On July 1, 2011, NBA and basketball fans alike were struck and confused when it was announced that the NBA was in a lockout, the fourth in history.
After issues between the owners and players in regards to revenue sharing and the salary cap, all preseason games and the first six weeks of the 2011–12 season through December 15, were canceled.
During the time, some players signed contracts to play in other countries, mostly in Europe and Asia. In which case, most of the players were given the option to return to the NBA once the lockout ended.
The lockout was to remain in effect until the players and the NBA owners reached a deal.
And on November 26, that’s what happened. The players and owners reached a tentative deal, including a 66-game season, with games commencing on December 25.
Awesome, the lockout is over and now everyone can start to brag about how their respective teams are going to win this year.
Hey, and since a fourth of the season was removed, maybe LeBron James and the Miami Heat have a chance. Since, face it, he only shows up for three-quarters of the season anyways.
But to be completely honest, even though I am a fan of the NBA and the amazing organization that is the Los Angeles Lakers, I’m not 100% happy that a tentative agreement was reached.
For the first time in who knows, the women’s game was actually being religiously televised and collegiate basketball was finally receiving the credit it’s been due.
Collegiate basketball is and will always be the best form of organized basketball aired.
Like it or not, I don’t care.
I would rather watch Billy No Name Jones make a 3-pointer to win the game for Gonzaga than watch Paul Pierce sink a half-court shot, which honestly, isn’t all that impressive anymore.
The amount of raw talent and pure excitement that each collegiate player has when they step on the court, is more appealing to me than watching the same teams compete for another championship in the NBA.
In college basketball, teams don’t base their game plans on one or two players, coaches have faith in every one of their players and trust that no matter who they place on the court, that their team will be victorious in the end.
Players also are not concerned about monetary figures. When they aren’t playing, they’re concentrating on their Physics final or their English presentation, things that will help them in the long run.
As NCAA athlete’s state every year in the commercials viewed, there are over 400,000 student-athletes and more than half of them will be going pro in something other than their respective sport.
Watching a Cinderella team like George Mason make it to the Sweet 16 in March is great to me.
It proves that talented players are found both in the high end programs like Duke and UConn but also the low Division teams like Fairfield and Sienna.
Disbursed talent is what keeps me intrigued in the collegiate game.
The Miami Heat, Boston Celtics and other teams which have their respective “Big Three” is so irritating.
Why must teams base themselves on “three” main players? Last time I checked, there are five players on the court at a time per team, are there not? So stop broadcasting specific players and highlight the entire team!
When the NBA comes back on Christmas, I will be lucky to watch five women’s basketball games other than when UConn and Tennessee play.
I will have to wait for March Madness to see my friends play on ESPN again.
Great!
The last thing we need is to continue praising men who play the most basic game, a game that everyone has played since we were children, and get paid far more than they should be.
Don’t get me wrong, many of the players in the NBA are unbelievably talented, I’m just tired of the whining about wanting more money and crying about whatever else it is that’s taking Dwight Howard away from dunking 28 times per game.
Welcome back NBA …
