The Childhood of a sports fiend

YouTube has to be the greatest internet development of the last 15 minutes. Almost anything you can hope to look for that doesn't include the lyrics "Bom chicka wah wah" can be found there. For me, my vice is finding old NBA games from the 80s and 90s and the network intros that went with them. See, for a sports nut like me, there are few things like a good TV intro to let you know it's time to get your ass in front of the TV for some great basketball action.

CBS had a dynamite one for the better part of the 1980s. The NBA on NBC intro was the best ever. This however? Was my favorite. The early days of cable in the Stevens household for me meant basketball on school nights, thanks to the NBA on TNT. I made sure I got my homework done and straightened up my room so I could park in front of the tube and see what Magic, Michael, Larry, Charles, Dominique, Scottie and other guys from the late 80s and early 90s were going to do on the court.

Wednesday nights, I only got to see the first half of the double header because thems was the rules laid down by moms. The Friday night doubleheaders? Hoo hoo hooooooo! Only thing she said was "keep the noise down and don't drink none of my Cokes." Simple instructions that were followed without an issue. Then Saturday, I would meet up with my friends at the basketball courts in Bancroft School's park or wherever telephone pole or tree we could nail up a milk crate and try the moves I saw the night before.

There was nothing like the NBA 18-20 years ago. It was just a different time, it was before Michael's dominance, when everybody felt like they had a shot to win the chip and players played and looked different. Like the official NBA hairstyle is braids or locs now? Man back in '89, '90, '91, cats were rocking the Gumby, the Christopher "Kid" Reid Flat top and an uptown fade without fail. Charles Barkley and Xavier McDaniel were the only bald cats in the league at the time and it suited their games very well.

Even the design of uniforms were different. The Sacramento Kings had my favorite jerseys because not only were they light blue, they had the player's last name UNDER the number instead of on top like regular jerseys. Like regular would be "Smith 12," but theirs were "12 Smith." Had to see to appreciate it, y'all.

Whoever invents the time machine will get much love for me before I take it for a spin and go back to find the old Sixers intro from WPHL 17 in Philly. Or even if the time machine doesn't come existence, I know that intro will be on YouTube soon. *le sigh* Memories.