I can't remember when I last watched an NBA All-Star game, perhaps there was a time when the game seemed competitive to me, but when was that? I can't remember when I didn't watch the Saturday night skills competition - a fun time and worth a pizza and beer. But the game itself? Gad, how boring.
It occured to me that a two day series of skill competitions would be one solution, but I doubt if there would be much interest from advertisers. The term All-Star Game means a Game, the greats competing against each other, but of course they don't really compete, do they? Why should they and risk injuries?. So, here's my thinking: lets combine skills competition with the game. It could be done in the following manner:
1) Create a 4 point line.
2) Place a bull's eye logo at center-court. Any player who shoots the ball and makes it from inside the logo
would earn 6 points.
3) Place two squares 3x3 feet adjacent to the sideline midway between the half-court stripe and baseline.
Shots made from within that box would be worth 5 points. Referees would determine if a players
feet were within the box.
4) Floaters shot from beyond the freethrow line would be worth 3 points.
5) Hook shots shot from beyond the freethrow line and below the 3 point line would be worth 3 pts.
6) Hook shots shot from above the three point stripe and below the 4 point stripe would be valued
at 4 points.
7) A player would get the choice of shooting freethrows with or without a blindfold. A player could double
the normal freethrow value by selecting to shoot blindfolded. Imagine the game coming down to a team
down by three points and fouled in the act of shooting with .01 left on the clock. Normally there would
be no way the shooter's team could win the game, but by selecting to shoot blindfolded, the shooter
could win the game if he made both shots sightless.
An added attraction for the NBA advertising gurus would be to sell sponsorships for the various new shooting areas, ie: Box shots could be sponsored by box stores (Wall Mart/Home Depot, etc); the bullseye center-court-shot could be sponsored by Target Stores; blind freethrow shooting could be sponsored by Lens Crafters; floaters by United Airlines.
I can think of a number of other fun possibilities. The strategy required to play such a game would invigorate the All-Star Game, make it relevant while keeping the players safe from injury, which is the main reason the players today do NOT compete with vigor.
Think About It NBA! Big Bucks rolling in, lots of fun for fans.
The San Antonio Spurs have just finished their Rodeo road trip - as usual successfully. Is there a better coach in the NBA than Pop?
Here's a Rodeo poem.
The Closing of the Rodeo by William Jay Smith
The lariat snaps; the cowboy rolls
His pack, and mounts and rides away.
Back to the land the cowboy goes.
Plumes of smoke from the factory sway
In the setting sun. The curtain falls,
A train in the darkness pulls away.
Goodbye, says the rain on the iron roofs.
Goodbye, say the barber poles.
Dark drum the vanishing horses' hooves.
