Is Roger Goodell Declaring War On The NBA?

In all the hooplah surrounding the NFL schedule release yesterday and everyone deciding this is the year their favorite team definitely goes 12-4, I realized something. That sneaky bastard Roger Goodell is coming for Adam Silver and the NBA. How? Well, you may have noticed there's a certain matchup on a certain day that is sure to get Adam Silver upset

I should say, it's not all that uncommon that the NFL plays on Christmas, it last happened in 2017. The thing is they usually only do that if Christmas falls on a Saturday/Sunday/Monday. That is not the case this year, with Christmas coming on a Friday meaning this will be the first Friday NFL Christmas game since 2009. I get as fans this may not be a big deal, in fact some of you might be excited about being able to watch football during Christmas because in this country football will always be king.

But you know who isn't excited about that? Adam Silver. Christmas Day to the NBA is like Thanksgiving to the NFL. You don't see the NBA scheduling games on that day do you? Everyone sort of agrees that's the day for football. Well the same is kind of true for the NBA and Christmas, especially when it falls on a day that isn't usually a football day. As a sports fan it's great but you have to remember that with this whole coronavirus situation, there's a chance the 2020-21 NBA season starts on Christmas. It's going to be a huge day for the league both in terms of interest and ratings. The Vikes/Saints is an afternoon game too (3:30pm ET), so it's not like the NBA would be competing against the NFL with their early game that always kind of stinks (minus this year's). If you use this year's schedule as an example, it falls right between the Bucks/76ers and Rockets/Warriors. Not exactly matchups that the NBA is going to want to lose viewers for. This then makes me fearful of the type of Christmas Day matchups we would get if the NBA is nervous nobody is going to watch. That's always the best part of that day for me. It's usually the best of the best playing against each other from sun up to sun down. As someone who doesn't celebrate Christmas (see: Greenberg), all I care about on that day is the basketball. 

So for Goodell to drop this game in a short week just so he can snag some of the NBA's juice is an all time villain move. There are already a million reasons to hate the guy but if he fucks up the matchups we get to see on Christmas that's a whole different level to me. I know personally I'm going to watch the basketball and nowadays almost everyone has multiple screens, but the NBA has to know they can't compete with that type of NFL matchup which makes me fearful of what the NBA Christmas slate might look like. 

What I hope happens is Silver punches back and schedules 2020-21 games on Thanksgiving. Sure it might only make the smallest dent in the NFLs ratings if at all, but I say get petty with it. I'll watch whatever NBA game is on over the Lions or some shit. I'd love to see the NBA put a big time matchup on that day just to fuck with Goodell. Maybe Lakers/Clippers or something along those lines. 

I just know Adam Silver has to do something. He can't let Roger Goodell casually steal the biggest day the NBA has. Show a backbone and fight back.