. It'll probably help to have two exhibition games instead of one this year.

Shout out to Marquis Blakely from the University of Vermont, selected #12 overall by the Bakersfield Jam. Even though Blakely's clutch play was a contributing factor in Boston University's continuing NCAA Tournament drought, it's always good to see an America East player get a shot.

Rockets Home Launch

2010-10-30T23:28:00.000-05:00

First, the important news. We now know 9-of-17 Vipers Training Camp players. For a complete team-by-team list, click here.

Second, the Rockets. Up in Houston for the Rockets opener. It was a great game, although there were shades of the road opener in Los Angeles. Sizable lead early, struggles in the second half. There were some differences, though. Aaron Brooks struggled mightily. Kyle Lowry wasn't very sharp in his first action of the season. All things that we know will improve. Just have to be patient.

Luis Scola was awesome again. During the pre-season, I was thinking Dwight Howard for MVP. After a few games, I was thinking Rajon Rondo. Now I'm thinking Scola...

On the Nuggets side, Carmelo Anthony wasn't the star... it was Al Harrington. He had 28 points. A thought crossed my mind early in the game – 'Man, Harrington is the most underrated player in the NBA.' Then I thought about it a little more and realized that every shot Harrington hit was wide open. Not that that's his fault. Actually, it's quite the credit to the Denver offense that they were able to get him wide open so many times. If he wasn't wide open so much, does he still score 28 points? Do the Nuggets still win?

Overall, the game was fun. Clutch was incredible as always. The Red Rowdies were... well... rowdy. There were a lot of cool in-game promotions and the fans were into it. It was a close game until the end.

I sat in the fifth row of club seats behind the Rockets bench on the baseline. Just a few feet from me was Rockets GM Daryl Morey. He was sitting with his family and reacting to the game just like a fan would. When he walked up the stairs, I waved (he was one row behind me), he kinda acknowledged, then as he got closer he stopped, took another look, realized who I am, waved again and this time greeted me verbally. It's a pretty cool feeling.

After Brooks hit his first bucket, I screamed something along the lines of, "We miss you in the Rio Grande Valley! Come back!" Daryl took a look and smiled. A few fans around chuckled. But the one thing I realized over the weekend, a lot of fans in Houston know who the Vipers are. Now that's a pretty cool feeling.

Dampier Update from Feigen's Twitter

2010-10-29T15:06:00.002-05:00

Jonathan_Feigen Jonathan Feigen

Still no deal to open a roster spot for Dampier. Rox had an offer for Ish Smith late in camp. Jermaine Taylor has not played in 1st 2 gms.

5 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Jonathan_Feigen Jonathan Feigen

Rockets do have an agreement with Erick Dampier, after a month on it and about four days in which they were close. One-year deal.#hounews

9 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Dampier Getting Ready for Lift Off?

2010-10-29T14:17:00.001-05:00

I'm currently sitting on the floor at Toyota Center (actually, I'm in one of the coach's seats on the bench) observing an incredible Read to Achieve event. I'm up here with Bert and Liana to get some ideas for use in the Rio Grande Valley.

I opened up my e-mail and found a handy dandy Google Alert (thank you Benny for turning me onto those) for Rio Grande Valley Vipers linking to this article.

I haven't found anyone to ask yet about the validity if the article. And, let's be honest. If it is valid I can't blog about it until they announce. If isn't, well, then it's a non-story anyway. So we continue to wait.

Once I read the article, I immediately went to the Houston Chronicle. Nothing. I checked Jonathan Feigen's twitter. Nothing. The way I see it, if it's happening with the Rockets, Feigen will know about it and have it up quickly. He breaks a lot of stories for the Rockets. So I won't believe the report until I hear it from him.

Still, it makes you wonder...

The Team to Beat

2010-10-28T09:56:00.000-05:00

Thank You Toros Natio n. Not only for saying it, but also for listening to the show last week. This week's show will feature co-host Paul Mokeski. The Vipers assistant coach is subbing-in for Coach Finch, who is enjoying real deep dish pizza in Chicago before going to Houston for the draft.

6-to-7 p.m. on 104.9 Jack FM (95.3 FM on South Padre Island).

It's always better live, but if you miss anything or want to hear it again, tune in here.

This week we're going to talk about those opening night rosters, the Rockets' start, the Vipers' pre-season, Coach Mokeski's adventures around the world, Stanley Asumnu's summer apprenticeship in the Vipers front office, and we'll top it off with the Top 10 Things that will go through Coach Finch's head during the NBA Development League Draft on Monday.

Live Blog: Rockets @ Lakers – Season Opener from Pepper's

2010-10-26T21:26:00.041-05:00

9:18 – Well, actually the season opener's at STAPLES Center. But I'm sitting at Pepper's with some Vipers staff and fans (including Stephen, who is sitting to my left eating something that looks really good... I'm waiting for my food). I want to point out that I picked the Celtics to beat the Heat. The difference in that game, and perhaps many Heat losses this year (many not meaning they will lose a lot of games, but many meaning the majority of those they do lose) will be the point guard position. The difference was Rajon Rondo. He had a career-high 17 assists. Sure, he only had four points and five rebounds, but none of that matters. He is THE REASON the Celtics beat the Heat. Offense by committee does NOT work. Who started at point guard today for the Heat? On the stat sheet it says Carlos Arroyo, but he has a lot of 0s in the box. No assists. LeBron and Wade can't be co-point guards. It can't happen that way. Too many chefs but not enough recipes.

9:25 – Gosh, that took me seven minutes to write? Well, Analee, one of my radio show co-hosts, showed up and is now flanking me to my right. Only a few minutes until the Rockets tip-off!

9:26 – By the way, I'm calling it right now. The Rockets are going to beat the Lakers.

9:27 – By the way, $2 draft and $5 appetizers during the Rockets game. Get to Pepper's now! ... David Stern is hosting the Championship ceremony. Time to give out the rings. I can't wait to see Vipers alum Shannon Brown get his.

9:29 – Just think, in a couple of weeks, we get to do this too!

9:35 – SHANNON BROWN!!!!!

9:37 – Okay, that's it, no more Lakers. Let's Go Rockets!

9:59 – The spinach and pepperoni pizza at Pepper's is really good. And we're tied 9-9 four and a half minutes into the game. This is going to be a good back and forth contest.

10:00 – K-Mart just dialed up long distance. He's going to score 30 tonight. And how about Aaron Brooks stopping on a fast break to nail a three? One way to avoid Derek Fisher. 6-0 run for the Rockets, 15-9.... TIMEOUT LAKERS!

10:06 – Yao Ming just totally DOMINATED Ron Artest. Rebound over him, turnover, but two blocked shots before getting lifted for Brad Miller.

10:09 – The Lakers have gone to Pau Gasol twice in a row. They will probably keep going to him until either Yao comes back in or Miller proves he can stop him. Can he? Time will tell.

10:13 – TNT informs us the Rockets are getting outscored in the front court 20-4, yet lead 27-22 with 2:17 left.

10:17 – Shannon Brown just hit a long two

10:18 – Aaron Brooks just hit a three with 0.5 seconds left to give the Rockets a 33-26 lead after one quarter. Brooks already has 15 points. You remember how he said his goal is to repeat as NBA's Most Improved Player? hmm....

10:24 – It occurs to me that Brooks has played every minute of the game. Kyle Lowry is inactive with back spasms. I wonder how hard Ishmael Smith's heart is beating right now.

10:30 – Smith's in. So is Yao.

10:32 – Courtney Lee just went coast-to-coast for a dunk. That was suh-weet!

10:35 – Stephen points out to me the Lakers are on an 8-0 run. 48-43 Rockets. Timeout Houston.

10:44 – Just got distracted by a friend who works for DHR. I look back at the TV and it's a commercial break. I'd better check someone's live blog for the score... oh... wait...

10:47 – 57-47 Rockets. Woo. Almost halftime.

10:49 – Did you know Phoenix and Portland are playing tonight too? I did not.

10:50 – I respectively disagree with the Technical Foul call on Kevin Martin. I mean, does that really count as an air punch or karate chop? I mean, it wasn't in an official's face. It was a motion of "dang it." Nothing threatening.

10:52 – 62-51 Rockets at halftime!!! Kevin Martin has 19 points, Aaron Brooks has 18 points. Told you so. Gasol has 12 points. I think he had that late in the first quarter. That's a good sign.

11:12 – Just got home. Perfect timing. Third quarter just started. I really don't like weekday west coast games. I mean... it's bed time! If the Rockets win it will be worth it, though. By the way, I'm not sure what to think of LeBron's never ending half-time ad. The message was inconclusive and confusing. If he was trying to use it to rebuild his image after the fallout from "The Decision," I would suggest he try something else, like not talking about it all with the hopes people won't think about it so much.

11:33 – I've been very impressed by the way Rick Adelman is handling Yao's 24-minute limit. Looks like it's basically six minutes per quarter.

11:41 – 82-77 Rockets after three. That new kid for the Lakers, Steve Blake, just hit back-to-back threes to make it a game again.

11:46 – So... Brooks and Martin combined for three points in the third quarter...

11:47 – Do the Lakers get to wear that Championship patch on their jerseys (left shoulder) all season? If so... can we do that?

11:48 – For all the talk of Yao Ming's 24 minute limit, he has four minutes to go... or one foul. Whichever comes first.

11:52 – Beautiful shot of a packed STAPLES Center. It's a shame the Vipers won't get to play there this year, although, it was never really packed for the D-Fenders...

11:53 – Smith is back in... Now I'm conflicted. Shannon Brown gave the Lakers the lead, so, booo. But, it is a Vipers alum, so, yay? 88-86 Lakers. Under nine minuets left.

11:54 – Brown just hit a buzzer-beating trey. 91-86 Lakers. So conflicted.

11:56 – Yao slam for an answer. He has one minute left in this game. You think Phil Jackson is keeping track of that on the Lakers bench? Maybe the Rockets shouldn't have announced it was going to be 24 minutes and just let it happen. At least at first teams wouldn't know that there's a magic number when the Rockets lose their All-Star center for the rest of the game.

11:58 – Well, it doesn't end up mattering. Yao just fouled out in the 24th minute. He played 23:21.

MIDNIGHT – I should really be asleep. Six minutes left. Rockets trail by a deuce, and after a non-costly turnover, Brown drains another three. Who needs Kobe? Brown just hit another one. This is getting ridiculous. Timeout Houston. The former-Viper is dismantling his former team's parent club. For the record, Brown was assigned to the Vipers by the Cavs back when they were a parent club too.

12:04 – You know what I was just thinking? How similar Brown's game is to Antonio Anderson's. It took Brown a while to establish himself in the NBA. He was with several teams and didn't look like he'd pan out, but found a niche with the Lakers. The big thing for Brown was the development of his three-point shot. If Anderson can develop that portion of his game, he could be the next Brown.

12:10 – Luis Scola's really struggling at this point in the game. Anyone else remember when the Rockets led by 15? 103-97 Lakers, 2:48 left.

12:14 – K-Mart trey. He has 26. He needs four more to reach my prediction of 30. If the Rockets can get some stops, those four points would tie the game.

12:15 – Scola bucket makes it a two-point game, but Kobe responds with his first bucket of the fourth quarter (plus a free throw). 107-102 LAL

12:16 – Scola board and a bucket. Here he goes. 1:30 left.

12:17 – Scola now has 16 and 16. Great slash by Brooks to make it a one-point game. One minute left.

12:18 – SCOLA!!! 29.5 left, 110-109 Rockets!!!!

12:19 – Blake just hit another three. Man that kid is good. 18.8 seconds left, 112-110 Lakers. Timeout Rockets. Okay, so what do you do now? Go for the tie or go for the win? What's the saying? Go for the tie at home and the win on the road? Or is it the other way around? I don't know. My philosophy, home or road, is you have to tie it before you can win. With that said, if Brooks or Martin is given an open three... take it. But I'm probably looking for Scola right now for the tie. Shane Battier is a wild card for a three as well.

12:21 – The only problem with going for Scola, like the Rockets did and I said I would've done too, is that he got double-teamed. Did a good job of spinning away from it and getting a decent, albeit contested look at a hook shot. Rebound thrown out of bounds with 2.4 seconds left. Hard to say if Odom or maybe Brooks was the last to touch it on the way out.

12:23 – People can say, man, I wish Yao was available now. Others can respond, minutes restrictions or not, he fouled out. Just remember, without the minutes restrictions, Yao is probably pulled before fouling out. It would be really nice to have him available right now... Oh well, it is what it is. Good teams adapt.

12:25 – It's off Odom! Rockets ball! 2.4 seconds left! They've got a chance. That's all they can ask for.

12:26 – Aaron Brooks can't inbound past Pau Gasol from the corner. The Rockets call their final timeout (:20, which is really at least :30 since there's a commercial break involved).

12:27 – Shane Battier to inbound this time. Found Brooks underneath, but Blake stopped him cleanly. No foul. Lakers win 112-110.

12:28 – Well, that was disappointing and awesome all at once. On the one hand, the Rockets led for most of the game and let it slip away late. The Rockets had a chance to open up the season with a win at the home of the defending champions, so it's frustrating to fall short. On the other hand, the Rockets, who were 42-40 last year, almost just beat the defending champs on their home court. Yao's still healthy, and a pair of former-Vipers (Brooks and Brown) excelled.

Lots of games left on the schedule.

The Shoes

2010-10-21T19:39:00.002-05:00

Wondering what those performance enhancing shoes (not Shus) we were talking about today look like? Click here.

Step Inside the Vipers Nest

2010-10-20T22:26:00.001-05:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

The unofficial beginning of Vipers season is Thursday with the return of the everyone's favorite radio show, Inside the Vipers Nest.

Tune in from 6-to-7:00 p.m. as Coach Finch, Analee Flores and I turn Jack FM (104.9 FM or 95.3 FM on SPI) on it's head.

Some of the topics:
Fun stories from across the pond
Jr. Snake Charmers
Vipers in the NBA
What more can Will Conroy, Craig Winder and Mike Harris do?
To go overseas or to follow the NBA Dream... or both? Is that possible?
The importance of a good education and a backup plan
And we'll close with the Top 10 Reasons to become a Vipers Season Ticket Holder

Join the conversation by calling 1-866-598-5267!

This show is going to be a blast.

--

Happy 40th Birthday to Assistant Coach Jai Steadman!

Congrats to Ishmael Smith

2010-10-18T17:08:00.001-05:00

I don't want to sound bitter. It's no secret that I was rooting for Mike Harris to make the Rockets, but, based on all accounts I had of Ishmael Smith, and what I've seen in person and on TV, I think the Rockets made a good decision.

Rockets Waive Four Players

HOUSTON – Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has waived guard Antonio Anderson, forward Mike Harris, forward Alexander Johnson and guard Jerel McNeal.

The Houston roster now stands at 15 players.

Now we wait to see if Mike and/or Antonio will return to the Vipers, after getting so close to making an NBA roster, or if they will head overseas. It all depends on what they value.

This wasn't Mike's first shot at the NBA. He spent a considerable amount of time with the Rockets in 2008 and had three GATORADE Call-Ups last year. So he's had many opportunities, but he's obviously close. But does that make him a fringe player? Too good for the NBA D-League, and not quite NBA caliber? If Harris stays, does he get a few GATORADE Call-Ups, go to NBA Training Camp next year and then just keep repeating the cycle? Or maybe someone finally gives him the minutes he deserves and he becomes a full-fledged NBA player.

Anderson's now a second-year player. He was the last cut out of Bobcats camp last year. He earned a pair of 10-day contracts with the Oklahoma City Thunder and then played for the Bobcats and Denver Nuggets during NBA Summer League. From there to Houston Rockets training camp, but now, just like last year, cut during the last round of cuts.

Anderson is tantalizingly close to the NBA. If he comes back, does he get a better shot than last year, when the Thunder only let Anderson play 15 minutes in one game, but otherwise didn't even dress him? Perhaps Anderson will get a chance to show he can belong on an NBA team and play at that level.

It's tricky. Playing overseas means a bigger payout now, but significantly hurts the NBA dream. Waiting it out is risky, but if it works, an NBA career certainly has higher potential earning power. And, beyond that, it's playing in the NBA.

What would you do?

So Long Curtis Jerrells

2010-10-18T11:46:00.001-05:00

This just came down from the Spurs:

SPURS TRADE CURTIS JERRELLS TO NEW ORLEANS

SAN ANTONIO - The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they have traded Curtis Jerrells to the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for a conditional second round draft pick.

Jerrells, a 6-0 guard, was signed by the Spurs on March 24, 2010, but did not see any action with San Antonio during the regular season or playoffs. During the 2010 preseason he appeared in five games with the Spurs, averaging 6.4 points, 2.2 assists and 1.4 rebounds in 15.8 minutes. Jerrells also played on the Spurs 2010 Summer League team in Las Vegas, averaging 10.8 points, 4.4 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 26.8 minutes in five games.

During the 2009-10 season Jerrells started all 50 games for the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League, averaging 20.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.86 steals in 40.2 minutes.

What it means is that the Vipers will probably never have to deal with Jerrells again. New Orleans doesn't really assign players to the NBA Development League (which is a shame, since they obviously see the value it had for Jerrells), so don't expect to see Jerrells down with New Mexico anytime soon.

EDIT – I'm ready to eat my words about Jerrells not going to New Mexico. No one's told me he's going to be assigned, but it just occurred to me that Dell Demps, who was the GM of the Toros last year, is the in his first season as GM of the Hornets. Based on that, I fully expect the Hornets to finally start using the NBA Development League to their advantage.

More importantly, it pretty much sealed the deal that Garrett Temple will make the team. Now that I ever had any doubt, but, I have to admit, when Temple hurt is ankle during Summer League and Jerrells got a bigger opportunity to show what he can do, I got a little nervous. But as I've said many times, Temple will never be back in the NBA Development League. He's going to have a nice long NBA career.

Smart Fellas

2010-10-16T21:02:00.000-05:00

I'm watching game one of the Giants-Phillies NLCS right now and Joe Buck said that one of the Giants (I think he gave a name, but I missed it) said something along the lines of "we're just a bunch of idiots who might be crazy enough to pull this off." Tim McCarver then mentioned how the 2004 World Champion Boston Red Sox called themselves a bunch of idiots.

I know it's the players saying this stuff, and not the PR machines, but it made me think about the fact that, in the NBA, WNBA and NBA Development League, we don't give players' hometowns, we give their colleges. Ever look at the program inserts, game notes or roster cards I create for games? Ever look at a basketball team's online roster? We always list the college the player attended.

They do that in football too, not so much in baseball or hockey. And while it would be easy to argue that's because of the popularity of college basketball and football compared to that of baseball and hockey, let's be honest, the NBA and the NFL don't need help marketing their product by relying on the fact these guys played on the national stage in college.

The way I see it? I'm damn proud that these players went to college and to some good ones. Whenever I interview a player I always ask what they studied and what they might one day do with that. I would not be happy if a Vipers player ever referred to the team as a bunch of idiots. It's a poor use of the word. You want to say you're relaxed or free and easy, then say that. But a bunch of idiots? What kind of message does that send to the kids at home?

This is reason #768 that I find Stanley Asumnu to be an inspiration. Did you know he stayed an extra semester at Tennessee after basketball was over? He didn't stay to play football (although he did play). He stayed to finish his degree. He could've easily gone pro right away, maybe entered the NBA D-League sooner or gone overseas for a year. But he realized the importance of a good education and having a degree. This off-season he's been functioning as a member of our front office and doing a great job.

Did you know that Jonathan Wallace has been accepted to Georgetown Law School? He deferred his acceptance to pursue his NBA dream. But if basketball doesn't work out? He'll go right back to school and become a lawyer. He went to Georgetown undergrad too. He walked onto the team, so it's not like he got in because he's good at sports (something that isn't always possible at top schools). He got in because he has a brain.

The list goes on, but I think you get the point. That's why I'm proud to be a Viper. We don't just provide family-affordable entertainment, but we have players who can serve as role models. They're all college graduates. If basketball doesn't work out, none of them will have trouble finding work. They're smart guys. They understand the importance of getting a good education, and hopefully kids in the Valley see that and follow their example.

The Season Approaches

2010-10-15T15:27:00.000-05:00

It's amazing how every time you turn around there's something coming up quickly. Last year, after RGV Rocket Launch was over, we had nearly two months until the home opener. This year it's closer to one. Instead of going from October 8-to-December 3 without a game (no counting Vipers exhibitions), we're going from October 6-to-around mid-November without a game. Talk about speeding things up.

I like it, though. I don't like time off, and when the off-season hits, the only thing I want to know is next year's schedule and when we can get back to games. Game nights are my favorites because we get to make something memorable happen every single night.

--

In other news, the draft is approaching. November 1st is Draft Day. My good friend and former assistant Benny Gordon-Goldstein, who is now my counterpart in New Mexico, put together a Mock Draft. It's pretty cool. Check it out.

First Cuts in Houston

2010-10-07T23:16:00.000-05:00

The Rockets waived center Jordan Egleseder and power forward Patrick Sullivan before the game today.

With 14 players under contract, there is one open spot. The assumption now is there are four players competing for that one spot (though the Rockets carried 14 last year):

Mike Harris
Antonio Anderson
Ishmael Smith
Alexander Johnson

Three D-Leaguers (two Vipers, one Skyforce) and one rookie.

What the waivings tell you is that Jordan Hill is going to see big minutes this year. Yao's limited, Brad Miller is currently dealing with an ankle injury (should be healthy by regular season), so that means Hill is going to have be the #2.5 center on the team. So, if you were holding out hope of Hill getting assigned to the Vipers at some point this season... It doesn't seem likely based on the current composure of the roster (an Erick Dampier signing could change that, but it's tough to say at this point).

We Have Lift Off!

2010-10-03T22:13:00.000-05:00

RGV Rocket Launch 2010 officially lifted off today. Many thanks to all of the fans who showed up to make it fun. It was a relatively light day for the Rockets. The coaching staff decided to cancel their regular practice session, meaning it was all about the open practice and autograph session. In fact, the coaches didn't even show up (thank goodness. Mike Harris didn't have his best day on the court during the two scrimmages and that wasn't the performance we want the coaches to see).

Here were some of the highlights:

•Kevin Martin got a look at the Vipers ball boys wearing our Yao is Back t-shirts and asked for a couple. He, Chuck Hayes and Aaron Brooks all wore them during open practice. Brooks changed his a little to say:
Yao + Mike
Is Are
Back

Referring, of course, to Mike Harris. I was wondering if Harris might be the one to unseat Brooks as the most popular former-Viper on the Rockets (or just in the NBA in general). It was tough to say. The top three biggest ovations were for Brooks, Yao and Harris. I'm not sure which was the biggest. There were some chants of M-V-P for Harris, although no where near the magnitude of Game 3 of the NBADL Quarterfinals (granted, that was a significantly larger crowd).

Honestly, over the last week, I think I've had just as many, if not more, people ask me if Mike was coming as if Yao was coming down. The answer to both questions – yes.

Mike was right at home. Everyone wanted to talk to him. He's such a nice guy. I don't know if he fits into what the Rockets need right now (although I certainly don't see why not). Maybe if he can hit some corner threes (he was actually quite serviceable from behind the arc for the Vipers) and defend a little better on the perimeter he can make it. But, no matter what, I will always root for him. He's a good person with a lot of basketball talent.

•Chuck Hayes and Yao Ming had a half-court shooting contest. There were some near misses, but they both got schooled by Rockets Hall of Fame Mascot Clutch the Bear.

•Kyle Lowry and Jordan Hill in a dance contest, was, well, um... entertaining.

•Before the fans came in, I ran an impromptu skit with Clutch in front of our Jr. Broadcaster participants.

Which of course brings me to the Jr. Broadcaster competition. Many thanks to Clay Williams of Action 4 Sports for helping to facilitate this. We had a whopping seven high school students from across the Valley participate getting an opportunity to interview Rockets players with Clay's help and shoot stand-ups as well. The winner's piece will be shown on Action 4 News at 6:00 p.m. on Monday and on the State Farm Arena video board during Tuesday's game. We had some great kids out there. It was fun.

Rules Changes

2010-09-29T13:46:00.000-05:00

Rules were made to be broken, right? Or in some cases... changed.

I am a big fan of the new goal tending rule. I despise goal tending and basket interference in most forms. My opinion is, if the ball goes through the hoops, it means points. If it doesn't, no points. So simple, right? This rule is a step in the right direction. If the ball isn't yet in the rim, the defender should be allowed to take a swipe at it. Now he can.

While I like the change, it is going to have a dramatic impact on the way teams play defense and how players learn to play defense, which can be really bad for those trying to make it to the NBA. It's great for guys with international experience/aspirations, but if the goal of the league is to develop players to play in the NBA, then isn't this rule change somewhat counterproductive? Maybe in the short run. However, in the long run, if the change works in the NBA Development League, it'll likely be changed in the NBA as well, making it a productive switch.

Shortening overtime from five minutes to three minutes is a great move. I never understood why overtime was five minutes. That means it was 41.67% of the length of a regular quarter. Who wakes up one day and says, man, we need to figure out how to resolve ties, so let's have the teams play part of a quarter, but half a quarter is too long... How about 41.67%? Perhaps they were looking at it in game terms. Well, a game is 48 minutes, so five minutes is 10.4167%. This theory is a little more justifiable (maybe they wanted to do 10%, but since that's not a round number, they rounded to the closest minute).

Anyway, three minutes makes perfect sense. It's one quarter of one quarter. If basketball is a game this is broken up into four quarters, and they're not going to play full quarter in overtime, why not break-up a quarter into quarters? Sheldon Cooper would be proud.

Houston, We Have Lift Off

2010-09-24T19:44:00.000-05:00

Houston Rockets Media Day marks the unofficial start of training camp (the first practice is tomorrow). (Almost) all of the Rockets are there in uniform and available for pretty much anything you need. Brad Miller was not in uniform (sprained ankle), although he was in street clothes with a Cubs hat on. Antonio Anderson didn't yet have a jersey, so he was wearing a t-shirt (he did have shorts).

The Rockets were wearing their new uniforms. I'd heard negative speculator reviews (you know, before anyone had actually seen them). You know what? They were nice. The light really illuminated the red against the white. There were some breathing holes in them. I was impressed.

My favorite thing is that they look just like those replica jerseys you can already buy at the Vipers Pro-Shop. Now they're instead inexpensive authentic jerseys (in effect, anyway).

Aaron Brooks was funny. He was walking around with a walkie talkie (used by the Rockets media relations staff to coordinate things) requesting Gummy Bears and keeping everyone up to date on his movements. At one point, Shane Battier was recording a promo for us when Brooks walked in. He laid down on the couch and Battier deadpanned:

"Aaron Brooks IS the Rio Grande Vipers."

He and some others laughed. Then I chimed in:

"Hey! It's Rio Grande VALLEY Vipers!"

Battier cracked up.

Coach Finch is in Houston, he came down to chat, so we had him do some recordings too. I had him reading a script with Antonio Anderson's name in it. And he read it. "Hi, this is Antonio Anderson of the Houston Rockets." Oops. That produced some laughs.

We had them record some promos for the new 840 Fox Sports Radio. No one pronounced Eighty-Forty correctly (all said either Eighty-Four or Eight-Four). Kyle Lowry felt bad about it, but I assured him he wasn't the only one.

Most of the players came and did their thing. Some of them introduced themselves (usually the younger guys like Jordan Egelseder and Patrick Patterson). The one that really caught me off guard was Chuck Hayes. The man was the starting center last year. Of course we know who he is. Yao doesn't introduce himself. Why would he? We know who he is. Hayes went to everyone and said, "Hi, I'm Chuck."

It was great to see Mike Harris. He came to me to say hello. A classic nice guy. He likes the Valley and is really excited to come down for RGV Rocket Launch 2010.

He and Coach Finch chatted for a little bit. Mike asked when open tryouts are and said he might like to go to watch (although I'm not sure that he can based on timing). He then said something very interesting, and in my mind, telling. "Save a spot for me." At first I thought he was making a joke about the tryout. Given time to think about it, I was wonder if he was saying something more. I hope we don't find out. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have Harris back for another season, but he's earned the chance to play in the NBA, so I am pulling for him to make the team. I like to see good people succeed and reach their goals.

Heading to Rockets Media Day

2010-09-23T23:59:00.000-05:00

Should be a fun frenzy on Friday. We'll have chance to visit with several former-Vipers and several other Rockets as well. I'll fill you all in on the festivities Friday evening.

Mr. Anderson Takes the Red Pill

2010-09-22T22:48:00.000-05:00

It's just like The Matrix. Always take the red pill, Mr. Anderson. Today, Antonio did just that.

I'm starting to wonder... Should Red Rising be the Rockets' marketing campaign or the Vipers'? Think about it. There are now FOUR Vipers in Rockets Training Camp – Aaron Brooks, Jermaine Taylor, Mike Harris and Antonio Anderson. That's 21% of the roster.

I wonder how much Red will Rise from the Rio Grande Valley this year.

The signing was timed appropriately. Anderson was the Vipers' first round pick last year (12th overall). The Vipers found out yesterday they'll pick seventh. Imagine what the Vipers can do with an even better pick?

Well, hold up a moment. Just because the Vipers pick higher doesn't mean they'll take a different player. I don't know this for sure, but I have a hunch they would've taken Anderson at #7 last year had they had that pick.

You know who was picked #7? Desmon Farmer. I don't think he was on the Vipers' radar...

Between the picks:
#8 Paul Harris
#9 Rashad Anderson
#10 Alade Aminu
#11 Curtis Whithers

The only guy I would've considered over Antonio? Aminu. That's it.

It was an interesting draft last year. Carlos Powell went #1. No surprise. Alonzo Gee was a steal at #6. Other than that? Eh. Antonio was an absolute steal at #12. Tells you about how good the Rockets/Vipers are at eyeing talent.

It's mildly amusing to me that Deron Washington was taken at #3. Remember, he was the guy guarding Anderson on a size mismatch on that final possession leading up to The Shot Heard 'Round the Valley. Anderson forced Washington inside, then set his own pick while passing to a suddenly wide-open Craig Winder. Washington's the guy who jumped to try to block the shot and came up empty.

Not that Washington's a bad player, nor should he be completely evaluated on one defensive possession. I'm just saying is all.

D-League Will Be Stronger This Year

2010-09-21T11:34:00.002-05:00

I was catching up on my Ridiculous Upside (which, btw, Scott, has received a lot of clicks from rgvipers.com... you're welcome ;-)) when I came across this post.

I'll give you a few minutes to read the post and the corresponding posts from elsewhere on that site and on Jeff Potter's blog.

Basically, from what I can gather from some quick skimming (I hate admitting that I'm responding to something I didn't fully read, but I gathered the premise, and I really don't have time to fully read it right now) is that the theory is that the D-League talent level will go down because of players not returning.

I find that to be hogwash.

Here are the names of a hand full of players who were new to the D-League last season:
Jonathan Wallace
Garrett Temple
Antonio Anderson
Kenny Hasbrouck
Terrel Harris
Mickell Gladness
Sean Barnette
Jermaine Taylor
Kenny Dawkins
Kevin Rogers
Louis Graham
Travis Holmes

And here are a few more who were in the D-League last season, had prior D-League experience, but were out of the league the year before:
Mike Harris
Rich Melzer

And a few more who did not start the season in the D-League, but ended up back in the D-League after playing there the previous season:
Craig Winder
Will Conroy
Quin Humphrey

I just managed to named 17 of the 22 players who wore a uniform for the 2009-10 NBA Development League Champion Rio Grande Valley Vipers, who combined for a total of 10 GATORADE Call-Ups, four NBA assignments, one league MVP Award, one buzzer-beating three-pointer to win the Championship, one pass to lead to said shot, four regular season triple-doubles, one post-season triple-double (game one of the Finals), one half-court half-time buzzer-beater in game one of the Finals...

Need I go on?

It's true, some of the players I listed made minimal contributions, and could be used for my opposition's case. However, the contributions of the other players easily outweigh what those referenced players didn't do.

I've made the argument many times in this blog that talent in the NBA Development League has increased exponentially every year over the last few years. The reason for that isn't because guys stick around for a few years and the great players keep getting better to increase the talent level. That does occasionally happen (see: Will Conroy), but generally, if they're getting better, they're leaving for more money either in the NBA or internationally. The reason the talent level is increasing is because every year, the NBA Development League presents itself as a more legitimate option for non-NBA players. These players are taking notice of the ever-increasing number of call-ups and assignments and of single-affiliation relationships.

Consider Desmon Farmer, for example. After his stint with the Vipers in 2007-08, he ended up with the San Antonio Spurs for Training Camp and the start of the season. He got cut and vowed never to play in the D-League again. Well, that lasted all of one year. Farmer knew his best chance of getting back in the NBA was to return to the D-League. Maybe he regretted not going right back, considering how close he apparently was at the time. Now Farmer is going overseas again. He played another season in the league, scored a million points, and didn't get a sniff from the NBA. So, yeah, he's going to go make some money overseas. Will he back? I doubt it. But the point is he came back last year, just like folks will do this year.

Mike Harris is another prime example. He'd had a stint in the D-Leauge. He'd been in the NBA (albeit it briefly). He was now making money overseas. He saw what the D-League had become since he'd left, so he came back, earned three GATORADE Call-Ups and an invitation to this year's Rockets Training Camp.

It's more than just players coming back, though. It's those undrafted college players. It's those rookies who get cut out of NBA Training Camp. It's guys with a lot of talent who came up just a little short. In the past they might simply go overseas. After all, for every Jose Juan Barrea (Northeastern... Fort Worth Flyers), there was a Taylor Coppenrath and a T.J. Sorrentine (Vermont... both had the opportunity to go to Training Camp with the Celtics but turned it down to go overseas). I see that ratio turning around every year.

If Jordan Eglseder doesn't make the Rockets, where do you think he's going? Two years ago, the answer was probably overseas. These days? I'd think he'd come to the Vipers (please note: there is no inside information here. I have neither spoken to or met Jordan, nor have I spoken to anyone with the Rockets or Vipers regarding him, I am simply using him as an example).

I would be completely stunned if the talent pool in the NBA Development League failed to get better this year. I'd be be even more shocked if it took a step back. There will be plenty of players with Ridiculous Upside this year. No doubt about it.

--

It occurred to me today that we're only two weeks away from Yao Ming and Dwight Howard tipping up the NBA pre-season on top of the Vipers logo at center court of the State Farm Arena court. How cool is that?

Truly a Global Game

2010-09-15T19:12:00.000-05:00

One of the things the NBA has worked really hard at (and become very good at) is making basketball truly a global game. Remember the Dream Team? There wasn't a team in the world that belonged on the court with them. The talent gap has shrunk considerably, though. You hear it all the time. I don't need to rehash that.

But it's just not just about players, it's about branding.

Look what my parents found for me in Israel:

I'll Never Forget

2010-09-11T12:07:00.001-05:00

How Could I? How Could Anyone?

I can tell you exactly where I was. AP English with Robin Aufses. Second Row. Fourth Seat. I was 15 years old... in 11th grade. I went to Kennedy High School in Bellmore, NY (Long Island).

The principal came over the loud speaker and told us a plane had crashed into the Twin Towers. It sounded like she was fighting back tears. I don't think we fully grasped what had happened, though. We didn't know what kind of plane or anything like that. A prop plane had crashed into one of the Towers once years earlier, so we didn't know the scale quite yet. Still, we knew that it couldn't be anything light. Not based on the tone of voice of the Principal.

Mrs. Aufses asked us if anyone had family working in the World Trade Center. A few hands went up. Followed by silence. At the time I thought one of my cousins worked there. He worked on the third floor trading copper. Turned out their offices had relocated before that. Which was a sign of relief hours later when I got home and asked my Mom. She'd reached my cousin. He was fine.

The rest of the school day was a whirlwind. In every class we were glued to computer to try to get the latest information. As the day went on we started realizing what was going on. Rumors swirled about that made it sound worse than it was (that many other landmarks had been hit... we later learned they'd been evacuated, not hit). In AP American Government I thought the teacher might cry. She told us to make sure we went home and told our family we love them. That was the class in which some of us were discussing who did it. No one knew yet. Again, rumors were flying around, mostly without basis.

In gym class, the coaches made us run laps. My class was combined with a special class, and the coaches said, "what do we do when we're in trouble?" One of the students said, "run!" So we did. I was jogging with a few friends when we heard a loud noise. It was a plane overhead. It was moving fast. That was a scary moment. We all knew that all planes in the U.S. had been grounded. So what the heck was this one doing in the sky? It was probably a military plane. But for a few moments... we all froze.

The scariest thing was the wondering about a classmate's father who worked on the 103rd floor of one of the Towers. He was freaking out all day. He couldn't reach anyone. Finally did late in the day. Turned out his dad overslept and didn't end up going to work.

My Uncle lives in Manhattan. Not too close to there. He was fine.

My Dad was teaching at a New York City Middle School at the time. Thankfully, it was in Brooklyn, which is part of Long Island, so he could get home. He told me he could see the smoke from his classroom and had to close the windows.

I'm at home right now, with home meaning New York. I am home for Rosh Hashana. As I flew into LaGuardia on Wednesday the plane passed directly over ground zero. Two empty foot prints remain. It's still a chilling sight. I hear the memorial will finally be ready next year. I hope that's true. That way rather than the phrase being "Never Forget," it can become "Always Remember."

Here's what it will look like.

Coach Mo Returns, Coach Jai's a Star

2010-09-07T23:40:00.001-05:00

It was a heckuva summer for the Vipers assistant coaches. The head coach did his thing. Chris Finch continued to turn anything he touched into gold.

Assistant coach Paul Mokeski got to assist him and also continue to expand his knowledge of international basketball, making his first coaching stop in Europe, while assistant coach Jai Steadman did everything from coaching the D-League Select Team and in the D-League national tryouts to helping out at the first Vipers open tryout (in Houston on August 27) to being a TV star.

Let's start with Coach Mokeski. He brought fans on a journey around the world this summer, but he did more than just keep us up to date on the Jamaican and British National Teams, he told us a little about himself. Coach Mokeski truly showed us his enthusiasm and love for the game. You could tell he was thrilled to be there and we got to learn along with him.

Saw him for the first time since he returned today. Always good to see him. A really nice guy. I think I've managed to goat him into a battle of the blogs. His blog developed a pretty good following this summer. We compared some of the numbers. It looks like we're pretty much even. So the question is, who can get the most views during the season?

As for Coach Jai, well, besides his D-League, Rockets and Vipers coaching responsibilities this summer, he's been a great member of the community. I said TV star, though, didn't I? The video below speaks for itself.

Thanks Coach!

Finch Has Done It Again

2010-08-29T12:07:00.002-05:00

It's not that I'm saying Chris Finch is a miracle worker... how about we just call him a winner?

GB Men Poised to Take Highest Seed for Eurobasket 2011

Finch Believes GB Should be at 2012

--

Congratulations as well to Boston University's own Rachael Vanderwal for helping the Great Britain Women to qualify for Eurobasket 2011. A first place finish. Quite a turnaround for GB.

Looks Like Yao's Coming to the Valley

2010-08-25T09:57:00.001-05:00

Great news came down from Toyota Center yesterday... Yao Ming is... wait for it... HEALTHY!

The Rockets' official Medical Press Release:

Yao Ming Medical Update

Rockets center Yao Ming underwent a medical evaluation by Rockets Consulting Physician Dr. Tom Clanton yesterday, which revealed that the hairline fracture in Yao’s surgically repaired left foot has fully healed. Yao has been cleared to take part in normal basketball activities with no physical limitations, but will have his minutes initially restricted for practices and games. The Rockets medical staff will continue to monitor his current training regimen with the expectation that he will be available for the start of training camp.

This has been our thought all along, but now it seems to be coming true. Yao Ming's return to the game action is on track to be October 5 at State Farm Arena against the Orlando Magic.

Jerome Solomon expects him to return to elite status.

Jonathan Feigen writes that Yao's wit is as good as ever.

I had the opportunity to stand near Yao Ming when he visited the Vipers on March 10. He's so incredibly huge. I can't wait to see him go up for a tip against Dwight Howard on the Vipers logo at center court. I thought Chuck Hayes vs. Kevin Garnett was pretty cool, but this will take the cake.

If you don't have your tickets yet, now's the time, before they're all gone!

Taylor-Made Move?

2010-08-12T10:25:00.000-05:00

The Rockets acquired Courtney Lee yesterday. That likely puts him in the guard mix with Aaron Brooks, Kyle Lowry and Kevin Martin.

What does that mean for Jermaine Taylor? Minutes will likely be hard to come by for the second-year player in the NBA this season... barring injury of course. You might remember the Rockets assigned Taylor to the Vipers three times last season and had to recall him soon after each time because of injuries. Assuming health, though, I wonder if this move means Taylor is heading for some extended time with the Vipers this season.

Taylor played well for the Vipers, averaging 19.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 48% from the field in eight games (four starts).

However, when given extended minutes down the stretch, Taylor showed he can compete at the NBA level. In three games from March 27-through-31, Taylor averaged 14.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Of course, I'm cherry-picking. Taylor hit 3-of-11 shots in a loss to Indiana on April 4.

So, I guess what I'm saying as, Taylor has the talent, he's just a little inconsistent right now. The best way to become more consistent? Regular minutes with the Vipers.

It worked wonders for Joey Dorsey, and it helped Taylor a bit last year too. Some players just need a few games to get themselves going (see: Aaron Brooks). Others need more. I'm not sure if Taylor needs a ton of games, but, it's probably better for him that sitting on the bench.

The Vipers' home opener is November 21. Do you think Taylor will be in a Vipers uniform? Feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts.

Assume Nothing

2010-08-08T15:44:00.002-05:00

Stanley Asumnu's been with the Vipers since the beginning. He actually was not on the opening night roster in 2007... was the last cut out of training camp, but he was added soon afterwards and he's been here ever since.

Stan's a power forward in a shooting guard's body. When he plays big, he's successful. Stan plays a lot bigger than he is. That was his game the first two years, and it worked fine.

He tried something new for the 2009-10 season: to shoot. It didn't go so well. Stan struggled for the first few months of the season, first on the court and then with getting minutes. It all turned around in March, though, when he went back to doing what had always made him a success. Tear-drops, acrobatic dunks and rebounds. He became a very important rotation player and had three key baskets in the fourth quarter of Game 2 of the NBADL Finals to set-up The Shot Heard 'Round the Valley.

Asumnu's too small (6-5, 220) to not be able to shoot and make it to the NBA. So you know what he's doing this off-season?

By day he's an intern in the Vipers' front office. By night he's a shooter. Stan is playing in any basketball game he can find, whether they be rec. leagues or pick-up games. Sometimes he'll shoot by himself, or play a game of 21 with co-workers (such as Vipers VP of Ticket Sales and former Pro-Basketball player in India Shu Muthyala).

Stan is not ready to give up the dream (and why should he at the age of 27?)

And the best way to achieve that dream? Continue to develop in the NBA's official feeder league.

Does this mean he's coming back? Not necessarily. I don't know what Stan's plans are in that regard. If he gets a big-money offer from overseas, it might be hard to turn down. But the one thing that I have learned about Stan is that he loves it down here. He's happy, and he's still just one step from the NBA. Hard to give that up.

Paige Lindsey Stool

2010-07-28T13:59:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Vipers Vice President of Administration Jennifer Stool!

Today at 3:13 a.m. Paige Lindsey Stool (1'8, 7 lbs, 5 oz) was born.

And congrats to Vipers Futurecast Director Jim Bob Sides for becoming an Uncle!

Following My Dream

2010-07-27T00:07:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I left this out of my last post.

Call it an addendum.

One of the biggest things Brian did for me was allow me to continue to follow my dream. It would have been very easy for Brian to tell me that I had to choose between the Vipers and the WhiteWings, but he didn't. He allowed me to continue to pursue my dream, and now, for the second-straight summer, I work for both teams at once, providing play-by-play for the WhiteWings.

It's ironic that, while it's what I want to do, it was baseball that kept me away from Brian's surprise going away dinner tonight (put on by the front office). I'm in Laredo right now. Left after the press conference this morning. Of course, we didn't even play. Rained out (well, it rained during the afternoon and the field just wasn't playable), but there was no way of knowing. The game didn't get called until a little after 9:00.

I wish I could have been there, but at least I'll be there on Friday for the final day.

Changing of the Guard

2010-07-26T17:27:00.000-05:00

For some reason I think I have used this title once or twice before, yet it seems extremely appropriate today.

Today was P-Day (Press Conference Day).

I wrote not that long ago that BMC putting out a statement announcing his resignation was a sad moment because it made it more real. Well, now that the press conference is in the books, and we enter the final week, it becomes even more real.

I want to start by saying Bert Garcia is going to do an excellent job as Team President. Of this I have no doubt. He knows how to deal with people in all situations. He's been with the Vipers since the beginning and has been Brian's right-hand man. He's both deserving and ready to do this. I am excited to continue to work both for and with Bert. If you need something done, he'll get it done. Always does.

However, that doesn't make it any easier to lose Brian. I was okay when I introduced Vipers CEO Rene Borrego to start the Press Conference, but as he told stories about Brian, and at times sounded as if he might cry, it was tough to fight it back (although I did). It's not just about what Brian has meant to this organization. I think I've covered that pretty thoroughly. It's about what he's meant to people individually.

Brian appreciates everything you do and he makes sure you know it too. Sometimes it's as simple as "thank you" or "good job." Other times it's a couple of slices of pizza. There was one morning I stumbled into the office late. It was maybe 10 a.m. We'd had a game the previous night (and maybe the night before that too) and something cause me to not get to bed until something like 3 or 4 a.m. I don't remember what. I might have had issues uploading the post game video blog or maybe something with the website... Honestly, I have no idea what happened, but I just remember being incredibly tired. I went straight to Brian's office to apologize for being late. His response wasn't to go off on me for being late, but rather to see if I was okay. That was before I had an office key, and I was often there before anyone else, standing outside, waiting for someone to come and open up (I was early, others were not late). Then he said, let's get lunch. I was tired enough that I actually looked at my watch, saw it was 10 a.m., and said, "well, it's a little early, but okay." Needless to say he meant a little later on, but you get the idea. Yeah, Brian got tough and came down on people when it was necessary, but he was good at reading situations and what kind of response was necessary.

Brian also talks like no one I know. I mean, the conversations go on for a long time. It's not necessarily because he's long-winded, but it's because we talk out decisions. It's not always, do this, do that. I always appreciated being a part of that and having the chance to learn why things are done, rather than simply how to do them.

I can't tell you how many nights I stayed late during the season, sitting in Brian's office learning about the business side, which was certainly an area that needed improvement when I first joined the team. I got a great education from him. So of course, when I made my first major corporate sale, he was the first person I called. He was screaming on the other side of the phone. Pure elation.

Brian wasn't always the easiest person to work for. He wanted what he wanted and he wanted it done yesterday. But you know what, that taught me how to deliver the impossible in a timely manner. If anyone ever told Brian something couldn't be done, he asked "why not?" And then said, "well, find a way."

There is no doubt that he deserves lots of credit for my growth as both a professional and a human being over the last year and a half. And I thank him for that. He gave me an opportunity when I was down. I only hope I've justified his faith in me.

Short Summer

2010-07-18T03:52:00.001-05:00

The one thing that has always boggled my mind is how short NBA Summer League is and how there's more than one league. I've always thought they should consolidate it all into one league where every team plays every other team once. Sure, Summer League might last a month, but is that a bad thing? More opportunities for evaluation and development, right? How much can really be done in five games?

Especially when so many teams carry 700 players, how can everyone really be evaluated in such short minutes?

Simple answer – they can't. Some guys don't get to play much. Mickell Gladness only got to play in two games with the Heat this summer (although Kenny Hasbrouck got to start all five games).

I think the D-League Select Team does it best. Through four games, each player has started twice. They're doing their best to make sure everyone gets an equal shot to play and impress scouts. Of course, it's easier for them since it's a 10-man roster.

Speaking of the D-League Select Team, do you think Nick Nurse (head coach, also Iowa's head coach) is chomping at the bit for the summer to end so he can leave for Great Britain? He's a part of Coach Finch's staff and their first Test Game is Wednesday vs. Canada. Finch arrived on the 15th after helping out the Rockets with Summer League. Coach Mokeski is already there.

With all the attention on Great Britain's men's team, it's important not to forget their women's team is also getting ready for EuroBasket2011 Qualifiers with Boston University's own Rachael Vanderwal.

Vanderwal, or Superwoman, as I started calling her during the America East Conference portion of the schedule in 2006, is a big asset to Great Britain Basketball. Here's a woman who was thrown into a door after a hard foul, laid on the ground in a puddle of blood from her head, got stitches in her head and ear, and then was back on the court for the very next game after not practicing. She led the Terriers past Albany that night. Great point guard. She can dish it out and she can take it (driving and slashing to the basket as well as three-pointers).

I was the voice of BU women's basketball for Vanderwal's senior season (2005-06). The Terrier were my first team. I had done a little play-by-play before, but this was my first experience as a flagship voice. I got to do it for two seasons before graduating. An experience I'll never forget. I still follow BU, and now I'll follow Great Britain's women's team as well.

I'd be lying if I said I don't feel weird rooting for a team that's not the United State or Israel, but for Finch, Mokeski and Vanderwal? I can make an exception.

Garrett Temple Out For Week

2010-07-16T00:04:00.002-05:00

Ankle Injury.

Read more here.

More playing time for Curtis Jerrells.

Competition for Spurs backup point guard spot just heated up.

Only In Summer League

2010-07-15T00:47:00.000-05:00

Rockets finish 3-2 after beating Denver 82-75.

Of Note:
There are no foul outs in Summer League. So...
Antonio Anderson committed 6 fouls
Jermaine Taylor committed 7 fouls
And not to be outdone, potential future Viper Jordan Hill committed 8 fouls

Was it Greg Oden or Joey Dorsey (or both) that committed 10 fouls two years ago?

I love it.

Summer League Rumblings

2010-07-13T00:06:00.000-05:00

The Vipers are well represented and doing well in the early portion of the NBA Summer League. Seven players and two coaches (Finch is with the Rockets, Steadman with the D-League Select Team). Not too shabby.

Antonio Anderson got the early start on everyone by going to Orlando to play with Charlotte, but he only saw action in the first game, and that was a whopping 1:29.

Something didn't smell right about this from the start. Anderson's not the only player playing for multiple teams this summer, and it's not completely uncommon, but there was overlap between Charlotte and Denver's schedules and the flight from Orlando to Las Vegas isn't exactly short.

I wonder how long Anderson was in Orlando, but perhaps the bigger question is did Charlotte having a problem with him playing for two teams? If they really had interest in him (and you'd think they do since he was in training camp with them last year), they would have played him more, right? But if they weren't interested, why invite him to Summer League?

At least Anderson's getting significant minutes with Denver...

Jermaine Taylor has been ridiculous. My favorite thing is that he gives a lot of credit to the Vipers for his resurgence. You know, someone said something to me about how having a guy like Taylor or a guy like Aaron Brooks wasn't a big deal because they're down for such a short period of time. That's horse manure. Here's what Taylor told dleague.com:

"Playing with the Vipers helped me out a lot in terms of my confidence," said Taylor after scoring 21 points in a win over the Mavericks on Saturday night. "With the Rockets I wasn't getting a lot of minutes or playing much. My confidence never went down, but I was questioning myself a little. When I went down there it just helped me realize that I could still play."

It doesn't have to be a long assignment to be meaningful...

I wonder if Joey Dorsey will lead the Summer League in rebounding again.

Good to see Jonathan Wallace starting at point guard for the D-League Select Team tonight. Heard he got hurt in a win over Team Korea the other night. Guess he's okay.

Kenny Hasbrouck went off in his Summer League debut. Wouldn't be surprised if he breaks camp with the Heat. I have a feeling playing with Wade, LeBron and Bosh could make him a heckuva point guard or a strong back-up shooting guard. Not a lot of pressure when you play with those three guys, that's for sure.

A Key Cog Is Leaving

2010-07-09T00:21:00.003-05:00

I'm of course talking about Vipers President Brian Michael Cooper. Check out his statement.

We're all going to miss Brian. He's done a heckuva job for us, but you can't argue with family. It's the most important thing.

I've known about this for a decent amount of time, but I have to admit, when it came time to release the statement, it was a pretty weird feeling. As if it had suddenly become real. One of those, holy crap, this is actually happening, moments.

We'll get a long fine after Brian's resignation becomes official. We have a great staff. And as long as he's going to be happy, we support his decision.

It could have been worse, he and Toros president Peter Lubell (been a while since I mentioned the fellow BU grad) could have bolted to join NBADL Executive of the Year Jon Jennings in Maine (don't tell me when you saw the title of this post you didn't think I was going to talk about you know who).

Speaking of LeBron, I want to thank him personally for leaving Cleveland. He turned a friend of mine, who is a Cleveland transplant, into a full-fledged Rockets fan after being a life-long Cavs fan. Though, honestly, I don't think Cavaliers fans should let go of the team right now. Not after their owner released this statement.

With any luck, this will all lead to the Rockets landing Tyson Chandler.

There is one cool thing about the Miami Heat needing to fill out their roster with nine minimum salary players – Mickell Gladness and Kenny Hasbrouck are playing for the Heat in the Las Vegas NBA Summer League. A few months ago I didn't see Gladness as a candidate to break camp in the NBA. He's a guy who I think needs at least another half year of seasoning. Maybe a full year. But the Heat have to fill out their roster somehow...

No Rematch Granted

2010-07-06T23:48:00.000-05:00

Antonio Anderson was the only Bobcat who didn't play in tonight's 85-85 win over Oklahoma City in Orlando NBA Summer League Action.

Too bad. Story line could've been about the Vipers beating the Tulsa 66ers again since the OKC summer team includes Kyle Weaver, DJ White, Byron Mullens, Mustafa Shakur, Latavious Williams and Marcus Lewis.

You Know What the Fireworks Are For, Right?

2010-07-04T16:28:00.000-05:00

It always worries me when people say "Happy Fourth of July!"

I mean, do they know what the holiday is?

I mean, nobody says "Happy Twelfth of October!" or "Happy Third Monday of January!" It's "Happy Columbus Day!" and "Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!"

Well, in case you didn't know, the fireworks spectaculars around the country tonight are for one thing – a very important day in history. A day, you might say, is the only reason this blog even exists.

Happy 40th Anniversary Mom and Dad!

(Oh, right, and Happy Independence Day!)

Simply the Best

2010-06-30T17:25:00.000-05:00

That's the Tina Turner song that blared over the sounds system at State Farm Arena after Craig Winder hit The Shot Heard 'Round the Valley just over two months ago.

It's also what I think about Vipers team President Brian Michael Cooper.

Before I continue, first let me congratulate Maine Red Claws President Jon Jennings on winning the first NBA Development League Executive of the Year. He led an expansion team into a market that's far from the NBA D-League's prior geographical foot print, sold out the season and had great all around success.

This is not a post to say that Brian deserved it over him. That'd be idiotic on my part. They're both very deserving, and no matter who got the award, I doubt anyone would argue.

Obviously I think Brian deserved it. I worked with him everyday. I'm biased. I did not work with Jon. If I did, my guess is I'd think he deserved it.

The point of the post is simply to make sure he gets the recognition he deserves for a dream-season.

Among his accomplishments:

Working Out the First Hybrid Agreement
It's easy to say that the business office has nothing to do with what happens on the court, but that's not necessarily true. Did anyone else notice Coach Finch thanked Alonzo Cantu and Brian on VERSUS after winning the Championship? Well, without Brian, there's always the question that we can't answer – would there still be a single-affiliation agreement in place between the Rockets and the Vipers? He worked very hard to make it happen. That eventually led to the All-Star Coaching Staff of Finch, Paul Mokeski and Jai Steadman, General Manager Gersson Rosas, Director of Player Personnel Gerald Madkins, Director of Player Development Brent "BJ" Johnson, Director of Scouting Phillip Jabour as part of an unprecedented basketball operations staff that was full of knowledge, skill, preparation and more. And of course that helped to lead to a Championship.

Rockets Beat Celtics on Vipers' Court in Front of Record Sell-Out Crowd
Bringing a Rockets pre-season game down to the Valley can debatably count towards the previous year, since it was announced in February 2009. However, the game and RGV Rocket Launch 2009 were major successes. Additionally, he helped to make sure the game would not only be a sell-out, but that lots of underprivileged children would get to see it thanks to the Corporate Angels program. That was a big thing for Brian.

Rockets To Keep Coming to RGV
Before the Rockets-Celtics game was even sold out, Brian struck a deal with the Rockets to keep them coming back for at least three more years and always against top opponents (like the Magic this year).

Extended Business Agreement with the Rockets
Why just partner with the Rockets on the basketball side when you can partner with them on the business side? We get to interact directly with our NBA counterparts, run ideas by them and get advice. It's incredible to have such resources available to us.

Parade of Hall of Famers and Superstars
Moses Malone helped us to open up the Pro-Shop, Clyde Drexler helped us hand out awards to Valley Freedom Newspapers' All-Valley HS Football Players and jumped on the broadcast for a whole quarter, Yao Ming and Luis Scola came to games, Aaron Brooks visits often...

Expanding the Brand
After playing on the road for our first two pre-seasons, we got to a host an exhibition game out on South Padre Island. That's a good hour and a half away and it was a wonderful chance for fans who don't normally get to come to games to watch the Vipers not only play, but practice. We also had an autograph session. In addition to that, we've held countless Youth Clinics all over the Valley and led the league in Community Appearances. After all, as Brian always says, "it's all about kids."

Straight Cash Homey
I'm sorry for pulling out a Randy Moss line, but the one thing that can't be denied is business is booming. We successfully launch a Pro-Shop, led the league in Season Tickets (which is extraordinarily hard to do when competing with expansion teams), Group Tickets and average attendance (4,712).

Always Hit It Hard
One impressive thing about the Vipers is that we want every day to be a memorable experience. We don't look at a Monday game and say, let's just play ball and we'll worry about our weekend games. We say, what can we do to make this fun and worth going to? You can thank Brian for that mentality.

Primetime Players
Anyone else notice that we were the only team in the league to get three regular season home games on VERSUS and that we got two more during the playoffs? There's a reason for that, and it's not just on-court success. Brian wanted this team to be run like an NBA team at all times. First class all the way. We may not have the same staff or resources that an NBA team has available, but somehow we always find a way to make it happen. Brian wouldn't have it any other way.

Yeah, We're Talking About Playoffs
Historically in the minor leagues, playoffs are a losing proposition. The games aren't on your pocket, magnet or poster schedules. There isn't usually much time to advertise the dates or sell tickets. Well, not only did we have great crowds, but we had a Vipers record sellout for the Final game, you know, when Winder hit that shot? 6,198. Well beyond maximum capacity. The only reason we didn't pass Rockets-Celtics was because we had more seats available for that game (there was no kids zone, for example, allowing for more seats).

It's funny, as a I write this I become dissatisfied with the award. Not the choice of winner, but the individualism of it. As Jon Jennings said when he got this award today, and as Coach Finch said when he earned Coach of the Year, it's a total-team effort. Individual awards are a reflection of those around you.

We have an incredible front office with the Vipers. However, I also have no problem with giving Brian a ton of credit. He's had a lot of great ideas and he's an incredible motivator.

It does, however, make me wish there was a Franchise of the Year award.

Although Brian didn't get the award, he could have, and it would have been well deserved.

And, of course, I'm still waiting for a Communications Executive of the Year Award and ADB is waiting for a Broadcaster of the Year Award.

Baby Steps

Pat on the Back for the Rockets

2010-06-25T00:55:00.000-05:00

The Rockets drafted Patrick Patterson with the 14th pick of the NBA Draft.

In a way, this draft was less exciting than last year. We knew the Rockets had a pick, they kept the pick, and that was that.

Last year the Rockets had no pick and ended up with three second round picks, one of whom became a solid contributor (Chase Budinger) and one of whom became a Viper three times (Jermaine Taylor).

With just one player drafted this year, what does that mean for the Vipers?

Tough to say at this point. It all depends what happens in free agency and the trade market. For now, all we really know is Patterson is eligible to become a Viper and the Rockets love to use the Vipers for development.

We really won't know until mid-November at the earliest. What kind of training camp will Patterson have? Will he get playing time? If so, will they be meaningful minutes? Will he play well? Will the Rockets be healthy?

Here's what we do know.

On Tuesday, October 5, Patterson, Taylor, Budinger, Mike Harris, Yao Ming and company will take on Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic at State Farm Arena. Tickets go on sale at 10:00 a.m .

--

Speaking of the draft, I accurately predicted Latavious Williams would go to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Kudos to the Miami Heat for having the foresight to draft and trade him.

--

Great crowd at the WhiteWings game Thursday night at Harlingen Field. I heard a fan scream "Let's Go Vipers!"

--

I'm watching Cheers right now and I just noticed a Boston University pennant in Sam Malone's office. That is simply awesome.

You Know You've Really Made It When...

2010-06-22T20:20:00.001-05:00

... you have your own debit card!

Stay On Target

2010-06-21T17:17:00.000-05:00

The NBA Draft is coming up on Thursday, and that has the potential to be the first clue into what next year's Vipers roster will look like.

The Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen writes that the Rockets target potential ahead of roster needs.

--snip--

"At 14, we're trying to identify what's the best talent available," vice president of player personnel Gersson Rosas said. "We try to stay away from just picking for need or picking based on what the market says. We want to identify the best talent. We don't want to leave talent on the table after we pick.

--snip--

Just as they are not motivated to fit a player into their roster, the Rockets seem likely to value "upside," even if that means greater risk. Prospects such as Henry, Whiteside, Babbitt and George might be more long-term projects, but the Rockets are more likely to evaluate "what" a player will become rather than "when" he will reach that potential.

--snip--

"We value upside strongly," Rosas said. "We're also looking at things we feel translate a little bit stronger, whether it's skill set or physical, athletic tools guys have. There is some upside you feel the risk might be too high. It might hurt the chance of a player fully developing. I wouldn't say it's all upside. It's a combination of both.

"The way we look at this decision is not a one-year window. We look at it as a three- or four-year window. We use the example of Aaron Brooks. We got killed in the media. We got killed in the public. Teams were like, 'What are you doing?' We had four point guards — Rafer (Alston), Steve (Francis,) John Lucas and Mike James. We felt, 'This guy (Brooks) has special talent, speed combined with finishing and shooting.' His overall offensive upside was too special to pass."

It is possible the Rockets won't feel the need to move up in the draft.

"For us, it would be a productive night if at 14 we're able to identify a guy who has not only the talent but the ability to develop at a high level," Rosas said. "Overall, the talent in this draft is strong. Up front, it's pretty deep. We feel we're going to get a player we're excited about. This draft, compared to past drafts, has a little more depth."

--snip--

Notice the key word in that last snippet. Comes up twice – "develop."

If you're drafting near the top, yeah, you can probably get someone who can step right in and be star (not always true – see the Los Angeles Clippers' draft picks and Greg Oden for examples). Another example is Hasheem Thabeet, who was assigned to Dakota for seasoning. There's nothing wrong with that. It's probably beneficial to the player.

When selecting in the middle of the first round, the odds of getting a ready player who fits exactly what you need is unlikely. And, honestly, if you're relying on the draft to turn you from lottery team to major contender, you've probably got bigger problems. One player is rarely a difference maker, especially right away.

The Rockets could try to find a big man at pick #14 and force him into the rotation under the hope that it'll work out, but that seems to me more likely to bust than work out, and they seem to recognize that.

The Rockets had so much success developing players with the Vipers this past season, they have every reason to go after a high-upside player, who, if he's not good enough to an impact player in the NBA right away, can get experience playing Rockets basketball in a lower pressure environment. Same system, different location, better experience than riding the pine (ask Darko Milicic what that's like).

Will the Rockets select someone with the sole idea of assigning him to the Vipers? Doubtful. They might end up with the next Chase Budinger, after all. With that said, the Rockets certainly have more options in the draft than most other teams (except maybe the Spurs, Thunder, Celtics/Bobcats and Mavericks) because of the hybrid affiliation.

I am eager to see what next year's affiliation will bring and how many more teams go hybrid. We might get our first clue into that during the draft based on how teams outside the Top 10 select players and also what kind of value is assigned to second round picks (you might remember last year Rockets GM Daryl Morey bought three second round picks, one turned out to be Budinger and one turned out to be Jermaine Taylor).

Bookending the Year

2010-06-18T08:29:00.000-05:00

The way I see it, the Vipers' magical NBADL Championship Season has been bookended by titles and a reminder of the ultimate goal.

Last night Shannon Brown won his second-straight NBA Championship. A Viper during the 2007-08 season, Brown helped the Lakers beat the Magic last year and the Celtics this year (how incredible is it to think that the last time we saw the Celtics they were busy losing to the Rockets at State Farm Arena and the next time we see the Magic they'll be playing the Rockets on the Vipers' court as well?).

Most would see the NBA Playoffs as the official end of basketball season, but last year, I saw it as more of the beginning. Vipers season was over, but we weren't going away, and we made that clear right away. We were already gearing up for 2009-10, and NBA playoffs watch parties were the start.

That was the springboard into new highs in season tickets that helped us to create a home court advantage thanks to the best sixth man in the league (the fans) that helped to fuel the fire of a team that tied a record for home wins in a single-season while putting the Rio Grande Valley on the map in nationally televised games... topped off by the greatest thing of all... an NBA Development League Championship.

While that was going on, as many as 10 Vipers alumni at a time were playing in the NBA... exactly where all of the Vipers wanted to be and why they worked so hard this season.

As the NBADL playoffs went on, the NBA Playoffs began with four Vipers alumni in action, but the one who got the most significant action was Brown. So how perfect is it that he's the one that gets the ring?

Brown almost didn't make it. He was assigned to the D-League, traded, re-assigned, bounced around a little more... Who thought he'd not only still be in the NBA by now, but a significant contributor who is loved by Lakers fans (see: website created to get Brown in dunk competition)?

Well, he worked hard and proved what is possible.

What Can Brown Do For You?

2010-06-16T00:17:00.000-05:00

Ya know, Vipers alum Shannon Brown has been a regular rotation player all season and was in the slam dunk competition, but played a whopping 19 seconds in a game five loss to Boston. I couldn't believe it.

Tonight? 19:24. The results?

The second greatest words in sports – Game 7 (behind only Game 3, referring, of course, to the NBA Development League playoffs). Brown goes for his second-straight Championship on Thursday.

Staying Put

2010-06-13T02:11:00.000-05:00

The news came down on Thursday that the Vipers are staying at State Farm Arena through the 2012-13 season.

I enjoy watching the Vipers play at State Farm Arena. It has the look and feel of a true sports arena. After making a trip out to Bakersfield this year, which is a completely different setting (and business model, for that matter), I think I realized just how lucky we are to have a place like this we can play in and the fan/corporate support to make it work.

The Jam's original business model had them in Rabbobank Arena. A bit bigger than State Farm Arena, I called one game there (UTPA men's basketball @ Cal-State Bakersfield) back in February 2008. It was nice, but a bit cavernous. Even when the Jam drew big crowds, it didn't look great, which was a shame.

Their new business model of playing in front of crowds of 430 is working for them, and I am not here to say anything negative about it. It's unique, and if it works, it works. However, I love playing in front of a packed house of 6,198.

The emotions that ran through me during the Championship game were some of the most intense I've felt, not just because of the situation, but because of the atmosphere. 6,198 fans chanting M-V-P when Mike Harris touched the ball, or DE-FENSE when they weren't even prompted to do so... and of course the incredible noise of everyone screaming out in unison when Craig Winder banked in the Shot Heard 'Round the Valley...

Those are priceless memories, so I'm glad the Vipers are staying in the place where it all happened.

I look forward to the banner raising ceremony in November/December.

Get the Low Down with the Big Resource

2010-06-08T10:00:00.000-05:00

Make sure you check out Coach Mokeski's blog all summer long to get all of the insight of life as an assistant coach of TWO National Teams (Jamaican and Great Britain). Click here to take a Journey Around the Basketball World with Coach Mo.

Coming Full Circle

2010-06-06T18:08:00.000-05:00

You know what just occurred to me? The Vipers' home opener was against... Tulsa.

Talk about coming full circle.

Of course, there are a lot of reasons to say we came full circle.

Such as starting the season off with Rocket Launch and a historic crowd (6,300) watching former-Viper Aaron Brooks lead a third quarter rally to send the Rockets past the Boston Celtics on the Vipers' home court and then ending with another historic crowd (6,198) watching the Vipers win the Championship, in-part because of a Houston Rocket (Mike Harris).

And, of course, The Shot Heard Round The Valley...

In a Year Full of History and Milestones...

2010-06-04T02:12:00.002-05:00

... let's not over look the Vipers alumni contributing in the NBA Playoffs. You can follow their progress here.

Last year it was a huge deal that Shannon Brown won an NBA Championship with the Lakers. The first Vipers alumnus to win a title. He's now three wins away from repeating. Is it any less impressive or meaningful? Absolutely not. There's a lot more going on this year... a lot more story lines... but it's still impressive as heck that Brown is in that position again.

Brown has become a key contributor for the Lakers. I've occasionally read criticism of the NBA Development League, saying that it only churns out end of the bench guy who don't get much playing time. Certainly looked like Brown was going to fit that false stereotype early in his career. Until he reached LA. What was the difference in Cleveland, Chicago and Charlotte? I don't know, but I do know this, once Brown reached the Lakers, he became a better player. Call it coaching, call it the system, call it getting a better opportunity to play (which would seem unlikely with a team that is always consistently loaded like the Lakers)... whatever it was, everything clicked.

Guys like Brown, Aaron Brooks and LA's Jordan Farmar are poster boys for the importance of NBA assignments to the NBA Development League. Brown got a chance to play with the Vipers (and later the Iowa Energy) to get his confidence up and work on things that he would have otherwise never gotten. Did that help him to become a better NBA player? You'd better believe it.

We already know the Rockets, Spurs and Thunder recognize this. The Celtics do too. Memphis certainly recognized that when they sent #2 overall pick Hasheem Thabeet down to Dakota this year. Other teams do too. The word is spreading, but there is still work to do.

Last year, Brown barely played in the NBA Finals. In game one he played 17:27. Maybe if Brown can be a key contributor in the NBA Finals, particularly while winning a Championship, that will help to spell it out to teams who under-utilize the NBA Development League.

It's a great tool. Take advantage of it or fall behind.

Rockets Radio Stays Strong – The Trickle Down Effect

2010-06-01T23:48:00.000-05:00

The Rockets extended their partnership with their flagship station in Houston, SportsRadio610, today. Affiliates around the state (which for the last two years has included ESPN 1240 AM) are likely to follow throughout the off-season (although some of them might be multi-year deals and therefore already set. I don't know such details).

The important news for me, ADB and all Rockets and Vipers fans in the Valley, though, was at the end of the release:

Rockets radio play-by-play announcer Craig Ackerman will call all the action during the team’s upcoming 2010-11 campaign with analyst Joel Blank serving as studio host forSportsRadio 610 pre-game, halftime and post-game shows.

Ackerman will be entering his third season with the Rockets. He's very entertaining and good at what he does. Blank's solid as well. He took over in December for my namesake, the original Doctor Professor, Adam Wexler, who now has a sports talk show on a rival station in Houston.

These are the guys Alex and I model ourselves after. We try to do our broadcasts the same way they do, which is a big part of why we introduced the studio host position this year for road games (instead of just doing color commentary for home games), which really gave me a chance to expand my role, something I have relished.

I think this is something that might be sometimes overlooked but really underscores the strength and closeness of the relationship between the Vipers and the Rockets. Everyone always talks about how the idea of the hybrid is to follow the baseball model and how that's the ultimate goal for the NBA Development League. Well, that's great, but I don't think AAA baseball teams have the kind of relationship with MLB teams that we have with with our parent club. Are we an exception to the rule? Possibly, for now anyway. However, I know we turned a lot of heads on both sides this year. NBA teams want to expand their brands to other markets (read: NBADL markets). NBADL teams want to show how strong their backing is from the NBA.

Well, if fans can listen to Rockets games in the Rio Grande Valley, and then they can spin the dial and hear Vipers games, and they sound the same, that just adds to the legitimacy and the seriousness of what the Vipers are doing here. After all, if you're going to do something, do it right.

I look forward to seeing Craig down here in October and to listening to him and Joel on nights we don't have games.

Returning or Moving On? – Will Conroy

2010-05-28T13:46:00.002-05:00

Possibly part of the biggest trade in Vipers history, the Will Conroy acquisition turned out to be quite a steal. Nothing against Kurt Looby, who really failed to take that huge step forward that could have had him in the NBA by February, but I don't know that the Vipers win the Championship without Conroy. Of course, you can probably say that about a number of individual players, but there's no doubt in my mind that Conroy made everyone on the Vipers better. Yeah, they were 10-3 before acquiring Conroy, but five regular season triple-doubles and two GATORADE Call-Ups don't exactly say complimentary part. Heck, he had another triple-double in the game one Finals win at Tulsa, not to mention the half-court shot that swung all of the momentum and the lead towards the Vipers.

Conroy could do a lot of things, but I think his biggest asset was making guys better, including Mike Harris, who was really good before the first GATORADE Call-Up, but brought his game to an incomparable level once teamed up with Conroy.

Statistically speaking, it's hard to argue that this was Conroy's best season based on the gaudy numbers he put up in Albuquerque last year (26.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 44.7 minutes per game), but I intend to make that argument.

During the 2008-09 season, Conroy was told to do it all for the Thunderbirds. He wasn't selfish, he was just executing the game plan. Coach Finch had a better game plan for Conroy, and therefore better results. Conroy finished with 16.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 10.0 assists per game. The points were down but the shooting percentage was up in all three categories, meaning Conroy was taking fewer shots, but better shots. The rebounds were up because the Vipers took a lot of three points and also didn't have a true center for much of the season. The biggest thing is the assists were up because Conroy was making all of his teammates better.

Conroy also had to play against better competition this year. I think that's the thing that really sticks out to me about Conroy throughout his career.

Think about it. This was Conroy's fifth season in the NBA Development League. He's always been one of the best point guards in the league, but he has gotten a little better every year. That is incredibly difficult to do considering the talent of the league has gotten exponentially better every year. Had the talent level remained the same, Conroy would either be averaging 50 points per game or he would have become stagnant. Instead, Conroy has risen to the challenge to keep up with the competition.

What that says to me is that, given the chance, Conroy can be a capable NBA player.

During his career, Conroy has earned four GATORADE Call-Ups, but he's never had a serious chance to play. No extended minutes, just end of the bench rotation minutes.

Conroy's a good person. Great to have around the community and a natural leader on and off the court. There are a number of teams that could use him. He's probably held back by the fact he's a point guard. He's the guy that has to know all of the plays. Playing for the Vipers, when he went up to the Rockets he already knew all of the plays and could step in easily during Kyle Lowry's absence, but still didn't get big minutes. To be fair, during the minutes he did get, Conroy did not play very well. My point is, though, why would a team give him minutes if he's not familiar with their play already? Most teams want to have two established points guards who have been there all year, which is why I think, if Conroy does not break NBA Training Camp with an NBA team, he's going to look overseas.

I do think Conroy will be with someone during October. But if he doesn't parlay that into a contract, I have a feeling that's it. Remember, he had no intention of going back to Albuquerque this year. He tried to make a team in China, but didn't make the cut (Chinese teams have a limit of how many out of country players they can sign, I think it's two, and they usually save those spots for big men). Certainly there are plenty of European destinations for Conroy, though, and I'm sure Coach Finch could help him find one.

Conroy was willing to come back to the NBA Development League only to play for the Vipers because the Rockets had interest in bringing him up. Would he do it again for the promise of two 10-day contracts? I don't know. We'll have to see what happens with the Lowry free agent situation (the Rockets have said they intend to bring him back) and whether or not the Rockets are the team to invite him to camp.

One interesting possibility is the New Jersey Nets. I wrote a while back I thought they should call up Conroy. I still think he'd be a major upgrade for their point guard situation. Now that they're likely out of the John Wall sweepstakes by not getting the #1 pick in the NBA Draft, maybe Conroy can become an option to play with Devin Harris?

Post #99 – People are Taking Notice

2010-05-21T10:01:00.001-05:00

And I don't just mean of this blog (although, they/you are, and I really appreciate your readership... that's an incredible number on the counter at the bottom of the page).

Actually, I was referring to the corndogs the local minor league baseball teams. Anyone else see the Fox 2 Cable 6 DTV 48.3 News at 9 last night? The sports segment (again anchored by the incomparable ADB) had a sound byte so great, that years from now when they're thinking of man's greatest accomplishments, they'll remember:

The invention of the wheel

The discovery of fire

The Flint Michigan Mega Bowl

and this sound byte.

(Note: In case you couldn't tell after this latest reference, the corndogs was a reference to the movie Semi Pro, and not a veiled slap at the teams... I would never do that, especially since I work for one of them).

It's at the :50 mark:

"We want to end up doing what the Vipers did this year."

-Edinburg Roadrunners manager Vince Moore

The buzz surrounding the Vipers' championship is still quite palpable. Last night at a meet the team party for the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings in Harlingen, everyone came over to me and congratulated me on the Championship (I'm entering my fourth season as the play-by-play broadcaster and Director of Communications for the team). When we were introducing the front office staff to our fans, General Manager Cory Dirksen made sure to tell everyone that I also work for the Vipers and that he hopes I can bring some of the Vipers magic to the WhiteWings.

I often wear the NBADL Champions hat and t-shirt around the Valley, and it always causes people to look. Some people even start talking to me, having no idea that I work for the team, but understanding that I support the Vipers, about how incredible The Shot Heard 'Round the Valley was and the atmosphere of the Championship game and how awesome Mike Harris is... etc.

There is a buzz in the air unlike anything I have ever experienced. Everywhere I go I see Vipers stickers on cars. I still stop and stare at the trophy every time I walk into the Vipers Pro Shop.

One month ago today Craig Winder took the greatest charge in the history of Western Civilization... propelling the Vipers past Austin and into the Finals. Who knew that that wasn't even going to be his biggest contribution to the Vipers' Championship Run?

To quote ADB, "Oh how sweet it is!"

True Neutrality!

2010-05-19T20:42:00.000-05:00

My other favorite thing about the Showcase coming to South Padre Island? They will all be neutral site games! No more awkward things like Idaho wearing road uniforms at home because it's the Showcase. Sure, there will still be a "home" team and a "road" team, but that's just to decide who's wearing what uniform and sitting on which bench.

For stat people like me, who keep track of home, road and neutral site records, this is a very welcome development.

The Ultimate Beach Bash

2010-05-18T19:53:00.001-05:00

The worst kept secret in the Valley over the last couple of days was officially announced today – the Showcase is coming to South Padre Island.

This is a major change for the NBA Development League as it is the first time the Showcase will be hosted by an organization other than one of it's own teams in a building where one of it's teams doesn't play. However, I think that's a good thing, and here's why:

Expand the Brand
Having the Showcase on South Padre Island helps to expand the NBA Development League Brand to a new set of fans. Yes, the Vipers already have some presence there... Vipers Beach Bash in November 2009 (one day of Training Camp and an exhibition game) plus a couple of corporate partners and season ticket holders, but this is something that not only helps the Vipers' marketing, but the League as a whole. South Padre Island not only attracts Rio Grande Valley natives, but Winter Texans and vacationers, meaning you might just be reaching fans all over the country in person.

Location, Location, Location
South Padre Island is beautiful and a great resort destination. The showcase already attracts hundreds of NBA and International Brass. They'll probably attract more than usual in a place that people want to go in January (no offense to Boise, Idaho, I understand it's a beautiful area and I love the blue turf of Boise State, but snow vs. beach in January... well... no contest).

They've Done it Before
Every year you can find a prestigious college basketball tournament and a prestigious high school basketball tournament at the South Padre Island Convention Centre. They've hosted a Vipers pre-season game. They know what they're doing and their hospitality is through the roof.

It's the Economy, Stupid
January is typically a slower month for South Padre Island. The basketball tournaments are at the end of November and beginning of December. Spring Break doesn't hit full tilt until March. There are actually businesses that are only open at certain times of year on South Padre Island. This will create such economic opportunity on the Island and the lower valley as a whole.

No Ties Allowed
There are no ties allowed on South Padre Island. I don't know about you, but I always feel more relaxed in a polo or Hawaiian shirt. The Showcase can be a stressful time for players and coaches. It's early enough in the season that they're not necessarily freaking out about playoff position, but the eyes of the basketball world are on them. Don't screw up. Luckily, South Padre Island is such a relaxing atmosphere that it should help to ease away the stress.

Rest for the Weary
Even though the Showcase is the NBA Development League's show, the host team typically has a big role in helping to make it work. Not to say that the Vipers won't have any roll. I imagine that our Community Relations Director Liana Cisneros, myself and ADB will all have significant roles. However, I hope that the rest of our front office will be able to stay in the office and focus on their regular job of packing our home games. We have some incredibly hard working sales people on staff, who also handle game operations, etc. And certainly, if there's a front office that can handle the Showcase, it's ours... We proved that during RGV Rocket Launch 2009 and will do so again this year... but it's nice to think that maybe, just maybe, they can get a little respite from the extra stress/work associated with hosting the Showcase.

I'm stoked.

--

A big congratulations to Dwayne Killings on his new job. The now former-Manager of Basketball Operations for the NBA Development League was hired as an assistant coach at the greatest school in the history of time – Boston University.

Returning or Moving On? – Mike Harris

2010-05-16T19:30:00.000-05:00

The NBA Development League's Most Valuable Player, Mike Harris had an incredible season, among the leaders in scoring, rebounding and shooting. He earned three GATORADE Call-Ups and was the leader both on and off the court. Harris was a huge part of the community and a fan favorite.

I was buying some blank DVDs on Friday while wearing a Vipers polo. The guy at the counter started going on about how much he loves Mike Harris and what a great player he is. When I told him Harris is a good person too, he reacted in utter awe that I know Mike Harris. The woman at the register next to him started going on about how great the Vipers and Harris are too.

Don't tell me fans don't know who the players are.

I've written at length many times about Harris' credentials, and if you're reading this blog, there's a pretty good chance that you know them too.

Harris was recruited by the Rockets to play for the Vipers during Autumn. Harris came because he thought this might be his last/best chance to make it to the NBA. Harris played for the Rockets for 17 games in 2008 and three in the playoffs. He didn't make out the team out of Training Camp and had been overseas since.

This year Harris earned three GATORADE Call-Ups, two to the Rockets and one to the Wizards. Mysteriously, Washington didn't give Harris playing time, although they were more than willing to give plenty to Austin's Alonzo Gee right after letting Harris go.

Harris held his own in his final stint with the Rockets and I know their brass wants him to succeed, but can he fit into the Rockets plans? Considering they run all the same stuff as the Vipers, I see no reason why not. If one person says anything about Harris only being 6-6 I might explode.

It's true, Harris is more of a scorer than a defender, and you have to do both in the NBA.

So what does his future hold?

Well, we do know that Harris is going to Training Camp with the Rockets, but his contract for next season is not guaranteed, so he can be cut without any financial penalty.

If he is cut, Harris can then choose to come back to the Vipers (he really enjoyed his time in Rio Grande Valley), giving him a great chance of getting back to the Rockets or just the NBA in general, or he can go for the money overseas (which my guess is he's already earned a fair amount of). It is interesting to note that Harris has a house in the Houston area and a lot of family outside Dallas. So where will he go?

Well, the thought here is that Harris won't have to make that decision. I think he's going to make the Rockets and stick. I think Harris will show the ability to be a solid cog in the wheel in addition to being a good teammate and a big part of the community.

Returning or Moving On? – Craig Winder

2010-05-12T21:20:00.001-05:00

I almost feel dirty already writing this post. It was just half a month ago that Craig Winder hit the greatest shot in the history of mankind and sent the Vipers to the NBA Development League Championship. I still haven't come off that cloud (if you're wondering why that audio from the game-winning shot still welcomes you to rgvipers.com... I'm the webmaster).

Still, I guess it's time to start thinking about what next year's roster will look like.

The NBA Draft isn't until June 24, so we're still a little ways away about thinking about possible NBA-assignees or allocation players and we're an even longer way away from the NBA D-League Draft. However, we can look at players from this year's roster and try to answer the age old question – returning or moving on?

There will not be a single player with a cut and dry answer. It's not as simple as, he had a great season, of course he's coming back. There are a lot of factors. Development, age, past GATORADE Call-Ups, how close is he to the NBA? Do the Vipers want him back? Does he want to come back? Might he go overseas? Has he been invited to free agent mini-camps or Summer League? Is there a lot of interest in the NBA? Might he break camp with an NBA team? Those are just some of the questions we have to ask, and we can't necessarily answer them all. Despite that, I will endeavor to do a player by player breakdown over the next few weeks. This not only includes players on the active roster, but players who the Vipers still have the D-League rights to who were waived due to injury or are currently in the NBA.

With that said, I start at the only place that makes sense, with the man who hit the shot – Craig Winder.

Winder is an original Viper. He was invited to the training camp in 2007 out of a local tryout. The University of Texas graduate had only been a role player at the DI level, and that was the role he served for two seasons. He was a serviceable and inconsistent 10th man. With the league's talent improving exponentially every year (at least since the Vipers joined the league), what place did Winder have with the suddenly hybrid Vipers? I'm not sure if he wasn't invited to training camp or if he just chose not to come, but Winder opened the season in Syria, likely making a bit more money than he was making in the NBA D-League. I spoke with Craig when he came back... it seemed like he had enjoyed the experience (in fact, he's in Qatar for their playoff run), but he made no mistake about it... he was thrilled to have the opportunity to come back.

Winder came back around the same time Mike Harris got his first GATORADE Call-Up of the season, and you know what? The Vipers didn't miss a beat. Winder hit the scene with a fury like none of us had ever seen before. Was this really the same Craig Winder?

You know how the story ends, but long before that shot Winder proved his incredible worth to the team. He was easily the best sixth man in the league (the only competition is the Vipers' fan base).

Winder truly developed this year. Part of it was the Rockets' system and the great coaching, part of it was Winder's work ethic and determination. After a season like this, he can certainly make a lot of money overseas next year. I mean, think about it, if he'd put up these numbers two years ago, or last year, that would have been pretty good, but to make a big leap in a year in which the league was better than it's ever been? That's not just impressive, that's incredible.

Winder averaged 14.3 points per game and 16.0 in the playoffs! He was 7.9 and 8.9 points in each of his first two years. All of his stats were up, but how about the shooting percentage? .503 He was at .441 last year and .383 the year before. .371 from behind the arc (.295 last year, .357 the year before).

I fully expect Winder to get an invite to NBA Summer League, which will give him the opportunity to earn an invited to NBA Training Camp. Someone's gotta give him a chance after a year like this. So let's say he ends up in NBA Training Camp and doesn't make the team. Then what?

He could take the money and run. After all, he's 26 years old and has already spent three years in the NBA D-League. He has to make his big money while he still can. But, at the same time, if he's that close to the NBA, doesn't it behoove him to give it one more try in the NBA D-League and continue to work hard to prove it was no fluke and earn a GATORADE Call-Up? He could stick around through the Showcase, and if he doesn't earn a Call-Up, head overseas for the money. But what if he's having a good season at that point? Wouldn't it then behoove him to stick around to see if he can get one later in the season like Garrett Temple and Antonio Anderson? But what if it doesn't come? Then wouldn't Winder have just given up a year where he could've earned more money overseas?

If you ask me, it'd be worth it. You can't put a price on chasing your dream. Is Winder's dream to play in the NBA? Or can he be happy simply playing basketball, regardless of where? I'm not sure.

Still, it's a tough decision.

So... will Winder be back with the Vipers to defend the title? I say yes.

I'm not sure that he's NBA-ready yet. If he's not, he's close. I think he'll give it one more shot. He's not like a regular guy who's been in the NBA D-League for three years. I really don't count his first two years. He's a completely different player now. I think he's got one more chance at it.

From Houston to SPI to Tulsa to Houston?

2010-05-09T16:23:00.000-05:00

I was catching up on my Ridiculous Upside today, and saw something interesting from this My Fox Houston Report. Tulsa 66ers power forward Latavious Williams worked out for the Houston Rockets.

The 66ers' first round draft choice (16th overall) was the first NBA Development League player to come straight from high school. Christian Life Academy, to be exact. You know, in Houston? No, Williams isn't from the home of the Vipers' parent club. He's from Starkville, Mississippi. However, he has the connections. While attending high school in Houston, he had the opportunity to take part in the South Padre Island Basketball Beach Bonanza. Christian Life is an annual participant and contender. There's the Rio Grande Valley connection. The NBA Development League connection is obvious – playing with Tulsa and losing to the Vipers in the Finals. Williams played very well in the Finals, prompting me and ADB to suggest the Thunder had better be careful because the Rockets might scoop him up. Talk about prognostications!

Of course, it's not that easy. We'll have to see where the chips fall in the NBA Draft. Hard to say if Williams will get drafted or not. He may have played his way in at the end of the season and the playoffs, but if not, I still expect him to end up in Summer League and NBA Training Camp.

And if the Rockets do grab Williams but don't think he's ready for the NBA yet? He'll still have two years of NBA D-League eligibility left.

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes

2010-05-05T23:12:00.000-05:00

Do you know how the Vipers front office celebrated winning the NBA Development League Championship? Less than 36 hours later, we were right back out there in the community trying to help make a difference.

Brian Michael Cooper, Shu Muthyala, Michael Esparza and I participated in a one mile walk against domestic violence against women on the campus of STC. Men were given heels and flip-flops (for those of us who have feet that are too big for heels) along with pink t-shirts to wear.

It was a great event. Plenty of businessmen participated... including some in jackets and ties... We auctioned off an autographed basketball.

It is such an important cause. When Liana Cisneros, the best community relations director in the league (with no offense intended towards her colleagues), informed us about the event, we immediately signed up. When we got the Finals schedule, and saw that there was a chance that this event could be on the morning of a decisive Game 3, it didn't matter. All that meant is, if the series did go the distance, we'd better make sure to work late on the off-day to get everything done so we could do the walk. Luckily, it didn't come to that and the Vipers took care of business.

I'm just glad we didn't have to carry the Championship Trophy around during the walk. That thing is heavy!

I had the honor of holding it when the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court honored us on Tuesday. It was quite a workout. Gave me another excuse not to go to the gym (although I did go today and plan to go tomorrow at The Gym at Uptown).

Speaking of the Court, here's what the proclamation says:

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, the NBA Development League (NBA D-League), the National Basketball Association’s official minor league basketball organization, was founded in 2001 and began with eight teams ; and

WHEREAS, in 2007, the league welcomed the Rio Grande Valley Vipers as one of the fourteen teams in the league; and

WHEREAS, for the past three years the Rio Grande Valley Vipers have brought enjoyment to sports enthusiasts across the Valley; and

WHEREAS, under the direction of Head Coach Chris Finch, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers earned the title of Western Conference Champions with a record of 34-16, earning them a spot in the NBA D-League Finals; and

WHEREAS, most recently, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers defeated the Tulsa 66’s earning them the title of National Champions; and

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT PROCLAIMED, that the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court hereby recognizes the Rio Grande Vipers and their coaches for their outstanding accomplishments this season and furthermore urge the residents of Hidalgo County to continue supporting their hometown team in seasons to come.

Approved this 4^th day of May, 2010.

_________________________

RENE A. RAMIREZ

County Judge

_________________________ ________________________

A.C. CUELLAR, JR. HECTOR “TITO” PALACIOS

County Commissioner, Pct. 1 County Commissioner, Pct. 2

_________________________ ________________________

JOE M. FLORES OSCAR L. GARZA, JR.

County Commissioner, Pct. 3 County Commissioner, Pct. 4

Attest:

_________________________

ARTURO GUAJARDO, JR.

County Clerk

The Big Resource

2010-05-01T16:23:00.000-05:00

The news came out yesterday that Vipers assistant coach Paul Mokeski is joining Vipers head coach Chris Finch on the bench of the British National Team.

No surprise here. The first time I heard Finch talk about Mokeski, he called him "The Big Resource." Mostly referring to Mokeski's NBA Development League experience, sure, but Mokeski is a heck of a coach.

He understands game situations and is big on defense and trying to get players to improve on any problems they might have.

Putting him and Finch together has worked out incredibly well, and when you throw Jai Steadman into the mix, watch out.

ADB put it best the other day on the final episode of Inside the Vipers Nest. You've got a basketball office with one guy with a ton of International Experience (Finch), one guy with a ton of NBA experience (Mokeski) and one guy with a ton of College Experience (Steadman). You get the best of all worlds.

Mokeski is a very relaxed and fun person to be around. One of my co-workers remarked the other day it's hard to imagine him yelling (unless you've been around for it). A very nice guy... willing to do whatever you need... similar to Finch in that way.

Despite their similarities, they've had a lot of opportunity to learn from each other. I think Mokeski has the ability to be an NBA D-League head coach or NBA assistant coach right now, and his resume has certainly been enhanced by his time here. That's why everyone wants to hire him. In a few weeks Mokeski will leave for the Jamaican National Team before heading to Great Britain.

I wonder if any of the other coaches Mokeski has worked for have called him The Big Resource. Betchya they have.

Best... Hiring... Ever

2010-04-29T15:58:00.002-05:00

A lot of people were getting antsy last off-season. Do you blame them? We didn't hire a head coach until late September and we didn't introduce him until October 7 – to the media 45 minutes before tip-off of the Rockets-Celtics game, and then during a first half timeout to the 6,300 fans in attendance.

One of the first question I received was, who? That's it? That's the whole big deal? I mean, who the heck is Chris Finch?

I just have one question for that person... Would you like to eat that foot in your mouth with ketchup... or mustard?

Let's go by the numbers (including this season):
Seasons as a head coach: 13
Post-Season Appearances: 12
Championships: 8
Coach of the Year Awards: 5
Career Regular Season Record: 415-194 (.681)

Not too shabby. The only real question is how long can we keep him here before an NBA team steals him away? I do believe Finch is going to be an NBA head coach for a long time. Once he makes it there, he'll never turn back. In the mean time he's got a pretty sweet deal. Another Championship, another Coach of the Year Award, and now a few weeks off before he heads to Great Britain the lead the British National Team into the European Qualifiers, starting with a tournament in Israel.

Coach, if you're reading this, while you're in Israel, I highly recommend you eat at a place called Yotvata Ba'ir. Best... dairy food... ever. Which is perfect for the best... hiring... ever.

A Long Time Coming

2010-04-28T18:59:00.001-05:00

A title like this would be appropriate for a lot of people on the team or just for the team itself. Third-year Vipers Craig Winder and Stanley Asumnu or the Rio Grande Valley. Heck, it's the first professional championship for everyone on the team except for Ernest Scott and Rich Melzer.

This post, however, is dedicated to Mike Harris.

He had never won a Championship at any level and that's what he wanted more than anything in the world. When Harris earned his final GATORADE Call-Up, his first question to the Rockets was whether or not he could be assigned to the Vipers for the playoffs.

After all, Harris has been a big part of this team all year and he wanted to win a Championship.

I was chatting with Vipers Director of Player Development BJ Johnson, who also works with the Rockets, before the game, and I asked him why Harris hasn't been able to stick in the NBA for an extended period of time. He said it was because of his size. I immediately countered with Chuck Hayes, you know the Rockets 6-5 center? He said Hayes is there for his defense. Harris doesn't play that kind of defense, he's a scorer (ya know, if you could combine the two of them you'd really have something).

Then Johnson added Harris has a great attitude. If everyone had an attitude like him...

Harris can still make it in the NBA. I honestly believe he will make the Rockets out of Training Camp in October. Everyone wants or should want to have a guy like that on their team.

Harris is a true ambassador in the community and for the league. Here's a guy that wanted to go celebrate ever so badly with his teammates and the champagne in the locker room, but he wouldn't go until he had signed every autograph and done every interview.

I got a call from him around 12:30 or 12:45 a.m. He and the team were at Pepper's celebrating. I was still at the arena working. He was on me to come enjoy the day and celebrate. I was stunned to get that call, that he would even think of me with everything else going on.

Here's a guy who sat through ridiculous traffic with me to do interviews in Weslaco and Harlingen on TV, who doesn't mind if he gets phone calls at seemingly anytime.

Here's a guy who loves being here. in the NBA D-League, in the Rio Grande Valley.

Here's a guy who has already asked about coming down during the off-season from his home outside Houston to do youth clinics and camps.

Here's a guy who is willing to come down to have lunch at Pepper's with one lucky winner who buys Vipers season tickets (anyone who has already purchased for 2010-11 is automatically entered).

You will never find a nicer guy in the world than Mike Harris. Of all the guys who I am happy for, he's A Number One. MVP on and off the court. Congratulations.

Ever Been at a Loss for Words?

2010-04-28T00:32:00.000-05:00

It's a proven fact that I can talk about any topic at any time for any length, no matter the situation. But when this game ended, I was nothing short of speechless.

You might remember back on February 22, I started my campaign for Craig Winder to be named NBA Development League Player of the Year (no such award actually exists). A lot of people called me crazy. They laughed at me.

Well... who's laughing now?

Craig certainly seems pretty happy after beating the buzzer to send the Vipers to their first NBADL Championship.

When the game ended, I had nothing left to say. What could I possibly say after something like that?

It was a perfect moment. That one every little kid dreams about growing up. Beat the buzzer to win a Championship.

In front of a record sellout crowd.

6,198.

Think about that for a moment. There were 6,300 people here for the Rockets-Celtics game! To think we almost passed that with Standing Room Only, despite having less seats is incredible.

You ever have a moment when you wondered if all of your efforts were worth it? Whether anyone cared or if it was all worth it? Someone told me recently (paraphrasing), "oh yeah, the Vipers are improving their fan base, but I still don't think the fans really know who the players are or what's going on." We've had some really good and loud crowds, but even a crowd of 4,700 leaves 1,000 empty seats in State Farm Arena.

Then we had this game. When everyone was standing and cheering and going crazy. When the fans started a DE-FENSE chant on their own. When the fans knew what was at stake and what to do. When the fans rushed the court. I couldn't speak. I could've cried I was so happy.

People do care and the support has been something I could have never imagined.

The other thing that floored me was how many people I had never met came up to me to congratulate me, shake my hand, high five, hug, whatever. People thanking me for my daily updates and text messages.

If ever there was a time I wasn't sure that what I did mattered or was worth it, this erased all of that.

Wow.

And that's really all I have left to say about that.

One Away

2010-04-25T18:30:00.001-05:00

The Vipers just beat the Tulsa 66ers 124-107 in game one of the NBADL Finals. Now it just takes a home win either Tuesday or Thursday and the trophy belongs to Rio Grande Valley.

Of note:

Mike Harris had 10 points in 12 minutes in the first half but was limited by foul trouble (had three). Harris opened the third quarter by scoring eight-straight points in the opening two minutes to give the Vipers a 10-point lead, but picked up his fourth foul and sat our the rest of the quarter. The Vipers still outscore Tulsa 23-21 the rest of the quarter. Harris didn't come back in until the game was out of hand in the fourth when Rich Melzer picked up his fourth foul.

Speaking of Melzer, he had second-straight great game with seven points, eight rebounds, one steal and one block in 17:36.

Will Conroy picked up the second triple-double of the post-season (Iowa's Curtis Stinson had one in the first round) with 14 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists. He actually hit the rebounding mark first and the assists last. It took Conroy seemingly forever to get assist #10. He had #9 early in the third but didn't get #10 until midway through the fourth. The 16 rebounds are more than Conroy has ever had in a regular season game (15, 2/20/10 vs. Maine). Did you know Conroy is ninth all-time in regular season rebounds (884)? Everyone thinks of him for assists and scoring, but he's got more than that. Conroy hit a half court shot to give the Vipers a 61-59 lead at halftime. It's only appropriate that Conroy has one of his best games at Tulsa, where his NBA Development League career started.

Julian Sensley had 19 of his 21 points in the first half.

5,453 in attendance at Tulsa, the largest crowd ever at a 66ers home game. Fans in the Rio Grande Valley: let's beat that. And wear red!

To the Finals!

2010-04-22T13:02:00.001-05:00

After an incredible three game series win over the Austin Toros, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers are heading to the NBADL Finals to take on the Tulsa 66ers.

It should be another solid matchup. Yeah, Tulsa's the #8 seed. And you know what else? That barely snuck into the playoffs after struggling mightily down the stretch, in part because point guard Mustafa Shakur kept getting called up.

The 66ers are again without Shakur (although that could change in a hurry depending on what Oklahoma City decides to do).

Remember, the last time these teams faced off, and the Vipers swept Tulsa at State Farm Arena, the 66ers had a whopping two guards on their roster and Shakur basically had to play every second.

Tulsa has since made adjustments to deal without not only Shakur, but other NBA-assignees. Remember, the 66ers had three Thunder players on their roster in their Semifinals opening loss at home to the Iowa Energy, who set a new league record for regular season wins this year. They had ZERO while beating the Energy twice in a row in Iowa to advance to the finals.

Only three teams managed to be the Energy twice in a row in Iowa this year:

The Vipers were the first, Sioux Falls, who Tulsa eliminated in the first round, was second, and then the 66ers pulled it off this week.

So, ignore the seeding. Larry Owens is the best player you've never heard of and Cecil Brown is solid too. Wink Adams has capably taken over the point and former Christian Life Academy Star Latavious Williams, who is the first player to go from HS to the NBADL, has shined since Byron Mullens was recalled and more minutes have become available at the big positions. Moses Ehambe can shoot the three a little bit (as can Brown).

What could be really interesting is the game inside the game. Antonio Anderson spent two 10-day contracts with Oklahoma City. My question is, does Tulsa run the Thunder's offense like the Vipers do with the Rockets? If so, Anderson should have a little extra insight to offer during practice/film sessions.

--

I keep saying it, but I really can't say it enough. Another huge thank you to the fans for coming out and supporting the team this week. The support has been incredible throughout this playoff run. Up to two home games left. Come on back and bring a friend. Let's red out the arena. Thank you!

The Litmus Test

2010-04-20T11:40:00.002-05:00

I can think of a lot of reasons why last night's Game Two semifinals victory over Austin was awesome, but I think none compares to the big one.

Clutch the Bear – the Houston Rockets Hall of Fame Mascot – ripped off his Rockets uniform to show a VIPERS UNIFORM. My jaw dropped when that happened. It was kind of like seeing the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man walking down the streets of NYC, only with positive reverberations.

I said to NBA D-League President Dan Reed on the Farmers Insurance Halftime Report last night that such an event is the true litmus test of legitimacy for a league, and you know what? He agreed.

Was legitimacy the right word? Debatable, but the spirit is correct. Before it was really cool for us to have the NBA in the building, whether it was wearing their uniforms or having their mascots. Now it's really cool for them to get to be a part of the NBA D-League.

It also speaks to the close relationship between the Rockets and the Vipers. Everyone says it's about getting to the baseball model of single affiliations... and that's true on the court... but the great thing about the D-League is that it's not only about developing players and coaches, but front office staff too.

I don't know of many minor league baseball teams that have this kind of relationship with their parent club, and that includes those that are owned by the big league team and happen to be close by.

I really don't think you're going to see Mr. Met in Buffalo, for example, and if you do, what are the odds he puts on a Bisons jersey?

But we've developed that kind of relationship on the business side. This isn't just a basketball affiliation, it's about so much more.

My moment of zen yesterday was when the Rockets re-sent my press releases about Coach of the Year Chris Finch and MVP Mike Harris to their media (with me still listed as the media contact).

Plenty of team are interested in the single-affiliation for basketball, for for business? I'm not sure. It might help if the league brought more exposure to the front office staffs.

I asked Reed about this yesterday... maybe doing front office staff awards. Honors for hitting bench marks in various sales categories are nice, but I think individual awards are good too. Yes, as both Finch and Harris said, there are no individual awards, they are a reflection of those around them, but that's okay. The individual award brings attention to the whole team. Additionally, they look good on a resume and bring exposure to people who are trying to move up. Why do we work in the minors? To make the majors. So why just give exposure to players and coaches?

If we're going to be serious that we want this league to be a feeder to the NBA for staff, there need to be individual awards. There needs to be a broadcaster of the year, a communications executive of the year, a group sales executive of the year, a season tickets executive of the year, a corporate sales executive of the year and a team president of the year, at the very least.

Pretty much every minor league that I know of has such awards. They often include things like visiting hotel of the year, arena of the year... etc.

I also work for the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings of United League Baseball. I was honored as both broadcaster and communications executive of the year after last season. I intend to work my rear end off to earn them again this season. How come I can't get a chance to compete for similar awards in the NBA D-League? What about my colleagues? There are some really good communications folks around the league (I didn't say PR people because I hate being called a PR guy. Call me an MR guy. My primary job is media relations). I might win, I might not. Either way, there should be something.

Same goes for broadcaster and ADB.

Or those other front office awards. Plenty of people would be competing for those awards both in this office and around the league.

--

As for the awards that were handed out, Mike Harris was the no duh MVP. I imagine he got every vote. The funny thing is, he probably got most of those votes for his on court stats, rather than his off court leadership.

Did you know that after the Vipers lost the first game of the season in Austin, Harris held a players only meeting and basically told them this would not happen again? The Vipers won their next six games and never looked back.

Chris Finch earning Dennis Johnson Coach of the Year didn't surprise me either. In my opinion, he's the best of the upper echelon of coaches in the league, which includes Iowa's Nick Nurse and Austin's Quin Snyder. Finch had to deal with an ever-changing roster... 10 GATORADE Call-Ups, 5 NBA-Assignments and injuries up the wazoo. Yet he never panicked. Never made a move just to make a move. Always got the most out of what he had.

What's more is that Finch is also a heck of a nice guy and willing to do pretty much whatever you need. He's very accommodating to helping us on the business side succeed, and that has included changing practice times so we can have players/coaches at appearances, camps, clinics and media events.

Mike and Chris are two of the best people I've come across. They're good human beings and very deserving of every accolade.

--

Sometimes the door swings both ways. My co-worker Shu Muthyala and I have to go speak at a Pharr Rotary Club lunch in a few minutes. Shu and I were there just a few months ago for Coach Finch's first Rotary Club appearance. They asked this morning if they could get someone to speak today, so the coaches asked us to go. Should be fun. =)

Post-Season Ejections

2010-04-17T16:23:00.001-05:00

Antonio Anderson got ejected from the game a few minutes ago. Picked up his second technical.

My initial reaction is I have no problem with this, if Anderson indeed earned it. My opinion is rules need to be enforced the same in the post-season as in the regular season.

I've always hated the excuse that I sometimes hear about officials not wanting to affect the game by ejecting or T-ing up a significant player in a post-season game. Well, um, that's a load of malarkey. If the player earns a pair of technicals, or flagrant fouls or whatever... It's his fault... not the officials'.

So I have no problem with this... as long as he indeed earned it AND the rules are applied to all teams and players consistently throughout the post-season. Whether it's the NBA Development League's all-time leading scorer or a rookie in his first post-season... whether it's the quarterfinals, the semifinals or the championship.

It's Not All About Assignees

2010-04-16T23:03:00.000-05:00

At 6:51 p.m. I received a press release about Byron Mullens and Mustafa Shakur getting re-assigned to the Tulsa 66ers. Talk about waiting until the last minute. Perhaps they were trying to catch Iowa napping? A little April surprise of their own?

Suddenly Tulsa was Oklahoma City again. Three NBA-assignees. Jeff Trepagnier was just 1-for-8 from the field and the Energy's starting point guard had six times as many rebounds as their starting center.

The game was played Tulsa.

If you didn't see the box, you'd probably think Tulsa won.

Yeah.... No.

Iowa's the #1 seed for a reason folks.

And just because players get sent down from the NBA doesn't mean they're the reason a team wins, especially when they don't.

Changing of the Guard

2010-04-14T18:11:00.001-05:00

ADB pulled out a great stat the other day – the last three NBA Development League Championships were won by former Continental Basketball Association teams.

That is guaranteed to change this year. The four remaining teams (Rio Grande Valley, Austin, Iowa and Tulsa) are pure bread NBADL teams. But wait, there's more.

ADB was also quick to point out three of those teams have something in common.

My first guess was, rightish... Rio Grande Valley, Austin and Tulsa are all old Southwest Division teams (good thing Colorado's gone, otherwise they might've beat the tar out of all three teams and perhaps none of them would've made the playoffs thanks to the intra-division match-ups... well, maybe that's not true, but I still feel the sting of a 1-15 franchise record against Colorado, even if those were completely different Vipers teams).

I had the right teams, but not the point. What else do those three teams have in common? They're all single-affiliation teams.

The so-called hybrid system is the future of the NBA Development League, so this is really no surprise. The only team that doesn't use their single-affiliate effectively is LA. Houston, San Antonio and Oklahoma City have done a great job of maximizing the value they get out of the Vipers, Toros and 66ers. In doing that, they get better players (perhaps because of better resources to scout players and know who's going to make noise in this league) which makes their teams better. They also assign players and for longer periods of time than other teams because they know what they're getting. The Vipers do what the Rockets do, so Joey Dorsey and Jermaine Taylor can develop down here. Remember, Aaron Brooks was only a Viper for two games. The Vipers had three parent clubs that year and the Rockets had no say over what Brooks was going to have to with the Vipers, so it was really just a way to get the man some playing time.

--

Tulsa's no longer OKC JV. Mustafa Shakur and Byron Mullens have been recalled. That just leaves Kyle Weaver on assignment with the 66ers. I guess the Thunder want depth for the playoffs. OR this could just be for the last regular season game followed by a re-assignment before the Semifinals opener. I guess we'll have to wait and find out.

The Only Reason? Please...

2010-04-13T23:34:00.001-05:00

The Vipers downed Reno 135-118 to reach the semifinals of the NBA Development League Playoffs tonight. To chants of M-V-P, Mike Harris did what it is he does best, scored 45 points with 13 rebounds while hitting 19-of-31 shots (and to think... he missed his first five shots...).

What Harris did was allow the Vipers to run the offense through him. He gave the Vipers a more physical presence inside who could attack Rod Benson and create contact as well. He gave them leadership and a cool head. Harris' contributions to this win cannot be underestimated.

But if you think he's the only reason the Vipers won this game... or that he shouldn't have been allowed to play in this game... then I have something to say to you.

The Vipers were 22-9 when Harris started and 25-9 with him over all. That means they were also 9-5 without him and 12-5 when he didn't start, period. It's not like the Vipers become an inept team without Harris.

Is he a key cog? Yes. But the Vipers won game one in Reno and almost won game two at home without Harris. Would they have won tonight without Harris? I have no idea. They certainly would have used a different game plan.

There's a reason Coach Finch has been to the playoffs now 12 times in 13 seasons. There's a reason he has seven championships and four Coach of the Year Awards. There's a reason he's the head coach of the British National Team... and it's not that he doesn't know how to adjust to different situations. In fact, I don't think I've ever been around a coach who's better at making adjustments than him.

However, I find the idea that Harris shouldn't be allowed to get assigned to the Vipers at this juncture and that he saved the team ridiculous.

Mike Harris is no savior, even if we sometimes build him up as one and, in fact, I think the assignment rules are too stringent. I think the Rockets should be allowed to re-assign Jermaine Taylor and the Thunder should be allowed to re-assign D.J. White to Tulsa, despite each already having three assignments under their belts.

First, to the Harris point. He was with the team all season with the exception of a few call-ups. It's like Alonzo Gee getting assigned from San Antonio to Austin for the playoffs. It just makes sense for them to be allowed to finish what they started.

Additionally, teams that understand how to use their minor league affiliates effectively also understand the value in having guys exposed to a winning atmosphere. And if nothing else, it's also a chance for more playing time, which players on assignment usually need. Harris hadn't played for the Rockets since April 4.

As for the assignments point... the whole point of having a minor league affiliate is to be able to use it to bring guys up and down for a wide variety of reasons. Down for seasoning, playing time, experience, getting used to a winning atmosphere... Up for injury replacement, an audition, or for depth... There should be no limit on total assignment and there should also be no cut-off date for assignment. The Rockets had to assign Harris today. Their last game of the regular season is Wednesday. If the Rockets didn't assign Harris before that game, they would not have been allowed to assign him.

I'm sure the reason for that is competitive balance, but keep in mind that NBA teams in the playoff run can still do assignments. So much for competitive balance, eh?

I think the NBA Development League's long-term goal is the baseball model. Well, baseball teams send young guys down for AAA playoffs (or AAA guys to AA, etc) all the time to expose them to a winning environment. Heck, sometimes they use the playoffs for rehab assignments. Remember, big league clubs don't have minor league affiliates for marketing or winning purposes. Those are nice bonuses... but the #1 goal of a minor league affiliate is to help the big league club win a championship. I don't mean to say they're not trying to win. That'd be ludicrous. Of course they are. You can't develop if you're not trying to win. And the Rockets have made it pretty darn clear they're committed to winning a championship in the Rio Grande Valley.

Still, it's not like they simply assigned Harris to help with that last goal. If all they wanted to do was bring a title to the RGV, they would've sent Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill down too. The fact of the matter is, they want Harris to get some more playing time before the season ends so he has something to build on going into the Summer League. If he gets a ring along the way, great.

But the simple idea that the Rockets should not have been allowed to assign Harris for this game flies in the face of the whole purpose of having an affiliated minor league.

Mayor Settles Milk Strike

2010-04-13T14:15:00.001-05:00

A few years back, when they still delivered milk to your stoop everyday, there was a heated Mayoral race in New York City. The incumbent (Robert Wagner) was losing to the challenger. It didn't look good.

In the weeks leading up to Election Day, there was a major milk strike.

On Election Day, the headline of all the local papers? Mayor Settles Milk Strike.

Guess who won the Election.

It's known as an October surprise, despite the fact it was actually November.

Tonight, the Vipers spring an April surprise on the Reno Bighorns for the winner take all game 3 of the Quarterfinals... Mike Harris.

The NBADL MVP Candidate is averaging 27.1 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. He shoots the lights out of the ball. He's a leader both on and off the court.

If ever there was a difference maker in a tightly-contested series, he's it.

--

Rockets GM Daryl Morey took in the game with his son last night and boy was he vociferous. It was great to see.

--

Harris... Morey... Anyone out there think the Rockets aren't committed to winning a Championship in the Rio Grande Valley?

Didn't think so.

Searching for a Handle on the Moment?

2010-04-13T01:05:00.000-05:00

Me too.

On the one hand, the Vipers just experienced the most electric crowd in the history of Western Civilization (or at least Vipers Basketball). An incredible crowd of 4,206 cheering on the Vipers the whole way, but that fourth quarter was possibly the greatest experience I've been a part of. Everyone was standing and cheering during the Vipers' comeback. The chants of DE-FENSE reigned down and the fans helped Reno to miss critical free throws down the stretch. I think the building shook at one point.

On the other hand, the ending was a bit like Duke-Butler just one week ago. No cinderella story, but a raucous home crowd cheering on a team to a late comeback... but that team still came up short. True, Butler was never down by 19, but a comeback's a comeback. And while you felt good about the game, you were disappointed by the ending.

The foul situation was a major factor. Reno had only been called for three fouls when the Vipers got their last chance with 5.8 seconds left. When they fouled Will Conroy, it didn't result in free throws with a chance to tie the game. It meant suddenly only 1.5 seconds to try to tie it. Rod Benson did a great job of guarding the inbounds and the significantly smaller Conroy never had a chance to find anyone open. He lobbed it into a scrum of people. I almost think Mickell Gladness should've been the inbounder (he played 17 seconds tonight) to have a chance to see where to go with the ball, but would you really want to put that responsibility on his shoulders? No, you have to give it to the leader of the team who is also the best passer. In that situation, perhaps the best play would've been an outside inbounds to Ernest Scott, who would set a pick for Conroy to roll around, grab the ball and let it fly at the buzzer, but there probably wasn't enough time to execute that. Given the time left, an alley-oop might have been the best bet. Maybe that was the idea and Benson got a piece of the ball to prevent it from getting the proper trajectory towards the basket. I'm not sure. It doesn't matter. The outcome is the outcome.

So Game 3 it Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at State Farm Arena.

To everyone who came out Monday, thank you. It was incredible. Now come back Tuesday and bring a friend. Let's re-create the atmosphere and build upon it. Let's not let this dream season end so prematurely.

Talk About Disparity

2010-04-10T18:32:00.000-05:00

Over the last four games of the season, Vipers opponents shot 42 more free throws (10.5 per game). The Vipers went 1-3 in the span, their worst stretch of the season.

Direct correlation? Maybe, but not necessarily.

Today, Reno went 36-for-53 from the line while the Vipers were 20-for-29. The Vipers won 110-94.

Deja Vu all over again?

On December 21 the Vipers experienced their biggest free throw differential of the regular season as they were out done in makes by 18 and attempts by 23. The opponent? Reno (23-for-31 while the Vipers were 5-for-8). The result? The Vipers won 103-95.

The Vipers now get two chances to close out the 2010 NBA Development League Quarterfinals at home, but they hope they'll only need one. The first chance? Monday, 8:00 p.m., State Farm Arena in front of a LIVE national audience on VERSUS.

The Vipers are 3-0 on VERSUS this season, including a record-breaking 109-76 win over... you guessed it... Reno... on February 6.

The Trophy is Here!

2010-04-09T21:29:00.002-05:00

Come to the Game 1 Watch Party at Jackson's Saturday at 4 p.m. to see the Western Conference Championship Trophy in person and take pictures with it!

All those worrying about maybe having to play the Tulsa Thunder...er...66ers in the Championship Series can breathe a little easier – D.J. White was just recalled. That was his third assignment. He is ineligible to be re-assigned. This assignment lasted one game.

Let the Assignments Begin

2010-04-08T14:50:00.000-05:00

As accurately predicted by as, ADB would say, the Doctor, the Professor, the Prognosticator.... The NBA assignments have begun. The below are since the season ended.

Oklahoma City to Tulsa:
D.J. White
Kyle Weaver

San Antonio to Austin:
Alonzo Gee

Phoenix to Iowa:
Taylor Griffin

This doesn't necessarily mean there won't be more. Tulsa is maxed out. Byron Mullens and Mustafa Shakur were already there, so they now have four NBA-assigness out of their 12-man roster. Curtis Jerrells is already in Austin. If you're wondering why Malik Hairston or, *gasp* Garrett Temple haven't been assigned, it could be that the Toros/Spurs don't want to waive any of the current players the Austin roster to make space. You can only have 12 players at a time (including NBA-assignees), so when a single-affiliate sends down a third or fourth player, there has to be movement.

Of course, after losing Dwayne Jones to Phoenix and Eric Dawson to injury, the Toros acquired Cory Underwood and Emmanuel Jones. Serviceable players, sure, but no Hairston or Temple (and I really like Jones... he played for UTPA the year I was their broadcaster and I honestly believed he had the talent to compete in the NBA Development League). Maybe the Spurs want to hold onto some of their depth so they can use a deeper rotation while preparing/resting for the playoffs. Temple earned his first career start on Tuesday and scored 15 points. You could counter and say, well, then why did they assign Gee? Well, you can only have 12 active players, so you can only go so far on that bench. Gee wasn't seeing playing time. Honestly, it wouldn't be good for San Antonio to assign Hairston and Temple right now and player with, at most, 11 players.

It was a big move for Austin, though, to add some fire power to help counter Lester Hudson of Dakota. The Wizards are playing so well right now, but I think in a three-game series, depth comes into question, so I have to give the edge to the Toros, but I do think it will take three games.

I'm glad I didn't make playoff predictions. After Utah beat the tar out of Iowa last night, anything's possible. Iowa's lost a ton of players to the NBA recently. They did get Griffin, but that only helps so much. I do think they'll force a game three, but after that, who knows.

Sioux Falls' road just got a whole lot tougher now that they have to deal with the Thunder instead of the 66ers.

The only series involving NBA-assignees (yet)? Vipers-Bighorns.

Support the Western Conference Champions!

2010-04-06T00:34:00.002-05:00

Pep-Rally Wednesday
5:30 p.m.
Pepper's at Uptown north parking lot (next to Vipers Pro-Shop)
BBQ and Bar
Vipers Players
Pictures
Autographs

Food Drive Benefiting the Food Bank RGV

BE THERE!

Watch Party Saturday
4:00 p.m.
Game One of the Playoffs @ Reno
Jackson's All-American Sports Grill
5712 N. 10th St. in McAllen
BE THERE!