Officials Cannot Call Technical Fouls on LaVar Ball

Since LaVar Ball has a tendency to take his team, Big Baller, out of competition if things don't go his way, Adidas, who runs the Summer Championships, have told basketball officials to not call technical fouls on him because of his drawing power.  Ball's drawing power was clearly evident last Wednesday when the gym where his youngest son's team played against  SC Supreme was overcrowded.
Ball was about to leave when he was called a tech with 1:15 remaining; however, he eventually did return to the game.  That official who called a tech on him was removed in Friday's morning game of the championship when she called another tech on the outspoken social media figure.  The official gave him a tech for telling officials they don't know how to do their job.  Ball claims the official had a vendetta against him.  Ed Rush, a former NBA official, denies that accusation, since she normally officiates Division 1 women's basketball games.
Ball should not receive favorable treatment just because of his ability to generate publicity.  He is disrespecting the game and the officials.  He's a bad role model.  He shouldn't be allowed to go on a tirade about a bad call or cuss an official out.  The Adidas championship can still thrive without his team and without him.  Plus, he and his eldest son Lonzo Ball, walked away from the major shoe companies' pitches and formed his own shoe line, Big Baller Brand.  The elder Ball just wants attention good or bad.  If the media and companies ignore him, he loses his charismatic power.

Robert Lin enjoys basketball and anime.  Follow him on Twitter and/or Google.

The Los Angeles Clipper Should Have Gone Full Rebuild

After losing point guard Chris Paul to free agency to the Houston Rockets and shooting guard JJ Redick to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Los Angeles Clippers have re-signed power forward Blake Griffin to a five-year $173 million deal.  I really wanted the team to trade Griffin and get some picks back in return.  Griffin was got injured during the playoffs during 3 years of the 6 years he played alongside Paul.  He also missed most of the 2015-16 season from a knee injury and having a fight with a Clippers employee.  It was time to part ways with him.  Unfortunately, owner Steve Ballmer and coach Doc Rivers view Griffin as the face of the franchise. 
We really needed a fresh look to the team.  Trade Griffin and Deandre Jordan away.  Release Rivers from his double duty of head coach and President of Basketball Operations.  The team has yet to advance past the second round.  That is sad.  Rivers never added anybody to help our Big Three.  How do you expect the team to compete with the likes of Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and now Minnesota Timberwolves if you don't acquire more star power?

Robert Lin enjoys basketball and anime.  Follow him on Twitter and/or Google.

Nike's Logo Infringement Complaint is Bogus

In June, Nike had filed a formal opposition to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Trial and Appeal Board, that tight end Rob Gronkowski's new silhouette logo of him spiking the football (left picture) can be confused with the iconic Jumpman logo (right picture).  Gronkowski's own company, Gronk Nation L.L.C., had originally filed his trademark for use on clothing and exercise equipment back in April 2016.  The smaller company will have until August 5 to contest the filing dispute or abandon it entirely.
The two logos look nothing alike.  It's another case where a larger company wants to knock down a smaller company over something as stupid as logo likeness when there clearly is none. 
From 2011-2012, Zenimax, the parent company of Bethesda, who makes  Elder Scrolls RPG game, sued Mojang, makers of Minecraft, for its upcoming card battler game that had the name Scrolls.  Zenimax claimed Scrolls infringed on its trademark of the Elder Scrolls series.  In the end, the two sides reached an agreement where Mojang does not file a trademark for Scrolls and cannot make a sequel with Scrolls in the title; however, it is allowed to publish the card game with the name Scrolls.  This means Mojang can't turn its card game into a franchise.  If it did, the sequel would require a different name.  The two games were nothing alike.  Plus, Zenimax only had rights to Elder Scrolls combined, not Elder nor Scrolls.
In both scenarios, there's a large company who felt like overreaching on trademark enforcement upon a smaller business.

Robert Lin enjoys basketball and anime.  Follow him on Twitter and/or Google.