I saw this yesterday, and it brought me back to an issue I’ve been considering for quite some time: the “dumbing down” of the league, and the game itself.  It started with the impact of money in the league.  In the 90’s, the popularity of the league exploded thanks to Michael Jordan and David Stern, and with it came money.  This change really effected the new crop of players looking to come to the NBA, because they suddenly had a seven figure check in their focus that wasn’t there before.  Players like Jordan who were coming into the league in the 80’s usually spent a few years in college and when they made the transition to the league, they didn’t have a $90 million sneaker deal on the table and a 3 year rookie deal.  Because of this, there really wasn’t a lot of players looking to enter the league out of high school.  Players like Moses Malone were few and far between before then.  After the league, and players, saw what Jordan had accomplished and the impact he made, they were forever changed.  The players wanted to be him, and the league wanted to re-create him.

Kids were entering the league too soon in order to get paid, and when they were developing as players, they weren’t exactly worried about improving to be the best they could be, and many lacked the maturity to deal with the NBA lifestyle at 18 or 19 years of age.  Players who were treated like gods in high school and college campuses developed a me-first approach to basketball, and since pro teams saw dollar signs with some of the young stars, they didn’t exactly try to curb this.  More and more players were more interested in making their mark on the league and teams were eager to market their talented, flashy players and cash in on the individual rather than the quality of the team or the game.

This approach was a success, and fans started to shift their focus more towards the players than the game itself.  This has a huge impact on how the NBA is perceived, namely: it keeps the focus on the present and future.  Fans nowadays not only lack a knowledge of the history of the game and it’s players, but because of how the league is marketed, newer fans usually don’t even have a desire to want to learn about it.  And why would they?  The media is happy shoving the stars down your throat, because it’s gotten to the point that even if they tried to sell the game, there wouldn’t be many buyers.

This is what I think whenever I see something like that poll.  When talking about the best playoff performers, Bird and Magic should be near the top of every list.  At this point in their careers, saying Lebron and Kobe eclipse them in the postseason is utterly laughable.  And for those not old enough to know why that is, I’m not going to give you the easy way out.  I suggest this: research.  Read, watch, and listen.  And one more thing:

Love the game.

Renhigotrare has returned to mixmaking in a big way with his October/November Highlight Mix that utilizes the fast-paced/quick cut style popularized by TNT. This approach to mixmaking is not uncommon, but Gotrare does it in such an entertaining and skillful manner that some M2 members wondered if he actually does work for TNT.

Gotrare has been a fixture on M2 for quite some time, creating YouTube classics such as Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan: Moment of Truth and The Greatest Sport.

His explosive style can best be defined as a hybrid of old school values and new era techniques. Gotrare, unlike many mixers today, keeps viewers glued to the screen by expertly showing multiple camera angles for each action, while building the intensity with every clip. He resists the urge to saturate his videos with needless effects, but rather uses fx to enrich them with subtle color corrections, velocity control, and abstract texts that add just the right amount of flair to his mix.

Gotrare’s clip selection is something to marvel at as he manipulates the viewer’s emotions with thunderous dunks, while showcasing the raw intensity and fierceness from the players that every NBA fanatic thrives off of.

However, the most glaring and noteworthy achievement in the October/November mix is Gotrare’s sound editing/mixing. Whether it be enhancing sounds to convey the awe and simplistic beauty whenever Lebron thrusts the chalk into the air, or distorting the audio of a player’s yell into a primal roar, Gotrare’s skills in this area are unmatched in the world of mixmaking. He makes the viewer feel a part of the action by using in-game audio like sneaker-squeaks, grunts, groans, net-swishes, and whistle blows.

Viewers no longer have to wait till game time to experience the NBA, Gotrare has made it a click away.

And Gotrare only sweetened the deal for his legion of fans when he announced that these mixes would become a monthly endeavor for him. So if you want the ultimate recap of last month’s action in the NBA, Gotrare has you covered on his YouTube channel.