Jabari Rice Thrives in Dominican Republic + Embrace Debate: Does Teddy Allen Belong in the Aggies HOF?
Summer Lull in News Brings on Hot Takes
Hey everyone. I just want to thank you as always for reading AGGREGATOR. It means the world to me to connect to you all in this format all the time, and I always intend to have a blast!
I do want to alert you to my other column, Consumer Beast where I talk about customer service, banking and finance, ethics, and the media. It’s a little bit of everything. Lately I have been posting my Sun Bowl renovation columns, but this weekend, I wrote something about how people have been raising money for the Ruidoso Fire Victims using personal “money apps” like Zelle, Venmo and Cash App.
As a former bank manager, as much as I love charity and helping others, there has been a lot of high-risk fundraising and I just want people to be safe when asking for and holding large amounts of money
Here’s the column. I tried my hardest to make my bank points and not to hurt feelings but to be a teacher of how fraud works by unscrupulous hackers in situations like this.
Banking taught me when there’s tons of money to go around, people can’t account for it all.
Others have asked me if I planned something to help the relief efforts. I am, probably going to go the t-shirt/AI route. Not sure how to tackle that yet, because it is a big upfront expense, and I barely have enough money to pay my bills. I won’t do food or water, even though that’s what I am known for here, because there is a heat element to food that I fear a lot of the food given is going to go bad, plus others have that down pat! I will figure out a way. Stay tuned, because I am actually working on something that will help in situations like this really soon.
I wanted to write something because there has been a dearth of news since the fires happened. Not a lot going on in the summertime, so I wanted to share one story I thought was cool, and also a brief commentary I WANT YOU TO CHIME IN ON VIA VOICEMAIL OR EMAIL!
Jabari Rice Thrives in First 2 Dominican League Games
Jabari Rice, in his first 2 games for the Metros of Santiago in Liga Nacional de Baloncesto has shown his worth as a team leader already. Rice, who played for the Austin Spurs of the G League last year, and of course starred at New Mexico State for many years before wrapping up his career in Texas for UT, scored 21 points for his team on 7/11 shooting, including 2/3 from 3 and 5/5 free throws. He also added 5 rebounds and 4 assists as the Metros defeated the Marineros de Puerto Plata 91-87 on June 20th
(Note that was the final. I checked 2 places. They don’t update their graphics as “final” on the spanish site)
In a duel with fellow American Tony Farmer, the Metros came up a tad short against the Indios de San Francisco 74-69 last night. Jabari had 18 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists in the loss, which dropped his team to 1-1.
Farmer, who played at Lee College in the NJCAA has made a name for himself as an international player in D.R. Scoring 31 points in the big win last night.
But so far, Former Aggie Rice has shown that he can and will be an impact player in the Dominican Republic. Here’s his stat line averages after 2 games.
Averaging close to 20pts, 5 rebs, 5 assists on 61% shooting in just 27 minutes of play. (Note: They play 4 10-minute quarters internationally). Nothing to sneeze at, and the one great thing about playing in another country is you can and do stand out, gameplay wise, and if he gets in a position to be an all-star there, there’s no doubt the G League or another country’s league may be calling soon. His hoop dreams are just getting started, and of course we know that Jabari can work HARD!
Now to a commentary and an opportunity for you to debate something with me and/or other Aggies fans!
Embrace Debate: Is Teddy Allen Aggies’ Hall of Fame Worthy?
So, I watch PTI every day as I have since I was 18 years old. It’s one of those enduring things that has taken me into adulthood and now middle-age, and I can’t imagine 3:30pm without it, even though the hosts are getting on in years.
I absolutely love sports, and watch way too much, but I am not into sports the way a lot of others are, and I do have ESPN to blame for that.
Because of the success of PTI, ESPN hired a slew of producers, including a man by the name of Jamie Horowitz to create a series of shows called “First Take” which usually consists of two people screaming at each other and making ridiculous takes, as opposed to the two old-school newspaper types like Wilbon and Kornheiser on PTI.
They refer to it as the “EMBRACE DEBATE” Movement in Television.
Stephen A. Smith, a bold brash former college basketball player and newspaper reporter for the Philly Inquirer embraced TV and he became a loud brash commentator who is now negotiating for a $25 million a year deal to scream at the camera and say ridiculous things.
I don’t watch those shows, and honestly, the non-stop talk about sports has led to social media being just as non-stop, and the bloom is off the rose for me. I will watch sports, have my opinions, but usually keep them to myself, nor do I engage unsolicited on social media about it. Working in banking for 13 years, it’s just as easy a convo as talking about the weather. It brings us together, but I believe people are much more complex than MY TEAM IS BETTER THAN YOUR STUPID TEAM AND HERE’S WHY!!!
I admire anyone who can make money on such an idea. I think it’s noble to own a space of the world talking about something. America is an amazing country for that.
Ironically enough, Horowitz, the person who created shows so Stephen A can thrive has been fired from ESPN, FS1 and a lot of places since PTI launched. Those shows burn bright, but burn out…except PTI. People tire of the nonstop debate. Me included.
However. I do this content for YOU, the Aggies fans, and a lot of you are well-informed, smart people with a lot on your mind. I don’t ever mind talking about something that no one else is talking about in the media, because HECK that is why I started this, to harness the great conversations of Las Crucens and Aggies fans all over.
So occasionally I will post a commentary or a debate question, and I would like you to text, email or voicemail your thoughts on it. We will try it again here. I had another question I had a couple people answer, but I didn’t want to use the NMSU UNM SCHEDULE debate until I talked to Coach Hooten! Which I did…
Anyway. Let’s Embrace Debate with this kinda terrible Pistol Pete doppelganger with Stephen A (I will improve this graphic next time…promise)
I don’t know why the heck Pete is in DC. Maybe testifying to Congress? :)\
IS TEDDY ALLEN AN AGGIES HALL OF FAMER?
I think… “Yes” (but it is a super special exception because of the once-in-30-years nature of his performance for the Aggies)
Oh, man I am coming with a fiery take already that I know some of you will not like, and I totally understand it but hear me out for a second.
Teddy Allen, who was in the news and on AGGREGATOR for all the wrong reasons last week for getting kicked off his CEBL Canadian League team where he was the MVP of the league for poor “behaviour” towards his coach and teammates, and can now be seen a Disney World the last week or so.
It was a rough commentary I had to write, because while I don’t mind being critical, I do mind doing it for no reason. I hope he lands on his feet or does whatever makes him happy, because I wish that for anyone.
But does he belong in the Aggies HOF one day? Mind you, this is a conversation that may be 10 years out, or longer?
Want to know why I think yes? Because his play was the main reason NM State made it to the second round in 2022, and honestly, a little bit more out of him in a VERY SLOPPY game against Arkansas, and we could have had a Sweet 16 team that year, before Jans moved on to Mississippi State.
The “MVP” of the finals in the NBA usually just goes to the best player on the best team, aka the team that won. While Allen fits that role, and no doubt Rice deserves to one day be there (might write about this soon for him) and Jans is the man, who still comes back to NM every year, and when he is not coaching anymore, he will definitely be going into the HOF.
But does a one-year-only Teddy Allen get in? Yes, because of that “MVP of the Finals” mindset American sports has. We like to award people with things, even when they are not really deserving to be awarded. But Teddy Allen did everything that was expected of him for 1 year, if not more.
Preseason and Regular Season Player of the Year in the WAC, scored 41 points in a game, 37 in the UCONN game and 4.0 GPA while he was on the roster, so academics were also front of mind for him.
Yes, he was benched a couple times by Chris Jans during the season, but Jans let him cook as needed. Mind you Allen walked off the Nebraska team he was at before the end of the season the year before his NM State season, reminiscent of his Canada situation now.
There are no doubt flaws in the case for him, but I think although NM State is usually the tried and true NCAA Stalwart, which is something we hope to be again as soon as next year, it was 30 years unofficially since NM State got that far, and officially because of the Neil McCarthy violations, it was technically a half century. That is certainly worth acknowledging in some way.
People seemed to have a lot of opinions about Allen when I reported his departure from his pro team, and I certainly get that 100%, but at the same time, if Allen shows up at Pan Am to take in the game, there would be a line 100 yards long for sigs and selfies with him. That’s every fan base. Hell, that’s why I stopped taking things so seriously when people criticize me, because they may not like me, but they STILL read my stuff!
Our relationship is built on the fact that he had conflict elsewhere before he came in, and we knew that. He had conflict here, but we still hang our banner proudly. It’s ok to feel conflicted, and the whole point of a localized HOF like this is the same reason homecoming is a thing with football. You never want to lose touch with those people who repped you, and if they were really good, you want to include them in a place that shows how much they meant in the moment.
So, if you don’t want him in the HOF here in Las Cruces, fine.. But, let me talk like the ex-banker I was that got told no.. No is never the end of it in sales-pitch land by the way:
What if we induct the 2021-22 team as a whole, coaches , staff and all players? Would you mind that? I wouldn’t. Of course you would have to deal with Peake being a part of that as well, because he was there in 2022. You have to deal with conversation that would come up about “later in 2022” if you get my drift, and you have to show humility even though it was our proudest moment.
The transfer portal is going to make everyone a 1-2 year player at the school soon enough, if not happening already, and future HOF discussions must include that as a factor that can’t be helped because everyone is going through it.
So again, I do believe his star-making performance is warranted for induction into the Aggies HOF, but if you think it shouldn’t be individually, then I move for the entire team to be honored. I may be in my mid 50s before it happens though.
James
What do you think? Let me know
(575) 343-7370
Leave a voicemail no more than 60 seconds, text me your thoughts, or email thenotoriousbanker@gmail.com or comment on this post to tell me your opinion! I would love to include interactions from readers on this topic.
More to come next week. Thanks for reading AGGREGATOR
I do want to remind you all that this column is reader-supported. While I work on getting local ads which will help me cover NM State sports full time, I would like to ask you for just $5 a month or $50 a year.
Here’s the thing: I am big on value. It’s my favorite word when it comes to buying things. This is my 161st Column Since November 1st
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It’s not even a fair fight anymore.
I have interviewed Mike Peake, Coach Hooten. I have investigated UNM’s role in the NM Bowl, complete with FOIA requests where the AD of UNM had to send me his screenshots on his phone. I am doing things no one else in this market are doing, including local news.
Over half a million words talking about the thing you love. Most people are afraid to be proud of their work for fear of being called out (which ironically enough happens to me a lot), but one thing is for certain, I’m the only one doing this. The support you all have given me is great. I am humbly asking for more. If you find my work worth $5 a month, or about 17 cents a day, please subscribe. If I ever have to leave Substack, there will be absolutely zero coverage for this team out there aside from a message board, a Facebook group and twitter retweets.
I’m not for everyone, this is true. But I am also going to be the one who will give you what you want if you are into reading content geared specifically to you.
My name is James, and I write for a living, and I ask for your support in sharing our love of NM State together.
AI Magic of that funny Pete lookalike with Stephen A Smith is made possible by LIMEWIRE AI. Sometimes, you have an idea in mind.
“Pistol Pete on an ESPN Debate Show with Stephen A Smith”
You can’t draw though. I can’t draw. I stink at it. But I want to make a point that a picture can help with!
Well, a skilled orator like myself can use Limewire AI and paint the picture my words type up. I love it and it helps me tell stories more effectively.