In Western Pennsylvania, we are a three professional sports kinda place.

We love our football.

Say something bad about dem Stillers and we'll punch ya in the mouth, n'at, you jagoff.

We love our hockey, thanks to Sidney Crosby and that winning the Stanley Cup thing.

Heck, we even love baseball.

Well, we love PNC Park. The baseball stuff, we could take it or leave it. Just give us tickets to the all-you-can-eat section, a warm spring night with fireworks and we're there.

That leaves little room for other professional sports.

Sorry National Basketball Association, you're out of luck.

Even with a spiffy new $290 million arena opening next fall in Pittsburgh, the NBA will come nowhere near the Three Rivers.

That's because there is no room for a fourth pro sport in a such a small market — the 25th in size in the country.

Few are saddened by this fact.

I can't blame them.

I've always had a curiosity about the Association. When the Cleveland Cavaliers played in the Richfield Coliseum, it was a mere 30 miles from where I grew up.

Even though the Cavs were mostly bad in my youth — my father called them the Cadavers — I was a fan of the team and the NBA.

World B. Free was my hero. Then it was Mark Price during the golden age of Cavs basketball.

Then Michael Jordan came around. I hate that guy.

My interest waned until LeBron James re-energized me.

But, let me tell you, the Association has fallen upon some hard times.

This weekend, I watched a few NBA games on TV. It was the first time in a long time I actually watched a game intently.

It was horrible.

What in the name of Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey is going on here? The NBA is a circus.

On one possession, I counted five blatant walks that weren't called. Offenses have no movement. Plays consist of getting the ball to the No. 1 star, isolating him on the defense and letting him try to get to the hoop while everyone else stands around and tries not to get in the way.

There is no flow of play. There are no fundamentals.

It was sad.

And I fear it is trickling down to the lower levels.

This winter, I have seen my fair share of bad high school basketball games.

Often, I was left wondering if the NBA was to blame.

Players look to make the flashy pass instead of the smart, fundamental one.

Players attempt crossover and behind-the-back dribbles when they aren't needed. Fewer and fewer guards can handle the ball merely adequately at the prep level.

Players try to make the acrobatic basket instead of a simple layup.

What happened to the 10-foot jump shot?

It's becoming extinct.

And it's sad. Just like the NBA.

Mike Kilroy is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.