Bring it Back, Turiaf: Asking Ronnie and Crew to Break Out the 'Fros

The Frofather

It's hard to explain. I equate it to watching an NFL football game in the snow. It just ups the entertainment value and makes a regular sporting event all of the sudden fantastic. The mere presence of the white stuff has some strange majestic power to draw you in. You can't take your eyes of the screen and there is no logical reason to explain such a phenonemon. The product on the field is no different than usual, and it's likely more uncomfortable, troublesome and restrictive to the players. The appearance of a great afro on an NBA court has the same effect as the fluffy white stuff on the gridiron (at least for me).

Back in the 70's, the ABA helped make afros and high-socks the hoops fashion trend of the decade. In 1997, at a League reunion, former ABA star Darrell Hilman was recognized for his tremendous 'do with the coveted "Biggest ABA Afro Award." Of course, Dr. J also rocked a tremendous helmet of hair in his early days in that same league.

But, in today's game, the afro has largely disappeared. Sure it seems unruly, annoying and requiring countless hours of maintenance, not to mention potentially hampering one's ability to perform on-court. But c'mon, it looks awesome. For instance, we'd become so accustomed to the cornrows of Lakers reserve Ronnie Turiaf that the tremendous 'fro he rocked at Gonzaga escaped our memory. It needs to make a comeback, and so does the afro on a broader level.

In that spirit, we decided to take a quick tour around the League and identify some of the keepers of the 'fro flame. Hit us up with some of the current players we're missing.

Ronnie Turiaf, L.A Lakers
While we love his hustle and his story, we'd prefer Ronnie bring back the Zags-days 'do. He would definitely appear even more the wildman hitting the boards with this tremendous accumulation.



Josh Childress, Atlanta Hawks
Here's another guy whose game we like. Childress was a big part of the game six win that pushed Hotlanta's opening round series to a game 7 in Boston. He chipped in 15 points and six boards along with a well-sculpted afro that gets points for overall roundness and maintenance.



Ben Wallace, Cleveland Cavaliers
He may not be able to consistently hit a free throw, but Big Ben can pick out that 'fro to heights that few in the NBA can match. Sorry Ben, totally not making fun of you on the whole charity strip thing. Please don't hurt me...



Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls
The new kid on the block, Noah's afro is perhaps the most unwieldy of the lot. It's also more Cypress Hill than Dr. J in its style. On a complete side note, there is still something about the combination of his bountiful hair and his mock grin on draft day that tends to make me question his overall mental health.



After these guys, the pickings get slim. Shaun Livingston, Moochie Norris and Ricky Davis are a few of the folks who've at least occasionally traded in rows for 'fros in recent years? But who else? And is there anyway we can get this formerly smokin' hot trend to start making a comeback? I know at least one man who has the marketing power to jumpstart a movement. Think about it. You probably know the answer, too.

Best and Worst Case Scenarios From The Cavs Blockbuster Deal

Please, can we see this Ben Wallace in C-Town?

I got overly excited yesterday when I heard about the Cavs' blockbuster trade, and hastily posted this bit of rambling. I won't try to explain the psyche of the Cleveland sports fan, but know this, trades excite us. C-Town has even rolled out a Welcome To Cleveland letter.



I've calmed down (a little bit) and decided to look at the best and worst case scenarios for the Cavs. Some people think this trade sucks it, and some people think it rocks. I think it's a good thing, if for no other reason than to make LeBron happy. Please be happy LeBron, please!



Best Case Scenario: Ben Wallace -- Big Ben approaches his productivity and intensity levels from his Pistons days. It's foolish to think that Wallace will be able to be the force he was as a youngster, but it's not too much of a stretch to think he'll kick it up a notch (or 10 hopefully) from his Chicago days. Playing with LeBron invigorates the big man, and the Cavs interior D blossoms, while the Cavs continue to be a great rebounding team. My suggestion is that he plays with the huge fro' more often. I love it when Ben lets his hair out.



Worst Case Scenario: Ben Wallace -- Mike Brown leaves Wallace in to shoot free throws at crunch time. Please don't let this happen, Coach Brown. Figure something else out. Also, there is the possibilty that Wallace's motor is burnt out, incapable of revving past what he's given the Bulls the past two years. I'm cautiously optimistic that this isn't the case.



BCS: Wally Szczerbiak -- I get over the fact that his name is hard as hell to spell, and he flourishes in his role as 3 point shooter extraordinaire. Why shouldn't he? He's spent some time as an Ohio legend when he led mid-major Miami, OH to the Sweet 16. Open looks created from none other than, Mr. LeBron James!! LeBron creates a ton of open shots for his teammates, that is a fact. He's never had a teammate consistently knock down those shots. All you have to do is shoot Wally!



WCS: Wally Szczerbiak -- The name spelling is just too much to overlook and like so many before him, he can't knock down those open looks. And, the Cavs defense sucks when he's on the court. This would be bad.



BCS: Delonte West -- Delonte plays some good, gritty basketball, and helps the situation at point guard. I loved Delonte when he was at St. Joe's. Who didn't love the West and Jameer Nelson led, underdog Hawks who made Billy Packard eat his words all the way to the Elite 8 in 2004? I thought he was showing some potential with the Celtics before he went to the soulless bastards who are moving Seattle's franchise to Oklahoma. Go forth and prosper Delonte. Plus, he could bring more of this. What's not to love?



WCS: Delonte West -- The Cavs hole at point guard grows deeper, and West just can't hang in the NBA. I do not anticipate this happening. Also, it would be bad if Delonte failed to provide any more YouTube clips like this one, found by Rotoevil.



BCS: Joe Smith -- Smith adds some scoring, some boards, and solid D. A solid veteran addition.



WCS: Joe Smith -- Smith adds some scoring, some boards, and solid D. A solid veteran addition.



Chicago and Seattle: Chicago, good luck with Gooden and Hughes. Gooden is okay, but has huge mental lapses. Hughes was a MAJOR disappointment in Cleveland. It sucks, because he's quality people, and I hope his career bounces back. Shannon Brown might have some talent, but it was never going to come out under Mike Brown. Seattle, I'm sorry that some asshole has decided to rip your franchise away from you. It sucks. It pisses me off to no end when this happens. I hope the responsible party is having cocktails in hell with Art Modell for eternity.
**Editor's Note -- I just saw this in ESPN's Cavs/Wiz recap in the Game notes, "Wallace had his hair in tight cornrows, but promised to let his 'do go. "You're always going to see the 'fro," he said." Good sign for the Cavs!! -E.S.