PREDICTABLY, during the NBA finals, just like in previous finals, some fans scoffed at those who pick on a certain team in the finals, dismissing them as mere bandwagon fans who only watch the NBA during the finals.
Well, there’s nothing wrong with that. Besides, don’t these self-proclaimed purists know how the NBA playoffs work? Teams get eliminated, for crying out loud.
And if your team gets eliminated, are you not supposed to continue watching the games? And if you watch the games, are you supposed to do so under a veneer of neutrality? You’re not supposed to cheer for one team?
So what if they pick the Raptors only in the NBA finals.
There’s nothing wrong with that.
So what if they watch basketball during the NBA finals only? There’s nothing wrong with that, just as there’s nothing wrong with those who watch a live football match every four years only when the Fifa World Cup comes along.
I wrote about this in previous columns but I think Pablo John Garcia said it better.
He wrote: “But what good would any sport be if it didn’t create a bandwagon? (My point seems to have been misunderstood): The point of sports is to get everyone excited about it. So do not look at late adopters with condescension. Welcome them. There is no minimum residency for rooting for any team.”
Yep. There is no residency for this and there’s no test either, whether you know who played for what 30 years ago.
Just enjoy the darn game or if your team lost, let the other team and its fans--new or not--have their moment. Don’t be like that grumpy old man who frowns at anyone who smiles. Heck, don’t be grumpy, period.
FREE AGENCY. Now that we have a new NBA champion, the next news to look out for is where the superstars who are going to be free agents will be headed. Kawhi Leonard leads the pack and Kevin Durant, though injured, is sure to be on the top of the list of any team that can afford him.
There’s also Kyrie Irving. Is he headed to the West to reunite with LeBron? That would be a very interesting twist.
As to the Golden State era, it’s over. The latest loss makes you appreciate more Chicago’s run of three titles in the ‘90s. The Miami Heat, loaded with superstars of their own, couldn’t do it. The Warriors couldn’t do it.
But will this year’s free agent market allow a team to assemble a squad that could do it?