This is my take on Chris' recent topic on NBA punks. (Come on, dude - Rip Hamilton? How's that guy in the top five of your list?)
5. Bill Laimbeer
Yeah, I know he's retired. What's he doing now? Coaching and winning championships for a WNBA team? He's washed up. The reason he makes my list, though, is because there was never a person I ever hated in basketball more than Bill Laimbeer. Not even Dennis Rodman! I think I hate Bill Laimbeer more than Kobe Bryant. (Someone should remake Bill Laimbeer's Combat Basketball and toss in modern players.) Bill Laimbeer and the Bad Boys were in their prime when I first started watching basketball back in like '89. And then the early '90s... Man, I hated Bill Laimbeer and the Bad Boys for all the dirtiness they played on Michael before he finally won. Plus, Bill Laimbeer used to always get into these fights with guys I liked, especially Barkley. I think watching those Bill Laimbeer vs. Barkley fights really helped my young, formative mind to quickly grasp the concept of good vs. evil.
4a. Joakim Noah
Yeah, pretty much all the reasons my fellow Tan pointed out in his post. Noah's a giant rat-fink. He reminds me of a taller Tyronn Lue, another guy I don't like and who would likely have made my T-Mobile Least Fave Five if I were writing this back in 2002.
4b. Bonzi Wells, Jason Williams (White Chocolate), James Posey
Sorry to cheat so much on this list, but I feel like I have to point out that I still don't like these guys. They were all on the last good Memphis Grizzlies team but their horrible attitudes made me lose respect for them. To tell the truth, I never liked Bonzi even when he was a Blazer. His antics never made me smile like Rasheed's did. And Jason Williams was always a dickhead for that time when the Kings came to Oakland and he commented on the Bay Area's Asian population by musing, "Didn't we kill all those chinks back in 'Nam? [insert fratboy machine gun sound effects]" James Posey, well, I don't know if he's really a jerk or not, but I'll just lump him into this group regardless. (Now that I think about it, he did give Monta a cheap shot a couple years ago. That's a good enough reason.)
The nail in the coffin for these guys is how they made their Hall of Fame coach retire (undisclosed "health reasons." In other words, those three guys were making him sick.) from coaching just by being jerks. Hubie Brown was trying to do something good with this team and then he had to deal with all these lousy attitudes. And now Hubie is probably one of the top two or three color commentators out there. You can actually learn about the game of basketball from listening to him talk. And he comes off as such a gentleman that I have zero respect for Bonzi, Williams, and Posey... Even though Hubie himself is such a gentleman that even when he commentates their games, he always says something positive about them.
3. Nate Robinson
I don't like this kid. First of all, he's a stinking cocky person. There's something annoying about his swagger on the court. He must feel like he has something to prove to everybody just because he's short. (I knew a kid like that in high school and one time I almost kicked his ass, but he got scared and backed off.) Winning the dunk contest is nice, but it's not like he even deserved to win... That was Iggyhop's trophy all the way and the only reason Robinson won was 'cause he's shorter. It sure wasn't because it took him like 17 tries to make a dunk.
And you know what else, Robinson's attitude is terrible. Larry Brown was his coach when he was a rookie and I remember reading interviews where Robinson was criticizing Brown as their season was heading down the drain. That's beyond absurd to me. I have no respect for a player who doesn't respect one of the greatest coaches of all time, especially when the coach is HIS coach (and he's a rookie). That's one of the reasons why I have no sympathy for the Knicks. Yes, yes, I heart FDNY and all that... But the Knicks? They deserve everything they've got right now, and I hope they remain bottom feeders at least as long as the Niners and Raiders have been crap.
Also, Robinson's role in that Knicks/Nuggets brawl a couple years back completely demolished any last vestiges of indifference for him. People criticize Melo for sucker-punching Mardy Collins and then backing off. Take it from a guy who's been sucker-punched a few times in his life: Mardy Collins had it coming. And Robinson definitely helped escalate things to the point where Melo had to unleash the fury. What a little instigator.
2. Isiah Thomas
I liked him when he was a player. Even though I hated the Bad Boys, I still liked Zeke, Joe Dumars, and John Salley. Now, I am kind of indifferent to John Salley and The Man Show (or whatever Spike TV show he was on). I still like Joe Dumars. But the Knicks are a joke and Isiah's the punchline.
We know he was the one who really started that Knicks/Nuggets fight. He made a little-used rookie go in and commit a hard foul. Come on now. If you're a rookie in the NBA and fighting for every second of playing time, and your coach tells you to go in to hurt the other team, what are you gonna do? Some people with self-respect and dignity might refuse to play dirty, but can you really blame a stupid person for obeying orders?
George Karl doesn't like Isiah, either, so I know I'm not alone.
Oh yeah, and the sexual harassment thing. And the terrible personnel moves as GM and the bad coaching. You gotta love it whenever Bill Simmons the Sports Guy writes about the "Isiah Face," man! Zeke: just another reason why I ain't feel any sympathy for the Knicks or their fans.
1. Bruce Bowen
Come on, is there even any question here? I am just shocked he didn't even crack Chris Tan's list. I don't have much, if any, love for Harpring or Fortson but Bowen tops them. He's constantly labeled by other players as the dirtiest player in the entire Association, and I am inclined to believe them. Just go to YouTube or something and do a search for "bruce bowen dirty" and see what you get. Try to find the clip where Bowen jump-kicks Wally Szczerbiak (or some other random white dude) in the face. How many times, during the course of a single game, does Bowen pull some dirty cheap shot on opposing players? And it's not just cheap shots, but he does stuff that can hurt or injure people. At least he's finally been suspended a game for his dirtiness. I could probably go off for a couple paragraphs on why else I hate Bowen, but I will assume that you already agree that he is a big fat punk. (Unless you're a Spurs fan.)
Ray Allen hates him, too. Good enough for me, if not a court of law.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Saturday, March 8, 2008
My Top 5 Favorite Players in the NBA
1. Chris Paul (Strong-Willed) - This guy shares the same first name as me, or should I say I share the same first name as him? Anyhow, I like how he is representing all the Chris' with outstanding basketball play. Dang man, I just saw him rip the ball right from Deron Williams' pocket the other day. Incredible. He also has the ability to will his team to win, probably the most valuable trait any player can have.
2. Brandon Roy (Young Leader) - I had a friend who traveled to Oregon, and he caught a Trail Blazers game. What he simply told me was, "Brandon Roy is a baller." During my days at Davis, I tried to emulate Dwayne Wade's moves. Now, I want to emulate Roy's moves. Roy is sneaky good, without any weaknesses to his game. Even though he is only in his 2nd year in the NBA, his best ability is probably his leadership, as for awhile he was leading a young Portland Trail Blazers team (avg. age <25) into a possible playoff position in the deep Western Conference.
3. Tracy McGrady (Contagious Fun) - Dude, this guys jump shot is so beautiful and fluid. Can score in bunches, yet has a terrific knack for setting up his teammates for easy shots. When I watch McGrady play, it makes me smile, because it looks like he is having so much fun out there. Thats what I like about McGrady, an all-star player who enjoys playing the game and isn't afraid to show it by smiling on the court. I think this helps keep his teammates loose too, helping them play their best.
4. Manu Ginobili (Reckless Winner) - The guy flails his body on offense and defense. He is a gritty player, and I think its great when he runs into the lane and throws up a crazy shot that goes in. Reminds me of when I recklessly drive in, only I turn it over or throw up an ugly brick. I won't forget the Finals when Ginobili ate the Pistons alive with some nasty dunks. Ginobili is a winner wherever he has gone, with Argentina and with the Spurs.
5. Peja Stojakovic (Assassin of Opponent's Hope) - There will always be a soft spot in my heart for Peja. During his time with the Kings, he was my favorite player. Every time the guy misses a shot, something just doesn't seem right. Once the ball leaves his hand, I think its going in. I think opposing teams have that same thought as well. Peja always seems up to the task with hitting a 3 in the 4th quarter that completely deflates the opponent's will while elevating his own team's morale. Predrag Stojakovic. Someone should name their son or daughter Predrag.
2. Brandon Roy (Young Leader) - I had a friend who traveled to Oregon, and he caught a Trail Blazers game. What he simply told me was, "Brandon Roy is a baller." During my days at Davis, I tried to emulate Dwayne Wade's moves. Now, I want to emulate Roy's moves. Roy is sneaky good, without any weaknesses to his game. Even though he is only in his 2nd year in the NBA, his best ability is probably his leadership, as for awhile he was leading a young Portland Trail Blazers team (avg. age <25) into a possible playoff position in the deep Western Conference.
3. Tracy McGrady (Contagious Fun) - Dude, this guys jump shot is so beautiful and fluid. Can score in bunches, yet has a terrific knack for setting up his teammates for easy shots. When I watch McGrady play, it makes me smile, because it looks like he is having so much fun out there. Thats what I like about McGrady, an all-star player who enjoys playing the game and isn't afraid to show it by smiling on the court. I think this helps keep his teammates loose too, helping them play their best.
4. Manu Ginobili (Reckless Winner) - The guy flails his body on offense and defense. He is a gritty player, and I think its great when he runs into the lane and throws up a crazy shot that goes in. Reminds me of when I recklessly drive in, only I turn it over or throw up an ugly brick. I won't forget the Finals when Ginobili ate the Pistons alive with some nasty dunks. Ginobili is a winner wherever he has gone, with Argentina and with the Spurs.
5. Peja Stojakovic (Assassin of Opponent's Hope) - There will always be a soft spot in my heart for Peja. During his time with the Kings, he was my favorite player. Every time the guy misses a shot, something just doesn't seem right. Once the ball leaves his hand, I think its going in. I think opposing teams have that same thought as well. Peja always seems up to the task with hitting a 3 in the 4th quarter that completely deflates the opponent's will while elevating his own team's morale. Predrag Stojakovic. Someone should name their son or daughter Predrag.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Bleach
So, my mind has been churning a bit more recently. Usually I take a month-long absence before writing another entry. But I was [San Antonio] spurred on to write about NBA playoff seedings yesterday, especially with Ginobili tearing it up and the Rockets seemingly jumping from 10th in the conference to 7th seed and rising. Good stuff when one of my favorite players is playing ridiculous and one of my favorite teams is looking unstoppable.
After graduating from UC Davis, I have had the chance to watch a couple anime series, Naruto and Bleach. I've made a couple observations about Bleach, but let me first give a brief summary of the series (bear with me).
The series involves shinigami (english translation: death gods) who are in charge of sending the dead souls on earth to a place called "soul society," aka sorta like heaven. Another one of their responsibilities is protecting against humans from evil souls, using a sword as their means of attack against the evil souls. Each shinigami has their own unique sword, with each sword actually representing a spirit with a name. As they get to know the spirit that lives within them, they learn new attacks and grow stronger.
Check this out, this is even better:
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God...and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God..." Ephesians 6:12, 13, 17 (bold and italics mine)
For Christians, we have a sword too, the sword of the Spirit. Right now, even at this moment, there is a spiritual battle taking place. That begs the question, are we strong enough to fight the battle? Well I can confidently say we can, the key being how much we get to know our sword, how much we get our noses into scripture. Joshua 1:8 says this: "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make you way prosperous, and then you will have good success" (bold and italics mine).
So how strong can we get? Well Jesus went toe-to-toe with Satan and deflected off Satan's best stabs, with Jesus using Scripture effectively during His temptation in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11). Furthermore, we should take into account Hebrews 4:12, which says, "For the word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of the soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." We need to immerse ourself in Scripture, which will reveal to us any sin or potential sin that can creep into our lives.
For the sake of being an effective witness for Christ to others, lets sharpen our "sword of the Spirit." For the sake of our own relationship with Christ, lets continue to get stronger for God's glory, delving into the riches found in scripture.
(Note: Sometimes my entries are written in a way that is targeting a Christian audience, this entry being one of them)
After graduating from UC Davis, I have had the chance to watch a couple anime series, Naruto and Bleach. I've made a couple observations about Bleach, but let me first give a brief summary of the series (bear with me).
The series involves shinigami (english translation: death gods) who are in charge of sending the dead souls on earth to a place called "soul society," aka sorta like heaven. Another one of their responsibilities is protecting against humans from evil souls, using a sword as their means of attack against the evil souls. Each shinigami has their own unique sword, with each sword actually representing a spirit with a name. As they get to know the spirit that lives within them, they learn new attacks and grow stronger.
Check this out, this is even better:
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God...and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God..." Ephesians 6:12, 13, 17 (bold and italics mine)
For Christians, we have a sword too, the sword of the Spirit. Right now, even at this moment, there is a spiritual battle taking place. That begs the question, are we strong enough to fight the battle? Well I can confidently say we can, the key being how much we get to know our sword, how much we get our noses into scripture. Joshua 1:8 says this: "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make you way prosperous, and then you will have good success" (bold and italics mine).
So how strong can we get? Well Jesus went toe-to-toe with Satan and deflected off Satan's best stabs, with Jesus using Scripture effectively during His temptation in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11). Furthermore, we should take into account Hebrews 4:12, which says, "For the word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of the soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." We need to immerse ourself in Scripture, which will reveal to us any sin or potential sin that can creep into our lives.
For the sake of being an effective witness for Christ to others, lets sharpen our "sword of the Spirit." For the sake of our own relationship with Christ, lets continue to get stronger for God's glory, delving into the riches found in scripture.
(Note: Sometimes my entries are written in a way that is targeting a Christian audience, this entry being one of them)
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Western Conference Playoff Seeding Prediction
The NBA is pretty crazy this year. My predictions are a reflection of the craziness seen in the NBA so far.
1. L.A. Lakers
2. Houston Rockets
3. San Antonio Spurs
4. Utah Jazz
5. New Orleans Hornets
6. Phoenix Suns
7. Golden State Warriors
8. Dallas Mavericks
Before the season began, I thought the Lakers would be competing for the 7th or 8th seed. But then they got Pau Gasol, and look very dangerous. It also helps they have the game's best offensive player, Kobe.
I think Houston is figuring it out, playing good defense and I think their offense will run smoothly for the rest of the season as long as McGrady remains healthy. Adding Bobby Jackson will give them a ball-hog off the bench that can put up points. I think every team should have one ball-hog that plays limited minutes, because when the offense is failing, you need someone who won't get down on himself if he misses a shot and continues to jack shots up.
The Spurs and Jazz I don't need to say much on. The Spurs are always a powerhouse, but I put Houston ahead because they currently have more momentum than the Spurs do. The Jazz are the best in their division, and thus have to have one of the top 4 spots.
Hornets are playing great, I think Chris Paul should be MVP. I don't think their team will cool down that much, but I think other teams will elevate their play as the season winds down, pushing the Hornets to #5.
Phoenix is now a team with its sight on the playoffs, so they will work in Shaq and thus will face some bumps as the season goes on. This won't be a big deal though, as they have extra mojo with Shaq around and will take a swing at the championship come post-season.
Warriors are a dynamic team, but they better be streaking by season's end and continue that to the post-season, because they will need to if they are to repeat a first round upset of one of the West's top seeds. It would also help if Chris Webber could regain his athleticism somehow.
I'm not a fan of the Jason Kidd trade. Kidd is too turnover prone, and when Kidd went up against the Hornets, his opponent Chris Paul got 9 steals in the game! That is not a good sign. Even if it does work out, I saw Dirk suck it up at the All-Star game. Plus the Warriors beat them in last season's playoffs, so I'm putting the Warriors ahead.
Nuggets won't make it. I saw them play in person against the Kings, and I wasn't impressed with what I saw. Remember my Bobby Jackson ball-hog comment earlier? Well Nuggets have a ball-hog too: Allen Iverson. Except their ball-hog plays 40 minutes a game. I think the Nuggets should have traded for Ron Artest. With the exception of Marcus Camby, I just feel like opponents can get their points against the Nuggets. That wouldn't be happening if Artest was on the Nuggets. If the Nuggets had made the trade for Artest, I think they could have been a 5 or 6 seed, or even possibly contend for the Jazz' #4 spot.
The Kings will surpass the Blazers as #10 in the conference, thus further hindering their chances of getting a better draft pick. This is beginning to remind me of the Mitch Richmond years, where the Kings were good enough to compete daily with the top dogs and lose, yet beat up on the weak teams.
This was a good break from studying, now back to work.
1. L.A. Lakers
2. Houston Rockets
3. San Antonio Spurs
4. Utah Jazz
5. New Orleans Hornets
6. Phoenix Suns
7. Golden State Warriors
8. Dallas Mavericks
Before the season began, I thought the Lakers would be competing for the 7th or 8th seed. But then they got Pau Gasol, and look very dangerous. It also helps they have the game's best offensive player, Kobe.
I think Houston is figuring it out, playing good defense and I think their offense will run smoothly for the rest of the season as long as McGrady remains healthy. Adding Bobby Jackson will give them a ball-hog off the bench that can put up points. I think every team should have one ball-hog that plays limited minutes, because when the offense is failing, you need someone who won't get down on himself if he misses a shot and continues to jack shots up.
The Spurs and Jazz I don't need to say much on. The Spurs are always a powerhouse, but I put Houston ahead because they currently have more momentum than the Spurs do. The Jazz are the best in their division, and thus have to have one of the top 4 spots.
Hornets are playing great, I think Chris Paul should be MVP. I don't think their team will cool down that much, but I think other teams will elevate their play as the season winds down, pushing the Hornets to #5.
Phoenix is now a team with its sight on the playoffs, so they will work in Shaq and thus will face some bumps as the season goes on. This won't be a big deal though, as they have extra mojo with Shaq around and will take a swing at the championship come post-season.
Warriors are a dynamic team, but they better be streaking by season's end and continue that to the post-season, because they will need to if they are to repeat a first round upset of one of the West's top seeds. It would also help if Chris Webber could regain his athleticism somehow.
I'm not a fan of the Jason Kidd trade. Kidd is too turnover prone, and when Kidd went up against the Hornets, his opponent Chris Paul got 9 steals in the game! That is not a good sign. Even if it does work out, I saw Dirk suck it up at the All-Star game. Plus the Warriors beat them in last season's playoffs, so I'm putting the Warriors ahead.
Nuggets won't make it. I saw them play in person against the Kings, and I wasn't impressed with what I saw. Remember my Bobby Jackson ball-hog comment earlier? Well Nuggets have a ball-hog too: Allen Iverson. Except their ball-hog plays 40 minutes a game. I think the Nuggets should have traded for Ron Artest. With the exception of Marcus Camby, I just feel like opponents can get their points against the Nuggets. That wouldn't be happening if Artest was on the Nuggets. If the Nuggets had made the trade for Artest, I think they could have been a 5 or 6 seed, or even possibly contend for the Jazz' #4 spot.
The Kings will surpass the Blazers as #10 in the conference, thus further hindering their chances of getting a better draft pick. This is beginning to remind me of the Mitch Richmond years, where the Kings were good enough to compete daily with the top dogs and lose, yet beat up on the weak teams.
This was a good break from studying, now back to work.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Eighteen and One!
That was an amazing game, my friends, an amazing game.
Ever since I got more into football, I've been a big fan of the Niners and Raiders. Obviously, I've gotta be a Niners fan. And yeah, I guess it is kind of strange for a San Franciscan Niners fan to also like the Raiders. I understand that it is kind of unusual to love and root for a team that is known for being thuggish and has crazy fans that are willing to riot after big games. There's also the crosstown rivalry. But I just dig the silver and black uniforms. I think they are sweet. Also, I just can't find it within myself to hate the guys who play right next to the Warriors' arena.
I think a big part of why I like both the Niners and Raiders is simply because I see them on TV all the time. I have just built up a familiarity with the organizations and I just like the players because those are the games I always watch on Sundays.
But one team I saw quite a bit of this season on TV was the Giants. I think I watched them play seven or eight times this season, including their dramatic playoff run. Maybe watching them so much helped me like them more. I also like Plaxico because of ESPN NFL 2K5. And that one game a couple months back, on Sunday Night Football, when Osi Umenyiora sacked McNabb six times - that got me excited. Plus watching Eli play over the past few months has led me to stop doubting him. After Week 17, I think I respected him more, and I think he did well in the playoffs.
I was definitely rooting hard for the Giants. I hate the Patriots. I don't really have anything against most of their players, but I think their coach is a jerk, and I am not down with dynasties (unless it's one of my home teams). I couldn't imagine anyone outside of Boston rooting for the Patriots. I mean, I guess I eventually found out that people I knew wanted to see them make history, but personally, I wanted to see them humbled. I wanted to see it so badly.
It angered me to see their arrogance. Players from other teams would tell the media how guys like Seymour were dirty and unsportsmanlike. And you could tell from post-game interviews that Belichick is the kind of coach who doesn't care about people, only about winning and running up the score and smirking as he shakes the hand of opposing coaches. I read this one article in ESPN the Magazine and Bob Knight was like one of the only guys who wanted to say something positive about Belichick. Dude, when Bob Knight is your only ally, you know you're a big fat jerk.
So while everyone was talking about how many touchdowns the Patriots would win by in the Super Bowl, I was just hoping and praying that the Giants could pull off the greatest upset in football. I thought about it every day for the past two weeks. I read articles that analyzed the game from just about every angle and it seemed like everyone concluded that the Patriots would destroy the Giants, unless a miracle happened.
Haha, baby!! That was David beating up Goliath. That was righteous fire from heaven. That was the walls of Jericho crumbling into dust. That game was... USA 4, USSR 3.
Eighteen and one, baby! Eighteen and one!
Ever since I got more into football, I've been a big fan of the Niners and Raiders. Obviously, I've gotta be a Niners fan. And yeah, I guess it is kind of strange for a San Franciscan Niners fan to also like the Raiders. I understand that it is kind of unusual to love and root for a team that is known for being thuggish and has crazy fans that are willing to riot after big games. There's also the crosstown rivalry. But I just dig the silver and black uniforms. I think they are sweet. Also, I just can't find it within myself to hate the guys who play right next to the Warriors' arena.
I think a big part of why I like both the Niners and Raiders is simply because I see them on TV all the time. I have just built up a familiarity with the organizations and I just like the players because those are the games I always watch on Sundays.
But one team I saw quite a bit of this season on TV was the Giants. I think I watched them play seven or eight times this season, including their dramatic playoff run. Maybe watching them so much helped me like them more. I also like Plaxico because of ESPN NFL 2K5. And that one game a couple months back, on Sunday Night Football, when Osi Umenyiora sacked McNabb six times - that got me excited. Plus watching Eli play over the past few months has led me to stop doubting him. After Week 17, I think I respected him more, and I think he did well in the playoffs.
I was definitely rooting hard for the Giants. I hate the Patriots. I don't really have anything against most of their players, but I think their coach is a jerk, and I am not down with dynasties (unless it's one of my home teams). I couldn't imagine anyone outside of Boston rooting for the Patriots. I mean, I guess I eventually found out that people I knew wanted to see them make history, but personally, I wanted to see them humbled. I wanted to see it so badly.
It angered me to see their arrogance. Players from other teams would tell the media how guys like Seymour were dirty and unsportsmanlike. And you could tell from post-game interviews that Belichick is the kind of coach who doesn't care about people, only about winning and running up the score and smirking as he shakes the hand of opposing coaches. I read this one article in ESPN the Magazine and Bob Knight was like one of the only guys who wanted to say something positive about Belichick. Dude, when Bob Knight is your only ally, you know you're a big fat jerk.
So while everyone was talking about how many touchdowns the Patriots would win by in the Super Bowl, I was just hoping and praying that the Giants could pull off the greatest upset in football. I thought about it every day for the past two weeks. I read articles that analyzed the game from just about every angle and it seemed like everyone concluded that the Patriots would destroy the Giants, unless a miracle happened.
Haha, baby!! That was David beating up Goliath. That was righteous fire from heaven. That was the walls of Jericho crumbling into dust. That game was... USA 4, USSR 3.
Eighteen and one, baby! Eighteen and one!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Top 5 Punks in the NBA
There are many kinds of players in the NBA. All of them have a different set of skills that validates their belonging in the best basketball league in the world. You have the players with crazy handles like Rafer Alston and Jason Williams, passers who have eyes behind their head like Jason Kidd, and pure shooters like Peja and Ray Allen. There are other players who get in because they were born with the tall genes, such as Shawn Bradley (I know many people with better basketball skills than Bradley). The pinnacle echelon of basketball players have a vast set of skills that every basketball fan can admire (examples being Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Baron Davis, etc.). These top tier players make the NBA fun and exciting to watch.
However, I am here to talk about punks. These are the guys who have moments where I wish someone would clothesline them and put them in their place. Off the court they may be total gentleman I don't know, but what I do know is that when they show up on court one word comes to mind: "punk." One note I will make is that I have not included "danger" players like Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson; I just don't think of them as punks. I've spoken enough, so lets get on to my top 5 punks of the NBA list.
5. Richard Hamilton
In some ways I feel terrible about putting him on this list. I watched him ball at UConn, and I loved watching him play. But then I watch him play, and I always seem him crying to the officials that he was fouled. Stop whining and complaining, just play the game! On a side note, whereas the other players on this list I may have wanted to sucker punch at some point, a simple backhanded slap to Hamilton's face would suffice. Plus he has the face mask on, it won't hurt at all!
4. Matt Harpring
Matt Harpring is one of those hard-nosed players that coaches like to have on their team. Something just rubs me the wrong way about him on the basketball court though. I think it might be because he plays dirty and fouls hard. Karl Malone and John Stockton might be able to get away with it, but c'mon, who is Matt Harpring? Uggg, disgusting.
3. Danny Fortson
I don't know if he is still playing or warming the bench somewhere in the league, but whenever I see him play he always seems to be getting flagrant fouls. I know its good to play physical defense, but this is basketball not wrestling! Like Matt Harpring, the fact that he is a below average NBA player makes him even more of a punk when he acts all tough.
2. Joakim Noah
A few may perceive his attitude as simply confidence, but I see arrogance. I have good evidence for this claim, as recently Noah's Chicago Bulls teammates unanimously voted to ask for him to be suspended an extra game after Noah's confrontation with an assistant coach. The guy's a mediocre rookie who thinks he is justified in confronting his superior in such a manner? Its time he grows up, he's not a little kid anymore. Sure, people don't like losing but be a bit mature Joakim. Plus all his energetic hand motions, chest thumping, whatever he is doing, its a bit over the top. I don't mind if some players do it occasionally, and I love it when players do it after an amazing highlight (such as Baron Davis' lifting up of his jersey after dunking on Kirilenko), but please don't do it when you don't really have to.
1. Robert Horry
This was tough, I was debating whether to put Horry or Noah at the number 1 spot. However, I gave Noah some grace since its only his first year in the league. Let me get one thing straightened out...I did not put Horry here because he drilled the dagger all Kings fans will remember. For all his clutch shot-making in the playoffs, Robert Horry has let frustration get the best of him at certain times that has resulted in bone-headed actions. First, in recent playoff memory he flagrantly fouled Steve Nash near the end of a game. Sure, the Spurs may have needed to foul, but Horry straight up assaulted Steve Nash. Secondly, the man punched David Robinson in the balls. Once again, it was near the end of a game. The Lakers (Horry was on LA at the time) needed to foul to stop the time. So the Spurs inbound the ball to David Robinson, and Horry takes several swipes at the ball. Eventually Horry hit Robinson in the balls. I'm really don't think it was inadvertant. Horry made spot-on contact to Robinson's sensitive area. It was no graze, as evidenced by Robinson immediately going down. For both Nash and Robinson, Horry may have been thinking, "We already lost the game, might as well vent out some frustration." Not cool man, not cool. Horry assaulted 2 upstanding citizens of the NBA. You have to show class to classy individuals.
Well, the NBA is fun to watch, and it becomes even more delightful when the arrogant and classless are humbled.
However, I am here to talk about punks. These are the guys who have moments where I wish someone would clothesline them and put them in their place. Off the court they may be total gentleman I don't know, but what I do know is that when they show up on court one word comes to mind: "punk." One note I will make is that I have not included "danger" players like Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson; I just don't think of them as punks. I've spoken enough, so lets get on to my top 5 punks of the NBA list.
5. Richard Hamilton
In some ways I feel terrible about putting him on this list. I watched him ball at UConn, and I loved watching him play. But then I watch him play, and I always seem him crying to the officials that he was fouled. Stop whining and complaining, just play the game! On a side note, whereas the other players on this list I may have wanted to sucker punch at some point, a simple backhanded slap to Hamilton's face would suffice. Plus he has the face mask on, it won't hurt at all!
4. Matt Harpring
Matt Harpring is one of those hard-nosed players that coaches like to have on their team. Something just rubs me the wrong way about him on the basketball court though. I think it might be because he plays dirty and fouls hard. Karl Malone and John Stockton might be able to get away with it, but c'mon, who is Matt Harpring? Uggg, disgusting.
3. Danny Fortson
I don't know if he is still playing or warming the bench somewhere in the league, but whenever I see him play he always seems to be getting flagrant fouls. I know its good to play physical defense, but this is basketball not wrestling! Like Matt Harpring, the fact that he is a below average NBA player makes him even more of a punk when he acts all tough.
2. Joakim Noah
A few may perceive his attitude as simply confidence, but I see arrogance. I have good evidence for this claim, as recently Noah's Chicago Bulls teammates unanimously voted to ask for him to be suspended an extra game after Noah's confrontation with an assistant coach. The guy's a mediocre rookie who thinks he is justified in confronting his superior in such a manner? Its time he grows up, he's not a little kid anymore. Sure, people don't like losing but be a bit mature Joakim. Plus all his energetic hand motions, chest thumping, whatever he is doing, its a bit over the top. I don't mind if some players do it occasionally, and I love it when players do it after an amazing highlight (such as Baron Davis' lifting up of his jersey after dunking on Kirilenko), but please don't do it when you don't really have to.
1. Robert Horry
This was tough, I was debating whether to put Horry or Noah at the number 1 spot. However, I gave Noah some grace since its only his first year in the league. Let me get one thing straightened out...I did not put Horry here because he drilled the dagger all Kings fans will remember. For all his clutch shot-making in the playoffs, Robert Horry has let frustration get the best of him at certain times that has resulted in bone-headed actions. First, in recent playoff memory he flagrantly fouled Steve Nash near the end of a game. Sure, the Spurs may have needed to foul, but Horry straight up assaulted Steve Nash. Secondly, the man punched David Robinson in the balls. Once again, it was near the end of a game. The Lakers (Horry was on LA at the time) needed to foul to stop the time. So the Spurs inbound the ball to David Robinson, and Horry takes several swipes at the ball. Eventually Horry hit Robinson in the balls. I'm really don't think it was inadvertant. Horry made spot-on contact to Robinson's sensitive area. It was no graze, as evidenced by Robinson immediately going down. For both Nash and Robinson, Horry may have been thinking, "We already lost the game, might as well vent out some frustration." Not cool man, not cool. Horry assaulted 2 upstanding citizens of the NBA. You have to show class to classy individuals.
Well, the NBA is fun to watch, and it becomes even more delightful when the arrogant and classless are humbled.
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