VIDEO: Fed-Up Basketball Tries to Quit Its Job, Doesn't Succeed

The official NBA basketball tasked with working last night’s Suns-Mavericks game reached its breaking point late in the contest. Being dribbled, pounded, and sweat on is hard, dirty work and our round friends occasionally get fed up. This one went all Andy Dufrense in The Shawshank Redemption and tried to make a break for it.

And for a while, it looked like it would succeed. The ball survived a misguided attempt by Trevor Ariza to retrieve it, and even took a towel hostage. It could almost taste the salty air of Mexico and being reunited with his friend Red. Then reality came crashing down.

Human minds remembered they could just go get a big broom and knock it down. The basketball, dreams dashed, was soon forced back into a job it hates. Forced to entertain paying customers and be at the physical whim of large men who love nothing more than hurtling balls through the air.

Sad.

Maybe freedom will come another day.