The Day After Yesterday

So, the NBA season is at long last at its conclusion - with the Boston Celtics crowned champions. As a lifelong Laker fan, the fact that the Lakers unexpectedly reached the Finals serves as no consolation to the agony of watching the Celtics (THE CELTICS!) take the trophy. But now, 24 hours later, I've been able to digest the season as a whole a bit better.

Us Laker fans started the season scared out of our minds that for the first time in eleven years, we would be without the one constant that kept us hoping and believing - from Kobe's rookie season and his audacious airballs against the Utah Jazz, to his improbable buzzer beaters against the Portland Trailblazers to clinch the #1 seed, from his off court troubles in Eagle, Colorado, to his 81 point game against the Rapters - Kobe Bryant's excellence between the lines was never, ever in doubt. And yet, the threat was very real. We were about to enter a period of extreme unknown, a period when Kobe Bryant would be wearing a Chicago Bulls jersey. To deny that every Laker fan had already resigned themselves to the fact that Kobe was going to be traded would be dishonest. Even if most of us said, "No, it'll never happen!", deep down inside we knew that the trade demands were very, very real.

So now, sitting here a year and change later, to be disappointed in losing the NBA Finals...it's a good place to be, all things considered. Now don't get me wrong, once I realized that we had a shot, I was all in and fully engaged in winning a championship, and anyone who was with me watching these playoffs knows full well how pained I was when we first blew game 4, and then failed to show up in game 6. But I also know that to be a Laker fan means to be constantly spoiled by greatness. The pieces are there, but like MJ's young Bulls who couldn't get past the Pistons, like the Shaq era Lakers under Del Harris, it takes a few years of adversity and growth to find the fire that we so sorely lacked in Game 6. It hasn't been that long since our last championship, we just made the finals, and with a few new pieces, a little improvement over the summer from our youngsters - we are looking at a new Laker dynasty. 

Fret not, Laker Nation. The Purple and Gold is back.

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Reminiscing: Things I Miss About Basketball

The NBC theme song
This song was amazing. The melody set the stage for basketball, it pumped you up, it pumped up the commentators, and you were just ready to watch basketball.

Chicago Bulls Introduction
NBC loved to televise Chicago Bulls game, and before every game they would make sure they televised the Chicago Bulls introduction movie and song. I don't know what it is about the little movie with the bull, but I really liked watching it. I was really glad that they played the introduction movie for the Boston Celtics on ABC this year.

Player Introductions
ABC, TNT, ESPN, whichever, they don't like televising player introductions and I don't know why. It was always great on NBC when they introduced the position, college, and number of years in the league for each player. You were allowed to watch the players get introduced, which definitely added a personality aspect to the players. But nowadays, the networks show a little pop-up of the starting lineup and leave it as that, LAME. Let's bring in some character, yea? (Yeah I know, ABC did it in game 7 of the Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game; maybe they heard me)

Player rivalries/fights
This is probably for the best, but I miss player rivalries. Nothing like Chris Paul vs. Deron Williams, but more like Kobe Bryant vs. Reggie Miller. Charles Barkley retaliating against Shaq. Anyone vs. Mr. 7'6" Bradley. I know fights look bad for the league, but c'mon now, a little extra fight never hurt basketball, it probably helped it (outside that Detroit fiasco). Sometimes I would watched Indiana Pacer games just to see Reggie Miller get into shit with someone.

Shawn Kemp
Sucks that he did drugs, but this man was out of control. He was what Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson are today in the NFL. He was skilled, talented, and he made sure that you knew it. He would slam it down every chance he got, and afterwards you would get a slam dunk celebration. This man had no fear, he would always try to slam it your face, try to embarrass you, and you know what, hell yeah baby, give me some more!

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