...the NBA pulls me back in.
With the retirement of Jerry Sloan this year, I thought I was done with basketball. The Jazz I used to cheer for are no more--different players, different uniforms, different coach.
Should have known better.
I wasn't into the Lakers-Celtics finals last year, either. Two unlikable teams and the games weren't very well played either. It was an exciting series, but not a well played series.
And then the Decision happened, and somehow the Miami Heat made the Lakers and Celtics look sympathetic. That's some solid heel work there, especially since they didn't do anything criminal or that hurt anybody. They made themselves bad guys through the force of their own personalities.
Pro wrestlers would be proud. In the wrasslin' business, it isn't whether you win or lose or whether you're good or bad, it's whether or not people are interested enough to come see what happens to you.
Unfortunately, in my case, the Heat thing DIDN'T make me interested in watching the actual product. Coupled with the fact, I have no teams I really know well--aside from the aging Spurs--meant I didn't have a lot of interest in basketball this year.
And then this years playoffs.
Let's just say I'm interested now.
Some fantastic games in the earlier rounds, including the Grizzlies surprising upset of the Spurs and awesome seven game series against the Thunder-nee-Sonics, Chris Paul's heroics, and the Lakers getting swept.
And of course the finals, which have been fantastic. There's drama in every game, I have a team to cheer for (Dirk Nowitzki? Never thought I'd see the day), and more importantly, they're giving us good basketball games as opposed to the seven game fuck-up-athon of last year.
Right now the story is LeBron James' seeming disinterest. He disappeared in Game 4 and his performance in Game 5 was lacklustre by his standards. This isn't the first time it has happened either. He disappeared against the Celtics last year, and I seem to remember similar things happening at other points during his Cavs run.
I have a theory about LeBron James. I think he's been so good all his life that he isn't used to losing. So when he is losing he doesn't know what to do or how to respond.
Either that or the Mob owns his ass and he's points shaving. Stranger things have happened.
The funny thing is, I like LeBron MORE now, not less. I believe there are two kinds of sports fans in the world--fans who get behind underdogs or fans who root for favorites. Some of us watch to see Goliath kick some ass. Others watch in hopes of seeing a David rise from the ranks.
I'm an underdog man all the way. In any game where I have no real preference who wins, I will inevitably cheer for the team that is losing (Go Bruins).
I find LeBron the Unstoppable Basketball Juggernaut boring and uninteresting. But LeBron the guy with crunch-time metal issues. That's something I can identify with. as much as its possible for me to identify with a six foot eight millionaire African-American world class athlete.
Don't get me wrong. I'm still cheering for the Mavericks. But LeBron James just became interesting enough to me that I want to know what happens with him next.
Once again, pro wrestlers would be proud.
UPCOMING COMEDY
Monday,June 13 - The Comic Strip - Edmonton
WITH CWE WRESTLING
Saturday, June 18 - Winnipeg, Manitoba
Sunday, June 19 - Winnipeg Manitoba
Monday, June 20 - Dauphin, Manitoba
Tuesday, June 21 - Swan River, Manitoba
Wednesday, June 22 - Flin Fon, Manitoba
Thursday, June 23 - Thompson, Manitoba
Friday, June 24 - Gillam, Manitoba
Information on tickets and showtimes, as well as other details on CWE can be found here.
Dan's writing on Dating and relationships can be found at thegatewayboyfriend.blogspot.com
Check out this link for information on how to get Dan's Dating for Shy Guys ebook.
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