November 15-30, 2004

GLOBAL SPORTS PROGRAMMING NETWORK

November 30th, 2004

Around the WBA

Oregon's Joe Menendez Chocked on a hot dog during a hot dog eating contest with Kelvin Davidson. Joe will miss the teams next game.

Miami star Jose Nobis has complained about being stalked by a "fan" dressed as an Alien. WBA fans will remember how a similar insident affected Al Zarra who. Ran into a person on the NYC subway who believed he was a vampire.

London's Charlie Jones Dislocated his shoulder and will miss about 4 weeks of play.

The new WBA Western Conference Poster.

November 26th, 2004

Dinos Not Content With Just Being Better

Dinos Beat Reporter Greg Ross

One would think that after a season with only 25 wins last season that the dinos would be very happy to be 5th in the their division and 10-12 overall. However in talking with players and management it is anything but the case. In fact Walt Jackson was hard at work with noted Canadian shooting guru Leo Sands. Walt had this to say about the extra work,"I'm tired of people knocking me they have ever since draft day and working with leo he's helped with the mechanics of my shoot a lot. I really feel I got the mid range jumper down. I mean I take 500 shots a day and believe it or not i make more than half. However til I starting doing it in games people will get on me. But name me a rookie who has better all around numbers than me?"

Sands claimed Jackson was eager to learn and he thinks you will see a noted improvement in his shooting. Owner James Borbath brought Sands in to town to work with Jackson. The owner never at a loss for words had this to say about his teams performance thus far,"I mean 10-12 isn't bad but when you look at some of our losses. I mean we lost to Alaska, Montana and Ohama twice. These our not games this team should lose and they know it. If the gave out awards for close games we would get one but they don't and I'm not in the business of moral victories only real ones. This team could make the playoffs with continued improvement. Without our own draft choice next season no reason not to go all out for the playoffs this year. I think we may be a move a way from being a good team that can win on any given night." I asked if that meant a trade was in the not to distant future and Borbath responded with this" I am always looking to improve this team day in day out I talk with other GMs and Owners all the time. I have been looking at what this team can do to get better now and trades our always an option to look at. But so is bringing in a guy like Leo to work with Walt. I'll just say that there is not a trade in the works but a phone could ring 10 minutes from now and that could change.

Change is nothing new for the Dinos who over the off season had a complete makeover. One of the few remaining players is Wesley Phillips who I mentioned in my last article seemed unhappy with his lack of playing time but since than Wesley as started to see some action. Is contract seems to large to be showcasing him for a trade. However despite being a shadow of the offensive player he once was Phillips is still a good defender and can give Buck Jones a chance to catch his breath. Jones has lead the team in scoring so far but he feels that he should be getting others the ball more instead of getting shots for himself. Jones said after practice" It's my Job to get C-Dash and Walt the ball along with Pitt and Ajani sometimes. If they don't score a lot than it is my fault. I think as we grow together you'll see my assists rise and Walt and C-Dash scoring go up."

Coach Armstrong is a big fan of his point gaurd having this to say" Buck Jones is a smart player. He know how to pass the ball and run an offence but at the sametime if need be he can knock down a lot of shots. I mean with coming into came so late as a wavier claim he was under the gun a bit to learn a whole new system as well as a whole new group of players. In the short time this year he has really done a job. But thats not to say we our pleased with where we our at. I mean we should and could easily be an over .500 basketball team. Realistcally this team in order to make the playoffs will have to play hard ever single night and excute well."

Owner Borbath would agree"I love what Jack does with the team. I stay out of his way. In fact I stay out of everyones way. I usually watch the games from a sky box on my own. I really can't wath with an intensity if I don't. It's nice to see us finally starting to defend our home floor better. When I look ahead at the schedule I think this team will climb over from .500. Once you make it there the trick is keeping it."

Here is a rundown of the Dinos next 5 games:

vs Calfornia (7-13) (2-6 on the Road)

First meeting of the year

vs Omaha (10-12) (3-7 on the Road)

Season Series 1-1

vs Nebraska (16-4) (4-2 on the Road)

First meeting of the year

At Birmingham (12-10) (7-5 at Home)

First meeting of the year

At Colorado (16-6) (7-2 at home)

Colorado defeated Dinos in the season opener.

The First two games of the next five you would think will be mus wins as the dinos try to climb beyond .500 mark. But 10-12 is better than most thought for this team at this point but don't tell them that!!! With that being said happy thanksgiving for all the american fans of the WBA.

November 22nd, 2004

An Interview with Bill Yeager

Greetings this is Harland Sanders reporting. Today I will have a sit down with Bill Yeager who is leading the Capetown Zulu's in scoring at 24 points a game while shooting an excellent 55% from the field and pulling down 7 boards a game. The Zulu's are currently 15-4 and tied with Cancun for the best record in the heated Midwest division race.

Sanders: Good evening Bill, I hope you are doing fine. I know this past year has seen many changes for you and I was wondering how the change in scenery from Boston to Capetown has been for you so far?

Yeager: Why you always begin the interviews with the same boring intro?

Sanders: Sorry I just thought that's the way interviews were supposed to begin but back to the question Bill

Yeager: Well I threw away my skiing equipment as soon as I knew that Boston's new ownership wanted to get rid of me and my new team was going to be in South Africa WOW, I knew it was a forced move and I understood it, but everything has been great so far, I'm on a winning team, that's all I care about at the moment.

Sanders: Well something about South Africa seems to be working for you, you haven't shot this well since you were a young buck in the league What do you attribute to your early success?

Yeager: The coach's golden rule, if you have a good guy, just surround him by some guys with talent and that's my case, man, life is easy when you get to play with Mabruke and Gordon around, they both get almost nine assists per game

Sanders: Well good passes will get you good shots, and those good shots have led to you guys beating some good teams early this season like Nebraska and Oregon but then theirs that blowout loss to Cancun. Tell me Bill, is Cancun your daddy?

Yeager: Well well, there's been some controversy about who my daddy is, it's true that I look similar to veteran GM Pat Fullum but the truth is very different. This is going to be a little shock for the WBA world, my daddy is Nebraska's Brandon Morfeld, and of course we're not getting along at the moment, our two good wins over his team have made my family split, my bro's support me but my mom supports daddy, however we're going to try to improve our relationships soon. My daddy is a hunting junkie, he wanted to come to Africa to kill some lions as soon as Nebraska had a day off, I gotta say that Brandon is known in the family as the king of the rifle.

Sanders: I truly am shocked about these developments and I hope all becomes well in your family before the holidays. Perhaps you two could reconcile on an African safari and hunt down some zebras for Thanksgiving?

Yeager: Well, it's tough. GM Arceo has told us to kill no more than two (zebras) a day but he said nothing about monkeys...well as you can see dear...what's your name chicken? The thing is I always thought I would finish my career in Boston but life is unpredictable. I still remember a phone call by SLC's Brad Bargenter a few minutes after my trade was announced on TV, he wanted me to go to Utah at any cost! Of course, that couldn't be possible, I'm used to being on big teams and I do need another ring, times flies and I'm 30, Capetown could be my last chance to win a second championship before retiring.

Sanders: Well time does fly and as I check my watch I find that its time for this interview to end, thank you very much Mr. Yeager and I wish you well.

Yeager: Thank you mister chicken, and I wanna send a message to all the Zulu fans out there, Now or Never...

November 20th, 2004

Around the WBA

Baltimore's Joe Herrera broke his wrist in a bad fall on the practice court. Doctor's expect him to miss several weeks of play.

November 19th, 2004

What's Wrong In Montana?

Going into the season, the Montana Knights expected to be a contender in the improving Western conference. They had just wrapped up a great preseason, in which they went 9-4, winning their final six games. It looked like the Knights had finally pieced it together: They were going to rebuild and, at the same time, win now. That was the plan coming out of the preseason, but, so far, those expectations have been shattered and Montana has gotten off to a horrible start, sporting the worst record to begin a season in franchise history.

In the preseason, the Knights showed both great offensive and defensive ability. Their defense was ranked #1 in the preseason and their offense averaged over 100 ppg. The team also had great balance from their players. Oliver Doherty was the scorer, Pat Stephenson was the great all-around big-man, Sheldon Gorman was a solid third scoring option who could also get it done on the boards, and Kadeem Reed pitched in almost 9 apg. Splitting time at the SF position, Toby McCree and Jarius Miles averaged a combined 19.8 ppg and 11.2 rpg in 41 mpg. Everyone was doing their job offensively and defensively (opponents only averaged 93.9 ppg against the Knights) and it looked like that was going to carry over into the regular season.

Ever since the regular season started, though, Montana has fallen apart and has started with a record of 2-13. The team's scoring has decreased, as has their rebounding. The most important change in the team, though, was their defense. The team that was ranked #1 in the preseason in defense now has the fourth worst defense in the league, giving up 107 ppg. In the preseason, the Knights held opponents to a 40.3% field goal percentage, but opponents have shot 47.7% from the field during the regular season against them. With the way Montana is playing defense now, the Helen Keller All-Stars could score 105 points on them.

What makes this start even worse are that Oliver Doherty and Pat Stephenson are having stellar seasons, but they are going to waste. Montana has waited on Oliver Doherty to become their star of the future, and he's shown brilliant flashes of becoming that player this season. Doherty is averaging 22.3 ppg on a 43% field goal percentage, which is up almost 10% from his career average, and is also averaging almost 5 apg, while playing solid defense. Pat Stephenson is having a great season as well, averaging 17.5 ppg and 8.9 rpg to go along with his 3.1 bpg. Both players could become all-stars, but that doesn't mean much if the Knights aren't winning.

What does the remainder of the season hold for the Montana Knights? No one knows, but the team has already started trade negotiations with several teams. Rumor has it that they are unhappy with the play of starter Kadeem Reed and are looking to replace him with a decent scoring and passing point guard/shooting guard. Even if they don't make a move, many feel that the Knights will start winning after a while but, by that time, it might be too late.

--Antawn Perkins--

November 19th, 2004

Dismantling a Champion?

For some time now rumors regarding drastic changes have been hovering over the Cancun franchise. The reports appear valid especially after witnessing the big move sending key reserve Brad Bangerter to his hometown in Salt Lake City. However, now the names of Parker Mason, Kent Mercer and Lonnie Gerson are floating around the rumor circuit. Considered a living dynasty, Cancun has represented the west in the last four finals appearances and nabbed three championships in the process. But the question regarding these changes is why?

It is true that the core players are now getting up there in age but the talent level remains virtually the same. If anyone deserves a hall of fame spot it is Parker Mason and Kent Mercer has established himself as one of the league's most consistent big men. By most accounts the rumored breakup can only be considered premature. But when examining the decisions made by Cancun, perhaps the timing is perfect. The actions of any owner who managed to win three championships should be respected as the fans in Cancun have. Some are saddened by the prospect of losing Mason and or Mercer but most see the changing of a tide as a necessary move to stay competitive in the coming years and trust no one more with the task than Pat Fullum.

Fresh off a championship the value of Cancun's players are not going to be any higher than they are now. Every season the players age and in the chance that Cancun not win a championship the allure of the players can only deteriorate. Therefore there is no greater time to test the market than right now and this is what is happening, a testing of the market value. If a deal presents itself its all the better and if not the worst that can happen is another title run, not a bad prospect at all.

While it is true that Cancun has already hurt its title chances with the dealing of Brad Bangerter the team remains a formidable opponent and remains atop the list of contenders. Don't expect to see Kent Mercer or Parker Mason dealt unless Cancun manages to nab a young superstar in the process. Cancun will likely pursue another title run but the challenge will be greater this time around, and if unsuccessful a golden opportunity to rebuild could have been wasted but the gamble is one worth taking.

November 19th, 2004

Superman

Sometimes we grow so accustomed to greatness that we often overlook the fact that the object of greatness has achieved new levels within itself. The object being referred to in this case is the closest thing we have to superman in the WBA; Lou Gonzalez. Among the many accolades garnered by Gonzalez include three Most Valuable Player awards, three times recognized as the defensive player of the year and five all-star selections. Additionally, Gonzalez has never missed a game in his illustrious seven-year career since being drafted number one overall in the season three draft by Tokyo.

Although drafted by Tokyo and experiencing a brief stint in Albacete, Gonzalez, a San Antonio native, has spent the majority of his career wearing number 22 for the Oregon Golden Bears. Although allowing a two-season head start to other players, Gonzalez' accumulative statistics credit him as the second leading player in league history while racking up the more blocks than anyone else.

These past achievements are astounding in themselves but what is scary is that the player nicknamed Gonzo is still improving. The most astonishing statistic early this season is his 76 percent shooting in putting up 26 points a game. Already a career 62 percent shooter the 14 point jump propels Gonzalez into uncharted territory. The fact that Lou connects on three out of every four shots would be amazing in itself but coupled with his four blocks, two steals and close to five assists a game sets Gonzalez is miles ahead of the competition. This personal excellence has also manifested itself into wins on the court. Historically, teams wielding Gonzalez in the middle have won 69 percent of their games, and in the season spent in Albacete Gonzalez won his first championship.

Once again Gonzalez is catapulting his team to the top of the league's standings. This season the supporting cast around him makes things a lot easier for him. His frontcourt partner Corey Mosley currently leads the league in rebounding while budding superstar Bishop Stein is having an MVP like season in his own right. Meanwhile new acquisition Donovan Jones is averaging close to a triple double while Kelvin Davidson is doing an excellent job spearheading the team from the point guard position. As of the writing of the article the team is tied for the best record in the league and Gonzalez is well on his way for that second championship that he wishes to bring to Oregon.

November 18th, 2004

Weekly player ratings

WEEK 2 (DAYS 7-12)

Like every six days, here is the week 2 report:

MAGIC METRIC FORMULA

1	Lou Gonzales	180,45
2	Devonta Corriga	165,45
3	Obafemi Mabruke	154,9
4	Jack Spiegel	151,1
5	Jaxon McCall	147,1
6	Cory Mosley	146,4
7	Bill Yeager	146,2
8	Wayne Taylor	146,15
9	Chuck Henderson	144,5
10	Jay Vasquez	141,35
11	Parker Mason	138,35
12	Sean Ashman	135,85
13	Steve Peterson	135,75
14	A.J. Schulz	132,3
15	Bob Delaney	132,3
16	Dave Short	132
17	Brian Collins	129,6
18	Oman Fatafehi	129,15
19	Bill Blackstone	128,3
20	Heiko Van Brand	127,9
21	George Holt	126,25
22	Oliver Doherty	124,65
23	Samir Sheth	124,4
24	Donavan Jones	123,7
25	Dave Williams	123,2
26	Kent Mercer	122,15
27	Dave Troychak	121,85
28	Cristobal Dashe	121,6
29	Greg Lacy	121,25
30	Jim McCarthy	120,45

VORP INDEX

1	Lou Gonzales	72,837
2	Chuck Henderson	55,908
3	Devonta Corriga	53,06
4	Bob Delaney	52,138
5	Bill Yeager	51,581
6	Jaxon McCall	51,087
7	Jack Spiegel	48,171
8	Wayne Taylor	46,696
9	Brian Collins	45,775
10	Bishop Stein	44,121
11	Obafemi Mabruke	43,749
12	Cory Mosley	43,457
13	Mike Ivey	42,68
14	Parker Mason	42,265
15	Jay Vasquez	41,085
16	Oman Fatafehi	39,928
17	Sean Ashman	39,85
18	Mario Bailey	38,733
19	Cristobal Dashe	38,619
20	A.J. Schulz	38,612
21	Harry Jarvis	38,505
22	Dexter Kodak	38,47
23	Bill Blackstone	38,227
24	Tony Dimateo	36,348
25	Jack Berger	36,01
26	Samir Sheth	35,975
27	Charlie Daidone	35,966
28	Dave Short	35,868
29	Otto Hameleers	35,452
30	Tom Perkins	35,236

APPROXIMATED VALUE

1	Lou Gonzales	2,618
2	Devonta Corriga	2,398
3	Obafemi Mabruke	2,232
4	Cory Mosley	2,232
5	Bill Yeager	2,222
6	Jack Spiegel	2,202
7	Sean Ashman	2,142
8	Jay Vasquez	2,132
9	Oman Fatafehi	2,132
10	Jaxon McCall	2,102
11	A.J. Schulz	2,092
12	Bob Delaney	2,082
13	Chuck Henderson	2,061
14	Parker Mason	2,061
15	Dave Short	2,051
16	John Van Horne	2,051
17	Brian Collins	2,041
18	Wayne Taylor	2,031
19	Cristobal Dashe	2,01
20	Kent Mercer	2,01
21	Steve Peterson	2
22	Greg Lacy	2
23	Heiko Van Brand	1,99
24	Pat Stephenson	1,979
25	Bill Blackstone	1,959
26	George Holt	1,959
27	Jim McCarthy	1,959
28	Donavan Jones	1,959
29	Mark Miller	1,886
30	Mario Bailey	1,875

And here are the top 30 players combining these three ratings

		MMF	VORP	AV	TOTAL
1	Lou Gonzales	1	1	1	3
2	Devonta Corriga	2	3	2	7
3	Obafemi Mabruke	3	11	3	17
4	Jack Spiegel	4	7	6	17
5	Bill Yeager	7	5	5	17
6	Jaxon McCall	5	6	10	21
7	Cory Mosley	6	12	4	22
8	Chuck Henderson	9	2	13	24
9	Bob Delaney	15	4	12	31
10	Jay Vasquez	10	15	8	33
11	Wayne Taylor	8	8	18	34
12	Sean Ashman	12	17	7	36
13	Parker Mason	11	14	14	39
14	Brian Collins	17	9	17	43
15	Oman Fatafehi	18	16	9	43
16	A.J. Schulz	14	20	11	45
17	Dave Short	16	28	15	59
18	Steve Peterson	13	31	21	65
19	Cristobal Dashe	28	19	19	66
20	Bill Blackstone	19	23	25	67
21	Bishop Stein	31	10	31	72
22	Heiko Van Brand	20	31	23	74
23	Mike Ivey	31	13	31	75
24	Kent Mercer	26	31	20	77
25	George Holt	21	31	26	78
26	John Van Horne	31	31	16	78
27	Mario Bailey	31	18	30	79
28	Mario Bailey	31	18	30	79
29	Samir Sheth	23	26	31	80
30	Greg Lacy	29	31	22	82

November 17th, 2204

Around the WBA

Ossie Gordon of Andorra is the proud father of a 11 pound 6 ounce baby... Can someone say ouch!

Colorado's Ray Tango choked on a piece of food and will sit out the next game.

Gene Swanson who has been playing limited minutes for Cincinnati broke his hand in practice and is expected to miss the rest of the first half of the season.

November 17th, 2004

Steve Peterson Fatigued

At age thirty All-Star point guard Steve Peterson is not the youthful energizer he once was. He is now one of ht e elder statesmen of the league. His time in Budapest has been good on his body since Budapest usually doesn't play their players a lot of minutes. This year has been different however. Peterson has been heavily relied upon as Budapest has less talent than in past years. In the first two weeks of this season Peterson has averaged over 45 minutes.

In today's game against Roswell, Peterson had a slight ankle turn late in the fourth. After the game the team trainer said that he expected Peterson to only miss one game. Later after Doctor's examined him they anounced that Peterson would miss 8-10 games.