July's Sports Shorts

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

Although Father's Day was June 18, 2017, there are a couple interesting story lines that are worth mentioning.

Both of these actually originate from Los Angeles, CA.

Let's start with the antics of LaVar Ball, the father of Los Angeles Lakers Guard Lonzo Ball.

Throughout the past several months, LaVar Ball has had a war of words with everybody on the basketball planet in college and in the pros as well as in the media.

Even legendary ESPN Announcer Dick Vitale took a shot at LaVar Ball.

Thanks to the luck of the lottery, Lonzo Ball, formerly of UCLA, did get drafted by his hometown Lakers as the No.2 Pick overall

How well Lonzo plays is anybody's guess.

But it won't be an easy task for Lonzo as Magic Johnson pointed out to him in the Lakers introductory press conference.

Johnson reminded Lonzo, with his father watching, of the Lakers rich championship tradition and also referenced how many numbers have been retired.

He told Lonzo that he expects more championships and to have his number retired one day.

If there is a pressure cooker, then this one is it!

LaVar Ball knows that Johnson and Larry Bird turned around the NBA's downtrodden near bankruptcy situation, which saw it's Finals games on Tape Delay in the late 1970's.

You can rest assure that before Lonzo was drafted, that Magic made it clear to LaVar that his actions and antics won't be tolerated in Lakerland.  Magic is one individual who won't tolerate any distractions.

Magic Johnson belongs on My Mt.Rushmore List of NBA All-Time Great Players.

He saved the league from being dissolved and going broke.

The players of today are getting paid a lot of money because of what Johnson, Bird, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and many others did to grow the game.

When the NBA Draft concluded, you can rest assure that everybody was glad that they were tired of hearing from LaVar Ball.

I realize LaVar did everything in his power to promote his kid's abilities and I commend him for doing that. He's an excellent father.

When the draft was over, LaVar Ball starred on WWE's Monday Night Raw on June 26, 2017.

More power to him.

He has a shoe deal that sells sneakers for $495.00 a piece.

Good Luck LaVar if anybody with any financial sense pays for these shoes.

If you can get that price, more power to you.

I wouldn't spend that kind of money!

But now that LaVar Ball his built his son up to be the next superstar, this will be a huge pressure cooker.

All I'll say is Lonzo will have the biggest Bullseye On His Chest than any prospect that I've seen in years!

Players will be hard fouling him and I'll be curious as to how many calls he gets early in his career.

The pressure is really on Lonzo Ball to not become a bust! I'll say this again, not to become a bust! I've covered the NBA for years and my gut feeling is he'll become a good player, not a great one.

I welcome the kid to prove me wrong because if I am wrong, the Lakers will once again become an elite organization.

If I'm right, and Ball struggles, and LaVar is loud and obnoxious, then Magic will make him disappear into the highest levels of the Staples Center.

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This next Father's Story is an Excellent One.

Former NFL Star Wide Receiver Keyshawn Johnson Sr. recently pulled his son Keyshawn Jr. out of Nebraska because his son was getting involved with Marijuana.

Johnson Sr. didn't want his son to hang around the wrong peer group and brought him back home to LA.

By taking away his son's opportunity to play big-time college football, this sent him a message that Johnson Sr. was protecting his son from himself.

In an ESPN interview, Johnson said his son is at home training hard and hopes to return to Nebraska one day.

Cornhuskers Coach Mike Riley has said that when the time is right that Johnson Jr. will be welcomed back into the program and get another opportunity.

Johnson Sr. has won a Super Bowl and was mentored by Hall of Fame Coach Bill Parcells.

Evidently Johnson Sr. has learned his lessons well.

I've always thought very highly of Johnson Sr. as a player but considering the way he's handled his son, now I've gained an enormous amount of respect.

Johnson Sr's actions should set an excellent example for all father's out there as to how to handle their son's and save them from self destructing.

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Please find me Bobby Bonilla's agent. It's been 16 years since Bonilla last played in the Big Leagues, yet the six-time All-Star is collecting a paycheck.

The New York Mets have been paying the 54-
year old Bonilla just over $1.19 Million Annually on July 1 since 2011. The Mets will continue to do so until 2035 as part of deferring $5.9 Million they owed him for the 2000 season.

Bonilla's agent worked out the deferred payment deal which came with an annual interest rate of 8%.

When it's all said and done, Bonilla will end up making $29.8 Million on the deal/$23.9 Million more than $5.9 Million he was originally set to make.

Best of all, Bonilla lives in Sarasota, FL., where there is No State Income Tax.

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Finally, I'm not losing any sleep that Mike and Mike In The Morning on ESPN2 will be coming to an end later this year.

Mike Greenberg will be getting his own show while Golic will be paired with Trey Wingo on another ESPN Station.

It's a shame that this duo is breaking up after an incredible 18-year run. Their 6-10 am time slot was ideal for my schedule.

I have now decided not to watch the program and have replaced it with Morning Walks. The mornings are cooler on Deerfield Beach.

Over the past three months, I've lost around 44 pounds and am working to lose more weight to get even healthier hoping that the long term outcome ultimately leads to getting rid of diabetes.

I'm currently weighing around 215 and hope to lose another 10-15 pounds by the time My wife and I depart for Hawaii for our Honeymoon, in addition to being at My Niece Brooke Morganroth's wedding to Jake Schifko on August 26, 2017.

I am currently working on other business interests that I will disclose when the time comes.

But I do wish Greenberg and Golic well in their future endeavors and enjoyed watching them through the years.

As they have moved on from their loyal followers, I've moved on from Greenberg and Golic.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at www.scottsports33.com and is a member of The Detroit Sports Media.

Future NHL Markets?

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH
PHOTOS BY CANDICE EBLING

I've been hearing a lot of talk lately about Future Expansion in the NHL.

The most recent rumor has been the Florida Panthers moving to Quebec City, which is in the process of building a new arena hoping for a return to the NHL.

I wouldn't be holding my breath if I lived in Quebec. Especially while Gary Bettman is the commissioner. It had to be tough enough to see the Atlanta Thrashers move to become the new Winnipeg Jets. Bettman lost a Major Southern Market, but this was the second chance for the area, which had the Atlanta Flames, and it simply didn't work.

Bettman persevered in keeping the Arizona Coyotes from moving to Hamilton, Ontario, and into Canada to preserve hockey in the Southwest.

There is no doubt that during the first week of the NHL season that Bettman had to be bothered with the Florida Panthers attendance.

During the opener on October 11, the BB&T Center was 59.3% full as 11,419 showed up and saw the New Jersey Devils defeat Florida 5-1.

The second home game on October 13, saw the stadium 38% full as the Ottawa Senators defeated the Panthers 1-0 in front of 7,311. This crowd made National Headlines for all the wrong reasons as the record low numbers circulated throughout Regular and Social Media.

There is even talk that tarps will be used at the BB&T Center to reduce the capacity, thus making it easier in theory to sellout. The NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars currently do this.

While Detroit is considered Hockey Town, South Florida is not!

The attendance woes are attributed to the new owners desire not to give away free tickets, thus everybody pays and it doesn't devalue the entertainment.

For years, the Panthers have been losing millions of dollars and are currently seeking help from Broward County for Bailout Assistance. Time will tell whether they get help.

Former Red Wing Gerard Gallant is the team's head coach and he's working for a franchise that has only made the playoffs four times since the team was founded in 1993.

The Panthers reached the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals but were swept by the Colorado Avalanche 4-0.

Florida's last playoff appearance was in 2012.

I've seen a lot of arenas throughout the years and the BB&T Center is one of the Most Beautiful!

Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland has always told me that he's impressed with this facility.

I actually live 20-25 minutes away off the Sawgrass Expressway from the BB&T Center in Deerfield Beach.

It would be totally unfortunate if the BB&T Center in Sunrise, FL becomes a White Elephant with no major tenant should the Panthers depart.

When ground was broken in 1996, it costs $185 Million to build. In 2014, the same arena would cost $268 Million.

But if the Panthers fail in South Florida, there would be plenty of cities that would welcome them with open arms.

I'm going to list some and we'll see how it plays out down the road.

1. Seattle would be an ideal place for a team but there is one major problem. There is no arena suitable. The lack of a new stadium saw the former NBA's Supersonics relocate to Oklahoma City. This would be a natural rival for the Vancouver Canucks. Key Arena could only serve as a temporary but by no means is it adequate for long term.

2. Portland, OR., would be another good Pacific Northwest Rival for the Vancouver Canucks and the Rose Garden where the NBA's Trail Blazers seems like a good spot. However, with such a small market, I doubt that "Rip City" could support two major sports especially during the winter season. The Trail Blazers have been the only game in town and set numerous attendance sellout records through the years. This could change if the Oakland Raiders decide to move to Oregon.

3. Kansas City used to be the home of the Scouts (1974-76) and were coached by Red Wings legend Sid Abel. Abel was also a part of the Scout's front office. Former Red Wing Guy Charron was a captain for KC. They played at the old Kemper Arena. Since there is no major winter sport, I could see a Missouri rivalry develop with the St. Louis Blues. The Sprint Center broke ground in 2005 at a cost of $276 Million ($314 in 2014) and the capacity for hockey is 17,544. It opened in 2007.

4. Salt Lake City, Utah., is the home of the NBA's Utah Jazz, but again the major question remains, can the area support two winter teams? I have my doubts here as well, though a good rivalry could develop with the Colorado Avalanche.

5. Oklahoma City, OK., got a gift from the NBA when Hurricane Katrina sent the New Orleans Hornets to the area, and the strong fan support ultimately secured the area as a future spot for relocation. The Supersonics moved there and have flourished. However, I wouldn't predict an NHL team moving here because once again, two major sports in a small market would be tough. The NBA's Thunder being the only game in town has given it a stranglehold on the Sports Entertainment Dollar in the Central Midwest. If an NHL team was based here, the Dallas Stars would be the only natural rival. It would be weird to see a Red River Rivalry On The Ice, a far cry from the gridiron featuring the Oklahoma Sooners VS Texas Longhorns.

6. Milwaukee, WI., is an intriguing market and there are plans underway to get a new stadium built in an effort to keep the Bucks from leaving town. For years, the Milwaukee Admirals have been a top minor league team for the NHL. Chicago is 90 minutes away so there is a natural rival for the Blackhawks. This is a very realistic possibility, however, it's a minimum of five years away. The Wisconsin Badgers have always been an elite College Hockey Team. The Badgers have made 24 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, have reached the Frozen Four 12 times with Six National Titles. This is fourth best in College Hockey History with the last National Title in 2006. Another rival for the Milwaukee franchise would be the Minnesota Wild.

7. Louisville, KY., used to have the ABA's Kentucky Colonels from 1967-1976 and the team won a championship in 1975. This area built a 20,000 seat start of the art arena for the Louisville Cardinals basketball team called the KFC Yum! Center. It's also the home of the Kentucky Derby. Lexington's Rupp Arena is also a possibility since it's in close proximity to Cincinnati, Ohio. The NHL would be the only game in town in either area. If a team was based in Louisville, it would be a financial boon to see the Kentucky Derby and NHL Playoffs going on at the same time. Although, I've seen the Indianapolis 500 and NBA Playoffs make the area a Memorial Day Sports Capital. Who can forget the Louisville is the hometown of boxing legend Muhammad Ali?

8. Cleveland used to be the home of the NHL's Barons and I'm sure Dan Gilbert would like to get a team in the Quicken Loans Arena. But I don't see this happening because the Columbus Blue Jackets seem to be Ohio's Hockey team, let alone the only major game in town.

9. Hamilton and Quebec City seem to be the next Canadian teams. The reason I'm putting these cities together is it would either be one or the other. Hamilton was once linked to the Phoenix Coyotes, but Bettman blocked those possibilities. A Hamilton franchise would have been a good rival to the Toronto Maple Leafs., but would bring no value to American Television. Quebec lost the Nordiques to Denver and while it lost a rival with Montreal, this opened up the Mountain Time Zone Region. It gave Denver a second chance to replace the former Colorado Rockies franchise. The Avalanche have won two Stanley Cup Championships.

Bettman knows that expanding into Canada does very little to build the USA TV Contracts. I don't see Toronto getting a second NHL team because there are too many other options, though this has been talked about. Canada was fortunate enough to land a team when the Ottawa Senators began play in 1992-93 after a 54-year hiatus.

10. Las Vegas, NV., is by far and away the Odds On Favor to land a team. There have been preliminary meetings with local ownership groups and ground has been broken for a New Stadium on The Strip near MGM which would have no shortage booking events. Las Vegas will easily book concerts, fights and many other events. It's just a matter of time about What Sport Wants to Take The Plunge into the Biggest Gambling Market in the World. A Las Vegas team would have natural rivalries with the Arizona Coyotes, LA Kings, Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks. The league already holds it's Award Banquet in Las Vegas. This isn't a matter of if, but when this happens. Bettman and company are currently Kicking The Tires for now, but it won't be long before they're setting up shop. An NHL team would be the only game in town. If I had to wager on the NBA or NHL, then hockey gets My Bet.

So indeed there are no shortages of a future home for the Florida Panthers.

But Bettman is determined to keep hockey alive in South Florida, as he fought extremely hard to save it in Phoenix.

Having been a long time resident of South Florida, all the Panthers need to do is cash in on their NHL Draft Choices then sign them to long term deals as they become impact players. This will enable them to create a fan base that can identify with players in the community.

This is can be a good hockey market, but there has to be a product worth watching and paying for. There are many ways to be entertained in South Florida with the Beaches, Casinos, Golf, plus there are Four Major Sports, etc...

But there is potential for success and an Excellent Hockey Arena to play in.

There is no doubt in My Mind that the NHL will Expand Again.

My top four choices would be in the Western Conference. Las Vegas, Seattle, Kansas City and Milwaukee would be the Front Runners.

The NHL wants to have an even amount of teams in each conference and the Western Conference is two short.

I look forward to your feedback.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at www.scottsports33.com.

Great Lakes F-Ball Massacres

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

When my best friend Gus Pantelides won the Tom Selleck look-a-like contest several years ago at the Clearwater Mall after receiving a rousing applause, I told him he it was a no-brainer that he emerged as the clear cut winner. His response was the old Yogi Berra saying, "It's not over until it's over." As it turned out, Pantelides did win the contest handily and the Selleck contest was over early.

But I'm sure that Pantelides was sick to his stomach on New Years Day as the Alabama Crimson Tide thrashed his Michigan State Spartans 49-7 in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando.

Unfortunately, this contest was over quickly as former Spartans Coach Nick Saban's Alabama team cruised to a 28-0 first half lead and never looked back. Alabama scored five touchdowns on its first five possessions of the game and set the Capital One Bowl mark for largest victory.

But Pantelides can at least be thankful that his Spartans did have an excellent 11-2 mark even if the last game's result will sting MSU for awhile.

Regardless, Pantelides had to wish the Spartans early ending, resembled his win at the Clearwater Mall. However, that wasn't meant to be.

But knowing Gus, he just spent the rest of the day with his beautiful family and would scoreboard watch to see how his rival the Michigan Wolverines were doing.

Pantelides has never been shy about his dislike for the Wolverines but it looked like the Mississippi State Bulldogs weren't phased by being on the same field with the winningest program in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

The Bulldogs blasted the Wolverines 52-14 in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida. Michigan set a school bowl record by allowing 52 points in what appears to be Coach Rich Rodriguez' final game. It's inevitable there is going to be a major shakeup at Michigan. Even if Rodriguez is retained, his Defensive Coordinator Greg Robinson will be terminated.

But now the question is, who will lead U-M?

The natural choice is former U-M quarterback Jim Harbaugh, who has led the #4 Stanford Cardinal (11-1) to the Orange Bowl. But Harbaugh has shown a desire to stay at Stanford and who knows, there is talk that the San Francisco 49'ers might be interested in him.

The wild card candidate is San Diego State Coach Brady Hoke, who guided the Aztecs to their first bowl win since 1969, a triumph over Boston University in the Pasadena Bowl.

In two seasons with the Aztecs, Hoke is 13-12 but his team's impressive 35-14 win over Navy on December 23, 2010, in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, sealed a 9-4 season.

The last time San Diego State appeared in a bowl was in the 1998 Las Vegas Bowl, a loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Where did Michigan go wrong with the hiring of Rodriguez? I only have one explanation for this. They didn't hire a "Michigan Man" that understands Wolverines football. He wasn't a good fit.

Harbaugh played there and Hoke was the defensive lines coach for Lloyd Carr from 1995-2002.

There was talk during the Aztec's win over Navy that Hoke would be a good fit and take this job if it were offered. We'll know soon enough.

But even if Rodriguez does get fired, I have a feeling he won't be unemployed long.

Despite his 15-22 record with Michigan, he was 60-26 with West Virginia. He led West Virginia to six bowl games and won two.

The Pittsburgh Panthers fired their new football coach Mike Haywood, 2 1/2 weeks after being hired, when he was charged with felony domestic battery in the presence of a minor.

Why would Rodriguez be a good fit for the Panthers? The Big East knows him real well with his body of work with West Virginia and I'm sure the Mountaineers would be sick if he returns to their conference.

Besides, if Rodriguez lands another job quickly, it wouldn't surprise me if he makes an attempt to take his quarterback Denard Robinson with him. The signal caller from Deerfield Beach, Florida, is the first quarterback in NCAA History to rush and pass for over 1,500 yards in the same season.

It will be interesting to see how all of this plays out.

But for those Rodriguez critics, they'll have a field day when the #6 Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1) face the #8 Arkansas Razorbacks in the Sugar Bowl Tuesday Night.

Arkansas Quarterback Ryan Mallett transferred because his drop back pocket-quarterback skills weren't a good fit for the spread offense that Rodriquez was bringing to Ann Arbor.

Mallett finished seventh in voting for the 2010 Heisman Trophy and has guided Arkansas to a 10-2 record.

Have to wonder how Wolverines fans will feel if Mallett does have better results against a Buckeyes team that whipped U-M 37-7 at Ohio Stadium on November 27, 2010.

Let the intrigue begin at 8:30 PM on Tuesday Night on ESPN. Hopefully, this game will be competitive unlike the Spartans and Wolverines New Years Day Massacres where these games were over before lunch.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at scottsports33@aol.com and his blog can be seen at www.scottsports33.com.