I should preface this by saying I’m tired as hell. The tough, tough schedule of getting up sort of early, writing about things I think about incessantly, walking to class up a slight incline in 55 degree weather, and working out pretty much at my leisure really takes a toll on a 22 year-old man’s body. Having said that…
Feb. 6, 2012; Portland, OR, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins (5) reacts to an officials call during the third quarter of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden. The Thunder won the game 111-107 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-US PRESSWIRE
It’s total bull**** that NBA TV is blocked out on League Pass broadband, and it’s only made more maddening when I have to watch highlights of LeBron blocking a shot and throwing a 75 foot lob to Wade in less than two seconds on ESPN’s “NBA Coast to Coast,” a program that makes me appreciate commentary and analysis from studio intellects and speech-writers like Magic Johnson. And now it’s even worse than it was five minutes ago, because I was so appalled that I couldn’t get the Miami-Sacramento game after seeing that sure-to-be historic play that I came to StS to uncharacteristically write and bitch off-the-cuff, and as a result am missing fourth quarter finishes of Indiana-New Orleans and Cleveland-Detroit. I mean, what would I rather be doing – typing with taps of NBATV-induced fury, or watching Anderson Varejao hedge on a high ball screen?
Hmm… Thinking… I, obviously, thought the answer was the latter… I mean it definitely should be; the ground Varejao covers on PnR defense is usually a highlight of my Tuesday, February nights… But this is strangely liberating… Not unlike last night’s liberation of Ekpe Udoh from Mark Jackson’s bench… Mama there goes that man, coach must have told him… That Gustavo Ayon sure is a great story, as Indy and N.O. go to overtime… More thinking… Chris Mullin on in the background… He sure had a sweet lefty jumper; Michael Beasley does too, but it’s weird I’m mentioning that because I couldn’t watch SupercoolBeas in Minny’s overtime blunder against Denver last night because NBA TV was blacked out on League Pass Broadband… Wait, that’s it!
I’d have loved nothing more than to watch Wade improve on his scary and under-publicized February efficiency tonight, or even the mishmash of individual talent that is Sacramento try to score against the Heat’s defense. But I couldn’t because my cable provider doesn’t offer League Pass, and apparently the $129.00 I paid for the broadband version wasn’t a price steep enough to include the paragon of programming that is NBA TV. It’s total bull****, and it affects me in an adverse way every single night.
It makes me nauseous thinking about how many Kendrick Perkins courtesy post-ups I haven’t seen because of this. My stomach churns as I realize the number of opportunities to bitch at George Karl for not playing Kenneth Faried is running low because he’s now in the rotation. And I’m almost ready to stand up, run to the bathroom, and pull the trigger because I’ve no doubt missed the Blazers TV guys trying without fail to defend the abortion that is Ray Felton’s season. This is what you do to me, you greedy people at the NBA/League Pass/TV/cable offices.
It might have all worked out for the best, though. I’m still tired, now queasy, and remain red in the face with frustration, but this spontaneous blab of a post has yielded inspiration, too. Let’s make something like this – meaning a post where I complain and ramble about something league related that bothers me – normal at Saving the Skyhook. It’s called Time to Vent. Should be fun, if your idea of fun includes a vein running down your forehead, hand sweating, and slowly realizing how not straight all the stuff is that hangs on your bedroom wall. Obviously, that’s mine.
"Nothing was finished. Nothing was ever lost. He would go into town on Saturday."
[...] is one of those times I’m hating the League Pass Broadband/NBA TV/Cable folks. Would love to be able to catch [...]