Roving topic related to the slam dunk contest

[NWebster]

I watched some of it last night, only as it was on in the sport bar I was in.

1.) I'm reminded how much I hate the NBA, not Basketball but the NBA. Is it as simple as 5 guys versus 11, but what's up with all the "me-ism" in basketball? An alternate theory, all football players know that the QB will be the most popular player, dealing with that alone drives a self awareness that exceeds that of a typical basketball player. Final theory, who's best in FB is always an ephemeral argument, you're comparing a guy who rushes, with a guy who blocks, with a guy who sacks, with a guy who covers - they cannot be directly compared and it's not a zero-sum game across a team. In hoops my shot likely means you my teammate don't get one, maybe this drives more jealousy and less teamwork.

2.) I'm reminded why as much as I think a skills competition in the NFL would be interesting it would probably actually annoy me.

3.) Even more a tangent. He was a very good player and played forever, but I don't think Darrell Green goes tk the HOF (and I don't believe he belongs) without winning NFL's fastest man. It took a young competent to very good Corner and put him on the map for every fan, commentator and casual observer at a point in a young career that's unusual unless you're a trascnedent type. He was always called out when lineups were shown in a manner reminiscent of Deion or Richard Sherman, who hyped themselves to get there.

[JWL]

In Week 17, the Broncos had a chance to be the 1 seed or 5 seed. At that time, there were probably a half dozen teams that you could make a real good case for as far as winning the Super Bowl to be played five weeks later.

With the NBA, the champion will be crowned in four and a half months. I can only make a case for three teams to win the title (Warriors, Cavaliers, Spurs). To me, this is a major problem. I struggle to be moved to even look at the standings anymore and the team that I root for (or maybe used to root for is a better way to put it) is a good team.

The college game is better in that the coaching is more important and there is generally better teamwork. Also, the players haven't yet become self important douches.

I do not like Green in the PFHOF. He was very good for a half decade and then average to good for the rest of his career. The Hall of Very Good seems a better place for Green.

[mwald]

This will no doubt invite snickers, but the WNBA is great pro basketball. Really enjoy watching that league. Talented, hard working players who get paid peanuts. They really play for each other.

Sadly, women are so overlooked that most mainstream website apps do not even list WNBA scores.

[Reaser]

The 3-pt contest and the finals of the dunk contest were great. No surprise that someone from the Great State of Washington won the dunk contest for the 2nd year in a row (though this year I think the other guy should have won) ...

That aside, the NBA has been a garbage brand of basketball for a long while now. College is much better.

I only liked the skills competition (and the QB challenge) because they were football related and I watch 'everything', but they were nothing special. Largely meaningless as well without pads on.

The saying with my friends and myself about football and the NBA is that football is a team sport and the NBA is an individual game masquerading as a team sport.

[mwald]

The NBA isn't what it once was but it still has Greg Popovich, who probably deserves to be ranked in the top three active coaches of any professional sport.

I'm sketchy on the details because I don't track NBA spreads but I believe Pop has one of the best ATS records out there, meaning his team continually exceeds what the public thinks of his team, which is saying something when you consider how good his teams have been over the years.

[bachslunch]

Darrell Green doesn't strike me as a small-hall guy, but I'm okay with him being in. His profile of 4/7/90s, while not at the level of someone like Deion Sanders, is good enough. He adds in some kick returning credit. And unlike someone like Jim Marshall, Green has a very long career but also a respectable amount of actual peak. And sure, there's some fastest man "narrative" that probably helped, too. He's not an elite HoFer, but I think he's a reasonable choice.

The fact that he was first ballot strikes me as sheer luck, coming up as the best available new candidate in a weak year for first timers. Same for Jim Kelly. Happens sometimes.

[Reaser]

They really play for each other.

Expanding from the WNBA, I think this applies to women's team sports, in general. At least that I've seen - two friends were all-state high school players in multiple sports, played college soccer and for a while now have played rugby for different clubs around the world. I watch them whenever a stream is available (or they play locally) and definitely the talent, effort, care (winning and losing matters), playing for eachother and playing for team is all there and it's excellent to watch. Especially as someone who likes competition and sport.

The thing that's left out of that though, is money and fame and how introducing large amounts of each to any women's sport would likely introduce a level of individuality - to those susceptible to such things.