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This is the first of a two-part series of what the NBA could do to make the game better. I’m not delving into the all-star weekend because everyone knows how that can be improved and Stern isn’t listening . In part 1 I’m thinking of little traditions the NBA can “borrow” from other sports to improve the game itself as well as the fan experience. Or at least entertain me more at the games.

Let’s forget pregame cheerleader dances: Some team needs to introduce the Haka to North America. Football would obviously be the most natural fit for it, but alas with rosters of 50 plus it just isn’t feasible. The NBA on the other hand would be a perfect fit. Imagine Chris Bosh leading the Raptors in this (If you’ve never heard of the Haka I HIGHLY recommend clicking the link and checking it out). And before you call that gay like James’ friend did, remember what these people do right after that. I can’t even imagine what the Celtics could do with that. Jesus. If the team that does that is playing at home and a pre-game ritual war chant doesn’t get the home crowd fired up, just fold the team. Conversely, if the team is on the road, think of the atmosphere that would create. It’d be war. The fans would be out for blood, the road team would be as fired up as James was when I said, “I think Brandon Jennings is great, just I don’t LOVE him,” (Ed.: I believe you said he was “pretty good” and that you could NEVER love his game) and the home team would be rattled and need to gather themselves. Wins all the way around.

In international hockey, the national anthem of the winning team is played after every game. This can be epic, especially after big wins at home. Obviously in North America we can’t really do that since 29 of the teams have the same anthem, so what we need in North America is a victory song for every team. Think “New York, New York” for the Yankees. Imagine this song gets played after every win, home or away. Imagine the Lakers beating Boston in Boston and the crowd at TD Banknorth Garden trudging angrily out of the stadium with the strains of “I Love LA” ringing in their ears. Imagine if it was the playoffs and that happened. Think that wouldn’t intensify the games? Really? I think Kevin Garnett’s head might explode.

No more fucking in-game music and announcers. Let the crowd make some goddamn noise. If the stadium doesn’t have an atmosphere, the fans will build one (provided there are actual fans there. And yes, I’m looking at you Memphis). Let’s get a real home court advantage back in the game. Think of the best home courts in basketball right now; quick. I bet 2 of the first ones that popped into your head were Utah and Golden State (in years that Don Nelson isn’t putting any and all G-State fans on the rack) and whatever team it is you cheer for as the third. Set the scene, there’s 10 seconds left in Salt Lake City with Utah trailing by 1 point, they’re coming out of a timeout and… “Ladies and gentlemen the winning 50/50 draw ticket number is…” It wouldn’t happen! So why the fuck am I subjected to stupidity like that at every Raptors game? How come whenever the crowd gets really going they blast music to calm everybody down? This is sports for fuck’s sake! Get excited or get out!

Speaking of getting excited, the NBA NEEDS to steal at least one idea from College Football. My vote goes to the introduction traditions some teams have. Like how Virginia Tech remade their program and has this relatively new tradition to get everyone excited. It’s a simple process, really. First get everyone chanting as loud as possible in a quiet stadium (the use of prompts is OK here, it’s pre-game). Then pick a really loud song that everyone knows and get everyone to jump/sing/wave towels to it. Then just have the team run out, no “Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2009 Charlotte Bobcats!” No big introductions for the starting line up, just the whole team coming out together as the crowd goes ballistic. Tell me you didn’t get a bit pumped up just watching that Virginia Tech clip. Jesse Palmer played at USC, he ran into the Rose Bowl with 100 000 screaming USC fans yet 40,000 V Tech fans gave him goosebumps. It’s not about the size of the crowd, it’s how frenzied they are.

In Soccer, and European basketball teams allocate sections for the hardcore supporters. Usually these seats are behind the net/basket. In MLS this tradition tries to live on, but unfortunately most of you Yanks don’t really care about soccer. Well, outside Seattle anyways (Hi Drew!). Seattle doesn’t really have the behind the net option thanks to the stadium design, so all I have as an example of this is Toronto FC. Fine, twist my arm. This is what I’m talking about (it was on the road but the example still stands. Also, bonus points if you can find James or me in the horde of people).

Speaking of Supporters sections, let’s get some singing in basketball! It’s not hard really, check out TFC’s 2nd home game in its history. Again, anything that gets the crowd more excited improves atmosphere. Improved atmosphere pumps up the players. Pumped up players lead to more intense (and therefore better) games. Is this a bad thing? Hell no! We aren’t far away (sorry, one more Toronto example) And as long as the supporters are there, how about some old school baseball heckling. Not like, Yankee Stadium let’s throw some D Batteries on that bitch. But more like “ARTEST YOUR MOTHER’S A WHORE!”* or “DELONTE YOU COULDN’T HIT THE BASKET WITH A LASER SIGHT AND AN EXTENDED CLIP!”

As long as we’re borrowing from baseball, why not take one of baseball’s most maddening rules? A field has minimum and maximum size requirements, but within that framework teams have creativity in the size of the field. Soccer has the same thing. So some stadiums are really, really big (like Landshark Stadium, home of the Marlins), and some are fairly small (New Yankee Stadium, where with only 2 HGH cycles I could be a 20 home run guy). Just think, some courts could be a little wider, some a little longer. Some longer AND wider. Some long and narrow, some the same size they are now. It’d create a REAL home court advantage since home players would know EXACTLY where out of bounds is, as well as scheme to be able to take advantage of the bigger or smaller surface. Food for thought here.

And a few subtler changes to wrap things up. First, change Technical and Flagrant fouls to yellow and red cards. Not an Eric original idea, but a good one nonetheless. Give refs the option of playing advantage after open court fouls like in soccer. A foul off the ball shouldn’t necessarily take away a scoring chance. Should the team fuck up the set THEN the foul is called (note I’m not saying don’t call the foul, just saying ring it up after the play. We don’t ALWAYS need free throws). We see refs decide whether or not to call a foul after a shot hits rim (or goes in) anyway, why not at least set a standard. Finally, let’s get more divisional games. Let’s build rivalries. Get some emotion back in the games. How are teams supposed to hate each other when they play twice in October/November, then not again until March? I want to get to know Philly almost as well as the Raptors. I want to sit and mutter “If they leave Speights open one more fucking time I’m going to gauge my fucking eyes out”.

These changes are all designed to substantially increase the passion that’s in and around the game. Raising the intensity level of all games is the easiest possible way to have more entertaining games. Sure the talent may always be pretty well distributed, so why not bring back the possibility of a home court advantage? Why not try and get players and fans alike more excited? Would I feel like I threw my money away if I went to a game, didn’t hear any Pink, Vengaboys or Justin Timberlake? Of course not, I’m not at an NBA game to listen to Pop music. Throw in Chris Bosh leading a Haka and fans going ballistic all around me and I’d say my ticket becomes something I actually ENJOY paying for. After all sports is ultimately about entertainment, and win or lose I want to be able to turn to Julian and yell “ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!” as he bemoans another 135-124 Raptors defeat.

Part two; drastic changes, coming soon