Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Working My Way Back to the MBW
Ya know what really torques me off? People who say they'll give you a positive post on Tuesdays but then give you some stupid graphic comparing Nelson Mandela to Paris Hilton...
So no Positive Tuesday Post yesterday. Chalk it up to a mild case of writer's block that will undoubtedly rear it's head in this MBW.
Here's the deal, the San Antonio Spurs are one game away from winning the NBA championship. They're a great team, they play basketball the way most it's supposed to be played. They play great team ball, while Tim Duncan is a superstar, he doesn't dominate or put up numbers that awe you. They play defense, they rebound, they do all the things that you have to do to win championships. They are one of the great teams of my lifetime, they're about to win a fourth NBA title in seven years, an unbelievable feat in the era of free agency.
And nobody's watching.
People don't find this brand of basketball entertaining. Worse, sports media insist on telling us that it's not entertaining, and that's my beef. I listen to a lot of sports talk radio both live and on podcasts. I watch the sports discussion show PTI (maybe my favorite show on TV) everyday.
If you don't find fundamental basketball entertaining, I don't have a problem with that. That's your choice, provided that it's actually your choice. But I hear hours of discussion daily about how boring San Antonio is and what the NBA has to do to insure that this doesn't happen again. I hear that the course the US Open is being played on is too difficult, that scores are likely to be over par for the leaders.
I understand that sports is entertainment, that it's a money making enterprise, that TV ratings are involved. Fine. But don't put down a great team because they, totally within the current rules, play a in a style that doesn't put butts in the seats.
If there aren't butts in the seats, if there aren't eyes on the TV, that IS NOT the fault of the San Antonio Spurs, the fault lies completely with the NBA. If the system allows this team to win, if Greg Popovich is smart enough to see that he can win under this system with the talent on hand, then he's a genius.
Would other match-ups have been more entertain? Would they have put more butts in the seats? Maybe, but the last time I checked, the NBA championship goes to the best team on the court, not the one with the highest attendence or best TV rating.
BOJ
So no Positive Tuesday Post yesterday. Chalk it up to a mild case of writer's block that will undoubtedly rear it's head in this MBW.
Here's the deal, the San Antonio Spurs are one game away from winning the NBA championship. They're a great team, they play basketball the way most it's supposed to be played. They play great team ball, while Tim Duncan is a superstar, he doesn't dominate or put up numbers that awe you. They play defense, they rebound, they do all the things that you have to do to win championships. They are one of the great teams of my lifetime, they're about to win a fourth NBA title in seven years, an unbelievable feat in the era of free agency.
And nobody's watching.
People don't find this brand of basketball entertaining. Worse, sports media insist on telling us that it's not entertaining, and that's my beef. I listen to a lot of sports talk radio both live and on podcasts. I watch the sports discussion show PTI (maybe my favorite show on TV) everyday.
If you don't find fundamental basketball entertaining, I don't have a problem with that. That's your choice, provided that it's actually your choice. But I hear hours of discussion daily about how boring San Antonio is and what the NBA has to do to insure that this doesn't happen again. I hear that the course the US Open is being played on is too difficult, that scores are likely to be over par for the leaders.
I understand that sports is entertainment, that it's a money making enterprise, that TV ratings are involved. Fine. But don't put down a great team because they, totally within the current rules, play a in a style that doesn't put butts in the seats.
If there aren't butts in the seats, if there aren't eyes on the TV, that IS NOT the fault of the San Antonio Spurs, the fault lies completely with the NBA. If the system allows this team to win, if Greg Popovich is smart enough to see that he can win under this system with the talent on hand, then he's a genius.
Would other match-ups have been more entertain? Would they have put more butts in the seats? Maybe, but the last time I checked, the NBA championship goes to the best team on the court, not the one with the highest attendence or best TV rating.
BOJ
Labels: Mega-Bitch Wednesday
# posted by Blind Orange Julius @ 4:10 PM 
Comments:
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Wow, I must be the exception to the rule here. I HATE watching the NBA because of the selfishness of "star" players, lack of team play, and the hype and showboating that the NBA seems to use to draw it's main audience.
I can watch March Madness or even attend regular season college and high school basketball games and enjoy the game regardless of the outcome.
I'm glad to see the Spurs are playing the game like it should be played, and not like the NBA marketing execs think it should be played.
This coincides beautifully with my views on television networks broadcasting sporting events (I believe you did a post on that before) and professional sports in general - the term 'professional' should carry with it an attitude, or mind set if you will, of professionalism. Doing the right things on and off the court. Not just being called "professional" because you get a paycheck to play.
Quinn
PS. FUCK the LAKERS! :-)
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I can watch March Madness or even attend regular season college and high school basketball games and enjoy the game regardless of the outcome.
I'm glad to see the Spurs are playing the game like it should be played, and not like the NBA marketing execs think it should be played.
This coincides beautifully with my views on television networks broadcasting sporting events (I believe you did a post on that before) and professional sports in general - the term 'professional' should carry with it an attitude, or mind set if you will, of professionalism. Doing the right things on and off the court. Not just being called "professional" because you get a paycheck to play.
Quinn
PS. FUCK the LAKERS! :-)
# posted by 
: 9:08 AM
: 9:08 AM << Home
