Overdoses are Never a Good Way to Go

No, this isn't a post about pitchers at Georgia Tech (though if we must bring up the subject, really, I'm semi-amused at the idea of this kid trekking into the ghettos of the ATL Shawty to get his herron fix). This is about me. That's what it's always about. Me, me, me.

I've been quiet lately, mainly because I'm starting a new job after my month of doing nothing except meeting guys who installed my cable and hanging out with pigeons and homeless people at the harbor. Man, I love Baltimore. But there's another caveat to this.

I've officially overdosed on basketball.

"Really? At the start of the most marquee finals match-up since...the Lakers and Celtics last met? And you really call yourself a basketball junkie?" I'm sure that's what you're saying as you read this. And yes, it makes me feel guilty. Or like a girl. Whatever. You win.

Yes, my friends and enemies, I have overdosed. I am tired. I have had enough. I can only take so much more of Jesus Shuttleworth suddenly losing the fundamental ability that carried his entire career, and putting odds on which 7 footer will drive to the basket less - KG or Gasol, and watching Kobe grow that disgusted look on his face as he realizes what his teammates capabilities are, and staged knee injury dramatics, and former Lakers/Celtics references, and blah blah blah...

The last minute of Game 2 solidified that I'm through. I tuned in, just at that point, after deciding that packing in my 100+ degree apartment was more enthralling. Lakers down 4, 22 seconds remaining. Kobe inbounding. Classic play, something I saw even those inept Pittsburgh Panthers run on a thousand occasions - inbound ball, inbounder immediately pops unnoticed off a backscreen, gets the ball, drains the shot. It's the simplest play ever that utilizes weak side defenses and speed and the stupidity of the opposing defense and blah blah blah...with the setting of NBA Finals, chance of going down 0-2, and the time/score situations, Kobe Bryant was made (MADE!) for this situation.

Ball inbounded to the top of the key. 21 seconds. Kobe's coming off the screen, open on the opposite wing. 19 seconds. Scramble at the top of the key, ARMS FLAILING ZOMG WHAT WILL WE DO, 14 seconds, one of those 30 Eastern Europeans on the Lakers launches up a shot (if, by launches up a shot, you mean presents the ball in Paul Pierce's face for him to block), EPIC FAIL, ball rolls out of bounds in slow motion before the Lakers get a foul, and the game is basically over. And Kobe touched the ball just once, in a place where he wasn't legally allowed to launch the ball at the basket, on a game-deciding situation.

Now, I'm not a Kobe fan by any means. I respect the hell out of the guy, but I think Shaq was his championship, team-winning career. It's nice that he managed to get the Lakers back to the Finals without Shaq, and that he's been trying so hard to shed his "ball-hog" image. But is this about image, or a championship? Because if championship (which IS the image he's trying to create now, that he can win without Shaq) is it, then Kobe should have basically told his teammates to hand him the ball or he'd have them killed in their sleep.

And even if he doesn't, it's a teammates' instinct to know who needs the ball when. It's also a teammates' instinct to know what their role is, and how much room they have to screw up. I know I mention the National Championship game very frequently, but look how that played out for the Jayhawks - about 2 minutes to go, Sherron Collins drives to the basket on a STUPID, selfish play, throwing up a wild shot in traffic with most of the shot clock remaining. He wanted to be the hero, and nearly killed it for Kansas. But then game-tying situation with less than 10, he wants to drive and kick back out, knowing MARIO CHALMERS is your guy to have the ball in these situations...and well, it didn't go QUITE according to plan, but he got Super Mario the ball, and well, the rest is history, ROCK CHALK JAYHAWKKKKKKKK!!!!!!

So, yawn. NBA Finals. Whatever. Wake me up for the NBA Draft - which even that has lost its luster. Call me when something crazy happens, like Sunday comes and Russell Westbrook still hasn't hired an agent. I'm looking forward to seeing UCLA run a 5 guard set next year.

However, what DOES have me excited on the basketball front is the premier of "Gunnin' For That #1 Spot", a streetball documentary made by Adam Yauch (of Beastie Boys fame), coming out in select cities (INCLUDING MINE!) on Friday, June 27. It's received great reviews as is, but you know me + streetball = THERE, but add in a certain someone named Michael Paul Beasley to the list and, well, yeah...

(Actually, I'm most pumped to see Brandon Jennings, whose game, hair, and attitude I have a huge crush on already...I'm SO not sad to see Jerryd Bayless leave after one year. Speaking of which, I've been watching reruns of Pac-10 play on FSN Pacific - yeah, no wonder I'm ODing, right? - and MAN, that conference was awful this year. I kinda knew it all along, the few times I saw U-C, L-A and USC play, but ugh...it was like Big East back in the day bad, with those low scoring, bad offense games.)

Anyways, point is, have a trailer, see the awesomeness, and maybe next time we speak, I'll be a bit more positive about the basketballs again.