Basketball Newsletter - March 29, 2000
Don't touch the privates!
The NBA brass knows the NBA is in trouble. Why else do they insist on sticking microphones and cameras up the noses of the coaches and players?
Perhaps they think that being able to hear the courtside pep talks and watching our favourite player scratch his naughty bits will make us pour more and more money into their coffers. But the players' union is fighting it. They filed an unfair labour practice charge this week challenging the NBA's "unilateral implementation of a series of intrusive game-day regulations."
The coaches already won one battle: a boom mic over the benchside huddle rather than the up close and personal label mic. If the coaches can win this battle, are the players likely to roll over? It doesn't matter whether or not the NBA -- or NBC for that matter -- thinks cameras in locker rooms makes for top quality entertainment.
The players are the strength of the league, and if they don't want they eyes and ears of North America inside their gym bags, it ain't gonna happen, no matter what the big cheeses say.
Who's hot
** Philadelphia 76ers. The pre trade-deadline acquisition of Tony Kukoc is looking like the best one of the year. The Sixers are 14-5 since adding the old Bull to the squad and have rewarded coach Larry Brown with a contract extension through the 04-05 season. And why not? Earlier this season he made a gutsy move when he suspended his star Allen Iverson, and the team began a 6-game win streak. This team could get through to the NBA finals. Not that we're making our predictions just yet!
** Minnesota's Kevin Garnett. Seems like all season long the Player of the Week award has gone to this guy or another one named Shaq. Well what does KG mean to the Timberwolves? He averaged 35.3 points and 10.0 rebounds per game this week, leading the Wolves to a 6-game win streak and clinching a playoff spot in the process. In the tough Western Conference where Shaq and Kobe make most of the headlines, it's exciting to see Garnett's numbers filling the pages.
Who's not
** Toronto Raptors. It's been like this a lot lately: one week we're saying how great they are, the next how much they suck. Well, heading into the playoffs, the Dinosaurs are looking like they're gonna be extinct pretty darn early. Consistency is everything in the post season, finding ways to win day in day out. And whether it's mood swings or hot flashes interfering with the team's play, you can't believe they're going to get out of the first round. Sorry, it's been an exciting run, but a 4-game losing streak that coincides with winning streaks by Charlotte, New York, Philly and Orlando puts the Raps out fast and early.
Yo Quiero mucho pointes
Watching an NBA game is like watching music videos, only taller. All the noise, the gimmicks, it's like a Shriner's Circus with 'tude. This week, CTVSportsnet.com's Paul Jay thinks all the food giveaways may be spoiling basketball's main course:
"How can a fan afford one of the most expensive sports tickets in town and not be able to pony up the dough for a lousy slice of pizza? The answer is one of the golden rules of marketing: people love free stuff. Give customers free anything, no matter how insignificant, and they'll love you twice as much. But somehow it hasn't quite worked out.
It's easy to blame the fans for their lack of focus, but let's face it: the whole gimmick is at best silly and at worst hurtful. Franchises could give a free chalupa if their team wins; after all, isn't this the ultimate goal? To think that Cavaliers or Grizzlies fans would have cheered a loss loudly because their teams scored 100 points is scary."
Read more at:
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The Final Four? Who'da thunk it?
Okay, hands up everyone who picked Florida, Michigan State, North Carolina and Wisconsin to make up the Final Four in the big tournament. Uh-huh. That's what we thought. if you're placing any side bets for this weekend's games (not that we're encouraging gambling of any form, mind you) you might want to read Paul Jay's take on the 4 remaining clubs:
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CTVSportsnet.com has all the coverage at:
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And, of course, you can watch the craziness on CTVSportsnet. Check listings at:
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How are you doing in the INTEL HOOPS MADNESS contest? Upset by the upsets?
Log in and check the standings at:
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What the fans are saying
Will he stay or will he go? The New York Times seems to think Vince Carter should play on a big market US team to save the NBA. Whatever! Here's what some of the clever folks in the CTVSportsnet.com forum thinks about this:
Kareem Abdul Jabar says:
"Vince Carter is not going anywhere due to 4 unrefutable reasons.
1. Despite all his air bound heroics Vince Carter is still a project player who tends to float in and out of games.
2. Carter's contract would have to be re-negotiated should he be traded, thus making him a massive investment for any perspective club trying to get under the NBA salary cap.
3. Vince Carter has a very favourable working environment with coach Butch Carter and the Raptor organization. and finally...
4. David Stern (NBA Commish) and the NBA are on a crusade to expand their brand of basketball outside national boarders. According to NBA insiders Stern is looking at the viability of a team in Mexico City. In any case such a protocol requires stars to perpetuate the game. David Stern likes Vince Carter in Canada because it raises the profile of the game in Canada.
J-Dawg thinks:
"Why take Vince from Canada???? Why not just broadcast Raptors games across the US. The Bulls proved that a team can have fans all over the world, why not the Raptors???? If the league wants ratings to go up, they should market Vince where he is. He has totally made the Canadian market viable. He has 30 million people up here in awe. The Americans can also watch him and cheer for him. Just because he's in Canada doesn't mean that Americans can't cheer for him."
Jay says:
"Let's be honest here...Vince is the best thing to happen to the NBA. Jordan left, and nobody was able or willing to take the role as the "marquee" player in the NBA. Shaq, Kobe, Iverson... none of them could do it. Vince is the man now, with not only the other NBA teams watching him, but most of Canada. I agree that if the NBA is the so-called best at marketing their players, why can't they do it from Toronto? Are they not an NBA team? Why not broadcast more games from a team that's in 4th place in the conference, and has the best player in the league? Let's not forget though, the report was from New York, not the NBA, so we don't need to bash the NBA. Yes, Americans can be ignorant to Canadians in a wide range of topics, but doesn't mean we have to stoop to that level as well. I say sign Vince to a new contract for the maximum length and money, and let him lead the Raptors to stardom.
And the last word to KEVIN TERRY who says:
"TRADE VINCE? SURE! FOR SHAQ, KOBE BRYANT AND THE STAPLE CENTER!"