Pop Culture & The Playoffs

The playoffs are officially white-hot, or so David Stern would like you to believe, averaging around 5 million cable viewers a night (even with games not at the half well past midnight on the east coast). Although the conference finals aren’t exactly the sexiest of matchups…at least most of regular network programming has seen its season finales come and go.

So all this hoopla got me thinking: which NBA Playoff teams, this year, - sixteen in all - would avoid cancellation from the television lineup (also a timely topic as numerous televisions shows are sweating it out as network’s announce next year’s lineups).

So I decided to take a hypothetical/metaphorical peak behind closed “network doors” and enjoy a little imaginative thought…

Eastern Conference: [ABC & NBC representing the weaker of the Big 4 networks, ala the Eastern Conference.]
1) Detroit Pistons - Law & Order [ABC] 8-million
-Steady, poised, well-developed and ALWAYS on in one form or another.

2) Cleveland Cavaliers - Grey’s Anatomy [ABC] 20-million
-The new hot-shot on the block who keeps lasting near the top longer than expected.

3) Toronto Raptors - Lost [ABC] 12-million
-A small, yet fiercely loyal audience is really starting to eat up this eccentric cast of extremely diverse characters.

4) Chicago Bulls - Heroes [NBC] 11-million
-Admit it, you doubted their youth until the rumors couldn’t be denied and you believed they had a real future…even if its next year.

5) Miami Heat - Desperate Housewives [ABC] 16-million
-They peaked a little too early after early dominance, but the best can always return. Mainly because they’ve been at the top before.

6) New Jersey Nets - ER [NBC] 11-million
-Yep, they’re still around.

7) Washington Wizards - Scrubs [NBC] 6-million
-Not for everyone, its cast of characters is never dull and often lovably quirky and quotable.

8) Orlando Magic - My Name is Earl [NBC] 7-million
-While it hasn’t caught on with mass audiences just yet, it might not be too far away (we think).

Western Conference: [CBS & FOX…the network behemoths.]
1) Dallas Mavericks – CSI [CBS] 20-million
-Consistent, well-received, and growing more distinguished over the years…so where are the awards and accolades?

2) Phoenix Suns – American Idol [FOX] 28-million
-Everyone wants to watch, if only because it’s a throwback to a more reckless spirit you wanted to once travel.

3) San Antonio Spurs – 60 Minutes [CBS] 9-million
-Savvy and seasoned…they’re not going anywhere anytime soon. Yet, something about their tactics bugs you. Almost as if they did everything a little unethically.

4) Houston Rockets – Two and a Half Man [CBS]
-If this one doesn’t explain itself, none of them will.

5) Utah Jazz – Survivor [CBS] 13-million
-Still going strong all these years, some better than others.

6) Denver Nuggets – NCIS [CBS]
-More acclaimed that it should be, the results still aren’t as close to the top as you’d expect.

7) Los Angeles Lakers – The Simpsons [FOX] 7-million
-Re-runs are always more fun than the current episodes, star-power or not.

8) Golden State Warriors – Family Guy [FOX] 8-million
-It’s what everyone, especially the youngins, are saying you can’t afford to miss.

Ironically enough, none of the aforementioned shows are going to be cancelled before this upcoming season. Knowing the weaknesses of the NBA, the same is likely true for these playoffs teams next year too.

Any thoughts? Comparisons for the lottery teams? Better ideas? Banter? COMMENT! Show me what ya got.

Until next time…