I celebrate this stain. I can think of no better symbol of the slopification of the NBA specifically, and culture more generally. Aesthetically off putting, autistically optimized, and meaningless. Great joy in the league wearing this scarlet letter.
The chorus of 'You must appreciate this!!' from the NBA media last night was as predictable as it was annoying. You can always count on them to scold fans for how they feel rather than trying to genuinely understand it. Maybe there's a reason nearly every NBA fan thought it was bogus, you know? But why bother trying to dig into that... you can just claim "the game has never been better!" and feel superior to anyone who disagrees.
It reminded me of all the KOC-style "you must appreciate LeBron!!" tweets and posts we've gotten in the last few years. Nah, man, this is sports; I'll appreciate, or not appreciate, whoever the hell I want to, based on whatever the hell resonates with me or doesn't. Stop trying to tell me how to be a fan, or to scold people who have natural reactions to things.
As someone openly rooting for MLB to overtake the NBA as America’s second most popular sport I love this so much. Adam Silver has no direct control over these types of ridiculous outcomes and yet I’m totally fine with him being forced to eat shit for it.
As only a very casual observer of the NBA, I'm fascinated by the energy around who is more deserving of second place for a record. Is this really something that people are emotionally invested in? If so, Wilt Chamberlain would like to get out of the grotto and have a word with you.
It all reminds of me of a Jerry Seinfeld standup bit on Olympic medals:
"...The Olympics is really my favorite sporting event. Although I think I have a problem with that silver medal. I think if I was an Olympic athlete, I would rather come in last than win the silver. If you think about it, you know, you win the gold, you feel good. You win the bronze, you think, well, at least I got something. But you win that silver. That's like congratulations. You almost won. Of all the losers, you came in first of that group. You're the number one loser. No one lost ahead of you."
I think Jerry has nailed this. No player whose career ever mattered was upset by someone else finishing second over them for a record held by someone else. No career or legacy has hinged on finishing second in a record category.
If you are really any good - let alone iconic - your induction ceremony at the HoF will take a long time discussing all the RECORDS that you hold - not the second-place finishes that nobody remembers or cares about.
It feels to this casual observer that this issue says more about the head space of fans and the media vis-a-vis the NBA than about Kobe, Wilt or Bam or the integrity of the game. So, I'll take the road less traveled and I say c’mon all you wet blankets, let’s give Bam his proper due:
Bam, congratulations, you almost won. Of all the losers in the history of the NBA in this category, you came in first. You are now number one because no one lost ahead of you.
Now, let's all go back and start worrying about three-point shot volumes, cap circumvention and tanking...
> The game has been optimized. Bigs who used to battle down low now bomb 3-pointers
Check out The Pistons for a refreshing counter example, it is possible to win without focusing on 3s - just have to offensive rebound and force turnovers like crazy.
I'll be rooting for them because I like how they play but that style as of late, usually doesn't translate in the playoffs. Games slow down, teams take better care of the ball, and players pay more attention to boxing out.
I dunno, I think even Serge Ibaka’s 11-for-11 game is more impressive than most of these goonerball performances, regardless of era. Doesn’t matter who’s tanking or who sucks at defense or who’s intentionally missing free throws. 100% FGM is pure.
In the context of this NBA Season (and the last number of seasons for that matter) this 83 point outing by Bam is as random as it gets. And the fact that the score was so high in this game. The Heat scoring 150 points is a hell of a lot of points for a non-overtime game (that isn't an all star game). Bam scored 55% of his team's points!
When Kobe scored 81, he scored 67% of his team's points (122 total for the Lakers), and it was the exclamation point on his remarkable season in 05-06. And yes Kobe should have been MVP that year!
Bam, before this 83 point game, I'd say had a really good shot for 3rd team ALL-NBA. Now it seems pre-ordained. We will see if the hype is now so great that voters will try to elevate him to 2nd team All-NBA.
Comfort at most times, especially in travel, better conditioning and more knowledge, huge medical advances, smart coaches and GMs armed with analytics, world class athletes are bigger, stronger, faster ….
Most of the game is optimized.
Therefore, tankers such as the Bullets should be punished, and let Kornheiser rule and administer it
That was a side story. Lawyer uncle who got the Laker tickets took me in a detour to the porn convention. Depressing scene, Ron Jeremy looked fatigued and out of it
I celebrate this stain. I can think of no better symbol of the slopification of the NBA specifically, and culture more generally. Aesthetically off putting, autistically optimized, and meaningless. Great joy in the league wearing this scarlet letter.
The chorus of 'You must appreciate this!!' from the NBA media last night was as predictable as it was annoying. You can always count on them to scold fans for how they feel rather than trying to genuinely understand it. Maybe there's a reason nearly every NBA fan thought it was bogus, you know? But why bother trying to dig into that... you can just claim "the game has never been better!" and feel superior to anyone who disagrees.
It reminded me of all the KOC-style "you must appreciate LeBron!!" tweets and posts we've gotten in the last few years. Nah, man, this is sports; I'll appreciate, or not appreciate, whoever the hell I want to, based on whatever the hell resonates with me or doesn't. Stop trying to tell me how to be a fan, or to scold people who have natural reactions to things.
I proudly appreciate a random Nick Van Exel 25 point heat check game from 1995 more than this garbage.
As someone openly rooting for MLB to overtake the NBA as America’s second most popular sport I love this so much. Adam Silver has no direct control over these types of ridiculous outcomes and yet I’m totally fine with him being forced to eat shit for it.
As only a very casual observer of the NBA, I'm fascinated by the energy around who is more deserving of second place for a record. Is this really something that people are emotionally invested in? If so, Wilt Chamberlain would like to get out of the grotto and have a word with you.
It all reminds of me of a Jerry Seinfeld standup bit on Olympic medals:
"...The Olympics is really my favorite sporting event. Although I think I have a problem with that silver medal. I think if I was an Olympic athlete, I would rather come in last than win the silver. If you think about it, you know, you win the gold, you feel good. You win the bronze, you think, well, at least I got something. But you win that silver. That's like congratulations. You almost won. Of all the losers, you came in first of that group. You're the number one loser. No one lost ahead of you."
I think Jerry has nailed this. No player whose career ever mattered was upset by someone else finishing second over them for a record held by someone else. No career or legacy has hinged on finishing second in a record category.
If you are really any good - let alone iconic - your induction ceremony at the HoF will take a long time discussing all the RECORDS that you hold - not the second-place finishes that nobody remembers or cares about.
It feels to this casual observer that this issue says more about the head space of fans and the media vis-a-vis the NBA than about Kobe, Wilt or Bam or the integrity of the game. So, I'll take the road less traveled and I say c’mon all you wet blankets, let’s give Bam his proper due:
Bam, congratulations, you almost won. Of all the losers in the history of the NBA in this category, you came in first. You are now number one because no one lost ahead of you.
Now, let's all go back and start worrying about three-point shot volumes, cap circumvention and tanking...
> The game has been optimized. Bigs who used to battle down low now bomb 3-pointers
Check out The Pistons for a refreshing counter example, it is possible to win without focusing on 3s - just have to offensive rebound and force turnovers like crazy.
I'll be rooting for them because I like how they play but that style as of late, usually doesn't translate in the playoffs. Games slow down, teams take better care of the ball, and players pay more attention to boxing out.
I dunno, I think even Serge Ibaka’s 11-for-11 game is more impressive than most of these goonerball performances, regardless of era. Doesn’t matter who’s tanking or who sucks at defense or who’s intentionally missing free throws. 100% FGM is pure.
It's an amazing individual performance by Bam and an ugly symptom of the NBA's tanking disease.
In the context of this NBA Season (and the last number of seasons for that matter) this 83 point outing by Bam is as random as it gets. And the fact that the score was so high in this game. The Heat scoring 150 points is a hell of a lot of points for a non-overtime game (that isn't an all star game). Bam scored 55% of his team's points!
When Kobe scored 81, he scored 67% of his team's points (122 total for the Lakers), and it was the exclamation point on his remarkable season in 05-06. And yes Kobe should have been MVP that year!
Bam, before this 83 point game, I'd say had a really good shot for 3rd team ALL-NBA. Now it seems pre-ordained. We will see if the hype is now so great that voters will try to elevate him to 2nd team All-NBA.
Comfort at most times, especially in travel, better conditioning and more knowledge, huge medical advances, smart coaches and GMs armed with analytics, world class athletes are bigger, stronger, faster ….
Most of the game is optimized.
Therefore, tankers such as the Bullets should be punished, and let Kornheiser rule and administer it
Great post. But I had to reread one sentence. I thought you were saying fortuitous timing let you see the Lakers while attending a porn convention.
That was a side story. Lawyer uncle who got the Laker tickets took me in a detour to the porn convention. Depressing scene, Ron Jeremy looked fatigued and out of it
That's disappointing. I heard he's sharp as a tack behind closed doors, though.