Anthony Davis posted a 59-point, 20-rebound game in a win over Detroit Pistons on Sunday, but it feels like it didn’t really register because we’re too busy talking about whether the Golden State Warriors are going to match the ’96 Bulls with 72 wins.
And rather than just talking about how great the Dubs are playing this season, one of the main NBA narratives right now is whether Kevin Durant will join the team next season and if that would make them better or worse.
In the UFC, one of the greatest fighters of all-time returns to action on Saturday in London as Anderson Silva takes on perennial contender Michael Bisping at the O2 Arena, but all the oxygen in the sport has been swallowed up by Conor McGregor, Nathan Diaz and UFC 196, which takes place a week later in Las Vegas.
On the ice, our focus is on constantly discussing whether any of the Canadian teams will make the playoffs (answer: probably not since only Ottawa has a chance) and what the seven teams in this country are going to do at next week’s trade deadline, which probably isn’t a lot because the trade deadline has been a letdown for several years now, despite both Sportsnet and TSN devoting the entire day to covering it.
That fixation takes away from the intriguing elements of Patrick Kane’s remarkable season, Erik Karlsson playing like a modern day version of Paul Coffey (maybe better) and a ton of young talent like Evgeny Kuznetsov, Johnny Gaudreau, Artemi Panarin and John Klingberg all being in the Top 20 in scoring this season.
In our never-ending search for the hottest of takes and the next big buzzy story, we’re missing the “in the moment” events that make sports great on a night-by-night basis.
Listen – it’s understandable that we’re looking at bigger picture conversations and things that can stoke the fires on social media, but at the same time, the nightly successes and achievements can’t be overlooked either. Sure, it’s hard when you’re talking about Game 57 of 82 on the hardwood or a random Wednesday in August during the baseball season, but when someone does something special or continues having a tremendous season, it has to be more than just a passing note on the ticker.
Because that is what makes the playoffs or events like NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament (a.k.a. March Madness) so electric and must-see, especially during that first week when there are games Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There is no greater, next season narrative to focus on – it’s all about what’s happening in the moment and the pursuit of the championship.
And those things are just as important as the more trend-worthy topics and the larger talking points that generate debate.
