In the recent 2011 NBA Draft, Minnesota Timberwolves General Manager David Kahn, tosses out the “Conspiracy Theory” that the NBA Draft might be rigged. His basketball team had the best chances of getting the #1 pick, but they once again watched another team (this time the Cleveland Cavaliers) leap frog them as they lost the first draft pick.

(First off, I no longer acknowledge the term, “Conspiracy Theory”. That phrase is the lazy person’s way of opting out of critical thought, and courtroom style fact matching. Let’s ask the question, then debate, then conclude a more likely answer.)

Recent “Consp….. things that some people want ALL people to believe without further examination, thought, or research of facts that if present should easily prove those ‘some’ people correct”:

– President Obama’s original birth certificate.
Where is it? Didn’t the Electoral College have to review the eligibility of the candidate? Where is the head of the Electoral College explaining the process of how they checked the original birth certificate for eligibility requirements?

– 9/11.
Some people (including many democrats in the Michael Moore camp) think that the Bush team knew about the attacks, or even helped plan the attacks as a “false flag” operation to launch 2 wars for oil in the Middle East.

– Bin Laden Photo.
Where is the photo? Where is the video of the Seal Team 6 double tap? Where is the video of wrapping, then dumping that dragon’s corpse into the sea? If this really happened,…why not show it? I would much rather remember that gruesome image than remembering that guy as the robed AK-47 wielding prophet in a recruiting video, or think of the dust and blood of 2 towers toppling, or thinking about the images of people being roasted alive who jumped from windows instead of being cooked inside a burning building. Don’t tell me that a dead monster might make people mad at the United States. Rejoicing over a slain dragon is cause for a cold beer, a good cigar,…(read further) and a moment of feeling good. The USA needs a hero, and in the absence of a true hero, the celebration of a dead bad guy counts. (Thank you US Armed Forces!) Come on,…when is the last time you’ve actually felt GOOD about America? It’s been a pretty rough decade for many people.

– Chemtrails (look this up)
– UFO’s (research without prejudice)
– HAARP (holy crap look this up)
and many more.

I say, let’s ask the questions and seek the truth wherever the facts take us.

Kahn said, “This league has a habit, and I am just going to say habit, of producing some pretty incredible story lines,” Kahn said, while smiling, on Tuesday. “Last year it was Abe Pollin’s widow and this year it was a 14-year-old boy and the only thing we have in common is we have both been bar mitzvahed. We were done. I told (Utah executive) Kevin (O’Connor): ‘We’re toast.’ This is not happening for us, and I was right.”

Nick Gilbert, the son of owner Dan Gilbert represented the Cavs in the draft lottery. It’s a nice story line indeed. Nick has neurofibrosis, a rare disease that he has coped with for most of his young life. He’s a kid you want to root for. Lebron james jilted and stunned Ohio sports fans with last year’s egomania (think Wrestlemania minus the fun) called “the decision”. The USA needs a hero. Lebron is a villain in Cleveland. It’s compelling television to root for the underdog right?

So here comes a likable kid, on a team that could really use some luck, and guess what? The team that had a 2.8% chance of getting the first pick actually got it! Well, put Nick Gilbert on stage, think of the karmic balancing act of “righting the lebron wrong”, and PRESTO! Cavs get the #1 AND #4 pick in this year’s NBA draft.

Is it wrong to question with boldness the possibility that the draft lottery could be pre-ordained?

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Is this the same league that recently watched former referee Tim Donaghy plead guilty to gambling on games he officiated? Think Pete Rose or the Chicago Black Sox.

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Why would a league that is fighting WWF or WWE type “rigged competition” stereotypes encourage gambling with a draft “Lottery”? Isn’t gambling bad in the executive and legislative branches of pro sports? I think lottery, and I think of mega-power-ultra ping pong balls. I think blue & silver haired bingo. I think of rolling the dice, or putting it all on red. Seems to encourage “consp,….some bold questions”. Decades later, people still discuss the Patrick Ewing draft lottery with suspicion.

There has been talk and recent rumors of a professional team in Las Vegas. NBA perhaps? No major sport has allowed it yet,…at least in part due to game fixing and professional gambling concerns.

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All I know is, that it’s not easy being a Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Browns, & Cleveland Indians fan. None of these 3 teams have won a professional championship since the Browns won in 1964. That is a long time to get close, but no cigar, (please no Bill Clinton jokes)!

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Cleveland needed a hero, and we were spat upon. The U.S.A. is in a Great Recession, and nobody seems to be seriously addressing our 14.3 TRILLION dollar debt. Sports provides a brief relief and distraction from the dire financial situation crumbling around us.

Lebron could have been a good person to root for, and given the fans a good reason to be excited. A potential hero carrying the banner of the ultimate sports underdog. The city was close. Cleveland might finally catch a break, and not end up heart broken again. The Cavs had the best regular season record 2 years in a row. Lebron was a 2 time MVP, Mike Brown (now the Lakers coach) was coach of the year. The elusive championship seemed right around the corner.

We looked around the corner and took a kick to the groin!

This started off as what could have been one of the best underdog of all underdog stories. Local kid makes good. Small market midwest city holds first pro championship parade in 47 years. Nope. The going got tough, and the king rode out of town after serving Cleveland divorce papers on national television. I swear,..behind my near tears, rage, and the burning wafts of charred Cleveland sports smoke, I think I could see him flipping us all the middle finger. It certainly felt that way.

Sure Cleveland won the first draft pick, and will also pick 4th in this year’s draft.

So what.

Hard to get excited about a draft pick, when “the chosen one” reminds me that “There’s Only Next Year” as a Cleveland fan.

We never celebrate this year.

Only next year.

So please,…forgive me if I celebrate a slain dragon, while asking “consp,… questions that should have simple answers”.

I WILL celebrate the U.S. military “taking our talents” to the Middle East!

Brian Engelman
05_26_11 @ 9:44am