Script: /cms/110221/its_time_to_cleanse_your_slam_dunk_palate!
Owner:
Subdir:
Blog ID: 55705551
Blog Owner: -1

GET IN THE GAME. BECOME A FANVOICE MEMBER.

Participate in forums & comment on blogs. JOIN NOW!

Login
Script: /cms/110221/its_time_to_cleanse_your_slam_dunk_palate!
Owner:
Blog ID: 55705551
Subdir:
Author: 68661121
 

It's time to cleanse your slam dunk palate!

By Sekou SmithFebruary 15, 2010 • 10:19 AM
Share This:
We'd love to flee Texas with nothing but wonderful memories of yet another fabulous All-Star Weekend in the memory banks, but the stain of another disappointing slam dunk competition won't allow it. Hang Time has a suggestion for change.

DALLAS -- Just says thanks, shut up about anything you didn't like and leave.

That's the graceful way to exit yet another fantastic All-Star Weekend -- one complete with a space-aged stadium you have to see for yourself, more Shakira and Alicia Keys than we knew what to do with and fabulous memories from everything from the people watching in the hotel lobby to the mesmerizing highlights from Sunday night's game.

But this is Hang Time and we keep it real, whether you like it or not.

So in that spirit, we have but one for suggestion for All-Star Weekend in the future and it involves changing the landscape on Saturday night.

As much as we love seeing Hall of Famers and legends judge the Slam Dunk contest we've come to realize that if we want to save Saturday night's showcase event, we have to find someone else to sit in those seats.

I bumped into several of the judges after Nate Robinson polished off his third title with an uneven showing and each of them had the same reaction. They were completely underwhelmed by what they saw.

"We've got to do something about this," said Hall of Famer and two-time champ Dominique Wilkins. "We've got to do something to get the fans jumping out of their seats o every dunk."

I'd settle for the judges jumping out of their seats once in a while, which in turn would spur the crowd to react in kind. That's going to require a departure from the practice of using former champs like Wilkins and Spud Webb as judges.

They cannot be impressed by anything they see. They know it. We all know it. I mean, what can poor DeMar DeRozan do to dazzle guys who competed in some of the greatest slam dunk competitions in the history of the world?

It's not going to happen.

I don't think it's time to turn it over to the fans (via a vote here on the Hang Time blog on NBA.com?) or anything like that. They need to play a part, though. Because what looks like a pedestrian move to Wilkins, Webb or Dr. J is actually much more impressive than the scores would indicate.

That's not to say that we couldn't use a major boost from some of the league's marquee stars. You saw Sunday night's game.

You stuff like this:

And even this:

You saw LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, in particular, put on a dazzling above the rim display in the 59th All-Star Game.

Someone needs to coax these guys to bless us with a little something a night early. But first, we need to cleanse the slam dunk palate of the judges.

And that means cleansing their ranks.

Comments
Blog Archives: By Date 2009 2008 2007