Things Doris Burke Has Talked About So Far: (1) How excited she is for the women's games ESPN will be televising later tomorrow (2) Her children (3) How she's staying up SO late for this game. Is she naturally a horrible stereotype of a female announcer, or does ESPN make her talk this way?
9:26 PM: Back to back air-balls. Also, any wide shot of Pauly Pavilion shows the place is about 40% full. So ... no real difference in intensity and action as an NCAA tournament game. When I have to work through the first weekend of the tourney next March, I can look back and say, "Well, this was pretty much the same thing."
First Extended Tangent of the Night:
I love college basketball. This should be obvious. On the other hand, though, I'm largely indifferent to pro basketball and, in the past, I've had a difficult time explaining exactly why. Pro basketball is, by any objective measure, better players playing better basketball. Weirdly, I think this is the problem. Right now, I'm watching an incredibly sloppy game, and yet I'm fascinated. This is not necessarily a paradox.
There are a lot of foregone conclusions in an NBA game, while in college there are very few. In the pro game, often no one bothers to contest a rebound on a free throw. In college, everyone crashes the boards. But this makes sense. In the NBA, that shooter is probably at least 75% from the line, while the college shooter is likely much less. So why wouldn't NBA big men save there energy on a shot that's probably going in anyway?
There are many more examples of this:
No one presses in the NBA, and for good reason: Steve Nash or Chris Paul would just run right through it, and create easy shots on the other end. In college, though a basic press can often destroy underclassmen guards and occasionally decide a game.
No one in the NBA really gives much effort defending a three-on-one break, and defenders will often give up an uncontested dunk to Shaq or Dwight Howard when those guys catch the ball on the block. And, again, why not? What are you really going to DO in those situations? In college, again, inferior offensive players give defenders more reason to give 100% in any situation. It could lead to a turnover.
So, when I think about it, it makes sense that I like college basketball BECAUSE (not in spite of) the fact that the talent level is lower. Okay. But, by that logic ... why don't I like women's basketball? Seriously. The talent level is even lower. EVERYTHING is contested. All the girls undoubtedly play hard all the time. But, c'mon ... unwatchable.
Apparently there's a kind of diminishing returns when it comes to effort.
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You absolutely will NOT be working through the first two days of the Tournament in March. You will be taking vacation time just like Kass, Jerry, and me. I will even promise to say "it's really not that much" less than 30 times per day.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think you're wildly underselling the amount of effort that NBA players put out. And even by your logic, you should be watching the playoffs.
ReplyDeleteAnd one more comment:
ReplyDeleteI've long maintained that a true 1-2-1-1 or 1-2-2 zone press COULD work in the NBA now that they have the 8 second rule instead of 10. Nobody has really tried it, but I think those 2 seconds could make a huge difference. Why wouldn't a completely worthless team like the Grizzlies try that the second half of this year when they are out of it and have nothing to lose?