Okay, I'll watch at least one full NBA game this year. The Suns evened their western conference finals series with the Lakers yesterday, riding a hot bench to a 115-106 win.
I don't want to say much about this, primarily because I spent a couple posts last week talking about how the NBA is no fun, and secondarily because I still think the Lakers will win in 6 or 7 games. But man, imagine if Phoenix steals game 5 in LA...
The NBA is currently in total "imagine if" mode. This is not the best place to be; it happens when the depressing normal result (Boston vs. LA) seems really likely, and all you can say is "imagine if Orlando came all the way back" or "imagine if Phoenix took down the Laker juggernaut." Then we'd all be partying in the streets, man. Count on that.
Time for a new Seth Curry Saves Duke! feature:
DRINKING & DRIVING!
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Have you been wondering at the whereabouts of former Yankee pitcher and total bust Hideki Irabu? Well, he's in LA, drinking and driving.
This has been:
DRINKING & DRIVING!
That was fun.
Other stuff: the Yanks played five scoreless innings with the Twins last night before rain suspended the game. They'll finish tonight at 5pm eastern before playing their second game at 7, assuming the first finishes in time. AJ looked good, the offense looked terrible. Now, our bullpen will have to go four innings against Mauer, Morneau and company. The Yankee win probability is somewhere in Mexico, drinking itself stupid, eyeballing a woman it doesn't know is 57 years old, and ignoring text messages.
It's raining in France right now, but Rafa advanced to the second round with ease yesterday, dropping a triple deuce (6-2 6-2 6-2) on some unfortunate Frenchman. Roddick survived in five sets, but all indications are that he won't be long for the clay. And on the other side of the draw, all the favorites are advancing, including Robin Soderling. Federer is waiting for the skies to clear before starting his second round match.
Oh, hey, this was cool: in 2014, Giants Stadium will host the first ever cold-weather outdoor superbowl! I really hope it snows. And I hope some lame-o indoor team like the Colts get their arses kicked by the Giants because Peyton Manning can't move his hands.
Morning has broken. Wednesday just got real.
215.
You have such a skewed view on the world of sports. The vast majority of sports fans WANT Boston v. LA. It's compelling, it's the most historic rivalry in the sport, and it's only a real rivalry because of the CHAMPIONSHIPS they play in. They only play 2x a year unless they face off in the Finals. This would be akin to you saying that no one wants to see Yankees v. Dodgers when the alternative is Tampa Bay v. Arizona. No one f'ing wants TB v. Arizona.
ReplyDeleteAny real, neutral basketball fan is interested in the most fun teams playing in the championship. If you want Boston or LA, you're most likely either a fan of one of those teams, or a casual observer who knows something about the history, something about Kobe, and not much about the style of the Suns. Or a frontrunner. PS- it's possible to discuss these things without leading our respective arguments with a personal insult.
ReplyDelete-S
And PS, I don't think most people "want" a Yankees-Dodgers series. Again, casual fans or fans of both teams might find it to be the best match-up, but most neutral fans would be rooting against both teams pretty consistently. The higher tv ratings and media coverage (this goes for Duke too, actually) owe more to a combination of the large fanbases, the history, and the more recognizable personalities, along with the scads of folks who turn in to actively root against one or both teams. As a small example, Duke-Butler had very high ratings, but I doubt many people in the country were rooting for Duke to beat West Virginia, or Baylor, or whoever, in order to set up this final.
ReplyDelete-S
Please show me where I insulted you personally. Suggesting your world of sports is skewed is not a personal attack.
ReplyDeleteHere is your quote: "The NBA is currently in total "imagine if" mode. This is not the best place to be; it happens when the depressing normal result (Boston vs. LA) seems really likely"
As you later admitted, the NBA - being David Stern and the bigwigs - absolutely want Boston v. LA. There will be higher tv ratings and media coverage for Boston v. LA. That's a given. So I tell you your view is skewed because you allege the NBA wants Phoenix v. Orlando, and I call bullshit. I would agree with you that a die hard basketball fan, that isnt a fan of LA or Boston, might want Phoenix v. Orlando bc Boston and LA are hated due to their success. That said, CASUAL basketball fans, are more likely to turn on for Boston v. LA because, even if some of them are aging, that series gives you the most stars known by the casual observer - Kobe, Gasol, Odom, Phil Jackson, Garnett, Pierce, Allen, and Rondo.
In terms of simply the "most fun" matchup, all 4 teams have recognizable stars (Kobe + 2 others for LA, Nash and Amare for Phx, Howard and arguably some others for Orlando, and Rondo + the Big 3 for Boston). Personally, I think Nash v. Rondo is the most fun potential match up. Regardless, I disagreed w your view bc you often interchange "what the NBA wants" for what "S" wants. If you came out and said that, to you personally, Boston v. LA is depressing, I would never have even commented.
- "B"
P.S. You eat half-eaten chicken mcnuggets out of the garbage!
Miscommunication: when I said "the NBA is in 'imagine if'" mode, I meant the relationship of the fan to the NBA, not the National Basketball Association itself. In other words, the basketball fan hoping for the best outcome is in 'imagine if' mode. I couldn't care less what David Stern wants.
ReplyDeleteSecond: What "S" wants will always influence the content, since "S" is the writer.
Third: it would be a crime to waste perfectly good mcnuggets.
-S!
Speaking of good mcnuggets, can we please pause to consider another gem of this post: "dropping a triple deuce".
ReplyDeleteHeh.
brian you just made everyones day
ReplyDelete