harveycmd Posted July 12 Posted July 12 (edited) I have more stuff for you @Jordan91. When my daughters were growing up during the 2000s, I'd wake them up at 6:00 AM to read classics in the mornings during the summer (Plato, Aristotle, Dante, Homer, Virgil, Herodotus, etc.), and then we'd watch the Lakers in the Finals at night. We were reading The Odyssey during June 2009. The day we read book 22, in which Odysseus kills the antagonist Antinous (which means "anti-mind" in Greek) by shooting him in the throat with an arrow, and follows it up by telling his 20 year old son Telemachus (which means power crossing over or moving to) not to celebrate because the fight isn't yet over yet, Kobe made his famous statement after taking a 2-0 lead over the Magic in the Finals ("What's there to be happy about? Job's not finished. Job finished? I don't think so."). I let them stay up late that night to watch the postgame stuff. My youngest daughter immediately made the connection between Odysseus and Kobe. Yesterday, she called me and said we need to go see the film The Odyssey next week when it's released and wear our Kobe jerseys. That's the power of admiring greatness when you grow up. Edited July 12 by harveycmd 1 Quote
harveycmd Posted July 12 Posted July 12 I should add that Odysseus means "enemy" in Greek, which was also a role that Kobe embraced. Quote
harveycmd Posted July 12 Posted July 12 (edited) Another connection worth mentioning here is the status of Odysseus as the second greatest hero in Greek mythology after Achilles. Socrates argued in several Platonic dialogues that Odysseus was superior to Achilles and should be recognized as such by the Greeks. He based this argument on the contention that Odysseus was more "intelligent, skilled and worked harder" than Achilles. Sounds like the Jordan/Kobe stuff. Edited July 12 by harveycmd Quote
thatdude2 Posted July 12 Posted July 12 On 7/10/2026 at 10:47 AM, Gerry Hamilton said: 1 Does this somehow go back to Arch not taking as much as he could for NIL? Quote
Moderators Gerry Hamilton Posted July 12 Author Moderators Posted July 12 8 minutes ago, thatdude2 said: Does this somehow go back to Arch not taking as much as he could for NIL? With Spears Jr. ... he is making a fair # in year one from what I hear. This wasn't a bargain recruitment for Texas. That was Austin Goosby who took half of what BYU was offering to be at Texas. But the KD/Nike deal has helped with basketball HS recruiting from an NIL standpoint 8 1 Quote
thatdude2 Posted July 12 Posted July 12 2 hours ago, Gerry Hamilton said: With Spears Jr. ... he is making a fair # in year one from what I hear. This wasn't a bargain recruitment for Texas. That was Austin Goosby who took half of what BYU was offering to be at Texas. But the KD/Nike deal has helped with basketball HS recruiting from an NIL standpoint Thank you Gerry. This was the first time I have seen a gleam in your eye when talking about a commitment to Texas. Not even our (football) savior Arch received the same look of the eye from you. 🥹 Quote
Jordan91 Posted July 12 Posted July 12 (edited) 3 hours ago, Gerry Hamilton said: With Spears Jr. ... he is making a fair # in year one from what I hear. This wasn't a bargain recruitment for Texas. That was Austin Goosby who took half of what BYU was offering to be at Texas. But the KD/Nike deal has helped with basketball HS recruiting from an NIL standpoint They are getting the most out of their money. You definitely spend on a kid like this. Getting two years out of him is just forward thinking, and I love that. I have always said those that can figure out NIL the best will rise the highest. They know when to spend and when to let somebody else take them. With Spears Jr he has two parents that played professionally and with Johnson they have his father. They have already prepared their kids for the transition. Edited July 12 by Jordan91 Quote
Moderators Gerry Hamilton Posted July 12 Author Moderators Posted July 12 1 hour ago, thatdude2 said: Thank you Gerry. This was the first time I have seen a gleam in your eye when talking about a commitment to Texas. Not even our (football) savior Arch received the same look of the eye from you. 🥹 That was because literally nobody knew about this possibility until July 8 or 9 ... and OTF had cut the video June 17, and knew about for more than a week prior. That rarely happens in this industry. 3 Quote
Moderators Gerry Hamilton Posted July 12 Author Moderators Posted July 12 He’s off a little, but Texas moved up one and Gonzaga dropped Quote
GQ03 Posted July 13 Posted July 13 6 hours ago, Gerry Hamilton said: He’s off a little, but Texas moved up one and Gonzaga dropped I'm not sure I see what Michigan has over Texas without May, Mara, Morez & Yaxel or Arizona for that matter. I'd add Virginia to the list but they beat us down at home so thoroughly that I'll reserve judgment on them for the moment. Quote
Moderators Gerry Hamilton Posted July 13 Author Moderators Posted July 13 Marcus Spears Jr. is all moved in. Getting ID and such today, and all the medicals a new athlete has to do. 4 Quote
Moderators Gerry Hamilton Posted July 13 Author Moderators Posted July 13 19 hours ago, GQ03 said: I'm not sure I see what Michigan has over Texas without May, Mara, Morez & Yaxel or Arizona for that matter. I'd add Virginia to the list but they beat us down at home so thoroughly that I'll reserve judgment on them for the moment. 100% 1 Quote
Bevohorns Posted July 13 Posted July 13 30 minutes ago, THookem said: They dont have a proper center I don't think they'll be as good as they think. Better but not great Quote
Moderators Gerry Hamilton Posted July 13 Author Moderators Posted July 13 2 minutes ago, Bevohorns said: They dont have a proper center I don't think they'll be as good as they think. Better but not great Aggies better get Bryson Warren cleared. This league is so freaking talented 1 Quote
Moderators Gerry Hamilton Posted July 13 Author Moderators Posted July 13 11 minutes ago, THookem said: I’m with Parrish, but I have Texas 4. If UConn adds someone else, bump ahead. Solo Ball is a big loss for them, assuming he does sit out entire season Quote
Caden Kuykendall Posted July 14 Posted July 14 3 hours ago, Gerry Hamilton said: Aggies better get Bryson Warren cleared. This league is so freaking talented He isn’t cleared? Quote
LonghornFan4Ever Posted July 14 Posted July 14 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Caden Kuykendall said: I wish we had one more roster spot 😂😂 Big loss for Michigan. I doubt any preseason top 10 team has a spot for him as most rosters are already completed. Plus he’s coming off an ACL injury that happened back in February. Texas has plenty of firepower in the backcourt anyway. Edited July 14 by LonghornFan4Ever Quote
Moderators Gerry Hamilton Posted July 14 Author Moderators Posted July 14 2 hours ago, Caden Kuykendall said: He isn’t cleared? Still waiting on word from NCAA on waiver. Schools that recruited him knew he wasn't a lock. Three years in G-league, and two in Overtime. He's technically been a pro for five seasons already. He shouldn't get a waiver, but I'm sure it will be a lawsuit/injunction scenario of denied. Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.