The semester is running out, and schoolwork is driving me crazy. So this week, I'm breaking the rules. I'm starting up the DeLorean, amping it up to 88 miles per hour and going for a joy ride through time. But rather than messing with my personal history, I'm going to be messing with sports history.
First, a quick rule: Nothing can be changed that involves teams that you support. I can't fix the Yankees 2004 ALCS collapse; Red Sox fans can't fix Bill Buckner's fielding ineptitude. Outside of that, everything is fair game. Fasten your seatbelts. You're in for a wild ride.
1. Eliminate Steroids (1990s)
The Steroid Era will go down in history as much more than a decade with a home-run surplus. In a game so defined by its record books, the use of performance-enhancing drugs will forever leave fans questioning what was real and what was not. Is Maris still the true single-season home run king? Is Aaron still the career leader?
Perhaps most disappointingly, it has turned sports fans — often the biggest proponents of unbridled, unsupported optimism — into doubters. When Jose Bautista hit 54 home runs last year, we doubted. When Brian Roberts went from a base stealer to a 20-home-run guy, we doubted. Even in other sports, when Lance Armstrong made what could have been the most motivational run in sports history … you guessed it … we doubted. My first order of business would be going into the '90s and removing all of the doubt.
2. Sink Hayward's Desperation Heave (2010)
Okay, I'll reason with you, I am indeed a fan of the underdog. But this isn't a case of me getting my Cinderella jollies. If Gordon Hayward had hit his half-court three, it would have knocked off Duke and earned Butler the first mid-major NCAA basketball title since UNLV won in 1990, six months before I was born.
It's not like I'd be changing much: Hayward missed by mere inches, just barely continuing over the front rim. But think about the storylines: Basketball blue blood against little-known school from the heartland of college basketball, half-court shot from the team's star that had quickly become a household name, Butler coach Brad Stevens doing cartwheels at center court. Screenwriters couldn't make this stuff up. So give me my Cinderella story, and let me go to sleep happy.
3. Overturn Haywood v. NBA (1971)
Way back in the day, the NBA would not allow players to enter the league until they were at least four years out of high school. In 1971, Spencer Haywood attempted to enter after just three years, and when he was denied, he took his case all the way to the Supreme Court, where he was eventually victorious.
While this decision ended up letting a handful of young players enter the league early in the '70s, it more importantly set the precedent that caused many players to make the jump 20 years later, negatively affecting both the NBA and the NCAA.
First of all, college basketball fans lost out on some great dynasties. McGrady, Bryant and Garnett would have all been facing off with each other in what could have been some of the greatest games of all time. James and Howard could have started a classic UNC-Duke rivalry that could have continued into the NBA, or they could have taken their talents to the same school and dominated for three years. We will never know.
But just as importantly, all of these players would have had four years in college to improve and mature. Kevin Durant improved vastly this year after a summer under Mike Krzyzewski; if only he had four years with a such a great college coach. And if James had had to come up under Roy Williams, maybe "The Decision" would never have happened.
So there you have it, what I would do if I could go back. What would you do if you had the chance? Send me an email and maybe you'll see yourself in print next week.
