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“font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px;”>The old NBA scare has reared its head again. You know, the one that says no one watches the NBA and it’s full of thugs and goons who wear all those tattoos and listen to rap music. Heck, you keep watching the NBA, you end up a gangsta.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>That is the perception of those who have that sense of insecurity, jealousy and plain stupidity. They write articles, talk on the radio and find a way to bash the NBA every chance they get. “Attendance is down around the league,” Buzz Bissinger says. Bissinger goes on to say that it may have something to do with race. Hmmm.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The majority of owners are white, and they obviously decide who they want on their team. Black players have no say in that matter. I still see white people sitting in the “Jack Nicholson” seats in every arena in the NBA.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>How about TV ratings? Funny how that notion never comes up when the argument of the NBA losing its luster. This season the Minnesota Timberwolves saw their local TV ratings soar to a 150 percent increase over last year. The Timberwolves are in Minneapolis, not to be confused with Atlanta.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The TV numbers are up around the league, in some cases double-digit. The NBA continues to hold down a strong position in the ratings compared to some sports that barely register when it comes to their All Star Game and championships. While it may have been a bad idea, the LeBron James Decision show was the second-highest rated show on cable in 2010. Maybe that is where the empty seats are, at home watching.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Those who call the NBA a thug league obviously do not watch the games. There has not been a major altercation in a game where player suspensions were handed out in three years. Not sure if the other sports can lay that claim. Many NBA players are active in their. While this does not excuse some of the knucklehead acts by some individual NBA players, what league is knuckleheadless?
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>What really bugs me is the code words that are used to put down a game that most admit they pay little attention to, outside of Kobe and LeBron. That’s too bad, as there are terrific players on virtually every team – recognizable players from their college days, unlike some sports (hockey, baseball) where the college games are not mainstream TV sports, as their ratings have not caught up to football and basketball.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Oh, wait. I guess with no one watching them, that means those sports are dying too. You see how silly that argument can really be? Play on, NBA, someone is watching. They just don’t want to admit it.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Cam “font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>the man
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>I must admit that until this year I knew little of Cam Newton, other than that he had a wealth of potential to be a good college football player. Little did I know that he would need a kevlar vest after his college career to absorb some bullets.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Newton appeared at America’s Meat Market they, which they call the NFL Scouting Combine. In another time, they had another name for it. Newton showed up ready to work. In the past, top players have elected to skip the workout portion of the combine and just take the physical and the aptitude test. Newton said, “Bring it,” and they did.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>They brought a group of bloodthirsty media types who wanted to have their way with a guy who, in the eyes of some, has a checkered past. They were going to make him answer to them, trying to trick Newton into saying something that would come back to haunt him. He held up fairly well, considering.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>As for his workout, it was above average. Not awe-inspiring, but acceptable to most. Give Newton credit for showing up and not pulling the traditional “hello and goodbye,” like many highly touted players.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>I hope Newton excels to a level that all the naysayers who call themselves objective media members will remember the treatment they gave him. I only wish those who feel it is their responsibility to conduct themselves in that manner had actually done something at some point in their life before now.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Meet Tony Sofli
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Don’t know if you have had a chance to check out one of the newest additions to the St. Louis media scene in Tony Sofli, but you should. A veteran of 15 years working in the front offices of the NFL, Sofli has come over to the dark side. His football expertise is unlike anything St. Louis has had since the days of Joel Buschbalm.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Here is why I like Sofli. He has a credible resume, as well as the ability to talk at the level of his readers and listeners on 101.1 ESPN. He keeps it simple so everyone gets what he is talking about, compared to those who think slick jargon and gossip gets them by and makes them an expert. Look for big things and a level we have not seen when it comes to talking pro football in St. Louis.
