Man Do I Miss Jordan,barkley,bird,and Magic

[charlie64]

I know some of you young guys are gonna say "ah another old fart going down memory lane".Well you would be right,but I got to tell you,there are many nights after I have watched a NBA game,and I'm really excited about what's going on in the league.Then their are other nights that I have to turn the channel to American Idol,or Family Guy,at least they are suppose to look like Jackasses......I have seen good basketball played in my life,and I know what good pro basketball is.I have always loved pro basketball,and where I'm from you don't hear that very often.Everyone around me loves college ball,I like it,but not like I do the pro game.I started watching pro hoops when I was 8 years old,and I am 40 now.We got cable tv when I was 9,and my favorite thing was to watch the Atlanta Hawks,and whoever they were playing that night.That was back in 75 and WTBS didn't have much on then so the Hawks were on about 2-3 times a week and I loved it,not so much because I was a Hawks fan,but because of the players that I got to see play,guys liker J,Artis Gilmore,Paul Silas,Wes Unseld,George(The Ice Man)Gervin,Tiny Archibald,Dave Cowens,Loyd B. Free.I 'll stop,but I could easily go on,and on just naming names,and these guys were not just all-stars they were characters,bigger then life,at least they seemed that way to me.The one thing they all had in comman was thay could ball,and they knew something that today's players don't know,and thats fundamentals.They did all the things that you are suppose to do,the little things that make the difference between winning,and losing,but few people ever got to see these guys play.CBS would televise one game a week maybe,and it was usually on Friday night,or Sunday afternoon,and that's just maybe........Then came Majic,and Larry Bird,and they drew more people in to the game,they bsically saved the NBA from tv Hell.Then came Micheal,and Charles,James Worthy,Patrick Ewing,Chris Mullin,I could go on,and on.That seemed to really make the league take off as far as tv was concerned.There were more,and more games on,they started slam dunk contest,it just grew,and grew,and I really,really miss it.I miss the basketball that these guys use to play.I am glad that there is allot of b-ball on tv,but the thing is I can only watch so many slam dunks,and turnovers.It's not that I don't love the game anymore,because I do,I still watch it,I still play it,I still gamble on it,Its just that allot of it I watch just does not inspire me at all.That's what causes us old farts to wonder down memory lane.

[Deke101]

Opposite age as you. Not my generation, but I know what you mean. All this street ball junk needs to get outta here. What happened to team work and worrying about winning. These days its all (non-racist) thugs, who are all about image and what suit they'll wear to the press conference, and what crowd they can get in for the next big party, and All-Star buddies. From what I hear from my dad, he feels the same way as you charlie. Back then, everyone on different teams 'hated' eachother, and would do anything to win, nowadays, a loss is a loss, but a friend is a friend - so they assume win-win. Stars are stars, and each night a no-namer puts up good numbers. But what happened to actual competition night after night. When a team gets down 20 in the 3rd, they take out their starters. No heart. Yeah thats a loss and might as well look forward, but thats not the point of an 82 game season. Players have found all the loopholes; begging for 8 figures, making their paycheck by driving into the lane with 3 guys standing around, just knowing the refs Have to call a foul, (D Wade-not discrediting his skill). And all this drama with run-ins with the law, maybe its just the media making a bigger deal of it, but what are players doing with guns and night clubs, jesus, find something else to do with your millions. They always show camera shots of players walking out of locker rooms with their sweet new suit's and top hats with feathers, come on, seriously. And the All-Star game is all about competing to make it their, only to make more friends. Yeah, I am that kind of person, I like to make friends, and I was always friendly to my opponents. But not with my rivalries. All pro sports teams should set a cap on what a player can make in 1 season ---- no more than 10 million. It's getting ridiculous. Marbury making 20 mil. a year. Washed up, and doesn't help his team or the league with his lack of talent and bad attitude, get real marbury. An injury is an injury, but don't ask for a raise. Grant Hill stayed in the shadows half his career because of injuries. But he wasn't trying to show-boat his entire career, and hes finally healthy and playing well for Phoenix, quietly. He has a good attitude. Steve Nash is the best player in the league not only because of his unselfishness, but his attitude. You don't see him in the news for domestic abuse, rape, or knife-fights at night clubs. The guy represents himself better than anyone. Some of these gangsta thugs need to realize they aren't the shit and should not be making 18 million a year for poor stats and a poor attitude. The NBA is going downhill fast. Not to mention cheating refs.

[mofome]

the real dream team would never give up an offensive rebound and the ball would rarely hit the floor. those were the good old days. basketball will never be that good again.

[Dark Horse]

NBA is to blame. After MJ, they wanted superstars to market the game, and got away from the team spirit. The hyper marketing of Lebron James right out of high school was a joke, but people bought right into it, so it works.

Suns are the biggest blessing to the league. Fortunately, their influence seems to be spreading. I enjoy them as much as the Showtime Lakers, although not as much this year. They're not having as much fun. (I imagine it's lingering frustration from last year's playoff elimination; seen as totally unjust in Phoenix.)

As long as the refs keep rewarding flopping players the NBA remains in the hands of cheaters. If one possession decides one game in a best of seven series, that's one flop for the championship.