Redemption is coming with the Redeem Team
I grew up loving basketball. It didn't matter who was playing, college or professional. I loved to watch basketball. Then something happened. The NBA went to pot. The players began to wreck the image of the NBA. The ridiculous amounts of tattoos, the fights, the off the court situations, and more. For the last several years I have not even watched the NBA finals, because their game play emphasized individual performances.
I was a big fan of the Dream Team that went to the Olympics. I loved watching Jordan, Magic, Bird, Stockton, etc... Looking back, that might have been the last great moment for the NBA in my book. Most of the players had character and were likable. They were good players too.
This year at the Beijing Olympics, the NBA players representing the U.S.A. have become known as the "Redeem Team", hoping to take back gold. They are living up to their name. Only, I think they are living up to their names in more ways than one.
Repeatedly, I have seen NBC capture images of the players watching the other athletes perform. Like watching Micheal Phelps swimming exhibition and the May/Walsh beach volleyball poundings. I even listened as Kobe Bryant gave an interview in Spanish, something that I had no idea he could do. The players have shown respect on the court and have been playing better as a team. I've been briefly reminded of the NBA days of old.
NBA commissioner, David Stern, would do well to take this momentum and continue showing his players as people, rather than commodities. Let those of us who left our televisions see the players in a new light and we might come back to watch. We may even spend some of our money to do it.
However, I have to wonder if Coach K has something to do with this "redeeming" quality. I imagine he has some influence. Perhaps he should become commissioner and install this new image. That should say a lot coming from a Tarheel fan!
2 comments:
I'm with you, Ben. The NBA game has become the antithesis of the college game, where the focus has to be on team in order to win. The NBA rules have been changed to encourage individual play, and as a Hoosier (read: basketball purist :)), I can't stand watching anymore.
This year's Olympic team has been just that: a team. They play unselfishly, fight for every play, and don't quit or let down even when they are up by 30. I'm really looking forward to the medal rounds, for the first time since 1996.
I was real impressed with the team in the Australian game. One of the Aussies started trash talking in one of the U.S. player's face. The U.S. player just ignored the Aussie. In previous years, there would have been a near-brawl. The composure and demeaner of the team this year is a reflection of the class of Coach K.
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