Who should Jazz fans cheer for in the NBA Finals?
Tornbysports 06/11/2012Nearly all the residents in the great state of Utah are fans of the Utah Jazz. It’s the one athletic organization that almost the whole state cheers for, and the one team that brings us all together. Unfortunately, the Jazz didn’t fare so well in the playoffs this year, leaving us with little to cheer for this postseason, and not a whole lot to look forward to in the NBA draft. So who do Jazz fans cheer for in the only remaining postseason series? I’m not cheering for either, and here’s why:
As a Jazz fan I’m not cheering for the Heat because the idea of having a “Big Three” and having it succeed will crush any hopes that the Jazz have of winning a championship. The Jazz don’t have the location, or the salary cap to have a “Big Three” of their own, and wouldn’t be able to compete with teams that do. The Celtics and Spurs have each won championships with their big three, and if Miami wins it will solidify the idea of a big three being a necessity to win a championship.
Not only does the idea of a “Big Three” eliminate the Jazz from title contention anytime in the near future, but how can people actually like the Heat? Anybody who predicts that they will win more than 7 championships before they have even played a game in their new uniform becomes “not one, not two, not three…not six, not seven…” but a million times more dislikable.
As a Jazz fan I’m not going to cheer for the Thunder, because they make the Jazz look bad. In the past 29 years there have only been eight NBA champions. Neither Oklahoma City or Seattle are among the elite that have won an NBA Finals. If the Thunder win, the group champion franchises grows, while organizations –like the Jazz—are left in the cold. The unsuccessful, championship-less cold. Seldom do we hang a championship banner, of any kind, in the rafters of Energy Solutions Arena. If every team starts winning championships, and the Jazz remain the same, than it won’t be long before the Jazz become a complete mockery in the NBA. The Thunder are the more likable of the two teams, but if they win, there will be a price to pay for the Jazz. The price is respect.
As Jazz fans this year’s version of the NBA Finals is a lose-lose. You can cheer for the unlikable, cocky, small-market wrecking big three, you can cheer for a team that’s trying to etch it’s name among the elite in the NBA, making the Jazz less respectable, or you can join me, and hope they both lose.
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