[Back In The Saddle]

This was the topic of discussion on local talk radio last night, as you might imagine, this being Jazz country and all. And, of course, they dragged out all the most cherished conspiracy theories about the NBA. The biggest being that the NBA always tries to ensure two big market teams make it to the finals, preferably Boston and L.A.

Except that Boston and L.A. haven't been to the finals in what...the past 23 years until now? Which makes that a pretty impotent conspiracy if it exists.

I'll buy that the league promotes and protects the stars. The NBA is a business and nobody pays for season tickets to watch Kobe sitting on the bench with 4 fouls or an injury. But there are just too many variables involved, too many players who are in it only for themselves, and too few consistently "predictable" outcomes for the league and its officials to be exercising the kind of control over the game that so many conspiracy theorists cry about.

I'm betting (no pun intended) that our friend has a book deal in the works and is laying ground work for an "expose" of some kind.