Former Oklahoma State player and NBA draft prospect, James Anderson

On the eve of the eve of the NBA draft, many Oklahoma State orange-tinged eyes will be eagerly watching and waiting to see the fate of one of their beloved sons, 6’6″, 210 lb. guard James Anderson. The jury is still out on how high he might rise or if there might be a last-minute dive down the draft board when names start getting called on Thursday, but no one can dispute the 2010 Big 12 Player of the Year’s collegiate dominance.

A look at the numbers

For those of us who watched Anderson’s college progression, the improvement of not only his heightened general abilities but the numbers he was able to post make him one of the more impressive shooters and scorers in the 2010 draft class.

His game averages from 2007-08 to 2009-10 increased by quite a large margin. Minutes from 30.9 as a freshman to 34.1 as a junior – not that large a leap. But points from 13.3 to 22.3 points per game. His percentages were best in his sophomore season, with 48.2 percent from the field, 40.8 percent from three and 82.9 percent from the stripe. Not that his junior season stats were anything to sneeze at – 45.7, 34.1 and 80.1 percent, respectively.

As for his other attributes on the court, his rebounds increased from 3.7 to 5.8 and assists from 1.1 to 2.4 per game over his three-year career as a Cowboy. Anderson grew into quite a defensive rebounding presence, grabbing 128 defensive and 64 offensive boards in his 33 games last season. He had 80 assists to 78 turnovers in his junior campaign, chipping in 46 steals and 20 blocks as well.

Though there have been some doubts about how Anderson’s game will translate in the league, many are still standing behind the impressive growth and skill set that was demonstrated in his three years at OSU. One man who knows first hand the special and unique qualities Anderson possesses is Cowboy head coach Travis Ford. When I caught up to him in the Dallas airport and chatted about Anderson and his chances for success in the NBA, the pride and excitement was evident in Ford’s voice.

Thoughts from Travis Ford

On Anderson’s positive attributes – You know, right now – a lot of positive things being said about him. People like his size and being able to shoot the ball the way he can shoot it with the range he can shoot it. So I think every team is always looking for someone to be able to do that. Then how much he’s improved over the past couple years on putting the ball on the floor and his versatility. Being Big 12 player of the year with so much talent in our league I think has really put him on the map pretty bit at this point.

On whether his cooling off at the end of the year is a detriment to his draft stock – No I don’t [think it will hurt Anderson]. I think they look at the course of work over his three years at Oklahoma State. I’ve talked to a lot of NBA teams at this point and they all realize that every year he’s gotten better which is a great sign. I still think his best days are ahead of him. He’s by no stretch reached his potential yet, he’s going to continue to get better. He’d be the first to tell you he didn’t play as well as he’s capable of but those are just a couple of games. Again, he was Big 12 Player of the Year in probably without question the league that had the most individual talent in the country – it wasn’t even really probably close. I think they course of work that he put in throughout the season will speak for itself.

Ford’s feelings on coaching Anderson – I feel great. It’s been a lot of fun to coach James but it’s great because there’s no player probably I’ve ever coached that deserves it more than James. He’s an incredible person, he’s done every single thing we’ve ever asked out of him, he’s ‘no sir’, ‘yes sir’. He come from a very humble background – a very humble person so it’s exciting to see him have this opportunity. It’s a lot of fun because he deserves it.

For me a day to appreciate not only the dad that raised me, but also his indelible influence on not only my personality, character and morality but also my passion for sports.

So when I began to think about what I could ‘give’ my dad on this Hallmark holiday, I came up with but one thing on my limited budget. Written word to express my love and thankfulness to someone who’s basically become my best friend as I’ve grown into adulthood. Well that, and a home-cooked meal complete with a two layer cake from someone who was just hoping the food wouldn’t kill anyone.

When I was a tyke, some of my earliest memories and photographic proof of my existence revolve around a softball diamond, a volleyball gym, a football field. Memories of getting a centipede stuck to my foot (ew!) and having to get it peeled off at the ballpark, getting spiked in the head by the biggest, scariest spiker ever (at least to my young and short self) – Scott, and making road trips to cheer for my uncle’s football teams while bundled up in the stands drinking hot cocoa beside my dad are some of the first to invade my thoughts when I think of my pops.

Other days of watching the Tiny E 3-on-3 basketball team practice, taking my dad to his first game in Fenway Park and his first Oklahoma City Thunder game, being the substitute catcher on the co-ed softball team and sharing my last birthday watching the Tulsa Golden Hurricane take on Boise State in the rain also come to mind as well as snapshots from hundreds and hundreds of other days.

As I was watching the U.S. Open and waiting for the cake to bake yesterday, I reflected on just how special my dad is to me and just how many things that he – and our shared sports experiences – have shaped my life.

So here’s just a brief glimpse of a few of the life lessons I’ve learned through him about life as it relates to sports.

Teamwork – In all aspects of life, there is always some time or some experience (no matter how independent and self-reliant that I believe myself to be) that will require my participation or need to part of a team. This might be in business or sport, personal relationships or professional, but watching teams like this year’s Thunder squad or the 2004 Boston Red Sox show that being a team, a solid unit, can sometimes far outweigh the impact that playing as an individual can have.

Sometimes that ‘team’ is just being an active member in a friendship. When I moved to Boston alone, I had many days that I felt completely detached from everything and everyone I knew. But when I could flip on the television and watch the Oklahoma State football team beat Nebraska or lose a close one to Oklahoma, I knew I could pick up the phone, call my father and get the play-by-play, be able to feel and experience the game from the ones who were there or were watching along with me halfway across the country. Do I pretend that I’m always a team player – hell no. But do I know it’s importance as I try to remember that I can’t always to everything on my own for the rest of my days – you better believe it.

Resiliency in defeat – I’ll admit it, I’m a terrible golfer. But knowing my weaknesses and sharing them with my golf-buddy father show me how to keep going, keep trying to improve. Us Lantz’ don’t do so well with poor performances, but to see my dad do the “Tin Cup” – hit it in the water or the weeds, curse at himself, and then go salvage a good score – those are things I try to emulate. Sometimes it works (or doesn’t) for the both of us, but the point is you can still hold your head up when you or life has handed you a defeat. And quitting is just not an option, which leads me to….

Winning really isn’t everything (or maybe it is) – Losing the argument, the game of Monopoly or watching my team lose to their rivals lead to a pouty face from yours truly. But big picture, winning the game is not the end result that is a measuring stick for success. What is, you ask? Winning the series, the battle, life. You can ‘lose’ but that doesn’t make you a loser. There’s always a winner and a loser in sport and life, but there’s always another game to play another day to succeed. And while there are times that I don’t want to see or hear that – at all – it’s a truth that my dad has shown me throughout my life.

Playing your hardest sometimes pays off – It might pay off with a trophy for winning the league championship, a coach of the year award like I saw my uncle earn, a trip to a bowl game, a promotion at work or maybe even only a “job well done” comment. But no matter what the reward may be, the reward is there if you look for it. As I write this, I am preparing diligently to embark on a new adventure in my professional life. I’ll be working for Oklahoma City University in their sports information department – basically a dream come to life. And I owe a lot of this new transition to the encouragement of my father, who’s read my ramblings and argued with my assertions but always told me to keep going.

There’s so much more he – and sports – have taught me about myself and the world around me and I could write and write and write about examples of how the mixing of sports and my father continue to mold me even as an adult, but I won’t – at least not today.

Today – and every day – I just want my dad to know how much he’s appreciated, loved, admired and respected by his only daughter.

The game analysis seems simple – Minnesota was 12 of 19 from three-point range against what appeared by all to be a lax defensive effort by the Shock, forced or sometimes just watched Tulsa commit 21 turnovers and outscored the home team in every quarter of the game, including that dogged third quarter meltdown for the Shock was yet again seen on the court.

Candace Wiggins and Seimone Augustus are both fully recuperated from the injuries that allowed Tulsa to take two of the first three meetings in this five game season series and both played impressively and were joined by Rebekkah Brunson and Lindsay Whalen as double-digit scorers.

Richardson even said of the returning pair, “They got Wiggins back, they got major players back, they’ve got Seimone, major players. I mean big time players. They were out when we played them and the people that were playing a lot for them are now sitting on the bench. That just goes to show you that they were good without them, but now they’re real good with them.”

So although the stat sheet has all signs pointing downward for the Shock, especially considering not only the recent string of defeats, but also the margin in which they’ve lost lately (25, 12, 32, 11, 14), all is not lost. The optimism of those new to Tulsa and those who helped unveil the logo give a feeling of camaraderie and team, heart and character, growth and rebuilding, all reaching toward the common goal of winning. But not just winning, enjoying the ride as it comes. And for Coach Richardson that ride now has the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel after the latest roster changes.

To read more on Swish Appeal, please click here.

Shock head coach Nolan Richardson is not one to shy away from giving his honest opinion and did just that after a May 20th home loss to San Antonio. And now - as hindsight is 20/20 as we all know – his post game thoughts sound almost like a tip of the hand for the coach and general manager of the Shock.

“In my case I have to still wonder if I’ve still got the best kind of players to fit this team,” said Richardson. ”I don’t know anybody. I have not coached not one single person on the floor ever before so when you’ve got that – you’ve got a new coach, you’ve got a new team, you’ve got a new system, everything’s new and it takes time to put new things together.”

The new things being put together will no longer include the local draw of the former Sooner and here are my thoughts on this latest Tulsa Shock roster change.

Praying Hands statue on the campus of Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Tonight is Faith and Family night for the Tulsa Shock. At first I was dismayed by this pairing up of WNBA basketball and a Christian concert. But when I looked at the demographics of Tulsa, how can you not couple faith and family with religion in Oklahoma?

There are pre-game prayers, post-game FCA huddles, church groups singing the national anthem and “God Bless America” being blasted at baseball games. So having a Christian university (Oklahoma Wesleyan) sponsor a Christian concert after a game sounds like a very sound marketing plan in the Bible Belt. Tonight in Tulsa, we’ll see just how solid a plan this union of faith and basketball might be.

To read more of my thoughts on this issue as seen on Swish Appeal, please click here.

But above all else, she points to veteran support as something to hold on to in her transition to professional basketball. 

And when you begin to study the Indiana roster, it’s clear she means by veteran. Not just first or second year players, but some players with eight and nine years under their belt. And some even more. In a cursory scan, you find four women born in the 1970s, quite a reach from the youngsters such as Morris born in the late eighties. 

For Morris, this older and wiser influence on her game has already made an indelible mark.  

To see how the vets are influencing her game and her thoughts on the game please read the full story on Swish!

The 79-74 game was a hard-played, hard-faught, down to the final seconds battle to get Tulsa their first win in their new digs at the BOK Center.

“When you have a team like we have – a young bunch – eventually there’s gonna be some winning take place,” head coach Nolan Richardson said of the new achievement. “They’ve played too many teams so close . . . but tonight we were able to finish.”

One of the most impressive things about the finish for the Shock is the fact that the bench outscored the starting five by a tally of 43-36. Great, right? That impressive statistic shines just a bit brighter when you realize that the bench was shorthanded due to the recent trade of Shavonte Zellous for a 2011 2^nd round draft pick. And that same statistic of bench scoring begins to outright sparkle as you see the points were from just three women – Amber Holt, Natasha Lacy and Plenette Pierson.

To read more from these role players and their coach from after the win, click here.

The American Collegiate Rowing Association National Championships have come and gone for 2010 in Oklahoma City. The event was capped Sunday, complete with a delay on the final day due to excessive wind.

When racing resumed with a shortened schedule, the Michigan Men’s Varsity 8, Junior Varsity 8 and Novice 8 swept the top spot in their respective races. But other schools had a chance to shine with Grand Valley State (Mich.), Georgia Tech, Wichita State, Kansas and Sonoma State (Calif.) posting wins.
Gregg Hartsuff, Michigan head coach and ARCA president, said he has high hopes for an event that has grown from 687 rowers to 1,150 since the regatta was last held in Oklahoma City in 2008.

“I hope in two years that we have 2,000 athletes here and 75 programs,” Hartsuff said. “It’s grown each year the last three years due in part to the generosity of Oklahoma City in helping us get off the ground.”

This movement to create a thriving rowing community in Oklahoma City goes beyond last weekend’s ACRA races. The evidence is in the construction of new boathouses along the Oklahoma River and the elite-level athletes training at Oklahoma City’s High Performance Rowing Center.

John Parker, the head coach and director of the program, has a goal to make this location the “best training center in the world . . . something other people will model.”

The program is well on its way. State-of-the art technology, such as the only dynamic propulsion tank in the world in which to train, will be located at the Devon Boathouse. The Devon Boathouse is scheduled to open this fall.

One of Parker’s athletes has made the move to Oklahoma City from Cleveland. As Aaron Marcovy trains for a national selection regatta this summer, he has an eye on making the Olympics.

The plans for rowing in Oklahoma City do not stop with the collegiate level and beyond.

Mike Knopp, the head coach of the Oklahoma City University men’s rowing team and executive director of Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation, is focusing on making rowing accessible for the community.

Knopp and the Foundation are working with community high schools to bring rowing to the urban areas of Oklahoma City in a fun and accessible way. Beyond rowing, the organization is “creating a vibrant waterfront” and hoping to prove that “great cities have great waterways”.

“I think the Boathouse Foundation has done a tremendous job in making the accessibility of the sport far greater than I could have imagined,” Marcovy said of his new home. “Virtually anyone of any physical ability could come down here, learn how to row, learn to kayak, learn to bike, get out on a paddleboat, really enjoy a piece of their community.”

Also seen at: http://www.newsok.com/article/3463383

OCU Women's Varsity 4 - photo courtesy of Jeremy Stevens

Rowers from coast to coast descended on Oklahoma City on Saturday for the American Collegiate Rowing Association National Championship regatta on the Oklahoma River.

A team that is closer to home — in both college affiliation and hometown — is the Oklahoma City University women’s four. The boat has a pair of rowers from the Pacific Northwest in Katie Sondag and Megan Duffy. The other three are from the Oklahoma City area — recent graduate Hydi Gibson, walk-on Dinah Harjo and coxwain Brianna Hurley.

Though their paths to the sport and the state are different, the group shares a common passion for this niche sport in a land-locked state that is growing into a rowing oasis.

Harjo came to OCU for academics and was recruited as a walk-on rower, a standard practice in collegiate rowing.  ”It’s something unique to rowing that you can go to college and be part of a varsity sport and still never have competed in that sport as a youngster,” OCU coach Melanie Borger said. “When you find someone who’s athletic, who’s competitive, it’s just the process of teaching them how to row and then they turn into a phenomenal rower like Dinah.”For rowers Sondag and Duffy, the decision to come to Oklahoma was driven by the OCU rowing program.

Sondag, who “never would have come to Oklahoma or even thought about it” if it weren’t for rowing, has changed her tune about her new home and plans to stay after she completes her college education.  Gibson, an Edmond native, changed her original plans to swim after she was recruited to row and intends to continue rowing now that she is competing in her last regatta as a college rower.  ”Even though swimming was my passion, rowing is my newfound passion and I’ll do it for the rest of my life,” she said.”It’s a pretty sport; it’s a sport that you really can enjoy. You’re in nature, and you’re in a part of nature that you normally don’t see every day,” Borger said of catching the rowing bug. “And when you see the world, when you view the world from water you look at it differently.”

Duffy has that same perspective on the sport that she began well before her move from Seattle.”There’s just something about being in the water,” Duffy said. “It’s a perspective that a lot of people don’t get to see out there.”

In a state known for its passion for football and now the Thunder, the emerging interest in rowing is appreciated by those in the OCU program.Borger is impressed that “the (community) embraces (rowing) as part of the ‘New Oklahoma City’. To be surrounded by tons of people that are passionate about what I’m passionate about is nice.”

The group will have the opportunity to row one last time together today at 12:20 p.m. in the Women’s Varsity Petite finals.The action on the Oklahoma River starts at 7:56 a.m. today. Admission is free.

Also seen at: http://www.newsok.com/oklahoma-city-rowers-share-passion-for-sport/article/3463302?custom_click=headlines_widget

Kevin Durant – or the new @KDthunderup – might have changed his Twitter name, but definitely not his personality or style.

Today while on a flight, Durant took the time to answer fan questions and here they are in a makeshift twitterview.

These twitterviews – at least to me – show his personality, character and overall “good guy-ness” and make me even more invested in him and the rest of his Thunder teammates.

[my favorite q & a's are denoted by ***]

And so we start…

@KDthunderup: Ok I’m on this plane bored…i’m bouta tweet away…unfollow me if u want..questions??

***Q: @QuinnMahoney: whats the most points you’ve scored in a game at any level
***A: 62, outdoor summer league

Q @Keith_McMillen: would you like to stay in OKC for your whole career?
A: yessir

Q: @MarquisDwayne: Hey do yu do yu try to be and MVP Candidate or yu just out there doin watever it takes to win?
A: tryna get Ws

Q: @xbdamsx: Do you have a pregame ritual?
A: pray twice n tell my teammates I love them

***Q: @adrianELgreat: who do you think has been MVP of the playoffs?
***A: co mvps Kobe n rajon

Q:  @cb1123: is it true kobe came to you and russ and said yall some bad mofos and im glad were done wit yall?
A: yepp

Q: @craddyshaq: favorite basketball player growin up?
A: Vince Carter

***Q: @BrettWalton: Whos the best dunker in the league?
***A: Russell Westbrook

Q: @DayDay_La_Cool: HOW MUCH DO YOU BENCH PRESS ??????
A: 185 I kno that 4 sure

Q: @MikeHastie: who is the funniest guy on the team?
A: serge

Q: @MasonGentry: what’s your favorite pregame meal
A: chicken fingers n French fries..honey mustard

Q: @REGGIEHOOPNHARD: what aau team did you play for?
A: PG jaguars

Q: @slash63: whose ur favorite artist in music??
A: @Wale

Q: @kevinfredericks: do you get sick of people saying you need to add muscle?
A: yep, me bein skinny is wat makes me unique

***Q: @dylanmgoforth: Could Scott Brooks dunk on a 9-foot goal?
***A: hellllll no

Q: @michael_reece: who do u room with on road trips??
A: we grown men we don’t have roommates

Q: @LifeOfTonyD35: whats good bro what u doin?
A: sittin 2 seats behind u, that dude lied n said wifi was free, let’s jump him

***Q: @ahmong: have you ever thought of growing a beard like james harden?
***A: been trying since birth

Q: @adamleroi22: are you going to come and watch Cliff Dixon play some ball next season @ WKU?
A: I play basketball too lol

Q: @EMaynor3: wus good bo
A: wassup McCuffer

Q: @mikepetersen: do you get carded trying to go to an R rated movie because you look 15?
A: nope I gotta goatee now

Q: @chicoEsguerra: who frustrates you the most, interms of d-ing u up.
A:  pause 

***Q: @ThaAdamBomb:  If you could posterize anyone in the NBA who would it be
***A: @markcuban 

Q: @JCuRR11: If Spike Hit U Up & Wanted To Do Like Another He Got Game Type Of Flick Would U Do It?
A: naw ima hooper not a actor 

Q: @FressshKiDD: Whats The Worst You Ever Got Crossed Over in Basketball?
A: Aaron Brooks had me Drunk at da bar wit a in n out 

Q:  @steph_babeh: boxers? or boxer briefs? lol
A: boxers give me MAJOR wedgies 

***Q: @klbahoney: Whats up with the way u wear the towel on your head?
***A: I like hoodies, ALOT, so I make my own   

Q: @mahill21: is it true that you say knock it down before every free throw
A: LOL how u kno that? That’s tru 

@KDthunderup: I’m gone…I’m tweeting wayyyy too much…sorry, I jus like talking to everybody..#wordaap