Why should I watch the WCF's?

By Craig Kwasniewski

Here's a call out to you, the readers of The Association, Intelligent NBA commentary from the two biggest basketball fans on the planet.

Why should I care about the Western Conference Finals?

On one side you have the San Antonio Spurs, which y'all should know by now... is not necessarily our favorite team. Then on the other side you have the Utah Jazz. Look, I like alcohol, a shitload of coffee (with caffeine) and having one single solitary wife so I'm not really a fan of the Jazz either.

So, why should I care about the Western Conference Finals?

Looking at the Eastern Conference Finals, you have the focused, veteran-laden Detroit Pistons versus the Cavs, a bad team with a horrible coach, led by LeBron James who lucked themselves into the perfect playoff seed (Magic and Nets are you kidding me?). Talent-wise the Cavs are an eight seed in the west. Through six games I thought Detroit might put together a 2001 LA Laker run and sweep their way into the finals. They're deep at all positions and their line-up of Weber, Wallace, Prince, Hamilton and Billups all have high basketball IQ's with the ability to drop 20-plus any night. I really enjoy watching the Pistons play, the way they work the ball around offensively and the sheer coolness they exude in the clutch (especially Mr. Big Shot, the modern day Clyde Frazier).

TNT is carrying the Eastern Conference Finals this year and they always put on a good show. They realize that their audience is males aged 15-45 and gear their programming toward them with slick highlights, humor and cool intro music. They clearly have the best studio show in all of sports with Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Ernie Johnson and the occasional guest spot of Mr. Ferengi Reggie Miller. (Though Magic Johnson tends to kill all studio chemistry when he spends 10 minutes talking about a 5 second highlight. Hey Magic, feel free to understand the whole "wrap it up" signal from the producer!)

Again, why should I care about the Western Conference Finals?

Utah Jazz versus the San Antonio Spurs.... can't you feel the excitement? Seriously... put you hands on the TV screen, you can literally feel the excitement... FEEL... THE... EXCITEMENT... DAMMIT!!!

Besides that you have the team that eliminated THE storyline of the 2007 Playoffs in Utah versus the team that benefitted from the Nash-Horry skirmish based on an outdated NBA ruling. (Like many people out there, the way the Suns-Spurs series ended seriously put a bad taste in my mouth. I feel cheated and I don't even like the Suns.)

Plus you have ABC/ESPN covering the series. Unlike TNT, they believe their audience is 30-55 year old housewives. We get a showtunes themesong from The Pussycat Dolls, a bajillion promos for chick-TV (Desperate Housewives and Dancing with the Stars) and announcers calling the games like we've never watched sports before.

BTW - Can ABC/ESPN please stop rolling out "that guy" from Desperate Housewives who "knows" sports. You know who I'm talking about, that dude that keeps creeping on Monday Night Football, NBA broadcasts and local sportstalk radio. His name is James Denton (damn you ABC/ESPN for making me check this out on IMDB.com! I hate your shows and I hate you for trying to dupe men into watching that crap. I don't care if Dancing with the Stars has random hot chicks shaking their asses with random ex-jocks. There's a thing called the internet and if I want to see hot chicks shaking their asses all I have to do is google "hot chicks shaking their ass" and I'll get more than I bargained for!)

Back to my point... the only thing going for ABC/ESPN's coverage is better HD quality. Of course that also means Hubie Brown in HD so BUYER BEWARE!

So I leave the convincing to up to you the respect readers/commenters like Basketbawful or Dave or some of the others out there because I really want to know:

Why should I care about the Western Conference Finals?

How do you say "bored" in French?

Comments

[Len]

Hilarious...another polygamy joke...how original. I am a vehemently non-Mormon guy who grew up in Utah, so I'm not defending Mormons. But, if you're going to comment on a religion, at least know what you're talking about. Polygamy is not legal or widespread, and hasn't been for a LONG time. And even though they have screwed up policies, you can still drink caffeine and alcohol there. They're not THAT powerful. I've never noticed the guy from "Desperate Housewives", I think you just have issues. Lastly, and most importantly, you claim to be the 'biggest' basketball fans on the planet. Yet, you're bitching about the very sport you claim to love because the darling Suns are no longer in it. Yeah, right, you don't like the Suns? GET OVER IT! News flash...The Suns wouldn't have beaten the Spurs ANYWAY! The Spurs have 3, yes THREE rings! The Suns don't have ONE. Just like the Jazz. And you know what? My team is going to lose this series, and to a better, more talented and experienced team, but you don't see me crying about it. Seriously, I am SO sick of hearing about how we were 'robbed' of a great series between the Spurs and Suns. What was so great about it? All the crying? The Suns had a 16 point lead AT HOME, and you're going to claim that they lost because they didn't have Amare and Diaw? Give me a break! Woulda coulda shoulda. Here's another new's flash. This series wasn't that great! Yeah, that's right. ONE game that was close, and that was the game in which the Suns blew their 16 point lead and lost by 3. Game 2 was a 20 point blowout (yeah, real exciting) and the rest of them were wins of 5-8 points, and not one of them held any concern in the final minute. What exactly were we robbed of? If you 'love' the game of basketball so much, then you understand that injuries and suspensions are a part of it, and that there is going to be some luck of the draw. I mean, come on, the Rex Grossman led BEARS were in the superbowl this year, give me a break! If you have a problem with the seeding of the second round, fine, say that. But to complain and go on and on about how we were all 'robbed' of a great series is just ludicrous at this point.

[basketbawful]

Why should you care about, and therefore watch, the Western Conference Finals?

That's easy. Because you get to watch two teams who play basketball the "right way"...rugged defense, hard pick and rolls, inside-outside play, and so on.

Because these players have worked hard all year to make it to this point, and it's only fitting we watch them continue their journey on the next-to-biggest stage the NBA has to offer.

Because...because...be...

Naw. To hell with it. I've got nothing. Maybe some reasons could include:

1. Keeping stats on the number of eye goggles Tim Duncan uses over the course of the series. It would be interesting to compare that to the number of times the refs allow him to go over Millsap's back for a rebound.

2. Count the number of "drive to the basket and flop to draw the foul"s that Tony Parker successfully pulls off. Seriously, he's this year's Dwyane Wade.

3. Continue to find amusement in Andrei Kirilenko's hair. Ha, ha, Andrei, you're so cute.

4. Wish really hard that Matt Harpring will level Bruce Bowen to see if it actually happens.

That's all I've got.

[dave]

wow. that's a lot of pressure. i guess i have to deliver. i am tired of trying to explain how watching a team sport played by teams who actually play as a team is entertaining. i have exhausted myself with logic and reason and i honestly don't know if i have anything left. i have explained this point to you people until i am blue in the fingertips. it's like trying to explain the theory of relativiy to a bunch of barnyard animals. all i get back is moo and baa.

what was the question? oh yeah, why should you watch the western conference finals? i don't know. i don't care. you aren't fans of basketball you should probably watch something else. is hockey still on? all you guys care about is how "brutal' and "dirty" fouls are, so go watch some hockey or ufc. just stop watching basketball because you don't like it. don't argue with me. the evidence is all over this website.

i don't mean to be dismissive, but i can't help myself. let me put it to you in terms that you can understand. i am like robert horry, all of you are like steve nash. i am tired of all of you bitching and moaning and running around like little squirrels and calling me dirty and pouting about how "it's not fair". i'm so sick of it that i just want to knock you on your ass. i don't want to hurt you. i just want you to stop.

remember how before the spurs/suns series most "journalists" were predicting spurs in 6? well, isn't that what happened? i know. i know. the suns got robbed because amare "dumbass" stoudamire had to go rescue a squirrel. "can i keep him, george"? just shut up. the spurs won in six just like they were supposed to. amare scored 38 pts in game six and they still lost. stop arguing. i don't care.

anyway, you should watch the wcf if you are a fan of basketball. the spurs are a great team. i think the jazz were a little unprepared for a team that plays defense. they had it a little too easy against the warriors. game 2 should be much more competitive. jerry sloan is a great coach and he will chew ass until he gets a win or two. the jazz are a good team. they have a lot of young, athletic talent which should give the spurs a little trouble. the spurs might even give away a game after blowing a 20 pt lead and trying to coast their way to a win.

as for the spurs, it's fundamental basketball at it's best. however, i still think it's entertaining. tony parker is lightning fast, manu ginobili will make some insane, head scratching drives to the basket and tim duncan is playing out of his mind right now. hey, and maybe robert horry will kill somebody.

[Craig]

Good stuff guys! Though if you replace some of your arguments with a WNBA team name you'd have their 1997 add campaign. But I could always count on y'all for the best comments.

Either way, I'll set the Tivo for Game 2 tonight and see:

-Kryilenko's quaff
-Ginobili's bend-a-bility. He's not fast, but very wirery (is that spelled right?) and always gets to the bucket no matter who defends him.
-Two GREAT defensive coaches! Phil Jackson used to coach defense back when Horry and Fisher were wearing the Forum Blue and Gold... I will now drink myself to death.
-Harpring and Bowen fight for a loose ball. Bowen might get in a quick knee to the nads, but Harpring will just smile and say, "Is that all you got?"
-Boozer's acne vs. Duncan's eyes... which will pop first?

[basketbawful]

To Dave and anyone else who's tired of defending "basketball the way it's supposed to be played"...Game 1 didn't even sell out.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA052107.03X.BKNspurs.notebook.3529103.html

So if the people of San Antonio don't even want to watch their team slowly steamroll its way to another championship, why, exactly, should I?

[Steve]

Why should you watch the WCF? I really enjoy watching the Spurs play, the way they work the ball around offensively and the sheer coolness they exude in the clutch.

Oh wait, you just said that about the Pistons.

There's also the Spurs' deep bench, the high basketball IQ (i.e., watch Oberto on offense), the ability of the big three to drop 20+ any night.

Oh wait, you just said that about the Pistons too.

Man, this is too hard.

[Bryan]

No need to sound like a bigot Craig. Don't be so nieve. The church outlawed the practice over 100 years ago. Do some research before you open your mouth so you don't sound so stupid next time!

[ThUg iMmOrTaL]

why should i watch the ECF? it's because there's nothing left to watch. there are only four teams left, and can't expect to see more of the "better" teams who they say were "robbed" of their lollipops by the bigger bullies who have nothing to brag but the big "L" on their foreheads. hmmm..how's that for hate? nah, i don't think so. i'm just whining just like you all guys here do. so, let's enjoy whining!

[dave]

basketbawful-
it was 2:30 in the afternoon on a sunday. that's bible and barbeque day! this created a lot of conflicts with the honest, god-fearing people of the greater san antonio area.

truthfully, that was a bit troubling. there has been a lot of speculation as to why the at&t did not sell out. i can only say that the national media exaggerated the ammount of empty seats. i know. shocking. the arena didn't look that empty. i heard michael wilbon on pti say there were 1500 empty seats (it was actually 400).

i am chalking it up to an anomaly, since game 2 sold out. seriously, is this the best you can do? i mean, it's neat that you put the link up, beacause i never could have found it otherwise. living in austin, (a whole 70 miles from san antonio)i never would've heard of this story if basketbawful hadn't, thoughtfully, pointed it out. thank you, so much.

i have myself pointed out the lack of crowd energy at the at&t. maybe people are spoiled from all the winning. also, we are tired from running our oil companies, riding horses, shooting guns and executing people all day. by the time, we get to the game, we are truly, spent.

[John]

Guess what? Basketball isn't an action movie, its not supposed to be a non-stop thrill ride, its COMPETITIVE SPORT. Teams do what they are good at, and if its hard defense instead of run-and-gun, well so be it.

If you don't want to watch the conference finals, then why do you have a basketball blog? Why not blog about Hollywood, pro wrestling, or something which is more intentionally 'exciting'?

[Basketball jerseys]

enjoyed reading your post and I like your take on the issue