A few NBA games ago, I watched the Sacramento Kings get out-tanked by the Memphis Griz.
A few nights later, the San Antonio Spurs played against the tanking Nets. The tanking Kings played the tanking Mavs, and the tanking Bulls played the Portaland Balzers, who are not tanking which insured the Bulls a credible tanking victory.
"Ah, so," as the famous Chinese detectie of the 1950s Charlie Chan used to say.
Lost in the shark tank of tanking are the NBA's fans, particularly the youngsters who love their teams and want to root for them to win. WIN, what a concept. I'm not a fan of sarcasm, but I can't help myself. How about the word PATHETIC. As in pathos, as in get out your handkerchief. Let me say this, and I believe I have already said it a number of times: if the league doesn't do away, and I mean away away with tanking, it can count on fans fleeing for badmitten contests and jump-rope competitions. Beware, Commish Adam Silver.
Allow me to post a solution that I recently suggested: All the losing teams qualify for the top lottery pick with equal chances of winning. The lottery becomes pure luck. Simplicity. It eliminates tanking from the start and actually encourages winning. All fans understand luck. It's Luck Be a Lady Tonight, Marlon Brando disguised as their team's GM. Bring out the rabbits' feet and the Good Luck charms.
ABOUT LIFE:
Be careful out there in internet land. An AI company has put out a "fake news" of MSNBC commentator, Rachel Maddow announcing to remove the President as being incompetent to serve in office. This is not an attack against the president but an attack on t he credibility of Rachel Maddow, who is one of the most effective voices in television journalism. Don't be fooled. And be REALLY careful of all things generated by AI. Example: Rosie, the singer, is not a human. Her million dollar generating songs are AI. Rosie, the singer, is not flesh and blood. Don't be fooled. Or you wind up being a FOOL.
TIP OF THE PEN
If you're worried about how to incorporate description into your mystery novel, or any novel, I suppose, although of that I'm unsure, read the detective mysteries written by Peter Robinson. Some may argue he over describes and internalized thoughts of his characters, but I feel he does it so expertly that it does not read heavy-handed. Give it a try. Especially if you're a beginning novelist, it's a good idea to read the top writers in whatever genre you're into. Copy how the write, and soon you'll wind up copying yourself.
POEM OF THE BLOG:
FRANK “APPLES” KUDELKA
(1925-1993)
by Tom Meschery
Where did the NBA begin?
For meme, with Apples. His name
a sobriquet for red delicious
made me laugh when I first heard
it.
until I saw him play for the first
time,
and score at will. It’s hard to
say
how somethings leave their mark.
I was a boy of ten, he was a man
who floated through the air,
an apple I picked out of the sky.
