June 06, 2004
Can't Get In To NBA
I have a real difficult time getting to like professional (read NBA) basketball. Maybe it's just too perfect, too sterilized, too good, and lacks the necessary mistakes, missed shots and the risks taken in let's say college version of the game or even a pick up game on a street corner that makes watching the game so much fun. It just seems like 90% of the time it is just anybody's game and could go either way within that last 4 minutes. If that's the case, I ask you to consider, then what is the point of playing the first 3.5 quarters? Why not start every game with 4 minutes left on the clock and score tied at 80-80, then let the better team win from there. It's normally what happens more or less anyways, so why not start there?
Pro basketball is the only game I can think of where that is the case. In baseball for example, you can't start in the 8th inning. Everything that has happened up to that point is still a huge part of the last 2 innings; from the number of pitches thrown by the starter, if there's a set-up man on the mound, who has been able to clear up the bases more often and the errors costing each team runs to what kind of closer you have warming up in the bullpen. With basketball, pretty much the only factor present at the end that has been effected by the course of earlier events, is number of fouls teams and individuals have committed and how that plays into who gets to play those last few minutes.
This is certainly not the case if you watch a college game. At least that is not how I see it. Those games are played with plenty more heart, lots of exciting plays early on, risks (both necessary and stupid ones) in making various plays and often a lopsided score, way before all the interesting parts is limited to 4 last minutes. It also doesn't help that I'm expected to cheer for the Lakers, basketball's answer to the hated Yankees. Buy as many superstars as possible, because you can!
Maybe its time to look into some of the local school's schedules and ticket availability. Maybe.
Posted by Pedram at June 6, 2004 10:13 PMAll professioanl sports are perfect little games to inspire us all. The need to be perfect is so all consuming... Pretty soon they can have the games played by animated robots and we won't know the diffrence.
God save the queen.
Posted by: Ali at June 7, 2004 07:06 PMYeah the purchasing the best team money can buy thing... what's even the point of pro sports anymore? Where's the game?
Posted by: Kelly at June 7, 2004 09:09 PMHow about just meeting some guys once a week at the Y to actually play? I have never been able to understand the whole spectator thing. No matter how much I try to fake it, it is impossible to maintain any interest in a game unless I'm actually in it, -- and I was a cheerleader all through high school and college.
Does that make me a bad person?
Atmika,
My system does not compute...how is that possible for you to have been a cheerleader in HS and college, presumably a preppy, and come visit this blog!!!!
Just kidding...You must be a good person since you frequent this blog.
Posted by: Ali at June 10, 2004 11:06 PMHmmm...good question.
Senator, I do not recall.
--Wait! I believe it was a combo of peer group pressure and a tuition waiver(I was young, I needed the money).
Anyway, I was never very serious about it, couldn't get the girly-giggles right.