NBA All-Star Game, “SNL” Not What They Used to Be

February 16, 2015 @ admin → No Comments

Sometimes our reminiscences are more pleasant than the moments we are witnessing. Such was the case Sunday with the NBA all-star game. Oh, and the “Saturday Night Live” 40th anniversary celebration. For those with a provincial perspective, each did have a Chicago presence.

Video below of Jayden Robinson. You were expecting Chevy Chase?

* Pau Gasol and Jimmy Butler represented the Bulls. And nicely. Gasol won the opening tip from his brother Marc — marking the first time brothers had opened the game like that. Pau (10 points, 12 rebounds) became the first Bulls player to record an all-star double-double since Michael Jordan’s triple-double in 1997. Gasol, who also had one of the game’s two blocked shots — also is the first Bulls player to be the game’s leading rebounder. Butler was 3-for-4 from the field in nine minutes — and apparently did so without further injuring his right shoulder. It doesn’t get much better than that.

* The game itself seemed to feature less defense than usual (if that’s possible). In that regard, the contest (a 163-158 Western Conference triumph) was a far cry from all-star games of the distant past when Bill Russell and Wilt Chamblerain ruled the court. Or when an unheralded guy like Arlen Bockhorn (not a big name even during his playing days) could win a Most Valuable Player award.

* If New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony is going to sit out the rest of the season, he ended his 2014-15 campaign ingloriously by going 6-for-20 from the field, including 2-for-13 three-pointers. Well, that ought to make Knicks fans feel better.

* The teams combined for 263 shots. With the statistical-analysis department around here having the night off to watch “Saturday Night Live” and/or “The Bachelor” you’ll have to trust the following figures at your own peril: The teams took 5.479 shots per minute. Or one attempt every 10.95 seconds. Meaning about the only need for coaches is to monitor minutes to make sure no players’ feelings are hurt.

* Pretty sure the all-star game managed more shots per minute than the “Saturday Night Live” event did laughs per minute — although there were some fairly funny moments. Just not enough of them. Given all the talent assembled, some of us were hoping for more.

* Meanwhile, back to the Chicago presence at the SNL celebration. During a sequence featuring sports on the show, there was Mike Ditka, Da Bears fans, Michael Jordan, not to mention John Belushi as a football coach. And such Chicago favorites as Belushi and Bill Murray were part of an evening that indeed was more celebratory than funny.

* Funny how our minds — for those of us who can remember when “SNL” was new (flash back to those early days and how amazingly talented the original cast was) — recall those days as being the best. Not that some of the subsequent casts of performers were chopped liver. But there is a special place in our minds (what’s left of them) and hearts for the early days.

* On the bright side, “Saturday Night Live” likely won’t have another celebration show for another 10 years. By which time, sadly, the In Memoriam portion of the program likely will be taking up considerably more time.

* Speaking of the In Memoriam, it was good of Bill Murray to note Generalissimo Francisco Franco was indeed still dead (as he has been since November 1975 — a month after the show’s debut).

* Not that yours truly is a television critic or anything, the 40th anniversary show was memorable. Could it have been better? Certainly. Some former cast members — such as Eddie Murphy, among others — could have had more air time. There was a certain formal feel and sense of sobriety for parts of the program that seemed to be the polar opposite of what “SNL” is like on a good night (guessing there was little of that at after-parties).

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