It's a wrap

Last weekend, we saw the conclusion of a terrific high school athletic career in St. Louis.
Bryant Allen finished off his prep career in high style by helping lead Maplewood-Richmond Heights to the Class 2 state track and field championship.
Many of you know Allen for his prowess on the basketball court and football field. In basketball, he scored more than 2,600 points and led the Blue Devils to Class 3 state championships in 2008 and 2009. His step-back jumpers, long, high-arching 3-pointers and daring drives were a thing of beauty.
On the football field, Allen was just as explosive in leading Maplewood to a 25-2 record in the past two seasons and two consecutive berths in the semifinals in the state playoffs.
Allen finished off his career by winning four gold medals at the state track meet, including two state records. He won the 300-meter intermediate hurdles for the second time in his career. He set a new Class 2 state record in Friday's prelims, then came back to break his own record in winning the finals on Saturday.
He ran legs on the Blue Devils' state-champion 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400-meter relay teams. In his final run as a high school athlete, Allen chased down an opposing runner in the anchor leg of the 4x400 to bring the baton home for a state title.
Allen will take his talents to the University of Minnesota where he will play football and basketball.
Here's a salute to Bryant Allen. Not only for his great individual success, but putting small Maplewood-Richmond Heights on the statewide map in athletics at every level.
Job well done, young man.

Good help is hard to find

Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are finding out the hard way that it is very hard to win an NBA championship all by yourself.
These two superstars have put up some incredible numbers during the playoffs, but their teams are entrenched in major struggles to get out of the conference finals, thanks to the Denver Nuggets and Orlando Magic.
LeBron is putting up nearly 40 a night against Orlando, the but Magic have enjoyed a big advantage because of their multitude of offensive weapons. Denver has a number of offensive answers as well to answer Kobe's onslaught.
If the NBA execs are going to get their ultimate wish, which is a Kobe vs. LeBron final, it all depends on the supporting cast of players around them. LeBron is getting very little help from his backcourt mates Mo Williams and Delonte West, who have both struggled with their shooting.
The same thing can be said about Kobe's teammates, which have had trouble finding consistency. Pao Gasol has the ability to be a dominant player, but he isn't getting the ball enough.
Yes, good help is hard to find.
Which brings me to the real subject of this blog; which is the man pictured with this blog; Scottie Pippen.
Scottie Pippen was a great player with the Chicago Bulls. One of the all-time most versatile players in NBA history. However, 'Pip never gets his just due as a great player because of the presence of his Airness in Chi-Town.
With Pip running shotgut with MJ, the Bulls were the dynasty of the 90's with their six world titles. Still, Pippen could get very little love. There were always legions of Scottie Pippen haters out there.
You've heard it all. He's just a Robin. He's a sidekick. He's not that good. blah, blah, blah. So stupid was it all.
You think Kobe or LeBron would not kill for having a Scottie Pippen as their second option right about now.
For those uneducated souls out there. Here are a few numbers. During the Bulls six championship years, Pippen played a total of 112 games.
In those 112 games, Pippen averaged 19.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.1 steals. All of this while playing point guard and playing All-Pro shut-down defense. Folks, that's why he was voted one of the NBA's All-Time Top 50 Players.
As you continue to watch Mo Williams struggle with his shot, Lamar Odom settle for jump shots and Pao Gasol not get his touches, think about what Scottie Pippen did during the 90's during the Bulls dynasty.
Not bad for just a "sidekick."

You think Cavs fans would love to have someone like Pippen and his long 6'8" wingspan guarding 6'10" Rashad Lewis or 6'10" Hedo Turkuglou during those big possessions instead of Ben Wallace.

You know Phil Jackson would give his right arm for a player like Pip to set his defense, facilitate the offense so Kobe can be Kobe and generally be the second best player on the floor at all times.

As great as Michael Jordan was, probably the greatest of all time. Six championships aren't won by one's own self. You need some help.
I think Kobe and LeBron would agree.

Sodie's Back

Lindenwood University, my collegiate alma mater, has just tabbed Brad Soderberg as its new men's basketball coach.
That is quite a get for the NAIA college program. Soderberg was the head coach at Saint Louis University for six seasons before his departure after the 2007 season. He was also the interim coach at the University of Wisconsin for part of one season after his mentor Dick Bennett resigned.
Brad is merely returning to his basketball roots. He was a basketball standout at Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where he was a backcourt mate with former NBA standout Terry Porter on a team that played for the NAIA championship in 1984.
Brad also lived in St. Charles during his stint as the Billikens coach, so he and his family are now back in the community that he enjoys.
Congrats and welcome back, Sodie.

Baby Bills

I'm already looking forward to my 19th season as the radio color analyst for the Saint Louis University basketball team.
It will be interesting because of all of the young kids on the roster. Today, the "Billikids" added a new recruit in 6'0" combo guard Justin Jordan from Fort Wayne, Ind.
Jordan is a quick little guard who can score in bunches. He averaged 27 points a game as a senior in 2009. He will give our Bills another quick guard to go along with stellar freshman point guard Kwamain Mitchell.
With Jordan in the fold, SLU's new recruiting class is now at six. He joins 6'8" Cody Ellis, 6'5 Jeff Reid, 6'4" Christian Salecich, 6'7" Jon Smith, and 6'8" Cory Remekun in the Class of 2009. And remember, former McCluer North standout guard Femi John willl be a redshirt freshman next year, so that makes seven newbies.
They will join the "veterans" in junior guard Paul Eckerle and sophomores Mitchell, Kyle Cassity, Willie Reed, Brett Thompson and Brian Conklin.
The running count is now seven freshmen, five sophomores and one single, solitary, lonely junior.
It should make for some interesting times in 2010. It also should make for some good times as well because this nucleus will be basically together for the next three years to grow as a unit. That is exciting.
Can't wait to lace 'em up.

A shoutout to Unc

LeBron James has been tabbed as the Most Valuable Player of the National Basketball Association after a stellar season in which he led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the league's best record.
LeBron gets the award at the tender age of 24, thus becoming the second youngest player ever to win the MVP award.
Does anyone know who the youngest player ever to win the MVP award was?
You probably have to be a true basketball junkie to know that it was Wes Unseld, the Hall of Fame center of the Baltimore/Washington Bullets. Wes won the award in 1969 when he pulled the rare feat of being named the MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season.
Only Wilt Chamberlain pulled that feat before and nobody has done it since.
I still think it's pretty cool. You know why? Because Wes happens to be my uncle.
Although he isn't mentioned as often as other former greats such as Oscar Robertson, Wilt, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and others, Wes' name manages to come back in the mainstream from time to time.
Years ago when rapper P. Diddy wore Wes' Washington Bullets' #41 jersey on television, the sales for his jersey went through the roof.
Whenever a young player throws a great outlet pass to lead the fast break, the television announcer for that particular game always brings up Wes' name. "That looked like a Wes Unseld outlet pass."
Now, thanks to King James, Wes' name will be back in the mainstream for a few days.