DFW Sports MIX

I was at the 2005 Global Games recently. I chatted with Mavericks color analyst Bob Ortegel, and we both agreed that basketball is a 12 month job now more than ever. Sure the San Antoino Spurs won the NBA title back in June. But after the taste of the champagnge has worn off, we were picking players in the NBA draft. Then, coach Avery Johnson is on the west coast with the Mavs summer league team for two months as he gets his system down for next season. And plenty of free agents are taking advantage of the summer games. There were plenty of NBA scouts checking out the action at the Global Games, which has become a great event to showcase talent. A player like Oklahoma’s Taj Gray, or a J.J. Reddick from Duke can catch a scouts eye, and maybe on the radar screen for a NBA opportunity. With the basketball being more global, the is more of a talent pool of players to look at. With the NBA summer league, the Global Games, and the NBA Developmental League, with a franchise in Ft. Worth, more opportunities for a player with NBA aspirations to break through.

Here’s one that suprised me, and to everyone who has seen him play. Rafael Palmero is suppended by Major League Baseball for steriod use. It was not that long ago that the former Ranger player was a part of a panel of baseball players addressing congress and denying their use of steriods. Palmerio recently hit his 500 career home run, joining the group who has hit 500 home runs and 3000 hits in a major league career. Baseball has stepped up their crackdown on steriod and other illegal drugs that can inhance a player’s performance. Like I said, this one suprised me.