httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvFtbjIngkY

That money, ego and power can ruin just about anything. That past success does not always indicate future prosperity. That watching millionaires and billionaires squabble over riches is never pleasant, nor particularly interesting. That, despite this, both sides have every right in the world to want to secure the best deal they can manage.

That a simple “no real progress” after a 10 hour meeting can make you want to throw a window through another window. That joking about whatever might be going on in that meeting is the only real escape you have left. That “Stand United” can sound as irritating as it is cliche. That words like “hard cap” and “BRI” can actually cause you to have an unsettling, visceral reaction. That the phrase “shooting yourself in the foot” can feel uncomfortably literal at times.

That ranting on Twitter about David Stern can be as fun as it is negligent. That Stern’s ego often gets in the way of progress rather than fostering compromise. That “plantation-overseer” fits in many ways, and seems excessive in others. That wagging your finger and talking down to another human being isn’t an example of leadership. That had you been in that situation you might have felt like physically assaulting said person. That Dwyane Wade has a lot of self restraint.

That slam dunks, alley-oops, and cross-overs can feel empty. That without true competitive spirit and real defense, basketball seems surprisingly boring and trivial. That despite this, Rajon Rondo can still make you smile. That Kevin Durant’s shooting barrage at Rucker Park remains both entirely pointless and altogether captivating. That John Wall dunking over and over again gets boring eventually. That it doesn’t even take that long. That you can miss basketball to a point where it physically hurts. That you can’t be sure how healthy that actually is.

That it’s fun to make jokes about Carmelo Anthony’s weight. That by some act of God we haven’t heard from Andray Blatche. That it’s probably a terrible idea to borrow money from Kobe Bryant. That Roger Mason Jr. can start a twitter meme, how u. That at some point the meme gets old. That the idea of JR Smith playing in China is hilarious. That you can also be really sad to not have this in your life. That hearing Kevin Harlan call football games is some very perverse form of torture.

That anyone can and will lie to you. That talking about a “PR battle” is not nearly as stimulating as talking about the Miami Heat. That maybe The Decision wasn’t so bad after all. That Dan Gilbert needs to get a grip. That people who owns sports teams have a lot of money for a reason, and it’s generally not from being forgiving and conciliatory. That as fans we probably deserve better. That sadly, “deserve don’t got nothing to do with it”. That using Wire references is both entertaining and entirely played out.

That it’s very difficult to write during a lockout. That despite this there are some truly talented people writing inspiring material . That empathy for stadium workers can become a hot button issue .That you can’t honestly KNOW how someone feels unless they tell you. That guessing otherwise tends to offend people. That everyone is wrong sometimes. That no matter how smart, or how good a writer you believe yourself to be, you will inevitably write something that sucks. That “sucks” is subjective.

That losing a year of what’s left of Kobe Bryant’s career seems completely and totally wrong. That even a Blazers fan can feel this way. That you should appreciate Chris Paul, now. That no one really knows how good or valuable Blake Griffin is, and that’s what makes him so awesome. That Tim Duncan and Blake Griffin are nearly polar opposites. That we never truly understood Duncan. That his greatness was just a little beyond comprehension. That it is more than possible to miss Rasheed Wallace .That you should appreciate everyone now before it’s too late. That you still miss the real Tracy McGrady. That there are other people who miss him just as much. That life never has been nor will it ever be “fair”.

That the phrase “it’s just a game” is simultaneously completely true and wildly off base. That going to the game with your dad is one of purest forms of joy in life. That you miss the phone calls where you talk basketball for hours and hours.

That you fell in love with a beautiful game, and while it “all comes down to the bottom line” you don’t have to let that define the sport. That basketball will always be played and loved no matter what. That Steve Nash passes and Ray Allen jump shots supersede whatever happens during this lockout. That you can be happy again. That this will eventually end.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yjlflTRmfM