NBA PR...some good, some bad!

If you watched any of the NBA basketball games, you probably saw one or more commercials with NBA players working with young people. They were teaching them basketball, reading to them, or interacting with them in other constructive ways.

This is great public relations in action!

Too much of the time we see headlines about how athletes are misbehaving. These commercials point out that some athletes use their fame to do good things. The adoring looks that youngsters have for those who typically tower some five or six feet above them are worth a month of negative headlines. It's great to see that those who can shoot a ball through a hoop can also take the time to provide role modeling and inspiration to future generations.

Although the idea of showing athletes working with youngsters isn't new, it's still an effective way of pointing out that not all athletes are bad guys.

As I watched the games, I also recognized some potential public relations problems.

Too much of the time the outcome of a game is decided at the foul line. This isn't to say that the officiating is bad; it isn't. It's just that the game has gotten to the point of such physical contact that the space in the area of the basket sometimes resembles a wrestling match more than a basketball game. Flagrant fouls can potentially cause serious injuries.

So what's the answer to this problem?

I don't have the answer. But I do have a couple of tongue-in-cheek proposals that might get some creative thinking going:

How about giving an automatic five or ten points for a flagrant foul? Bet we'd see a lot fewer of them.

Or maybe the foulee should get to take one punch above the waist at the fouler. They could both stand at the foul line and the foulee would take his best shot.

Or perhaps they could go to the center circle and be given two minutes to go at each other cage-fighting style.

Who knows, the additional violence might even add to the number of basketball fans.