NBA Commissioner David Stern was on the Colbert Report last night to hype the league. One moment stuck out though: Stern—aided by some mangled syntax—making a crack about how the NBA and MLB were different.
The point we're referring to begins around the 51-second mark.
"Too current and movement-oriented, and attitudinally, talking to young folks"? That is the most diplomatic gloating ever (although it's doubtful Bud Selig can hear it). But he is right. MLB has long been seen as the stuffy person's sport of choice, the perfect sport for Ken Burns, Bob Costas, and treacle. The NBA has a rich history that could easily be sentimentalized a la Burns — Bill Russell practically screams for the tinkly-piano treatment — but Stern would never go for something like that. It'd just make him look like an old fogey. He's the modern sports commissioner (see: the league's relationship with YouTube), and don't you forget it.
To view the complete interview, go here.