What?!? Harlem Globetrotters Drop Generals As Primary Opponents

There used to be a few constants in the world of sports: There would always be a snowstorm during the high school basketball tournaments in the spring, the Yankees would always knock the Twins out of the playoffs, and the Washington Generals would always lose to the Harlem Globetrotters. Well, two of those are still true.

But according this ESPN.com story, the Harlem Globetrotters aren't going to be playing the hapless Washington Generals anymore. Apparently, the team believes it'll be cheaper for them to field an opponent, rather than pay the Generals to compete-- and lose-- against the Globetrotters.

There's quite a history to the two teams. According to the story, "Sixty-three years ago, Globetrotters founder Abe Saperstein asked Klotz to create an opponent for the Globetrotters. While the guys in the red, white and blue did their tricks and made crowds of all generations laugh and applaud, the Generals just did their thing -- try to win."

I have to wonder, though, just how much they really did try to win. We all know the stars of the show are the Globetrotters, and crowds didn't pay money to see those flashy basketball wonders lose to that other team.

However, about 4 years ago I had the chance to suit up with the Generals when they were playing the Globetrotters and I was on the air back in Eau Claire, Wis. I took part in warm-ups with the Generals, and even got into the game for a few plays. And, even though those players on the Generals no doubt knew the result-- that the Globetrotters would win-- they still were pretty good in their own right, and didn't just mail it in.

I could certainly be wrong, but saying each Globetrotters/Generals game was an actual, REAL game is a bit of a stretch, if you ask me. It seems to me those contests were more along the lines of a professional wrestling match. I'm not saying every play was scripted, necessarily, but the outcome of a Globetrotters' victory seemed to be more or less guaranteed. It was less of an athletic competition than it was an entertaining show of athletic skills disguised as a basketball game.

Either way, though, it'll certainly be different to see the Globetrotters take to the court against someone else the next time they're here in the Med City. I guess everything does come to an end.