Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer has a look at Charlotte Bobcats GM (and former Portland Trail Blazers GM) Rich Cho and his evolving computer database, which now tracks statistics, salaries, injuries and skillsets. ----------------------------------- In an attempt to see trends ahead of the pack, Cho remade how Bobcats scouts file their reports. He didn’t like the standard practice of rating a player’s shooting or dribbling 1 through 10, because one scout’s eight was another scout’s six. So he came up with a nine-level system with labels, descriptions and examples, for scouts to use as a guide. The rankings: Franchise, Core, Top starter, Starter, Key reserve, Reserve, Roster, Minor-league, No-Bobcat. There are fewer than 10 current NBA players graded as "franchise." As Cho described, "we’re talking about players who can change the caliber of a team." At the other end, Cho describes a "No-Bobcat" as a player whose talent falls far short of NBA-caliber or who’s behavior is so egregious it can’t be tolerated. ----------------------------------- -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter