May 23, 2013

The Indians Help Me Ignore the NBA Playoffs

May 2, 2011 by 26 Comments

Yesterday afternoon after the Indians completed their sweep of the Detroit Tigers, I was all set to watch Boston vs. Miami in the NBA playoffs.  I had it on and I was kind of watching until I realized that I really didn’t care.  LeBron James and the Miami Heat were winning the game and instead of feeling invested in KG and the Celtics, I was actually completely apathetic.  I wasn’t angry about the Heat and their league-ruining formation.  I wasn’t interested in the farcical “feel-good” storyline that would suggest I could find a way to root for the Celtics.  As it turns out, I was more interested in watching Kathy Ireland pretend to be a kicker in the 1991 Scott Bakula vehicle, Necessary Roughness on cable.

I joked over the weekend that Chris Antonetti is a much better GM than Mark Shapiro.  The guy takes the Indians GM job and all of a sudden the Tribe gets off to one of the hottest starts in their history.  Regardless of my attempts at humor, Shapiro, Antonetti, and Manny Acta are largely responsible for putting me in a position where I don’t feel the need to be invested in the NBA playoffs.  It’s awesome though.  It is freeing to not have something so negative get a hold on you.  And to be able to replace it with something so positive?  Awesome.

The Indians are enabling me to send the message to commissioner David Stern that I might not have been able to send without the Indians’ help.  By not watching the NBA playoffs, it is just a small kink in what probably are going to be blockbuster TV ratings nationwide.  Still, to send the message that Clevelanders don’t need to hold onto the storylines that are laid out in the playoffs to maximize interest in each series nationwide is great.

Did you all feel the same way?  Did you find something better to do with your time than watch the NBA playoffs this weekend?

I’ll be back when the Cavs are back.  Sure, I still hope LeBron James and the Heat lose.  I would never say otherwise.  Still, I can’t waste too much energy rooting against a team when I have a team of my own to root for positively.  It may not last all season.  It could end at any time.  The Cavs taught us that most recently.  The Cavs also taught us to enjoy it as much as you can for as long as you can.  That’s all I’m doing with the Indians.

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  • lstavole13

    Well said. I’m totally enveloped in the Tribe right now, and could really care less about the NBA playoffs right now as well.

  • B-bo

    NBA basketball is, to me, a bad product overall: too many teams, too much money, sloppy one-vs.-five style of play, egos running wild (from the commish to the refs to the players)… if the Cavs aren’t playing, I’m not watching regardless. The Tribe playing well is just icing on the cake.

  • REEPJP

    I’ve watched the end of game 4 and game 5 between Memphis and SA, but nothing more of the NBA.

    Granted, I didn’t force myself to watch very many Cavs games this season either, but I’m not really missing the NBA in my life at all…

    I guess that’s a good thing since we probably won’t have it at all next year.

  • stin4u

    I’m sort of upset I missed Necessary Roughness on T.V. I haven’t seen that movie in a good 10 years. I used to love it hahaha.

  • Nobody

    So far, only watched some of two games of that denver-okc series. However, I’m usually apathetic to non-cleveland teams in the playoffs.

  • boomhauertjs

    I can’t stand watching the Cheat because I hate watching Wade initiate contact every time and get the foul called on the defender. His whole game is predicated on the fact that you can’t body him up because he’ll go flying and get the whistle. He’s a worse flopper than Varejao and Ginobli combined.

    And I too am upset I missed Necessary Roughness. Hopefully, they’ll show it on Sundays in the NFL while the NFL is locked out…

  • humboldt

    I feel a bit differently than the others above. I think that given the bad blood b/t the Heat and Celtics and their physical style of play, this series could unfold as one of the more memorable ones in playoff history (sort of a Lakers-Kings 2001 type of series).

    So regardless of the emotional valence of rooting against Lebron, this may evolve into an epic sporting event, and that’s enough to hold my interest for at least the second half of each game.

    Also, those of us living outside of Cleveland can’t watch the team every day so I feel excited, but a bit disconnected.

  • Sam B

    The NBA playoffs are going on? I am about as interested in them as I am the NHL playoffs. I will probably watch a couple games of the Finals, but until then I am more than content with the little NFL news we get as well as the our spectacular Tribe.

  • GhostToMost

    I tried to watch the Cheat-Celtics game yesterday after the Tribe game was over. Once I saw that Miami had a double digit lead, I just couldnt do it. Hope Im wrong, but I have a bad feeling that Miami is going to win that series.

    The thought of LeBron going to the Finals is however, less depressing with the Tribe doing well. If the Indians were in last place it would seem like a much bigger deal.

  • Du

    Craig, I completely agree. Did the same thing yesterday and turned it off myself. “Apathetic” is a great way to describe it.

    Go Tribe!

  • http://www.zfcomics.com dgriff13

    agreed. Hot start for Tribe > rooting for opponents to beat the Heat.
    I did almost the exact same thing, felt totally apathetic. Only difference is I chose nothing over the Heat (hopefully) losing, as I’m a transplanted fan. Man I’m hoping for some nationally televised games.

  • mgbode

    I enjoy basketball played at the highest levels. And, I have a rooting interest, which always helps. Sure, it is ‘against’ rather than ‘for’ but after years of cheering against the Lakers, Bulls, and Lakers again, I am fully used to cheering against teams (unfortunately, those teams seem to always win..hmmm)

    anyways, those missing the NBA playoffs are missing some great basketball. the way Memphis has changed their team dynamic to revolve around Zach Randolph and defense, the Westbrook-Durant power struggle, the Bulls/Lakers/Celtics all starting off slower than expected. the Mavs looking like the best team (so far, that can quickly change).

    the NBA playoffs are a great time of year, if you love basketball, don’t let a certain someone ruin it for you.

  • Du

    @mgbode – I agree…looks like some great games this playoffs. However, it is more about apathy at this point than about LeBron ruining it.

  • lol

    Get a life losers!!! LOL, can you all be just a little more pathetic??!!

  • NJ

    To be fair, watching circa 1990 Kathy Ireland trumps a whole lot of things. Give me Alien from LA or Down the Shore any day.

  • GhostToMost

    Because of this post, I Googled “Kathy Ireland Necessary Roughness” and promptly got a virus upon clicking one of the links.

    Surf carefully my friends :D

  • http://sam@docnigro.com Sam Nigro,MD

    Will LeQuit quit in game 5 with Boston again???

  • LakerKobefan

    I dislike Lebron but you Cleveland Ohio natives are hell hole losers. I pray that your dump city of losers never wins a championship. Is this how u treat people? He moved on, never again and I will post on my blog Cleveland is the hell hole of U.S

  • Ike

    Apparently, playing the Boston Celtics is all of a sudden “personal” for Lebron. Ironic..

  • heat the best

    Cavs suck they would alwalys suck get a life cleaveland stop hating the king

  • yasser

    Get a life cleaveland

  • Shsmrock

    My C’s got jobbed Pierece getting booted was a joke. Friggin Wade is such a baby his antics overwhelm his abilities. It’s ok Boston got a wake up call we better come to play game 2. Rondo this means you.

  • jimkanicki

    back on track.. i was gonna agree about how great it is to have the tribe to watch.

    the rooting-against someone energy diminishes me.

  • typo

    It was way to hard for me to root for Kevin Garnett. I stopped following early. The Indians are definitely a breath of fresh air but I can’t see their starting pitching keeping this up.

  • meommy89

    Ahh! WFNY is being invaded, I always thought Shamrock was alone.

  • let-it-go Cleveland

    Let it go people! Reading these comments are beyond sad. Hating on an individual only gives them power over you. How long will you carry this hate around. Do you think if the Cavs management had decided to trade Lebron from wtvr reason…that the fans would have a say so? I think NOT.

    You have to understand something, Lebron doesn’t owe anybody ANYTHING. He was a free agent at the time, he decided to sign with the Heat. It’s not like he did a breach of contract. Business is business. How many of Cavs fans burned his jersey but the sales of his jersey is at #1. What you all did was brought more light and exposure to Lebron James…..so continue to hate, the more you hate, the more he rise. Just let it go!

    I’m praying for u all. God bless!