Greetings ans salutations friends - please accept my sincerest of apologies for enduring nearly a week without a post. Playoff sports and Easter chocolates have consumed me, eliminating all but a shred of productivity from my daily life.
Nonetheless, I have returned to quell the insatiable group that are my readers with a little analysis from the 2011 NBA Playoffs.
When monumental instances occur, there are short-term and long-term causes for such.
For example, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg on June 28th, 1914, in Sarajevo was a short-term cause for the first World War that began one month later. Ferdinand's death and the subsequent changes were integral because as the heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian throne, the Austrian monarch governed a large territory that included a Serbia rife with an anti Austro-Hungarian movement that led to the division of the empire which was in place since 1878's Treaty of Berlin.
On the contrary, long-term causes are only realized in retrospect. The Industrial Revolution and the influx of new metals and advanced production means can be seen as a long-term cause for the current state of widespread global warming and the deterioration of the environment. As the adage goes, hindsight is 20/20, and at the time, it would have been nearly impossible to foretell the influence of the Industrial Revolution. During this generation of accelerated change, it was a means for Europe's Westernized powers to swing the mighty sword of industry at its foes, changing the make-up and balance of power in Europe. Years later, we see that the shift in focus towards the raping of resources and mass production is certainly a long-term cause for the current state of the Earth's environment.
You may be asking yourself - where is he going with this?
Simply put, the other night Kobe Bryant of the L.A. Lakers threw-down two menacing dunks in game 5 of the L.A/New Orleans Hornets series that changed the 2011 playoffs. Based on reputation and a nearly stellar, yet inconsistent regular season, the Lakers were amongst a handful of teams pegged by experts and fans alike as favorites to win the 2011 NBA title.
There were questions about the age of the team, motivations and the health of several key players. After splitting the first four games of the series, many questions were asked of the Lakers and their title hopes. Centre Andrew Bynum looked like a meniscus tear waiting to happen and Pau Gasol had the enthusiastic expression of an inmate working a chain-gang. Kobe seemed flat footed and was quick to complain about an injured ankle as a reason for why he was unmistakebly beat off the dribble by Hornets point guard Chris Paul on many a possession.
Despite the excuses and the ever-aging squad, those two dunks were a short-term cause for the Lakers inevitable trophy hoisting a month and a half down the road.
The dunks lit an essential fire under both the asses of Mr. Bryant, and his teammates.
When the Lakers win the title, feel free to congratulate me for my soothsaying abilities.
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