Amidst the feverish massaging of prayer beads that will continue in the Queen City until the moment it's determined whether the Bobcats actually get to select Kentucky center Anthony Davis #1, I admit my last blog was the worst of some 50 blogs over last three years, perhaps my whole career. As departing coach Paul Silas noted, "I'm glad this didn't happen at the beginning of my career."

Charlotte will have 1:4 odds in getting the premier pick on May 30, but the truth is, there won't be anything close to the significant rise (2-14 to 6-10 and a couple defensive stops from maybe 8-8) in the teams fortunes that Cam Newton brought to the Carolina Panthers last year. They could get TWO Anthony Davis' and not accomplish the massive turnaround one Larry Bird did in his rookie season.

We've ALL endured bad days-weeks-years, and the hope/expectation of something better just a little further in the future helps soothe the burn of the moment. As professionally chagrined as I was of that last blog, and the time gaps between it and a previous post that rivaled the B-Cats time between victories, I can get back on the Winning Track almost immediately. Adding another finger isn't necessary or possible, those who read my essays won't have to sweat ponying up millions to find out if my 'product' is worth watching. Individual effort and a decent amount of consistency will make a major difference.

Charlotte's original basketball team was the Hornets, and several members of that organization, like Mugsy Bogues and the estimable Dell Curry, sweet-shooting father of sweet-shooting sons, are still local legends. I maintain that you can scratch almost ANY North Carolinian and get a valid opinion about what good hoops looks like based on three times a week ACC broadcasts. We (and sorry if y'all still think 17 years here only qualifies me as a damn Yankee) look at the wreckage of 7-59 and see no way ANYBODY can configure next years team where results would approximate the dynamic resurgence that Cam Newton had on the Panthers fortunes and fan interest.

Even if rumors of Patrick Ewing, a God-send (some still say fix) of a #1 pick who changed the course of the Knicks franchise for a very, very long time, coming to coach the Bobcats AND Davis' selection become reality, how far/fast can seven wins become 25-30 or (OMG!) forty? The Bobcats made the playoffs with a sub-.500 record two seasons ago; the best team Charlotte had prior to that was the '96-'97 Hornets with rookie head coach Dave Cowens, newcomers Anthony Mason, Tony Delk, Vlade Divac plus Matt Geiger, Curry, Bogues and the highly productive Glenn Rice. The previous year Hornets missed the playoffs by a game and that '96-'97 group, put together by legendary GM Bob Bass, won fifty. The problem is, there isn't much on the roster current management (well regarded GM Richard Cho and VP of Ops Rod Higgins) could part with to get players like Mason (off a NBA 6th man award season) or Divac (for rights to Kobe Bryant), even Byumbo or Henderson.

Keep those prayer beads working Charlotte. One-in-four chances beat anything else the B-Cats have going for them, and ya gotta start someplace. I believe I've got the right touch back already.

Glenn S.