September 1-15, 2004

GLOBAL SPORTS PROGRAMMING NETWORK

September 14th, 2004

Eastern Conference Draft Review

by Brandon Morfeld

**The rankings are where I had the player rated on MY draft board. I rate every position before the draft. If a rank shows as UN that means the player was unranked by me, meaning I felt he wasn't going to be drafted.

Washington--The new management picked the exact same guy i could see Sam picking here with Samson Erickson. He's just a Washington kind of guy. He's the best rebounder in the draft and he is a smart player. Once he finds his WBA shot and gets comfortable in the paint he will be an impact player. In round 2 they added PG Cennino Cenninni who will be a very nice PG for them if they can get his turnovers down. He has a nice shooting touch and plays solid defense. They also drafted Alex Treacey who is a complete player at SG. He may be one of the most consistent players out there and with some work on his shooting he could become an everyday SG in the WBA. They used their last pick to acquire Benjamin Hampton. The pick was used to bring in a guy that they see may develop into a premier talent. Hopefully that pans out for them.

RANKINGS: Samson Erickson 3; Cennino Cenninni 12; Alex Treacey 15; Benjamin Hampton UN;

Alaska--They picked up a great player in Raphael Park. He'll be a consistent playmaker for this team and will easily help replace the departed Kelvin Boice. Park will be a bigtime PF ina few seasons.

RANKINGS: Raphael Park 4;

Rochester-- They managed to get the guy they coveted most in Javonte Bolk. He will be a bigtime PG in the WBA and could see some major time as soon as this season depending how Jimmy Whalen plays early. He will be an asset to this franchise for a long time.

RANKINGS: Javonte Bolk 4;

Albacete--They used their first pick to select SF Rodger Garson who will be a nice scorer in a few seasons. He also plays solid defense and knows how to get the ball to his teammates. He needs to learn ball control and then he will be ready to go. With their next pick they selected Steve Miller who was a top candidate for GCBA Player of the Year. Miller is another scoring SF that is maybe a touch weak at rebounding and isn't as solid defensively. He plays smart, but does have issues with turnovers. Next they selected Asher Ward who may be the best scorer out of the 3 SF's here. He is also a good rebounder and plays good defense with few mistakes. Next up was Derrontay Sims who i don't expect to make this squad. He isn't an offensive player and he isn't very good at defense either. His only plus is that he can rebound pretty well. With their last pick they decided to select young Walter Walter. He'd get a lot of praise for least original name, but he'll need a few seasons to grow before being ready for the WBA and a contender like Cete usually isn't the best place to get that done.

RANKINGS: Rodger Garson 3; Steve Miller 6; Asher Ward 5; Derrontay Sims UN; Walter Walter HS;

Baltimore--Joe Herrera seems like he will have some issues adjusting to the WBA. He wasn't an overly good shooter and he may struggle as a rebounder at SF. He plays fundamentally sound though and isn't bad defensively so he may get a chance to work out those other weaknesses.

RANKINGS: Joe Herrera 4;

Gabon--They got the best passer in the draft I think when they selected Reid Dall. Dall won't wow anyone with flashy offense, but he gets the job done and he is also a workhorse under the boards and is a smothering defensive presence. He is also one of the most careful players with the ball.

RANKINGS: Reid Dall 2;

London--A bit of a shock as they used their first pick to take Al Rozier. I think it may pay off though as Rozier seems to be one of the few youngsters prepared to play at the next level. They followed that up by immediately selecting Kolby O'Rourke. What a great addition this was! O'Rourke is a very talented rebounder and he isn't terrible on offense either. He is a great close up defender with good hands and he plays so smart. He'll be a great weapon for London to have. In round 2 they picked Samuel Blachford who will be a keeper for them. He's a little known prospect, but he has tremendous upside heading into the WBA because he plays so smart.

RANKINGS: Al Rozier HS; Kolby O'Rourke 5; Samuel Blachford 12;

New York--Selected Junior Jones who will be a nice paint presence on offense. He is also a solid rebounder and is decent on defense. He may be able to see some solid minutes in New York this year if he watches his turnovers. They also selected Carlos Williams in round 2. He may need to switch to the 4 since he is a bit weak at rebounding, but he plays great defense and knows how to score. He needs to watch his fouls though. They also picked up Brandon Maddox who is a great passer, but he loves to shoot and never makes them. This is a dilemma in the WBA. He also has a nasty habit of turning the ball over a lot.

RANKINGS: Junior Jones UN; Carlos Williams 4; Brandon Maddox 7;

Budapest--Finally someone selected Jeremy Aarons. He will be a player that has to be brought along slowly, but I feel it will be worth it. He has all the tools to get the job done and Budapest is a great place for him to learn with little pressure.

RANKINGS: Jeremy Aarons 3;

Carolina--They used their first pick to get Ken Young, a Center that can't play offense, but is a solid rebounder and average defender. I doubt he'll see much time this year. Next they selected Lenn Marella who is another terrible offensive player, but he is a good defender and smart ballplayer so that may buy him some time. Auston Monte was next. He is another solid guy, but again his weakness is his offensive ability. Lastly they picked up Jaret Girard who should be a nice pickup for them. He can play some offense and is a solid rebounder. He'll see some action.

RANKINGS: Ken Young UN; Lenn Marella 14; Auston Monte UN; Jaret Girard 11;

September 13th, 2004

Roswell Announcement

It was made offical today that Walt Jackson has signed a 3 year 4 million dollar deal with Roswell for the up coming season. Jackson was the first pick in the recent WBA Draft. Roswell also signed its other 3 second round draft choices to contracts. This is likely the last season for the team in Roswell as it is all but certian the team will be moved to Toronto next year and called the Toronto Dinos. This is a sesaon of transition for this frachise. However next year this team will have a ton of cap space and no draft choices so look for them to be players in the offseason with the move to a new city and all that cap space. Owner/G.M James borbath said that he is confident in his selection of Jackson and has no doubt he will be a star in this league despite many in the media having concerns about jackson's foul problems in his career. Borbath says he wanted a guy who was aggressive and intimadating and he feels Jackson is that guy. In addition to the Jackson announcement a new coach was hired for the team Jack Armstrong and Arstrong said he is excited about the teams new direction and looks forward to making Jackson into a wba star. In a photo shoot jackson had a #44 jersey which no doubt will start flying out of sportswear shops around the world. Derek Desanto Jackson's agent said there is much more than jersey sales on the horizen. He is in talks for a shoe deal for Jackson if all goes well the new Jackson sneakers could be in stores in early December just in time for christmas. Desanto also commented that he was pleased to see the great care the franchise took to sign his client right away. In addition to shoe deals other commerical endorsements our in the works for Jackson. Desanto says with any luck people will see Jackson on there T.V more than the Energizer Bunny. The WBA's #1 draft pick still seems focused on the jod at hand however. Jackson said that he can't wait to get going and prove all his doubters wrong. I will bring it every night and i play hard and thats what i'm all about if people in this league can't handle that than just stay out of the lane when you play us. Bold words from a rookie. However Walt Jackson and this franchise seem to thrive on being bold. The Roswell franchise also has it's eye on some free agents and hopes to make a splash with a few more key signings before they head to training camp. This is a team to watch in the WBA that is for sure.

September 13th, 2004

Brooklyn Owner Rondall Reynoso Honored by League

Today the league announced that Brooklyn owner Rondall Reynoso was voted by other team owners as the fisrt ever recipient of the WBA Citizenship Award. Owners cited Reynoso's tireless efforts to promote the league and make it the best possible as reasons for their votes.

Other owners whose vote tallies stood above the average were Michael Esposito for his constant efforts at improving inter-team relations and Robert Williams for the force and flavor of his personality.

September 13th, 2004

Western Conference Draft Review

by Brandon Morfeld

Roswell--How can you go wrong with Walt Jackson? Jackson was the GCBA Player of the Year and will go a long ways in helping to rebuild this Roswell franchise. They really needed a franchise player after John Greene was traded away. Jackson is a complete package type of player with excellent rebounding ability. His setback coming into the WBA will be his FG% as with most rookies and he may also need to watch his foul counts. Next up Roswell drafted King Paras which was an odd choice in my eyes. Paras is a PG that doesn't score and can't pass, plus he turns the ball over. I really think Roswell would have been much better off with another PG. Then they decided to draft Sam Hickerson who had slipped a bit in the draft. I really feel that Roswell got a nice player here that can develop alongside Jackson. Sam may need to move to PF to be effective early in his career, but he will end up being a solid choice for Roswell. At the end they also added another PG in Bruce York. I think this was a nice late addition, but he is a lot like Paras in that he can't be relied on offensively and he isn't a superb passer. He is a much better ball control guy however.

RANKINGS: Walt Jackson 2; King Paras UN; Sam Hickerson 3; Bruce York 13;

Montana--They moved up so they could nab junior Sheldon Gorman which was a great move on their part. He is a big time PF prospect and he will contribute to this team for a long time to come as long as they can afford to keep him around. In round 2 they added Jamie Darnall who will be a solid SF prospect. He will need a few seasons to adapt, but in the end he is a well rounded player.

RANKINGS: Sheldon Gorman 1; Jamie Darnall 7;

Omaha--They made some great moves to nab both the 4 and 5 picks. They used the first to draft superstar Al Herbert. Herbert caught a lot of slack coming out of college for not putting up bigger numbers, but he will be an instant impact guy for Omaha. He's a great rebounder and he plays so smart offensively. He is also a good defender and plays under control. He may be the early rookie of the year candidate. Next they decided to select Chad O'Donnell. The major concern with Chad is that he can't rebound well enough to play C. In fact I think he may even be forced to play out of position as a SF to be a star player. He is a shutdown type of defender, but his lack of rebounding will hurt too much to offset the defensive gains.

RANKINGS: Al Herbert 1; Chad O'Donnell 2;

Capetown--This was a bigtime pick for Capetown getting Evelio Jackson. Every spot that he slipped it will make someone else look bad. He is the kind of player that will be a force right away in his career. He can play PG or SG and be equally good at either. He is a solid shooter, but once he gets just a little better from the floor he will be unstoppable. He's a guy that Capetown will want to keep around for a very long time. Next they decided to pick up George Bissett who will probably need to move to SG to get much PT in the WBA. He's a bit slow on the boards, but is an offensive weapon. He also has a few troubles with TO's.

RANKINGS: Evelio Jackson 1; George Bissett UN;

Birmingham--Wu Dian-Fan makes an excellent choice for a team that is in need of an offensive identity. He can provide a scoring spark from any place on the floor and he is a decent rebounder also. He plays solid defense and takes care of the ball. He is one of the most complete players in the draft. They used their next selection on Joe Brennan. He will be a solid player, but is a few seasons away from being an everyday guy I feel. Although for Birmingham he could see more immediate attention because of his strong rebounding ability. In round 2 they selected Alton Odom, a PG that doesn't pass that well, play defense at all, or even take care of the ball that well. I have a feeling they will end up just forgetting about this guy. With their last choice they picked up Ken McRae who will be a very average SG. He does most things alright, but he has major turnover issues and isn't a polished defender.

RANKINGS: Wu Dian-Fan 2; Joe Brennan 6; Alton Odom UN; Ken McRae 10;

Cincinnati--This was the first pick that made me just say "What!!!???" Seth Finklestein is a top 10 selection. He is an average player and I don't follow the logic of taking him over a guy like Ahmed Dougherty. This was probably due to a lack of scouting time put in by Cincinnati. I mean he does have some talent, but he isn't exceptional at anything. Seth doesn't shoot the ball well and plays no defense at all. They helped to make up for this pick by sneaking out Lance Stow in round 2. Stow is another guy that won't ever be known for his defense, but at least he brings a nice touch to the floor and is a hard worker. He does have foul issues though.

RANKINGS: Seth Finklestein 6; Lance Stow 7;

Nebraska--They got possibly the steal of the draft in Ajani Valentine. I projected him as the #2 pick at one point. He is a big time scorer and an excellent rebounding presence for a SF. He is also a very solid defensive player and is smart as they come withthe ball. His one catch is if he can keep his fouls under control. Look for him to get major minutes when Taylor gets hurt. Next they selected Johnny Blaylock at the start of Round 2. He's a player in the same mold as Evelio Jackson. He's a great rebounder though for a PG and he passes well also. Other 2 picks were not signed.

RANKINGS: Ajani Valentine 1; Johnny Blaylock 8;

Cancun--They used their first pick on Quade Nash. He isn't a bigtime scorer, but he is consistent offensively and he rebounds the ball quite well. He is also a very smart player that doesn't foul or turn the ball over. Perfect fit off the bench for Cancun. They also managed to steal Ahmed Dougherty from out of nowhere. Dougherty is a guy I think will really struggle to find his touch in the WBA which means he will have to settle for being a role player off the bench for a few years before his offensive game catches up to where he is at talent wise. At the end of round 1 they also nabbed Jim Koons who came out early from Paris University. Koons is a talented SG, but will need some time to adjust to the WBA. In round 2 they drafted Liam McKee and Jim Young. These are 2 specialist players. Neither will be effective on their own, but they can provide key rebounds or defense in the clutch.

RANKINGS: Quade Nash 6; Ahmed Dougherty 1; Jim Koons 4; Liam McKee UN; Jim Young UN;

Andorra--They picked up Pete Nelson which was a huge shock this late in the draft. He's a solid offensive weapon and is a great passer. He is also a top notch defender who plays smart with the ball. He'll see action this year for this squad.

RANKINGS: Pete Nelson 3;

Colorado-- They picked Trever Rosin with their fist selection. He is a fundamentally sound player that I think will have a very hard time adjusting to the WBA's offensive game. They proceeded to use the next pick on Jack Berkley who will be a great role player for them. He has the potential to maybe develop into an everyday kind of player, but will need some help. He rebounds well and plays very good defense with few fouls or turnovers. In round 2 they picked up nearly forgotten PG Darius Burns. He's a great passer and is tenacious on the boards. He is also a pretty smart player. He'll need to spend major time on his offense though.

RANKINGS: Trever Rosin UN; Jack Berkley 5; Darius Burns 5;

Miami--They drafted Tobias Harrison who is a nice offensive player. He will struggle to adjust to the power under the basket, but is a natural defender. May need to switch to SF to be an impact guy.

RANKINGS: Tobias Harrison UN;

Oregon--They picked up Evan Kerr in round 2. He'll be a great PG if they can keep his fouls down and stop him from having too many turnovers. He can make an impact.

RANKINGS: Evan Kerr 5;

California--A great pick here in selecting Cory Brooks. He's a talented player on offense for sure. His problems will lie in his weak rebounding, foul troubles, and major turnover problems.

RANKINGS: Cory Brooks 10;

September 12th, 2004

Cape Town: Memo to Free Agents

In deciding which franchise to sign with several criteria are weighed by the looming free agent. Each player holds to his own particular ideals and values which influence his decision. While people are generally guided by the same passions the variety in value systems to attain those passions is what ultimately leads to the unpredictable nature of free agency.

The fact that the free agent holds the ultimate decision in regards to their future does not stop experts from predicting who will go where according to their assumptions of a player's value system. Generally, it is assumed by most that the ultimate factor influencing the players' decision is the dollar bill. While money may be the most significant factor for most and the only factor for some it should not be considered the only factor. Indeed, the money may play a back seat for many players.

Other factors that may play a profound role in a player's decision include the teams prestige in regards to recent and historical winning trends, loyalty to the team the player suited up for and security in regards to the number of years in the contract. These factors are individually weighed by each player and play a tremendous role in influencing many players decisions.

However, another area that plays an immense role in the decision making and that is often ignored by teams is the players' feelings. These feelings can be about a team, potential teammates, management or the location itself. Not much can be done about influencing a players preset feelings. That is unless a player is presented with brand new information to dispel his preconceived notions.

It is for this reason that Capetown has hired former Bandit and recently retired elder statesmen of the league Mike Begley to issue a truthful report on his experience in visiting Capetown. Begley is a widely respected player throughout the league and it is our hope to dispel any preconceived notions about the city of Capetown which many label as an undeveloped jungle land. The rest of the report will be in Mike Begley's words:

The Journal of Mike Begley

It was the off-season before season eight and I had been weary prior to my visit to Capetown. After spending three seasons with Miami I felt that I had proved myself enough to garner a long-term contract. As things turned out I was given the label of being “over the hill,” and could only gather a couple offers for the minimum salary. Knowing almost nothing about Capetown I signed with the team solely based on my impressions after watching the young group of players perform so valiantly in the playoffs.

I was looking forward to providing some leadership for the young team but I had my doubts about the locale. I decided to leave a week early before my scheduled meeting time with the owner to acquaint myself with my new home. Prior to my flight I checked the US Department travel advisories just to be on the safe side and fortunately I found no advisories listed.

After a couple hours into my 25-hour flight to Capetown I found that I was seated next to a native Capetonian. Although he spoke English the unfamiliar accent was rather annoying but I would soon get used to it. He gloated of how South Africa had skillfully averted civil war after Apartheid and how beautiful the city of Capetown was. He assured me that Capetown was a friendly and lively city and that crime was not usually directed at tourists. That is what I had told him I was, a tourist, for I did not feel like writing an autograph for everyone on the plane. We talked throughout the flight and the trip consequently seemed a lot shorter than the twenty-five hours that had elapsed.

As we arrived at our destination a person on the loudspeaker gave advice on how to best enjoy our stay at Capetown. The voice recommended that the best way to experience Capetown was to hire a car and explore at your own pace. Having neglected to secure an international driving license I brushed this advice aside. Also recommended was that strong safety precautions be taken. The voice cautioned against carrying large amounts of cash, flaunting expensive cameras or jewelry or walking in deserted areas. Being a man of simple tastes I felt I should have no problem in this regard as for walking in deserted areas I felt my intimidating 6'9'' frame would do sufficiently in averting risks.

I finally had my first good look at Capetown. The atmosphere was not what one that you would expect when you think of Africa. There were no tribesmen awaiting me but in contrast the people looked very business oriented and coming out of the airport one would think they were arriving in a westernized country.

As we made our way through town I noticed the well-constructed roads and was surprised by how modernized the city was yet without all the hustle and bustle. I also could not help but notice that a towering, table shaped mountain dominated the city. I could tell I would have many adventures acquainting myself with that mountain. As we arrived at the city center to the location of my hotel I was pleased to find a peaceful village atmosphere.

The next day I had made plans to visit the center of town to experience the culture of Capetown face to face. Residing near the Capetown City Center I thought it would be best to walk there. Making my way to the City Square I noticed just how small and homey Capetown felt. It was a city but with a laid back feel to it. I soon started hearing music as I approached the Greenmarket Square. Entering the craft market almost felt like I was entering a new land at Disneyland with the accompanying musical theme. I enjoyed the upbeat African rhythms while browsing the African carvings, masks, drums, beadwork and jewelry. I took notice of shoppers bargaining in attempt to strike a better deal. I was tempted to take part in a bargaining session just for the fun of it but a huge double-decker bus with throngs of people around it soon caught my eye. After inquiring about it I found out it was called the “Capetown Explorer” which embarked on a two hour round trip voyage through the city. I thought this would help acquaint myself with the city.

I took on a seat on the top level of the topless bus. Standing 6'9'' I stood out like a sore thumb and but even so few recognized me as the new signee of the Bandits. The tour guide gave us some basic facts about Capetown. The city had a rich history as a port city, the population was roughly 4.6 million people and South Africa had an astonishing eleven official languages. As we passed the Bandits arena the announcer mentioned Capetown's biggest celebrity, Obafemi Mabruke who had just taken the Bandits to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

As I made my way back to the hotel some poorly clothed children asked me if I could spare any change. I decided to give them a couple coins but having done that another group of kids having witnessed me wanted a piece of the action too. Noticing one wearing a Bandits hat I succumbed and gave them some money as well but I insisted on no more.

The next day I decided to go on a taxi ride, as we neared an area called the Cape Flats I noticed how we were in fact approaching the ghetto of Capetown. The streets and the housing progressively got more run down the more he drove. I told the taxi man to stop as the people here probably represented a large portion of the Bandits' fan base and it was important that I get acquainted with all that is Capetown.

The rain the night before had made the ground very muddy but neither the mud nor the rain detracted a group of kids from playing soccer next to where I had been dropped off. Several were wearing tattered Obafemi Mabruke jerseys and I also spotted a few Fatafehi jerseys as well. The barefoot kids were so absorbed in their game that they did not even notice one of their very own Bandits in their neighborhood. I decided I would take a walk in exploration of the Flats. As I walked I noticed that I was not the only wanderer but that throughout the Flats livestock seemed to wander aimlessly.

Everyone seemed to be doing something. The kids were occupied in all sorts of endeavors from playing soccer to caring for the animals. These kids were most likely the same kinds of kids I had spared change for the day before. The women seemed to tend to themselves and were already busy clearing the mud that had accumulated near their dwellings. I did not see many men as they had probably left for work earlier in the day, the men I did see seemed to be making their way out. I received a couple double takes from some of the men perhaps recognizing my face from the sports page.

My experience in the Flats was humbling; I could definitely envision myself doing a lot of charity work in this area. I experienced none of the crime that was said to be prevalent in the area. This may have been due to the fact that I intimidate many people with my presence but either way my experience in the Flats was indeed a memorable one.

With my mind still on the Cape Flats I had forgotten to make plans for the proceeding day. I decided I would call up my new teammate Pat McDaniel and ask for some advice on where to go next. After thinking I was crazy for visiting the Flats he immediately proposed I go visit the wine gardens of Stellenbosch. He said his house was nearby and he would take me personally. Not being big on wine I decided to go anyway to better acquaint myself with my new teammate.

It was a beautiful day, although sunny, the weather was still relatively cool with a nice breeze blowing through the Cape. The trip to Pat's house was a sight seeing tour in itself. We headed around the eastern slopes of the spectacular mountain and then started to make our way toward some expensive looking residential suburbs; Pat was apparently getting paid very well.

I found that Pat owned quite an extraordinary home he said he would love to show me the house but it would be best to arrive at the wine country in time for lunch. On the way there he bragged of the quality of the wine that came out of this area and of the yearly wine sales which attracts buyers from all over the world. He then proceeded to fill me in on the history of the French Huguenot settlers who brought their passion of wine-making with them and that many of the wine estates still carry their name. I found this topic quite a bore and while I pretended to be interested I soon became enveloped by the beauty of the wine country.

We proceeded to take the wine tour and seeing how familiar Pat was with the guide I gathered that this was not the first time he had taken the tour. Pat was very passionate about the wines and would get into detail about each one. Sadly, I do not recall any of this information, as I was more interested in taking in the surroundings. I did happen to taste a couple of the wines but did not think of them anything special. If I had the choice I would have opted for some Martinells Sparkling Apple Cider.

I enjoyed a very pleasant afternoon taking in the scenery and conversing with Pat about the upcoming season. As I made my way back to the hotel that day I felt remarkably relaxed.

The next day I decided to investigate the story of Apartheid which is synonymous with South Africa. I heard of a ferry trip to the island where Nelson Mandela had been imprisoned and decided to partake in that. As I arrived at the so called Robben Island it was hard to imagine this as the key site to South Africa's liberation struggle. As I stepped onto the sparsely vegetated island it was hard to imagine how Mandela could have resided here for nearly two decades.

My tour guide was a former inmate of Robben Island himself. He guided us towards a 45-minute bus ride around the island, we were then guided through the old prison, and finally the lime quarry's where Mandela and many others were forced to work. Through it all, the guide did nothing to hide his bitter tone and understandably so.

Even though apartheid had ended a decade ago and Mandela had been voted president the discrepancies between blacks and whites were still prevalent. However, the government was making great strides to reducing these differences.

The next day I decided to finally acquaint myself with the majestic mountain that went by the name of Table Mountain. I resolved to hike to the top as it would serve as good off-season conditioning. As I embarked on the climb I noticed a warning sign giving caution to the strenuous hike and unpredictable weather changes. This did not deter me in the slightest for they did not know they were dealing with a Capetown Bandit. The hike allowed me time to ponder my impressions of Capetown.

As I reached the peak of the mountain I could see Capetown for all its glory. Never had I visited such a diverse and spectacular location. For the young guys there is plenty of entertainment with those modern clubs youngsters like to frequent and for veterans like me there is the remarkable scenery which one never grows tired of.

If any players have any doubts about choosing Capetown as their team of destination I want to use my position as an elder statesmen of the league to make it known that Capetown is the best kept secret in the WBA. I had traveled much throughout my career in the WBA but since exploring Capetown I have not found an equal in regards to the overall beauty of the city and the friendliness of its people. I was deeply disappointed when Capetown neglected to re-sign me after season eight but after my final stint in Oregon I have decided to make my retirement home in the beautiful city of Capetown.

So in short I heard Capetown is looking for a few good men this off-season, sign with Capetown and you won't regret it!

September 3rd, 2004

Players Retire

Every year we see players retire from the WBA. As the years go by we see more and more players that we know and love retire. There are five names that really stand out this year though. The first is Mike Begley. Begley has been a big part of the WBA since Season 1. he was already 27 when the league began but he was still able to stick around for nine seasons. In Season 1 he was a 20/10 players averaging 21.6 points and 10.9 rebounds for London. In his WBA career he averaged 14.5 points and 6.5 rebounds. Ray Walters was another elder statesman who decided to retire. Walters bounced around the league a lot playing for 7 different teams but he was always an impact player averaging 11.7 points and 6.7 rebounds. The Season two draft has been touted and the most talented every. Greats such as Wayne Taylor, Bill Yeager, Horace Colbert, Scott Nicholson, A.J. Schulz, Kelvin Davidson & Harry Jarvis all came out of this draft. But, in the same draft there were bright stars who burnt out. In Season two there was a great deal of debate about if Jeff Bailey (pick #7) Joe Jones (pick #9) or Harry Jarvis (pick #11) was the best shootng guard in the draft. That year they averaged18.4, 23.2 and 23.1 points respectively. But now only Jarvis remains as Jones and Bailey both anounced their retirement. Bailey had a solid career averaging 14.1 points and Jones averaged 21.3 points. The last of the five is another Season 2 lottery pick. Jerry Dickenson. Jerry was an immediate star in Tokyo when he was drafted averaging 18.1 points and 11.0 rebounds. But, hsi first two years were his best and he slowly fell out of favor in the WBA until by his fifth season he found himself in a back-up role. Over his career he averaged 11.9 points and 7.8 rebounds.

1. 28 year-old, Barry Daskalothanasis, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

2. 29 year-old, Jerry Dickenson, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

3. 26 year-old, Arnold Erhardt, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

4. 36 year-old, Mike Begley, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

5. 23 year-old, Avery Newman, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

6. 19 year-old, Ales Broz, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

7. 21 year-old, Bill Atkinson, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

8. 23 year-old, Bill Feldman, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

9. 29 year-old, Bill Lopez, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

10. 22 year-old, Bill Martinez, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

11. 27 year-old, Billy Elkington, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

12. 26 year-old, Bob Price, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

13. 23 year-old, Chris Scott, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

14. 29 year-old, Chaim Sowders, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

15. 29 year-old, Charlie Elkington, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

16. 30 year-old, Charlie Griffin, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

17. 26 year-old, Charlie Hernandez, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

18. 29 year-old, Charlie Young, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

19. 26 year-old, David Song, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

20. 21 year-old, DeMarkus Walker, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

21. 24 year-old, K.D. Mobley, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

22. 24 year-old, Derek Berenyi, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

23. 29 year-old, Dino Robbins, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

24. 28 year-old, Dominik Lang, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

25. 23 year-old, Dustin McCormick, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

26. 21 year-old, Egon Mathiesen, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

27. 30 year-old, Roger Bradshaw, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

28. 21 year-old, Fidel Corcoles, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

29. 26 year-old, Flint Roman, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

30. 28 year-old, Frank Fitzgerald, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

31. 29 year-old, Frank Schneider, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

32. 29 year-old, George Grabowski, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

33. 22 year-old, Gerard Hildebrand, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

34. 22 year-old, Giorgio Vasari, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

35. 27 year-old, Glen Burns, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

36. 18 year-old, Isaac Snyder, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

37. 22 year-old, Jack Ewing, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

38. 25 year-old, James Wynn, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

39. 21 year-old, Jarrett Palmer, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

40. 22 year-old, Jason Haines, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

41. 23 year-old, Jean Burgeoise, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

42. 23 year-old, Jean Pierre, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

43. 29 year-old, Jeff Bailey, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

44. 29 year-old, Jesse Harrington, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

45. 30 year-old, Dave Brower, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

46. 24 year-old, Jarrett Fox, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

47. 21 year-old, K.G. Avery, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

48. 25 year-old, Karl Maloney, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

49. 24 year-old, Dickie Cotter, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

50. 33 year-old, John Billings, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

51. 29 year-old, Ken Newell, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

52. 24 year-old, Kendrick Hughes, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

53. 23 year-old, Kieran Boswell, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

54. 28 year-old, Abu Zimmerman, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

55. 24 year-old, Marcellus Hoover, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

56. 29 year-old, Joe Jones, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

57. 22 year-old, Marlon Wilson, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

58. 28 year-old, Maxwell Hunter, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

59. 27 year-old, Kegan Salazar, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

60. 23 year-old, Ancill Spafford, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

61. 28 year-old, Raul Qvevedo, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

62. 37 year-old, Ray Walters, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

63. 27 year-old, Rey Benedetto, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

64. 28 year-old, Rob Waite, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

65. 23 year-old, Ron Cohen, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

66. 22 year-old, Rusty Calder, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

67. 22 year-old, Sergio Andress, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

68. 28 year-old, Bill Chaussee, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

69. 29 year-old, Walt Rogers, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

70. 22 year-old, Sherman Brown, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

71. 28 year-old, Tommy Hodge, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

72. 29 year-old, Billy Lopez, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

73. 27 year-old, Tyrique Stokes, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

74. 26 year-old, Viggo Sovic, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

75. 22 year-old, Walter Ashman, Free Agent, has decided to retire.

September 3rd, 2004

DEAD MONEY

Zagrieb Zano

When I was in college, business 101 taught me a very important thing about money. If your money is not producing you more money then it is wasted money. However, if your money on bad investments is actually hampering your ability to gain more of it, then it is dead money. In the WBA we have owners who are millionaires. It is probably safe to say that these men know how to make money; otherwise they wouldn't be able to own WBA franchises that simply don't come cheap. And yet these same millionaires are all too often making their investment towards there WBA franchise to be plagued by dead money. Is it because the owners feel that the WBA runs on different principles then the rest of business in the real world? In the terms of the WBA dead money can easily be defined as money spent on a player who is not producing for you. While the better teams do get advantages in convincing the group of free agents to come play for them. All too often in the past we have seen players get contracts much higher then what the player is worth. There are times that the bad teams need to pay a little more to get a quality player, but sometimes it is better to let that player go so that you don't leave yourself up against the cap with a bad contract. Often times what we see happening is the team will realize that the player isn't producing to their likely and so they cut the player there by they are paying 25% of the bad contract and don't have the player even producing at all. Some perfect examples of these are players like Bucky McCarty, to think that he was signed to a contract in excess of 10 mil a year. Texas still has one more season of paying out 2.63 mil in dead money. Texas is also guilty of this with Kris Calhoun who is eating up 2 mil of dead money for another season as well as paying out 2.06 mil in dead money for Leon Berthleson for 2 more years. Fortunatly, Texas has been able to put together a good team despite missing out on nearly 5 million in cap money. They are going to get that much better when that money becomes freed up. Baltimore has felt the bite of taking on bad contracts for decent players. Both Stub Madison and Joe Jones are eating up 2.63 million for next season. While Baltimore at time has shown flashes of strong play, these two bad contracts are killing them. Fortunatly their current management has begun to understand that getting players for good contracts is vital to ones success, even if it means missing out on a top player. Over paying a player can cause you much frustration. Virgin Islands the leagues all time perennial loser and one of those guilty of often giving up their top picks paid out 5.89 million in dead money last season. VI appears to be changing their tune and is starting to put together a competitive team finally!

Omaha and New York are also very guilty of taking on bad contract players. New York is losing out on over 7 million next season. Though I suspect they are wishing they hadn't cut Roy Base who is playing great in Nebraska. Carolina has been plagued for years for having players on their dead money roster dishing out 5.59 million last season alone. California is also guilty of excessive amounts of dead money contracts. California spent 9.42 million in dead money last season. That's an incredible amount of 21% of their total cap available. Luckily for California they will reduce that amount by 5.93 million once the fiscal year turns over. Capetown paid out 4.95 million last season. Considering how good this team is, one can only wonder if another quality player for around 4.5 million could have pushed them further in the playoffs. Truth be told, the current Capetown management is not responsible for the majority of that dead money as they inherited it.

How interesting that for season 9, there were only two teams that were not paying out dead money. Two teams in 28 seem to be more efficient with their available cap space. Should we be surprised that they are built from the same cloth? Miami and Salt Lake City ran by the leagues only brothers, Brent and Brad Bangerter respectively. Unfortunately being efficient with your cap space doesn't always produce immediate results. And in many cases most teams only have one or two players on their dead money list, either that, or the amount of dead money they are paying out is very minimal. Even still, last season as a whole the league paid out 78.30 million in dead money. Which is nearly 1 and 1/2 amount of a teams cap limits. One can only imagine how much better the lower end teams would be, if they were more fiscally responsible with their available cap money. Imagine how much more competitive they would be during free agency if they had an additional 3 or 4 million to bid on key players.

Around season 7 most teams started to feel the weight of being pushed up against the salary cap. And perhaps some were taken by surprise when they realized that managing your teams salary cap is nearly as important as having good talent to win games. As more and more owners monitor on which players to pick up, knowing that if they simply cut that player then they are left with the burden of paying him still, we will see more competitiveness throughout the league. It will force elite teams who are known for dumping their over priced talent on unsuspecting bottom dwellers, to have to do better planning. Of course owners for the lower tiered teams, need to be able to evaluate the players offered them and determine if the player will make a difference for their team or not. They need to go in with the idea, that cutting that player a year or two down the line should almost never be an option.

The next time you find yourself pressed up against the cap and wishing you had an extra million or two to spend. Look to see how much dead money you're spending. Then you need to decide how best to keep yourself from paying much if any dead money in the future.