Don't know how many of you have been watching the Suns/Lakers series in the NBA playoffs but it's been maddening. Obviously because of my location I have more reason to want the Suns to win it but you'll just have to believe me that it's more than just my regional interests that have turned me on to this team.

First of all, they're led by an intellectual and quality individual. Steve Nash is a true Renaissance man, Canadian born, a natural athlete in numerous sports, keeps his hair long, cherishes his friendships on his former teams, and nobody has bad things to say about him. His inventiveness and great judgment are truly entertaining and refreshing in a sport filled with spoiled brats.

Nash's work ethic has rubbed off on his teammates and they've played unselfish and entertaining basketball all year long, alway displaying good sportsmanship and looking like they genuinely enjoy one another. They don't make cheap fouls on opponents choosing instead to keep the flow of the game at an intense pace and have led the league in most stats. Their coach is a class individual as well.

The team this year and last is extremely popular even out of the area and especially worldwide.

Then come the playoffs......

Suddenly the NBA changes the way they officiate games. They get so caught up in the corporate marketing that they allow teams that reside in their large market areas to become hired thugs. All at once a team like the Suns is no longer effective because you can't run and gun when you're being knocked to floor by spoiled idiots like Kobe Bryant who know they're immune to being constrained during this NBA monetary feeding frenzy.

In the last game, one of the Suns players, Raja Bell, had enough of being elbowed in the face multiple times by Bryant and threw the moron to the floor as he passed by with the ball. This is a man that's stayed cool and constrained all year long but finally had enough. He'll be sitting out of tonight's game (not Kobe of course) and it'll probably cost the Suns the game and a future in the playoffs.

My letter this morning to the NBA told them I've had enough as well. If I want violence I'll take up watching hockey or football. What interests me about basketball is the sheer athleticism and fast thinking it requires of its players. Many of the players when interviewed are articulate and as fast with words as they are with their dribbling. It's a refreshing change from watching interviews with the moronic walking bowling balls of football or the toothless thugs in hockey.

I told the NBA that they were on the verge of losing not only fans but quality fans, the kind that care about more than the box scores but also the about the quality of the men they put on the floor. I hope my message isn't lost in the jumble.

Art