Dennis Hans
My blogs
| Gender | Male |
|---|---|
| Occupation | b-ball historian, reformer and shot doctor; starving writer; occasional instructor |
| Location | St Petersburg, Florida, United States |
| Introduction | At 5-9, I am indeed centers’ “little” helper. But my keen sense of justice and fair play leads me to identify with the big guy who gets called for a foul when a guard makes a change-of-direction sideways jump into his torso. Before David Stern took over in 1984 and started appointing incompetents to the key basketball-policy positions, that would have been an obvious offensive foul. Common sense reigned before Stern. It can reign again. I will advocate for rules that are fair, so that centers have as easy a time avoiding foul trouble as guards and forwards. Another Stern Era feature, “Might makes right,” has been great for Shaq and Dwight but disastrous for centers as a whole. Dislodging, long three-second counts, and inside-the-lane posters spreading their arms clothesline-style and/or “walking” the defender under the basket reward brute strength and hurt the game. Also, there’s no reason to give Shane Battier and his ilk a bonus point for sinking a long set shot. Getting rid of the trey will mean more FG attempts for well-rounded centers and unemployment for one-dimensional stiffs, regardless of position. Another thing: If you can't shoot, I can help. dhans@tampabay.rr.com |
| Interests | politics, international affairs, classic movies, music, basketball, dance, The Backyardigans |
| Favorite movies | Blackbeard the Pirate, Top Hat, Bedazzled (1967 version), I'm All Right Jack, Damn Yankees, Jewel Robbery, Athena, Show Boat (1936), Love Me Tonight, Hallelujah I'm a Bum, most anything with Fred Astaire, Jean Arthur, or, Laurel and Hardy |
| Favorite music | Oscar Brown Jr, Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Astrud Gilberto, Stephane Grapelli, Blossom Dearie, the Beatles, Beach Boys, Nilsson, Nick Drake, and other songwriting greats such as the Gershwins, Kern, Rodgers and Hart or Hammerstein, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Porter, Arlen and Harburg, Irving Berlin, Holland Dozier and Holland |
| Favorite books | Anything by Brit humorist P.G. Wodehouse, Terry Pluto's NBA history Tall Tales, lots of political books |