NBA: It's Still FANtastic

As another NBA season tips off, you're probably hearing rumblings about how bad the league's product is. The influx of teenagers who leave college early, or don't go at all, is bad for the game. Too much individuality is ruining the game. Too many thugs, no parity, Western conference, Eastern conference, blah, blah, blah.\nLeague commissioner David Stern is widely regarded as the best leader in sports. He's long been immune to such criticism and will continue to be. In fact, it's this type of buzz that makes him look like even more of a genius.\nThe league head honcho's brilliance is unquestioned and unmatched. Paul Tagliabue's idea of going global is putting an NFL Europe game on television in the middle of the summer. NHL commissioner Gary Betman struggles to identify and promote the stars of his game. In baseball, Bud Selig struggles to…well, he just struggles. \nAlthough Stern's official state-of-the-league address doesn't happen until before the NBA finals begin, one need not have an MBA to know why the NBA still is the greatest game on earth. \nWhat we see in NBA arenas and on television is not always textbook basketball. It's sometimes sloppy, but more often graceful. One undeniable truth everyone can agree on, however, is this: the game has changed. Entertainment is half, if not more, of the battle, and Gene Hackman's Norman Dale, though a legendary character and an inspiration to anyone who has played the game, was only a great coach on film. \nI'm not concerned with what Allen Iverson says, smokes, listens to, or how often he kicks his girlfriend out of the house. I don't really care how much money Chris Webber took when he was at Michigan, or what type of gun, if any, Iverson brandished, or even what really happened to Bison Dele aboard his boat. Maybe he and his girlfriend formed a team with the Skipper, Mary Ann, and Gilligan.\nThere's too much one-on-one, individual play in the league because there's too much talent. But the thing about too much talent is that it's like having too much reality TV -- enough is never enough.\nPaul Pierce was All-NBA third team. Third team! More phenomenal players are in the league right now than in any other era, and the coaches know it. Would you spread the ball around if you were Phil Jackson? Or would you keep it simple and have the ball stay in the hands of Shaq and Kobe? Think about it -- find out which team won the last three titles (hint: they play in Los Angeles and aren't the Clippers) and how they did it, and get back to me.\nBut what about the kids who leave college early or go straight from high school to the pros? Are they turning pro at the right time? I say no -- they should leave earlier. If an athlete is that gifted and confident that he's going to make basketball his career -- at some level -- then go. \nThe poster boys for not jumping right from high school used to be Jermaine O'Neal and Jonathan Bender. Something tells me the Pacers are glad they developed how they did and skipped college. \nThe point is that today's NBA features players doing things that truly amaze us, that make our jaws drop. The on-court product is as strong as ever. If you've ever been left speechless and wide-eyed after seeing Jason Williams make a pass off his elbow that not even he knew was coming, you like today's NBA. When you watched last season's Western Conference Finals between the Lakers and Kings and hung on every possession with anticipation and excitement, you were loving today's NBA. \nI must admit, though, that it would be a little refreshing to see Bob Cousy come down the floor, wave his hand over his dribble as he fakes a pass, and then hit Jimmy Chitwood for a baseline jumper. But then again, Jason Kidd would have to race back down the other end and toss a perfect alley-oop pass to Vince Carter, who would dunk and hang from the rim…by his elbow. Yeah, that sounds a little better.\nI love this game -- and you should too.