Let There Be Basketball!!!

Finally, after 130+ days, the cloud has been lifted and now we shall have basketball this season. The season starts off with a bang because not only does it start on Christmas Day, but we will have a three-headed monster of a double-header (Celtics-Knicks, Lakers-Bulls, Heat-Mavericks). We will have 66 games this season, but that is fine because at least it is more than the 50 games that we had back in 1999. This kickoff to the 2011-2012 season is terrific, because of the three marquee playoff level games which caused TV Ratings and Revenue to skyrocket as well as light a new fire in the league with the storylines from LeBron and Bosh joining Wade in Miami, to Amare and Carmelo joining forces in NY, the Mavs winning the title to the emergence of Derrick Rose in Chicago. These are what make the games compelling and exciting, especially for a hardcore hoops fan and basketball purist like myself. The increase of stars in the point guard pool has been very refreshing with the rise of D-Rose, Russell Westbrook, CP3, Derron Williams, Steph Curry and others. The rise of talent is always what keeps the league strong, which is what has sparked an interest in me that has not been this strong since the '90s. Now, compared to that time, it is a downgrade, like comparing CM Punk to The Rock, Macho Man Randy Savage, or Shawn Michaels. The quality, atmosphere, marquee names, and team success do not match up to that time, but it is great for today, although players like Kobe, LeBron, Wade and Dirk are moving up the all-time ranks at a fast rate, which I am very proud to see. The League always has to have players in their prime mixed with younger, rising stars to pass the torch to when their time is done. Although Kobe, Duncan, KG and Jason Kidd do not know when to quit and want to hold on for one last shot of glory, the torch has already been passed to Wade, LeBron, Chris Paul and Dwight Howard to pass on to Rose, Durant, Westbrook and others. The latest MVP race has been strong with Derrick Rose, LeBron, Durant and Wade which is yet another sign of things to come in the near future. Until then, let there be Basketball!!!