By Gregory Crawford--- TV, Print and Radio Basketball Analyst---- on twitter @wchoops @kcsportsmgmt @crawssportsbiz
Seattle Redhawks---- Today in Seattle they are not exactly jumping up and down about the Seattle Redhawks men's basketball team, like they are about the Seahawks, but anyone associated the team should at least be smiling.
The Redhawks are currently leading the Western Athletic Conference with a 3-1 record and on the season are 10-8. Not records that many people in basketball will get excited about but considering the state of basketball since the Redhawks went from D-2 to D-1 in 2009, this is huge news.
Prior to this year, the Redhawks have just not gotten it done, but maybe, it still early in league play, this is the year of the turn around.
It should also be noted, for many young people, who do not know the history of Seattle U. basketball, it is iconic in many ways. Since the 1950s, Seattle U has had 18 players play in the NBA, more than Gonzaga, Washington, Washington State, Oregon and Oregon State. It is also important to mention that in 1958, Seattle U played in the championship game of the NCAA tournament, losing to Kentucky in the Final.
The most fun fact about Seattle U. basketball is that in 1952, they beat the Harlem Globetrotters, 84-81, a game played to a sellout in Hec Edumundson Pavilion on the U of Washington campus, which drew a sellout crowd and featured the first ever halftime show at a college basketball game, with the greatest trumpet player ever performing, Louie Armstrong.
That 1952 gmae also changed basketball history, as after the loss, Abe Saperstein, owner of the Globetrotters, was so incensed his team lost, he immediately called his friend Red Klotz and told him to a form a team, that the Globetrotters could beat every night. The team that Klotz formed? The Washington Generals.
Injuries---- You always hear in the game of basketball that injuries are a part of the game and you can't use them as an excuse for losing. WRONG. Teams have every right and should use injuries as an excuse for losing.
There are only 12 players on almost every basketball team from high school to the NBA. If you lose one star, let alone two stars off any of those teams, then you are going to lose games, end of story. Let's get real here, injuries matter big time in the game of basketball and fans who care should always know, injuries can be used as an excuse.
A Sweep---- It has been a long time in my home state of Oregon since the four D-1 teams all won conference games on one night. But it did happen on Thursday night, as Oregon, Oregon State, Portland and Portland State all won. Not earth shattering, but certainly good.
more of Gregory's blogs--- http://crawfordsgolfdaily.blogspot.com (golf and sports biz, 360 days per year)
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