Everyone loves a little gossip. It fuels Hollywood, middle schoolers live for it. It is part of human nature. With so much going on in the world, it is so easy and natural to turn to gossip to escape from the heavy topics that the news is currently riddled with.
I could easily list 100 reasons why I love sports. Undoubtedly, one of my top reasons would be the fact that it allows me to escape and find some positive things in the world when it seems like the current news has none to offer.
I prefer to see the good in the world. I am not someone who is fueled by all the negativity nor do I want to continually hear about it. When in doubt, I close CNN and open ESPN. I know I can always rely on this sports channel to give an exciting analysis of my favorite players and reviews of big wins.
Even in the sports world, a bit of senseless chatter is a great distraction. But what happens when that is all it seems to be? Too much of a good thing is no longer a good thing — gossip included.
Anyone who is a fan of the NBA, or even a general sports fan, has undoubtedly heard the endless talk around the Golden State Warriors and Kevin Durant move — including the tension that has come along with it.
It is such an easy topic to talk about, and fans and the press have exemplified this. When such a dominant and popular player elects to join such a dominant and popular team, it creates a lot of talk. No matter who you are, or where your allegiances lie, the idea of a “super team” is intriguing. And with this move comes the tensions from the former fanbase and former teammates — equally as captivating on the gossip front.
But when does it simply become overdone? The tensions and feuds amongst players and fans have been the top headlines since the transition happened.
This is not to say I was not one to engage in the hype around the move, but that was months ago, it is time to move on. There are many other events and headlines to buzz about yet many seem hyper focused on the drama around the Warriors and Kevin Durant.
Take this past weekend for example: this weekend marks one of the more exciting events in professional basketball — the All-Star Weekend. Fan bases across the country get all riled up as they watch their players compete with the team of elites or, on the flip side, buzz about how and why players were left out.
Yet when you look through the top headlines for the NBA on ESPN, you don’t see the excitement and top performances from the weekend. What you do see is features on all the rivalries and tensions exemplified by the competition.
I get it. Russell Westbrook holds some animosity towards his former teammate. The media wants to find the gossip. But what about the game? What about all the eye-catching performances and competition only found in the All-Star match-up? That is why it exists — to show off the best players and their skills, not bring more drama. The NBA is not there solely to create more drama, yet this is all anyone seems to want to focus on.
I love a little gossip yet when that is all the NBA wants to narrow in on, it takes away from the dozens of other reasons the game is so great. It is time to put the feuds and rivalries in the past and bring the spotlight back on the sport itself.
Meredith Spelbring can be reached at [email protected]