ONCE IN A LIFETIME:  MAGIC JOHNSON

There will never, ever, ever be another Magic Johnson.  Ever.  Never.  I mean, watch these highlights.  Never ever, ever , ever.  And the lack of Magic Johnsons has little to do with the fact that we’ll never see a man of his talents and skill sets, and far more to do with the fact that this style of basketball is dead.  It’s been murdered.

I mean, this video almost barely registers as basketball.  I hardly recognize it.  It’s like watching some other sport.  This game is gone.  We haven’t seen it in 20+ years, and I doubt we ever see it again.  I mean, nobody plays like this.  Nobody.  Name me one guy that plays basketball like this since Magic retired.

And look at the crowds.  Even the crowds look different.  They all look like they’ve been eating drugs for hours.  They’re ecstatic.  The games sound different.  The fans are literally oohing and aahing.  The announcers are laughing.  Reminds me of those old VHS tapes the NBA used to sell.  Every shot of the fans would show them standing, slack-jawed, completely incredulous.  Now, when a telecast shows the crowd, it’s Beyonce lazily posting something on her facebook, using a touch screen smart phone.  (Does Beyonce have a facebook?  I’m sure she does.  Maybe it’s under a pen name like Rita Baxter?  Check it out and report back.)

Am I alone here?  Alone, ranting like the homeless lunatic I passed on my way to work, who was shouting at his wet breakfast sandwich of Italian roll stuffed with newspaper?

When I was a kid, point guards who were out ahead of the fast break would actually slow down, let a someone catch up, then pass the ball backwards so a teammate could score.  That wasn’t an oddity either.  It was the norm.  It happened in every game.  When was that destroyed, and who is the destroyer?  Was it you, Allen Iverson?  Did you do it, Triangle Offense?  I actually blame Michael Jordan, who was so good, everyone on the court held him up as the benchmark, then aspired to dominate games like he did. 

Chalk this up as another reason why basketball, as a sport, is in horrible shape today.  Call me the old man barking at kids for walking on the lawn.  I don’t care.  My lawn’s nice, and I like to keep it that way.  So buzz off.  You’re just pissed because your lawn sucks.

@gotem_coach

(via @marcel_mutoni)