NBA: Solving the Dunk Contest

It seems that every so often we start to reflect on the days of Michael Jordan, Spud Webb, and Dominique Wilkins. We all acknowledged that those days are long gone, then came the epic contest that was Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Steve Francis (where are you Franchise?) I think Stackhouse was in that dunk contest. Either way, it was at that moment the contest was BACK! One problem, the stars weren't back. From there we get the Jason Richardsons and Desmond Masons...then comes Superman VS Spud W- I mean Nate Robinson. The show regained some interest but it turned into exactly that a show, theatrics that were no better than watching me control dunks on video games.

The natural question comes into play... What happened to the Dunk Contest? Then the next question... Why doesn't the "King" Lebron James compete. I recall him saying that he was going to, then he pulled out. What insecurity holds him back? Must we remind him all the greats (who could dunk) were in the contest and all of them upped their legacy by launching from the freethrow line or 360ing through the legs. I bet in Vince Carter never entered the contest he'd playing next to Stephon Marbury in Europe.

 What does this come down too? Well, money of course. Why should any superstars who can dunk and make 75 million compete when they don't have to. What do they have to prove? Money is tossed away in the NBA at this point. I can hear one of these guys saying "Umm, who the hell are you? I don't have to do anything."

Don't these guys know they make money because of us? They need us just as bad as we need them. We need them for entertainment, they need us for financial stability... but that's a different argument.

HERE'S THE SOLUTION(s):

1) My Buddy and I have come to this:  Bring in the NBDL to challenge the NBA dunkers, get some hungry guys in there who want to prove something, who want to win some money and want to show that they deserve a spot on in the NBA. This promotes the NBA and also scares the hell out of NBA players to not get shown up.

2) Have the fans vote in the dunkers who can still dunk. ie: LeBron. If LeBron refuses he has to offer a public reason why not. Injury...fine. Family stuff...fine. But, I don't want to see him on the sidelines making faces OR doing better dunks in the allstar game the next day.

3) (the most illogical) Bring in the AND 1 guys. "The Air up there" aka Mr. I did a 720 would win in a heartbeat. And have THEM challenge the NBA.

Basically this comes down to the players not wanting to do it, and it completely shows. It's pathetic. Acknowledge that you owe it back to the people who buy your shoes and jerseys. If you came to my work and cheered me on while I wrote this blog you better believe I'd pay you pack somehow someway in the future.

Solution!