The Doldrums of Sports

The NBA season officially drew to a close on Sunday as the Dallas Mavericks captured their first title by besting the Miami Heat. Now, we are about to enter a total sporting void.

Typically during this time of year the NFL season is rounding into shape, rookies are being signed, mini-camps are beginning, and the pre-season is just on the horizon. Not so in the world of the lock out.

Typically during this time of year, the NBA gets ready for the draft and a crazy free agency period — remember last year's three weeks spent on LeBron James' decision? This year, with a lockout looming, all that looks to be put on hold.

Welcome to sports in the era of massive labor unrest. Sure, the Major League Baseball season is going. There will be games all summer, and the annual All-Star contest should be a July highlight. But let's be honest, in a sporting season that runs as long as baseball and features as many games as baseball, it's hard to get too excited in June and July.

Sports, at its best, is a creative escape from the world. It's an outlet for our passion, for our rooting interest, and provides an escape from the structure of our lives. This, in my opinion, is even more important in a place like America, where we don't seem to put a premium on vacations or periods of rest.

The NFL and NBA are two of the crown jewels in the sporting calendar, but it seems that the arguments of millionaires and billionaires are trumping the desires of the casual fans that have created the demand for such a product. The NFL has been locked out since March — with a brief respite for a draft in April — and there has been little or no actual news involving the games and players fans cherish. Now it seems the NBA remains poised to follow suit.

So this summer, more so than others in recent memory, is empty for sports fans. Let's hope the powers that be can settle this labor unrest quickly, lest we start to see actual seasons slip out of view.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju...
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co...
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve...
Read more