NBA Basketball on the rise??

[crazybuckfan40]

What a great article...Not to get off topic of the thread, but I will agree with his thoughts about NOLA from being down their for NC game...Great city and what the NBA did for it this weekend is just amazing...

Like he said in the article all the likable stars in the league and what they are doing...

I think that it is only going to get better, especially with these guys developing a year or maybe more in college before playing in the NBA...

 

[Piney]

I don't think there is more interest in the NBA compared to other years. It just that time of year when the NBA (and basketball in general) has its peak of news. Basically Football is over, baseball is just starting and won't get into gear for another month or two. So in a news vacuum there is only the NBA is talk about. (one reason the Clemens news took off like nothing else is the lack of other sports news). The recent trades only helped fuel the appearance of it being on the rise.

So I don't think it is on the rise per say. TV ratings is the big item to go on, and they are still going down, not up. LeBron in the finals? No one tuned in. What were the ratings for the all-star weekend? Were they higher?

While I think basketball is getting better in recent years it still horrible compared to the early 90s (let alone during the 80s).

But the NBA still feels shady to me overall. The refs are horrible, it is not because they are fixing games, they are just too inconsistant and that is what feeds the conspiracy threories. Then you have the shady trades. The Lakers get Gasol for nothing. The Mavs get Kidd for nothing (throw in the Stackhouse comments and then them signing VanHorn to make it work?)

To the general public something doesn't seem right. And they are the ones that tell us if the NBA is on the rise. We are sports fan on this site, so of course we will follow other sports so we may be too close to really see it.

So was this past weekend exciting? Yeah, I have to admit. But I doubt the general public even realized it happened.

 

[OHSportsFan]

The Pacers are abysmal in attendance here. That has to do with both how much shit the Pacers players have gotten into and how shitty they are. This is a supposed basketball state and no one cares about the Pacers. No ones buying into the product and they've really alienated the city with the constant bar fights and gun and drug charges.

They get like 10k a night. It's funny.

 

[mross34]

I would hope baseball teams make more than NFL teams. They 10 times as many home games and their stadiums are half the size in most cases. Profit on the other hand goes to the NFL.

My point is that they're catching them, meaning they're trending upwards. Meaning baseball is not on the decline.

 

[buck e]

I completely disagree with the statement that baseball is on the decline.

Read this article:

Baseball's revenue close to catching NFL - Oct. 25, 2007

Totally agree. I don't think the Mitchell Report will do anything to the game this year. Most say they're sick of hearing about steroids in baseball and just want to the season to start. Plus, the game is full of young up and coming stars and I believe attendance was at an all-time high last year. The game is arguably as healthy as ever.

 

[AKAK]

Couple things...

First, most people don't give chit about the Mitchell report.

No one cares about some BS report that tells everyone what they already knew... that dudes were on the juice. No Shit. Then, when they have a moment of sanity and realize that those dudes weren't even breaking any rules... they care even less.

Steroid policy in place... lets move forward.

For all his seeming idiocy, baseball has done nothing but grow under Selig's watch.... in spite of him? More than likely.

But, back to CB40's point.

NBA on the rise?

Ughh. I think its finally not falling anymore.... if that makes sense. (And I mean all this in a North American context... )

Point was made earlier that Magic and Bird kind of Made the NBA... and... then Jordan took it to its pinnacle.

He probably ruined the league, too.

I think all the arguments that people have (officiating) aside... basically boil down to the fact that I don't think most people view it as a team sport anymore.... and the players are thought to lack fundamentals...

I don't necessarily agree with that... but... when showboat dunks are at a premium and some of the "best" players in the league shoot 60% from the FT line... it turns people off. (There's your WWF comparison.)

So, honestly, CB40... my gut tells me that the problem is precisely that there are too many stars... not enough "Boston" is good.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

They still have a professional basketball league?

 

[billmac91]

The Pacers are abysmal in attendance here. That has to do with both how much shit the Pacers players have gotten into and how shitty they are. This is a supposed basketball state and no one cares about the Pacers. No ones buying into the product and they've really alienated the city with the constant bar fights and gun and drug charges.

They get like 10k a night. It's funny.

The Pacers should pay people to come to their games....what an AWFUL product.

I think the NBA is trending in the right direction though. New influx of stars, with the major cities becoming good has created some better story lines.

The officiating in basketball has become a joke, and it makes the games less enjoyable. It's difficult to make any suggestions as to how to fix it. There could be a foul called on every play but on the flip side, even on obvious fouls, the players act like it was the worst call in the world. I do appreciate the effort the NBA made several years ago in reducing the bitching from players.

I don't buy that the stars get calls night-in/night-out. Watch a Cavs game and see if LeBron benefits from his stardom. It's like watching Shaquille in the late 90's. He's so physical going to the hoop, he rarely picks up ticky-tack calls, and regularly gets bumped around. It's all about style and what your game is built on. Wade gets a ridiculous amount of calls, mostly because he contorts his body and acts like he's been molested every time he takes a shot. Officials buy into it. In general, I just think the players and game have developed to the point it's impossible to call a good game. 10 people can watch a game, and all 10 people will agree the officating was terrible but for different reasons.

Anyways, the playoffs should be great this year. And I'm actually excited about the draft for the first time in a while. It is nice being able to see the incoming class for at least one year in college.

 

[OH10]

No one cares about some BS report that tells everyone what they already knew... that dudes were on the juice. No Shit. Then, when they have a moment of sanity and realize that those dudes weren't even breaking any rules... they care even less.

This "it wasn't against the rules" argument is getting tired. It was illegal. If I were a major league baseball player, I'd be insulted that the league had to tell me I couldn't use a substance that I already knew I couldn't legally use in the first place. It's like telling MLB players that it's against the rules of the league to murder someone. Duh!!!

Instituting a rule that players shouldn't break the law for a competitive advantage is redundant and an insult to people that think.

From the Simmon article: (which is fantastic by the way)

The NFL has considerably more thugs, Major League Baseball has a steroids scandal that basically has tainted the past 15 years of games, yet somehow the NBA is still perceived as the league with an image problem? For god's sake, if the NBA can't put that tag to rest this year, of all years, then it's never happening, and we'll have to accept there are deeper issues at work here.

(Well, one deeper issue. And you know what it is.)

I've had my problems with the Sports Guy in the past for his Boston-centered arrogance, but he's spot on here. The NBA has a lot going on for it right now. But don't expect anyone to notice for the reason unstated above.

 

[tibor75]

The big problem with the NBA (and it's biggest benefit) is that it's predicable. You can pretty much pick out which teams are going to win at the beginning of hte year.

Since 1990 which teams have won? Detroit, Chicago, Houston, LA, Miami, San Antonio. Is that it?

It helps sell the sport. But it also makes the regular season as big of a waste of time as hockey. I can't remember the last time I watched more than 10 minutes straight of a regular season game. They just don't matter.

 

[mross34]

It helps sell the sport. But it also makes the regular season as big of a waste of time as hockey. I can't remember the last time I watched more than 10 minutes straight of a regular season game. They just don't matter.

Agreed. Someone on WFAN the other day suggested cutting down the playoffs to 6 a conference in both the NHL and the NBA. Would never happen but it would definitely make the regular season a lot more interesting.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

The big problem with the NBA (and it's biggest benefit) is that it's predicable. You can pretty much pick out which teams are going to win at the beginning of hte year.

Since 1990 which teams have won? Detroit, Chicago, Houston, LA, Miami, San Antonio. Is that it?

It helps sell the sport. But it also makes the regular season as big of a waste of time as hockey. I can't remember the last time I watched more than 10 minutes straight of a regular season game. They just don't matter.

teams yes, but then look at the coaches, that number in the last (pick basically any number) is crazy. not many coaches have won it all...

 

[jimotis4heisman]

Cou

Point was made earlier that Magic and Bird kind of Made the NBA... and... then Jordan took it to its pinnacle.

He probably ruined the league, too.

it was explained to me like this once-

the nba was like (this guys college experience). he went to school, saw chicks make out hardcore and that was awesome, then he had a run in with this nice girl, she had everything a guy could ever want, you know, smart, funny, great personality...

then its like this, was that really better than other experiences? or was it a fond memory of a great time? probably the later...

 

[AKAK]

This "it wasn't against the rules" argument is getting tired. It was illegal. If I were a major league baseball player, I'd be insulted that the league had to tell me I couldn't use a substance that I already knew I couldn't legally use in the first place. It's like telling MLB players that it's against the rules of the league to murder someone. Duh!!!

Instituting a rule that players shouldn't break the law for a competitive advantage is redundant and an insult to people that think.

From the Simmon article: (which is fantastic by the way)

I've had my problems with the Sports Guy in the past for his Boston-centered arrogance, but he's spot on here. The NBA has a lot going on for it right now. But don't expect anyone to notice for the reason unstated above.

Baseball attendance will be up again this year. I'm not saying that the players should be shielded from prosecution for breaking the law... but seriously... what good is coming of this crap? Nothing. So, thanks, you care... and some talking heads that need something to talk about.

Oh, and yes... the unstated deeper issue. Right... has to be that. No other possible explanation. Wonderful logic.

What's the problem with Men's Beach Volleyball then? No steroid issues? No image problems? Oh, wait... that's right... it just plain sucks to watch.

No... the "deeper issue" is that not that many people care about the NBA... for whatever reason.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Just to add to the argument a little bit...

Suns/Lakers game on Wednesday received a 2.7 ranking...Same as NLDS...This per Colin Cowherd on his radio show...

For a week night regular season game that started at 930 those are some huge ratings...


The recent trades I think are sparking interest all around the league...You got 10 teams or so with 5 games of each other in the West so that is going to be a good race the rest of the season and then you have the East with LBJ and the Cavs, Boston, Detroit, Howard and the Magic, and the Wizards if they could ever get healthy with 3 all star caliber players in Jamison, Arenas, and Butler...You also have the Bulls who could get hot at any time because they have some solid talent and the Hawks with Bibby, Joe Johnson and Al Horford presnt a solid team as well now...