BEVERLY HILLS (MI) -- Friday night marks the NBA debut of Obi Toppin with the New York Knicks, when they face off in an exhibition game against the Detroit Pistons at the Little Caesars Arena here in downtown Motown. If this were any other year, my request for media credentials would have been in the email inbox of Cletus Lewis, Senior Director of Public Relations for the Pistons the moment the schedule was made public. But this ain’t any other year and so
“FTS” will have to settle for watching Obi One hoop on Fox Sports Detroit.
In seasons past,
“FTS” has been fortunate to catch several former Flyers when they visited Detroit:
Chris Wright: http://www.udpride.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20017
Brian Roberts: http://www.udpride.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22676
Johnny Davis: http://www.udpride.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24164
Former Celtics’ Beat Writer Steve Bulpett: http://www.udpride.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33401
And even Jordan Siebert when he played for the Erie Baywolves: http://www.udpride.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28382
No such luck this time around, kids.
In preparation for his inaugural tilt, Obi has been puttin’ in some work:
https://twitter.com/nyknicks/status/1336366422793089024
Before the NBA Draft took place, Obi was the Knicks’ “pipe dream”:
https://nypost.com/2020/11/11/obi-to...20-pipe-dream/
A lot of negative crap has been written and especially spoken about the Knicks using their #8 pick to select Obi (I’m looking at you Stephen A. Smith), but this guy gets it -- ”Stop complaining about Obi Toppin. Enough Already”:
https://www.postingandtoasting.com/2...out-obi-toppin
Toppin is making defense a priority from day one:
https://nypost.com/2020/12/06/knicks...rom-the-start/
As always, Obi One is saying all the right things in his availabilities with the New York media:
https://radiofacts.com/obi-toppin-20...w-nba-on-espn/
https://www.nba.com/knicks/video/202...y-1-obi-toppin
Go get ‘em, Obi...make us all even more proud!
Elsewhere in hoops:
-- In this brief video from Jablo, you can see the Flyer coaches working with UD’s bigs on up and under moves:
https://twitter.com/DavidPJablonski/...08632581283840
Here is some film for them to study from the ‘Jedi Master of the Up and Under’ Kevin McHale:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC3L...ature=youtu.be
-- Endless college basketball schedule changes keep ESPN programmers on their toes:
https://www.inquirer.com/college-spo...-20201202.html
Not to mention coaches, ADs, fans and parents.
-- This is a story about Chris Williams, the guy who organized the Holiday Hoopsgiving event at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, in which UD will face Mississippi State on Saturday at Noon:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamzag...h=2c02617f4c75
-- UD could be the model for in-person learning in COVID-19 world:
https://www.newsweek.com/ohios-large...-world-1552428
-- So how many of you used to do this during the winter when you were a kid? (Raises hand):
https://twitter.com/RexChapman/statu...49290983108611
Heck, I even borrowed my brother’s track spikes once to try and hoop when the court was ice covered. Bad idea.
-- Maybe the G League route isn’t the way to go for college hoop prospects:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamzag...h=619c2491f490
-- Take this quiz to see if you are officially old:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/how-...f=bftwbuzzfeed
Does the fact that I went 35/35 mean anything?
That’s it “From the Swamp”
You can email me at:
swampy@udpride.com
