Father Time

The SEVEN
by Mack Williams
23 April 2017

I. Super Arms

If only I had a dollar for every article or on/air piece over the last four years about the great young pitchers in the New York Mets organization. Meanwhile, in light of the continuing nagging injury issues they are facing, is it time to say “if only they had kept Bartolo Colon for another year?”

My dude C-Squared likes to remind his friends that Father Time is undefeated. As I think about Colon, Jamie Moyer, and Vince Carter, I would say that perhaps he has three losses…or at the very least, three draws.

II. Bye, Billo

When the news broke about the FOX “News” payouts to the accusers of the now-departed or dismissed or fired Bill O’Reilly, Donald Trump was quick to come to his defense, saying he didn’t think he did anything wrong. I guess that wouldn’t be all that surprising, considering the fact that Trump has said that one can grab women by their private parts.

Since Bill O’Reilly was forced to step down as a result of multiple allegations, would Donald Trump step down if we heard more from his accusers? No, but we can dream.

III. Say What?

LaVar Ball has said his son Lonzo’s UCLA team was unable to win because they had three whites playing alongside Lonzo. Of course, it has been widely chronicled that he has also claimed Lonzo is better than Steph Curry.

I would submit that if the three whites Lonzo had played with were three who played in that Memphis-San Antonio thriller Saturday night, namely Marc Gasol, Pau Gasol and Manu Ginobili – even the Ginobili that suited up that night – UCLA would have won the championship.

IV. For More MMA Training?

Grayson Allen has decided to return to Duke for his senior year, and I hope he can use that year to address certain issues that seem to emerge periodically. When he’s not tripping folks, he’s a nice player.

In a perfect world, I wish others would choose an extra year as well. Not pointing at you, De’Aaron Fox, but I’m just saying.

V. Big Chief Triangle

As a player Phil Jackson won two championship rings, and as a coach, he’s won eleven. As a GM, not so much as an appearance in a playoff game. And as a professor of economics, he seems not to have a promising future.

Not that Phil is applying for an economics professorship, but it certainly seems like he needs to brush up on the basic concepts. Obviously the price for a commodity will be high when the supply is low and demand is high. Conversely, if there is little demand for a commodity, the price a seller can get for it will not be too high. So what does this have to do with Phil Jackson?

Phil made some comments about Carmelo Anthony’s future, indicating that things had not really worked with him in NY, and therefore it may be time for him to chase a championship elsewhere. In other words, he basically devalued the person he so clearly wants to trade. That cannot help his bargaining position with potential trade partners. Of course, Carmelo’s alleged marital issues might make him want to waive his no-trade clause in order to get out of town – but then again, maybe not. Still, Phil ought to have known better than to diss a player he wants to move.

VI. PG13

On the one hand, the fact that the Indiana Pacers were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers by the lowest point differential in a four-game series would seem to say to Larry Bird and company that they are close to where they need to be. On the other hand, my sense is that they might like to find players that can mesh with Lance Stephenson, and try to move Paul George before he walks.

George for Anthony straight up?

VII. No Confidence

I so wish we could call a pop-up election like British Prime Minister Theresa May just did. Then we could register a vote of “no confidence” in this government and they would step off.