Lockout Mode

by Justin Cherot

As hard as I’ve tried to embrace football–which is inarguably our country’s most popular sport–I can’t help it anymore. 

All things considered, I’ve handled this lockout very well.  I’m averaging less than one “B&M” Facebook post a week regarding the state of the NBA and its lockout (and if you don’t know what “B&M” stands for, think real hard).  But every person has their breaking point. 

NBA 2K12 comes out tomorrow, or today if you’re reading this while doing something minimally important at work.  I should be psyched…well, okay… I AM psyched.  But normally I’d go over the top, scouring the stores to see if anybody would be “down” enough to break the street date Monday night (note: vendors have definitely cracked down in recent years; there was a time I could go to a video game store and buy the game at three in the afternoon the day before it came out). 

Don’t get me wrong: the trailer from IGN still gives me goosebumps, especially with Eminem and Royce Da 5’9″ trading verbals over “Fast Lane.”  The individual player tendency detail is amazing, particularly on Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans.

Man, that looks good.  What’s the phone number to that 24-hour Walmart again?

But at the same time, I have to remind myself that I’m pissed.  Playing 2K12 doesn’t replace actual NBA basketball.  Hell, the rookies can’t even be on the game because they’re not under contract (my first game may very well have been with the Sacramento Kings, and my first shot probably would have been an ill-advised 30-footer off the dribble with virtual Jimmer Fredette as virtual Paul Westphal shakes his head in disgust).

Make no mistake: in my best Tiger Woods’ voice, tomorrow is a huge day for the NBA.  I’ve heard rumblings from multiple writers and news’ outlets that if they don’t figure stuff out by tomorrow, there’s a chance David Stern could say, “You know what?  Either we play all 82 or we can take the year off.”  As successful as last season was from a ratings’ standpoint, one could make the argument that the aftershock of the last work stoppage during the 1998-1999 season still exist. 

I was a sophmore in my high school the last time it happened, just as much of a diehard fan as I am today, and the NBA lost me for a good year and a half before Don Nelson and the Dallas Mavericks got me hooked again. 

I’d like to think that I’m much older and wiser than I was back then.  I’d like to think that I can better sympathize with both sides and realize that the players and the owners aren’t doing anything different than me or you would do when we’re angling for a good deal on a used car.  I’d like to think that I’d be fine knowing that my Mavs won’t get the chance to defend the title they finally won after all those years of getting close. 

But…        

 

 

 

 

 

Advertisement