ESPN bears a fairly large responsibility as the dominant outlet for sports news and opinion. They have the clout to shape the public’s perception of teams, players, coaches, owners and so on. For the most part, I think they do a good job.

But when it comes to the NBA, and most other major sports to a lesser degree, the media has turned a league of 30 teams, 400-some players, a slew of coaches, scouts and managers into a game of a few high profile individuals. Not only are they a small, elite group, but they are commodities. They’re branded, marketed and sold – and they’re all we ever hear about.

Let me get to the point. If I’m Jason Kidd right now, I’m saying:

What the heck? I’ve been to the finals twice. I’m a nine-time All-Star. I nearly won an MVP trophy. I did win a gold medal at the Olympics. I’ve been in the NBA four years longer than Dirk has, and I’ve played more playoff games than anyone still playing. Why is every story about Dirk and LeBron? Why not me? Why not Tyson Chandler? Why not all of us?

I get it. People want to hear about the stars more than they do the role players. Fine, that makes sense, but at what point are we taking this too far? Since the finals have started, the stories about Dirk Nowitzki’s injured finger greatly outnumber any stories about Jason Kidd, or Tyson Chandler, or even Jason Terry and his tattoo. Moreover, the result is that the overall analysis of the two teams and how they match up is greatly lacking. Personally, I’m much more interested in hearing about Miami’s game plan and how they intend on minimizing Dirk’s presence or how Dallas intends on exploiting Miami’s deficiencies at the center position than I am about hearing who needs a ring more between the two superstars (because apparently Dwyane Wade doesn’t matter and could care less about rings because he already has one).

What’s most ironic about the narrow focus on Nowitzki and James is that they don’t even guard each other. Their head-to-head match-ups hold very little bearing on the finals, as they different positions in different spots on the court. When I log onto ESPN.com, I want to gain insight on the game dynamic and what’s actually going on that I may have missed while watching. Profile pieces and anecdotal stories about LeBron and Dirk simply get old, and they don’t inform the viewers on what’s important – the NBA Finals.

As has been overly speculated, the LA Lakers have looked substantially older this year than they did last season during their second straight championship season. Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Ron Artest, and Lamar Odom are all over 30 years old, but ultimately, the Lakers are still playing very solid basketball at 46-20, good for third in the Western Conference. Can the Lakers win the title this season? Sure, but it’s going to be a very long and difficult road. What’s most striking isn’t what’s going to happen this season, but how they’re going to play over the next three seasons? I think a more pointed question would be: How will the LA Lakers do when Kobe Bryant is making $30 million dollars in 2013?

Yes, Kobe Bryant will be making $30 million at age 35, and nearly $85 million between 2011-2013. Considering that he hasn’t nearly been the dominant and dynamic scorer of old for probably two seasons now, it’s hard to imagine he’ll ever come close to equalling the value of the back end of his contract.

This is highly problematic. Other than Pau Gasol, the Lakers really don’t have a player they can point to and say, “he will definitely be a huge part of our future.” No, I can’t put Andrew Bynum in that category until he proves that he can be healthy and be an every-day player. Until that happens, the Lakers do not have a bright future.

This year, the Lakers are playing with the highest payroll in the NBA. Next year? It goes up. The year after? They’ll be above the luxury tax — no matter what that number ends up being. 2013? They’ll be above what the luxury tax is today. So what’s going to be the plan as Kobe’s age — and his pay grade — are quickly rising?

Well, there really isn’t a good answer to that question. The reality is that the Lakers were greatly fortunate to even have a shot at discussing the trade for Pau Gasol — let alone landing him in what was one of the most absurd salary dumps in NBA history. In other words, a player of Pau Gasol’s caliber isn’t coming around anytime soon unless it’s a superstar willing to take a huge pay cut or a sign-and-trade. Both scenarios seem unlikely, and a high draft pick is likely out of the question as well. Really, the only thing the Lakers have going for them is the fact that LA is still a huge destination ( a la the New York Knicks), and players will always be eager to play for them — for the right price.

Obviously, 2012-2013 is a long way away in NBA years, but the fact remains that the Lakers have boxed themselves into their current roster, and it’s very hard to imagine that they’ll even be a realistic championship team next season. Of course, deals can be done and players can switch teams — this is the NBA of course, but what can the Lakers really do that makes sense? Perhaps parting with Bynum while his stock is high, but even that likely would never truly pay dividends. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds, and my belief is that the mystique of the LA Lakers will eventually wear off and it will become more and more evident that the Lakers do not have a solid foundation for the future.

No. 8 Villanova will play at No. 4 Syracuse tonight for a marquee Big East game that could play a major role in determining who wins the regular season conference title. The Wildcats are one game behind the Orangemen for the outright conference lead. This is the first time these teams have met this season, and they currently share six losses combined on the season. West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Georgetown are each within four games of first place, and they round out five total teams in the Big East that are ranked in the top 16. The Big East has been brutally competitive this year, and the winner at the Carrier Dome tonight might very well punch their ticket not only as conference champions but also as a number one seed in the NCAA tournament.

The Orangemen have been dominant this season with their overall record at 26-2. Wesley Johnson has led his team with nearly 16 points and 9 boards per contest, and he has been a fairly large surprise to the entire country. Johnson spent his first to years of college basketball at Iowa State. He transferred after his sophomore year, and he sat out last season. Before this season, Johnson was virtually unknown. Today he is considered at top-three NBA draft prospect. Syracuse also boasts four other starters averaging in double figures, and they are arguably one of the deepest teams in the country.

Villanova has been ranked as high as No. 2 overall this season, but they have stumbled as of late. They have currently lost three of six games after starting the season 20-1. Senior point guard Scottie Reynolds, who averages 19 points per game, leads the Wildcats. Reynolds, a favorite for the All-American list, nearly left for the NBA last off-season, and without Reynolds, the Wildcats would likely be no where near the team they are today. That is not to say the Wildcats lack overall talent, but Reynolds carries a surprising amount of the load for a top-ten team.

It is hard to pick against the Orangemen in this match up with ESPN projecting a record, sell-out crowd at the Carrier Dome. Not to mention, the Orangemen have only lost twice this season. More importantly, though, the Orange has a more balanced team with five solid contributors every night. Villanova will have trouble keeping up with the better team that will be backed behind a record crowd. Final score: Syracuse 78 Villanova 69.