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Another massive FAIL from Jason Whitlock.
Now the ratings are up because there are less tattoos.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8...s-more-viewers
In NBA playoffs, less ink means more viewers
by Jason Whitlock
Over the next couple of weeks you'll hear lots of theories about why TV ratings are surging for the NBA playoffs.
Of course it helps that large TV markets with storied franchises (Boston and Los Angeles) are still alive and favorites to make the NBA Finals. And, yes, it helps that the league's two most successful franchises over the last five years (San Antonio and Detroit) are competing against the Lakers and the Celtics.
The conference finals are littered with big stars, too. Kobe, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Paul Pierce, Tony Parker, Ray Allen, Manu Ginobili, Rasheed Wallace and all the rest could make up an all-star team that the rest of the league couldn't beat.
Obviously, there are a lot of factors contributing to the ratings numbers that TNT, ESPN and ABC keep bragging about in nearly daily press releases.
The NBA has been experiencing a resurgence ever since the Suns traded for Shaquille O'Neal, the Lakers acquired Pau Gasol, the Mavericks got hoodwinked into snagging Jason Kidd and the Cavaliers picked up new spare parts for LeBron.
But there's one issue driving improved ratings that likely won't be touched by all the NBA talking heads on TNT and ESPN.
Tattoos. Or rather the lack of tattoos in the conference finals.
Part of the reason more people are watching these playoffs is because the average fan isn't constantly repulsed by the appearance of most of the players on the court. Most of the key players left in the playoffs don't look like recent prison parolees.
The only accurate way to describe Garnett, Pierce, Duncan, Allen, Manu, Parker and even Kobe is "clean cut." Yeah, there are a couple of tattoos in that group — Duncan has something on his back, Kobe still has his post-rape-allegation tat — but the Lakers, Spurs and Celtics have far less ink on average than your typical NBA franchise.
Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony have more tats on their hands than the entire Spurs roster.
I know many of you probably think the number of tattoos doesn't influence viewing habits. You're wrong. Like everything else televised, appearances matter. There's a reason you don't see nude scenes in movies with fat people. Trust me, fat people have sex. It's just no one wants to see it. Not even fat people.
No one wants to watch Delonte West or Larry Hughes play basketball. It's uncomfortable and disconcerting. You don't want your kids to see it. You don't want your kids to think they should decorate their neck, arms, hands, chest and legs in paint. You don't want to waste time explaining to your kids that some millionaire athletes have so little genuine self-confidence that they find it necessary to cover themselves in tattoos as a way to mask their insecurities.
You just want to watch basketball and feel like you're watching people you can relate to a little bit, people you somewhat respect.
We finally have that again on the NBA's biggest stage, and everyone can see it because the league's substance isn't covered in a barrel of tattoo ink.
David Stern has been arguing that the NBA is the best book. Ever since Ron Artest went into the stands, Stern has been slowly changing the cover of his book. The dress code and the age limit have helped. The midseason trades helped. Garnett's donning of a Celtics jersey really helped. Kobe's maturity and ascension to Jordan's throne has probably been the most important development. Kobe is everything the league wants LeBron James to be.
But don't underestimate how much having a visually pleasing product to look at has benefitted the league at conference finals time.
It's a television show. Pleasant smiles, non-threatening people sell products better than menacing, tattooed brutes.
If I was David Stern, I'd commission Nike and/or Under Armor to create a basketball jersey with long sleeves, all the way down to the wrists. I'd make Iverson wear a turtleneck jersey with sleeves. I'd cover the tats.
Do you think Sports Illustrated would let its swimsuit models cover themselves in tattoos? Models are paid to look good. Athletes are no different from models. Everyone accepts that female basketball players — when possible — are pushed to showcase their feminine beauty.
It's unfortunate that too many young athletes are too unenlightened to approach the game like a business. They resist almost all ideas that would put more money in their pockets. They have to be forced to do the little things that would help them make more money.
Growing NBA ratings is what's best for the players in the long term. Adopting a non-prison-ready appearance would help everyone in the league earn more money. But no one will talk about it.
Another massive FAIL from Jason Whitlock.
What a bunch of horse !Tattoos = insecurity now? since when??
I wouldn't want my kids to watch them because of the tattoos. Its because they are horrible basketball players.No one wants to watch Delonte West or Larry Hughes play basketball. It's uncomfortable and disconcerting. You don't want your kids to see it. You don't want your kids to think they should decorate their neck, arms, hands, chest and legs in paint. You don't want to waste time explaining to your kids that some millionaire athletes have so little genuine self-confidence that they find it necessary to cover themselves in tattoos as a way to mask their insecurities.
Whitlock is such a racemonger its not even funny.
this is stupid
Brilliant. That explains why the Spurs/Pistons Final in 2005 was such a ratings success.
Lame, I did however like the comment that Iverson and Melo have more tats on their hands, than the entire Spurs roster.
Rosen used to be my least favorite Fox writer but this Whitlock moron has overtaken him
At least Charley is able to digest and discuss X's & O's, but this guy just throws out garbage.
I don't particularly like tattoos as I have none, but to say people don't watch a basketball game because the players have too many of them is ludicrous bull . To imply that wearing tattoos makes a person less worthy of being a role model ('cause that's what he is doing here) is preposterous! This dude is an absolute joke.
This might be the worst stretch ever for an article.
He actually thinks less tattoos correlates to more viewers
So its Kenyon Martin's fault for the 03 finals?
rasheed wallace in 05?
Larry hughes last year?
He might be on to something.....
I do apologize for forgetting to put Fox Sports in the thread le. I like to warn people what they're getting...
I saw this earlier this afternoon. I thought about posting it for laughs, but decided against it because after reading it all I could think about was the high school principal's speech from Billy Madison. "Mr. Whitlock, what you have just written is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent article did you even come close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone on the internet will be dumber for having read it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
In The Internets, More Over-The-Top Ridiculousness Equals More Readers
What a crock of .
Is there any chance this is tongue-in-cheek? It's hard to believe it's meant seriously. I don't normally really even register tattoos but tonight I'm going to pay attention and see how many players have them.
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