The Modern NBA.

Starks

Starter
Like many of the scarce viewers of the NBA, I am completley outraged by the league's handling of the Suns/Spurs series.

I realized something though, and what I realized directly explains most of the reasons old school knick fans like myself have such a difficult time adapting to the modern team we have now.

Simply said, the game is not the same. The years of bitter physcial rivalries, ala Knicks/Bulls, Knicks/Heat, Lakers/Celts, Bulls/Pistons, Jazz/Rockets, are gone. I hate to use the phrase "evoloution of the game", but the NBA slowly changed the game from the inside out.

What started as minor rule changes worked its way to an almost league wide image lockdown. Hard fouls are met with suspensions. Trash talk is met with demerits. In this league, our beloved Oakley/Mason/Starks team simply would not have any room to exist.

The NBA's widely unpopular ruling of Amare and Diow being removed from game 5's roster, is a a byproduct of this "modern" NBA. And while the Stern, fights tooth and nail to support the NBA's properites overseas and at home- his objective it to apease the clean cut advertisers interest first. He has ever right to since the advertisers inject the revenue that keeps the league afloat. But in a world where comrporations must be as squeeky clean as a presidential candidate to survive, Stern knows that he needs to take every measure he can to ensure his league is presented as PG as possible. The R rated ABA died, and the PG-13 NBA that Knicks we used to love played in, has officaily died the moment Tuesday's ruling came.

I have a hard time accepting it, but it's time to let our beloved gritty Knick lore go. It's in the past guys, and will never be resurfaced again. I think once we accept this, chew on it for a few weeks-as disgusting a taste it is, we will learn to swallow our pride and root for a fisher-price league.

Many people stopped watching the NBA becuase of "prima donna, spoiled players". I think there wrong. I think it is the "De-evolotuion" of the NBA that explains why fans are changing the channel.

K, i just had to get that out. Thank god for Mets baseball, or I'd have no sports to watch anymore.
 

rady

Administrator
Staff member
Very well said! The NBA is on a downhill for some years now, i can't even remember what was the last rivalry.. i mean, has there been any other one since the knicks/heat one? Those what made basketball so intense and fun to watch. Those were the times of great drama and intense joy. Those were the times that made you proud for supporting a team. That's what i miss in today's basketball..
 

Starks

Starter
jesus christ. my spelling/grammar sucks.


Rady, how about a spell check button? lol

good idea, i'll try to find something for the next update :)
 
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donchris

Next season, keep waiting
This is very well written but I'm afraid to say one sided. Baseball doesn't have the same problems that basket ball does. Basketball is consumed by the hip-hop thug culture and this culture can be dangerous and bad for business. I'm no advocate of Stern but he is on a mission to clean up the image of the NBA. Just recall all the issues of the past 3 years. From Ron Artest running into the stands bitch slapping fans to Steve Jackson carrying a pistol and allegedly involved in a shoot out, to Kobe Bryant's alleged sexual assault of a white woman. All of these things are relevant to how society views this majority black league. The last thing the NBA needs is to be viewed as a league of thugs that rape white women. Does this justify watering down the league? No. But it is the case non the less. The reality is the league's image has gone down as well. We now have a group of young black men that wear doo-rags and long chains, tatoos and carry guns. Image wise much of the league looks like prison inmates. I'd love to see a rivalry as much as any old school Knicks fan or NBA fan but in reality the bar is much higher for the NBA than it is for Baseball.
 
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MSGKnickz33

The Gold Mac
I dont think the leagues problems should be blamed on the fact that most of the league is black. I think David stern is too worried about the image of the league. Let these guys go at it and build rivalries. Color dont matter to me, all I wanna see is the best basketball players playin and if most of the best basketball players happen to be black then so be it. If they choose to wear doo rags, get tatoos, and listen to rap, none of this should matter. America needs to know that not every black person with a hip hop image is bad. They carry guns because the world is a dangerous place, its a cold world. Most of these guys are good guys who just want to win but the damn stereotypes of mainly older white fans is the problem. I think the NBA already does enough with all the NBA cares commercials and the media covering all the charity events and donations. I've hated David Stern for a long time and this isnt gonna change just like the NBA softening up with the PG rating. It's unfortunate, but we gotta accept it.
 

Starks

Starter
These playoffs realy have turned me off. Most of my friends don't even watch the games anymore. I'm sure I'm not alone, its probably why we all slack off at work and spend so much time on this site. The NBA is not the same.

The Suns/Spurs series had so much potential to "save" the playoffs, but Stern, rather STU Jackson, dropped the ball big time. I mean, getting suspended for 2 seconds of trying to get a better view of a fallen teammate?

It is compete bullshit.

If teams are getting personal/physcal, keep an eye on it. But don't get them scared to foul. If the NBA wants a Disney Land league, then so be it. They'll just have to learn the hard way- cause the NBA isn't as nearly as interesting it was to me a few years ago.
 

The 1 and Only

Rotation player
I agree completely...when Horry fouled Nash and flailed his lil arms like he was dying...that made me sick. Players like Nash and Dirk would not last if you through the NBA 10 years back. And they aren't alone. A First of all Dirk doesn't deserve MVP...he simply cannot carry a team to a championship. Nash is also the same way. Again they aren't alone. The MVP selection process has changed, the players and how soft they are just frustrates me, flops have increased, defense has decreased, rivalries are absent, and poster children of the NBA are put on a higher level than everyone else (i.e King James and Nash). This isn't my first post about the current state of the league and it definitely won't be the last. The NBA is on the downfall like Hip Hop...
 

theknicks3

Benchwarmer
I agree completely...when Horry fouled Nash and flailed his lil arms like he was dying...that made me sick. Players like Nash and Dirk would not last if you through the NBA 10 years back. And they aren't alone. A First of all Dirk doesn't deserve MVP...he simply cannot carry a team to a championship. on the downfall like Hip Hop...

I agree about the MVP thing. Kobe Bryant in my opinion is the best player in the league, nights in/nights out he can lift the lakers who have a sub par team to the playoffs.

Dirk Nowitzki couldnt lift his team to a championship. The Phoenix Suns have arguably got the best team in the league but they have not won any rings when they should have.

The man I believe who fits the MVP category best is Tim Duncan, he is such a fantastic player who is a team leader and a perfect role model. Tim Duncan is the cornstone a franchise would love to build on, and this used to be the common case years ago with many teams having a tim duncan, but now Its rare, We have these young players earning millions dollars a year, putting on a show but none of their teams are winning.

People who dont know basketball are asked to name players and they name players like Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Yao Ming names come up. All talented players but would not survive years ago. Face it the game has changed. People Bitch about Bowen, and In Yaos case Nate about being to rough and hard. The game has changed, we saw this in Pheonix and Spurs series and we can just hope the game doesnt continue to change because people will start to lose interest.
 
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Starks

Starter
Yea man. The I think the NBA is in danger. Theres talk of Nascar being more popular- though i can't belive that. (Probably since I'm always around courts in NYC)

The refs really have a hand in tearing apart the fun. Every second im watching a game, all i think of: its only a matter of micro seconds before the next foul is called.

At the rate they are going, I give the NBA 5 more years. In 5 years, I think we'll start seeing less filled arenas and less media coverage. Shit, I mean, are we the only guys who even care that the playoffs are on tv?

What a sad state of affairs
 

donchris

Next season, keep waiting
Bowen is a dirty player that I believe intentionally tries to take guys out of games by injuring them. He did this with Crawford and Francis. The Horry thing was just a hard fowl for no reason. Frankly I thought it was a bitch move. Nash is a small dude. Horry knocked the shit out of Nash. The only reason the NBA is in danger is because of unsportsman like conduct on and off the court. There's a difference between hard fowls and flagrant fowls. When have you ever seen Oakley knock the shit out of a point guard at half court for no reason? It's not like Nash was hacked driving the ball to the basket. Sorry but I'm with Nash on this one. That is a legit complaint.
 

jimkcchief88

All Star
Let's not blame the lack of interest in NBA on "thugs who rape white women." Starks is absolutly right when he says corporate philosophy is being applied to a sport. In an effort to "clean up the game" wanna be wardens like Stern and the new NFL commish Goodall are well on the way to ruining the games we all love. The NBA is no longer fun to watch because through rule changes like the no hand-checking, zone defense, and defensive 3 seconds in the lane the offense runs wild. If you look at a player the wrong way a foul is called. The great Bulls-Knicks games of the 90's were marked by great defense as well as offense. Any real hoops fan appreciates a great block or steal as well as a three pointer anyday. But Stern wants to turn the NBA game into the Euro-game complete with international players. Might as well change the shape of the lane. Anyone that has ever played ball in any gym knows that hard-fouls, trash-talking, and near fights are a just as much a part of hoops as the slam-dunk. But Stern doesn't care about the average joe smoe fan. He only cares about corporate sponsers and stars in courtside seats. Shame. I have fallen asleep during most of these NBA playoffs.
 

The 1 and Only

Rotation player
Excellent point chief. My only opinion about the Nash foul is this...at a very early age coaches teach their point guards basketball IQ. And this IQ is supposed to guide you through the game. One of the major "No-Nos" as a PG is never run the ball down the sideline when a defender is there...so what did Nash do? It is at the end of the game, the Spurs are frustrated and are trying to foul somebody...so what does Nash do? He runs right down the sideline and gets fouled hard by Horry. Nash is weak, very talented but weak. The foul was hard and he acted like he slammed his head against the boards flailing his hands in the air like a lil girl. I've seen harder fouls in the WNBA. Nash needs to man up like an MVP and lead his team past the spurs and needs to quit making excuses. theknicks3 said it best...Tim Duncan is the model MVP. He is the best player in the NBA in my opinion and he also has the rings to back them up. Nash does not, Dirk does not...and they have all been in the league for more than 5 years so experience is not a problem. It is their mentality and the way they play...No DEFENSE. They will never win a ring unless they play some D. It's plain and simple. When dirk stops being soft and bangs in the post and Nash plays some defense, they will never win a ring...
 

paris401

Starter
I dont think the leagues problems should be blamed on the fact that most of the league is black. I think David stern is too worried about the image of the league. Let these guys go at it and build rivalries. Color dont matter to me, all I wanna see is the best basketball players playin and if most of the best basketball players happen to be black then so be it. .

david stern is the ceo of a multi billion $$$ enterprise... the stars are all black, while all the sponsors are all white (save the token spike lee/etc)...

hence his crusade to clean up the league's image...

its all $$$ and cents...
 

lilman_bklyn

Rotation player
This is a topic that I have had with my friends for a while. In regards to the suspensions, Hell, I always go back to the Knicks Heat series, I don't care who gets off the bench, SUSPEND HIS AZZ... They set a precedent with that crappy azz rule, so they have to live with it.
That being said, it is a crappy azz rule, along with many of the other rules they have put in place in recent years.
The hiphop culture that people say has infected the NBA, well sorry to say, but not only blacks buy these albums, or go to the concerts of these hiphop artist. The fact of the matter is, the majority of the fans in the NBA are young, the majority of the fans who buy jerseys are young, not young and black, or young and white, or young and brown, just young. These arethe same people who buy and listen to the hiphop songs. And these corporate sponsers know this as well.
So the NBA and its sponsors will continue being the hypocrytes that they are, on one hand telling players they can't wear doorags and "street" clothes to the games,and the next playing hip hop songs at every timeout and half-time.

I kind of went off topic a bit, but the point I wanted to make was simply agree with Starks. The game is not the same. in the early 70s 80s and early 90s teams were scoring in the 100's and were playing good defense. A hard foul is just that A FOUL. there is no reason to look more into it. Let the players play
 

The 1 and Only

Rotation player
No doubt...it's not a black thing, it's not a white thing, it's a green thing. David Stern is not a racist, that would be absurd. He's trying to globalize the NBA to make more money...this is why he's getting the Yao Mings the Dirk Nowitzkis, the Barbosas, etc. To globalize the NBA market. But the catch is that back in the day (the Golden Age) money wasn't the motivation of the game....the game was the motivation of the game. Players have gone soft, money is getting heavy in everyone's pockets and it has dampened the pain of the L. Back in the day when you got eliminated from the playoffs, it would dwell with most of the true competitors but now the $$$ is dampening the pain a lil bit. And the true competitors aren't as hungry anymore. $$$ has taken the place of the true love of the game...
 

jimkcchief88

All Star
Bowen is a dirty player that I believe intentionally tries to take guys out of games by injuring them. He did this with Crawford and Francis. The Horry thing was just a hard fowl for no reason. Frankly I thought it was a bitch move. Nash is a small dude. Horry knocked the shit out of Nash. The only reason the NBA is in danger is because of unsportsman like conduct on and off the court. There's a difference between hard fowls and flagrant fowls. When have you ever seen Oakley knock the shit out of a point guard at half court for no reason? It's not like Nash was hacked driving the ball to the basket. Sorry but I'm with Nash on this one. That is a legit complaint.

If you watched the game the officials were trying so hard to give the Suns the game the Spurs retaliated. That's why Nash got checked. Gamesmanship at its best. Use the NBA's own rules to fry themselves. Great move by Pop. Riles would have been proud!!!!
 

metrocard

Legend
the NBA needs the Knicks, Lakers, Celtics, and even the Hawks back in competition.

Another than that, I'm happy with the NBA today, it could be better, but it can be WORSE than it is now. Theres so much talent around the league now, and so many international players...the NBA can only get better.
 

Toons

is the Bo$$
david stern is a part of exploiting the fact that the hip hop culture is influencing the nba. If the fight with indiana n shit involed all white players, black dudes would still be blinging on the stands if they were injured. Clean up the NBA? how about clean up other sports where their life, records, games are influenced by steroids. Stern is a racist manipulator.
 

metrocard

Legend
david stern is a part of exploiting the fact that the hip hop culture is influencing the nba. If the fight with indiana n shit involed all white players, black dudes would still be blinging on the stands if they were injured. Clean up the NBA? how about clean up other sports where their life, records, games are influenced by steroids. Stern is a racist manipulator.

Hip Hop is an open creative sub culture, that isn't connected to race. Try again man.
 

Starks

Starter
david stern is a part of exploiting the fact that the hip hop culture is influencing the nba. If the fight with indiana n shit involed all white players, black dudes would still be blinging on the stands if they were injured. Clean up the NBA? how about clean up other sports where their life, records, games are influenced by steroids. Stern is a racist manipulator.

Come on now. I don't like him either, but lets not be so quick to draw up the race card. He can't hate Blacks that much- he wouldn't have a career if it wasn't for black athletes.

To be honest, i think Stern is one the most influential business men of our era. Doesn't mean I like him. But I do respect the dude.
 
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