That's Final
Posted April 15, 2007, 11:02 PM ET

Can you believe it? The NBA regular season finally comes to an end this week.

For the Charlotte Bobcats, that's bad news because they have been playing their best ball of the year over the past five weeks. Every time the Bobcats win, they give away ping pong balls to the other league lowlife franchises.

I sure hope Bob Johnson and Michael Jordan know what they're doing....this franchise seems awfully close to turning the corner, and loading up on a few extra ping pong balls for the NBA Draft lottery looks like a better scenario to me than racking up on meaningless wins down the stretch in another playoff-less season.

Lame duck coach Bernie Bickerstaff has done a decent job laying the foundation and you can call me "crazy", but the Bobcats are close to having something that the fans can actually get excited about next season.

Let this franchise get lucky with a golden ping pong ball, and if Johnson/Jordan actually spend some cash in the off-season, the Bobcats will be a bigger playoff factor next season than their NFL neighbor, the Panthers.

According to Forbes Magazine, both Bob Johnson and Michael Jordan can use some good news.

Forbes Magazine listed the Bobcats as the only NBA team to lose value in the past year. If you think about it, that's hard to imagine. Bob Johnson has certainly taken the "fiscally responsible" approach, by not spending the NBA limit on payroll. While the team has improved in the win column in each of the first three years, the franchise has barely produced a ripple in the "passion department" when it comes to creating a buzz factor in Charlotte.

The sparkling new arena which was begrudgingly built despite local opposition remains without a title sponsor, and sellouts are a rare sight unless one of the league's A-list teams or stars is in town. I still believe that if the Bobcats were winning at the same pace as a San Antonio, Detroit or Phoenix, then the place would be sold out and rocking. Charlotte is a sports town that likes a frontrunner, and if the Bobcats can reach that level of success, it will change overnight.

Forbes Magazine also bestowed upon Michael Jordan a number one ranking, too. According to the publication, Michael and his soon to be ex-wife, Juanita, will be the most expensive celebrity divorce on record. The magazine projects a $150 million dollar settlement. How many Air Jordans can you buy with that check?

Maybe Jordan can gain some solace from Johnson who recently split with his wife.....rumor has it the former Mrs. Johnson received nearly $800 million. No wonder why these guys aren't in the spending mood for free agents. I'd be gun-shy, too.

Despite the personal setbacks and failures, Johnson and Jordan might be on the verge of something special on Charlotte's ultimate hardwood. If the Cats get lucky, it will be equally fascinating to see if the locals adapt to a successful NBA team again in the Queen City.

The Panthers have teased the general public and PSL'ers in recent years, and the window of opportunity seems to be closing on John Fox and Marty Hurney. This is a make-or-break year for a team that is coming off a season in which they were the biggest bust of the NFL. Everything is in place for the Panthers to bounce back into the NFL post-season. But if they happen to disappoint again, it will be up to the Bobcats to ease the pain...and steal the spotlight.

I'm eager to see how each pro sports franchise in Charlotte handles and reacts to the pressure.