You do understand that they used to have NBA legends games as part of All Star weekend right? They had guys who had been great NBA players and were past there time playing. I thought they were fun, but maybe there were too many injuries or something. They don't have it anymore.
I remember someone last year suggested doing a 3 on 3 knock-out tournament where the fans vote for 10 team captains or what not. Coaches then choose 20 more players and the captains pick their teams. Then it is tournament to 11 for each game, spread over 2 days.
I have an easier and better idea. Step 1: Buy a DeLorean. Step 2: Build a flux capacitor. Step 3....I think you can see where this is going. In all seriousness though, I think you're onto something. The MJ vs Russell would be awesome. They could hype it up in the media by showing old clips of the Bulls tormenting the Jazz and the clips of their interviews talking trash about each other. I think the biggest problem is getting the players to agree to it and paying them.
Why would anyone want to see great players 20 years after their prime? No interest in seeing them play now
Ironically, it has sucked ever since it was in houston last time, when Nate got the pitty vote. The came Dwight with his stupid props and then Blake Griffin took the stupid props to another level. The other parts of the contest have always been stupid apart from the game.
Even if they could still dunk, they'd be so much worse than the guys today who took the entire 1:30 to perform a dunk. I'd pass on your idea - bringing in the old guard is not something that should be done.
Ironically, Knight killed Irving off the dribble twice in that game. The only things were: 1. Knight didn't finish any of his drives lol 2. Knight fell down, and that's what everyone sees now.
- All Star Weekend is NO LONGER a PRIME-TIME event. Its only barely above NFL Pro-Bowl, McDonalds bball high school game or college dunk contests that you can see on ESPN2 on tape delay. Just take away the whole glitzy spotlight to begin with, have it on when there's nothing else to do. Leave the cultural relevance / must-see-tv aspects in the past, even if we don't get Mariah Carey "Jordan Dress" moments again - The TNT jokey half-serious presentation is both good and bad. Its good when the events are lackluster and they start offering comic relief clowning on different things. Though it can be unprofessional and apathetic overall. When the hosts feel like they have other things to do besides be there and they start bad-mouthing everything, you're not gonna take the festivities as serious either. I think the "non-urban" "cornball" commentator presentation works best, like how it was in the old days. - I commend NBA for trying new things instead of being too complacent. But sometimes they tinker too much and mess up continuity. Bring back Rookie Sophs. Remove the Shaq vs Chuck teams. It looked good on paper, but it falls flat in execution. And probably remove the East/West competition components just for the DUNK CONTEST. Only the best dunkers advance regardless of conference. MAKE the GAMES more COMPETITIVE somehow - If they're GONNA tinker around, then bring in events PEOPLE CARE ABOUT. The 3 point contest is pure, simple and fool-proof, best of the contests. . Dunking is like that but its too limited. Maybe bringing in other pure contests like that, like 1-on-1, real 3-on-3's representing different cities, etc. HORSE didnt work. Its part why I say its not a prime time event, cuz nothing much out there can "save" it.
1- scrape the skills challange. 2- Fire up the competetion value, east vs west is a good start. Maybe make it winner have advantage at the playoffs, or money like 500k per team on losing conference. 3- Instead of random selections, get players to vote for representative. 4- Dunk Contest, make it a Horse Dunk Contest. And take away all the props.
