Oh Spare Me!

Okay, NBA. Okay, David Stern. Okay, media.

YOU GOT WHAT YOU WANTED!

Giant Media Market #1 vs. Giant Media Market #2.

The history, the renewed rivalry. The rapist, the stabbing victim.

And just think, all it took was creating an environment in which the home team was victorious 85% of the time. Bad calls, no calls, timely bad calls, technicals… with Tim Donaghy nowhere close to any arenas. Joey Crawford? Well, that of course, is a different story.

By no means am I saying that neither of the finals teams don’t deserve to be where they are (The Celtics had the luxury of coming through the oh-so-competitive East). They may have been assisted along the way, but the Lakers are the most talented team in the NBA. The Celtics? Well, the Finals only marks another round they’ve advanced to without the wheels falling off.

So where does all of these leave me? Changing the channel at the first sight of Lakers/Celtics related promotion, or ESPN segment? I thought that was the case, but it turns out the mute button helps me escape the audible Kobe-blowing heard coming from Stewart Scott’s direction at any given point in time. (However, I fear this is only as effect because I have my head down, typing. Motivation to write more? Wouldn’t that be a strange blessing.)

It leaves me boycotting basketball, dedicated to not having any hoops shown on my TV again until the Olympics.

It leaves you … with the NBA Conspiracy Finals.

(By the way, Lakers in 5.)