ESPN!!!

I joined this article/post-writing thing for ESPN this morning regarding this year's NBA Playoffs. Had a great time doing it. Here's what I wrote:

I'd say the playoffs are both great and controversial.

It's a great game. basketball. I've always loved it in its purest form. You see heart trouncing X and O's, enabling teams to win games, even series (say, Phoenix Suns down 3-1) The most thrilling, down-to-the-wire, games were played in such a short span of time that I won't be shocked if the NBA announces that somebody was delivered to the hospital, eyes wide open, skin pale, gasping the words "KOBE" or "LEBRON"... and get this... maybe even "KEVIN MARTIN" or "DEVIN HARRIS". It's unexpectedly beautiful.

On the flip side, there is a natural/extraordinary reluctance of the league (either by circumstances or fabricated plots) to undergo a power shift. Perhaps it can be parallel to history in a way, that wars and controversies have to take place before a revolution comes along. This playoffs, we have seen more ejections and suspensions that it is almost (maybe even surely) game-changing. Take for instance, Ron Artest, James Posey, Udonis Haslem, Raja Bell or recently, Jason Terry. And how about Reggie Evans? Why not him? He might have killed the second coming of Hulk Hogan in that process! (though I must say, He is a monstrous rebounder. He just seems to have a great instict for any ball in the paint. Really. Don't you agree? By the way, in addition to a flagrant foul, haw many rebounds did they award him for that?)Maybe it's because they know that suspending him won't make a difference. They're already down! Kenyon Martin's dilemma is hard enough on the Nuggets to add another's! While as for the others, they are the showstoppers. I just need one example for this. Raja Bell.

Overall, I think the league is on the verge of passing on the powers from the Timmies and the Wallaces to the Lebrons and Wades. It might not happen this season, but it sure will very soon. The Bulls-Pistons-Spurs-Rockets-Lakers era of the past TWENTY YEARS will soon come to an end. Maybe one day, the Cavs, the Heat, Mavs, or even the Hornets will get theirs. But now, we just have to sit down and watch as history unfolds before our eyes. We are but spectators. We are powerless. We can only cheer or frown. You can scream as much as you can over the whistle-wielders who have (perhaps) little say over the outcome of the game. We can just (extremely cliched word coming up)...

WITNESS

There, I said it.

All of that being said, I still hope Shaq could get one more title. And stop doing movies like Scary Movie 4... (though I have to admit the "shoot the rock into the basket to save their lives" thing on the trailer was hilarious)