Congrats NBA, you've lost yet another fan(warning long rant ahead)

[devin112]

anyone read the whole thing yet? cliffnotes?

[Tha Catalyst]

I am craving this:

You Americans have no idea how privileged you are with food. I'm an avid burger lover and in Australia there is literally nowhere to get an American style burger. The month I was in America was the best of my life not only because I like the American lifestyle but the food was amazing. I know this is completely off topic but I just want you all to appreciate how good you have it food-wise haha.

[Crystallas]

I read it(it looks long, but only takes 30-40 seconds to read, thankfully the grammar wasn't bad). I agree with you on many points.

But I'm still supporting the NBA.

Giving up, is giving up. No other way around it. If you want points like this heard, you need to stick around and praise your concerns.
Unfortunately the NBA will carry new generations of fans, and your boycott will not be noticed. Thats why it's better to stay involved.

[Hamburgers]

I am craving this:

I approve.

[RoseCity07]

Kobe Bryant really is a great player, but the league is tailored to star perimeter players. The only way to some it up is: touch fouls.


And you see Kobe, along with any perimeter player struggle when the refs don't call it tight. If Kobe is on and is getting those fouls like Ray Allen's 5th tonight, it's over. But if he isn't he will get frustrated and the Lakers chances of winning are up in the air.

That goes not just for Kobe, that goes for Pierce, Lebron, Melo, Roy, and Wade. It's much easier to shoot when you know you're not going to get touched or it's two free throws.

[RoseCity07]

By the way. in and out Burger is not the best. Anyone goes to the Billy Goat tavern in downtown Chicago will understand. It is the best in the world.

[mamba24]

youve got a point.. but its only one game. who knows how the refs will call it back in boston or even LA.. honestly this is the firstgame ive seen all playoffs where lakers get the benefit of calls.

no we didnt they got more FT attempts.

[beermonsteroo]

Congratulations David Stern and the NBA, you've just lost another long time fan. It's finally come to the point where I can not, and will not watch another NBA game. At least not until they finally start doing something to change it. Unfortunately, I do not see those changes occuring anytime soon. It's has become clear to me that NBA games are no longer decided by a team's talent and skill, or their heart and desire, but instead by which pocketbook is bigger and what superstar is more marketable.

The loss of Michael Jordan caused the NBA to hype up any young superstar wing player in an attempt to replace what he was to the NBA. This led to the "pussification" so to speak, of the league and a new generation of fans who value nothing but showboating and high scoring. The rule changes during the midpoint of this decade helped to "pussify" the league even more. It's become virtually impossible to guard a player out on the perimeter because a foul is going to be called nearly every possession. I was recently reading a comment on these forums that actually stated that everytime Kevin Garnett took a swipe at Dwight Howard's hands, it should be a flagrant foul. Yes, I kid you not, they actually said it should be a flagrant. Is that what we've come to? Has the NBA become so soft and watered down that people are calling for that? The NBA wonders why they're losing money. They wonder why they're not as popular as the MLB, the NFL, and even the freaking NHL. The game has changed from when we used to enjoy it. I grew up in the 90's. I was too young to have witnessed the careers of guys like Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, and countless other greats from past eras. When I started following the NBA, Larry Bird was hobbling into retirement and Magic Johnson caught HIV. I had always been around basketball since I was born. My dad was the head coach of the Girls Varsity basketball team at Manuel Arts High School in Los Angeles during the late 80's and early 90's. He used to bring me along with him sometimes at practice and I was at every game. Most of my passion for the game came from him. I've always liked to say that basketball was my first love. Even now as I'm older, girlfriends come and they go, but basketball always remains.

Watching the NBA now, I hate what I'm watching. This is no longer the game that I love. I hate what it's become. Strong, physical defense is no longer encouraged. Everything is all about who has the bigger star and who can draw the most fouls. It's not basketball anymore. It's disgusting watching someone like Ray Allen, a guy who gives his all night in and night out, be taken out of a game due to phantom fouls. It's disgusting watching players like Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol flop around like fishes out of water, trying to get calls and be rewarded for that. Meanwhile, a guy like Kendrick Perkins, who prides himself on defense and toughness, is rewarded with fouls. Probably the most frustrating thing, is the inconsistency. Certain calls are not given at the other end of the floor. For example, tonight I watched Pau Gasol attempt a dunk in the first quarter I believe. Kendrick Perkins recovered and was able to block the shot from behind. Pau screamed like a girl and fell down and of course, Perkins was given a foul. In the third quarter, Tony Allen went up for a similar play, and Kobe Bryant comes over and hits his wrist, causing him to miss the dunk. No foul was called. Another example, in the first or second quarter, I don't remember which, Glen Davis was at the top of the key setting a screen on Derek Fisher. He was stationary and Derek Fisher flopped and Davis was assessed an offensive foul. In the third quarter I believe it was, Pau Gasol came out to set a screen on Davis, hit him to the floor, and an offensive foul was not called, even though it was nearly identical to the Fisher/Davis play.

Whatever happened to the "no blood no foul" saying? My brother and I grew up playing heated battles of one on one, sometimes very late into the night. I used to lay a beating on him, and he would sit there and take it. Never once did he complain, he just went right back at me as hard as he could. We never would call fouls. For anyone who's seen He Got Game, that scene when Denzel Washington is playing a one on one game with his son at the park? That's how my brother and I were. That's the basketball I grew up with. Just the other day, he and I played one on one for the first time in a few years. Just like when we were younger, he and I were going at it, both of us laying a beating on the other. If someone were to play the way we play in the NBA, they'd foul out in a matter of seconds. One of the reasons I like the Celtics, is because they're bringing that physical brand of basketball back. Only in today's league, they're punished for it. Another reason why I like them, is because they play a team game, another thing that has vanished from today's NBA. In today's league, the majority of players have a "what can my team do for me" mentality instead of "what can I do for my team". It's given rise to a new brand of fans who worship a single individual and do anything to unjustly prop up the individual, often times at the expense of teammates and other players. The media and the NBA eat that up. I can't turn on any sports channel without having to hear a million times about Lebron James and his free agency. My dad brought up an excellent point today during the game. He said he preferred TNT's coverage because at halftime, they actually talk about the game and do real analysis. He, like myself, didn't like that stupid segment about Kobe that had nothing to do with anything, and he's a Laker fan. The average fan nowadays, loves crap like that. These fans are idiots, in every sense of the word. They know nothing about basketball or great players that came before. They are the PleezeBelieves, Desperados, Branslowskis, Lebron23s, and Canstops. They will put down former players or eras in attempts to unjustly build up their idols.

When I was younger, I was a huge Michael Jordan fan, as were most other people during the 90's. I didn't know much about Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, etc, but I found myself wanting to know about them, wishing that I could have watched them play. My dad was born in NY, but moved to LA as a teen in the 60's. He's got tons of stories about going to games at The Forum and watching Wilt and Russell, among others. As a kid I loved those stories and wanted to know more about how great they were. I know some of you think jlauber is a troll, and other than his inexplicable ranking of Kobe ahead of Bird, I actually value his contributions to this board, because he actually got to see these guys play and I enjoy hearing about it. Another, lesser known poster here is the Laker fan EllEffEll. I remember last year I called him the best Laker fan here by FAR. He too, has posted stories about seeing these guys play. I love learning more about these legends from the people who were actually there. These new fans don't appreciate that at all. They don't care about these true great players, and constantly put them down to hype up their idols. They don't want to know about these guys, all they want is for people to keep telling them how great Kobe or Lebron is.

So congrats NBA, you've officially lost yet another fan. I join the ranks of many who have left the NBA game behind. I guess that's what they want though, a bunch of mindless, moronic idiots who go along with whatever they say. People who don't have a clue about something as basic as a pick and roll and will continue to spend money on their Kobe or Lebron jerseys. They don't care if they don't know the first thing about basketball, as long as they can market Kobe and Lebron and these idiots buy into it. They don't care that they're slowly becoming the laughingstock of professional sports, if they aren't already. As a passionate basketball fan, I will probably still continue to follow my beloved Raptors, but from afar. Instead, I will get most of my fix from the NCAA like a majority of people are recently doing. The game is much better, and resembles more the one I grew up with. Players play hard, physicality is allowed, less fouls are called, team basketball is encouraged, there are no retarded fans, it's not about money. More than half the guys who play college basketball don't even have the NBA or professional basketball in their futures. They're out there for the love of the game. This year's March Madness was worlds better than this year's NBA playoffs. Sorry for the long rant, but I had nothing better to do tonight and just wanted to express my thoughts. I'm probably not going to watch the rest of the finals. I'll probably even watch the WNBA instead. Hell at least they play hard and they're a lot more physical. Their game is hugely based on fundamentals, and not flash. The fans aren't as stupid either. End rant, it's late and I'm going to bed.

By far the best post I ve ever read on a basketball board
I couldn't agree more! The game is just not what it used to be.
Watching a Pistons/ Bulls or Nicks/Bulls series of the late 80es and early 90es and then watching today's playoffs is simply devestating.

Watch this clip. No foul was called. Today this would be a flagrant 100 percent

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_orBKAtZQk

[cotdt]

i didn't like the way the game was officiated either, even though it might have benefited the lakers more, it was just too choppy.

[EastCaliChillin]

You Americans have no idea how privileged you are with food. I'm an avid burger lover and in Australia there is literally nowhere to get an American style burger. The month I was in America was the best of my life not only because I like the American lifestyle but the food was amazing. I know this is completely off topic but I just want you all to appreciate how good you have it food-wise haha.

Lol thats hella trippy.

[AK47DR91]

i dont think he knows bos shot more fts than us.. Where are all those ppl who said la isnt shooting more than other team cuz of aggressiveness, or too many 3's? yes tc ur one of em

Sometimes 2 FT's are bailout calls, whether that's fair. "And 1" fouls are less likely to happen, and tonight LA was just stroking it around the rim. Even when they missed, they get a put back on the offensive bound.

[bluechox]

Oh, that looks good. Yummm. I will probably get that.

daaaaaaam, f u, for making me hungry

[mamba24]

clearly a raptor fan who dislikes the lakers and kobe...some of them are still not over the 81 point torching.

He talks about defense and how the lakers got ticky tacky fouls. ok i agree alot of ticky tacky fouls. but apparently boston did not get fouled even once, kobe blocking tony allen was a foul and ray allen did not deserve to get a single foul.

get your head out of your ass wanker. NBA does not need fickle fans like you. besides your a raptor fan you should be well rehearsed in watching girls play as you watch a pussified team in toronto.

take your pussification theory and get laid. not likely as you seem to have an IQ of a 3 year old. mommy mommy i want to go watch the pussified raptor team. mommy we will make it to the nba playoffs and we will win, and another thing mommy we will beat those lakers who destroyed us with one player..

[oh the horror]

i didn't like the way the game was officiated either, even though it might have benefited the lakers more, it was just too choppy.

It was. At one point, I remember just sitting there, throwing my hands up in the air, and just shaking my head. Literally there was a period of just FOUL-MANIA going on during the game....It was like...ridiculous to even sit through.


And while I enjoy the fact that LA won...its still one of those things where you sit there, and say to yourself...."wtf was that?"


When the officiating gets THAT heavy...it literally breaks the game's flow all up.

[srekaL]

By far the best post I ve ever read on a basketball board
I couldn't agree more! The game is just not what it used to be.
Watching a Pistons/ Bulls or Nicks/Bulls series of the late 80es and early 90es and then watching today's playoffs is simply devestating.

Watch this clip. No foul was called. Today this would be a flagrant 100 percent

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_orBKAtZQk

You're a joke that is not an automatic flagrant in todays NBA and more often than not they would just wait to see if the basket was made to call a foul or not. The OP used a terrible example. Perkins clearly fouled Gasol on that dunk attempt and it wasn't even really debatable. If he's talking about the play where the ball fell out of TA's hand when Kobe blocked it, then that also was not a foul and a good no call. I believe more times that not if it's a hack and the play is not completed then it is called. If the player is hacked and does not finish then they give him the foul call.