Dos Santos: Drag-on days
Hugo explains the NBA bores him to tears
Hugo dos Santos, sports columnist
Issue date: 1/30/07 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
There was no playoff football this weekend. For those of you who don't understand the implications of that, it hurts.
From September on, the American male species is on a clock. College football on Saturday, pro-football all day Sunday and Monday night. Sometimes, on Thursday, too.
But now that the NFL season and playoffs are done and we have only the Super Bowl, (I'm not counting the Pro Bowl, that's not a real game,) there is, as always, a sense of emptiness. I mean, what am I supposed to do in February, watch the NBA?
The only sports-related event to get excited about this time of year is March Madness. AND THAT'S A MONTH AWAY!
February, aside from not having enough days, is the slowest sports month of the entire year. There is very little going on. But it wasn't always this way. Not that long ago, before the NBA became a running joke, February was actually a good sports month.
Earlier in January, after hearing about an eight-player trade and finding that it was barely mentioned on ESPN.com's homepage, my friend W. called me at work.
"Dude, how big a joke is the NBA right now? An eight-player trade isn't even mentioned."
It's tough to argue with that. That call got me thinking. There really is nothing going on with the NBA and, as an extension, February.
Here's a question: what is the most exciting story-line in the NBA right now? Go ahead, mention something even remotely interesting.
Here's another: if you could only watch one event, either the NCAA tournament or the NBA playoffs, which would you choose? 'Nough said.
The most newsworthy story in the NBA this year has been the new ball, which is now the old ball since the league reverted back to its original leather ball. FYI, to PETA's delight, Commissioner David Stern has gone on record that the new ball, when it finally arrives, will be synthetic, not leather.
Now, I'm not one to toss stones blindly. If I write about something that's not, for whatever reason, up to par, I'm ready to suggest a way to fix it. In this case, I have a few suggestions.
My first suggestion is for a change in the way NBA games are currently covered. Dump Bill Walton! Please. There is no worse commentator in all of sports. There are guys doing high school games who are better at it than Bill Walton. Here is a guy who has no redeeming characteristics as a color commentator and is still around based on his talent as a player. Mind you, he also did this as a player, tantalizing franchises with talent that, either because of injury or other circumstances, was never completely fulfilled.
As an addendum to my first suggestion, I suggest the 'powers that be' bring back Marv Albert as a play-by-play guy. There is no one alive who does this better than Marv. Hearing old clips of him calling Bulls-Knicks games gives me chills. Wouldn't the NBA be better served with Marv Albert, Jon Barry and Charles Barkley calling games? Why is this not happening?
My second suggestion: protect Dwayne Wade from himself. The way he flies around, careless with his body, landing awkwardly more times than not, it's only a matter of time until he seriously hurts himself. Eventually, Wade may come to this decision on his own and do what Jordan did - change his game. But what if he injures himself before then? Remember Penny Hardaway? Every player, no matter how great, is only one knee injury away from mediocrity.
Another suggestion: the NBA should market (read: encourage) rivalries. I'm not talking about personal rivalries between players on opposing teams, although that's what usually ends up happening. I don't believe in duels, walk ten paces turn and shoot. It's never really been my thing. I'm talking about team rivalries, like the Lakers and Celts, Bulls and Pistons, Bulls and Knicks. And I'm only quoting rivalries back to the 80's.
Every successful period in the history of the NBA has benefited from rivalries of this sort. If they don't exist, then the NBA should create them with clever marketing.
I mean, that's how everything else gets done. It's marketing that makes me think I have to own $120 Nike Shox, a brand new cell phone, and a 30-gig IPod.
Columnist Hugo dos Santos is a Graduate School-Newark English major.
From September on, the American male species is on a clock. College football on Saturday, pro-football all day Sunday and Monday night. Sometimes, on Thursday, too.
But now that the NFL season and playoffs are done and we have only the Super Bowl, (I'm not counting the Pro Bowl, that's not a real game,) there is, as always, a sense of emptiness. I mean, what am I supposed to do in February, watch the NBA?
The only sports-related event to get excited about this time of year is March Madness. AND THAT'S A MONTH AWAY!
February, aside from not having enough days, is the slowest sports month of the entire year. There is very little going on. But it wasn't always this way. Not that long ago, before the NBA became a running joke, February was actually a good sports month.
Earlier in January, after hearing about an eight-player trade and finding that it was barely mentioned on ESPN.com's homepage, my friend W. called me at work.
"Dude, how big a joke is the NBA right now? An eight-player trade isn't even mentioned."
It's tough to argue with that. That call got me thinking. There really is nothing going on with the NBA and, as an extension, February.
Here's a question: what is the most exciting story-line in the NBA right now? Go ahead, mention something even remotely interesting.
Here's another: if you could only watch one event, either the NCAA tournament or the NBA playoffs, which would you choose? 'Nough said.
The most newsworthy story in the NBA this year has been the new ball, which is now the old ball since the league reverted back to its original leather ball. FYI, to PETA's delight, Commissioner David Stern has gone on record that the new ball, when it finally arrives, will be synthetic, not leather.
Now, I'm not one to toss stones blindly. If I write about something that's not, for whatever reason, up to par, I'm ready to suggest a way to fix it. In this case, I have a few suggestions.
My first suggestion is for a change in the way NBA games are currently covered. Dump Bill Walton! Please. There is no worse commentator in all of sports. There are guys doing high school games who are better at it than Bill Walton. Here is a guy who has no redeeming characteristics as a color commentator and is still around based on his talent as a player. Mind you, he also did this as a player, tantalizing franchises with talent that, either because of injury or other circumstances, was never completely fulfilled.
As an addendum to my first suggestion, I suggest the 'powers that be' bring back Marv Albert as a play-by-play guy. There is no one alive who does this better than Marv. Hearing old clips of him calling Bulls-Knicks games gives me chills. Wouldn't the NBA be better served with Marv Albert, Jon Barry and Charles Barkley calling games? Why is this not happening?
My second suggestion: protect Dwayne Wade from himself. The way he flies around, careless with his body, landing awkwardly more times than not, it's only a matter of time until he seriously hurts himself. Eventually, Wade may come to this decision on his own and do what Jordan did - change his game. But what if he injures himself before then? Remember Penny Hardaway? Every player, no matter how great, is only one knee injury away from mediocrity.
Another suggestion: the NBA should market (read: encourage) rivalries. I'm not talking about personal rivalries between players on opposing teams, although that's what usually ends up happening. I don't believe in duels, walk ten paces turn and shoot. It's never really been my thing. I'm talking about team rivalries, like the Lakers and Celts, Bulls and Pistons, Bulls and Knicks. And I'm only quoting rivalries back to the 80's.
Every successful period in the history of the NBA has benefited from rivalries of this sort. If they don't exist, then the NBA should create them with clever marketing.
I mean, that's how everything else gets done. It's marketing that makes me think I have to own $120 Nike Shox, a brand new cell phone, and a 30-gig IPod.
Columnist Hugo dos Santos is a Graduate School-Newark English major.
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