NBA
PLAYOFFS COMMENTARY April
25, 2001 - - - - -
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My
Two Cents By
MATTHEW SEGEL
Hey
hey insidehoops.com fans. I guess everyone needs a chance to go off
once in a while. The NBA can be so much fun until the ‘man’ comes
in and fiddles with the game. Here are my wishes, musings and criticisms
of the game today.
First
off, what is with the first round? Best of five?? Over two
weeks? Listen folks we are being shortchanged. The NHL plays
best of seven every round. Every round!! Are these hockey players
that much tougher than basketball players? They play eight-two games
and have best of seven in the first round. I know I am making a big
deal out of two games but come on. There are so many talented teams
in the first round. Every one of them deserves a fair shot.
The fans deserve to see the teams play a best of seven.
I
think the opening weekend proves my point. The Pacers and Hornets
pulled off upsets in the east and the Suns squeaked by the Kings.
People, an eight and two six seeds now need just two more games to close
out top teams. I guess the real difference is that it is real hard
to come back from 0-2 in a best of five, while 0-2 in a best of seven at
least gives all teams a fair shot. For goodness sake, they play best
of five every round in tennis majors. This is basketball’s major
tournament and I think the opening round cheats us all. I want to
see all teams in the first round truly prove they are the best team.
Let’s demand more from the NBA.
Second,
I know this has been mentioned before, but the game will go through a major,
fundamental change over the summer. Zone defenses, which were approved
earlier this year, are going to forever change the pro game. There
will be less artistry and many more jump shots. Listen, I like
the one-on-one. I like watching the best players go against each
other. Zones will just make for less offense. This is the NBA.
If you want to see people play the old-fashioned way, watch the friggin’
college game. Don’t change the NBA so it looks like college.
Let the best players in the world be the best. Don’t stifle their
talent.
Third.
I know the league has some problems with T.V. ratings and attendance figures,
but so what? A lot of people used to watch basketball because of
Jordan. These people are not going to come back. They were
infatuated with Jordan and the Bulls. They’re gone. The NBA
had its form of a market correction. That is to say that the Jordan
market was inflated. These are the more true numbers and I think
that is just fine. The game doesn’t have to change. The people
in power need to accept that the NBA market is not as big as they would
have liked. The game is what it is; a place to watch highly skilled
athletes try and lead their team to victory. Enough with the marketing
and the fine-tuning. Just let the game be.
Fourth,
I think that it is time for David Stern to go. Let a man who has
played the game be the league president. Let a black man do the job.
The whole idea (of Stern) reeks of paternalism. These are grown men.
Let them be themselves and let the chips fall where they may.
Fifth.
Get rid of marijuana testing. I don’t care what a player does with
his body off the courts. If he wants to spark up, let him.
How does it help the fans if Lamar Odom is suspended for five games because
he lit up between games? Why is it any of our business? It’s
not. It is another example of the leagues paternalism at it’s worst.
Let’s judge the player, not the player’s urine.
Sixth.
I think Vancouver should stay in Vancouver. Just because the front
office mismanaged the Grizzlies, does not mean they should be able to walk.
Let them suffer for their mistakes. Allow basketball to flourish
in Canada. It’s not fair to the fans that owners can just pick up
and leave because they messed up. The fans are the ones left high
and dry. The league should stop ripping off fans.
Seventh.
Let Mark Cuban be. If he wants to spoil his players, and potential
free agents, then I think that is his right. It’s his money; let
him do what he wants to with it.
Eighth.
I just want to say that I am real sick of listening to games on the radio.
It’s not the broadcasting. The announcers are fine. I am sick
of the anti-drug commercials. Why does the Office of National Drug
Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsor every game? I find these ads offensive.
Offensive to me, offensive to the players. This is a sports game;
let’s keep politics out of it. The whole arrangement is real crap
and it should be flushed away.
All
right, I vented. I said my two cents. Long live the NBA.
Let them be free to be the best. Let the fans see the best players
play. We deserve it. Enjoy the rest of the first round.
Are the Hornets for real?
This
is Matthew Segel writing from the land of the free.
You
wanna argue with me? Send comments to workingmattsdead@aol.com or
mps_23@hotmail.com .
