Now that that perhaps the most dominant woman basketball player ever, Brittney Griner, has come out, the story gets better. Griner admitted that her coach Kim Mulkey wanted to make sure that Griner’s sexuality would not be an issue while she played at Baylor. Not because it was no one’s business whom she was intimate with, but because Mulkey thought it would hurt recruiting for the future.
That’s it, coach, think about the future first. Don’t think about the player that put your school on the map and her feelings. Think about future players considering a conservative Christian school who claim to have morals that may not embrace Griner’s lifestyle.
Wait a minute. Griner’s lifestyle did not prevent her from becoming the most dominant player in the history of the game, nor did it keep Baylor from getting put on the map as a basketball power. Funny how everyone looked the other way when it came to Griner, because she told Mulkey she was gay when she was being recruited. Mulkey could have cared less if she was a Martian as long as she could rebound, block shots and stay eligible academically.
Suicidally stupid?
I found it somewhat amusing to read on TMZ that Buffalo Bill lineman Mario Williams was trying to recover a $735,000 engagement ring from his former fiancé. His fiancé Erin Marzouki claims that Williams had suicidal thoughts. She went on to release (through her attorney) some text messages she claimed were from Williams to support her claim. Williams has denied the claims.
I am not one to judge a man on whom he marries. I am not one to judge a man on his actions when engagements are broken. Here is what I am judging. Mario Williams does have a problem. Suicidal? Not sure. Losing his marbles because he spent over $700,000 on an engagement ring? I think is cause for a claim of stupidity, if not insanity. It certainly makes you wonder about Williams and his judgment. Upon further review, Williams has been deemed to be more than “off sides” here. Throwing a flag on this one is not enough.
Agent Sanford and son
Not since the days of Sanford and Son have I found a comedy more amusing, yet sad, as the story involving AAU coach Darius Cobb, aspiring agent Rodney Blackstock and future NBA player Ben McLemore (of Wellston) and family. McLemore is claiming that Blackstock is like family and is an upstanding chap. Makes you wonder where this guy has been all of McLemore’s life.
“Rodney Blackstock has been great. Since Day One, since I met him, we got that bond and communicating very well. That’s why I chose him to help me with this process,” McLemore said.
“With the whole Darius process, I left it at that. I haven’t talked to him … It was just a personal attack on Rodney Blackstock … Rodney Blackstock was doing those things, you know, trying to help. And that’s why I left it at that and I’m just trying to move onto my career. And now I’m here at the Combine just trying to work and, you know, get ready to walk across that stage.”
Touching isn’t it?
As for Cobb, he has now stepped up and wants to be the voice of conscience.
“Since Ben wants to vindicate himself, his family, and his new best friend, why don’t he start by introducing his circle to the world?” Cobb said. “His circle is Rodney Blackstock, a con artist. Blackstock made an impression on Ben, because he had years of information on the family from various coaches, including myself, selling his life story as similar to Ben’s struggles.”
He cited a text message Blackstock allegedly sent to Cobb in February about his personal agenda: “%hit want we bringing to the table and the pipeline bro they gonna be winning and willing to do whatever, so I’m thinking a point and secondary agent, they pay for my agent license, six figure salary, benefits, n travel budget for recruitment bro.”
It makes you wonder if these guys are trying to replace the Three Stooges here.
Darius Cobb will have a hard time remaining as an AAU coach. As for Blackstock, the NBA Players Association will have to take a long, hard look at him and ask themselves if he qualifies as a certified agent. If Blackstock really is an agent, how much longer can he remain one with this cloud hanging over his head?
Spare me if you think McLemore and his family are just innocent bystanders. They knew what was up, and if they didn’t then there is a bigger problem of awareness here. But then McLemore will probably go onto the NBA and make his money, and no one will look back nor do anything about it. That is the comedy, or rather the tragedy, in this story.
