Month: August 2023

Saint shares sneak peek at Squadron

Birmingham Squadron coach T.J. Saint is excited about the 2023-24 season. (photo courtesy of the Birmingham Squadron)

The NBA Summer League gives fans an opportunity to check out stars in the making as they compete in a high-energy tournament format. It’s great entertainment and I find myself watching as many games as I can.

For coaches, though – especially those in charge of NBA G League teams – it serves as part classroom, part job fair.

Scott Adamson writes stuff. Follow him on Threads @sladamson1960 and Adamsonmedia on Facebook.

Birmingham Squadron boss T.J. Saint was in Las Vegas to watch the New Orlean Pelicans’ up-and-comers, some of who’ll be part of his club during the 2023-24 season. Entering his second season as head coach of their G League affiliate, Saint has a vested interest in the men dotting the roster.

“I think the Pelicans are going to do some different things offensively, so a lot of the Summer League for me was just kind of getting a feel for that system,” Saint told me during a Tuesday telephone conversation. “And I had a chance to learn a lot about some of our new players, guys that’ll be in Birmingham with us. Summer has always been a tremendously valuable time to start to build relationships with the new players, and then just reinforcing what you’ve learned and continuing to coach.”

Two-way player Dereon Seabron averaged a team-high 17.2 points during the Pelicans’ five-game Summer League schedule, while E.J. Liddell was good for 12.8 per game. Liddell was the Pelicans’ second two-way player in 2022-23, but was sidelined by a torn ACL.

The good news for Birmingham is that Liddell now has a clean bill of health. The better news is that a new collective bargaining agreement has paved the way for each team to carry a third two-way player.

Saint said that will have a huge impact on the Squadron and how he approaches game management.

“Having three two-way players in 2023-24 changes things a lot,” he explained. “I mean, those guys play anywhere between 25 and 30-plus minutes per game, and you have to map that out across your entire team when building a rotation. With one guy, there’s a set percentage they have to play but with two, that’s 25 percent of your minutes and you add a third, that’s 37 percent of your minutes. So, it’s a huge deal going from essentially one to three – it’s a game changer.”

Seabron was a crowd favorite in 2022-23, averaging 34.5 minutes on the court over 27 outings and scoring 18.4-points per night. He also made five appearances with the Pelicans last season.

“I’m really looking forward to working with Dereon … he’s not a rookie anymore,” Saint said. “Having him there in his second year means knowing what to expect and knowing he’s gotten a lot better and gotten a lot stronger. I think he’s gonna have a banner year.”

Local tryouts for players will begin next month. And despite the fact that making a roster is a longshot, Saint says they’re important for the trialists.

“It’s awesome to see people who have come to games as fans and they come out in September wearing our logo and trying out for the team,” he said. “I think it’s really cool. I remember when I was growing up if I walked into my favorite NBA team’s open tryout and wearing their logo, I’d be pretty hyped about it. So, I love these tryouts … we always get good people, good energy.

“It allows our coaches to have a good experience and coach those guys, and I think it’s tremendous for the community. I wish we could do more of them, honestly.”

As for the G League Draft, it’s set for Saturday, October 28.

“By the time we get to the G-League Draft, most of the roster will be set,” Saint said. “The day after the draft is our first team meeting, so going into it you know what you want and what you need. Right now, we’re slated to get the sixth pick in the first round. But sometimes to get the stuff you need, you just kind of go get the best available. So, we’re kind of working through some more stuff on the roster on the front end, but by draft time it just kind of takes care of itself.”

I’ve been a G League fan for several years now, even before the circuit decided to put down roots in the Magic City. The games are so much fun to watch, and one of the main reasons is because it’s professional basketball played at a high level.

It’s not the NBA, but it’s the next best thing in North America.

“How many times do you see a player playing in a minor league and the very next night play in a major league? That happens here, because you will literally see a player on the court here one night and in the NBA the next,” Saint said. “You’re gonna see people right on the fringe and some people you know … that you recognize from college. These are guys who have either already done it or right on the fringe to do it.

“I think New Orleans is five hours away, Memphis (home of the Grizzlies) is three or so hours away, and Atlanta (home of the Hawks) is a little over two hours away, but Legacy Arena is right here, and we have some really talented players.”

Another impressive aspect of the organization is how much work it does in the community. On July 31 members of the front office staff and Morris Bart Law Farm held a volunteer event at the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, and today they volunteered with United Way of Central Alabama and Jones Valley Teaching Farm to help beautify Henry J. Oliver Elementary School.

Saint hopes Birmingham sports fans will have more chances to become familiar with the players in the coming months as they take part in civic activities.

“I think one of the things we’re going to do even more this year, speaking with (Squadron general manager) Leslie Claybrook, is we’re going to really do our best to get our players out in the community more so people can get to know them better,” Saint said. “They might know what college they’re from, especially a local guy like John Petty from Alabama, but we’re just trying to really help them get to know who our players are, have a little bit of a relationship with them, talk to them at different events. We’re going to really make that a paramount focus for us this year. When you can do that, the fans feel more a part of it.

“It can help our guys, and I think the team that we’re putting together is going to be really solid. I’m super excited about it.”

Me, too.

The Music Man

The old dude was absolutely shredding it.

Sitting on a stool, legs crossed and staring straight down, his fingers flew across the Fender Stratocaster, playing so effortlessly it was as though man and instrument were one.

Scott Adamson writes stuff. Follow him on Threads @sladamson1960, Spoutable @ScottAdamson and Adamsonmedia on Facebook.

Billed simply as “Music,” he looked like B.B. King in a cowboy hat and played like Jimi Hendrix in a frenzy, with a heavy emphasis on guitar solos.

The sparse crowd at the Reverie Lounge enjoyed it all the same, especially Baxter Layton. He had wandered in a bit after 10 p.m., almost by accident.

Baxter had just finished up having far, far too many drinks with friends at Mike’s Bar & Grill and was in the process of calling an Uber when the hot pink flashing sign at the Reverie caught his eye.

He had never been there before. Hell – he’d never even noticed it before. But it was the hypnotic, psychedelic sounds of Steve Vai’s “For The Love of God” that brought him inside, and he was mesmerized by the old man’s note-for-note replication of the tune.

Enthusiastic applause followed each song, and the performer would take a big swig from his bottle of water before nodding and smiling at the crowd. Depending on the number, he’d reach over and grab another guitar he had laying on the floor next to him. Moments after Baxter entered the club, however, Music eyed him and waved.

The newest patron looked around to see if someone was behind him before sheepishly waving back at the guitarist.

“Hey everybody,” Music said. “Ya’ll welcome the new guy. I’m gonna play his song … or at least the best part of his song.”

Music then proceeded to jump straight to the guitar solo from My Sharona.

Baxter was taken aback.

He wasn’t a huge fan of the 1979 song in its entirety, but he loved the guitar solo – so much so that often during his morning run he’d pop in his earbuds and play it on a continuous loop. There was something about the sound that made him forget about everything and feel a real sense of joy.

And now he was hearing it live, but why?

How did this old man know him? Perhaps the bigger question, though, was how did he know what to play?

Baxter listened intently until Music finished the song with a flourish – standing up at the end, taking a bow, and then slowly walking off the small stage and toward the table where Baxter was sitting.

“Baxter Layton,” he said, smiling broadly. “It’s about time you showed up.”

Now, he was freaking out. Music knows his song, and his name.

“I’m sorry,” Baxter said. “Have we met?”

Music reached over and gave him a gentle pat on the cheek, then plopped into a chair.

“We have now,” he said. “And I’ve known you for a long, long time. Kept an eye on you, too. You’re what … 60? You gotta good life and a good wife, but you’re still too afraid to live the solo.”

Baxter raised his eyebrows.

“Live the solo?” he asked. “What does that mean?”

Music leaned back and placed his hands behind his head.

“OK, that song, My Sharona, … it’s kinda repetitive, ain’t it?” Music said. “You got that hook and those tom-tom drum sounds. It’s fine, but it doesn’t really move you. But then – then that solo starts and you get happy … you get movin’ … you get inspired. You start to live a little! Nothing can stop you while that solo plays, just bouncing around in your head. But then it ends, and things start to repeat, and you just feel like that’s the way things are.

“Son, your life is a song, and everybody has a different one. But the livin’ part – the livin’ part has to be the part of the song you love. You got to live your life like it’s the guitar solo from My Sharona. You’ve got to find your beat … find your jam.”

Baxter looked at Music and could tell the man was speaking with complete sincerity. And truthfully, those words were wise. He had spent much of life sweating the details, and his moments of joy seemed to be growing further and further apart. He had worried about, well, everything, for so long that it had become his default mode.

“Thanks for the advice, Music,” Baxter said. “Live like the guitar solo from My Sharona, huh? I’m not sure I know how to do that.”

Music clasped Baxter’s hand and gave it a firm shake.

“You’ll figure it out … your daddy figured it out when he listened to me play All Along The Watchtower and your grandaddy decided the best part of Johnny B. Goode was the best way to live. Shoot, you’re great-grandpappy couldn’t get enough of my version of Big Joe Turner’s song, Wee Baby Blues, and he got along just fine in the big, bad world.”

Baxter gave Music a side-eye.

“Come on, Music,” he said. “You couldn’t have known my great-grandfather. You’re, uh, chronologically challenged, but you can’t be that ancient.”

The old man cackled.

“Son, I’m Music,” he said. “Music lives forever, and like my old friend Beethoven said, ‘Music can change the world.’ I just try to help people find their beat.”

Baxter watched Music head back to the stage, grab his guitars, and move toward the club’s rear exit. Surely this was all some sort of dream; when he woke up the next morning, he’d have a vague memory of an old man giving him a life lesson, along with a raging hangover.

It all seemed real, though, right up until the lights on the hot pink flashing sign went dim and the Reverie Lounge suddenly resembled nothing more than a brick wall.

“Too much to drink,” Baxter muttered to himself as he glanced at the empty street. “And too much to think.”

The Uber pulled up to the corner in short order, and Baxter climbed in the back of the Honda Accord.

He had to laugh, because the timing was perfect; the song on the radio was My Sharona, and it was 2:41 in … just in time for the guitar solo.

“Hey,” Baxter said to the driver, “would you mind cranking that up? That’s my jam.”