Pro Hoops?

Morning, kids...the Horse is back in the saddle...now THAT sounds a bit weird, huh...yes, but I have some thoughts to throw out at ya this am...glad to be back writing, but do miss that desert heat, I must admit...could get used to that...

Watched the 'playoff atmosphere' game of the Blazers and the Thunder (formerly the Seattle Supersonics)...as Okla City, er, where the Sonics were moved to...beat PDX in OT...some candid observations...

1.  At times, the game resembled Pro Rasslin', with flops and cheap shots a part of the matchup
2.  The Thunder play better D than the Blazers...much better...
3.  OKC has 2 legit stars in Russel Westbrook and Paul George...and the TNT analyst, former UCLA star Reggie Miller, let the viewing audience know that over and over and over...
4.  PDX has ONE, in Dame...Lillard...the others faded in the stretch...
5.  The technical foul...given out often and quite proudly in the NBA...I ask anyone this...does the league KNOW who and how many techs are administered?...I can't find it on the web net...is this a hidden gem from the public?...
6.  Finally, the Blazers added and deleted players from their 2nd unit...and made themselves decidedly WORSE...management screwed up...as the playoffs begin, the depth will be the downfall of them...

Case number one for Paul Manafort...he was convicted of 8/18 charges...and the sentence was recommended to be from 19 to 24 years in prison...the Judge in the case, sentenced him to one month less than 4 years...citing, that the penalty is too harsh for the crimes...listen, I am OK with his statement...BUT...why have the numbers so severe in the first place, that a Judge can do whatever he or she desires?...odd to moi...and...Manafort has to go thru one more sentencing in another court room...I am still thinking that he thinks that, Trump will pardon him...for his silence...

Speaking of horses...what is going on at the great race place, Santa Anita?...where a number of horses have been euthanized either training, or racing, on their main track?...22?...something like that...the people there have shut the track down...testing it and so on...is is too firm?...regardless, it is at tragic situation...

The Futures are down again this morning...big time...a 2nd day of it...so...expect the Market to fall...the word is that there is problems in the China market...you tell me, that we don't need to trade with them...wonder if Donny has stock in the China market?...

Trump just tweeted that the Judge in the Manafort deliverance, showed that there was no Russian Collusion...ah, no, Donny, that had NOTHING to do with his collusion...that's coming later...

The Padres continue to roll right along in the Cactus League...scoring loads of runs...yes, I know it's just the spring ball, but, we normally don't score this much...and often...high expectations?...you bet...and the peops are buying into it, already...this is a good thing...

Rolling in the negative...this out...the 'worst' grocery store was announced...ah, unceremoniously...maybe in Yahoo...by far, in this study...was Walmart...not even close was a 2nd...cleanliness, number of items, meats, dairy, and of course, the check out lines...

To honor 'International Women's Day'...wait, aren't they all?...oops...go out and buy the new country CD, 'Girl' by Maren Morris...