Article:So What to Make of the NBA Finals Ratings?

The NBA Finals games were the sixth highest-rated and most-watched programs so far in June, the first time that has happened in seven years. Aw yes, gotta love all that hype…Really, the league needs to send all the freaking media outlets thank you cards for building this damn series up! Okay, so I’ll admit I was taken down memory lane, back when I used to wear Superman and Smurfs underroos…Back when The Finals were on in the mid afternoon, not having to fill your gut up with Red Bull to watch the entire game. My guess is I probably wasn’t alone, and thus the reason why David Stern was dreaming of this matchup! This one wasn’t just viewed in local markets, it was viewed nationwide. The only question I have though, well, it’s in the damn headline…What to make of the NBA Finals ratings?

Boston's victory over the Los Angeles Lakers averaged a 9.3 rating for the series, up 50 percent over the 6.2 for San Antonio's sweep of Cleveland last year. Gee, that must’ve been so tough to do seeing as since I’m positive last years Finals had to of been blacked out in a lot of markets! And for good reasons! Now surely these numbers couldn’t be from solely the basketball alone…Because we all know, if the C’s didn’t fart around, this series would’ve been a sweep. So from the basketball stand point the competitiveness in this series was no better than that Spurs-Cavs matchup we saw a year ago! Actually, it’s likely a good thing the C’s made history in Game 4, coming back from that deficit and then tried to duplicate the feat 72 hours later…At least it gave the matchup some chatter, instead of saying the Lakers were overmatched in every which way!

Hell, that 9.3 rating strictly came from names…Boston, Los Angeles, Phil Jackson-Red Auerbach, Kobe, The Boston Three Party, all the nostalgia, etc., it didn’t come from the brand of bball! Shit, I’ve seen more competitive games down at the local YMCA than what ABC was offering! The Celtics' Game 6 clincher last Tuesday earned a 10.7 rating on ABC, averaging 16.9 million viewers over the course of the game. (Scratching my head) Okay, I get that it was, (or had the potential) to be a clinching game, but how does 16.9 million viewers watch the second most lop sided victory in Finals history? It’s real easy! There isn’t anything better to watch on the boob tube! Although if Nick at Nite was showing a Wonder Years marathon…I probably would’ve switched over to that. Love that Winne Cooper! Funny thing is, the ratings point out that The Belmont Stakes, with 13.1 million viewers, was the most-watched program thus far in June besides the NBA Finals. Gee, what’d ya know? Another hype filled event that came crashing down all around it! Awesome!

In all actuality this Laker-Celtic Finals was nowhere near what we were expecting…Our expectations were too high, living and trying to rekindle the mid to late 80’s. Sorry, that didn’t happen! The thing that this NBA Finals gave us, no, not that it was a great matchup…Conversely, it was a complete mismatch! This series once again solidified that Defense does win championships! And Paul Pierce should’ve been Jesus Shuttlesworth, not Ray Allen. (Debatable, I know!) For the peeps, (like myself) who don’t pay attention to the regular season or even playoffs, because I’d rather waste my time by seeing what's in my neighbor's trash! Very entertaining, I’ll tell you…Everybody should try it! Never know what one might find! Or if that’s not your cup of tea, I sometimes go back to my underroo days and make prank phone calls…Although with caller ID these days, it’s getting harder and harder! That’s why it’s important to turn your attention to fast food places…McDonalds, Burger King, Arby’s, Wendy’s, you get the point and try to make reservations!

Trust me…It’s more entertaining than these Finals were! I give a shit what the ratings say!

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