Kobe Bryant fined $100K

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by AllPurposeGamer

I guess there's something wrong with me because I'm a fan of both rap music and the NBA.

There must be a lot wrong with the country because both are some of the most popular things in this country. Go figure.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

There must be a lot wrong with the country because both are some of the most popular things in this country. Go figure.

NBA's TV ratings up across all national networks - ESPN

I guess that I'm in the minority. I am not a big NBA fan, nor can I wrap my arms around rap.

I was a big NBA fan back when I was a young man. Loved watching the Celtics on Sunday afternoons on ABC. Bill Russell was, and still is, one of my favorite athletes. Loved watching the Knicks on local television (WOR-TV Channel 9). Look up teamwork in the dictionary and you'll see a picture of a Knicks team from the late 60's or early 70's. I still have fond memories of Willis Reed limping onto the court to help beat the Lakers in game seven. I somehow lost my love of NBA basketball. It was slightly revived during the Larry Bird/Earvin Johnson era, but that didn't last very long. I'll occasionally watch a Celtic game, when there's absolutely nothing else on television, but that will only be for a few minutes.

I have never liked rap (although I will sometimes enjoy the background songs that some rap artists sample). It might have something to do with the fact that I have never, ever, appreciated poetry. It also might have something to do with some of the themes (anti-women, anti-police), and the use of profanity, that seems to be very common in many rap songs. I do like some of the more "tame" stuff that Eminem, or Jay-Z, might perform on Letterman (love it when Dave calls him Marshall) but that's about as far as it goes for me.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I have never liked rap (although I will sometimes enjoy the background songs that some rap artists sample). It might have something to do with the fact that I have never, ever, appreciated poetry. It also might have something to do with some of the themes (anti-women, anti-police), and the use of profanity, that seems to be very common in many rap songs. I do like some of the more "tame" stuff that Eminem, or Jay-Z, might perform on Letterman (love it when Dave calls him Marshall) but that's about as far as it goes for me.

You must not have ever listened to much popular music in your life, because that could be said about just about any of it. When I was growing up and Heavy Metal was popular just about every song was about drinking, women and getting in trouble. But the music was not created by guys that were from the urban areas so I guess too many that is OK.

That being said the most popular forms of music today is rap or urban figures. I am not a fan of today's music either, but it has nothing to do with rap music. When Justin Bieber is popular there is not much for me to be interested in. No one is original and no one does anything that sets them apart. And even a silly show like American Idol does not have the most talented people win that can actually sing, that is a problem. But like everything people blame rap for everything like people here blame the NBA for everything. I wonder why??

Peace

[Adam]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

You must not have ever listened to much popular music in your life, because that could be said about just about any of it. When I was growing up and Heavy Metal was popular just about every song was about drinking, women and getting in trouble. But the music was not created by guys that were from the urban areas so I guess too many that is OK.

I never cared for either for the same reason. I like a good portion of R&B, Country (not Western, though), and the newer rock/pop stuff is growing on me.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

That being said the most popular forms of music today is rap or urban figures. I am not a fan of today's music either, but it has nothing to do with rap music. When Justin Bieber is popular there is not much for me to be interested in. No one is original and no one does anything that sets them apart. And even a silly show like American Idol does not have the most talented people win that can actually sing, that is a problem. But like everything people blame rap for everything like people here blame the NBA for everything. I wonder why??

Peace

I'm no Bieber fan, either, but he's no different than the bubblegum stuff from 10-15-25, or even 30 years ago.

Since the NBA used to be more popular than it is now, and has always had (during my lifetime, anyway) essentially the same racial mix up, I don't think it's sinking popularity is racial in nature.

I think it has more to do with few converging factors: more media paying attention to the exploits of 19 y/o millionaires, less time in college for the player to develop some semblance of maturity as well as a following, and a relative increase in the money being handed out combined with perhaps a bit of jealousy on the part of the average fan.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Since the NBA used to be more popular than it is now, and has always had the same racial mix up.....

Snaq - not exactly true. The NBA started as an all white enterprise in 1946 and changed slowly over the years at first starting in 1950.

First African-American NBA Players - Hoopedia

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Snaq - not exactly true. The NBA started as an all white enterprise in 1946 and changed slowly over the years at first starting in 1950.

True, but what should have been obvious is that I was referring to the popularity of the 80s and 90s, since I couldn't possibly remember or care about the NBA of the 40s and 50s.

[APG]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I never cared for either for the same reason. I like a good portion of R&B, Country (not Western, though), and the newer rock/pop stuff is growing on me.



I'm no Bieber fan, either, but he's no different than the bubblegum stuff from 10-15-25, or even 30 years ago.

Since the NBA used to be more popular than it is now, and has always had the same racial mix up, I don't think it's sinking popularity is racial in nature.

I think it has more to do with few converging factors: more media paying attention to the exploits of 19 y/o millionaires, less time in college for the player to develop some semblance of maturity as well as a following, and a relative increase in the money being handed out combined with perhaps a bit of jealousy on the part of the average fan.

There's plenty of horrible music in the rap genre...I won't deny it, but there's plenty of other crap in the other genres as well. I don't see those genres being blamed for the downfall of America.

To your point about NBA popularity, the NBA is experiencing some of its best ratings since the end of the Jordan era. Last year's game 7 of the NBA Finals was the most watched basketball game since the Bulls vs. Jazz game 6 game with the infamous shot from Jordan.
NBA Finals Game 7 Average 28.2 Million Viewers, Highest Since 1998


NBA's TV ratings up across all national networks - ESPN

The NBA says its three national TV partners all had their most viewers ever this season, topped by a 42 percent increase for TNT.ABC was up 38 percent and ESPN had a 28 percent jump, the league said Friday.

Arena capacity was 90.3 percent, its seventh straight year of 90 or better, and the 17,306 average was up 1 percent from last year and was its fifth highest.

NBA labor: Don't believe the hype - ESPN

And let's be perfectly clear on something, when attendance is up for the seventh consecutive season, when television ratings are up 38 percent on ABC, 28 percent on ESPN and 42 percent on TNT, when video views on NBA.com are up 140 percent from a year ago, when global merchandise sales are up 20 percent in the past 12 months, there can be no question that business is booming.

[BillyMac]

Let's not forget the impact and influence of Jews in “the city game.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=5kS_faczjKk

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/..._CityGame.html

Quoted from website above: "Today, the city game belongs to African-Americans. In the future, it will pass to Hispanics and other new immigrant groups."

The racial, and ethnic, makeup of "our game" has always evolved. Who would have guessed, fifty years ago, that teams from other continents would be able to compete with players that grew up in the country where basketball was born?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by AllPurposeGamer

There's plenty of horrible music in the rap genre...I won't deny it, but there's plenty of other crap in the other genres as well. I don't see those genres being blamed for the downfall of America.

I won't speak to many genres, but you make a good point. I personally put as much blame on heavy metal as I do rap: very little. I think these musical issues are more symptomatic than causative.

[BktBallRef]

I HATE rap.

Guess what?

I also HATE country music.

When I watch the NBA, I watch it for entertainment value.

What's entertainemnt to me? A multi-millionaire getting stuck in the *** by a referee for acting like a spolied brat.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

I HATE rap.

Guess what?

I also HATE country music.

My sentiments exactly.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

I also HATE country music.

As far as I'm concerned, the term "country music" is an oxymoron.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I like a good portion of R&B, Country (not Western, though).

http://www.youtube.com/v/cSZfUnCK5qk...s=1&autoplay=1

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

You must not have ever listened to much popular music in your life?

Love this: YouTube - "Empire State of Mind" Jay-Z | Alicia Keys [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

When Justin Bieber is popular there is not much for me to be interested in.

What's a Bieber?