BBIQ: “This is his career, why shouldn't it be about money?”
Basketball was once throwing a used soccer ball into a simple peach basket that didn’t even have hole in the bottom of it.
Now it’s a game of throwing armloads of cash into big money baskets (without a hole in them) of players, coaches, assistant coaches, television networks, “unorthodox” recruiters, corporate sponsors, vendors, sports media people, and other destinations. Lots of people making lots of money.
Now whether this is a good or bad thing depends on your point of view. In any case, there is a great deal of good and a great deal of bad in it.
Getting lost, however, is the simple joy of taking a round ball and bouncing it a few times and making it sing on the court and then throwing it into a hoop and hearing the sweet sound of twine dancing its happy tune. Accountants and Handlers and Hangers-On are never fun about anything.
The Favored Names in college ball will remain the favored names. Everyone else will be playing catch-up, as always. But one of these days – somehow and some way – the big trophy will be brought to the Prairie State by the courageous players who avoided all competing temptations and chose to proudly wear Illini Orange while doing it.
Will (this guy) go? Will (this guy) stay? It’s never about those who choose to go away. It’s all about those who choose to stay. And because they want to be here and not because of the money.
