Again, approval or disapproval aside (I enjoyed it), it was such an unusual occurrence to experiment like that during a real game (as opposed to a d-league or exhibition game). It also showed just how rare these experiments are in sports, mainly because no one in the media knew how to cover it. My suspicion is that the commissioner, Adam Silver, requested the Knicks try the experiment. It was the perfect time to conduct the experiment, with one of the league’s best teams playing, the Warriors, and Silver usually attends Knicks games for these kind of marquee match-ups, so he could observe the results in person.

 

I support this kind of experiment for two reasons. First, it was reflexive. The NBA wanted to see if they had taken the artificial noise too far during the play of the game, as well as during the “dead” time. It takes a certain diligence to roll back an “improvement” to the game in order to determine if it is adding anything to the product on the floor and the experience in the stands. Second, the NBA tried an experiment while they were “on top.” By “on top,” I mean that the NBA ran an experiment when they didn’t have to, their ratings weren’t suffering, the fans weren’t complaining, and the players weren’t revolting. The MLB is experimenting out of necessity, whereas the NBA is out in front of a potential problem by doing this. It’s way better to try this once and have everyone forget about it, as opposed to one day placing all hope in resurrecting your league with this kind of a move. 

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What also struck me about this experiment was Draymon Green’s strong response to it. He called it “pathetic” and “disrespectful” after the game, and claimed that “you advance things in the world to make it better. You don’t go back to what was bad.” Oh Draymon, you poor soul, believing the world was such a terrible place before you got here 🙄. Why criticize an attempt to create new culture or traditions? Ironically, the past is usually what people cling to, but Draymon was perfectly content with the way things are in the here and now. 

 

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I think it’s frustrating that the unknown, uncomfortable or just plain old new gets such a bad rap. The NBA will change, baseball will adapt, but why stand in the way of that? Why not get behind it and push? I don’t want to re-write the rule books, or invent new sports, but I’d like to take control over the future of the sports I love. Americans should take control of the sports they love!

 

So, in fact, the journey of American sports may have a lesson that can be writ large after all. As we embark out into an era where American traditions may seemingly be turned on their head, it is important to take an active role in creating this new culture, rather than sit back and clamor for the past. If Americans work together, compromise when necessary, and approach the future with confidence rather than angst, then the uncertainties of our country may fade away faster then expected.