Season 44 at the All Star Game Break

RETIREE FACTOIDS
-- There are 19 retirees after Season 44 is complete, meaning the league will be losing three players overall...six of those retirees are starters

-- Among the retirees are Bob Kittle, who was the point guard for Seattle as a rookie when they won their one and only title. He is the last active member of that championship squad.

-- Three teams had no retirements: Charleston, Dallas and Philadelphia...all powers in the East.

-- Ugatta Noluvfer Spikie, the 7-1 center and brother of Hall of Fame center Ama Spikie, will retire after starting all eight of his active seasons for Milwaukee. He is currently sporting the longest active consecutive game streak...now at 75. Unlike his brother, who acquired enough honors to gain Hall of Fame entry, this bigger Spikie has no honors on his card. None.

-- Steve Carter, the 6-6 shooting guard for Los Angeles is retiring after 16 MBA seasons. He is currently the oldest active player in the MBA and is tied for 9th place all time for most seasons in the league. Carter currently has 1,623 points scored in his MBA regular season career, which is currently the eighth most points ever accumulated by one player. He is just 25 points behind Naf Naf for 7th place all time in points scored.

-- Top honorees among those announcing their retirements are:
Pippi Pippistrelli, San Jose 8 honors
Bang-Bang Reiner, Chicago 6 honors
Dayshotta Leo, San Jose 5 honors
Steve Carter, Los Angeles 5 honors
Bill Cull, Chicago 5 honors
Jesus Moron Joseph, San Jose 4 honors
YourMajesty Lumpkins, San Jose 3 honors

-- The San Jose Fighting Amigos, with starting guards Dayshotta Leo and YourMajesty Lumpkins and number one guard off the bench Jesus Moron Joseph as well as longtime superb center, Pippi Pippistrelli (now a back-up for All-MBA pivot Hunk R. Down) was hit the the hardest by retirements. Beginning with Pippistrelli's Rookie of the Year season in Season 38, with Leo and Lumpkins joining the team shortly thereafter, San Jose has never experienced a losing season. They made the playoffs three times, were division champs twice and made the finals last season.

-- The Chicago Gale was hit the second-hardest, not only losing All-MBA forward Bang-Bang Reiner, but his back-up, also a one-time All-MBA forward and one of the most prolific scoring forwards ever, Bill Cull.



ALL STAR TEAMS FACTOIDS
-- Three rookies made the All Star Game this season, all three in the East Division.

-- The entire front court of the first-place Sacramento River Dogs will start for the West Division.

-- Fifth-season players who were all part of the the Rookies Class of Season 40, account for the most All Stars.

-- Just three players who accumulated an average of 20 GVP did not make the All Star teams...all are forwards...Peter Pizza of Oklahoma City, Al A. Orden of Dallas and Ape Con Myth of Milwaukee. Seven forwards in the East had 20-plus GVP averages, making that the position with the toughest competition to make the All Star team.

-- Amazingly, Chicago is one of five teams to place three players on the All Star Team. They did so without winning a game thus far.

-- Charleston center J.J. Gargantuan is the most veteran All Star Game player this season, having made his seventh contest in as many seasons. That is tied for 8th place for most All Star Game appearances. Baba Brinkman of Milwaukee was named to his 6th team...tied for 20th all time.

-- 10 members of the this year's team were members of last year's teams.

-- There are six first-timers.



With his selection to his seventh consecutive All Star Game, Charleston center J.J. Gargantuan has accumulated the necessary 10 lifetime honors to become a member of the MBA Hall of Fame. He is currently the only active member of the Hall.

--He is the 48th member of the Hall.

--He is the 11th center to earn Hall of Fame status and is currently tied for 28th place on the All-Time player list. The other centers, and their current ranking are: Max Payne (3rd), Diamond Dallas Paige (12th), Jonny Cocakroo (12th), Bill Rustler (21st), Rip Slamjam (21st), Tom Kondla (23rd), J.J. Gargantuan (28th), Bart Pitbull (28th), Alex Pal (28th), Mable Reed (37th), Ama Spikie (37th)

--Gargantuan is the eighth player who played primarily for Charleston to earn the Hall of Fame distinction. The others are: Center Jonny Cockaroo, Center Bill Rustler, Guard Beezow Bop-Bop, Guard Lemon Jell-o, Forward Bub Wright, Guard Silo Chamberlin and Guard Benny Gumm.

Final Note: The Seattle Stampede has announced that it will replace coach Neville Chamberlin, who has been at the helm for 11 seasons, with first-time coach Kingsford Briquettes. Chamberlin presided over four playoff teams, including Seattle's lone championship team of Season 37. Big things were expected from Seattle this season due to their accumulation of five draft picks. But they finished the first half 1-4.