Author: boom booms room staff

Bernie Isn’t (that) Crazy.

Posted on by boom booms room staff

Alice Cooper called it.  “School’s out, for summer.”  But, soon, Rodney Dangerfield and others will return.  “Hey, I am going back to school!”  And, when they do they need to bring their checkbook, and then some.

No one disputes the following.  One, the cost of a four year public college/university education in these 50 United States has spiraled out of control.  And, two, the debt that undergraduates and post graduates have incurred is huge at 1.6 trillion dollars and mounting by the moment.

Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and a few others have led or joined the battle cry to make college tuition free and/or forgive the outstanding student debt.  Each plan to do so essentially redistributes wealth from taxpayers to students and is fraught with inconsistencies.  More later.

But now, we ask, have you ever heard of Sallie Mae?  SLM Corporation (commonly known as Sallie Mae; originally the Student Loan Marketing Association) is a publicly traded U.S. company that provides consumer banking loans.   Its structure has changed dramatically since it was set up in 1973.   At first, it was a government entity that serviced federal education loans. It then became private in 2004 and started offering private student loans.

The company’s primary business is originating, servicing, and collecting private education loans.  Sallie Mae previously originated federally guaranteed student loans originated under the Federal Family Education Loan Program and worked as a servicer and collector of federal student loans on behalf of the Department of Education. 

So, the U.S. government started Sallie Mae.  It then decided the task too tall for itself and allowed it to privatize.  And it’s now government workers who are crying loudest about the soaring student debt.   And, they should.

We took a peak at Sallie Mae’s (now Navient Corporation, the largest servicer of federal student loans and collector on behalf of the U.S. Dept of Education) “generous” loan offers and terms there of last evening.  What’s our conclusion?  You might as well charge your education on your Visa or MasterCard.

Navient loans offered today start at a 7.5% interest rate.  They are tied to a marker of interest rates known as LIBOR, plus 5%.  They are variable, can even change monthly up or down, and are allowed to float as high as 25% if the market so chooses.  That’s 25% as a high side risk!  Seven point five percent isn’t cheap to begin with.  Ford will give you zero percent financing for that new F150.  Sallie Mae and Uncle Sam want more, much more.

But it gets worse.  Let’s take a 40k dollar loan as an example.  You have three options to repay.  All start with paying either $25 bucks a month while still in school, or the interest accumulated each month of $233, or foregoing paying anything at all until you have completed your education.  Tick tock goes the interest clock from day one of course.  The choices are bad, poor, and terrible.

The structured repayment schedule over the course of the next dozen or so years costs about $500 a month at the 7.5% rate, and much more if rates rise.  The total interest is 29k on top of the 40k.   But, here is the kicker of all kickers.  There is no interest saved for paying down the principal in any accelerated manner.  There is no incentive/gain for attempting to get out of the debt.  Sign up and Sallie starts counting her coins.

There is no bankruptcy filing that exempts anyone from repaying either.  Federal laws are written to absolve you of debt incurred when you can no longer keep your head above water, except if that debt is owed to your government.  It’s the golden rule.  He who has the gold makes the rules.  Sallie collects the gold for he who makes the rules.

Making college free (and it wouldn’t be free, just paid by others) and forgiving debt (and that would just be adding to the federal debt that we all are accountable for as well) isn’t the answer.  No answer is that simple.  And no answer should only be for the selected ones who are in debt today or in school tomorrow.   It needs to be equitable.   For example, shouldn’t trade schools be “free” too?  You can’t discriminate for just colleges can you Elizabeth?

Their approach is a big band aid and is designed to garner votes from the young and naive.  The bandage needs to be ripped off of the whole mess and the root cause needs a vaccination.   Otherwise, many will continue to fall down, scrape their knees, and eventually the wound will get infected.   A great start to this would be to examine the ridiculous terms of Sallie Mae and others in this federal loan business for students.  If you didn’t save for college at least there should be an incentive to get out of debt sooner.

Maybe Crazy Bernie isn’t so crazy after all in attempting to address this.  It’s just how, not handouts, that need to be looked at and changed.  Start with Sallie Mae and others just like her.   And, like the $22 trillion dollar debt, and ballooning government, the sooner the better.

Donald, You’re No Ronald!

Posted on by boom booms room staff

When Senator Lloyd Benson was squared off against Senator Dan Quayle in the Vice Presidential Debate in 1988, Quayle, desperate to establish himself as a qualified VP running mate, dropped a JFK reference.   Benson dropped a haymaker on Quayle, deadpanning “you’re no Jack Kennedy.“

We have resisted comparing Donald Trump to Ronald Reagan for fear of a haymaker ourselves, as Donald is no Ronald.  While each had roles on the TV screen or the big screen previous to ascending to the biggest role in all of the land, they differ in approach far more than they are similar.

Start with the hair styles please.  Ronald had a thick, dark, wavy mane seemingly woven to his head since birth to die for.  Donald has a thin, white/gray whisp that needs to be woven to his head for fear of it flying away.  Ronald was a statesman.  Donald states what he thinks and feels in non too subtle way.  Ronald had his first lady Nancy incessantly shaping his public perception.  Donald has had quite a few ladies and his first lady appears to step back and watch the bullfight from afar.

But, they have one big thing in common.  They know leverage when they see it.  And, when they see it they use it.  And, when they use it, they use it effectively.

Ronald watched as Iran held American hostages for 444 days till the very end of the Jimmy Carter’s mediocre presidency.  Mysteriously, on Reagan’s inauguration day, Iran freed the hostages.  Ronald played the good cop role on a horse in a TV western a few times.  He always got the bad guy and rode off into the sunset with the pretty woman.  Iran wanted nothing to do with this cowboy in real life.  Did Reagan’s team advance anything to Iran about the consequences of a continued standoff?  Probably.  Enough said.

Trump called North Korean dictator Kim Jung-Un “Rocket Man” in front of a United Nations gathering.  It was not very subtle.  It was the equivalent of Nikita Khrushchev’s shoe-banging incident during the 902nd Plenary Meeting of the UN General Assembly held in New York in 1960. During the session Nikita Khrushchev, First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, pounded his shoe on his delegate-desk in protest of a speech by Philippine delegate Lorenzo Sumulong.  It was not so subtle.

Both Ronald and Trump were effective, style points aside.

“Rocket Man” is but one of many verbal jabs, hooks, or TKO’s that the Donald has thrown.  It is for that very reason that we continue to be amazed by how wrong the media continues to miss on understanding his approach, and therefore his effectiveness.  Every time he jabs, tweets, nicknames, and/or insults a foreign leader or an entire country the media screams in unison that “the sky is falling, the sky is falling.”  Except, it isn’t.

In fact it’s the opposite.  Trump threatened tariffs on Mexico a couple of weeks back and gave them a short deadline to help on their southern border controlling Central American illegal inflow, and on our southern border helping protect our illegal inflow.  Foes of The Donald said many things. “He can’t do that.”  “You can’t use tariffs to control immigration.”  “It’s unprecedented.”  “He’s offended our neighbor again.”  The stock market said, “Hold on cowboy.”  “This will wreck certain imported products.”  “Prices on imports will go through the roof.”  One Einstein even lamented, “the price of avocados will go up three fold.”

Our guess is that Donald doesn’t like avocados.  And, he doesn’t like illegal immigration even more.  So, with zero help from his Democrat friends, Donald got help on his own from his southern friends.  Mexico, after all of these years, offered immediate help.  Fifteen thousand of their finest are now being deployed on our joint border to stem the flow northward.  Another two thousand went south to do the same.  It’s amazing what the right carrot on the right stick can do.  And, Wall St. rallied once more.

And, it’s equally amazing how many people, tv commentators, and countries totally fail to understand President Trump’s motives and results derived from them. Ronald won with style and grace.  Donald wins with a hammer and a chainsaw.

Donald paints outside of the lines.  Donald is no Ronald.  But, he is Michelangelo in the art of the deal.

 

 

Who Went Where?

Posted on by boom booms room staff

Did you watch the NBA draft last evening?  We did all the while channel surfing.  We suspect many others did while texting, or cooking, or talking, or surfing that internet that Al Gore invented.  With America’s attention span far shorter than the wing span of many of these new draft pics we wonder how many of us have any clue who went to whom?

The confusion we create, to follow who went were, is on us.  The confusion the NBA creates, on who went where, is on them.

What confusion you ask?  It’s how NBA draft day trades work for teams involved, and how they don’t work for the casual viewer.  Eight of the thirty first round picks were traded last evening, or just over 25 percent.  Except the picks weren’t really traded.  Got it?  Confused?

It seems complicated actually.  And, we researched it and can confirm, it’s complicated.

In short NBA teams trade the draft rights to a player that that NBA team has just selected.  In other words when team A agrees to trade draft rights of pick X to team B for draft rights to picks Y and Z, team B does so only when team A agrees to select player Q for team B.  A multiple choice quiz follows.  Just kidding.

Why does the NBA do it this way rather than allowing team B to make it’s own selection with the pick?  It’s all due to the collective bargaining agreement(CBA), the exclusive rights it gives the team for a year, the salary cap, the timing of the NBA year, it’s salary cap implications, and the two dates of July 6 and July 30.  A multiple choice quiz follows.  No, really, we are just kidding.

What does this do to the average fan?  It confuses them.  Eight times last evening a player walked onto the stage wearing a certain team’s hat having just been drafted by them.  Eight times in eight in thirty days from now that player won’t be with that team.  He’ll be with the team who has his rights.

So, ESPN interviews the player and cannot ask what it feels like to be headed eventually to the team that he will play for.  Sometimes the kid drafted doesn’t even know that he is moving.   So, ESPN interviews the player and doesn’t ask what it’s like to be drafted by the team whose hat sits right on top of his head.  So, TV shows us one thing, and tries to explain that it didn’t happen how you see it.  And, they attempt this all in five minutes.  If you just jumped, hypothetically, from Fox News (which, as you know, is fair and balanced) and see “Joe Blow” in a Lakers hat, don’t believe what your eyes just saw.  Thanks Kirk Gibson.   No, no.  Thank the NBA.

MLB draft presentations look and feel like dedications to libraries and the trusty Dewey Decimal System.  NFL draft presentations look and feel like three day rock concerts.  NBA draft presentations look and feel like something that is hard to look at, we feel.

Adam Silver is the most progressive commissioner when it comes to embracing gambling on games.  He should roll the dice on a new CBA agreement (or timing thereof) that allows us to see who goes where when we tune in.

Otherwise, it’s too easy to tune out.

 

 

Yes, here is your Great NBA Predraft Post

Posted on by boom booms room staff

It’s NBA Draft Day.  One staff member did great work compiling super in depth player profiles for your reading pleasure for today.  Unfortunately one other staff member had no idea how to get the file to download into a format that is compatible with the highly sophisticated security wall that BBR has.  Thankfully all has been resolved.  The complete rundown is below.

 

#1 Zion Williamson, Forward, Duke

A transcendent athlete with elite speed, quickness, power and agility, Zion can immediately help an NBA team on both ends of the floor. Aside from his athletic ability, he has great basketball instincts with a nose for the ball, particularly on the offensive glass. Zion is also a great passer in the open court and keeps his head up while handling the ball on the break. In a half court setting, expect Zion to have great impact off the ball with cutting and leaping plus ability. With the variety of types of players at the power forward position in the NBA, Zion will be able to blow by at least 20 NBA teams starting 4’s.  Although he will be playing with a ton of space because of defenders backing off of him in the half court, he will still be able to penetrate NBA defenses and get downhill because of his size and strength. Don’t expect him to be handling the ball much early in his career, but when he does he will be hard to stop no matter who is fronting him. His unique ability to have uncanny finishes at the rim compliments his game of attacking downhill and shooting floaters and layups.  Zion is a once in a generation athlete and player who is destined for superstardom.

 

#2 Ja Morant, Point Guard, Murray State 

A commanding point guard with great vision and decision making, Ja Morant is a future all-star in the NBA.  Ja has a natural feel for the position he plays and isn’t afraid to lead his team with the additional load of play making.  Ja Morant compares to the likes of De’Aaron Fox and even Russell Westbrook. Similar to Zion, he combines his speed, quickness and power with an ability to finish at the rim with either or both hands. Ja can shoot with range and break down defenses with dribble penetration and hesitation moves. He can also shoot in the midrange and make runners and floaters in the lane. Ja shows off his swagger and shifts the momentum of a game when he rises up and jams the ball through the hoop over a taller defender. He also has great defensive potential with length and wiry strength. Ja’s ability to make play after play and decision after decision at the point guard position will bode well for the modern NBA.

 

#3 RJ Barrett, Shooting Guard, Duke

As a left-handed assassin that takes long strides in the open court, RJ Barrett is a unique combo guard that is a sure-handed top three pick in this year’s draft.  RJ’s is a willing driver and finisher and rarely settles for jumpers. RJ is great in the pick and roll and can whip passes to cutters and open shooters with either hand. He is a streaky shooter at times, but with his pure form and consistent timing, he should develop into a go to shot maker. RJ shows a wide variety of ball handling moves and can slowly break down a defense by sifting through the lane and using his length to extend over smaller guards. He is lethal in the open court and can beat most of his competitors with quickness and athletic ability. RJ is also a willing defender and shows a competitive streak. If RJ gains muscle weight and improves his all-around shooting, he can be a perennial all-star.

 

#4 Cam Reddish, Small Forward, Duke

A versatile defender and great shooter, Cam Reddish fits into a premier position in the NBA. The “3 and D” player will never go out of style as the type of player that can shoot off-ball threes with efficiency and also defend multiple positions on the other end. Cam Reddish is more than that though, as he displays an ability to make sound fundamental entry passes into the post and can finish at the rim. Cam is a great athlete who has the quickest lateral movement in the draft. With all of this said, shooting may be his best attribute. He should seamlessly transition to NBA shooting with range as he has a tight and consistent shot form with an effortless release. He is so long and tall (6’9 with a 7 foot wing span) that he will figuratively be able to reach into the basket even from three point range like a hand reaching into a cookie jar. Cam has a high ceiling and fits into any NBA offense with his ability to fill into a premium position in the modern NBA.

 

#5 Darius Garland, Point Guard, Vanderbilt

Darius’ game compares to Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young.  He is the most refined shooter in this draft. His ball handling and pure shooting at all three levels of the half court make him an intriguing prospect for any team. He doesn’t mind pulling up for mid range shots around the top of the key which is a shot that presents itself quite often in the NBA, especially for point guards. Darius is slight of frame but uses his quickness and ability to get under defenders to his advantage. He sometimes struggles with decision making and often resorts to single-minded scoring when its time to make a play, but with time he will get better at orchestrating an offense. If Darius can physically mature into his frame and become a more consistent playmaker for his teammates, he can be a great NBA player.

 

#6 De’Andre Hunter, Forward, Virginia 

With a nice shooting touch and physical style of play, De’Andre Hunter’s game translates well to the next level.  Inclusive of his defensive capability, De’Andre can help a team in a variety of ways. From fade-aways, floaters and stand up threes, Hunter may be the most versatile player in the draft.  Hunter won the NCAA Championship, has great intangibles, and is willing to do the little things that win games. Whether it’s getting a tough rebound over a bigger defender or setting a solid screen, this is a team player that is locked in and focused all game long. If De’Andre improves his speed and ball handling in the open court, he can be a great rotation player in the NBA.

 

#7Jarrett Culver, Shooting Guard ,Texas Tech

A natural scorer who can shoot from anywhere on the floor, Culver makes for an intriguing prospect at the shooting guard position. When you consider that he has one of the best shooting forms in the draft coupled with the fact that his shot is almost impossible to block, you likely get a lottery pick. At 6’6, Jarrett already has NBA range from the 3 point line and can also finish with power at the rim. He should be able to guard three positions at the next level and is long enough to average a steal or two per game. His shot is so hard to contest because of his quick release as well as how he elevates on his pull-up mid range jumpers. If Jarrett commits to getting his upper body stronger, like Cam Reddish, he can be a versatile defender and potent scorer.

 

#8 Coby White, Combo Guard, North Carolina

One of the fastest players in the draft, White can blow by anyone in transition. Coby was lethal at the college level even after made baskets as he would sprint down the court with the ball and set the pace for the Tar Heels. White is also a great shooter and made 3.3 threes per 40 minutes last year. He has a certain burst and explosiveness that you don’t see much, and he uses it to his advantage in either the half court or open court setting. He compliments his athletic ability with being able to have unorthodox finishes at the rim with either hand. This is a very quick guard moving side to side so he definitely has the potential to be a great defender at his position. If Coby improves his passing and decision making, he can be an All Star guard at the NBA level.

 

#9  Rui Hachimura ,Forward, Gonzaga 

Rui might very well be the steal of this years’ draft. At 6’9 230 pounds, the Gonzaga forward plays a physical style of ball and loves to get to the rim. He has a great post up game and also a great face up game in the mid range, effectively using jab steps and pump fakes. This is a fundamentally sound big with a silky shooting stroke who has no chance to bust. He was Gonzaga’s emotional leader all year. What is really great about Hachimura is that he can play in virtually any system. He can take the ball into the post 20 times a game or he can stretch the court and then drive the lane. His post and mid range game goes well with his interior passing skills and he has a great feel for rebounding. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Rui get selected earlier than projected, as he has all of the tools a modern NBA scout is looking for in a combo forward.

 

#10 Jaxson Hayes, Center, Texas 

This guy is huge. At 7’0 feet tall with a 7’3 wingspan, Jaxson uses all of his length to dunk on other centers time and again. He usually follows up his dunks with a loud yell, imposing his will on the opposition. Hayes also has the biggest hand size in the draft, and is very coordinated with the ball in his hands. He had the best true shooting percentage in the college ranks at a strong 75%. Jaxson has a high ceiling and seems to have the want to get better.  According to ESPN stats, he was the second best rim protector in college basketball last year. If Hayes is committed, he can become one of the most dominant big men in the game, at least on the defensive end of the floor and maybe on the offensive end as well.

 

#11 Nassir Little, Forward, North Carolina 

Can you say “defensive versatility?”  This is the first thing that comes to mind when examining forward Nassir Little out of North Carolina. At 6’6 with a wing span of 7 feet, Nassir should be able to guard at least three positions and, depending on the matchup, four positions because of his mature physical frame. He can slide his feet as well as anyone in the draft and hard hedge off of a pick and roll while using his length for an effective double team. Nassir loves to get into the teeth of a defense and pick up some rebounds as well. He does have a nice shot form and can put the ball on the floor in the open court, but the next phase of development for him should be using a triple threat jab step on the wing while being able to create his own shot. He must focus on improving his ball handling in tight spaces. He is already a great finisher at the rim and uses his strength to get to the free throw line as well.  A good player to compare Nassir to would be Draymond Green.  But as a fluid finisher at the basket with a smooth shot form, he has a higher ceiling than Golden State’s forward.

 

#12 Romeo Langford, Guard, Indiana 

Langford compares well to Nets guard D’Angelo Russell. As a big guard that can create his own shot and get into the lane, Langford also has a soft touch around the rim. He changes speed especially with the ball in his hands, as he bends and breaks down defenses. A terrific ball handler combined with good athleticism goes a long way into becoming an NBA point guard. His upside suggests he could be a top 5 pick, but his play on the court this year will show you otherwise. Langford is often lackadaisical on defense and gets beat by his man on back door cuts. Although he was Indiana’s best player, he never truly showed leadership skills or carried his team verbally.  If his motor can change and he shows more hunger in the NBA, he has the talent to be an all star.

 

#13  Sekou Doumbouya, Forward, Limoges CSP

The Frenchman stands tall at 6’10 and impresses immediately when scouts lay eyes on him. With a huge wing span and big hands, Sekou is an intriguing prospect that has a high ceiling being the athlete that he is. He loves to run the lane in transition which compliments his game of finishing with dunks in space. He also likes to attack the paint in the half court, although his ball handling could use some work. Sekou runs at his own pace on his own time, and playing in the NBA will be a big adjustment coming from playing in the LNB Pro A in France. He did average over 1 block a game and 1.7 steals per game in his time over seas, but his footwork will have to improve to keep up with smaller NBA forwards. Sekou needs to gain muscle and improve his lateral quickness, if he can do that he can be a worthy rotation player.

 

#14 Bol Bol, Center, Oregon

Bol Bol has a certain fluidity to his game that you rarely see in players his size. As the tallest player in the draft, Bol is not afraid to shoot a three or penetrate the lane after a hard close out. He also has great hands and finishes above the rim with soft touch.  Bol’s defensive is impressive as well. In college, Bol averaged 2.7 blocks a game, and he will get better at protecting the rim once he makes it to the NBA.  He used his length at the collegiate level and didn’t have to move his feet much to interrupt players charging through the lane. He never had to move that fast in the condensed half court, so in the pros he will have to adjust to the speed. I expect Bol to adjust well as he has shown he can move his feet laterally with the best big men in the country. Similar to Sekou, if Bol can grow into his frame he can become one of the best rim protectors in the game.

 

#15 PJ Washington,Forward, Kentucky

As an undersized power forward at the collegiate level, PJ has the toughness necessary to maintain that position in the pros. It also helps that he’s got the best jump hook in the draft and made 55 percent of his mid range shots. He’s got everything scouts are looking for intangibly, as he lead Kentucky emotionally in his sophomore season as he was always getting his guys into a huddle. The scouts look at his tangible tools, and it’s virtually as good as the leadership skills. He can defend four positions as he moves his feet like a true wildcat, and he can drive the ball from the wing. There aren’t many, if any, holes in PJ’s game.  He shot 42 percent from three point range?  PJ’s natural talent promises an NBA career of possible All Star status.

 

#16  Bruno Fernando, Power Forward/Center, Maryland

Fernando averaged almost 11 rebounds a game and manned the center position for Maryland in his sophomore season with the Terrapins. He will play more power forward in the NBA, but the transition should be no problem for Bruno. He shows off a fluid offensive game as he is a knock down mid range shooter and one of the best post players in the draft. He’s also one of the best athletes in the draft and often soars for ally-oop jams as he sprints from the top of the key. Bruno has the physical tools to be a great defender but lacks the awareness and feel on that end of the floor. He’s is a less polished version on Gonzaga forward Rui Hachimura but has more upside being a taller player with superior athletic ability. If Bruno can improve his awareness on the defensive end of the court, he will be a valuable two way player in the NBA.

 

#17 Goga Bitadze, Center, Georgia

Goga has a great feel for the game and drives hard to the rim coming off of pick and rolls. One of the best parts of his game is that he enjoys screening for his guards and embraces the physicality that comes with it.  He uses a wide stance in the post and then turns with a firm pivot into a face up with the threat of his deadly mid-range jumper. Offensively, this is a prototypical stretch power forward that can contribute immediately in the league. It’s not like his production falls off on the other end of the floor either. In fact, Goga averaged 3.7 blocks per 40 minutes.  Goga can be a great role player on an NBA team.

 

#18  Cameron Johnson, Forward, North Carolina

The next best “3 and D” player in the draft behind Cam Reddish, Cam Johnson can contribute for an NBA team right away. At 6’9, Johnson uses all of his length to get deflections and steals while corralling opponents until they lose handle of the ball. Johnson is also one of the best shooters in the draft as he shot 46% from three in his senior season. He can make cuts while playing off of the ball in a half court set, and adds in a nice post up game with a turnaround jumper over either shoulder.  As a great team player he is engaged all game long on the defensive end and shows a high motor. Johnson could get stronger and improve his driving and finishing, but once he does this he will help any NBA team that drafts him.

 

#19 Brandon Clarke,Forward, Gonzaga

Brandon is a brash competitor and enjoys playing physical down low. He is committed on the defensive end and not only blocks shots but also gets steals. Clarke had a 36 point game against Pac 12 competition. If he wants to be more than a rotation player in the pros, he will have to get better as a threat on the wing and improve his ball handing. Without much of a post game, it’s hard to have consistent impact in the NBA standing at 6’8 weighing 215. Brandon does have the athleticism.  He will have to evolve as a player, and mask a few shortcomings at the next level.

 

#20 Keldon Johnson, Guard, Kentucky

Keldon was Kentucky’s best shooter last year averaging over 13 points a game. With a great shooting stroke, Keldon will be able to stretch defenses out to the wing and then finish inside with his impressive touch at the basket. In fact, he was 2nd on is team in baskets made with an additional free throw.  This shows his ability to finish through contact and display concentration in the lane. Keldon is also a great ball handler and a good enough passer to play both guard positions. With his length he will be able to guard three positions, and given his competitive streak should do just fine on that end of the floor. If Keldon can improve his court vision and decision making to capitalize on his size at the guard position, he can be a dangerous two-way player with the threat of making a bunch of threes in a short period of time.

 

#21 Nickeil Alexander-Walker

An ambidextrous guard that shoots with his right hand and is terrific finishing in the lane with his left, Nickeil has the mind set to make himself a productive NBA wing. Being able to use both hands as a shooter and a passer makes Nickeil’s game so fun to watch as he carves up defenses utilizing whichever hand a defender is surrendering. Nickeil is also a fierce competitor with great intangibles who isn’t afraid to lead by example. He has the physical tools to guard multiple positions and get his hands in passing lanes as one of the longest players at his position. He averaged 2.2 steals per game and shot 38 percent from three, so he can become a very good “3 and D” player at the next level. Nickeil will help any team that drafts him as he will fill a valuable position in the modern game.

 

#22 Tyler Herro, Shooting Guard, Kentucky

This is one of the best shooters in the draft who isn’t afraid to let it fly from three even with a hand in his face. Tyler can also put the ball on the floor and distribute for his team especially in the open court. He is used best running off of screens and also taking handoffs into the mid range where he can rise up over the out-stretched arm of a switching defender. Tyler has the will to go guard deep out onto the perimeter and pick up the opposing teams ball handler from full court. This is a sure-fire shooter with a competitive fire who should have a long NBA career.

 

#23 Mfiondu Kabengele, Power Forward, Florida State

Mfiondu is a terror on the defensive end swarming for rebounds and blocking shots into the stands. He is one of the best defensive players in the draft, and was taught well under defense minded coach Leonard Hamilton. He not only covers ground with his feet, but also plays physical fronting in the post and getting his hand on the ball. He compares nicely to former Florida State player Jonathan Isaac as a player that can switch onto smaller guards in the pick and roll and defend multiple positions. Whats most impressive considering all of the tools Mfiondu has on the defensive side of the court is that he shot 37% from three and 76% from the free throw line!  If he keeps up these numbers in the pro game, he can play up to 35 minutes a night on an NBA court.

 

#24 Admiral Schofield, Forward, Tennessee

Schofield is a big, strong athlete that has a soft touch on his shot from all three levels of the half court. In college he often played out of the post against larger forwards, but in the NBA he will transition to posting up guards.  He improved his range as a shooter in four years at Tennessee and turned himself into one of the best three point shooters in college last year. He was nicknamed “the Admiral” because he truly played like a general on the court and was one of Tennessee’s emotional leaders. Admiral can guard up to four positions as he slides his feet on the perimeter well and has enough mass in his upper body to defend taller power forwards in the post. If Schofield can improve his ball handling and decision making he can become a traditional “3 and D,” but also possess power and strength not many at his position have.

 

#25 Naz Reid, Power Forward, LSU

Naz is a true power forward at both the collegiate and pro level and has a brute strength that he is willing to impose in game situations. He does not mind going to the free throw line and can shoot it well once he gets there. His ability to create contact and finish with arms wrapped on him will carry over to the pro level. He shot 73 percent from the line last year, and has a nice looking stroke. He embraces being in the post but has limited developed moves down low. He stretched his shot out to the three point line.  He only shot 33 percent out there without any hands in his face, however.  Naz is slow of foot on defense.  But considering his ability to get out and run on the break, it’s a matter of will and hard work for Naz to get it together on the defensive end.  If Reid commits to playing hard defense and refines his offensive game, he can be a serviceable post up player in the league.

 

#26 Kevin Porter, Shooting Guard, USC

Porter has supreme athletic ability and uses it to dunk on opponents often. The lefty has a silky release & is comfortable shooting from NBA range. As a big combo guard, Porter elevates in the lane for nifty finishes and can lay it up with either hand. Porter has a scoring mindset and will need to build play making habits. He’s a demon in transition and changes speed with the best guards in the country. Porter can also pull up with a clean shot form at any area of the half court. If Porter becomes a willing defender and learns how to make plays more often, he can be a multi year NBA guard.

 

#27 Darius Bazley, Various Positions

Darius, who chose to work with trainers in preparation for the draft instead of college last year demonstrated marketability earning $1 million with New Balance!  His path creates an interesting conversation for the future of basketball.  Darius is a long athlete with high defensive potential who can guard three positions. He moves his feet very well and is accomplished at running out near the sidelines in transition. Darius has a nice offensive package as he can pull up well in the mid range and shoot from deep off of the catch. Darius is slight of frame but uses his quickness effectively. If he can build onto his frame, Darius can turn into another needed “3 and D” player.

 

#28 Grant Williams, Forward, Tennessee

Grant looks like an SEC linebacker, and plays like one too. Williams go-to place on the floor is the post, and it’s for good reason if you watch his highlights. Williams won’t be able to be as effective from the post in the NBA game, but he has dimension in his game to make up for it. This is a great defender and terrific passer, and he has some abilities bullying opponents in the lane as well. Grant has a stoic personality and leads his team with composure. He was known for making critical baskets for his team last season. Grant loves to use the spin move and will be able to develop it in the pros with his massive frame. If Grant can get lighter on his feet and create a more complete perimeter game, he can be a valued rotation player at the next level.

 

#29 Tremont Waters ,Point Guard, LSU

The 5’10 guard makes up for his lack of height in every area of his game. He gets under defenders, has a quick release on his shot, and uses every part of the back board on his devastating floaters and layups. Tremont is, no doubt, an NBA point guard and only and point guard. He may very well be the best in the draft at manipulating defenses in the pick and roll.  With his change of pace by way of hesitation and stutter-stepping, Tremont is graceful while he moves downhill into the lane. He is an unbelievable finisher and makes layups from hard to fathom angles. He also shoots with range and has great court vision in either the half court or fast break setting. Tremont  led the Tigers in steals as a pesky and visionary defender.  Tremont  excels at most levels of his game.  But, give his stature, his defense is likely a liability.

 

#30 Carsen Edwards, Point Guard, Purdue

This is a thick, bruising point guard with deep range as he shot NBA level threes at Purdue. Carsen is an underrated athlete that possesses a signature left-handed jam that you don’t see in players his size. He shows off his anticipation skills on the defensive end of the floor as he racked up 1.3 steals a game. He averaged 24 points a game for the Boilermakers and shot 36% from three. He has skills as a passer but didn’t display them much as he only averaged 2.9 assists per game last year. Carsen has an array of dribble moves and spins through the lane effectively for reverse layups. If Carsen commits to distributing the ball more, he can be a rotation player at the next level.

 

Enjoy the draft and its many many twists, turns, and trades.

Hopefully Zion’s cheap Nike shoe will hold up better than our process did this AM when he takes center stage tonight shortly after the opening bell rings.

.

 

If and When, Together Again.

Posted on by boom booms room staff

When if becomes when the dynamics of a sequence of events can change dramatically as they unfold.   Unexpected final results can happen.  Nothing more unexpected in political history ever happened than when The Donald went from polling at single digits as a Republican hopeful, after first announcing, to being elected President of the United States in November of 2016.

Last night a sure if became a when at 8pm EST when Donald J. Trump officially announced that he was running for his second term as President of the United States.

In 2016 Trump recognized America’s strong desire for change from the status quo.  But a series of events helped his magic carpet ride.

If Bernie Sanders doesn’t gain real traction on the left side of the left, then Hillary Rodham Clinton doesn’t have to steer her train wreck of a campaign into that far lane.  When she did, did she lose some of the moderate Democrats?

If Crazy Bernie doesn’t stay in the race as long as he did, does Hillary have to campaign as hard as she did?  When he did, Hillary was extended to more cities, more speeches, more TV appearances, more bad food, and more planes, trains, and automobiles.  If you couldn’t see fatigue negatively affecting a presidential campaign, when will you?

Enter Joe Biden for President in 2020.  He’ll be 77 this November, and 78 by the time voters head to the polls in November of 2020.  It’s awfully early to pronounce him as the nominee, but he is the front runner by about a lap and a half.

So, what if?  If all of the left that stand to the left of Bernie fall by the wayside, does Bernie get the lion’s share of their votes?  If he does, how far does Bernie go?  Does Bernie know when to say when for the good of his party?  If he goes the distance v. Biden like he did v. Hillary, does fatigue set in for Biden to the extent it did on Hillary?

His few public appearances so far have been less than impressive.  His “I’m running for prez intro speech” was filled with mispronunciations and other verbal stumbles..  His voice trails off often.  His gestures and gait seem tentative.

Trump has already seized on this, relabeling the former “creepy Uncle Joe” as “sleepy Joe.”  Trump’s running against thin air in his own party.  If Biden emerges as the tired nominee, a fresh Trump will go full frontal assault on him.  It wouldn’t surprise anyone if Trump ask for more debates, not less.  It’s usually the other way around as the contender tries to slay the defender and asks for more.  But, there is nothing usual in the world of politics today.

Not if, but when it all unfolds the unexpected probably should be expected.    Meantime, get some sleep Joe.  You are going to need it.

Cashing In on Cashing Out

Posted on by boom booms room staff

After taking two flights, and driving through four states, and staying eight days in three different hotels, our summer vacation ended all too soon.  Good times were had by all on food, golf, gifts, hikes, bikes, a baseball game, and the like.  So, it goes without saying that it was smart to get $300, just to be safe, out of the ATM before the journey and all of the festivities started.  Or, was it?

Eight days later just shy of $275 remained in my pocket.  Cash is king, you know.  Or, at least cash was once king.

So, it got our staff wondering last evening.  Will we see a cashless society in the future?  We think the answer is yes.  It’s when, not if.

And, why not?  Every merchant in brick and mortar and any merchant in the virtual world of any kind takes some or all of Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Discover, PayPal, Venmo, Chase Quick pay, etc.  And, everyone has two or more of these forms of payment in their pocket, purse, or mobile device.

Cards give you rewards or cash back.  Cash gives you pesky change back.  What do you do with your loose nickels and dimes?  Ours are in the console of the truck, or in the luggage that we carried.  Sometimes the dreaded pennies make it into the pocket and all of the way into the house.  Then what?  Then they go into the large jar on the top shelf.  We hope the shelf doesn’t crash down one day from the weight of the copper and silver.

It took America two or three generations to nearly stop smoking altogether.  It’ll took Uber and Lyft about a decade to obliterate the dreadful taxi industry.  How long before cash is all but gone?

About the only need for it is when you directly interact with another citizen in the moment.  A tip for for this, or a ticket scalped outside of a venue come to mind.  Little else does.

So when you cash out, who cashes in?  Visa, MasterCard and PayPal come to mind.   Their build out for electronic processing allows hundreds of thousands of transactions a minute placing them far ahead of rivals mentioned above.  A very recent Barron’s article quoted some industry experts that feel like the electronic processing will continue its percentage growth in the high teens yearly for the next five years and perhaps beyond.

Remember when Apple Pay was going to change the world?  Guess who Apple partnered with to facilitate what they could not?  It’s Visa and MasterCard.  It seems like they are everywhere you want them to be.

Business to business is next.  Cutting checks to pay vendors and such is getting cut by the day.  Who’s there to help?  Yep.  It’s the next big growth vehicle for them.

Banks charge merchants and businesses two or three percent for the privilege of accepting these forms of payment and get paid well to do so.   Consumers win (or at least feel like they do) with one or more percent cash and/or points earned coming back to them.

But the real winners?  Yep.  They collect what seems like a very slim 0.15% of each transaction.  Mere pennies on the dollar you say?  Their shelf is very sturdy.  It has to be.  They collect millions and millions of dollars of pennies every day.

Cash was king.   Visa and MasterCard sit on the highest thrones now.

Ten Piece Nuggets-Sports

Posted on by boom booms room staff

Greetings.  Did you miss us?  We missed you and your comments.  Glad to be back at it.  We have a lot to catch up on.  Some of the below is a bit less timely than others, but we cannot help our selves.   Warm and some fresh, some not as fresh, here are the tender vittles.

  1.  Congrats go to the NBA Raptors and the NHL Blues.   What a parlay that ticket would have been.  We haven’t seen that ticket, but a legit ticket made it’s way around Al Gore’s internet last week that showed a $400 bet, turned winning wager, on the Blues to win the Stanley Cup placed prior to the season.  The odds you ask?  250 to 1.  The payout?  It was 100k.  Kudos.
  2. The Golden St. Warriors loss of Kevin Durant and, in game seven, Klay Thompson should in no way dull the finish on the Raptors’ crown.  Injuries happen in sports.  They happen every day.  Next man up.
  3. A week ago the Lakers had the shortest odds in Vegas at 4-1 to be the 2020 NBA champions.   Yep, it isn’t a misprint, nor a typo, nor a mistake.  It’s the infatuation with the Lakers.  A week later they acquired a dude named Anthony Davis.  The uni brow heads to Tinseltown.  Maybe 4-1 was good money after all.  Maybe not.
  4. LaVar Ball thought it was a bad move.  Shocking.  “I guarantee: Like I say again, it will be the worst move the Lakers ever did in their life and they will never win another championship,” LaVar Ball told ESPN while at the Drew League on Saturday to watch his son LaMelo play. “Guarantee it.”  No word on how good his word is on the guarantee.  Can we get our money back?  And, the Lakers don’t have a life.  The people who run it do.  And, never is a long time.   There are publicity hounds and there is LaVar.
  5. If you never watch golf you might still have watched the US Open this weekend.  Pebble Beach is one of the greatest looking places on the entire planet.  Period.  If you did watch you heard the Fox Sports broadcast.  Hopefully you turned the sound down and enjoyed the visual majesty.  Joe Buck is fine.  He’s no Jim Nance, friends.  But the rest of the team is somewhere between bad and horrendous.  Paul Azinger is very bad with spelled with a capital VERY.  When Joe Buck was chatting with Pebble Beach homeowner Jim Nance briefly on Saturday Azinger wondered aloud what he was doing on the set with two legends.  We wondered the same.  Also, Zinger needs to find a new barber.  Any one of them will be way better than his current one.
  6. The only one that is worse than Azinger is Curtis Strange.  His facial expressions could be on pharmaceutical commercials for sufferers that need anti depressants or anti constipation medicine.  He said on Saturday about a Brooks Koepka pending approach shot, “this is a hard shot.”  He said no more.  Riveting and ground breaking aren’t words that come to mind with Fox Sports decision to have these two wall flowers on air.  They have the US Open broadcast locked up for 12 years.  It’s never too soon to make changes.  Never.
  7. In the MLB AL West the Astros own a 9.5 game lead over the Rangers.  In the NL West the Dodgers own a 10.5 game lead over the Rockies.  The season isn’t half over.  It’s about 45 percent over, actually.  But, these two division races are over.  It’s not that the teams within the two western divisions are that bad.  It’s that the Astros and the Dodgers are that good.  And, we add, the Astros have played the last three weeks without Altuve, Springer, and Correa.  Wowza.
  8. Don’t sleep on the Twins either.  Their lead is 10 games over the Cleveland Indians.  Their win percentage is .671, best in all of baseball.  Their run differential is 116 runs, best in all of baseball.  Relax Yankees fans.  The Yankees are good as well.  They lead their division by a half of a game over the very pesky Tampa Bay Rays.  Everyone on the Yankees team has spent time on the DL except Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra.  When they get healthy they”ll be tough to beat.
  9. The NFL Houston Texans will no longer pursue New England Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio for their GM position, the team announced Friday.  As a result, the Patriots dropped the tampering charges they filed last week against the Texans for attempting to hire him.  This is according to ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports coverage and anything Lakers or LeBron related.  On Wednesday, sources said the Texans had requested permission to interview Caserio for their GM job, but had not been granted permission.  Owner Robert Kraft still faces charges as well.  He hopes that they will get dropped (like his pants) as well.
  10. Way too much has been made of the ugly American’s Women’s World Cup 13-0 romp over Thailand.  “They should have stopped scoring.”  “They should have passed the ball more.”  “They should have subbed more.”  “They should have called off the dogs.”  It’s the World Cup.  How in the world did Thailand qualify?  Sunday’s three nil (as they say) win over Chile is shutout no. 2 for the ugly Americans.  Will anyone score on them?  Probably.  Maybe.  Maybe not.

Like Kotter, welcome back.

 

Vacation Time

Posted on by boom booms room staff

The entire BBR staff took this week off.  They are enjoying sumptuous meals and great fun in an undisclosed location.  It rhymes with HiltonHead Island if you need a clue.  We’ll be back with more award winning journalistic excellence next week.

 

Till then, hit em straight.

Moving On Up, to the East Side.

Posted on by boom booms room staff

Jeffery Bezos may only be worth half as much as he was a few months back, but yesterday it was revealed that he bought not one, not two, but three high rise condos on Manhattan Island, New York, NY.  As a matter of fact he liked the neighborhood, er, high rise so much that he bought the penthouse, and the space right under the penthouse, and the space right under the space right under the penthouse.  The total space will be worked into a three story condo with a modest 12 bedrooms.  The price was an Amazon Prime bargain at $80 million.   Adjusting to the single life requires a few creature comforts.

As CEO of the largest retailer in the virtual world, capitalism has been comforting to Mr. Bezos.  Though the stock is down a bit from it’s high, it’s valuation had crossed a trillion (with a “T”) dollars recently.

Capitalism has been good to the Sam Walton family as well.  As beneficiaries to Sam’s fortune created by Sam’s Clubs and Walmarts, they live life as large as they wish as well.  They just aren’t too flashy.  Walmart, the largest retailer in the brick and mortar world is valued at a palty $350 billion dollars.

So enter one Bernie Sanders yesterday into this capitalism love fest.  Walmart held its annual shareholders meeting.  Bernie had a few thoughts that he wanted heard.  Walmart said, “We have an open door, let’s hear them.”

In a three minute call to action Bernie stood up and asked that Walmart go from $11/hr as opening hourly pay for its employees up to $15/hr.  He also told the board that “regular” employees should have a seat or three on their board.

“Walmart is the largest private employer in America and is owned by the Walton family, the wealthiest family in the United States,” said Sanders. “And yet, despite the incredible wealth of its owner, Walmart pays many of its employees starvation wages — wages that are so low that many of these employees are forced to rely on government programs like food stamps, Medicaid and public housing in order to survive.”

“Frankly,” Sanders continued, “the American people are sick and tired of subsidizing the greed of some of the largest and most profitable corporations in this country.”

He cited Amazon among others as companies that have raised their entry pay level to $15/hr and continued to do well.  He is right.  Amazon has done quite well.

Walmart rejected Sander’s proposal faster than they do a vendor’s proposed price increase.  After all, shouldn’t market forces be the catalyst for wages?  America is nearing zero unemployment.  If you want more money isn’t it there if you qualify, say at Amazon, or Target or anywhere that the market forces force employers to pay up for help?  Just asking.

Maybe Bernie isn’t so crazy after all.  You see he’s chasing Joe Biden, who told America in his “I’m running for President” coming out speech in Pennsylvania that the middle class is getting left behind in the Trump years.  Joe should check the stats on the Obama/Biden years, but we digress.

So Bernie took a swing for the class a bit lower than middle yesterday.  The TV cameras loved it.  It takes a lot of video to fill 24 hours you know.  Bernie yells louder and longer for the little guy than most anyone else.  And, he doesn’t spray his hair like The Donald.  Therefore, outdoor rallies like he had after his appeal to Walmart seem to have much appeal to cameras near and far as his unkempt coif whirls like a dervish.

Jeffery Bezos, no doubt, was looking down on all of this, happy that he already has his minimums set at $15, and happy with his real estate purchase too.  Soon, but not soon enough, he’ll be looking down from 35 stories up.

These fixer upper remodels take time you know.

 

62 Down, 100 to Go, and 30 Nets to Put Up?

Posted on by boom booms room staff

It’s cool inside of Oracle Arena, home of the Golden State Warriors.  But, it will heat up tonight during the NBA Finals game three v. the Toronto Raptors as one team looks to take control of the one game apiece, tied series.  It’s cold inside of the TD Garden, home of the Boston Bruins.  But, it will heat up tonight during  the NHL Finals game five v. the St Louis Blues as one team looks to take control of the two games apiece, tied series.

Meanwhile, it’s either cool inside of a few indoor MLB stadiums, or hot as Hades outside in many outdoor MLB stadiums as the baseball season heads head long into the dog days of summer.  Most teams are about 62 games deep into a 162 game schedule.  If you sweat a lot, you’re thinking, “cool, just 100 hot ones to go.”

But something has heated up in the last week in baseball stadiums coast to coast, and it isn’t just the weather.  It’s a debate as to whether or not stadiums coast to coast need to add protective netting beyond the current span of 70 or so feet of the first and third base lines as each team is currently mandated to do so by MLB.

What caused this sudden, additional call for fan safety?  It was a screaming line drive foul ball hit just last week in Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros, during their game versus the Chicago Cubs.  The foul ball struck a little girl at the game.  Hard.  The events at last night’s game were extremely upsetting,” MLB said in a statement.

“Events?”  It was one event and we wouldn’t call it an event.  We might call it an unfortunate incident.  We might call it an accident.  Heaven forbid, if she died from the “event” we might call it a tragedy.

The girl, who has not been identified, was hit by a ball off the bat of Cubs center fielder Albert Almora Jr. during Chicago’s game with the Astros.  At Wednesday’s game, Almora Jr. was visibly distraught after he hit the ball foul, falling to his knees at home plate in pure anguish.

“We send our best wishes to the child and family involved,” the MLB statement said.  That sounds so heartfelt, doesn’t it?  You need to say something nice, but legally it stops there.  Speaking of there, it’s plainly written right there, on the back of every single ticket,  that MLB assumes no liability for injuries to fans attending.   It further states that it’s the fans responsibility to stay very alert for balls leaving the field of play.

This “event” got a bit more attention than the normal “event” of a fan getting hit by a foul ball.  It was a cute (can you still say that?) little girl injured, and it was a very sympathetic Almora who broke down emotionally in front of a national TV audience while inquiring about the girl’s well being.

“Clubs have significantly expanded netting and their inventory of protected seats in recent years. With last night’s event in mind, we will continue our efforts on this important issue,” the league said in its statement.  All clubs complied with the above 70 foot mandate by 2018.

So, where do safety needs/nets end?  Where do legal needs end?  And, where does common sense begin?  And, when did we realize that foul balls can hurt (and in rare instances kill) if you don’t somehow protect yourself?  Who knows where all of the answers to these questions connect into one sensible one?  Recency bias aside please.

Smoking went from ok, to designated areas, to arrest for smoking in non designated areas, to no designated areas.  Good idea?  For sure.   Drinking went from as many as you want, to limit of two per customer per transaction, to no alcohol served after the seventh inning.  Good idea?  Mostly.

Nets went from none, to directly behind home plate, to down first and third.  Do you need them around the entire field?  Do you need taller walls around the base of each level of stands to stop people from falling down to the next level?  National sentiment is that the more big brother can help us the better.

In short, where do you stop helping people who should be able to help themselves?  And, ask them to help themselves?

We like a clear view of the game in front of us.  If you cannot protect yourself and your loved ones we suggest that you sit where Bob Uecker used to.  Just be careful not to sit close to the “front row” and fall to the next one.

Uecker could see just fine from way up there.   “Hey, he missed the tag.  He missed the tag.”  Of course there was no net back then.