The Draw Play

Peyton Manning hosted the ESPYs the other night. You know, that awards show that doesn’t matter in the slightest but is usually good for a few laughs. He was…eh. I don’t know if that’s really where Peyton belongs as a personality. He’s a funny guy but as a host? Just not his element. The scripted elements shown through too much. He got off a couple of decent zingers, but some of the monologue (Like when he “control freaked” the stage production) was way too forced and honestly pretty cringy. He was disposable fluff, inoffensive and easy, cheap shots that were predictable. No one is going to remember the rest of the show though, because of the one moment where he zinged Kevin Durant.

So let’s talk about Kevin Durant for a bit. His reaction on the zinger was complete and utter “I am so over this bullshit”. Of course, it was probably an act. Those kind of situations are always part of the joke, stage shows are extremely choreographed so you don’t have something interesting and unexpected happen like giving the oscar to La La Land. It’s part of the reason awards show productions are so horribly sanitary, predictable, and boring. So I have no doubt Kevin was in on the joke. I don’t know why though, I don’t see how it helps his image at all to look genuinely pissed off. I feel like it would have gone over better if his reaction was played up a little more. Oh hey, Kevin Durant can laugh at himself and take jokes! He’s cool again! Instead it looks like he still can’t.

However KD feels, I think he’s gonna have to deal with it, because I think he deserves the jokes. He was within his rights to do what he did. Not judging him for that. But it doesn’t change the fact that he bailed a town that loved him to join a super team and completely wreck the idea of competitive balance. This was the worst example of ring-chasing I’ve ever seen. Not even LeBron forming the Miami super team felt this blatant. At least then they had to also gather Chris Bosh and then figure out the chemistry. The Warriors were already championship caliber and he just decides “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. Maybe this is partly because we the public and press put too much emphasis on rings, but that’s a discussion for another comic.

I’m always going to be a fan of the underdog and parity as a whole. Not complete parity, that becomes a slog. But a level of parity that feels like someone from a lower tier can still take down someone a tier above them. I’ve gotten really into the NBA the past few years, and I kind of don’t want to watch anymore, because honestly who is going to beat this team until they disband? Even the mighty Cavs looked lost now. The Patriots, at their mightiest, have never felt this imposing, because the playoffs are a one and done different sort of beast. Super teams are boring. NBA fans have shot back at me “This is how it’s always been” as if that’s somehow a good thing. Traditions aren’t always a good thing. Roughly 25 NBA teams right now have zero chance. 3 or so have a small hope. 1 could theoretically do something, and we’ve seen that team already play the warriors 3 years in a row. We’ll remember these teams down the road with wistful nostalgia, but the present sucks. That’s the worst part.

At least we can make Kevin Durant joining the winning side jokes forever.