Lately we require 3 threads a day, minimum to spread out the comments enough. Really great action for a sports blog guys.
I'd love to have more NBA Playoff entries but you know what? I actually find myself consciously turning it off. I can't be a party to the NBA until they resolve this mess. If they go through with the forced relocation despite all this they will lose me forever. I start to watch it (WOW! Delonte West is starting in Cleveland?) and then I remember the situation and change the channel. Pretty sad really.
So here's what I would love to see nationally on the internet, sports blogs, and of course right here in SC.com. Ideally it would funnel upward to national media but I'm more realistic than that.
SOS Wrote a letter to the NBA recently. While I won't divulge the contents but I will share with you the ending:
Prior to making a binding commitment to Mr. Bennett you should demand both a process and a resolution which are respectful to the fans and maintain the integrity and tradition of the National Basketball Association.
The integrity and tradition of the NBA. That is what is at stake here.
I have to say that we are seeing two things be proven beyond the shred of a reasonable doubt. The first is that, in the case of Seattle fans and the sweetheart deal with Oklahoma we can see that the NBA is willing to deceive its fans if this deception will be profitable to either the team or the league.
Secondly, as we can see with the blind allegiance to Bennett in advance of these e-mails, and also the lame manner in which they investigated his fraud: The NBA is willing to lie and deceive in order to sweep under the rug a situation which would be harmful or embarrassing to the league.
Knowing this we can make a staggering series of "If...then" statements. I can tell you for example that Joel Litvin, prominently mentioned in these e-mails, was the official in charge of investigating the recent referee scandal. Nothing that has occurred to date has incriminated Litvin, however if we come to believe the above statements is it not hard to believe the following:
IF the NBA is willing to lie and deceive in order to sweep under the rug a situation which would be harmful or embarrassing to the league THEN they certainly would be willing to lie and deceive rather than admit that the referee scandal was more widespread than reported.
How about these:
IF the NBA is willing to deceive its fans if this deception will be profitable to either the team or a league THEN they certainly would be willing to commit deception that resulted in more high profile players participating in, or profitable match ups for its playoff games.
IF the NBA is willing to deceive its fans if this deception will be profitable to either the team or a league THEN they certainly would fix the lottery.
IF the NBA is willing to lie and deceive in order to sweep under the rug a situation which would be harmful or embarrassing to the league THEN they certainly would be willing to overlook the use of steroids or other drugs by their players...
Do you see where I am going with this? Ugly for all of us fans.