Some ideas to (hopefully) make the NBA A Better Place To Be

[Snoopy the Celtics Beagle <snoopy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I've been thinking--always a dangerous proposition when mixed with liberal 
doses of painkiller--and I thought I'd toss out a few notions and see what 
everyone thinks.  Just some notions on making the NBA more enjoyable for 
everyone.

The 40-minute game.  This was mentioned in jest during last night's C's 
broadcast, but it actually makes sense.  It's plain that the games are 
running a tad long and scoring is abominable anyway.  While we're at it, 
let's dispense with the TV timeouts.  There's no reason a professional 
basketball game--absent OT--can't be completed in two hours.

If you add teams, you must shorten the season.  Yes, I know it's nice that 
the NBA makes sure that every team visits everyone else at least once a 
season, but do we REALLY need to see Atlanta vs. Washington?  Between the 
regular season, preseason and postseason, it's silly.  We don't need 82 
games--or however many it is when the Bobcats start up next season--to 
figure out the standings, do we?

Drop preseason games.  Or at least limit it to 2 games, one home, one 
away.  Just about every coach would rather have more practice time, and 
after some of the early season embarrassments, some of the players are 
regretting not having more lead time before the season gets underway.

Changes for the All-Star Game.  First, move it to June.  How many times has 
it happened that some players who obviously need rest instead decide to go 
to the weekend bash?  Let everyone go after the season's end.  That also 
gives fans tome to get a good look at how their potential starters look 
THIS year.  Maybe Vince Carter would finally stay home where he 
belongs.  Also, there should be a minimum playing time required for ALL 
players participating.  Yes, I'm still annoyed at Thomas for insulting 
Pierce and Walker.  I don't care what a coach's personal opinion is of the 
players on the team.  They deserve to be out there, especially, I think, 
those who were voted on BY ONE'S PEERS.  With the February All-Star Weekend 
no longer there, leave the time off in place and call it the midseason 
break.  Gives everyone a reasonable chance to settle nasty injuries, 
regroup for more practice times and generally give the fans a break.

WE NEED FEWER TEAMS.  There's no way around this.  Everyone's scouting high 
school kids because there aren't enough adults to play the game at the pro 
level.  There's at least 20 players in the NBA who coast because someone 
needs warm bodies on the bench.  Drop some of the lesser teams--and for 
crying out loud, do Teas and California really need multiple teams??  By 
shortening the number of teams, you have more flexibility with the 
schedule, and a better pool of players.  My REALLY radical suggestion is to 
split the NBA into east and west with NO meeting between the two 
conferences until the playoffs.  But I know that won't happen.

Cut the salaries.  I don't  object to a player making money--even a lot of 
money--but we got bench warmers taking down six figure yearly 
incomes.  That's insane.  Let the players prove on the court that they're 
worth that kind of money.  Otherwise, you'll see ticket prices continue to 
rise with no end in sight.

Cut ticket prices.  Not by much, but let's face it--the average--or below 
average--income NBA fan can't afford anything but nosebleed 
seats.  Sometimes us "cheap seats" types would like a shot at being in the 
same time zone as the court.

Subdivide the NBA League Pass.  Not everyone can--or wants to--afford to 
watch "every" NBA game.  Offer EC and WC packages, or even better, by 
division.  You see only the games played by the group of teams you 
choose.  If it werent for the direct revenue thing, I'd suggest single team 
packages, but then the Hawks would have to pay the cable and satellite 
companies to show their games.

Call it both ways, or, "the Tommy Heinsohn Lament".  There has ben 
improvement of late, but overall, the quality of officiating HAS gone down 
the tubes the last few seasons.  A comprehensive review of all the rules 
and how they should be called might be a good idea; along with a more 
open--and less punitive--process for those who have serious differences 
with how a particular game is called.  It IS a bit silly to fine someone 
just for saying the refs stank.  And please...PLEASE...fire Violet 
Palmer.  I don't care that she's the only female official in the NBA--she's 
incompetent.  They actually fired the only other female official--and she 
was slightly better than Violet.  In addition, let's not reward good 
acting.  Call a techincal for flopping.

"One Prize, One Goal"--or at least, one set of rules for FIBA, the NBA, and 
whomever else is running a pro basketball league.  Let's avoid yet another 
round of "we can't remember which set of rules to play by." that's going to 
be more and more relevant as we get international players in the 
NBA.  Whilst on the subject, either poop or get off the pot with the US 
basketball team.  Either we're going to send out best players, or we're 
going to set up a separate, permanent, international team.  For fear of 
being called unpatriotic, Coaches have muted their concerns about their 
best players going to the Olympics, World championships, etc., and coming 
back either injured or too tired to play NBA basketball.  The USOC and the 
NBA need to get their acts together.

Coaches run the team, not the GM, not the owners, and not the players.  If 
coach O'Brien, for example, says his team needs more practice, the practice 
should be held.  This NONSENSE about veteran players reporting to training 
came after the rooks is absurd and should be immediately abolished.

I'm not really sure what to do about the three, but I do think if at the 
end of a game you deliberately foul an opposing player, said player should 
get three free throws.  This might put an end to the parades to the free 
throw line that seem to end at least one game every night.  The problem is 
that so many teams are still jamming under the hoop that an outside shot is 
often the only offensive option.  Maybe if they gave three points for a 
dunk...  :>)

Broadcasters--ESPECIALLY FSNE--need to stop showing graphics and replays at 
the expense of seeing the LIVE GAME!!  Give the replay a rest.

There's more whimsical ideas, but I'm trying to bring this to an end before 
the end of the season.

Patiently awaiting banner #17...

Snoopy the Celtics Beagle
Please visit the <http://www.celticsbeagle.net/>Celtics Beagle Website