SPORTS: OLYMPICS: etc.

SportsDeke.com reports that Laker star,

Kobe Bryant, has lost 16 pounds since the

NBA season ended. And what in the world

is this we hear? Commissioner David Stern

appears to want to steal the sweet fun and

excitement we all feel at seeing the USA

represented in the Olympics playing our

favored sport of basketball. He is expressing

imposing age limits for players to participate.

The games' profile has been elevated so much

higher around the world due to these games

being played against other countries and it

is fitting it should be so. Now, many of our

very good players might be in jeopardy.

By recruiting the best and the brightest

Americans in this sport, Director Jerry Colangelo

has made it so cool to wear U.S. colors on

the free-throw line. The NBA is now lobbying

to turn  the Olympic tourney into a second-

tier clambake for players no older than 23.

Well then, goodbye Kobe Bryant...ought to

just turn the channel. Not one of the superstars

want though, to come out of the games.

Keeping all this in mind, it is a fair bet that

Money, power and more money is keeping a

mighty close watch on the cash register then

for David Stern. Kevin Durant scored 22 points

and LeBron James added 8 assists and the U.S.

Olympic men's basketball team opened tournament

play with a score of 98-71 win over France on Sunday.

Kobe had earlier said the U.S. team could very well

beat the 1992 Dream Team that did change inter-

national hoops forever at the Barcelona Games.

Steve Nash (formerly with Phoenix Suns) and now

beginning his games with our Lakers, will make his

debut as Kobe's teammate when the Lakers play host

to the Dallas Mavericks on October 30 to close out

the league's opening night tripleheader. In London,

Pau Gasol said that  "We all know this season is a very

important one and we would like to get back on top

as a team". Nash had spent 6 seasons with the Mav's

before being traded back in 2004 to Phoenix, which

originally drafted him in 1996. Nash will play again

in Phoenix, but as a visitor, on January 30th.

At any rate, both Olympics games and back here at

home with the regular season games, basketball

remains a winner in this writers' eyes. Slam-dunk!

Babs Wells

Human Interest column

Well, European hoops fans seem drawn to

Kobe when Americans go overseas. They carry cameras

and microphones, sprinting toward our Lakers star.

Their questions come quickly, some in English

but many in Spanish and Kobe gives the perfect

answer every time. Our Pau Gasol seems safe

for now without getting traded too. Kobe claims

to really not understand just why he seems

to be so popular either. Apparantly due to his

All Star appearances and obtaining 5 NBA

Championships has a great deal for seeing this

popularity. It appears also, that he has become

somewhat of a team spokesman as well. Yes, he does

try often to soften some of his remarks with humor.

The Lakers added yet another piece in their efforts

to get back to the pinnacle of the NBA, signing forward

Antawn Jamison to a one year contract. With Jamison

joining Kobe and Steve Nash, the Lakers will now

have a formidable trio. There seems to still be some rumor

that a trade may take place with Andrew Bynum and

in the fray perhaps we can obtain Dwight Howard?

Getting Nash was a really great move as we so needed

a good point guard on our team. He is one of the very

best passing point guards ever since John Stockton

hung up his sneakers 9 years ago.Then we had Derek

Fisher and to be honest, he is really still much missed.

Having Bryant, Nash and Gasol, there is little doubt

we have a winning trio to play upcoming games on the court.

Metta World Peace is a lot of things but a consistently

prolific scorer? Not so much. Barnes? Devin Ebanks? Josh

McRoberts? Troy Murphy? Not exactly names that would

strike fear in our opponents, it would seem.

Orlando center and perennial NBA Defensive player of the

year, Dwight Howard, who is in L.A. right now recovering

from back surgery, is at the center of trade talks even as

I am writing my column today. Lakers perhaps? Would be

just great. We can only watch and see.

Losses, I spoke about in two different articles..the latest about

my middle daughter leaving us Thursday afternoon, June

21st. and now in a Colorado movie theatre, 12 lives have

been taken away and the victims families are dealing

with their own losses. So as we close for right now,

please take a minute to reflect upon your dear loved ones.

When did you maybe let them know how very 'special

they are to you? Consideration and loving is easy to do.

Babs Wells

CHANGES HAPPEN FOR US ALL

Jerry Buss, Lakers owner since 1979,
has been hospitalized for dehydration
since Monday evening. At 78, he also
underwent problems with legs having
blood clots last December. Jerry is
supposed to be released from the
hospital very soon. His son, Jim,
is handling the players needs for
our Lakers team and daughter Jeanie,
is handling the business end of it.
Another change to be recognized is
obtaining Steve Nash as point guard
from the Phoenix Suns to start wearing
the purple and gold of the Lakers team.
Kobe Bryant spoke with him and helped
to have made the decision. This then,
allows Steve to be nearer to his
twin daughters. Ramon Sessions
had taken Derek Fisher's place as
point guard but now is opting out
of his contract with the Lakers.
Backup small forward Devin Ebanks,
has agreed to accepting the one-
season qualifying offer of $1,054,389
for 2012-2013. He was free to sign his
contract by last Tuesday evening.
And now there remains rumors of Orlando's
Dwight Howard very possibly joining forces
also with our Lakers team. This would likely
mean our center, Andrew Bynum, might
be placed with Houston. Orlando would really
like to start fresh without the disgruntled
Howard, a 6 ft. 11 center, on its roster
next season. This could lead to other options
for the Orlando team, if this does go through.
And for the biggest change of all for this
writer is that on Thursday afternoon, June 21,
our family lost my 52 yr.old daughter, Karla
Jean. Cause of death is still pending. She
was our songbird, our home decorator and gardener.
Music is now muted for each of us today.
We miss her buoyancy and her love for family,
so to continue on now seems nearly impossible.
Losses are mighty hard to deal with and the
suddenness of this news forces us all to our knees.
Please bear with me through this aching period
of mourning my blond, playful daughter.
Thank you.

Babs Wells