Basketball's history is filled with larger than life innovators that have induced game-changing legislation and dynamics.Bob Kurland and George Mikan's inside dominance led to a widened free throw lane and defensive goaltending being outlawed. Wilt Chamberlain single-handedly stimulated the offensive goaltending rule, while Kareem Adbul-Jabbar's dunking ability provoked a 10-year ban on stuffing the ball through the rim. Yale's basketball team conceived the dribble, and founding owner of the Syracuse Nationals (now Philadelphia 76ers), Danny Biasone, devised the 24-second shot clock to prevent stalling.
We can go on for a while here, but you get the point. Dr. Naismith's original creation has been forever altered.
In a unique parallel, the media we use to watch, listen to, read, and write about basketball, has changed as well. Television, newspapers, and radio stations are at a center jump with live streaming, podcasts, blogs, vlogs, micro-blogs, online forums, chat rooms, social networks, and wikis.
A wider lane didn't strangle Kurland and Mikan's stardom. Kareem countered the abolished dunk by developing the best sky hook in hoop history, and Wilt fared just fine scoring the ball when it was not above the cylinder.
They adapted, and journalists can too.
Here's the reality:
