IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT WITH GRANT NAPEAR

Bob Rathbun has been doing the Atlanta Hawks for 25 years on television as the voice of the team.  But his story began at the age of 12. Yes, 12.  That's when he was at the local radio station running errands and learning the craft.  You have to hear his first on mic broadcast story to really get a grasp of how this man has grown his career.  And what a career it's been.  He's a motivational speak...

With the uptick in Covid cases why is the NBA going with a  2-2-1-1-1 format for the NBA Finals this season?  Everyone knew the situation before the season began.  Before Game 5 a player, coach and referee were ruled out because of Covid protocols.  Why didn't they do a 2-3-2 format this season to reduce travel and exposure?  Makes no sense.  And speaking of the NBA I wonder what Lebron James of t...

Tokyo alert.  I've said it before and I'll say it again.  These Olympics should have been postponed again.  Japan is surging in Covid cases, many of the countries are surging in Covid cases, even the United States Covid situation is very delicate.  Yet, over 200 countries are going to come together, play to empty stadiums and put everyone involved in the Olympics at risk.  Brilliant.  For what?  M...

So Adam Silver, Commissioner of the NBA, tees it all up last week in addressing the significance of all lives being important and walks back a year's worth of comment, criticism and cancellation of so many personalities.  Present company included I might add.  He goes on to say nobody should lose their jobs, their  livelihoods over it.  Again, present company has had the experience along with many...

A  lot of people watched Major League Baseball's All Star Game Tuesday night in Denver and I'm still trying to find one person who liked the uniforms.  I haven't heard, or read one positive comment from a player regarding the uniforms.  Wouldn't you like to meet the person, or people who designed those hideous things?  And what about Rob Manfred...did he really sign off on this?  What ever happene...

Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers appears to be on the trading block.  Why would the Sacramento Kings, or any other NBA team want Simmons?   He just completed his fourth season and still can't shoot.  He won't even attempt 3pt FG's and is a career 59% FT shooter.  In this year's playoffs Doc Rivers had to take him off the floor down the stretch of close games, because he is a liability at the...

ESPN's Stephen A Smith says on First Take that Ohtani can't be the face of the league because he needs an interpreter to tell him what's being said and to respond.  That may be the case but so what?  Nobody is going to a game, much less the All-Star games to listen to Ohtani speak.  Hey, unless I'm wrong, the millions of us watching are looking at something special, incredible.  Honestly, I'm pret...

TV  Voice for the Utah Jazz Craig Bolerjack chats it up with me today as we look back on the storied Utah Jazz characters including Hot Rod Hundley, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Jerry Sloane and today's young stars like Donovan Mitchell.  We also drift into a discussion of some of the favorite stadiums in the SEC as Craig also did collegiate and even NFL football broadcasts. His history and associa...

So Kevin Durant and Team USA lose to Nigeria in an exhibition game leading up to the Olympic Games Tokyo....My take is who cares? The game meant nothing!   Nigeria has some good players, but does anyone really think Team USA would lose to Nigeria if it was the Olympics?  The NBA has many players participating in the upcoming Olympics.  Has anyone asked Lebron James for his blessing?  I mean Lebron...

So Boris Becker does the unthinkable on a publicly broadcast tennis match.  He compliments the fiancee of one of the players as being attractive.  Uh oh.  Sound the alarms.  Can't do that in today's environment.  No sir.  Now he's got women's groups coming out on social media and hammering him for such a sexist and inappropriate comment.  Oh yeah, I've got more to say about.  Just give a listen to...

36 seasons strong and no signs of letting up.  That's right, folks, Steve Holman has been the voice of the Atlanta Hawks for over 36 seasons.  That's longevity and familiarity with the team! Steve was more than happy to share the enthusiasm for the team and their playoff run this year under just announced, Head Coach Nate McMillan.  Steve talks about the transition from Lloyd Pierce and why he thi...

Months after criticizing the Minnesota Timberwolves for hiring  Chris Finch as coach,  Rick Carlisle is all of a sudden quiet.  The former coach of the Dallas Mavericks and now current coach of the Indiana Pacers criticized the T'Wolves for failing to conduct a transparent and thorough search of candidates from a wide range of diverse backgrounds.  Carlisle who is the head of the NBA Coaches Assoc...

What a mess  for Rachel  Nichol's of  ESPN.  The  host of  The Jump  on  ESPN  gave a lame apology with her co-hosts  Kendrick Perkins and  Richard Jefferson on Monday for comments made  last summer as reported  by the New York Times.  Yesterday before  Game 1 of the  NBA Finals she was removed  from her sideline reporting  duties.  ESPN said it wanted to keep the focus on the NBA  Finals.  What a...

So when a rule is made, somebody, or a collective somebody had a reason for making that rule.  Let's not get into the discussion of why or how the rule came to be, just that it's there for a reason.  In the case of the Olympics, rules are influenced by all the countries involved, not just the United States.  So if you break a rule, own it and suffer the consequences.  Or don't break them.  Period....

Always a special treat to have Jerry Reynolds on board to share his insight and opinion on what he sees from his perspective.  Today, we have a little fun talking NBA playoffs, Phoenix Suns or Milwaukee Bucks for the championship.  We drift a little into the draft and the players and then of course that would lead into the Sacramento Kings.  Now how can any conversation about the Kings not touch o...

All right.  That's wishful thinking. Because we all know Chris, I've never done anything wrong, Webber isn't going to apologize.  He's just going to continue to lie and maybe, somewhere along the line, everything will be OK, as if it never happened.  And now that the NCAA is going to allow athletes to get paid for their name, image and likeness, Chris thinks he's absolved. No need to apologize to...

First and foremost, I cannot thank the people of Sacramento enough.  I was in town for an event and everywhere I went I was greeted with recognition, excitement and disappointment I was no longer doing my thing.  The comments were fabulous.  Thank you again.  We're also going to dive head first into some optionable items you have to make better assessment of your favorite players, teams and sports...

So Scotty Pippen, after all these years, after Phil Jackson wins the 6 championships in Chicago with the Chicago Bulls, goes on to the LA Lakers and then to the front office in of the New York Knicks, Scotty Pippen calls him a racist.  Phew.  And why you might ask in disbelief?  Well, that's what the rant is for.  Give a listen and let me know what you think. I have my opinion and I'll just sum it...

For many, it's quite the surprise to see a team that was worse than the Kings three years ago, now in the playoffs.  But it's happened and the Phoenix Suns have clinched a berth for the NBA Finals.  They've earned it.  But there's a sub plot to the story and that is a guy by the name of Al McCoy.  If you're a Suns fan, you surely know him.  If you're the son of a Suns fan, you surely know him and...

How about it.  Three teams, three picks from three drafts ago and guess what?  Maybe you've noticed too, those three teams that were all in the gutter three drafts ago were...The Atlanta Hawks, The Phoenix Suns and, guess who?  The Sacramento Kings.  Three lowly teams all looking for that chance to improve with a solid pick and a development plan to improve.  Well folks, guess who the Kings picked...

Today's rant should not exist.  There.  I said it.  This is something that could only happen in today's crazed social environment and it appears that Damian Lillard of the Portland Trailblazers is taking the heat.  He's getting blasted for his comments on the acceptance of a few names for head coach of which Chauncey Billups was one.  Evidently, there was a sexual misconduct charge that was settle...

Mark Boyle has seen quite a bit in Indianapolis during his 33 years as the voice of the Pacers.  To name just a few, he was broadcasting when the fights broke out during what became known as the "Malice in the Palace".  He's seen a myriad of coaches weave their way through the town including Larry Byrd and Nate McMillan.  We'll talk about some of the high profile players like Reggie Miller and Ron...

By now, you've probably heard about the pickle Jay Williams of ESPN finds himself in.  After tweeting that Ime Udoka is the first head coach of color for the Boston Celtics, he then responds that somebody stole his password and posted that.  Not that he was "hacked" and not that he's going to make every effort to hold whomever did this accountable.  The issue is that Ime is not the first, second t...

Chuck has been a friend as long as we've both been calling games and that's saying a lot knowing the rivalries between the Sacramento Kings and the Dallas Mavericks.  Today we get to share stories about what he sees on the Mavericks with a competitive team and a great roster including Luka Doncic.  We even touch on the Dallas Cowboys and what he sees the team doing going forward.  You might be sur...

The title of today's rant pretty much says it all only this time it was really about as dumb as it gets.  We all know Marvin Bagley and his "supportive" family have an issue with Sacramento.  That's not much of a secret but now the full truth is out and Marvin wants out of dodge.  He's removed the team from his social accounts and "liked" a tweet suggesting he needs to get out of Sacramento.  Even...