I hate the NBA. The players are selfish and only care about money. No one plays any defense. No one plays any offense, either. Teams simply run isolation plays for their best player and disregard ball movement. There are too many tattoos. Cornrows make men look like women. Why do players wear sleeves on their arms? I don't understand the game, anymore.
I wish I could watch basketball that was all about floor burns and diving into the first row. I wish I could watch teams unselfishly run a discernible offense. I wish I could watch legendary coaches become synonymous with one squad. I wish I could watch basketball in its' purest form. I wish I could watch basketball that seemed like one big shining moment.
I love college basketball. Why would I want to watch the NBA? College basketball has everything I need. I love the full court press. Who cares if ball pressure leads to (unorganized) chaos, numerous turnovers and exposes the (low) skill level of the college game? I love that college teams run a distinct offense. For example, Gary Williams runs the flex offense at Maryland. Announcers have been known to wax rhapsodic about its' effectiveness. You can't help but stand up and clap once a game when that back-pick on the baseline frees the cutter for an open lay-up. Who cares if that same offense often deteriorates into Greivis shooting contested jump shots? Who cares that half the time the ball finds it way inside Maryland doesn't come away with points because of poor finishing around the rim that plagues much of the college game? I love that college kids hustle; it displays heart, character and a love for the game. Who cares that the college game is a proving ground for future NBA players and many of those that lack the drive to succeed are weeded out before they reach the next level? Who cares that some of these kids coast because they are burnt out on basketball but it was the only way they could receive a college education? I love that the athletes aren't just basketball players but student-athletes, too. Who cares if the most talented players view college as a pit-stop before the NBA and only have to pass a semester's worth of classes? Who cares that some were offered money by boosters? Or that a few accepted those offers? Who cares that graduation rates among major-conference college basketball players are terrible and the game makes a mockery of the idea of the student-athlete? Who cares that these early entries have created weakened, inconsistent teams across the nation? I certainly don't. I love college basketball.
I have a confession to make. I don't hate the NBA. You may have been able to reason this out from the title of the post and all those rhetorical questions just now...but for all you idiots out there...I love the NBA. And while I'm not the biggest proponent of school spirit, I still enjoy college basketball. But when compared to the NBA there are only two aspects to college basketball that make it preferable to its' professional counterpart. The NCAA tournament is the perfect blend of gambling and mayhem and creates an excitement that borders on madness. A "March Madness," you might say. Also, the college atmosphere is preferable for watching a game (assuming you are in college) because it's far easier to get good seats and thousands of drunk kids always provide their own form of entertainment and excitement. As for the actual games...well there are reasons those kids are drunk and it's not just that a game provides a nice excuse to get bombed on an otherwise uneventful Tuesday (though that is probably most of it). The play is uneven and inconsistent. The game is played at a slower pace because of the longer shot clock and zone defenses (which also clogs the court defensively). Have you ever tried to sit through an entire Big Ten basketball game? It's almost as bad as watching the Big Ten get stampeded every winter during the college football bowl season (coming soon!). On an aesthetic level, the college game falls short. Way short.
The short version? You should care about the NBA because it's the best basketball around. And it's not close. Some say that the players don't work hard but NBA benches are filled with players who have separated themselves from those now playing in Europe or the D-League solely because of their hard work and determination. And the only way to become a superstar in the league is through the combination of God-given talent and dedication to the game of basketball. There are certainly players who coast or noticeably improve their games in contract years but that is true of any profession. It's no coincidence that upon entering the league small forwards suddenly extend their shooting range to the three-point line and rail-thin power forwards add twenty pounds of muscle to battle down low. Most players take their job very seriously, on both sides of the ball. Defenses became so organized and effective that the NBA took away the hand-check in an effort to increase scoring (which has indeed increased steadily since the 2003-2004 season that saw the borderline unwatchable Detroit Pistons win the championship). But the absence of the hand-check is not the only reason for increased scoring. The other reason is a very simple one; the NBA is flush with talent. The NBA is entering a Golden Age, of sorts. Older stars (Kobe, KG, Duncan, Nash, Dirk) have proven to still be near their peaks and the younger generation (LeBron, Carmelo, Wade, Paul, Howard, Durant, Deron Williams) has arrived in full-force. There are great players everywhere and, just as importantly, a group of great teams at the top of the league. Greatness abounds. And as we know (see last post), greatness is why we watch. The NBA exudes starpower but is that really any different than the other major sports?
March Madness is awesome and I wouldn't change anything about it but does it ensure that the best teams always play for the championship? Too often we see lopsided games late in the tournament where one team is hopelessly outmatched or simply plays poorly. The best team wins some of the time but you certainly can't say greatness is rewarded. To be honest, there are no longer any great college teams (UNC could have been last year if Ginyard was healthy and that was the closest anyone has come since the succession of Battier/Williams/Avery/Brand/James/Duhon/Dunleavy/Maggette/Boozer at Duke seven-twelve years ago). Early entry into the NBA draft has robbed the game of great teams (and oftentimes of great players).
The Major League Baseball playoffs are a complete crapshoot. Greatness certainly isn't rewarded there. The effect of great players is diminished, too. Albert Pujols can be pitched around completely during a playoff series and there is no guarantee the best players will even be in the playoffs. One player can only do so much in the game of baseball and the championship goes to the hottest/luckiest team in October.
Football is following in the footprints of MLB. The Colts won the Super Bowl in 2007 despite having better teams in a handful of other seasons. The Giants won the Super Bowl in 2008 even though the Patriots were one of the best teams ever assembled. The Cardinals made the Super Bowl last year. Enough said. The better teams have plenty of good players but what about the great ones? Chris Johnson is the most exciting player since Barry Sanders and probably won't even play in a wild card game. A great quarterback goes a long way in football but other than that...is greatness really rewarded?
Say what you want about the BCS but it has given us two national championship game classics since its' inception (Miami-OSU, USC-Texas) that would have never been possible otherwise. I'm all for a playoff system but at least the BCS rewards greatness (sometimes).
And that brings us to the NBA. You should care about the NBA because great players matter. Kobe Bryant carried the 2006 Lakers, a team that started Kwame Brown, Luke Walton and Smush Parker, to the playoffs (and within one Tim Thomas offensive rebound of a first-round series victory over the Suns). LeBron James carried the 2007 Cavaliers to the NBA Finals even though Boobie Gibson was the second most important player during the playoff run. Dwyane Wade somehow willed the Heat to the fifth seed in the East last year despite playing with...ummm...who is on that team again? Great players can make a difference even if they are surrounded by below-average players. More importantly, the team that wins the NBA championship almost always has one of the three best players in the league. The list of best players on a championship team since 1980-Magic, Moses Malone, Bird, Thomas, Jordan, Olajuwon, Shaq, Duncan, Wade, Garnett, Bryant (also Billups...dumb). This year is no different. Carmelo Anthony has been getting MVP talk because of his great scoring ability. But Carmelo Anthony will only put the Nuggets into the title hunt if he fulfills his potential as a great player (rebounding and assist rates have dropped, defense still inconsistent). Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are the best two players in the league. The Lakers and Cavs will be right there. Dwight Howard and Tim Duncan (still) are the two best big men in the league. The Magic and Spurs will be right there. The Celtics will need Kevin Garnett to regain a lot (if not all) of his former production to capture the championship. There are only ten players on the court at once. Great players affect the game of basketball more than any other sport. And that is for the better. I don't want to see Joe Johnson lead the Hawks to the NBA finals. I want to see LeBron, Kobe and Wade add to their resumes and display their skills come playoff time. And that happens in the NBA.
There were supposed to be four super-teams this season (Orlando, Boston, LA, Cleveland). None of these teams have lived up to lofty preseason expectations but that is more indicative of injuries/suspensions and the depth of the NBA this year (everybody has talent). The less than gaudy records do not change the fact that there should be four great teams in the playoffs this May (barring injury). And the Nuggets (more consistency, another big man) and Spurs (if anyone other than Duncan starts producing at normal levels) both have the potential to reach that point by the end of the season. Last year the Lakers won the NBA championship. This year they added an All-Star center (Bynum) and improved play from the bench (Farmar, Brown). Last year the Magic won the East. They upgraded their point guard position (Nelson/Williams) and added depth at every position. The Celtics have KG again (who is starting to get his legs back) and Rondo and Perkins continue to improve. The bench will be better, too, once Glen Davis comes back from injury. The Cavs aren't any better (they did win 66 games last year) but still have the single greatest weapon (by far) in any seven-game series-45 or 46 minutes per game from LeBron James. If the Spurs are healthy (and Parker and Ginobili are productive), they have the most balanced team of the Tim Duncan era. The Nuggets nearly beat the Lakers last spring and Carmelo has taken his offensive game to another level (plus addition of Lawson and more JR Smith/no Linas Kleiza). The playoffs will be fascinating and full of great match-ups and outstanding performances. But that is not why you should care about the NBA. You should care about the NBA because we will know who the best team is in June. Not the luckiest or the streakiest...the best. Injuries can play a factor and certain match-ups are bad for certain teams but the best team wins the NBA championship nearly every year. And in today's sports world that is surprisingly refreshing.
NOTE: There was no proofreading or organization to this post. I apologize if the run-on sentences made your head hurt (just trying to even the playing field). Or if my point got lost somewhere around paragraph seven. Quick recap. NBA-good. Lots of great players in their primes at the moment-good. Great players dominate the game-what I want to see. Best team wins-cool. Nice.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Is Greatness Even A Word?
This is a post about why you are lucky to be a sports fan in 2009 but it’s not about ESPN, the abundance of entertaining sports blogs, ESPN2, espn.com, YouTube, ESPNU or ESPNdeportes. This is a post about an underrated aspect of following sports during the new millennium but it’s not about fantasy football or HDTV. This is a post about the future of sports but it’s not about emerging advanced statistics that allow every fan to be a more intelligent fan (though considering most message board postings follow the lines of "bLack MamBA iz da best eva!! LebRon sux!! KOBE IS BETTA DEN MJ!!@!!11!" maybe the absorption of this information is not exactly ideal). This is a post about Tiger Woods but it’s not about his 16 (and counting) mistresses or his wife’s remarkable Nordic strength. This is a post about why you follow sports, not how you follow them. This is a post to remind you why you are here (as a sports fan, not in any metaphysical sense…sorry to disappoint).
The Los Angeles Lakers are my favorite sports team. The current roster has the capability to win the NBA championship this year and the high end potential of this team is becoming one of the two best teams in the post-Jordan era. The Lakers are 10-0 with Pau Gasol in the lineup and have not only been dominating but playing a beautiful brand of basketball. They play an uptempo game with balanced scoring, good ball movement and (so far) exceptional defense. But two of the three biggest stories of the year have been Lamar Odom's marriage to Khloe Kardashian and Ron Artest's admission (and subsequent backpedaling) of drinking Hennessey during halftime of games early in his career (Pau Gasol's hamstring is the third). This isn't even surprising because it's been a long time since the biggest sports stories had anything to do with the actual games. You can go back to the 2001 Shaq/Kobe Lakers (the current titleholders of best NBA team post-Jordan) who will be remembered for their off-court feuding as much as their basketball. Tiger Woods is the richest athlete of all-time, filmed one of the great Nike commercials (and that is saying something), single-handedly turned golf into a watchable sport and...well...is Tiger Freaking Woods but that will be overshadowed for the foreseeable future by his "transgressions." Michael Vick was a unique talent at the quarterback position, handed the Packers their first home loss in playoff history and had the potential to revolutionize the game of football but will be remembered more for serving time in prison for dogfighting. Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds shattered home run records and helped revitalize the game of baseball but may never make the Hall of Fame due to their own steroid-related transgressions. Bill Belichick won three Super Bowls as a head coach but SpyGate will stand the test of time, too. We love building athletes up nearly as much as we love tearing them down and in this TMZ driven world that is a dangerous combination. The stories and the controversies and the drama and the off-court/field/course shenanigans often overshadow the game. All of these scandals bring non-sports fans into the fold and provide endless fodder for the media seeking to maintain interest during the current 24-hours a day news cycle. The scandals may dominate dinner conversation but that is not why you are here.
Kobe Bryant is my favorite athlete. Kobe Bryant is one of the best ten basketball players of all-time and the original reason for my Lakers worship. Kobe Bryant is no different than any of the aforementioned athletes. The feud with Shaq and Phil Jackson broke up a potential Lakers dynasty and rape charges in 2003 nearly tarnished his career in the public eye beyond repair. In recent years he has (remarkably) put these issues behind him (somewhat) but even now can't escape inane, irrational and infuriating LeBron vs. Kobe arguments that seem to flair up whenever two NBA fans engage in an otherwise reasonable, rational conversation. Despite all of this I still love Kobe Bryant as a basketball player. It is not particularly hard to distance Kobe Bryant the basketball player from Kobe Bryant the person. We share a profound interest in his (and his team's) success even though I cannot relate to Kobe Bryant in any way beyond that. He is a 6’6’’ black man who has won an MVP, the NBA Dunk Contest and four NBA championships. His hobbies include ripping out the hearts of Portland basketball fans and rapping…badly(who said we had nothing in common!?). He grew up in Italy, speaks multiple languages and was the Prince of L.A. before he was twenty years old. He has been in the public eye since he was seventeen when he took Brandy to his high school prom. That…umm…quality… of girl was a bit out of my league as a high school senior (no offense Isabel but Moesha is Moesha). For all intensive purposes, Kobe lives on a different planet. There was not always such a divide between fan and star. There was a time when NBA stars mingled with us common folk in the offseason. They needed second jobs during the summer just to earn a decent living. The journalists covering the team rode the same trains as the athletes. They spent time together and shared meals. And through more personalized interaction and the reporters’ direct access, fans were given glimpses into their favorite athlete’s lives. It was a time before prepared statements, handlers, private planes, PR men and gated communities. Fans were even allowed to rush the field during momentous occasions. I am not complaining about either development, merely commenting on the ever widening gap (both emotional and physical) between fans and their heroes. Athletes have the same right to privacy as everybody else and no one needs rabid fans in close quarters with the players. Take a look at Hank Aaron’s record-breaking home run from 1974. He had just passed Babe Ruth as the all-time home run leader and two fans found their way onto the field to celebrate his accomplishment. But Hank Aaron had received death threats during his chase of Babe Ruth’s record (Babe Ruth-white, Hank Aaron-not). What happens if the guys looking to shake Aaron’s hand happened to be less congratulatory and more of the deranged, racist type? It’s scary. Ask Monica Seles. Or Ron Artest. Sports have changed. It has become more corporate and less personal (coughMJcoughcough). Expansion reduces the impact of regional rivalries. Free agency makes it harder to identify with teams. Socioeconomic differences may make it harder to identify with players. The present day fan may find it hard to relate, to find that personal connection that keeps them interested. It will not be Kobe Bryant providing that connection. Underdogs provide that connection.
What do you think of when you think of great underdog stories? The most famous individual story may be Michael Jordan getting cut from his high school varsity as a sophomore. Jordan was still very highly regarded by his coaches, starred for JV and put on such scoring displays that the JV games became as popular as the varsity contests that followed but those facts get lost in the mythology of MJ. Michael Jordan managed to cultivate an underdog mentality (through this story as well as others and his long list of mostly perceived slights) despite always having been a great player and never truly venturing into underdog territory (baseball escapades excluded). Jordan shows that it does not matter if the underdog status is justified or merely perceived, only that the fans feel some sort of link. It is this link that gives fans the ability to relate to athletes in a sports world full of tattoos, hypocrisy, scandal and out-of touch players. Steve Nash has world-class hand-eye coordination, deceptive speed, phenomenal instincts and his agility is the C.E.O of the United Global Agility Corporation but fans see a short, scrawny guy with bad hair and they find themselves relating with Nash (okay okay…also he is white). Tom Brady couldn't secure the starting job At Michigan, was a sixth round draft choice and comes across as "one of us" in interviews with his sense of humor and everyman attitude (okay okay...also he is white). You can root for (or worship) Tom Brady. Yao Ming might be 7’6’’ but he is also Chinese! Remarkable. Just kidding, I have been tooled on by enough Asians to know that they are legit and China is going to win the 2024 Olympic gold in men’s basketball. There are more players than I care to list that have made it out of rough neighborhoods or have persevered through bleak times (I was a big Juan Dixon fan as a kid). Underdog stories are everywhere. Underdog stories are those of a washed-up high school baseball coach re-discovering a 98 mph fastball and making a major league appearance as a 35 year old rookie (The Rookie). Underdog stories are those of two inner city kids earning a college education through basketball scholarships despite ninety minute commutes, deadbeat dads and ACL injuries (Hoop Dreams). Underdog stories are those of…wait for it…wait for it…college hockey players defeating the greatest hockey team ever assembled in a politically charged Olympic game (Miracle). I had to get it in there. Underdog stories make millions at the box office. Underdog stories provide new sources of inspiration and keep the sports scene fresh. Underdog stories keep you coming back for more but the underdog story is not why you are here. You are here because of greatness.
In the grand scheme of things underdog stories are like Tamagotchis, Harold Miner and witch burning, just flashes in their respective pans. The only underdogs that stand the test of time are the ones that exhibit greatness themselves (Hoosiers) or the ones that upset a truly great team (Giants over Patriots Super Bowl XLII) The stories are nice but they come a dime a dozen, each a slight variation on the last. Greatness pushes boundaries and explores new territory. That is the only way greatness can survive. What came before must be topped. Darwin may not have had professional sports in mind when he was studying his finches but we have an athletic evolution on our hands. In just the past five years we have had the privilege of watching the greatest golfer, swimmer, sprinter and tennis player perform in their primes.(NOTE: I saw each of these events live and they were all breathtaking.) Even NASCAR
has Jimmie Johnson, he of the unprecedented four straight championships. Individual sports have never seen such an influx of dominating athletes peaking simultaneously. This trend similarly extends to the major sports. Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Brett Favre are all performing at a high level and they should go down as three of the top five quarterbacks of all-time. Who knows what Chris Johnson will do? Michael Jordan only retired five years ago after shattering our preconceived notions about the limits of a basketball player but already Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have shown the potential (if not the actual ability) to match MJ's prodigious exploits. Dirk Nowitzki is the best shooter of all-time among big men, Chris Paul will go down as the greatest small guard in history (barring injury) and Kevin Durant was put on this earth to score a basketball. The game evolves and the players follow suit. The steroid cloud hangs over baseball but Albert Pujols (assuming he is clean) is on pace to become the greatest right-handed hitter of all-time. The list goes on because it does not matter where you look. Wherever you look, you will find greatness.
I cannot find any personal connection with Kobe Bryant but Kobe Bryant is why I am here. I am a sports fan because I love watching Kobe make the impossible look routine. I am a sports fan because LeBron James makes the simple act of running down a basketball court look incredible. His long strides cover so much ground, so quickly it is nearly as intoxicating as a Shakira music video. LeBron does not run; he lopes. I am a sports fan because Ichiro's hand-eye coordination is unfathomable. I am a sports fan because Chris Johnson is very, very fast. I am a sports fan because Usain Bolt is even faster. I am not here for the stories. I am here for the athletes. That's why we are all here but sometimes we forget that. Sports fans have never had it better. The athletes are truly bigger, faster and stronger. They dedicate themselves to their crafts and it shows in their performance. So next time you read about a former porn star telling the world of her tryst with Tiger Woods, remember why it matters. It matters not because Tiger Woods' business is any of yours or that he failed to meet the public's standards. It matters because Tiger Woods is the greatest golfer who has ever teed it up. It matters because Tiger Woods is great.
The Los Angeles Lakers are my favorite sports team. The current roster has the capability to win the NBA championship this year and the high end potential of this team is becoming one of the two best teams in the post-Jordan era. The Lakers are 10-0 with Pau Gasol in the lineup and have not only been dominating but playing a beautiful brand of basketball. They play an uptempo game with balanced scoring, good ball movement and (so far) exceptional defense. But two of the three biggest stories of the year have been Lamar Odom's marriage to Khloe Kardashian and Ron Artest's admission (and subsequent backpedaling) of drinking Hennessey during halftime of games early in his career (Pau Gasol's hamstring is the third). This isn't even surprising because it's been a long time since the biggest sports stories had anything to do with the actual games. You can go back to the 2001 Shaq/Kobe Lakers (the current titleholders of best NBA team post-Jordan) who will be remembered for their off-court feuding as much as their basketball. Tiger Woods is the richest athlete of all-time, filmed one of the great Nike commercials (and that is saying something), single-handedly turned golf into a watchable sport and...well...is Tiger Freaking Woods but that will be overshadowed for the foreseeable future by his "transgressions." Michael Vick was a unique talent at the quarterback position, handed the Packers their first home loss in playoff history and had the potential to revolutionize the game of football but will be remembered more for serving time in prison for dogfighting. Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds shattered home run records and helped revitalize the game of baseball but may never make the Hall of Fame due to their own steroid-related transgressions. Bill Belichick won three Super Bowls as a head coach but SpyGate will stand the test of time, too. We love building athletes up nearly as much as we love tearing them down and in this TMZ driven world that is a dangerous combination. The stories and the controversies and the drama and the off-court/field/course shenanigans often overshadow the game. All of these scandals bring non-sports fans into the fold and provide endless fodder for the media seeking to maintain interest during the current 24-hours a day news cycle. The scandals may dominate dinner conversation but that is not why you are here.
Kobe Bryant is my favorite athlete. Kobe Bryant is one of the best ten basketball players of all-time and the original reason for my Lakers worship. Kobe Bryant is no different than any of the aforementioned athletes. The feud with Shaq and Phil Jackson broke up a potential Lakers dynasty and rape charges in 2003 nearly tarnished his career in the public eye beyond repair. In recent years he has (remarkably) put these issues behind him (somewhat) but even now can't escape inane, irrational and infuriating LeBron vs. Kobe arguments that seem to flair up whenever two NBA fans engage in an otherwise reasonable, rational conversation. Despite all of this I still love Kobe Bryant as a basketball player. It is not particularly hard to distance Kobe Bryant the basketball player from Kobe Bryant the person. We share a profound interest in his (and his team's) success even though I cannot relate to Kobe Bryant in any way beyond that. He is a 6’6’’ black man who has won an MVP, the NBA Dunk Contest and four NBA championships. His hobbies include ripping out the hearts of Portland basketball fans and rapping…badly(who said we had nothing in common!?). He grew up in Italy, speaks multiple languages and was the Prince of L.A. before he was twenty years old. He has been in the public eye since he was seventeen when he took Brandy to his high school prom. That…umm…quality… of girl was a bit out of my league as a high school senior (no offense Isabel but Moesha is Moesha). For all intensive purposes, Kobe lives on a different planet. There was not always such a divide between fan and star. There was a time when NBA stars mingled with us common folk in the offseason. They needed second jobs during the summer just to earn a decent living. The journalists covering the team rode the same trains as the athletes. They spent time together and shared meals. And through more personalized interaction and the reporters’ direct access, fans were given glimpses into their favorite athlete’s lives. It was a time before prepared statements, handlers, private planes, PR men and gated communities. Fans were even allowed to rush the field during momentous occasions. I am not complaining about either development, merely commenting on the ever widening gap (both emotional and physical) between fans and their heroes. Athletes have the same right to privacy as everybody else and no one needs rabid fans in close quarters with the players. Take a look at Hank Aaron’s record-breaking home run from 1974. He had just passed Babe Ruth as the all-time home run leader and two fans found their way onto the field to celebrate his accomplishment. But Hank Aaron had received death threats during his chase of Babe Ruth’s record (Babe Ruth-white, Hank Aaron-not). What happens if the guys looking to shake Aaron’s hand happened to be less congratulatory and more of the deranged, racist type? It’s scary. Ask Monica Seles. Or Ron Artest. Sports have changed. It has become more corporate and less personal (coughMJcoughcough). Expansion reduces the impact of regional rivalries. Free agency makes it harder to identify with teams. Socioeconomic differences may make it harder to identify with players. The present day fan may find it hard to relate, to find that personal connection that keeps them interested. It will not be Kobe Bryant providing that connection. Underdogs provide that connection.
What do you think of when you think of great underdog stories? The most famous individual story may be Michael Jordan getting cut from his high school varsity as a sophomore. Jordan was still very highly regarded by his coaches, starred for JV and put on such scoring displays that the JV games became as popular as the varsity contests that followed but those facts get lost in the mythology of MJ. Michael Jordan managed to cultivate an underdog mentality (through this story as well as others and his long list of mostly perceived slights) despite always having been a great player and never truly venturing into underdog territory (baseball escapades excluded). Jordan shows that it does not matter if the underdog status is justified or merely perceived, only that the fans feel some sort of link. It is this link that gives fans the ability to relate to athletes in a sports world full of tattoos, hypocrisy, scandal and out-of touch players. Steve Nash has world-class hand-eye coordination, deceptive speed, phenomenal instincts and his agility is the C.E.O of the United Global Agility Corporation but fans see a short, scrawny guy with bad hair and they find themselves relating with Nash (okay okay…also he is white). Tom Brady couldn't secure the starting job At Michigan, was a sixth round draft choice and comes across as "one of us" in interviews with his sense of humor and everyman attitude (okay okay...also he is white). You can root for (or worship) Tom Brady. Yao Ming might be 7’6’’ but he is also Chinese! Remarkable. Just kidding, I have been tooled on by enough Asians to know that they are legit and China is going to win the 2024 Olympic gold in men’s basketball. There are more players than I care to list that have made it out of rough neighborhoods or have persevered through bleak times (I was a big Juan Dixon fan as a kid). Underdog stories are everywhere. Underdog stories are those of a washed-up high school baseball coach re-discovering a 98 mph fastball and making a major league appearance as a 35 year old rookie (The Rookie). Underdog stories are those of two inner city kids earning a college education through basketball scholarships despite ninety minute commutes, deadbeat dads and ACL injuries (Hoop Dreams). Underdog stories are those of…wait for it…wait for it…college hockey players defeating the greatest hockey team ever assembled in a politically charged Olympic game (Miracle). I had to get it in there. Underdog stories make millions at the box office. Underdog stories provide new sources of inspiration and keep the sports scene fresh. Underdog stories keep you coming back for more but the underdog story is not why you are here. You are here because of greatness.
In the grand scheme of things underdog stories are like Tamagotchis, Harold Miner and witch burning, just flashes in their respective pans. The only underdogs that stand the test of time are the ones that exhibit greatness themselves (Hoosiers) or the ones that upset a truly great team (Giants over Patriots Super Bowl XLII) The stories are nice but they come a dime a dozen, each a slight variation on the last. Greatness pushes boundaries and explores new territory. That is the only way greatness can survive. What came before must be topped. Darwin may not have had professional sports in mind when he was studying his finches but we have an athletic evolution on our hands. In just the past five years we have had the privilege of watching the greatest golfer, swimmer, sprinter and tennis player perform in their primes.(NOTE: I saw each of these events live and they were all breathtaking.) Even NASCAR
has Jimmie Johnson, he of the unprecedented four straight championships. Individual sports have never seen such an influx of dominating athletes peaking simultaneously. This trend similarly extends to the major sports. Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Brett Favre are all performing at a high level and they should go down as three of the top five quarterbacks of all-time. Who knows what Chris Johnson will do? Michael Jordan only retired five years ago after shattering our preconceived notions about the limits of a basketball player but already Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have shown the potential (if not the actual ability) to match MJ's prodigious exploits. Dirk Nowitzki is the best shooter of all-time among big men, Chris Paul will go down as the greatest small guard in history (barring injury) and Kevin Durant was put on this earth to score a basketball. The game evolves and the players follow suit. The steroid cloud hangs over baseball but Albert Pujols (assuming he is clean) is on pace to become the greatest right-handed hitter of all-time. The list goes on because it does not matter where you look. Wherever you look, you will find greatness.
I cannot find any personal connection with Kobe Bryant but Kobe Bryant is why I am here. I am a sports fan because I love watching Kobe make the impossible look routine. I am a sports fan because LeBron James makes the simple act of running down a basketball court look incredible. His long strides cover so much ground, so quickly it is nearly as intoxicating as a Shakira music video. LeBron does not run; he lopes. I am a sports fan because Ichiro's hand-eye coordination is unfathomable. I am a sports fan because Chris Johnson is very, very fast. I am a sports fan because Usain Bolt is even faster. I am not here for the stories. I am here for the athletes. That's why we are all here but sometimes we forget that. Sports fans have never had it better. The athletes are truly bigger, faster and stronger. They dedicate themselves to their crafts and it shows in their performance. So next time you read about a former porn star telling the world of her tryst with Tiger Woods, remember why it matters. It matters not because Tiger Woods' business is any of yours or that he failed to meet the public's standards. It matters because Tiger Woods is the greatest golfer who has ever teed it up. It matters because Tiger Woods is great.
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