I miss basketball.
But the kind played with rules and defense and meaning. Not that And1 bullshit that ESPN is hyping today.
There was a summer pro-am game Tuesday night at Morgan State in Baltimore. Approximately 4,500 fans packed the Talmadge L. Hill Field House to watch Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
The stats say Durant scored 59 and LeBron 32.
The truth is this is bad for basketball.
From watching the highlights it looked like a dunk contest, complete with overreacting fans who did the thing where you outstretch your arms, open your mouth real wide and fall into your friends like you ain't never seen nothing like that before!
Didn't last summer teach us anything? Substance > Style.
Halfway across the world a giant German is working on Flamingo Fadeaways, practicing in an effort to lead his team into the 2012 Olympics and, oh yeah, modestly polishing his trophies.
Bet he hasn't dunked all summer. Not once.