Fan of the NBA? Why or Why Not?

[SandraC]

Talk about fallacies. There aren't that many one and done guys in college basketball. Not one of the teams in this year's FF had a one and done. Neither did most of the best teams in college. Ohio St is not a good measuring stick. They have an idiot coach who recruits nothing but one and dones, and they've lost scholarships for doing so.

Either way, the fact remains the best players are not around long enough in college basketball anymore.

Boy you've got it in for my alma mater. Games like that are not indicitive of college basketball. The competitiveness I'm talking about is how Northwestern can beat Michigan St or how Western Kentucky can beat Louisville, both of which happened this year.

Well there are too many games in November/December like Presbyterian/Duke. When you're talking about college kids, though, I don't think the other upsets you mentioned rocked the college basketball world or anything. Michigan St. wasn't playing that well in the regular season, and Louisville wasn't a powerhouse after all. Western Kentucky was actually pretty good.

That's the excuse bad college teams give. The difference is they have a point. Bad college teams can be badly overmatched so they may lose a lot in spite of giving a good effort. What's the Lakers exuse? What's any NBA team's excuse for losing by 30-40 points. For a league where there ought to be a certain amount of parity in talent, at least relative to college players, I sure do see lots of teams, not even terrible ones always, getting blown out. How does a team good enough to reach the playoffs, cough, New Orleans, cough, get beat by 58 points? Denver's good but they aint that good. I've seen postal workers hustle more than some NBA teams.

Sometimes it's not your day and you have to live to fight another day. It's like in baseball, why do 8-1 games become 20-1? Because the other team takes out their best players, and does not throw their best pitchers. And it's also human nature...you see it in all sports when you fall hopelessly behind, including college basketball.


Sandra

 

[anders5189]

Either way, the fact remains the best players are not around long enough in college basketball anymore.

They were only going to be around 4 years tops anyway. The game has changed with more kids turning pro early, but the one and done thing is not that big a deal. Besides most NBA players don't stay with a team more than 4 or 5 years anyway.

Well there are too many games in November/December like Presbyterian/Duke. When you're talking about college kids, though, I don't think the other upsets you mentioned rocked the college basketball world or anything. Michigan St. wasn't playing that well in the regular season, and Louisville wasn't a powerhouse after all. Western Kentucky was actually pretty good.

The reason for the early season mismatches is because there is no pre-season in college basketball. In the NBA teams get to goof off for a month in the pre-season. College teams don't so you schedule some cupcakes.

 

[SandraC]

They were only going to be around 4 years tops anyway. The game has changed with more kids turning pro early, but the one and done thing is not that big a deal. Besides most NBA players don't stay with a team more than 4 or 5 years anyway.

Lots of rationalization in this response. It is a big deal to a lot of people. How many people can name the starting fives right now from the final four teams without looking them up?

The reason for the early season mismatches is because there is no pre-season in college basketball. In the NBA teams get to goof off for a month in the pre-season. College teams don't so you schedule some cupcakes.

So what are the great college basketball storylines right now?


Sandra

 

[anders5189]

So what are the great college basketball storylines right now?

1. How good will Kentucky be with their great recruiting class and Calapari coaching them?

2. Can Kansas make it 2 titles in 3 years? They are loaded.

3. How good will Carolina be with so many new faces? Can they repeat?

There's plenty of others I'm sure but that's just off the top of my head.

 

[Mr Tony]

could carfe less about the NBA

I'd rather watch the ECHL Kelly Cup (GO Alaska Aces!!) which is kinda like AA hockey than the NBA

 

[SamCdbs]

Could not care less about the NBA.

- Thugish, out of touch, players who generally have no admirable qualities other than an ability to play what the NBA calls "basketball".

- Simplistic game that is almost unrecognizable from basketball really is.

- Meaningless regular season, meaningless playoffs.

- Shove it down my throat over-coverage by ESPN, GROSSLY disproportial ratio between minutes talked about and the actual ratings of the game, not to mention (and ESPN never does) the sea of empties the regular season is played before.

The NBA is my least favorite sport. I can watch, enjoy, and I think discourse without looking totally stupid on about any other sport. I have nothing to say about the NBA except it fills up hockey arenas on off days. There is nothing there for the true sports fan.

 

[SabresRule]

Could not care less about the NBA.

- Thugish, out of touch, players who generally have no admirable qualities other than an ability to play what the NBA calls "basketball".

- Simplistic game that is almost unrecognizable from basketball really is.

- Meaningless regular season, meaningless playoffs.

- Shove it down my throat over-coverage by ESPN, GROSSLY disproportial ratio between minutes talked about and the actual ratings of the game, not to mention (and ESPN never does) the sea of empties the regular season is played before.

The NBA is my least favorite sport. I can watch, enjoy, and I think discourse without looking totally stupid on about any other sport. I have nothing to say about the NBA except it fills up hockey arenas on off days. There is nothing there for the true sports fan.

 

[DodgerKing]

Could not care less about the NBA.

- Thugish, out of touch, players who generally have no admirable qualities other than an ability to play what the NBA calls "basketball".

- Simplistic game that is almost unrecognizable from basketball really is.

- Meaningless regular season, meaningless playoffs.

- Shove it down my throat over-coverage by ESPN, GROSSLY disproportial ratio between minutes talked about and the actual ratings of the game, not to mention (and ESPN never does) the sea of empties the regular season is played before.

The NBA is my least favorite sport. I can watch, enjoy, and I think discourse without looking totally stupid on about any other sport. I have nothing to say about the NBA except it fills up hockey arenas on off days. There is nothing there for the true sports fan.

I don't like the NBA like I used to (I still enjoy watching the playoffs), but I would not go that far. It is the third most popular sport in the US.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

What is sad is that the college players we like so much as college players, become the very NBA players we seem to despise.

 

[HD MM]

I don't like the NBA like I used to (I still enjoy watching the playoffs), but I would not go that far. It is the third most popular sport in the US.

What's the 2nd most popular?

 

[DodgerKing]

What's the 2nd most popular?

MLB. Ratings, attendance,and revenue. Even the record breaking NBA playoff ratings this year have not surpassed some of the worst baseball playoff ratings. Although NBA ratings are on the increase while MLB ratings are on the decrease. Eventually, NBA may be #2.

 

[SamCdbs]

It is the third most popular sport in the US.

Golf, NASCAR, and college football are clearly more popular. Depending on how you measure it, college basketball, tennis, and a whole list of other sports are as well.

The NBA is an urban niche sport. Its popularity away from the cities it plays in, even in similar sized cities, let alone the smaller markets, is tiny.

 

[SabresRule]

Golf, NASCAR, and college football are clearly more popular. Depending on how you measure it, college basketball, tennis, and a whole list of other sports are as well.

The NBA is an urban niche sport. Its popularity away from the cities it plays in, even in similar sized cities, let alone the smaller markets, is tiny.

Tennis?

Tennis rarely draws the ratings that NBA games do.

Also, other than the US Open, the tournaments always start at early/late times- it's hard for people to tune in.

 

[SandraC]

Golf, NASCAR, and college football are clearly more popular. Depending on how you measure it, college basketball, tennis, and a whole list of other sports are as well.

The NBA is an urban niche sport. Its popularity away from the cities it plays in, even in similar sized cities, let alone the smaller markets, is tiny.

Excellent points...if it was still 1965.

Your perception is way off. While you weren't paying attention, the urban niche sport went global. Just a hint...you lost all credibility when you mentioned tennis.

Oh, and your timing is bad too. NBA ratings are way up this post season.


Sandra

 

[HD MM]

Sandra, try and ignore him.

His post was based on generalizations. How someone that doesn't even watch the game can make such broad stroke assumptions is beyond me. He is so far off, it's insane.

 

[HD MM]

MLB. Ratings, attendance,and revenue. Even the record breaking NBA playoff ratings this year have not surpassed some of the worst baseball playoff ratings. Although NBA ratings are on the increase while MLB ratings are on the decrease. Eventually, NBA may be #2.

I don't want to start an argument or a long drawn out discussion, but saying the MLB is the #2 most popular sport over the NBA is actually debatable.

Personally, I love baseball. Shockingly, I may even cherish the sport more so than the NBA, but there is no denying the NBA's rising popularity while the MLB continues to head in the opposite direction.

 

[SabresRule]

Excellent points...if it was still 1965.

:haha:haha:haha:haha:haha:haha:haha

 

[Skyhi]

I like the NBA because I like basketball and the NBA is the best of the best. I like NCAA basketball too....I dont think its an either/or proposition.

To all of you complaining about the thugs in the NBA: Could you elaborate?

 

[SabresRule]

there is no denying the NBA's rising popularity while the MLB continues to head in the opposite direction.

That is a good point.

 

[SandraC]

I don't want to start an argument or a long drawn out discussion, but saying the MLB is the #2 most popular sport over the NBA is actually debatable.

Personally, I love baseball. Shockingly, I may even cherish the sport more so than the NBA, but there is no denying the NBA's rising popularity while the MLB continues to head in the opposite direction.

I love baseball too, but sadly I agree it's heading the wrong way. Heading there slowly, but the wrong way nonetheless.

The biggest proof is in youth sports, where participation in baseball is way down compared to basketball. Walk into a fifth grade class and ask the boys what their favorite team, player, and sport is. Very few will mention baseball or baseball teams or players, most will mention football and basketball.

Some of the kids won't even know who Chase Utley or David Ortiz or Ichiro Suzuki are. Most, however, will know Lebron, Kobe, Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett, not to mention a whole bunch of football players.


Sandra