Battle For Ohio

It’s 5 months until the start of Xavier’s 2009-10 season and already they have a highlight that cannot be topped…if only we could see it.  According to ESPN and several other sources, Xavier’s own 6-4 swingman Jordan Crawford threw one down on Lebron James at his basketball camp during a pick-up game.

Crawford made this same exact face when he leaned that the tapes would never see the light of day

There were a few cameramen who were taping and their tapes were quickly confiscated by Nike reps.

It’s too bad.  This makes James and Nike look like A-holes for something as stupid as a play that happens a few times every game in college and the NBA.  It means nothing in the grand scheme, but they’ve created this “scandal” which has produced negative attention.  They should’ve had fun with this, released the tape, and created some kind of joke or commercial involving it.

We all know in a real game that Crawford would be swatted into the 10th row by James, much like James did to Dwight Howard when he blocked a Superman dunk attempt in the Eastern Conference Finals.  Nike and James could’ve gotten positive attention out of this if they worked it the right way…they may have even made money from it.  Let’s not forget Crawford, who would have instantly gotten himself and Xavier all the attention they needed for next season.  He would’ve become a cult hero to X fans (who would certainly buy 10x the number of Crawford jerseys).

But instead, we now have slimey reporters trying to dig something out of anyone who might have been there, including bugging the crap out of Crawford.  And Nike and James look like tightwads…maybe they are.  Although this smells like a Nike production rather than James, but he has to eat the bad press.

I’m sure someone could’ve oozed out a 30 mintue show with a 5 second clip of the dunk.  ESPN’s E:60 could have easily drummed up 90 minutes of interviews, over-hype, and sensationalism.

But instead, this has turned into an annoying story with no new updates, even though we contantly are getting updates about nothing.  At least we don’t have to hear about Brett Favre.