Rasheed says NBA is fake like the WWF

[Flames in 07]

nothing wrong with Shaq's attitude, he's about as down to earth as it gets, but yea I get the sentiment in general. I find it's hard to support them because I don't respect the athletes as much as I do in football or hockey.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by Flames in 07

nothing wrong with Shaq's attitude, he's about as down to earth as it gets, but yea I get the sentiment in general. I find it's hard to support them because I don't respect the athletes as much as I do in football or hockey.

.

I didn't say a bad attitude. I meant it in terms of marketing. I should have said playing persona.

[Thunderball]

I think the NBA is the worst pro league in North America. Its a giant ego trip, and promoting selfish antics over professional athleticism.

While I'm no baseball fan, I have to tip my cap to MLB... from an outsiders POV, that's the best run league in North America, with a lot of emphasis on team and tradition. The NFL is the ultimate marketing machine, but it has way too many personnel issues (Michael "Ron Mexico" Vick, etc.... National Felony League moniker sticks pretty well). The PGA, NASCAR, NHL and MLS fall somewhere in between those and the NBA.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Thunderball

While I'm no baseball fan, I have to tip my cap to MLB... from an outsiders POV, that's the best run league in North America, with a lot of emphasis on team and tradition.

Really? You'd take the poster child for steroid abuse, inflated salaries, and a declining fanbase as the best run league in North America?

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Really? You'd take the poster child for steroid abuse, inflated salaries, and a declining fanbase as the best run league in North America?

Compared to the others, relatively speaking... yeah. Salaries are high, but they play way more games than any other league and have the revenue to pay for it. $10 million for a hockey player is way more out of wack than $25 million for a baseball player considering the difference in revenue and popularity.

The NFL has way too many off-field player issues, the NHL lacks a lot and is being bent over the table by Rbk and Comcast, the NBA is a joke for multiple issues, MLS is small and niche, PGA and NASCAR are niche leagues that lack the appeal and scope of MLB.

[octothorp]

Chuck Klosterman had what I thought was a great essay on this topic on ESPN the other day. A very erudite explanation of why pro basketball is inherently flawed. I'm a fan of the game, but I think this explanation hits the nail on the head.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...sterman/071026

[JohnnyFlame]

Originally Posted by octothorp

Chuck Klosterman had what I thought was a great essay on this topic on ESPN the other day. A very erudite explanation of why pro basketball is inherently flawed. I'm a fan of the game, but I think this explanation hits the nail on the head.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...sterman/071026

I can't see anything very insightful in his points. Point 1 is what? -- Painfully obvious in every sport known to man. They play too often -- it loses meaning for both player and fan. Geez who knew? Why the vast majority of us only really pay attention when it's playoffs.

Point 2 --- Yeah I always figured guys making oodles of cash were clued in to my reality. Like rich lawyers who become politicians -- yep they know whats best for the regular guy --- HO HO HO!!!

Point 3 is just whatever.

NBA to me is just like the other sports. There are tons of boring hockey games, boring football games and every other sport. Yeah maybe MLB's attraction has always just been it's a nice play to spend a sunny day but the games themselves are routinely boring.

All things we have known about sports for years. There is a lot more money and a whole lot less motivation. The smart solution is you tune in very selectively and have the remote close at hand(as if it wasn't always glued to your hand) and until the playoffs just take a CFL/MLB approach -- be a fair weather fan till the games actually count!!!

[Hakan]

The NBA would be alot better if they just called the rules as they are. I see so much travelling in a game that it's not funny. Reverting back to the rules would take away alot of the individualism and focus the league on team dynamics.

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by Thunderball

I think the NBA is the worst pro league in North America. Its a giant ego trip, and promoting selfish antics over professional athleticism.

While I'm no baseball fan, I have to tip my cap to MLB... from an outsiders POV, that's the best run league in North America, with a lot of emphasis on team and tradition. The NFL is the ultimate marketing machine, but it has way too many personnel issues (Michael "Ron Mexico" Vick, etc.... National Felony League moniker sticks pretty well). The PGA, NASCAR, NHL and MLS fall somewhere in between those and the NBA.

Wow, really? I still commissioner shrug his shoulders from the stands as officials talked to him about what to do during an allstar game tied after 11 innings and nobody knew what to do, I mean they didn't even think through the scenario of what to do if there is a tied game?!

Steriods, out of control union that eats the owners lunch, uncompeditive league to the point that its rigged in the favor of about 6 teams.

The NFL is by miles the best managed league, it's now Americas game it went almost the entire season with sellouts last year (I think the first 14 weeks were sold out) football is the number one topic on the radio ... even in July across all of the US.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by Flames in 07

Wow, really? I still commissioner shrug his shoulders from the stands as officials talked to him about what to do during an allstar game tied after 11 innings and nobody knew what to do, I mean they didn't even think through the scenario of what to do if there is a tied game?!

Steriods, out of control union that eats the owners lunch, uncompeditive league to the point that its rigged in the favor of about 6 teams.

The NFL is by miles the best managed league, it's now Americas game it went almost the entire season with sellouts last year (I think the first 14 weeks were sold out) football is the number one topic on the radio ... even in July across all of the US.

Not that Im trying to defend baseball by any means, as I agree with everything you're saying here, but I'm still shocked at how people reacted to that game. Seriously if I was at say, the NHL All-Star Game, and after regulation and a 5 minute OT the game was still tied, so they declared it a tie, I really wouldnt give a rat's ass. It's an All-Star Game! People are there to see the players make highlight reel plays and generally entertain the fans, who really cares what the score is??

I couldnt believe how much flak Selig took for the fact the game ended in a tie, and this over-reaction has now resulted in the ridiculous scenario of whichever league wins the All-Star Game has home field advantage in the World Series. Awful!

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by octothorp

Chuck Klosterman had what I thought was a great essay on this topic on ESPN the other day. A very erudite explanation of why pro basketball is inherently flawed. I'm a fan of the game, but I think this explanation hits the nail on the head.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...sterman/071026

Taken from the article: (refering to the NBA)"No other league is as preoccupied with how others feel about its product."

Um, NHL anyone? The steps the NHL has taken to completely makeover its game and increase goals and overall offensive play to appeal to markets that quite frankly are never going to become "NHL towns" has bordered on obsessive(really? Even with all this new scoring we're still talking about further shrinking goalie equipment and expanding the size of nets? Enough's enough don't you think?)

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by Thunderball

Compared to the others, relatively speaking... yeah. Salaries are high, but they play way more games than any other league and have the revenue to pay for it. $10 million for a hockey player is way more out of wack than $25 million for a baseball player considering the difference in revenue and popularity.

The NFL has way too many off-field player issues, the NHL lacks a lot and is being bent over the table by Rbk and Comcast, the NBA is a joke for multiple issues, MLS is small and niche, PGA and NASCAR are niche leagues that lack the appeal and scope of MLB.

In case you havn't noticed (judging by your post you havn't) NASCAR has the second biggest tv contract in professional sports in North America.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASCAR

With roots as regional entertainment in the Southeastern U.S., NASCAR has grown to become the second-most popular professional sport in terms of television ratings inside the U.S., ranking behind only the National Football League.[1] Internationally, NASCAR races are broadcast in over 150 countries. It holds 17 of the top 20 attended sporting events in the U.S.,1 and has 75 million fans[1] who purchase over $3 billion in annual licensed product sales. These fans are considered the most brand-loyal in all of sports and as a result, Fortune 500 companies sponsor NASCAR more than any other governing body.

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

In case you havn't noticed (judging by your post you havn't) NASCAR has the second biggest tv contract in professional sports in North America.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASCAR

Colored me surprised, and disappointed.

I was under the impression that the MLB and NFL had better contracts, and that NASCAR's was in the same league as NBA and PGA.

Still, its a sport whose popularity is extremely limited outside of the US. While the MLB has huge popularity in Japan as well as other markets.

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

Not that Im trying to defend baseball by any means, as I agree with everything you're saying here, but I'm still shocked at how people reacted to that game. Seriously if I was at say, the NHL All-Star Game, and after regulation and a 5 minute OT the game was still tied, so they declared it a tie, I really wouldnt give a rat's ass. It's an All-Star Game! People are there to see the players make highlight reel plays and generally entertain the fans, who really cares what the score is??

I couldnt believe how much flak Selig took for the fact the game ended in a tie, and this over-reaction has now resulted in the ridiculous scenario of whichever league wins the All-Star Game has home field advantage in the World Series. Awful!

That's fine, if they had something in place to say it's a tie after 11 innings then fine, but they were sitting there creating a big clusterf. we are in the 2000's and MLB did not think about what to do with a tie game.

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by Thunderball

Colored me surprised, and disappointed.

I was under the impression that the MLB and NFL had better contracts, and that NASCAR's was in the same league as NBA and PGA.

Still, its a sport whose popularity is extremely limited outside of the US. While the MLB has huge popularity in Japan as well as other markets.

You must have missed the part where it said that NASCAR races are broadcast in over 150 countries.