I'm Done : One Man's Divorce From The NBA

A funny thing has happened to me. I officially dislike the NBA, and if I put my mind to it, basketball overall. To understand why I consider this development "funny" is to understand a couple of things about me -if you care to. Otherwise feel free to skip ahead, or stop reading altogether.

I've been playing basketball since I was 9 years old. I've watched countless hours of college and NBA basketball for as long as I can remember. I'm old enough to have been dazzled by the likes of Magic, Kareem, Bird, Olajuwon, Isiah, Erving, Drexler, Barkley, Ewing, and Moses. Later on, the play of Shaq, Iverson, Kidd, and to a lesser extent Penny and Karl Malone were enough to captivate a young "Luzinskis Beard".

None of those players however, reached the level of respect and admiration from me the way Michael Jordan did. Jordan and the Chicago Bulls were "appointment television" every time they played, and I considered myself not only a big fan of the Bulls, but of the NBA as well. I also thought my love for the league and the sport would never wane....yet here I am, ACTIVELY rooting for the NBA to cancel their season.

How the hell did this happen? For the life of me I can't come up with a clear definitive answer. I've gone about this process of self-reflection by asking the following questions that reflect some of the most common laments I hear :

1. Is it because Buzz Bissinger is correct when he wrote there are no good white players for white fans to watch/identify with? No because my favorite basketball player of all time (Jordan) is black, and I never cared what color a player was in determining my level of basketball enjoyment. Anybody who does has serious issues. If a guy was the best, he was the best regardless of what color he was. I have the same policy in other sports that I watch too. Furthermore, I still maintain Larry Bird is one of the most overrated basketball players who ever existed. So it's not a black-white issue for me...
2. Is it because the tattoos, headbands and "thug culture" that seems to permeate throughout the league are off-putting? Nope. The Tattoos and thug-culture certainly don't stop me from watching and enjoying the NFL on a regular basis. So that's not it.
3. Is it because the "quality of play" has dipped over the years, and the 18 foot jump shot is rarely seen? No because today's players have never been bigger, stronger, faster, and certainly not more vertical than are currently versus any other era. If you need proof of that, tune into any "Hardwood Classic" which took place before 1990 on NBA TV, and you'll see quality of play reminiscent of a pick-up game at any YMCA.
4. Is it because the Bulls haven't won the title since Jordan? Not really because not only did the Bulls finish with the best record in the league last season, but they also had the Coach Of The Year in Tom Thibodeau, and the MVP of the league in Derrick Rose. The Bulls are also in a position of contending for a title for at least the next four years. While that's hardly the same as winning the Larry O'Brien Trophy, the Bulls are as close to successful as it gets without winning....yet I still feel the way I that I do.
5. Is it because the NBA doesn't have anybody worthy of "Star Power"? No league with the likes of Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, Dwight Howard, and LeBron James can be said to be absent of star power. Those four, and a few others I forgot to mention, are some of the most skilled players the NBA has ever seen. They've also managed to make a few bucks here and there with endorsements.....IN CHINA. The NBA has plenty of star power that spans not only the country, but the globe. So that's not it...

In case you were wondering, no, I don't care that the NBA has a lockout. The NFL had one this year too, yet it didn't sour me on the league. Not even close.

All of this puts me in a weird place. As someone who takes pride in always having an answer, explanation, rationale, or theory on why things are they way they are in sports, I'm obviously in a real pickle here.

I can't come up with anything as to why I am so indifferent to the NBA. I honestly can take it or leave it. I know I should be excited about wacthing Derrick Rose and the Bulls again, but it's just.not.there. If I never watch LeBron, Kobe, Derrick, Durant, Howard, or Dirk play another basketball game again I am perfectly fine with it, and I have no clue why.

More importantly though, I've stopped trying to figure out why, and I've fully accepted the fact that I don't want there to be NBA basketball anymore. Just go away, is how I feel. Begone, scram, adios, don't let it hit you in the ass, etc. I just don't care anymore, more importantly I don't need you anymore, would be my sentiment to the NBA.

The way these negotiations are going, there's a glimmer that I might get my wish, although I unfortunately have a feeling the two sides will work something out.

Either way I think an anecdote involving former Utah Jazz coach Frank Layden sums up my feelings the best. He asked a player what his main problem was, ignorance or apathy. He responded, "Coach I don't know, and I don't care".

Well said...