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Perhaps this is a chicken/egg question but when was the last time you saw a good basketball play on ESPN. Fantastic physical feats, by the dozen; unlikely shots, daily; projectiles into the 12th row, a steady staple; a two-inch shot, their very, very favorite; but you can wait weeks for a three-pass layup, a walk or carry due to cagey defensive positioning, or the seventeen missed shots that the leading scorer had to go with his seven makes and 22 points. Obviously the edits are made to give the ad-paying public that to which they best respond. The question is whether they are satisfying or creating that demand.

Dateline: August 21, 2012––40 days until the start of training camp!

The cynic in me wonders if we are just seeing the natural culmination of the lust for instant gratification and five second attention span of the tv zombies married with the revenue worshipers. In a desperate search for the least common denominator they have eliminated the complexities that attracted many to the game in the first place. More than once I’ve overheard a fan at a college game swear they deserted the pro game for the enjoyment of watching lesser athletes execute the fundamental principles in a coordinated effort.

I’d love to blame much of this on the And-1 me generation, but I fear that both the style of play and the ESPN editors’ choices are an accurate reflection of the preferences of the majority. If that is the case then indeed, good basketball is an entertainment fail.