Beating the Hype

It is rare in today's day and age when something exceeds or matches it expectations, whether it be sporting events, movies, or TV shows. Invariably the hype overshadows the event and you are left saying "We needed 2 weeks and an 8 hour game day pre-game show for that?" Happens all the time when we think back to the majority of Super Bowls, Finals, Stanley Cups, World Series, movie sequels (other than Fast Five), TV shows, and it is only getting worse as the internet age continues to break down every wall of communication. What chance does the Hangover 3 have to match expectations when it already being discussed now; or the next installment of the Dark Knight franchise when the next villain was being discussed while the latest installment was still in theaters? Every Real World season starts out with commercial clips of the most exciting 5 minutes of the 3 months, and then after 5 episodes you are left with the same egocentric camera loving degenerates as the previous 20 seasons and you wonder "Do I really care why a waitress from Jamestown always falls for the worst type of guys?" Now we are conditioned to expect the hype to beat event, so it is a surprise and a cause for celebration when we get the reverse.

This year's NBA and NHL finals running on opposite nights and continuing to beat the hype have been the biggest surprise example of event over hype since Heath Ledger put on the Joker make up. Both have not only been great sport, but both have a movie script with a reality TV show feel. In the NHL you have two teams from the opposite ends of the continent starving for a Cup, both with rapid fan bases and rich history. On the Vancouver roster is Roberto Luongo, the NHL player who could most use a couple months on Dr. Drew's couch along with the maddening Sedin twins who could just as easily be characters in a Steig Larsson novel and the irony that Western Canada's fans best hope for the Cup is if US Olympic hero Ryan Kelser throws the Canucks on his back. Meanwhile, the Bruins have come back from a 0-2 hole partly thanks to the emotion from one of their players being knocked out of the series due to an illegal hit and another of their players having their finger bite by Canucks forward Alexandre Burrows. All that is left is for a goalie or coach fight and in the NHL that wouldn't be unexpected. Tim Thomas is playing like Patrick Roy, but looks more like Goldberg from the Mighty Ducks and Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, who is a dead ringer for Ivan Drako, might out do both Drako's and Rocky's pre-fight training and play all 60 minutes if there is a game 7. Two blowout Bruins wins followed two last second wins by Vancouver and as the series head back to BC the only thing I know for sure is that O' Canada will get more cheers in game 5 than it did in games 3 and 4 and I will be unable miss a second of the action.

The NBA Finals is even more exciting theater as the Lebron drama enters month 11 with the outcome still in doubt. Good vs. Evil is more defined in this series as Dirk is battling the evil empire and the play of Lebron has been analyzed by both NBA circles and psychologists. The off court drama surrounding Lebron has been a reality TV producers dream as the sentiment for his fourth quarter play seems to be tied more to the personal lives of his inner circle than the Mavs defense. The series is as close as it can be after 5 games, but unlike last year when you expected constant high level play from the Lakers/Celtics the prospect of this series going any numerous ways in game 6 and 7 makes it the most anticipated games (in any sport) in memory. The fun in this series has even spread to the media as La Batard vs. Barkley and ESPN Heat index vs. ESPN Dallas battle it out with one liners, bets, analysis and adjustments. Unlike even great basketball series', this has been more appealing because it is more than just basketball, if I told you the Heat stormed back on their home court to dominate games 6 and 7 behind Lebron as he validated his decision and the best player in the game label, would you be surprised? What if I told you the Heat would come out flat in game 6 as Dirk and Dallas shoot lights out while Lebron has that far away look like the hated cast member of the Real World on the reunion show who tells all his fellow castmates how he wants nothing to do with them every again and is just happy this is over, you probably wouldn't be stunned either? The most likely scenario is something in the middle as both teams seems to be as evenly matched Hickory and South Bend, but the possibility of where this script is going to go is what makes the movie.

If both series' go seven games next Tuesday and Wednesday will be as good as it gets and will be the perfect lead in to America's fifth professional sport, MTV Challenge "Rivals", because there is always a couple things we can count on, the rule of three, and the ability of TJ Lavin hosted Challenge to exceed the hype.