Add new comment

Why do we watch sports?
For me, many, many  factors go into my enjoyment of any given sporting event.  For sure pure athleticism can be jaw-dropping to watch such as Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps in Beijing, or even Nate Robinson and Dwight Howard in the Slam Dunk contest. Individual athletic competitions prominently featured on the Olympic stage are primarily about pure genetic talent maximization, and these are great spectacles to watch.
However, when it comes to the more mainstream competitive individual sports popular in the US (such as Tennis and Golf), I watch because it is much more than just pure athleticism at play.  It's becoming increasingly obvious that Tiger Woods dominated golf, not because he was the best athlete, but because the combination of athletic prowess was met with steal determination and an unparalleled competitive desire to win.  Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are gifted athletes, but they also posses something more than that: a combination of confidence, desire, gamesmanship, intelligence, constitution, fortitude, etc.  What makes a great match of golf or tennis is not when one individual clearly outclasses the other physically, rather, the greatest matches are when two evenly matched players meet and the victor is the one who's fighting spirit allows him to prevail on that day.
With team sports additional factors get tossed in.  it's not just the best collection of athletes, it's the best TEAM.  Watch reruns of old FIBA WBC games to see the USA's collection of talent get thrashed by lesser 'athletes'.  Watch the USA hockey team tie Canada in regulation of Vancouver's Gold Medal match, or beat the USSR in Lake Placid.  Our greatest moments from team sports often come when the Doug Fluties, the Boise States, the Appalachian States, the plucky underdog Davids defeat the superiorly athletic Goliaths.
In addition to the amazement of watching those special underdog victories, there is also the category of dominant teams that win because of their style of play, their teamwork, their 'system' so to speak, rather than just because of their collection of athletes.  Boise State, Utah (under Urban Meyer), the Utah Jazz (under Jerry Sloan), the New England Patriots, anyone who beats the New York Yankees.  These teams win regularly and consistently against teams with more talent because it's not just about the athletes.
The Basketball Part of the Equation
I love March Madness.  The Cinderella stories, the thrilling last second finishes, game after game of win or go-home drama.  Kentucky clearly had the best collection of athletes last year and they went home in second place.  Duke (though less so lately), Gonzaga, Princeton all teams that won year in and year out with lesser athletes.
When it comes down to it, I prefer college basketball to the NBA.  Because most of these athletes will not play in the professional leagues and they know it, so they play because they love the game.  They love the competition.  And it's clear in how they approach the season and the tournament.  Watching the talented 4th year Senior playing what he knows may well be his last meaningful competitive game ever, watching them leave it all out there and just compete.  There's nothing better for me.  Watching LeBron mail it in because he knew he didn't have the talent around him to win, and knew that there was change in store for next year... 'yawn'. 
The NBA has no soul. It lost it a long time ago.  It killed any routing interest I may of had when they allowed OKCity to blatantly steal a franchise with lies and deceit. Sanctioned lies and deceit from the Commish to his buddy.  The players are about the profits.  The owners are about the profits.  The refs are about the profits.  Nobody is about the game.  The lone exceptions, however much it may pain me to say it, may be Kobe and Phil Jackson - they're financially and historically set, but they continue to push for more championships.  That's what Jordan had, that's what is missing from everybody else.  Far to often do you see games devolve into individuals looking to pad their stats.  One on ones, pull up threes, bad shot after bad shot, selfish players, no defense, loose offense, no fundamentals, etc., etc., etc..
 
The WNBA 
So, to sum up, for me I want to watch more than just athletes competing.  I want to watch for the spirit of the competition, the intangibles so to speak. And I hate watching the beautiful game devolve into selfish one on one stat padding exercise in narcissism.  That's why the WNBA is much more watchable to me than the NBA.
Sure they can't jump as high or run as fast.  But these players get paid comparatively peanuts.  They play because they love the game and the competition.  They play with fundamentals and teamwork.  They play with a desire to win.
Watching Sue Bird calmly set-up the offense, feed her teammates pass after pass, and then at the end of the game calmly step-up and drain the game winner? Awesome.  Watching Lauren Jackson hustle on both ends of the court.  Watching all the roll players just get at it.  It's a beautiful thing to watch.  And the sum of these parts is much greater than individual athletic ability.  It's about teamwork, it's about competition, and it's a great thing to watch.
 
- Ben.