Charlotte Bobcats layoff Play by Play guy

Scott Lauer/Courtesy: charlotte.com

((ht: charlotte observer))

Sucks to be considered "Non-essential" personnel in the face of a pro-sports lockout.

That's what Charlotte Bobcats play-by-play guy Scott Lauer is facing after the team decided to lay him off from his position because of the NBA Lockout.

Lauer's been with the team in various positions for seven years.

Read more from charlotte.com RIGHT HERE

We suspect Lauer is one of many who'll lose their jobs over the upcoming months as NBA teams look to shed budget while waiting out what will, by every indication, be a long, protracted lockout.

We wish him the best, though he believes he'll return to his job once the league begins playing again. We hope so. There are a lot of unemployed Sports broadcasters in the world these days, the jobs just plain don't exist anymore for these guys.

How Do You Blow A 22-Point Lead...???

Ask the Atlanta Hawks after last night's loss to the Charlotte Bobcats at Philips Arena...

Stephen Jackson will give you the game-winner... 2 of his team-high 32...
((HT: NBA.com/youtube/FSSouth))


Well done, Hawks...

Was that really Michael Jordan practicing with the Bobcats?

Michael Jordan/Courtesy: Matt Rochinski-Charlotte Bobcats.com

Why yes it was. Really....truly, it was "His Airness" himself, old number 23, this time sporting an orange practice jersey and scrimmaging with the team he owns, the Charlotte Hornets. No, we are pretty sure he's not coming back, but when the Bobcats needed an extra man for this mornings workouts, the boss...well, he was ready.

Said head coach Paul Silas, "The guys work a little harder when he's out here and rightly so because he's working hard", adding "He's holding these guys accountable and it's great. I love him out here, he's teaching them how to protect the basketball, play hard on defense, how to talk, so it's a good thing".

Read more from the Bobcats website RIGHT HERE

We like the idea of the boss working with the workers, it should happen more often in business these days. Never mind the fact that in this case, the boss happens to be possibly the best player of all-time, that certainly doesn't hurt. And if you are a player, when the boss is out there running with you, I'm betting even the most egotistical NBA player wouldn't want to let him down.

We couldn't embed the practice video, so this will have to do, the trailer to a movie being made about the aforementioned Mr. Jordan, Invincible:

Larry Brown Out As Charlotte Coach

Larry Brown is out as coach of the Charlotte Bobcats.

Owner Michael Jordan announced the move in a press release, a day after the Bobcats were outscored 31-12 in the fourth quarter in their fourth straight loss.

"I met with Coach Brown two weeks ago about the team's performance and what we could do to improve it," Jordan said. "We met again this morning after practice. The team has clearly not lived up to either of our expectations and we both agreed that a change was necessary."

The 70-year-old Brown, who was in the third season of his 13th professional and college head coaching job, had been upset with his team for weeks. The Bobcats (9-19) had lost three games by 31 or more points in 10 days before Tuesday's fourth-quarter meltdown against Oklahoma City.

Brown had two years left on his contract...

More when we know more...
And, really, who wants that job...???

Interim answer: Paul Silas...
Here's early coverage from our friends at WCNC-TV/NBC6-36

Genius Murder suspect arrested at a Charlotte Bobcats game....

Earle Barranco/Courtesy: charlotteobserver-mecklenburg co. sheriff dept.

Dumb ass! Earle Barranco, wanted in connection with a murder in New York City, somehow managed to get himself arrested...at an NBA basketball game.

Charlotte Police arrested Barranco Saturday as he was on the VIP level of Time Warner Cable arena. What he was doing in the luxury box section, wasn't exactly made clear.

Most fans at the game, didn't know the arrest even happened and obviously, it didn't interrupt the game.

Read more from the Charlotte Observer RIGHT HERE 

Aside from the obvious stupid question of..."Why the hell would a murder suspect go to a basketball game?", we have a few others. Like, "What was he doing in Charlotte?" and "Never mind why he was at an NBA game, what the blue hell was he doing in the VIP-Luxury suite section?".

Here is the TV version of this story from Newschannel 36 Charlotte/wcnc.com:

Bobcats Stephen Jackson Fined 50-Grand

((HT: NBA/FSDetroit/Youtube))

From the NBA their own selves...

Stephen Jackson of the Charlotte Bobcats has been fined $50,000 for verbal abuse of game officials, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred following the Bobcats’ 97-90 loss to the Detroit
Pistons last night at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Jackson went after Steve Javie after a no-call that Jackson thought shoulda been a call. The actual event that "followed" the game was not specified by the league.

He has two techs in five games so far this season...

Here's your recap... Jackson's rant is at the :30 mark or so...

Is Charlotte In NBA Contraction Crosshairs...???

((HT: FoxCharlotte.com))

Late last week, you remember NBA commissioner David Stern mentioning the possibility of contracting teams to make up for the US$800-million he wants to trim from his losses...???

As a result, the Boston Globe reports three teams- Charlotte, Memphis, and New Orleans Hornets- could be the first three off the books... one of those "anonymous sources" agreed on the three teams mentioned above...

The Bobcats ranked 22nd in attendance last season, the Hornets ranked 23rd, and the Grizzlies 28th.

Charlotte could be oh-for-two if this happens...

Fox Charlotte Steve Lyerly has some immediate feedback...


The idea behind Stern's "$800M number" is, realistically, more like him wanting to cut $500M or so. Trimming two of the three franchises could do that.

According to Forbes Magazine's franchise evaluations from 2009, the Bobcats, the Griz, and the Hornets were 25th, 29th, and 28th in value, respectively.

Charlotte ((US$278M)) had US$15M less in operating revenue than the year before. The Griz ((US$257M)) value dropped 13-percent, and the Hornets ((US$267M)) dropped 6-percent in value.

Short of the Nets before the Prokhorov sale, each had the three highest debt rankings in the league. Stern would be cutting dead weight, and the HQ thinks the Griz Michael Heisley would mind the least.

More when we know more...

Henderson beats Michael Jordan...In Horse

Isn't there some sort of rule that says the Boss always wins? We ask that question because current Charlotte Bobcats co-owner and soon to be full owner and possibly the greatest basektball player ever...one Michael Jordan took on one of his players in a game of Horse.

The player, Duke grad and Bobcats benchwarmer...and Jordan employee Gerald Henderson. The game, the same game of Horse that most of us played as kids. Jordan...to his credit showed some flashes of being the legend he is, but the rust and lack of practice was too much and Henderson took the win.

Check out the Video from NBA.com:

It's Over... Nets Finally Win One...

The New Jersey Nets Courtney Lee had a career-high 27 points and the unthinkable has happened... the Nets actually won a damn game...stopping their 18-game losing streak in its tracks...

So, those of us at OSG HQ have figured out what it'll take for a winning combination in the Swamps this year...

Kiki and Del as head coaches...
Brook Lopez getting a season-high 31 and 14...
Lee's output after being reinserted into the starting line-up...
Playing the Bobcats every night of the week- considering the last win for the Nets back in April was against Charlotte...

Got all that...???
Good...

FOSG Beau Estes has the reveal...
((HT: NBA/YES))

Co-Owner no More...

William "Skipper" Beck, a co-owner of the Charlotte Bobcats NBA Basketball team died in a plane crash early Friday morning near Rock Hill, South Carolina. Beck, who also owned a highly successful Mercedes Dealership in the Charlotte area and was a licensed pilot was, according to a statement, released by his family, scheduled to fly to New Jersey on business.

More on the story from the Herald of Rock Hill here .

((William "Skipper" Beck Photo//Courtesy: Charlotte Observer/File))

Based on information within the story, it appears as though Beck's plane was in trouble from the get go, that he apparently was "Headed back towards the airport" and it in fact crashed just short of the runway on airport property.

So Would They Just Be The Cats...?

((HT: WBTV3))

It appears that BET founder Robert Johnson wants out as the majority owner as the Charlotte Bobcats. There's talk that minority owner and Director of Basketball Operations, Michael Jordan, is interested in filling that vacancy.

WBTV creates the standard amount of panic by asking the question about moving the franchise in the introduction.

Sarah Batista carries the load from there...

Anyone got $300-million in loose change...?