Why Me No LIkey The Round Ball

Basketball, more than any other team sport that I can think of has become a celebration of individual achievement. I have come to this conclusion after much deliberation while cutting the grass. It occurred to me that the "dunk" has taken on the quality of ubiquitousness (that's a real word). It is now as much a part of the game as the free throw. But why?

The dunk isn't required in the game. There are many other ways to get the ball in the basket. Far less complicated ones. Strategically there is no rationale that I can think of for dunking the basketball other than to show off. I know some that would say it is psychological warfare against your opponent and therefore, a necessary part of the game. Dennis Rodman, after all, dyed his hair and sported a nose ring to distract the other team. Or was it to distract them from the fact that he wasn't that great of a ballplayer? Was this his "edge?"

I'm not a fan of sports on the whole. I am a huge fan of the idea of sport. A Ken Burns documentary on golf or basketball would be fantastic. I'm sure there are stories within the game that elevate it; that make it mythic and real. But it's the implementation of the idea of sport that falls short for me. Why can't we have competition in sport as Andre the Giant said; "Skill against skill alone." No psych-outs. No performance enhancing drugs. Just a few people playing to see who is better at the given task.

Oh, wait...I would probably be the only one watching.