A New Year, Some New Looks: Doug Anderson In Harlem?

Well, what better time to get back in the groove that the opening day of the refreshed calendar year! It's a day of big changes, where the American Athletic comes to life, the Great West conference suffers a very, very quiet death, and other newsy things took place.

~Detroit's Doug Anderson, he of the dunking awesomeness, now has a Plan B if the NBA doesn't work out - he's been "drafted" (extended an open invitation) by the Harlem Globetrotters. I can picture worse fates than making money being a goofball and dunking for big crowds.

~In the West Coast Conference, the Saint Mary's Gaels have landed Minnesota guard transfer Joe Coleman, who decided he would rather play somewhere else than play for Rick Pitino. This could be good for the Gaels, or maybe not. I'm not exactly savvy on my Tubby Smith recruits. Meanwhile, Kyle WIltjer might yet join Gonzaga. Or he might join some other school. Or he might stay at Kentucky and/or redshirt. He apparently now has no clue and will wait until after the World Games to decide.

~It should come as no surprise that Wichita State has experienced various windfalls as a result of their Final Four run this spring, but that success appears to have bled all the way into their summer camp. A clinic that set a new record last year with 440 attendees has seen that nearly double to 750 this summer, which I imagine is simultaneously wonderful and a giant pain in the ass.

~Last month, the NCAA announced that six schools, thanks to the latest APR numbers, would not be participating in the upcoming postseason: Florida International, Grambling, Mississippi Valley State, Arkansas Pine-Bluff (again), New Orleans and Alabama State. Today, the Hornets (ASU that is) found out that, after the provision of further information, their postseason ban - which would have been in affect for not just the men's basketball team, but also football, baseball and volleyball - has been rescinded, and they will have the chance to dance after all.

~And I decided to save the crap story for last. DeMario Mayfield played part of last season for the Charlotte 49ers before getting suspended for some unreported rules violation. So he decided to transfer to Morehead State, but not before he went home to Athens, Ga for the summer - and got arrested for, among other things, prowling, though the police report sounds a lot like two guys planning to rob some houses. I doubt he will ever play a game for Morehead.