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Poll: What is Your Favorite Basketball to Watch? NBA, International (Olympic/World Games), College, or High School?


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Poll: What is Your Favorite Basketball to Watch? NBA, International (Olympic/World Games), College, or High School?  

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  1. 1. What is Your Favorite Basketball to Watch? NBA, International (Olympic/World Games), College, or High School?



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14 hours ago, 5fouls said:

The question isn't which game is 'prettier'  or played at a higher level.  It's which game do you find most enjoyable.  And, it is not just basketball.  For my money, attending a minor league baseball game is more enjoyable than a major league game.  The game still has hits, strikeouts, home runs, and stolen bases.  You still eat hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, and drink sodas/beer.  But minor league is able to create it all in a more intimate setting.

With basketball, NBA arenas are sterile and a lot of the crowd is corporate.  College arenas have more character and the fan base has a different form of passion.  But, high school can truly be special in the right situations.  There are still times when Indiana high school.basketball looks and feels as depicted in Hoosiers. And, I can't imagine how anyone could enjoy a Suns/Grizzlies game more than a Hickory/Terhune one.  It's two totally different experiences.

I don't think this is a bad take, and it comes down to what you value. Are you more into the crowd and pageantry you get with high school and college, or are you more into a high quality on-court product like you get in the NBA? I don't think there is a right or wrong answer, it's just preference.

 

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i'm surprised so many say NBA.  you guys aren't young either right?  i can't see how anyone other than kids can actually like it.  it's more theatre than anything to me.  i totally disagree that it is good basketball.  they complain about every call.  a ton of selfish 1 on 1 ball.  then of course all pro sports include politics now.  no thanks!

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Chose college.  I don't watch much NBA but what I have watched seemed a little too scripted for me.  Not pro wrestling scripted but a little scripted nonetheless.  I too often got the feel when I did watch the NBA that if the game was not going according to script, the referees would step in and change the momentum with a few calls favoring the team that was supposed to win.  I also got the feeling that if a team got too far ahead, something would happen to allow the other team to catch up and make the game more exciting at the end.  It just seemed a little too predictable for me.  I get that it doesn't always go that way, but it sure seems to go that way a lot.  Yeah, yeah...I know I'm wrong according to those who love the NBA.  Could be.  I'm just giving you my perspective on the games I did watch.

...and that doesn't even touch the unlikeable personalities in pro basketball...blech.

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3 minutes ago, FKIM01 said:

Chose college.  I don't watch much NBA but what I have watched seemed a little too scripted for me.  Not pro wrestling scripted but a little scripted nonetheless.  I too often got the feel when I did watch the NBA that if the game was not going according to script, the referees would step in and change the momentum with a few calls favoring the team that was supposed to win.  I also got the feeling that if a team got too far ahead, something would happen to allow the other team to catch up and make the game more exciting at the end.  It just seemed a little too predictable for me.  I get that it doesn't always go that way, but it sure seems to go that way a lot.  Yeah, yeah...I know I'm wrong according to those who love the NBA.  Could be.  I'm just giving you my perspective on the games I did watch.

...and that doesn't even touch the unlikeable personalities in pro basketball...blech.

i think you're being too nice

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I use to think NBA when I grew up( CHAMBERLAIN RUSSELL  match ups!! I always wanted Wilt the  t o win !!! Then I got to watch IU in the early CRK years. And have been a crazy IU FAN SINCE!! College basketball is more what I like to see!! But with all the cheating going on( IU did self report) and NCAA not having the balls to take down  N. C🤑. I am going more with Pro Wrestling!!🤑!!

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7 hours ago, NCHoosier32 said:

i'm surprised so many say NBA.  you guys aren't young either right?  i can't see how anyone other than kids can actually like it.  it's more theatre than anything to me.  i totally disagree that it is good basketball.  they complain about every call.  a ton of selfish 1 on 1 ball.  then of course all pro sports include politics now.  no thanks!

Not sure what you consider young, but I'm in my 30s. 

Can't argue about players complaining about calls in the NBA, I'm just not sure why that bothers you but not the whiny college coaches?

I don't agree at all about going 1 on 1; you see more baskets coming off of assist in the NBA than in college. 

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33 minutes ago, KoB2011 said:

Not sure what you consider young, but I'm in my 30s. 

Can't argue about players complaining about calls in the NBA, I'm just not sure why that bothers you but not the whiny college coaches?

I don't agree at all about going 1 on 1; you see more baskets coming off of assist in the NBA than in college. 

For whatever reason, a lot of college basketball fans believe in the sheer fantasy that the NBA is somehow not good basketball. NBA basketball is miles better than college ball, there’s virtually no comparison. The level of play, the level of skill, the level of athleticism, miles better hands down.

But the issues taken with diva players and the amount of power they hold over franchises, the length of the season and resulting lower level of enthusiasm and hype in the regular season, or that half the league make the playoffs, that’s all fair and understandable.

What I don’t get is why some are so down on pro ball while ignoring all of those things in college that are, at least to me, at least as annoying or limiting —
the idiotic sideline antics and power of college coaches, the horrendous and often blatantly biased officiating, the dirty recruiting and sleaze of a number of programs that allow them to win regularly, the incredibly incompetent NCAA and it’s hypocritical use of its rules against the not so powerful schools, the dearth of good shooting and overall lower skill level. I mean, college ball gets glorified despite all that, while castigating the NBA? Ok. 
 

For me, there is much to love in college basketball, despite the flaws, just as there is much to love in the NBA game, despite its flaws. 

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i gotta be honest, i have flat out refused to watch it for the most part since Kobe pushed Shaq off the Lakers.  really that long ago.  every once in a while i try to give it a shot because my kids watch it and i accidentally come into the room while it's on.  i can't watch long.  a couple years ago i even said i was going to try to watch it to spend time bonding with my son, and i couldn't even do that for long.   we watch college together and he tells me about the NBA some.  he plays high school and travel, so that gives me plenty of good bball to watch as well.  

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8 hours ago, Hoosierhoopster said:

For whatever reason, a lot of college basketball fans believe in the sheer fantasy that the NBA is somehow not good basketball. NBA basketball is miles better than college ball, there’s virtually no comparison. The level of play, the level of skill, the level of athleticism, miles better hands down.

That's all true, but I think you'd have to admit that regular season games aren't played with the same level of intensity as playoff games...And that to me is a turn off...People paying that much money to see players MAKING that much money deserve the effort...I understand it's an 82 game grind, but still a turn off for me...

8 hours ago, Hoosierhoopster said:

But the issues taken with diva players and the amount of power they hold over franchises, the length of the season and resulting lower level of enthusiasm and hype in the regular season, or that half the league make the playoffs, that’s all fair and understandable.

Bingo...along with the "Payton Place" like atmosphere where players profess love for a teammate one minute and talk behind his back the next...that, and the "beefs" that are high school BS...

8 hours ago, Hoosierhoopster said:

What I don’t get is why some are so down on pro ball while ignoring all of those things in college that are, at least to me, at least as annoying or limiting —
the idiotic sideline antics and power of college coaches, the horrendous and often blatantly biased officiating, the dirty recruiting and sleaze of a number of programs that allow them to win regularly, the incredibly incompetent NCAA and it’s hypocritical use of its rules against the not so powerful schools, the dearth of good shooting and overall lower skill level. I mean, college ball gets glorified despite all that, while castigating the NBA? Ok. 
 

For me, there is much to love in college basketball, despite the flaws, just as there is much to love in the NBA game, despite its flaws. 

I think the (in my perception) better effort in college and more enthusiastic crowds cover the warts of the college game very well...I also think the tournament with the "lose and go home" factor is fascinating...Like an NBA game seven every hour...

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Just now, IUFLA said:

That's all true, but I think you'd have to admit that regular season games aren't played with the same level of intensity as playoff games...And that to me is a turn off...People paying that much money to see players MAKING that much money deserve the effort...I understand it's an 82 game grind, but still a turn off for me...

Bingo...along with the "Payton Place" like atmosphere where players profess love for a teammate one minute and talk behind his back the next...that, and the "beefs" that are high school BS...

I think the (in my perception) better effort in college and more enthusiastic crowds cover the warts of the college game very well...I also think the tournament with the "lose and go home" factor is fascinating...Like an NBA game seven every hour...

Again, both college and NBA ball have warts. The better effort thing is pure myth though. I take it you don’t watch much nba ball. The season is loooong and definitely nights where guys don’t really bring it, and for the most part in the 4-quarter system a lot of games start slow and the teams turn the volume up in the third and fourth quarter, but the effort level / speed and competitiveness is extreme in the nba. 

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2 minutes ago, Hoosierhoopster said:

I take it you don’t watch much nba ball.

I use to watch a lot of NBA ball...I remember being severely ticked when they wouldn't show the Finals live in the late 70s/early 80s...

But my passion for it ebbed in the early 2000s...I don't know...maybe I changed more than the game did...Just struck me that during the regular season I saw a lot of loafing and very little defense...

 

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2 minutes ago, Hoosierhoopster said:

Again, both college and NBA ball have warts. The better effort thing is pure myth though. I take it you don’t watch much nba ball. The season is loooong and definitely nights where guys don’t really bring it, and for the most part in the 4-quarter system a lot of games start slow and the teams turn the volume up in the third and fourth quarter, but the effort level / speed and competitiveness is extreme in the nba. 

One idea I will always push back on is that NBA players don't play hard compared to college players. Having been around the game day in and day out at at the NBA level, I will never agree to that. I've seen these guys first hand play a tough 48 minute game at 8pm, get showered and dresses afterward, talk to the media for 30 minutes, get something to eat quickly in the lockeroom and then drive 30-40 minutes to the team airport. Fly 2-3 hours or more to the next city, get to the hotel around 2am or later (and it's impossible to go right to sleep), wake up for a team shootaround in the morning, and then play another tough 48 minutes before flying off to the next city where you maybe have 1 day off before the next game. I've seen the 4 games in 5 nights where it exhausted me as a front office employee. 

Do NBA players have some games over a long season where the energy just isn't there? Absolutely. But that happens to high school and college teams too. I've seen IU players loaf it up and down the court tons of times.

The grind NBA players go through is amazing and I will always have a great respect for what they put their bodies and health through. I've been on the road trips where I was exhausted and I was just the PR guy. 

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11 minutes ago, IUFLA said:

I use to watch a lot of NBA ball...I remember being severely ticked when they wouldn't show the Finals live in the late 70s/early 80s...

But my passion for it ebbed in the early 2000s...I don't know...maybe I changed more than the game did...Just struck me that during the regular season I saw a lot of loafing and very little defense...

 

One thing is for sure, the nba game has changed significantly over the years.
I’m not meaning to criticize anyone for generally preferring college  ball to the nba — it’s personal preference. It’s just the way some castigate the NBA while ignoring all those things in college ball that are, to me, really limiting. The NCAA itself. The program cheating -  I mean we know how bad that is, how on Earth is that just ok to people? The crap officiating. The ludicrous sideline antics of Izzo etc. The dirty recruiting. Etc. 

The nba now has a lot of great D. But it also now, unlike the 90s, etc, has rules that emphasize shooting / protecting guards, so guys like Curry can wow us with incredible shooting. The downside there is too much room for shooting and the perception the D isn’t that strong. But it’s current rules, not the D itself, etc.
anyway, the game changes and morphs with the times — right now it’s driven by the perception audiences want high scoring games, not 90’s style slug fests.

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2 hours ago, IUFLA said:

I use to watch a lot of NBA ball...I remember being severely ticked when they wouldn't show the Finals live in the late 70s/early 80s...

But my passion for it ebbed in the early 2000s...I don't know...maybe I changed more than the game did...Just struck me that during the regular season I saw a lot of loafing and very little defense...

 

I was the same way and remember staying up late watching playoff games out west.  I just soured on the NBA in the early 2000's and my dislike is getting greater because of the players.  Like how Harden is telling the Rockets who he wants to be traded to.  If it were my decision I be trading him to the worst team possible and not cave to his demands.

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2 hours ago, Hoosierhoopster said:

One thing is for sure, the nba game has changed significantly over the years.
I’m not meaning to criticize anyone for generally preferring college  ball to the nba — it’s personal preference. It’s just the way some castigate the NBA while ignoring all those things in college ball that are, to me, really limiting. The NCAA itself. The program cheating -  I mean we know how bad that is, how on Earth is that just ok to people? The crap officiating. The ludicrous sideline antics of Izzo etc. The dirty recruiting. Etc. 

The nba now has a lot of great D. But it also now, unlike the 90s, etc, has rules that emphasize shooting / protecting guards, so guys like Curry can wow us with incredible shooting. The downside there is too much room for shooting and the perception the D isn’t that strong. But it’s current rules, not the D itself, etc.
anyway, the game changes and morphs with the times — right now it’s driven by the perception audiences want high scoring games, not 90’s style slug fests.

What is wrong hw Izzo acts on the sidelines?  He is no worse than guys like RMK and Keady back in the day and nobody cared back then.  To me the coaches job during the game is to work the officials and not the players because they need to worry about playing the game.

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1 hour ago, IU Scott said:

What is wrong hw Izzo acts on the sidelines?  He is no worse than guys like RMK and Keady back in the day and nobody cared back then.  To me the coaches job during the game is to work the officials and not the players because they need to worry about playing the game.

Scott!  we agree!  i always like to make note when we do.  

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Kind of going off topic but I’ll put it in Baseball perspective! I gave up on MLB when they went on strike two years in a row! However I enjoy going to AA games where the mascot steals my grandson’s shoe and then try’s to get the other kids to smell it! Right before they get to race across the field!

image.thumb.jpeg.fd65b4bcd4fd183c73f296fb14ed8eb5.jpeg

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5 hours ago, IUFLA said:

That's all true, but I think you'd have to admit that regular season games aren't played with the same level of intensity as playoff games...And that to me is a turn off...People paying that much money to see players MAKING that much money deserve the effort...I understand it's an 82 game grind, but still a turn off for me...

Bingo...along with the "Payton Place" like atmosphere where players profess love for a teammate one minute and talk behind his back the next...that, and the "beefs" that are high school BS...

I think the (in my perception) better effort in college and more enthusiastic crowds cover the warts of the college game very well...I also think the tournament with the "lose and go home" factor is fascinating...Like an NBA game seven every hour...

I'll give you that for 3 weekends a year, college basketball is hard for any sport to beat. But a mid-December game between Duke and South Carolina doesn't keep my interest any better than watching the Suns play the Magic in mid-December. I'd honestly be unlikely to watch either, but if I had to pick I'd probably go with the NBA game because I'm more likely to see something truly exciting than I am in a ho hum college game. 

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1 minute ago, KoB2011 said:

I'll give you that for 3 weekends a year, college basketball is hard for any sport to beat. But a mid-December game between Duke and South Carolina doesn't keep my interest any better than watching the Suns play the Magic in mid-December. I'd honestly be unlikely to watch either, but if I had to pick I'd probably go with the NBA game because I'm more likely to see something truly exciting than I am in a ho hum college game. 

Not me I can watch about any college game and actually enjoy some good mid major games

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3 hours ago, IU Scott said:

What is wrong hw Izzo acts on the sidelines?  He is no worse than guys like RMK and Keady back in the day and nobody cared back then.  To me the coaches job during the game is to work the officials and not the players because they need to worry about playing the game.

Ha What? Izzo whines and nags the refs almost the whole game, a complete douchebag. Compare him to pro refs - you can’t pull the BS in an nba game, you get kicked off the court of you do. Izzo is unprofessional, and a total whining little b...

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6 minutes ago, Hoosierhoopster said:

Ha What? Izzo whines and nags the refs almost the whole game, a complete douchebag. Compare him to pro refs - you can’t pull the BS in an nba game, you get kicked off the court of you do. Izzo is unprofessional, and a total whining little b...

Have to agree to disagree on this topic. Don't you remember the coaches  from 80's in the big ten because most if them were just like Izzo.

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5 minutes ago, IU Scott said:

Have to agree to disagree on this topic. Don't you remember the coaches  from 80's in the big ten because most if them were just like Izzo.

You can find it acceptable but you honestly can’t disagree. It is who he is on the sideline. And I didn’t say Izzo was markedly different from other college coaches - that’s the point - that is part of the difference between college and Nba basketball. It’s ridiculous the way college coaches behave.

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12 minutes ago, IU Scott said:

Have to agree to disagree on this topic. Don't you remember the coaches  from 80's in the big ten because most if them were just like Izzo.

Luke-warm take: Bob Knight was also a sanctimonious ass and instead of celebrating to refs what he did we should call it bush-league. 

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