Around the Big Ten

[AlabamAlum]

I just don’t care that much about Trae Young.

[froot loops]

You should, the dude can ball. He plays like Nash but wants to shoot.

[lineygoblue]

For me, the NBA could cease to exist and I'd not even know its gone. Totally unwatchable as hugely overpaid athletes shoot 40 ft jumpers and clang them off the rim. Griping and crying when they don't "get a call", and the totally valid point mentioned previously that the season is too long and playoffs are interminable. I have no interest at all in it. That doesn't even bring up how the NBA and their players have injected themselves into politics, telling us how to live. Wrong thread, .. but there you have it.

I like college basketball, because at least it generates excitement with the fans, and has some good rivalries. I'd watch Duke v N Carolina 10 times before I'd watch the Kings v Grizzlies. Its a no brainer. I have no interest in Lakers v Celtics. Seen it so many times, I'm bored with it.

I think CFB is eventually going to split into divisions where the top programs will no longer be in the NCAA and they'll be self-governed. There will be some ties to the NFL, but only in areas of cooperation, not control. CFB needs a better playoff system than just the 4 teams they have now. My personal choice is a 16 team field, but it looks like its going to be 12 teams at some point.

I have a weird view of MLB. I think the regular season is too long, but I'd like to see better playoffs. I think the regular season could end in early September, and the WS should be finished by the end of October. I don't like the 1 game playoffs, and I don't like the current 2-3 format of the 5 game playoff. I'd like to see 2-2-1 instead of 2-3. But, the players association would never agree to shortening the regular season unless they could get a full 162 game pay for the shortened season. MLB owners would never agree to that.

Finally, here in Michigan there's really no NFL team to root for. The Lions are a "NFL franchise", but you'd never know it by how they are run, and how they play. All they are is a NFL organization that takes people's money and throws a bunch of bozos out on the field, and collects a big TV contract. Yoopers root for Green Bay, but that's about it for Michigan.

[THE_WIZARD_]

STFU

[iam416]

I don't have much interest in the current NBA game, but that's a subjective opinion. What really isn't that subjective is the that awfulness of the NBA regular season. If you really enjoy watching dudes make attempt a fuckton of 30 footers and make way more than you would think is possible, then I get it. But, from a competitive standpoint, it just doesn't matter. You're not really watching to see if Atlanta beats DC, you're watching to watch Trae Young or whatever. It's a god-awful regular season.

[froot loops]

Most professional players make more than the average fan, I'm not sure why its a particular issue in the NBA.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Marginal product with BS political crap. Fuck the NBA.

[froot loops]

Take the politics stuff to the Miscellaneous thread.

[Hannibal]

NHL playoffs are still the only professional sport that I can stomach. And ESPN stands poised to ruin that in probably a few years.

[froot loops]

The one thing I don't like about the NHL playoffs is the game itself isn't great.

[Cody_Russell]

Oddly enough, I might have the least amount of problems with college basketball when compared to the other sports/ leagues.

NFL -
WAY overcorrected to benefit the offense. Rule changes over the last decade plus. Defenses can't touch NFL QBs. In last night's game for example, there were at least 3 or 4 instances when a great defensive play was erased because of a ticky tac roughing the QB penalty. Happens way too often in the NFL. I get it... you want to keep QBs healthy for more offense, more fantasy football interest, and more $$$.
On the plus side... This sport has nearly perfect parity when compared to the others. Regular season is good. NFL Playoffs is great.

NBA -
Regular season is god awful. Completely a different season when compared to the NBA playoffs.
Not a fan of the no defense, short shot clock, and high frequency of jump shots style of the modern NBA. It's just not that entertaining to me when teams have ~100 possessions in a game. Like what's the point of scoring a bucket when you have so many lifelines? I prefer my sport to have SUBSTANCE, not quantity. Then you can talk about the refs and constant stoppage of play during the end of games. It can take 30 minutes to close out the final 2 minutes of game-time in a NBA game. The sports media is so biased with some sort of love fest with LeBron, the Lakers, and elite of the elite teams.
As mentioned before, the playoffs is completely different. Very watchable and enjoyable. Not as good as March Madness because of the series vs 1 game format difference.

MLB -
162 regular season games is indeed a long marathon. I love going to MLB games, but have less interest watching a regular season game on TV.
MLB playoffs is usually insane. Anything can happen in the playoffs with random teams often making a run.

College Football -
The regular season has the highest of the highs. Last Saturday for example was incredible. The best of college football for an entire day that I can remember.
Problem is the lack of parity at the top. Bama and Ohio State dominating their conference for the last 15 or so years. How is that fun if you're a fan of a lower tier team? This year has been better though. A LOT of college football games are unwatchable. Such as Alabama playing Southern Miss. I'm sure Bama fans loved that game, but any other fan group didn't. Compare that to the NFL where nearly ANY game is watchable.
College football has variety when it comes to style. You will see teams with a spread offense (majority of teams nowadays), pro style (Iowa), or triple-option (Navy). It was perfect like 10 years ago before the spread offense popularity took over the sport.
A big selling point is the energy, environment, and passion of college football. The crowds. Bands. Nothing beats it in sports.

College Basketball -
I personally like college basketball's style and rules MUCH more when compared to the NBA. Fewer possessions. 30 second shot clock. Possessions have more meaning and substance to it.
2 halves > 4 quarters.
Style is better because you see more variety with each team. For example, you will have a team like Kentucky or Arkansas try to win based on having better athletes and driving to the hoop. Then you will see a team like Notre Dame try to beat you with fundamentals and shooting the ball.
March Madness, while not as good in 2021, is incredible. Hopefully it regains it's magic as the pandemic starts to wane away.
Parity isn't bad or good. Regular season is OK, but at least you will see awesome college like environments at games. Home court advantage!

Golf -
Sleeper right here. I have LOVED watching golf for the last 19 months. It was the first sport to comeback after COVID began. I think it's great because you have so much competition nowadays. Try doing a draft pool with golfers for a major event. It's a blast.

[Hannibal]

The one thing I don't like about the NHL playoffs is the game itself isn't great.

The game has definitely deteriorated. Oversized goalie pads and defensive-mindedness have almost brought the league to its knees. Hopefully it will be fixed when Gary Bettman is gone.

Hopefully.

[Da Geezer]

If you want to enjoy golf, DVR the competition so you can fast-forward all the reading of putts. Golf also has the benefit of equality of opportunity when they tee it up on Thursday. Play the best and you win.

I agree with almost everything Cory said.,particularly about rules being changed to give more offense.

The NBA has destroyed their game with endless three-point shots. Move the dang line out further, lower the percentage, and let passing return. The "going to work" Pistons of about 15 years ago were fun to watch.

MLB has the same problem with its reliance on the HR.. Just start every batter at 1-1 and the game becomes watchable IF you go back to the baseballs that were used 10 years ago.

I believe college football should have a 48 -team Level I league with four divisions of 12 teams. 11 division games to determine the top 2 teams in each division and then a seeded 8-team playoff during which the 3-12 teams play crossovers. I'd also have a Level II with 16 teams. The top 2 or 4 Level II teams would be "promoted" to Level I replacing the worst of the Level I teams each year. The 8-team playoff could use the rubric of the bowl games, but by this time, I believe the top 64 teams would be keeping the vast majority of revenue generated by TV. There is no reason that NW or Vanderbilt should be at the trough for payouts from the B10 and SEC each year.

Lots of outrage will ensue, but the TV partners should have a lot of say in who makes the first 64-team league. It is not for nothing that PSU-Iowa started at 4:00 and UM-Nebraska was the primetime game. Lots more eyeballs on two of the old heavyweights.

This would also be a boon to bowl games that could feature non-64 teams like Coastal Carolina playing winning big-time programs. A bowl might match UM-OSU or Oklahoma-Nebraska or other old rivalries. Notre Dame gets in if it will share.

[Tom W]

As Cody stated, CFB’s biggest problem is that there’s too few dominant teams dominating for too long. Sorry Alabama and Ohio State, but you need to lose more often.

As far as Golf goes, he’s also correct in that it does get a bad rap. While watching it all day is likely to cause issues, catching an hour or two from Pebble Beach or Torrey Pines on a dreary Sunday in February ain’t a bad watch. Being that there’s a handful of really great players is also better that just having 1 or two superstars running the show.

Still, golf as a sport really sucks- because I suck at it.

[lineygoblue]

Maybe the NBA should go to a rule where any missed 3 point attempt results in a turnover. No offensive rebounds allowed. If you take a 3 point shot, you better make it, because its going to the defense if you miss.

Just like in football, where if you miss a long FG attempt, the defense gets the ball from the LOS. Make a missed attempt hurt the team.

They'd never do that.