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The song does not remain the same - December 14th, 2005
I guess everyone has noticed the NBA is spending an inordinate amount of time this season is working on its image.
It?s become apparent that in recent years not everyone is as enamored with the league as they once were. No longer able to blame a Michael Jordan withdrawal syndrome, now they?ve had to look deep within themselves to see why there are so many empty seats. Their conclusion is, apparently, fans are a little bit scared of the increasingly ?gansta? image of the NBA.
Last season they started fining players whose shorts were too long. Others were not so publicly chastised for flashing gang signs after a dunk. This season they?ve amped up the constraints by going after the player?s look off the court.
Before the first tip off in anger, the political correctness police in the league?s New York head office put a stop to the gold chains and do-rags. They insisted the players cool outfits hip-hop out of the arena - along with their iPod?s and Fubu sun glasses.
Now it looks like NBA commissioner David Stern is rolling out part three of his master blandness plan: Turning down the tunes.
How far down?
"We're trying to find a few games to experiment with for teams to give us a `silent night,'" said Stern this past week.
Silent night? How Christmassy!
The argument goes the music has become so prevalent during the games that it?s become a gimmick. Instead of the game being the thing, it?s the entertainment surrounding the game that makes it a good ticket. Critics of the tunege argue NBA games should be entertaining enough to stand on their own without having a musical soundtrack.
At least that?s what the league?s marketing folks are hoping everyone thinks. Others however see the silent treatment being aimed at the young, black men who play the game and at a black culture that is scaring away the largely white, and largely richer, corporate ticket clientele.
"They're targeting my generation ? the hip-hop generation," said Philadelphia 76ers star Allen Iverson when the league cracked down on his attire. Now it sounds like he?s actually got it right.
The NBA puts on quite a show for the fans. No other major league sport is comparable for the extracurricular activities that go on during the actual game. Due to the nature of the sport itself, it lends itself to on-court demonstration at the drop of time out. In football the field is too big - and so is the crowd - to put on these little shows. In hockey, the damned ice is too slippery to do much. But in basketball, a game plagued with stoppages, played on a relatively small court before an intimate audience, let the trampoline jumping begin!
And while all that is going on, the place is rocking with ear-bleeding hip-hop blasting continuously at volume 11. Acoustic analysis measured the noise level at the Delta Centre in Salt Lake City as being close to that of a 747 at takeoff.
If you?ve spent time down on press row, or in the tuxedo seats right behind the benches you will notice that it?s pretty easy to pick up the coach?s strategy during a time out, because he has to scream it at the top of his lungs for the players to hear. I?ve often wondered why teams don?t surreptitiously slip a water boy near the other team?s huddle, but I guess it?s an honor thing. That or they?ve never thought of it because their heads are ringing from the Black Eyed Peas belting out ?My Humps.?
And speaking of ?all that junk. All that junk inside your trunk,? that might be on the outs next. Across the league the volume settings are going to be dropping, or have been dropped. Now it could be hip-hop?s turn. ?Variety? is going to be the new musical mantra. Less 50 Cent - more Elvis. Out with Slim Thug ? in with KC and the Sunshine Band
Allen Iverson playing to KC and the Sunshine Band?
He may just retire.
Cheers ? Gavin McDougald ? AKA Couch
Remember to drop us a line at rants@betED.com to voice your opinion on one of McDougald's articles or on anything else you read at betED.com !
The song does not remain the same - December 14th, 2005
I guess everyone has noticed the NBA is spending an inordinate amount of time this season is working on its image.
It?s become apparent that in recent years not everyone is as enamored with the league as they once were. No longer able to blame a Michael Jordan withdrawal syndrome, now they?ve had to look deep within themselves to see why there are so many empty seats. Their conclusion is, apparently, fans are a little bit scared of the increasingly ?gansta? image of the NBA.
Last season they started fining players whose shorts were too long. Others were not so publicly chastised for flashing gang signs after a dunk. This season they?ve amped up the constraints by going after the player?s look off the court.
Before the first tip off in anger, the political correctness police in the league?s New York head office put a stop to the gold chains and do-rags. They insisted the players cool outfits hip-hop out of the arena - along with their iPod?s and Fubu sun glasses.
Now it looks like NBA commissioner David Stern is rolling out part three of his master blandness plan: Turning down the tunes.
How far down?
"We're trying to find a few games to experiment with for teams to give us a `silent night,'" said Stern this past week.
Silent night? How Christmassy!
The argument goes the music has become so prevalent during the games that it?s become a gimmick. Instead of the game being the thing, it?s the entertainment surrounding the game that makes it a good ticket. Critics of the tunege argue NBA games should be entertaining enough to stand on their own without having a musical soundtrack.
At least that?s what the league?s marketing folks are hoping everyone thinks. Others however see the silent treatment being aimed at the young, black men who play the game and at a black culture that is scaring away the largely white, and largely richer, corporate ticket clientele.
"They're targeting my generation ? the hip-hop generation," said Philadelphia 76ers star Allen Iverson when the league cracked down on his attire. Now it sounds like he?s actually got it right.
The NBA puts on quite a show for the fans. No other major league sport is comparable for the extracurricular activities that go on during the actual game. Due to the nature of the sport itself, it lends itself to on-court demonstration at the drop of time out. In football the field is too big - and so is the crowd - to put on these little shows. In hockey, the damned ice is too slippery to do much. But in basketball, a game plagued with stoppages, played on a relatively small court before an intimate audience, let the trampoline jumping begin!
And while all that is going on, the place is rocking with ear-bleeding hip-hop blasting continuously at volume 11. Acoustic analysis measured the noise level at the Delta Centre in Salt Lake City as being close to that of a 747 at takeoff.
If you?ve spent time down on press row, or in the tuxedo seats right behind the benches you will notice that it?s pretty easy to pick up the coach?s strategy during a time out, because he has to scream it at the top of his lungs for the players to hear. I?ve often wondered why teams don?t surreptitiously slip a water boy near the other team?s huddle, but I guess it?s an honor thing. That or they?ve never thought of it because their heads are ringing from the Black Eyed Peas belting out ?My Humps.?
And speaking of ?all that junk. All that junk inside your trunk,? that might be on the outs next. Across the league the volume settings are going to be dropping, or have been dropped. Now it could be hip-hop?s turn. ?Variety? is going to be the new musical mantra. Less 50 Cent - more Elvis. Out with Slim Thug ? in with KC and the Sunshine Band
Allen Iverson playing to KC and the Sunshine Band?
He may just retire.
Cheers ? Gavin McDougald ? AKA Couch
Remember to drop us a line at rants@betED.com to voice your opinion on one of McDougald's articles or on anything else you read at betED.com !
