Team Ball 24/7

I'm not sure when the game of basketball became an individual sport. Maybe everyone wants to be like Mike (Michael Jordan), so they think that means they have to be a dominant scorer and have amazing stats. Maybe everyone wants to be like Kobe and try to drop 81 points in a game and become known as cold-blooded winner nicknamed "The Black Mamba".  Maybe winning has become the sole focus of players and they only associate winning with doing well themselves.

However you want to slice it, the game of hoops is changing. You can wander into any gym and find a player who is only concerned about scoring. That kid (or adult) typically blames others for losing, takes bad shots, plays pathetic defense and talks trash to opponents. The alternative to that is the kid (or adult) who actually has a decent all-around game but is seeping cockiness out of their ears. This happens in the NBA, NCAA, high school games, pick up basketball, recreational leagues and playgrounds (basically anywhere basketball can be played). I like to call it "bad basketball". Other times I get more creative and call it "Me, me, me ball" or "NBA2k in real life" (where you will find out who your dominant players are and just use them to beat your opponent, while throwing all team basketball logic aside in order to get the win on the video game).

I just played in a basketball league where we had 4 of the most talented players in the entire league. Fortunately, 2 of them were excellent team players. Unfortunately, the other 2 guys were the opposite. I blame myself though. There's something about me that attracts these players who have the worst attitudes but also think they are God's gift to basketball. The 2 players who didn't buy into the system of team ball perhaps cost us the championship game. One of the players was a dominant slasher and scorer. However, he had no intensity on defense and had way too many turnovers. His decision-making also could have been better. The other player might have been a bigger waste of talent because he was extremely tall but decided not to use his height as an advantage. He would rather shoot 3 pointers from half court. Both of these players could have been more effective but they chose not to sacrifice their egos for the good of the team.

The problem with players who have a selfish mentality is that they are not interested in listening to suggestions or constructive criticism. I hope that for the future of the game, more and more NBA superstars and coaches preach team basketball and unification so that these good habits trickle down and have an impact. It is simple to understand that together everyone achieves more, but for whatever reason many find glory in personal accomplishments only. I'd rather lose together, than win by myself, but that's just me...and the Celtics...and the Mavericks... :)

Don't Hate, Congratulate!

I've been thinking lately that there's too much hate between rivals. I mean really... Two schools from the same state (Michigan and Michigan State) despise each other and for what? Now, I'll be honest. I have picked my allegiance and it's to the Maize and Blue. I've loved U of M football and basketball since I was a kid (1st grade). Even then, I knew it was important to pick a side and cheer like crazy. However, as I've grown, I couldn't help but realize the blind hatred that exists between teams.

My best friend likes sports. She is able to tolerate them enough to actually deal with my intense passion, but she doesn't have loyalty to either team. However, she does know that since her sister and brother-in-law both bleed green and white, that she should never speak ill of the Spartans. I think there's a fair amount of people who don't closely follow sports but know they should either be a Michigan Wolverines fan or a Michigan State Spartans fan. So, what is it? Why do we HAVE to pick a side and hate the other? Why can't we all just cheer for our team and respect the opponent?

I blame the media. They hype up these games so that anticipation will rise and people will make a point of it to watch (thus boosting their ratings). The media knows there is something Americans love about "belonging to a team", "having a sports identity" and "having a rival". So, they play their cards accordingly. They get rich and richer, while we act dumb and dumber...

I blame the 2 schools. Michigan fans seem to think only dummies go to MSU, or that's where you go if you get rejected from Michigan. MSU fans seem to think Michigan fans look down upon them and their school (and in turn MSU must prove that they are in fact the more elite school academically and in the world of sports). There's even been some teasing going on about which team is the "big brother" and which team is "little brother" (due to a quote by Michael Hart of a former Michigan football team). Granted, both sides are off target and feeding into stereotypes and smack talk, but really is all the negativity necessary?

I blame the alumni. Kids will be kids right? They love to compete, have fun and win. Adults like the same things, but adults should know when and where to draw the line. Why is it that adults will argue like children over which team is better? Why is it that alumni from both schools can barely stand to sit in the same room together to watch the game without name calling or taking a cheap shot at the other team? Why is it that fans from both teams will cheer for whoever their rival team is playing that week, hoping that MSU or U of M will be beaten?

Really, what is it that U of M and MSU fans get as a result of hating the other team? Respect?...no. More wins?...no. Fame?...not. Money?...no way. It's psychological. I think we all want our teams to win because innately we want to be the best. We apply ethnocentrism to our sports teams. We have to be better than you because...well, I don't know why but we just have to! No one wants to be a loser. When our teams win, we feel good inside. When they lose, we feel as if we have failed in some way. Now it's to the point where we must brag on Facebook, at work, in public, etc. and make it known that we roll with MSU or U of M. It's not enough to make it known though because you're not a true fan unless you hate the other team and all their fans too. It's silly. It's ludicrous. It's contradictory to the essence of the game and why it was created in the first place (to bring people together). We should know better.

Don't think it's just a Michigan/MSU thing though. I realized I've been a part of this crazy sports scene when my own mother cheered against my beloved NBA team (the Boston Celtics) in my presence. It made every inch of my skin crawl as she loudly clapped and cheered as my team was on the verge of being beaten. Some small part of her was either mad at me or just trying to get on my nerves as she continued, but to this day she will deny that was ever her intention. Whether or not it was intentional, she knew that was my team and she did it anyway. The point is, we love our teams but we should love the people in this world more. Respect them, love them and celebrate life with them, whether you're a Wolverine, Spartan or a Celtic...