Despite the fact that baseketball is my favorite sport to play and watch, and the Nets have been my favorite professional sports franchise since 1977, I am just about fed up w/the NBA.

Fresh off the heals of a pretty exciting offseason for my beloved Nets, my worst nightmare is confirmed and the Lakers have landed yet another franchise center that they didn't draft or have to give up a whole lot to get. The Lakers have drafted 3 good centers in their franchise history - Mikan, Divac and Bynum (not counting guys like Elmore Smith and Mychael Thompson here). Yet they somehow acquired Wilt, Kareem, Shaq and now Howard - the four most dominant NBA centers in their respective eras w/apologies to Bill Russell and Hakem.

Since David Stern became NBA Commissioner in 1984, a whopping 7 different teams have won NBA titles (would have been 6 if Jordan didn't take two years off to prove he can't play baseball). The Lakers have pretty much been the team to beat in the Western Conf. for about 40 years now.

NBA has become a complete joke. What did the lockout actually achieve other than a work stoppage. Paul left NO, Howard left Orlando. Two more small market teams grew weaker while the Clippers became relevant and the Lakers are set to begin yet another dynasty.

There is no competitve balance in the NBA. Now it's the Lakers (again), the Heat and everyone else. While it's great the Nets will likely make the playoffs (just making the postseason is still a big deal to us Nets fans that have dealt w/a lot of disappointing seasons over the years), we all know they have no chance for a title this year. May as well book the Lakers and the Heat in the Finals now.

The NFL and NHL show competitive balance. As I like to root for underdogs, I love leagues that have parity. MLB seems like it should be a bad as the NBA when teams like the Yankees and Red Sox have a handful of players that make more money than some entire teams. But 17 different teams have won a World Series since 1984.

That trade kind of ruined the NBA for me. I know that once they start playing, I'll be right there watching the Nets usher in the Brooklyn era. But it's frustrating knowing that the Nets have no realistic shot of winning the title barring unforeseen trades or injuries. Think I may hate the Lakers just as much as the Heat now, and almost as much as the Knicks.

Thank God for MLB and the NFL!