Monday, August 29, 2005

What's wrong with the NBA

1.) The Current Officiating:
The current officiating is an issue. The problem with what Jeff Van Gundy said during the playoffs wasn't that he said it, it was that it was so believable. The NBA refs have a credibility gap in the eyes of the public that must be fixed. The fact that the average fan DOES believe that refs could & have decided playoff games is a serious blemish on the NBA. I don't know what they can do to fix it, but they need to do something. For all the crap that NFL refs get, they pretty much call the game uniformly and every decision can be backed up. The NBA does not have the same consistency, which is evident in the fact that 2 games in the same serious will have one team shooting 20 more FTs than the other, then the next night it will be exactly opposite. I'm sorry but I don't think the players change their styles that much between games. Stuff like Shaq getting to commit offensive fouls every time he "backs down" a player in the post, or Ewing getting to take about 20 steps on the shot at the free throw line that knocked the Pacers out of the playoffs back in 1995 (or 94) are part of the reasons why fans are so pissed with the refs. Heck even Jordan's famous "last shot" against the Jazz was an offensive foul as he pushed Byron Russell out of the way to make that shot (yes it was great drama, but if Banks made that same move in the regular season it would be called a foul).

2.) Rivalries
I think another thing that is hurting the NBA is the lack of rivalries. Stern believe that every team in the country needs to be able to see every other team in the country, so that the "stars" can visit all of these cities. This has taken away the classic divisional rivalries that you see in all of the other sports (Red Sox-Yankees, Broncos-Raiders, Redskins-Cowboys, etc) and made it all about the players. So we have home and away series with the Clippers every year.We only play each team in our division 4 times during the season of an 82 game season that's 4%. In baseball the Sox & Yankees play each other 19 games for 10%. In football the Cowbowys & Redskins play each other 2 times for 12.5% of their schedule.I'd love to see it switch to a style similar to football in that we play only one division in the western conference every year, with a home and away series. This would mean that in 3 years every team would see every other team, so you'd still be able to see the "stars" in their prime. This would be 10 games. We then play every team in our Conference but not division in a 4 game series. This would be an additional 40 games.We then play every team in our Division in an 8 game series. This would be 32 games. Think how intense the rivalries could be again. 76ers vs. Cetlics would mean something. Because the teams would be more about local geography again, you might see fans travelling to each other's arenas and generating excitement.

3.) West Coast Games
Lastly in order to ensure that people can see the "stars" play the NBA needs to move forward games ESPECIALLY in the playoffs. People on the East Coast shouldn't have to stay up until 1 AM to see Suns vs Mavericks. Even during the regular season, West Coast games start way too late for anyone but the most diehard fan to watch. Combine this with working with the networks to really make a specific night "Basketball Night" much in the same way the NFL owns Sundays as "Football Day". Start the early game at 6:30, and the late game at 9.

But none it will ever happen.....

Saturday, August 27, 2005

The Perfect Coach for the Area

I know it's been talked about so much that people are sick of it, but not only is Bill Belichick a genius, but he is the PERFECT coach for the New England area. He is just the ultimate embodiment of the intelligent, stoic, demanding, never satisfied New Englander.

Looking back at our other recent coaches, Parcells was too New York. He was always about advertising himself, to the point of him looking for another job during the Super Bowl.

Carroll was the ultimate West Coast guy, too soft, needing his players to like him rather than play hard for him.

But Bellichick just fits.

Friday, August 26, 2005

Why Engagement Rings Are Sexist

This thought occurred to me during a summer where 3 of my friends from college all got married within a 3 month span.

Now I realize I'm likely to piss off every woman who is in a serious relationship and just begging that her boyfriend finally shuts up and purchases that sparkily peace of jewelry that means finally yes someone loves them and they won't end up as the crazy old lady down the street with 4 cats and who always talks to herself at the bus stop.

But if you really think about it, the whole notion of engagement rings are sexist, and frankly unfair to us men. We are supposed to go out and according to the diamond industry spend two months salary (that's GROSS salary boys not net) as a way to pledge our undying love for this woman and to publically show that this woman is officially off the market. There are some people that say the goal is to also show the woman's family that you will be able to provide for her by making an "investment" in a ring.

But do you notice who has to do the pledging? The GUYS! Here it is the year 2005 and for all intents and purposes it could be 1945 with the regards to engagements. Why should the man have to be the one that "proves" his love and ability to provide for the family? Aren't women to be equally capable of being the bread winners of the household? If you really think about the men get screwed (not literally--well maybe literally but that's a different conversation). We're the ones that have to do everything and it's not like we get anything out of the deal (well yes we get your eternal love...thanks honey)...I mean at least we used to get dowry's it may have been a goat or a bushel of hay but at least we got something out of our "investment".

So why does this process continue? The only reason why, because we continue to allow it. We've been suckered into buying what the DeBeer's corporation has been selling since 1938, joined later by the likes of Cosmo.

Now before all the women in the world burn me in effigy, I must clarify that I have no problem with getting a girl an engagement ring. What bothers me is the inequality of the situation. That we men are supposed to do and spend everything. This is what needs to change, it's time for the women to give a little.

I know what you're going to say, well Dave some women ARE proposing to their men and buying them "engagement" rings. Poppycock I say! First of all they're not true "engagement" rings as they always end up being the guy's wedding ring, whereas we men not only have to buy the engagement ring but later have to pony up the additional money for a matching wedding band. Second of all men's wedding bands are easily 30% of the price of a woman's engagement ring. Lastly what man has been dreaming of getting an engagement ring? None. Frankly women DO dream of the day they'll get proposed to and what the ring will look like. They care about all of the shit like how big it will be, the cut, is it gold, white gold or platinum, etc. Men don't care about that stuff.

So what is the answer? Well to get something that men DO care about. I propose (no pun intended) that the modern liberated woman should step up to the plate and begin getting their men engagement items. It is about time that you girls start pulling your own weight in this regard. Start proving your love to US, and your ability to provide for US. Both parties should be on equal ground here.

But Dave, what is an appropriate "engagment item" for my Tom, Dick or Harry?

Does Tom love movies? Does he drool every time he walks into
Best Buy? Then give him the ultimate sign of love and buy that 42" Plasma HDTV set he fantasizes about when you're in the other room. Just think he probably won't even complain when you want to watch The Notebook on it because of how he can every pore on Racheal McAdams face.

Is Dick more of a wide open road, rough neck? Then get that
motorcycle that will allow him to feel like a wild child, even though he always comes home at the end of the day to you (instead of hooking up with that tramp at the local bar).

What about Harry, who teams up with his buddies to
rescue the hostages or to overcome the Undead plaguing the town. Then get him that system which will allow him to see all of the explosions in the greatest detail.

You might be saying, my John is much more of a sports nut. So why not get him season tickets to one of
his favorite teams? After all, doesn't your heart just melt when you get to sit next to him and hear him question the parentage of that ref?

If women started doing this I garrentee you men would be less commitment phobic. After all, then we'd know that we were marrying a girl that was accepting of us, and willing to help provide a good home for us.

So sure honey, I've got that ring for you.....once I see the this
lil puppy sitting in my living room.

An Introduction

I guess I'm just another person jumping on the bandwagon, but often I find my self screaming at the cold black night wanting to correct what I see as the never ending expasion of ignorance, or needing a place to actually write down the thoughts that I have.....whether anyone wants to read them, well that's not for me to decide, but at the very least I will now have a place to post all rants that clutter this mind of mine.

I'll probably end up talking about everything from relationships, to politics, to sports (NBA and NFL) specifically, with likely movie/tv/comic "reviews". Basically anything which catches my fancy.

Well I'm running low on Jolt, so time to go refuel.

Until next time...