Clem Haskins

Sent: 2/16/12
Received: 2/28/12
Time: 12 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1971-72 Topps, 1974-75 Topps, 1996 Skybox Team USA
Item Received: 1971-72 Topps, 1974-75 Topps, 1996 Skybox Team USA.  All signed in thin blue Sharpie.

Notes:
Should I be pissed at Clem Haskins?  I don't know.  I suppose I should be upset that the academic violations that occurred under his nose, stripping the Gophers' 1997 Final Four appearance and leaving the basketball program in shambles.  But, doggone it, I still can't help but love ol' Clem the Gem.  His teams were fun!  I have never had more fun watching college (or any kind of) basketball than the back-to-back Sweet 16 and Elite 8 teams of 1989 and 1990.  Except, perhaps, for the aforementioned Bobby Jackson-led run to the Final Four.  The Dan Monson and Tubby Smith regimes have been bad on the court.  Even worse, though, they've been boring.  Clem's teams were never dull, and neither was he. 

Lance Blanks

Sent: 1/31/11
Received: 7/11/11
Time: 161 Days
Address: c/o Phoenix Suns
Item Sent: 1990-91 Star Pics, 1992-93 Fleer, 1992-93 Topps, 1992-93 Ultra
Item Received: 1990-91 Star Pics, 1992-93 Fleer, 1992-93 Topps, 1992-93 Ultra.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Blanks was a prolific college scorer for the Texas Longhorns team that advanced to the Elite Eight of the 1990 NCAA Tournament.  Off that success, he was selected at the end of the first round of the '90 NBA Draft by the World Champion Detroit Pistons.  Stuck on the depth chart behind Hall of Famers Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars, he only saw occasional garbage time during his two years in Detroit.  He played one season (1992-93) for the Timberwolves to cap his NBA career.  He has had substantially more success in his second career as an NBA executive.  After coming up through the San Antonio Spurs machine, he spent a few prosperous years as the assistant GM for the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Last season he was named General Manager of the Phoenix Suns.