The D'Angelo Russell saga in LA has been all over the sporting press the last few days. In case you haven't heard, the Lakers rookie recorded team-mate Nick Young discussing some of his carnal conquests and the recording leaked onto the internet. Young, who is engaged to singer Iggy Azalea, was not pleased. And many other athletes and pundits have weighed in as well, saying what is said and done in the locker room must stay inviolate. Stephen Jackson (he of Malice at the Palace fame) even brought out the old street saying “Snitches get Stitches”. It was big news back in the 60's when major league pitchers Jim Brosnan and later Jim Bouton kept secret diaries of a year in their careers and published books that pulled no punches. Bouton was black-balled for years after “Ball Four” came out for it's unflinching take on some of the stars of the day. Even though “Ball Four” is one of my favorite sports books of all-time I would tend to agree that for at the very least, the interests of team harmony, what is said in the locker room should be kept in house. I would also suggest that players may be more circumspect on what they brag about. We have come to believe the worst about alot of professional athletes for good reason. Young men with large amounts of spendable cash seem to spread alot of it around in questionable places. D'Angelo Russell has made his apology and seems to be contrite. But I would imagine it will take a long time for teammates to trust him again.
For the first time since 1970, there will be no Canadian teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs. All seven of the teams from the Great White North have been eliminated from playoff possibilities. It's only happened one other time in history.
UWSP mens hockey coach Chris Brooks was named D-3 Coach Of The Year after leading the Pointers to the NCAA Title.
Songs Of The Day (from my I-pod)
