DeceptivelyQuick's new favorite congressman

Behold Steve Cohen, congressman from Tennessee. How a liberal Jewish man got voted to represent that geographic area I do not know, but I suspect it has something to do with his awesomeness.

Usually I'm annoyed when politicians start meddling with professional sports, but this is the exception. Congressman Cohen has submitted a letter to David Stern and the player's union advocating for the dissolution of the NBA age requirement. (My stance on the topic can be sussed out here and here.)

The entire letter can be read in the above link. It keeps things short and raises the basic logical arguments against the age limit. Cohen wisely attempts to link the rule to the much publicized current academic scandals involving "one-and-done" student athletes. I was sort of impressed that a politician managed to make an argument without use of hyperbole or any other attempts at inflaming passions. Then I read his folow-up interview where he connected the age limit to slaverly. Nice.

The good news is that this has people talking about the NBA's ridiculous rule once again. With the NBA getting amazing television ratings and the recent college basketball scandals Cohen picked an excellent time to lob this grenade. It may be a mostly symbolic gesture at this point, but it is a significant step to have a prominent person outside of the sports realm bring this type of attention.

UPDATE: Another reason that the age limit sucks, it could actually be illegal. (Assist Truehoop.)

Also thanks to TrueHoop, David Stern strikes back. A very David Stern move.

The biggest story in the world: Dan Dickau goes to Italy

Stop the Olympics! Dan Dickau has left the NBA!

Assist to True Hoop on finding the news that Dickau has signed with Italian team S.S. Felice Scandone, a prominent team in the top Italian league. The team announcement can be found here if you can read Italian. Below is a Babel Fish translation after an attempted polishing by yours truly:

The S.S. Felice Scandone reports to have signed American player Dan Dickau. Born on September 16, 1978, Dickau is 183 centimeters tall and plays in the role of playmaker (Word?!-Ed). He has played at the University of Washington before transferring to the University of Gonzaga where in his senior season he was named a first team All-American. In 2002-2003 Dickau had his first NBA contract with the Atlanta Hawks. In total he has six years in the NBA, the last contract the with the Los Angeles Clippers. Altogether, has has played 300 NBA games. This is the comment of coach Zare Markovski on the arrival of Dickau: “This will be his first experience in Europe after 6 years in NBA. He is a player with offensive talent, he will complete our starting five”. Visibly satisfied the president of the Scandone, Vincenzo Ercolino, asserts: “Our program attempts to choose a player who could make the difference and dictate the court, at the end our resolution was to sign Dan Dickau, a serious professional with experience NBA. Nothing to envy to the others playmaker joints this year in Italy”.

To me the best thing about Dickau was his random endorsement deals, for example laser eye surgery and poker chips. I was also one of the many that never thought he would hang around the NBA as long as he did. I think I am an asshole for making Dickau jokes, since everyone that has come into contact with him seems to espouse his virtues as a great human being. He is a local product, so I really should be cheering for him at least a little. Good luck Dan!

Brandon Jennings bigger than Brandon Jennings

And the American Dream strikes back. Brandon Jennings is no longer just playing with the idea of skipping a year of college basketball and playing a season in Europe, he wants to make it happen. He is the first to take this alternate approach to the NBA's age limit, but hopefully not the last.

The requirement to be nineteen years of age to be eligible for the NBA always inspires a sense of ickyness deep within me. So you are going to tell a legal adult that they cannot play in the NBA? They can vote? They can go to war? But they can't play in the NBA? Seriously?

The logic used for justification of the age requirement never holds up during closer examination. The League will tell you it gives the players a chance to develop and mature. They won't give you a direct comparison of the careers of players straight from high school versus those who played in college. They won't because a whole lot of those unprepared, immature players seem to be doing pretty well. At the least, they do no worse than their collegiate counterparts.

They might tell you it gets the pro scouts away from high schools, helps these young super talents to just be "regular kids," if only for a little while longer. How noble, unfortunately that is a little detached as well. The elite levels of youth basketball are already saturated with a whole lot of seedy business that will exist as long as some of the players will eventually have NBA fame and money. Sneaker companies, wanna be financial advisers, leechers of various types, these elements are in that environment regardless of an age limit.

Additionally, you think NBA teams are content with only observing a very promising talent for their one year of college? Scouts honor? The NBA somehow knew a whole lot about Michael Beasley before he got to K-State, just like they know a whole lot about Tyreke Evans now.

Who really benefits from the age requirement? The NCAA gets a boost by having the brightest stars stop by college for a year. The NBA gets a boost as the players come into the league already known at at a national level and ready revenue generating cogs in the wheel.

The whole thing from the justification we are expected to believe to who really benefits from such a policy stinks. I am grateful for Brandon Jennings.