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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIf you follow the sports world via the social media realm of Twitter—and unfortunately, I often do—you may be aware that one of the trends is for members of the sports media, either at the game or sitting at home, to continually offer 140-character assessments of what is transpiring.
Such tweeting pretty much means a spontaneous combustion of snap judgments emanating from rising and falling emotions and little, if any, true insight.
Well, heck, I can do that. So I decided to try it as game two of the Pacers-Knicks playoff series unfolded, minus @’s and hash tags.
So here we go:
TNT opens with beauty shot of NYC’s Central Park. Certain to open with shot of barn when series returns to Indy.
Spike Lee back in traffic cone outfit. I hate Spike Lee.
Pacers great Reggie Miller in the house for TNT on anniversary of 8 pts in 8.9 seconds game. Take that, Spike.
Reggie and Spike man-hug. Think I may burn my #31 jersey.
Knicks off to 6-0 lead. Pacers clearly didn’t come ready to play.
Paul George answers with four straight. Sense a Reggie Miller-type night coming. Pacers may sweep.
Bogus offensive foul on Lance Stephenson. NBA Commish David Stern must have called scorer’s table to emphasize small-market bias.
Pacers called for another foul. Order restored. Stern can hang up now.
Pacers defense is sieve-like. Frank Vogel being outcoached.
Another Pacers turnover. Sense too much New York nightclubbing between games.
Spike Lee out on court protesting call. Did I mention I hate Spike Lee?
Gratuitous shot of John McEnroe. The celebrity shot parade begins.
Knicks lead 29-20 after 1. May switch to O’Reilly Factor.
Who is geek sitting next to Pacers’ bench? Oh yeah, it’s my brother. Slow down gum-chew, bro.
D.J. Augustine gets first shot blocked and then forces turnover. Knew Game 1 was fluke.
D.J. Augustine gets reverse layup followed by steal and layup. Destined for great playoff series.
Did I mention I hate Spike Lee?
Ten turnovers for Pacers. Vogel needs to institute road curfew.
Knicks’ lead goes to 13. Clearly, they want it more. Well, split would be OK.
Referee Joey Crawford should ask Spike Lee for his hat.
Pacers cut lead to five at halftime despite 12 turnovers. Momentum shift. Thinking sweep again.
Charles Barkley says Indiana is going to win series. Nooooooooo!
Lance Stephenson, terrible shot.
Lance Stephenson, great steal.
Carmelo Anthony whines all the time.
David West entitled to complain about that.
Pacers take lead. Mike Woodson clearly being outcoached. Waiting for Stern to reinforce small-market bias.
There it is. Offensive foul on Pacers on one end. Foul on Roy Hibbert on other. Stern desperate for NY-Miami.
Knicks go on 18-2 run to take control. Clearly want it more. Did I mention I hate Spike Lee?
Getting butts kicked by Argentine not named Manu Ginobili, for crying out loud.
Obviously too much nightclubbing between Games 1 and 2. Pacers revert to end-of-regular-season form. May never win another game.
Always a bad sign when both Hansbroughs are on the floor.
You have to give Donnie Walsh credit for putting the Knicks together.
You have to blame Donnie Walsh for not making a midseason Pacers deal.
Knicks crowd chanting “Reggie sucks.” Hope he regrets that man-hug.
Well, that was two-and-a-half hours of my life I will never get back.
The Pacers were pathetic, awful and embarrassing. Ashamed for Hicks, Rubes and Bumpkins everywhere.
But happy with the split.
And shame on anyone who lets Spike Lee courtside at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.•
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Benner is senior associate commissioner for external affairs for the Horizon League college athletic conference and a former sports columnist for The Indianapolis Star. His column appears weekly. He can be reached at bbenner@ibj.com. He also has a blog, www.indyinsights.com.
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