After tormenting and cruelly killing defenseless animals, Michael Vick finally admits his guilt. He's copped a plea and now he surely faces a couple years of jail time. I doubt that he will do more than a year but he probably should. A world class athlete of untold talent, millions, and influence Michael Vick simply should have known better. Recently, Bryant Gumbel and Mike Wilbon have waxed more poetically than I about superstar athletes, especially African-American ones who have divested themselves of any semblance of responsibility, respect, and decorum in the name of chasing the money and conforming to some ridiculous hip-hop nonsense about keeping it real. For some reason no sooner than these young athletes break free from the ghetto and the thugs by which they were surrounded, they return not to influence those behind them to earn their way out but simply to hang out and wallow in ignorance. It's stupid and shameful and I'm sick of it.
Micheal Vick knew that he represented his teammates, his coaches, the NFL, the city of Atlanta, and his family, not to mention all those endorsements that's made him a multimillionaire many times over. He knew that none of those institutions would sanction his horrid involvement with those animals and deep down in the recesses of his mind when he went to sleep at night, neither did Michael Vick. In short order, his lawyer will have some sacrosanct letter of apology at sentencing about how Michael Vick let down his fans, family, league, teammates, blah, blah, blah. Maybe Michael Vick will even read it himself.
I'd like to root for Michael Vick. I think that he is a young man of potential who could influence millions but you see, he's had his chance to influence millions and has done it, in the worst way possible. In barber shops, talk shows, locker rooms, and barbeque's all over the country, friends, uncles, nephews,fathers and pundits will will rage, debate, and contest Micheal Vick's situation but it's probably too late for Vick. There really shouldn't be an argument because what Vick has done is inexcusable. So the debate will be about excuses and Vick has already proven a poor excuse for a professional, as has Kobe Bryant, Barry Bonds, Randy Moss, and others, though none to the degree as this latest debacle by Vick. And the ironic thing is, I think that Michael Vick had more of a soul than any of those guys.
Michael Vick succumbed to plain old peer pressure. He didn't have the fortitude to say, "You know instead of hurting and torturing these animals, I could use some of my wealth and influence to make a difference for these animals." He could have saved hundreds of animals, and through his example, millions of people. He could have literally encouraged thousands of people to stand up not only for animal rights, but for battered spouses, bullied children, for the elderly, for the poor. Most of the young people in the country today will come up short in a quest for NFL stardom because they lack the speed, hand-eye coordination, tenacity, strength and coordination of Michael Vick. They could have emulated his courage to speak up and do the right thing though. Arthur Ashe inspired in this way, so did Muhammad Ali, Bill Russell and Jim Brown too.
During their day, the fans of those giants heeded their call and helped a nation to right itself and do better. We lack such heroes of stature these days and Michael Vick would have fit the bill for sure. Perhaps with his example more stars would have followed his lead and really effected change not only in their sports, but in the heart of this greedy and ignorant nation of ours. Michael Vick may have become not the most celebrated athlete of our time, but perhaps the most celebrated sportsman. He may not have been the greatest, but as the first in recent history, boy, he could have been a contender.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Fit For a Queen
I'd read about the tift between the BBC and queen Elizabeth today. Initially, I sided with photographer Annie Leibovitz. If a photographer is taking pictures of me, I'm assuming that she is doing her best to make the photo better. Added to, I'm not English thus the thought of royalty doesn't inspire awe in me. If the picture looks better without a crown than with it, then off with the crown.
At the same time however, I do recognize that just because I don't have a monarch doesn't mean that other's shouldn't respect theirs. As well, it's not my role to show disrespect to anyone's monarch. When I saw the clip of what actually happened, I realized that queen Elizabeth was well within standard when she refused to take off her crown.
You see, whatever one may think of royalty, one simply can't be so arrogant as to flippantly order the Queen of England around, in England, no less, which is exactly what Ms. Leibovitz tried to do. I know she may be a famous photographer but Annie Leibovitz probably needs Queen Elizabeth more than the queen needs her. And the Queen of England is not chopped liver. She was there with her citizenry when the Germans bombed London and has been there every since. This would be the modern equivalent of President Bush booking a room in the French Quarter the night before Hurricane Katrina rolled in. For the last 50 years, she's been a model of decorum, propriety, and yes, leadership for the United Kingdom and the world. No tacky sexcapades, no drunken embarassments, no tearful apologies. She's done her duty and quite frankly, has done it with style and grace.
Annie Leibovitz is famous for her craft, I suppose, but compared to the long and distinguished shadow of Queen Elizabeth is but a mere flash in the pan. So I'm with you, Queen Elizabeth. You can wear whatever you like, when you like, and shouldn't have to hear a word about it from anyone. And by the way, its a tiara, not a crown.
At the same time however, I do recognize that just because I don't have a monarch doesn't mean that other's shouldn't respect theirs. As well, it's not my role to show disrespect to anyone's monarch. When I saw the clip of what actually happened, I realized that queen Elizabeth was well within standard when she refused to take off her crown.
You see, whatever one may think of royalty, one simply can't be so arrogant as to flippantly order the Queen of England around, in England, no less, which is exactly what Ms. Leibovitz tried to do. I know she may be a famous photographer but Annie Leibovitz probably needs Queen Elizabeth more than the queen needs her. And the Queen of England is not chopped liver. She was there with her citizenry when the Germans bombed London and has been there every since. This would be the modern equivalent of President Bush booking a room in the French Quarter the night before Hurricane Katrina rolled in. For the last 50 years, she's been a model of decorum, propriety, and yes, leadership for the United Kingdom and the world. No tacky sexcapades, no drunken embarassments, no tearful apologies. She's done her duty and quite frankly, has done it with style and grace.
Annie Leibovitz is famous for her craft, I suppose, but compared to the long and distinguished shadow of Queen Elizabeth is but a mere flash in the pan. So I'm with you, Queen Elizabeth. You can wear whatever you like, when you like, and shouldn't have to hear a word about it from anyone. And by the way, its a tiara, not a crown.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Paris Hilton: We've Earned her Fair and Square
We deserve Paris Hilton, we've earned her in some measure. Unlike most though, I actually don't feel any acute hostility towards her. On my "I hate this celebrity-ometer", I actually find her less grating than Rosie O'Donnell, less pompous than Donald Trump, less ubiquitous than Rachel Ray. People say that they're tired of seeing Paris Hilton but I personnally disagree. I never really see her. We don't hang out in the same places, so to speak. I don't watch trashy television like E Entertainment or read trashy magazines like Us Weekly. I don't watch reality TV (the Simple Life, for instance), pre-Oscar banter, post Oscar coverage, or the MTV awards. I won't pretend that I've never seen or indulged in any of the aforementioned mediums, it's just not my habit to do so. Therefore, as a matter of habit, I don't see much of the Heiress at all.
Then Paris Hilton went to jail. The country went into an uproar. Nancy Grace nearly had an aneurysm. Lou Dobbs stopped talking illegal immigration for at least 8 minutes. I couldn't escape it either. U.S. society seemed to be split into howling thirds. One third screamed she got what she deserved. One third (the lawyers) clamored she got a raw deal. The final third angrily wondered why Paris Hilton was getting all of this coverage.
I'm a Stephen Covery fan so I'll begin with the end in mind. I think I know why Paris Hilton received all of this coverage. It's because we've asked for it. It's been said that a country gets the government it deserves. I suppose we get the celebrities we deserve as well. We treasure trash. We watch mind-numbing reality TV. We buy trashy entertainment magazines. We tune in to the most recent star sightings. Put these three together, bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes and you might get a Paris Hilton, over 300 million served. Yes indeed, we've earned our Heiress, fair and square.
Some said that rich brat got what was coming to her. I think, however, that this sentiment has as much to do with with our collective ire toward the pretty and privileged elite who seem to play by a different set of rules. I remember rich 16 year old girls driving to school in their mustang convertibles and their 17 year old star quarterback boyfriends in their new Chevy Blazers. Most of them were actually okay one on one, sometimes a bit dim-witted but their parents had the right connections so they were always first with the new stuff, could afford the coolest class rings, and didn't have to choose between paying for the senior cruise or not having any money in their pocket while they were on the senior cruise. In the end, we like it when the privileged can't buy their way out of trouble. So yes, I suppose Paris got what was coming to her, in a way.
Others (mainly defense lawyers) felt that Paris got more time than she deserved. They have a point too. If I'd received two DUIs, I likely wouldn't have spent a day in jail, in San Francisco. In Texas, I may have received the death penalty. All things being equal though, people generally don't get much, or any time for driving infractions unless they killed someone, hurt someone, or are named Paris Hilton. I suppose it depends on the judge, but there probably isn't one judge in these United States of America who would want to live down being the one who let Paris Hilton off easy because she is a celebrity. And yes, it is unfair.
But life is unfair and so in the end Paris probably got what she deserved. And then she got out of jail and got an exclusive interview with CNN's Larry King, and we tuned in. Why? Because we deserve Paris Hilton. With our low standard for entertainment, we created her celebrity and now we're stuck with it.
Then Paris Hilton went to jail. The country went into an uproar. Nancy Grace nearly had an aneurysm. Lou Dobbs stopped talking illegal immigration for at least 8 minutes. I couldn't escape it either. U.S. society seemed to be split into howling thirds. One third screamed she got what she deserved. One third (the lawyers) clamored she got a raw deal. The final third angrily wondered why Paris Hilton was getting all of this coverage.
I'm a Stephen Covery fan so I'll begin with the end in mind. I think I know why Paris Hilton received all of this coverage. It's because we've asked for it. It's been said that a country gets the government it deserves. I suppose we get the celebrities we deserve as well. We treasure trash. We watch mind-numbing reality TV. We buy trashy entertainment magazines. We tune in to the most recent star sightings. Put these three together, bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes and you might get a Paris Hilton, over 300 million served. Yes indeed, we've earned our Heiress, fair and square.
Some said that rich brat got what was coming to her. I think, however, that this sentiment has as much to do with with our collective ire toward the pretty and privileged elite who seem to play by a different set of rules. I remember rich 16 year old girls driving to school in their mustang convertibles and their 17 year old star quarterback boyfriends in their new Chevy Blazers. Most of them were actually okay one on one, sometimes a bit dim-witted but their parents had the right connections so they were always first with the new stuff, could afford the coolest class rings, and didn't have to choose between paying for the senior cruise or not having any money in their pocket while they were on the senior cruise. In the end, we like it when the privileged can't buy their way out of trouble. So yes, I suppose Paris got what was coming to her, in a way.
Others (mainly defense lawyers) felt that Paris got more time than she deserved. They have a point too. If I'd received two DUIs, I likely wouldn't have spent a day in jail, in San Francisco. In Texas, I may have received the death penalty. All things being equal though, people generally don't get much, or any time for driving infractions unless they killed someone, hurt someone, or are named Paris Hilton. I suppose it depends on the judge, but there probably isn't one judge in these United States of America who would want to live down being the one who let Paris Hilton off easy because she is a celebrity. And yes, it is unfair.
But life is unfair and so in the end Paris probably got what she deserved. And then she got out of jail and got an exclusive interview with CNN's Larry King, and we tuned in. Why? Because we deserve Paris Hilton. With our low standard for entertainment, we created her celebrity and now we're stuck with it.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
San Antonio Spurs: A Purist's Dilemma
I'm a sports purist. I bemoan prima donnas, steroid users, trash talkers, and other self-centered athletes who denigrate their sport and try the patience of their fans. Randy Moss, Barry Bonds, John Rocker, and Kobe Bryant, to name a few, make it an effort to watch what should be entertaining television. I know these athletes have their fans, I'm just not one of them.
There is a team out there though, that represent what sports should be. They are a team of selfless, responsible, coachable professionals who execute their sport with skill, discipline, and efficiency. As role models, they're beyond reproach with nary a misdemeanor that I can recall. They are stalwarts of their community, the perfect role models for any young athlete of any sport to emulate. The NBA champion San Antonio Spurs represent everything that is good about the league and, with their international mix of players, are prefect ambassadors of their sport.
And they absolutely bore me to tears. The crisp passes (yawn), clean pick and rolls (zzzzz . . .), and stifling defense (oooh, scintillating), inspire me to turn the channel. During the finals, my wife pleaded with me to actually tune into game 4. I was torn between CNN with Larry King and a riveting Law and Order rerun. The Spurs should be the most beautiful team on television. Bruce Bowen harangues the most savvy of offensive players into turnovers. On the fast break, Tony Parker slices through and around defenders as though they've sprouted roots. Tim Duncan trails relentlessly and finishes with efficiency, often drawing a foul and a 3 point play. The Spurs execute better in the halfcourt, perhaps, than any basketball team in history. Larry Bird's Celtics or Bill Russell's Celtics may have been better, or maybe not. If the Spurs reel off anther three or four championships, though, the case will be very debatable.
They are extremely well coached. I should, and do, appreciate the job that Greg Popovich has done with the Spurs. His defense is impenetrable, he brings out the most in his role players, and he doesn't cut the superstars any slack either. He'll sit Tony Parker down as quickly as the 8th guy on the roster and will even bark at Tim Duncan when he needs to. Yet for every time Popovich curtly corrects one of his players, he'll subtly build him back up with encouragement before the game is over. He's a no nonsense guy and the buzzcut completes the image. We don't get caustic quips though, he doesn't respond with "I'm in favor of it", when asked about his teams execution. He gives you nothing to love or hate. He looks the laconic Texan, and probably would eat Bobby Knight for breakfast but it doesn't come across on television. Perhaps he should say in press conferences something like, "I want Shaq dead or alive". Maybe if he wore a Steston or a string tie, the mystery would add to the watchability of the San Antonio Spurs.
Like many greats, the San Antonio Spurs are so good at annihilating their opponents it's not much fun watching them do it. Pete Sampras' 14 grand slams, Oscar Robertson's season- averaging triple double (which, to me, is the most impressive sports statistic of all time), and Rocky Marciano's 56-0 boxing record represent staggering achievements yet it's as though nobody saw them. Didn't anyone want to watch them either? I recall Peter Sampras because he came along in my generation. Pete was great, probably the greatest tennis player to grab a racket, yet he was agony to watch. Perhaps it was his poor posture or the hangdog look he wore that induced me to boredom. Or was it was the hangdog look of his opponent blinking at another 118 mph 2d serve? I don't know what it was, just as I couldn't watch Pete, I can't bear the San Antonio Spurs. I ache for the halftime show when they play, so the analysts can translate for me how great they are. I find them mind-numbingly boring to watch in real time. Maybe a grainy black and white image would add some mystique, some vintage otherworldiness about to their effort.
I have three theories about the San Antonio Spurs. The first is that I like the arc of a narrative. I'm not convinced that sports for the sake of sports is why we watch. We like characters, we want to see them triumph when it doesn't seem possible. We like to see them get angry when they don't measure up. Most of us aren't so talented, disciplined, or capable as a Pete Sampras, Tim Duncan, or Justine Henin. Added to that, those athlete's demeanors are so steely they defy humanity. They seem like automatons. They aren't, by the way, but we don't really see ourselves reflected in their approach to their chosen craft. Win or lose, Tim Duncan seems to stare straight ahead, chin buried, eyes hardly blinking, clutching a basketball against his chest. Annika Sorenstam marches on, collecting wins every other week-end or so, or maybe she doesn't. It just seems that way, we seem to never hear from her.
Conversely, I was glued to the television anytime Andre Agassi took to the court. Early on, we didn't know if Andre wanted to be liked or wanted to be a winner. Neither did he, but unlike the giant of the sport at the time Ivan Lendl, (featured on a Sports Illustrated cover as "The Champion Nobody Cares About"), we could see a soul in Andre Agassi. As ambitious and as relentless as he was, Michael Jordan was absolutely riveting to watch. He almost seemed to will himself to win, and surely if he could will himself to win, we could to, in some corner of our lives. He'd gamble a little too much, much as we do in all areas of our lives at some point, but he'd say so what, I'm still getting the job done and would reel off 50 points and a win to prove it. Don't we all wish we could do that too, sometimes?
Tiger woods is as steely as they get but while many reference his outpouring of grief emotion after the 2006 British Open, upon the recent passing of his father, he connects with me much more often. He curses and swings that errant driver of his in rage after coming up lame off the tee. Funny, I do that too. Tiger then often scrambles to save par, or maybe eke out a birdie ( I never do that), but that's because he's a professional golfer,. The fact that on some level, I can identify with Tiger Woods, one of the greatest golfers ever, in the universe of wayward drivers, makes him accessible flesh and blood to me.
The Spurs execute, do the right things, and win championships. It's surely not easy, or the Dallas Mavericks would have two or three rings by now, but the Spurs never seem to struggle, or overcome to accomplish the impossible. They make it look very possible, which is saying something, I suppose, but I can't put it into words with sincerity. I could come up with a story, maybe even a moving tale, but it still wouldn't inspire me to want to watch them play basketball.
The second theory of my boredom with the Spurs may have to do with the media. They tend to focus on the mercurial personalities, controversy, and mayhem. Not much fanfare is made of those like the Spurs who are quietly going about their profession. Instead we get major airtime of Kobe Bryant whining about his teammates or Mark Cuban whining about the referees. We always know who was the latest player busted on a DUI. We can recite all the punishments of the last team involved in a major brawl but rarely do we get an in-depth look at the good that most players in the league are doing.
I've seen a specials on the Spurs and those guys are actually quite loose, Tim Duncan is really funny, and within 2 minutes, one realizes that Greg Popovich is as great at being a life coach for his players as a basketball coach for them. The conventional media nor the basketball media don't really pay much attention to that, though, so unless you are a die hard fan, one wouldn't know the story behind those blank faces wearing Spurs uniforms.
My final theory is that I think we like to see the bad boys win or at least we want to see the bad boys whipped and humiliated. Underneath his jovial commercials about McDonald's, Michael Jordan had the basketball demeanor of a samurai. For all the folksy admiration about Larry Bird being just an average guy, he would cut your jugular with a spoon if a championship depended on it. Despite that megawatt smile, Magic Johnson could and would bang with anybody in the league. The bad boy Detroit Pistons were bad, all the more reason to hate them and whoop & holler when Larry Bird undermined their suffocating defense with a 3-point bomb or Michael Jordan sliced through the lane with a thundering dunk. Even if you weren't a fan, one felt compelled to watched the Pistons in the hope that somebody, anybody would whup them.
The Spurs are genuinely good, fair guys. I can't even muster enough irritation to want someone to whup them. They don't hack the other team's star player to put him on the bench, or the foul line. No trash talk or swagger from these from these guys. Perfect chemistry in the locker room. Coach is a fine man, wish he were running for President in '08. He's coaching in Texas for goodness sake and I've never heard a a PG curse word from this guy.
There is a team out there though, that represent what sports should be. They are a team of selfless, responsible, coachable professionals who execute their sport with skill, discipline, and efficiency. As role models, they're beyond reproach with nary a misdemeanor that I can recall. They are stalwarts of their community, the perfect role models for any young athlete of any sport to emulate. The NBA champion San Antonio Spurs represent everything that is good about the league and, with their international mix of players, are prefect ambassadors of their sport.
And they absolutely bore me to tears. The crisp passes (yawn), clean pick and rolls (zzzzz . . .), and stifling defense (oooh, scintillating), inspire me to turn the channel. During the finals, my wife pleaded with me to actually tune into game 4. I was torn between CNN with Larry King and a riveting Law and Order rerun. The Spurs should be the most beautiful team on television. Bruce Bowen harangues the most savvy of offensive players into turnovers. On the fast break, Tony Parker slices through and around defenders as though they've sprouted roots. Tim Duncan trails relentlessly and finishes with efficiency, often drawing a foul and a 3 point play. The Spurs execute better in the halfcourt, perhaps, than any basketball team in history. Larry Bird's Celtics or Bill Russell's Celtics may have been better, or maybe not. If the Spurs reel off anther three or four championships, though, the case will be very debatable.
They are extremely well coached. I should, and do, appreciate the job that Greg Popovich has done with the Spurs. His defense is impenetrable, he brings out the most in his role players, and he doesn't cut the superstars any slack either. He'll sit Tony Parker down as quickly as the 8th guy on the roster and will even bark at Tim Duncan when he needs to. Yet for every time Popovich curtly corrects one of his players, he'll subtly build him back up with encouragement before the game is over. He's a no nonsense guy and the buzzcut completes the image. We don't get caustic quips though, he doesn't respond with "I'm in favor of it", when asked about his teams execution. He gives you nothing to love or hate. He looks the laconic Texan, and probably would eat Bobby Knight for breakfast but it doesn't come across on television. Perhaps he should say in press conferences something like, "I want Shaq dead or alive". Maybe if he wore a Steston or a string tie, the mystery would add to the watchability of the San Antonio Spurs.
Like many greats, the San Antonio Spurs are so good at annihilating their opponents it's not much fun watching them do it. Pete Sampras' 14 grand slams, Oscar Robertson's season- averaging triple double (which, to me, is the most impressive sports statistic of all time), and Rocky Marciano's 56-0 boxing record represent staggering achievements yet it's as though nobody saw them. Didn't anyone want to watch them either? I recall Peter Sampras because he came along in my generation. Pete was great, probably the greatest tennis player to grab a racket, yet he was agony to watch. Perhaps it was his poor posture or the hangdog look he wore that induced me to boredom. Or was it was the hangdog look of his opponent blinking at another 118 mph 2d serve? I don't know what it was, just as I couldn't watch Pete, I can't bear the San Antonio Spurs. I ache for the halftime show when they play, so the analysts can translate for me how great they are. I find them mind-numbingly boring to watch in real time. Maybe a grainy black and white image would add some mystique, some vintage otherworldiness about to their effort.
I have three theories about the San Antonio Spurs. The first is that I like the arc of a narrative. I'm not convinced that sports for the sake of sports is why we watch. We like characters, we want to see them triumph when it doesn't seem possible. We like to see them get angry when they don't measure up. Most of us aren't so talented, disciplined, or capable as a Pete Sampras, Tim Duncan, or Justine Henin. Added to that, those athlete's demeanors are so steely they defy humanity. They seem like automatons. They aren't, by the way, but we don't really see ourselves reflected in their approach to their chosen craft. Win or lose, Tim Duncan seems to stare straight ahead, chin buried, eyes hardly blinking, clutching a basketball against his chest. Annika Sorenstam marches on, collecting wins every other week-end or so, or maybe she doesn't. It just seems that way, we seem to never hear from her.
Conversely, I was glued to the television anytime Andre Agassi took to the court. Early on, we didn't know if Andre wanted to be liked or wanted to be a winner. Neither did he, but unlike the giant of the sport at the time Ivan Lendl, (featured on a Sports Illustrated cover as "The Champion Nobody Cares About"), we could see a soul in Andre Agassi. As ambitious and as relentless as he was, Michael Jordan was absolutely riveting to watch. He almost seemed to will himself to win, and surely if he could will himself to win, we could to, in some corner of our lives. He'd gamble a little too much, much as we do in all areas of our lives at some point, but he'd say so what, I'm still getting the job done and would reel off 50 points and a win to prove it. Don't we all wish we could do that too, sometimes?
Tiger woods is as steely as they get but while many reference his outpouring of grief emotion after the 2006 British Open, upon the recent passing of his father, he connects with me much more often. He curses and swings that errant driver of his in rage after coming up lame off the tee. Funny, I do that too. Tiger then often scrambles to save par, or maybe eke out a birdie ( I never do that), but that's because he's a professional golfer,. The fact that on some level, I can identify with Tiger Woods, one of the greatest golfers ever, in the universe of wayward drivers, makes him accessible flesh and blood to me.
The Spurs execute, do the right things, and win championships. It's surely not easy, or the Dallas Mavericks would have two or three rings by now, but the Spurs never seem to struggle, or overcome to accomplish the impossible. They make it look very possible, which is saying something, I suppose, but I can't put it into words with sincerity. I could come up with a story, maybe even a moving tale, but it still wouldn't inspire me to want to watch them play basketball.
The second theory of my boredom with the Spurs may have to do with the media. They tend to focus on the mercurial personalities, controversy, and mayhem. Not much fanfare is made of those like the Spurs who are quietly going about their profession. Instead we get major airtime of Kobe Bryant whining about his teammates or Mark Cuban whining about the referees. We always know who was the latest player busted on a DUI. We can recite all the punishments of the last team involved in a major brawl but rarely do we get an in-depth look at the good that most players in the league are doing.
I've seen a specials on the Spurs and those guys are actually quite loose, Tim Duncan is really funny, and within 2 minutes, one realizes that Greg Popovich is as great at being a life coach for his players as a basketball coach for them. The conventional media nor the basketball media don't really pay much attention to that, though, so unless you are a die hard fan, one wouldn't know the story behind those blank faces wearing Spurs uniforms.
My final theory is that I think we like to see the bad boys win or at least we want to see the bad boys whipped and humiliated. Underneath his jovial commercials about McDonald's, Michael Jordan had the basketball demeanor of a samurai. For all the folksy admiration about Larry Bird being just an average guy, he would cut your jugular with a spoon if a championship depended on it. Despite that megawatt smile, Magic Johnson could and would bang with anybody in the league. The bad boy Detroit Pistons were bad, all the more reason to hate them and whoop & holler when Larry Bird undermined their suffocating defense with a 3-point bomb or Michael Jordan sliced through the lane with a thundering dunk. Even if you weren't a fan, one felt compelled to watched the Pistons in the hope that somebody, anybody would whup them.
The Spurs are genuinely good, fair guys. I can't even muster enough irritation to want someone to whup them. They don't hack the other team's star player to put him on the bench, or the foul line. No trash talk or swagger from these from these guys. Perfect chemistry in the locker room. Coach is a fine man, wish he were running for President in '08. He's coaching in Texas for goodness sake and I've never heard a a PG curse word from this guy.
Nope, the San Antonio Spurs, for me at least, don't inspire me to watch them for any reason. They're very good, probably the best team to come along since the Celtics and Lakers of the 1980's. They're perfect role models, excellently coached, and extremely talented. If I coached, I'd use tape of them to show my team how to execute. I'd point to Tim Duncan and say, "Now there is a guy who knows what team play is all about". He doesn't showboat, he respects his coach and his fans." I'd tell them to emulate Bruce Bowen, how he doesn't look for glory, he does his job, shuts down the best offensive players in the league, and then does it again the next night, and the next. Yes, I'd show my team film of this championship team.
I'd TiVo it though because Lord knows, I can't bear watching the San Antonio Spurs play basketball.
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