Nowadays, the NBA All-Star Dunk Contest has became the serious girlfriend you've been living with for four or five years yet still haven't popped the question. You love her dearly, you remember the first time (you saw her...hey now, enough of that), but every anniversary you expect less, she gets a little more full of herself, and if one of you doesn't spice things up soon, things are only going to get worse.
After watching the whole "Superman-Kryptonate" backstory unfold this year with Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic and Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks in the finals (and Dwight Howard is my favorite NBA'er), I changed the channel to make sure I was still watching the NBA and not the WWE, expecting The Godfather to run out from the crowd or a Ric Flair "Wooooo!" after every dunk.
A few off-the-wall suggestions...
1. Hold the event every two or four seasons. More time for players to prepare for better, more innovative and original dunks. This, or allow a "One or You're Done" rule; only one dunk to get it right.
2. If Nate Robinson should jump over anyone else down the road, have him clear Frederic Weis, a la Vince Carter in the 2000 Olympics.
3. Enlist Craig Sager, should TBS/TNT be covering the game (heck, he should be brought on regardless of the network) to interview everyone, just for reactions of the suit he's wearing.
4. Beg, kick and plea to the league for more starpower. If you're worried about insurance risk, go see Lloyd's of London. Whether giving home-court advantage to the winning player's conference or giving the player a worthwhile contract incentive, simply put, I'd rather see Lebron James sporting a Cavaliers jersey leaping from the free-throw line than on the sideline leaping up in street clothes for Jamarrio Moon. And that's nothing against Moon. Although King James has announced he might have a change of heart come next year.
5. Allow a winning fan to be part of the act, if even dunking on a lowered goal is necessary. Could you imagine the look on Shaq's face seeing a 5'8" hotel clerk windmilling on an eight-foot goal?
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