Tuesday, February 19, 2008

I KNOW
No one reads this anymore, but I thought I would post anyway. In fact, you not reading will make this more like the journal it used to be, and make me feel less like I have to pander to anyone. At least, that's how I will rationalize.

This weekend was the All Star game for the NBA. Now, usually I dont take any of this weekend seriously, and after being in Vegas last year when it was going on, I feel it is a big, worthless circus.

But ESPN (ocho, I think) ran the greatest all star games of all time, and it got me thinking about a few things. Let's start with the basics:

The weekend is too much. Cut it down to one day, dunks and the game. Get rid of all the other garbage, it just doesn't matter. Booby Gibson shooting threes is NOT good for ratings. Go ahead and poll neilson homes, if you want, I'll wait...

Get stars for the dunk contest. Look, I know everyone and their uncle has said this, but it is just NOT GOOD. I am the biggest homer around, and I thought this year stunk. Either we are running out of quality dunks, or we aren't seeing people REALLY try to one up each other. I don't think the former is true. Watch Lebron in a game. The guy is sick with it. Just get him out there.

Here's an idea. Lebron and Wade have a nice little rivalry developing. They aren't mean about it, but they really go at each other on court. Kobe is the same way. Everyone wants the number one talk to center on them. So start a rumor that Kobe said he can outdunk anyone, and see how the next contest goes. I bet you have six all stars in it.

So I watched the 1993 all star game. You know what, basketball WAS better then. Now, today's players are more athletic, sure. But the understanding of the game has gone down, considerably. I know this because I saw a bunch of allstars playing together, and it LOOKED like basketball. The spacing was great, the guards were dishing. Today's game is more like a running contest, and it gets bogged down/bunched up ALL THE TIME. The flow is gone. Gone.

AND, I figured out something my brain had been blocking out. Lebron is GREAT, but Michael Jordan is the GREATEST. Ok. Case closed. 1993 wasn't even his prime, and he look slightyears ahead of everyone else I have seen. He was on the floor with the greatest players, and they all looked stuck in the mud. Lebron can do that for a few plays, and he is great at exploiting defenses. MJ did it all game, no matter what D. AND he played defense himself, IN AN ALL STAR GAME. Yeah.

Finally, what happened to the crossover? AI was supposed to have one, but really, it's a jab-step, hard dribble. Tim Hardaway and Isiah Thomas both played in the 93 game, and they were both amazing. Really, I saw heels getting clicked like Dorothy was back in Oz. Those two need to go to each team and hold a clinic. Still the greatest move in sports.

I will try to write something about this weekend and my new car, and get that meme I got tagged with up, but dont hold your breath.

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