if a tree falls, but no one is around...

"If the NBA season starts tonight, and I'm the only one watching, did it really happen?"

This was a text message I received on opening night of the 2008-2009 NBA season a few weeks ago from a good friend who shall remain nameless. In addition to being hilarious and kind of true, I feel like I should bring it up to at least partially counter the NBA madness taking place over in Adam'slittlemupmup. (burn)
But seriously, does anyone (other than Adam and my friend) actually still watch the NBA anymore??? Call me old-fashioned, call me a jaded Bulls fan, call me whatever you liiiiiiiiiike, but you can't deny the fact that it's lost a lot of its allure.
Just the other day I was surfing the old internets and while wasting massive amounts of time on youtube watching pointless videos (like the reporter who stomps on the grapes and falls over-amazing...hearing her say, "oww owww OWWWWW" will seriously never get old) and I came across some Michael Jordan vs. Kobe Bryant compilations and that sinking feeling came rushing back when you see something that makes you nostalgic and long for something now long gone. You can't sit there and tell me that watching Lebron or Shaq or Melo or Chauncey Billups or Dwayne Wade or even KG (who I love) is the same as tuning in to MJ, Scottie, Ewing, Isiah, Magic, Rodman, Bird, Kareem, Nique, Chuck, or Clyde the Glide...the list could go on forever.
I don't know what it is, I'm not going to be one of those people who says the fundamentals of the game are gone or something like that, but there is just something wrong with the NBA for me now.
I suppose if I had to guess, maybe I would chalk it up to something I think I read Jordan say a little while back. He basically said that the problem is that now you have guys getting paid ridiculous sums of money before they prove they're worth it. There's no earning anymore. Lebron signs a shoe deal with Nike for 100 million+ before he plays a single minute in the NBA (don't get me wrong, he's clearly proved he was worth it, but there are always exceptions)...Wally Szerbiak (i know that's not how it's spelled, but I'm pulling an Adam here) inks an enormous contract...Brian Scalabrine (i know, right?!?!) makes over 3 mil/year (if you don't believe me, look it up. If you don't know who Brian Scalabrine is, give yourself a pat on the back for not wasting your time)...Stephon Marbury made over 21 million dollars last year...
Someone would probably counter by saying some athletes are horribly overpaid in all major sports, and to this I don't really have an answer...

In any case, is the 2008 NBA season really happening???