The Heat Vs. The Public

"Seriosuly?!? We all need to root against the sheer evil that is the Heat". This is the text I received from my friend Matt after I told him I was boycotting the NBA Finals. I couldn't take it anymore... another frustrating year of bogus calls, inconsistent reffing, and watching my teams getting systematically dismantled and eliminated. Normally I would be in Matt's boat by this point however, cheering for the lesser of two evils in a Finals that would still keep me on the edge of my seat and bring me out every night to watch. What had changed this year? Why did I just not care? Well, I guess it was just because too many other people did.

These past playoffs have been the most watched in cable history. Games are averaging 5.5 million viewers, an increase of 29% over last year's numbers and a sign that the NBA is moving in the right direction. But this is my issue, I don't think it is. Now that we have reached the Finals the numbers are slowing down. Game One saw just a 3% increase in ratings over last year and Game Two, when Miami was ahead by one game, saw just a 1% increase over last year's game two matchup between Boston and LA. Although this still represents an increase in viewership, the numbers are not as drastic as they were throughout the rest of the playoffs. Why? Cause people like myself and thousands of other fans have decided one thing: we would rather not watch the Finals than to watch Miami win.

I must admit, I contributed to the higher ratings throughout the playoffs. I watched several series and was intrigued by runs from teams such as Memphis and OKC. But as the playoffs moved along I found myself faced with an odd decision. I was no longer choosing my favorite team in each round's matchups, but was instead choosing which team I disliked more. And when it really came down to it, the team I liked the least was the Heat. I was watching games just to root against them. The reason viewership is still up: everyone is still hoping to watch Miami lose, like my friend Matt.

The problem with this whole situation, and why I am boycotting the Finals, is that these higher ratings are something the league looks at as a sign of progress. Stern looks at the offseason hoopla surrounding "The Big 3" and believes these numbers represent what people want, that fans are watching because of them. Unfortunately, most people are watching not to root for Lebron and company,  but to hope against them. Lebron's popularity has dropped substantially, from over 9% at the end of the playoffs last year, to 50% lower, 4.5%, at the end of the regular season this year. And while it's always good to have the bad boys in the league, a la the Oakland Raiders or Detroit Pistons of the past, it turns the game into more of a spectacle than a sport. How long can the league ride on the coattails of a disliked team? I have already stopped watching.

For now the NBA is safe. ratings are up, everyone's watching, and Stern and his minions are happy. People in Miami and the remaining Lebron fans who still recognize him as the most talented player in the league and can overlook the storm surrounding him, are enjoying themselves. The rest of us are rooting against the Heat and hoping they lose. But what if they win? Well, people watch because they have favorite players and favorite teams that they enjoy seeing win. The ratings during the Jordan era were great because he was a player whose fan base was massive and even if you were hoping for the opposing team, his personality still made it OK if he beat you. In the case of Miami and Lebron, the same rules do not apply. If Miami wins there will be fans who will be quite simply outraged, much like myself. I won't watch next year, and I believe many other won't as well. We wanted to watch them lose, not win.

Back to the boycott. I am not watching to not inflate ratings. I don't want this to be the direction the NBA moves, towards "The Big 3". I don't want eight competitive teams with superstar players playing the same games every year. I want thirty teams fighting for playoff spots, fighting their way through a grueling couple months of playoffs, and I want parity. I know I'm just one person, but I do not want my rating to count. I want Stern to realize that this may only be temporary. That if Miami wins, the ratings may, and probably will, go down next year, much like they did after Jordan retired and people lost interest in the game. Fans are still watching right now because we want what's right to happen. We want Miami to lose because, as my friend Matt put it, they are "the sheer evil that is the Heat". I want Stern to realize this; I want him to realize it now before the next Big 3 comes around, and then the next, and then the next...

I Stand Corrected

Last week I had the Phoenix Suns ranked as one of the least exciting teams to watch in my NBA/NHL playoff ranking extravaganza. Well, that was before Steve Nash decided to prove how much of a soldier he was and how far he is from being done; this man still wants a championship. This leaves me happy because now that Cleveland is out of the picture, I really have no interest in watching Boston, Orlando, or LA win it all this year. Growing up as a Barkley fan, this makes me even more happy as the Suns' seemingly doomed franchise, after beating their longtime rival Spurs, have a decent shot at the Lakers in an attempt to make the finals. Yay for Steve Kerr!

Watching Nash win game 4 with a busted up eye was really something fantastic, almost the opposite of watching Lebron crumble against the Celtics. It showed unimaginable heart, drive, and also proved that Nash knows the game just as much, if not more, than anyone playing right now.  Think about it for a second. Close one of your eyes and try to throw even a piece of paper into a wastebasket across the room.  Did it go in? If so, congrats. You have probably made that shot before and will continue to make that shot on a regular basis. Did you miss? That's ok, cause your depth perception is completely fucked with one eye closed. Know what? Nash has been making those shots for years. He knows where the basket is relative to his place on the court and can shoot from memory rather than vision. Hell, he could probably close both eyes and keep hitting those three-pointers. He simply knows the game. And now he's on a mission to win it all before he leaves it for good.

So I guess Phoenix is an exciting team to watch this year... I stand corrected.

The Disappearance of Lebron James

You know that line at the end of The Usual Suspects when Chazz Palminteri's character is finally figuring out that Kevin Spacey is the elusive Kayser Soze; the one where the film flashes back to Spacey's description of the larger-than-life Mr. Soze and he blows on his fingertips, extinguishing some imaginary flame, and lets the non-existent smoke dissipate in the air?

"And like that, poof... he's gone"

Well that's how I felt about Lebron James last night, gone in a cloud of chalk, quietly.

Now I'm not about to speculate where James will end up next season, hell I'm not even going to try and figure out how the NBA's clear-cut MVP managed to tank the two most important games of the year, but what I will do is stress how disappointed I was in this vanishing act he pulled. At least give us something to remember. If you're not going to be in Cleveland next year, give the city a wonderful going away present. Play like you've played your entire career, with the heart of a warrior who believes he deserves to win.

Maybe it was Shaq clogging up the lane, maybe it was an injury, i don't know, but it looked like he literally gave up. I sat there mouth agape, unable to fathom what was happening, watching the hated Boston Celtics tromp to an easy victory. What happened to the monstrous Mr. Soze who devoured his opponents like they were steaks, no mercy and no slowing down until home court advantaged was secured for the entire playoffs? I'm not sure, but what I can say is that if Lebron leaves Cleveland, the past two games will go down as one of the most disappointing exits in the history of professional sports. And like that, poof...

he's gone.

NBA Mock Draft 2010 Part 1

After the relative success of my NFL mock draft (alright, moderate to light success), I have decided to try my hand at an NBA mock draft as well.  It's a great class this year and it reall all comes down to what a team needs.  When all is said and done, it should be an exciting 2011 season with all the new additions.  Here goes:


1. New Jersey Nets

John Wall, PG, Kentucky

The problem with holding this number 1 pick is that John Wall seems too good to pass up. Honestly, with Devin Harris already in the mix, Wall would provide a certain upgrade, but the Nets could really use some help from a strong forward. Unfortunately with Brooke Lopez coming off a career year, I can't see the Nets drafting the PF/C threat DeMarcus Cousins, who would be the only other player in the draft I would take ahead of Wall. They could go with Favors or Monroe, but I don't think they'll be impact players like Wall or Cousins. I like Turner a lot too, but again the Nets have a decent young defensive guard in Courtney Lee, who they acquired for Vince Carter last year. On top of it all, John Wall is just an exciting player to watch and he should be able to sell seats in New Jersey, which right now seems like a primary concern.

2. Minnesota Timberwolves

Evan Turner, SG, Ohio State

Turner seems like the perfect fit for a struggling T-Wolves team. Paired up with the #6 draft pick of last year, Jonny Flynn, and Minnesota should have a great one-two punch in their backcourt. They also find themselves a new leader that the franchise hasn't seen the likes of since losing Garnett to Boston. Factor in the recent news that Ricky Rubio has decided to play another season in Spain, and Minnesota will have to find a replacement for Brewer in the number two position. Turner seems like a no-brainer, given his drive and ability to perform in the clutch, which he demonstrated by leading Ohio State to a Big 10 Championship.

Sorry for the long absence

I apologize for being away for so long, but who can blame me? I've been glued to the television from morning to night lately and haven't been able to tear myself away to write anything. Between the NBA playoffs, the NHL playoffs, the MLB season starting, the NFL draft, and many other things (Mosley/Mayweather, Kentucky Derby, Tiger's return to the PGA, upcoming World Cup! Should I continue?), I've been so bogged down with sports I feel almost (key word almost) on sports overload. That being said, I'm going to save myself a little time and combine a couple sports into one list. It's also going to be fun to judge how the NBA and NHL playoffs are stacking up against each other right now. Consider this kind of a TV Guide to sports. If you feel conflicted, simply look at this list and it will tell you who to watch. So what is the basis of the list? Two things...

Fun and Excitement.

After all, isn't that why we watch sports in the first place? Here's who I have enjoyed watching this postseason:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers

I know they're supposed to win the East this year, and it wouldn't surprise anyone if they did, but this is one of those teams that everyone just wants to win. It's almost like watching Jordan take the Bulls to their first championships years ago, except there could be a lot more on the line for the Cleveland franchise than their was in Chicago. With a looming free agency, Lebron might have one final chance to win it for his home-state. After that MVP celebration the other day that praised his friends and family more than it did himself, I doubt he's moving, but the idea's still lingering. Factor in Lebron being hands-down the most exciting player to watch right now in any sport, and I've made my choice of who to watch ahead of anything else.

2. Montreal Canadiens

They might end up losing to Pittsburgh this round, but they may not, and the possibility of a Boston/Montreal Eastern Conference final is so mind-blowing that I really hope they can pull it off. They already beat the number 1 seeded Capitals in the first round, thanks to rock-solid performances from Halak (a .931 save percentage) and Cammalleri (8 goals, 13 points), and I really think they are the most driven lower-seeded team remaining right now. Everyone loves hoping for the underdog, but imagine if they manage to upset both the vengeful Capitals and the returning Stanley Cup champions? It would certainly be a year to remember, and not just for Habs' fans.

NBA's lovliest voice

So the NBA is littered with terrible rappers, but what about singing talent? Well lets take a look.

Lebron James

Not a bad falsetto. Whats that move at :25?

Shaquille O'Neal

Mind of a 10 year old. Fingers always covered in melted chocolate I bet. Feel bad for that bus. Everyone's forced to laugh at his terrible jokes instead of giving him wedgies.

Ron Artest

Another prime example of Ron Ron`s wonderful wonderful insanity. Here`s another. And another.

Greg Oden

Nice to see him upbeat.

Maurice Cheeks

Warms your heart a little bit don't it. Flat out saves the day. The greatest pregame national anthem moment ever in my opinion. This comes a close second. And this a very close third.

Jerry Stackhouse

What a hunk. Stack`s a smoothie with a voice like butter.
We have a winner.

Arenas' Letter to the Washington Post

Good to see Arenas taking some responsibility for his action.  He's been one of my favorite players for years and is someone who just seems to have fun playing basketball.  Despite the stupidity of his action, I always figured he didn't really understand the severity of what he had done.  So many kids look up to him, and with guns already being such a problem amongst youth in the DC area, he was really just furthering the "cool" image they possess.  Someone like myself can look at the situation and think, "what a stupid thing to do, why would he bring those guns to work," all the while kind of chuckling and chalking it up to another crazy stunt by Arenas.  Younger children may get a completely different impression of the event, however, and it's good to see Arenas recognizing this.  Here's the article he wrote, definitely check it out no matter what your opinions are on the incident.  Very well written and makes me hope his NBA career is far from over.

Arenas Op-ed Piece for the Washington Post

Just Sitting Here, Playing Live, Parts 1 & 2

Part One: Burn Victim Night Terrors



I've been playing NBA Live since 1998, when Tim Hardaway was on the cover. It was back in the day when computer games were packaged in huge cereal-sized boxes, and screen shots bubbled out to showcase the 3-D graphics. I specifically remember Allen Iverson hitting a leaner over a nameless whitey, while Mitch Richmond hoisted a fade away. Most importantly, I recall being jazzed about the graphics, Charles Barkley's face in particular. This was an era of graphics when players had scarecrow bodies and bulbous heads shaped like octahedron. To personalize the athletes, portraits were stretched over each head, and the resulting look was predominantly "burn victim." If you played sports games 12 or 13 years ago, you remember the burn victim era. It haunted me. Hockey games played a big part, and Ray Bourque was the worst. I had many night terrors about burn victim Ray Bourque. He'd skate over my fingers with his cruel and demented scarecrow legs. I did everything I could to cheer him up, but nothing could deter his steely focus. Every night Ray Bourque would appear, and every night he was burnt and angry.

In any case, the reverse side of the box looked promising. Charles' smooth, round, pot roast head was carefully polished, and more importantly, Mitch Richmond was shooting a fade away. Before Live '98, it was apple pie, and Steve Kerr jumpers that resembled set shots. It doesn't seem like a big deal, but when MJ is the dominant player in the game and you can't execute his signature move, it's like having access to a perfect set of tits with missing nipples.

Hedo Turkoglu's Exceptional Grasp of the English Language

Armstrong: You came out tonight, early, aggressive. What was different for you tonight in terms of setting the tone with your game in this game?

Turkoglu: Ball.

I Wish Basketball Was Still Like This

Finally started Bill Simmons' big book of basketball, aptly titled, and got the urge to see what I could find on youtube. Well, how about the entirety of game 7 from the 1981 Eastern Conference Finals between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics. An entertaining watch on this slow day...


Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10

Excerpt from the wikipedia entry for the 1994 NBA Finals

Telecast interrupted by O.J. Simpson car chase

During Game 5, most NBC affiliates split the coverage of the game between NFL Hall of Famer O.J. Simpson's slow speed freeway chase with the LAPD. At the time, Simpson had been an NFL analyst on NBC. A visibly confused and distraught Bob Costas (NBC's anchor for their NBA Finals coverage and a colleague of Simpson) said during the telecast from Madison Square Garden that the Simpson situation was "not just tragic but now surreal."


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_NBA_Finals

Make that Money

27.7 and 11.6. That's what Bosh is averaging this season in points and rebounds per game. A little early in the season to make predictions? Yes, but this is shaping up to be a career season for Toronto's big man. Well, I'm gonna soak it all in while I can, cause it may be the last good Raptors' season for awhile and I want it to last as long as possible.

It's not guaranteed that Bosh will be headed elsewhere after the 2009/10 season, but with the numbers he's putting up he is a very enticing asset to many teams. Not to mention that in a free agent class that includes the likes of Lebron James and Dwyane Wade, there are gonna be a lot of disappointed teams with a lot of cash to throw around. Now consider this...

If you're the, let's say, the New York Knicks for example, and you have cleared the cap space by becoming one of the worst teams in the league just so you can have a shot at King James, what happens if he decides to stay in Cleveland? Well, with all the money you have just lying around, doesn't it make sense to go after someone else? Enter Bosh. With the kind of numbers he's putting up, he's going to be the backup plan for a lot of teams, an exit strategy to save face. There's only one thing Bosh really needs to do to generate even more dollars for himself, and it's the thing that could make me happy to be a Raps' fan come playoff time.

I'm looking at this Raptors' team that lost by only one point to the dominant Suns just two nights ago and I'm thinking not only playoff team, as i had hoped at the beginning of the season, but I'm thinking second round at least. Right now Bosh is in a position to up his value not only with his nightly numbers, but by leading a team deep into the playoffs. That's one thing a superstar worthy of big bucks needs to do. When all those other teams with their fingers crossed and lucky rabbit's foot necklace clenched close to their chest lose the Lebron lottery, survivalism will kick in. They will clutch and grasp and throw money at any solution that will drag them out of the basement, saving them from another season void of fan support and a losing record. Bosh is set to benifit from this, and he knows it. Luckily Raptors' fans get to be the benificiery of his stellar season, but like most of us, I'll be praying to the gods of basketball for Colangelo to pull some miracle moves so that we might see another few seasons of the big man in TO. Here's hoping.