Yeah, because that was exactly what I was advocating. No one puts words in others mouths quite like you do. Not that you asked (as someone carrying on a conversation might) but here you go. College has a superior atmosphere and is more fun to watch because: 1) fewer games make each more important; 2) fewer points and a shorter game create more importance on points scored earlier in a game. A ten point run in the first half can seriously influence the outcome of a game in college; 3) the knockout format of conference and nation-wide tournaments puts more importance on each game and allows for an actual cinderella; 4) very few gimmicks at the arenas. The focus is almost exclusively on the games; 5) the fans with the least amount of money, but with the largest rooting interest are sitting close to the game; 6) as mentioned earlier, there is a wide variety of tactical approaches in college. Outside of the triangle offense (which I don't think anyone is using now that Phil is out of the game) there is little variation in the pro game; 7) much better rivalries. There are plenty of problems with the college game as well, but I certainly prefer watching it.
I've found that the only thing the college game might offer is sentimentality and a affordable way for people to catch basketball games, I get it. I just hate the smug attitude and inferiority complex college fans have when it comes to their sport and spend all this time yelling their points and arguments for it till the horse has been shattered. The only other group of sports fans I've witnessed when it comes to that mindset is NHL fans. Not like every sports league is chaotic, either. That's a favorite argument of mine, it always seems to be applied to the NBA as well. And for the record the NBA playoffs have been very enjoyable, especially these finals.
Some of the anti-MLS pro-USL fans can give those you mention a pretty good run for their money. Hell, now that I think about it, the pro-MLS, anti Euro people (and vice versa) are pretty similar, too.
Yes, you are right. It is a total inferiority complex from us college fans. I just get so jealous when I see those millions of people filling out their June Madness NBA Playoff brackets.
NBA basketball is the only major sport where people say - "I'll just catch the last 2 minutes because that's the only important part of the game." So add that to the almost meaningless regular season and you have a sport where 95% of the action is just jerking off. Jerking off and lots of annoying music.
Well, I could say something about just watching the last few minutes of the game, but that would mean we'd need an "R" on this thread.
And few can match your skill for making bold statements, then when you get challenged on it moving the goalposts to fall back on a much more reserved statement. E.g. ripping the NBA for being a sham contest along the lines of pro wrestling or the Miss USA pageant (along with gymnastics- what do you have against Nastia Liukin?), then moving back to "I like college basketball because of the better atmosphere".
I can't tell if this is just good satire, or you wrote "pro ball used to be a more team-oriented game" with a straight face. But seeing as how you left out the "pro players don't have good fundamentals" and "college players play harder" jokes, I'm guessing you might actually believe this. If it's "better" when getting an open shot is swinging the ball a couple of times, and marquee players can't create their own shots, then, sure, college basketball is faaaaantastic. I don't like the 82-game season either, but if no one cared, then they would've shortened the season. But you know what people care less about than the NBA regular season? College regular season. How much does a Mountain West game in February pull? You don't say. A single-elimination tournament that allows a terrible team to beat a flawed championship-calibre team on an off day and plays all but one game between Thursday and Sunday does better on TV? March Madness is a cynical, made-for-TV charade of a championship tournament. I mean, you can't account for taste, but when a tournament's practically designed for maximum gambling simplicity, you can sucker people into watching championship game when neither team can stop a ball handler from getting into the paint or shoot 40% from outside the paint.
International basketball is a joke. The rules are essentially designed to neutralize the advantage of American players (or at least ended up doing so), not so much because Americans are terrible humans who can't play as teams, but because the rules are written to favor teams that can't defend 1-on-1 and rely on jump shooters. It's really USA Basketball's fault for not picking enough shooters for the longest time. Wait, you're conflating quality of play with atmosphere? You might not be an exception to the rule. Yes, college basketball has 1 month out of 12 (actually, 3 weekends out of 52) that people actually give a shit about. March Madness is an argument for college basketball?
Alright, I just posted two nastier than they needed to be posts in a row, including this one. I was able to delete the one responding to That Phat Hat, but it was too late to delete this one. My apologies. For me the conversation around here has grown a bit stale and I've been a bit too grumpy, so its off for a hiatus. A week or two away usually freshens things a bit. Sorry about the above. Edit: Since you feel that way about it, I went ahead and deleted the post in question for you. Your Friendly Argentine Mod.
That's a polite way of saying "point guards who can't break down a 2-3 zone" and "supposedly good Duke teams with no post play".
You mean like the NFL, where some QBs get hit late all the time but if anyone ever dared breathe on Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, they'd get a flag and a $25K fine? Or like college football, where pollsters vote on their favorite programs to meet in the B(C)S title game (and now that there's probably going to be some kind of four-team playoff, the SEC inbreds are lobbying to keep the title game off limits to anyone but their champ and whoever else is popular enough to get the votes)? Or baseball, where major-market teams' finances can end other teams' seasons before April 1? Dude, college football IS figure skating without the shame. And it's been that way for generations. Also, I'd much rather know that the guy enduring concussion after concussion is being given more than a $1000 SEC handshake, a "Good job, boy" and --MAYBE-- a chance to be an assistant position coach or a chaplain at Alabama or Florida or LSU.
What ever happened to the PG in basketball? Duke is a perfect example. Last year they were like a mid major (a collection of small shooting guards plus rebounding forwards). No Coach K pressure man to man, no transition breaks off of the turnovers from that defense. It has been so long since Duke has had a true PG. In the other thread we talked about the idea that modern players aren't coachable, but I think part of the issue is that the PG has gone the way of the fullback in football. The PG was the extension of the coach on the floor. The PG was the catalyst for team play. The PG was the one who often became a coach after his playing career was over.
We invented the game. We nurtured the game. We have 98% of the best players who ever played the game. And now you're whining about international rules? You have to really try harder.
Out of about 20 he's done. That's a Knicks-like record of coasting on his past successes. Girl 6 and She Hate Me were unwatchable.
1. I think international rules were written long before The World was trying to scheme up ways to beat NBA all-stars. 2. Isn't that just another way of saying they're good at team defense? No, it's not. Look, I'm not one of the guys in this thread saying the NBA sucks ass and anyone who prefers the NBA to college basketball is a shallow fool attracted to a the thunderdunk. I'm just saying that I prefer the college games and there are reasons for it...namely, the longer shot clock, the lack of illegal defense, and the contrasts in style. One thing I noticed...how the ******** is a point guard supposed to break down a zone defense??? If you got rid of the illegal defense rules and for some reason the 2-3 zone became a popular strategy in the NBA , Derrick Rose wouldn't be able to break one down, either. That talking point aspires to be nonsensical.
Yeah, Duke has gone all in on the dribble-and-dish offense, which requires multiple players able to threaten to do both. If you want to watch throwback point guards, UNC still uses a player in that role. (Which is part of what makes Duke-UNC games so interesting nowadays. The contrast in offensive styles.)
Wasn't bad by Spike Lee's recent standards. That improves him to a 3 for 20...which was Starks' shooting % in game 7 of the 1994 Finals!