Hypothetical Fan Complaints from the Past
by pagingstanleyroberts on Nov 23, 2009 8:06 AM CST
42 comments
This isn't really a "what if," but if the Internet were more commonly used for earlier eras of the NBA, what would the fans have complained about? It's interesting to me because some debates reek of trying to claim resolution to unresolved issues. Just looking back in history, it's not difficult to see some comments like this:
- "The Celtics suck this year, and Red Auerbach spent our first-round pick on some white guy (Larry Bird) playing for a crappy Division I school (I think the fact that Indiana State hasn't made even the Sweet 16 since Bird left qualifies them for this) who has another year of college left? This guy has clearly lost it."
- "The Wolves had 21 wins last year and need a point guard badly. So why is McHale taking a high school power forward with the pick when the team already has Gugliotta and Laettner? Damon Stoudamire is a sure thing and was there at #5, and the last 2 high school players to come out were Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby."
What other ludicrous-to-see-now comments would've been popular on the Interwebs if they'd been more used in earlier days?
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Why are the Mavs
trading a low post stud in Tractor Traylor for some German that nobody has ever heard of?
by TimAllen on Nov 18, 2009 10:35 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Best value signing ever!
I can’t Joe Smith was willing to sign such a favorable short-term deal!
by I.M. Fletcher on Nov 18, 2009 10:59 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Marbury and KG are going to be the next Stockton and Malone!
by pagingstanleyroberts on Nov 18, 2009 11:32 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Yeah
And KG would never win a championship with Ray Allen!
by Mplax on Nov 24, 2009 3:12 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Most reactions to that trade had nothing to do with Allen
Most just assumed they were trading a good player for someone with a special connection to the franchise cornerstone that they assumed would be dynamic for a long time.
by pagingstanleyroberts on Nov 24, 2009 10:19 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah
but it’s not like most of these were actually said anyways (be it online or in tongue)…. until it became apparent that it would be true.
by Mplax on Nov 25, 2009 10:47 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
The point of the OP was that, yes, the KG and Bird things would've been said
The two examples in the original post are what I would consider things that sound ludicrous now but would’ve been considered reasonable at the time. KG was a 6-11 skinny guy, and most of them were playing PF at the time. Also, the talk before the draft in the mainstream press was that the Wolves should look at SF (Ed O’Bannon), C (Bryant Reeves), or PG (Damon Stoudamire). No one pilloried the Wolves for drafting KG, but he wasn’t a slam-dunk pick at the time. Also, the Celtics were terrible the year Bird sat out, and there were guys drafted after him who would’ve helped that team. That’s not even mentioning that he left Indiana and moved home because it was too big for him and he couldn’t handle Bobby Knight; that would’ve been a red flag for some fans that the guy wasn’t worth it. I’m not saying the consensus would’ve said them, but if you’ve read the Strib boards, it’s pretty obvious that fans are irrational and hyperbolic quite often.
by pagingstanleyroberts on Nov 25, 2009 12:13 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Why the hell are we trading Ray Allen for an old Gary Payton?!
Oh wait… Bucks fans pretty much nailed that one spot on…
by Mplax on Nov 18, 2009 11:58 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
We don't need Babe Ruth
We have plenty of pitching depth. Once the young arms mature we’ll win at least a couple
World Series.
by Rumblebee on Nov 18, 2009 12:43 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Did they have internet back then? :P
Purple Haze is the worlds greatest Natural Resource.
by Percy Harvin My Fav! on Nov 18, 2009 3:50 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Paul Grant
Is the next Rik Smits. Behold the Flying ’Sconnie!
"Come on Eddie, let's get serious."
by biggity2bit on Nov 18, 2009 2:39 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
What are the Lakers doing?
Why would they trade a very good center in Divac for a high-schooler from Lower Merion High School?? (Kobe Bryant)
by KGMN on Nov 18, 2009 10:30 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
HA!
Kobe would have been drafted much higher, except he made it clear that he only intended to play for the Lakers. Charlotte had the balls to take him anyway, knowing they’d get something in return. Even then, everyone knew that the Lakers were the team unfairly getting the better of that deal.
by John Doe on Nov 19, 2009 1:09 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
The New Orleans Hornets "settle" for drafting Chris Paul.
Go on, try to beat them. Try to score on them. Stay in front of those guards. Try to tap out an offensive rebound on that Lilliputian front line. They're so awful, you're so good ... go on. Beat ‘em. - Kelly Dwyer on The Rockets
by Xiane on Nov 18, 2009 10:44 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Guys..
….the best is still Chad Ford’s article on Darko. I can’t find it off hand but it’s one of the funniest things you can ever read. I think Mark Rosen and Ebi was pretty good too.
Forever splitting the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs
www.canishoopus.com
by Stop-n-Pop on Nov 19, 2009 7:24 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
In fairness to Ford
He does refer to his touting of Darko as one of the dumbest things he’s done in basketball writing.
by McCleak on Nov 19, 2009 8:00 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
That's the most egregious
He had seen Darko enough to make an informed evaluation.
by pagingstanleyroberts on Nov 19, 2009 12:54 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Lost in all the Darko talk...
Is that at one point Denver entertained trading with Detroit in order to draft Darko, but Detroit refused.
I know it’s crazy, but supposedly at the time most teams would have taken Darko.
by Blakeley on Nov 20, 2009 12:54 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Not most teams...
Denver was in an international-drafting mode (they took ‘Skita at #5 and traded McDyess to take Nene). My guess is Cleveland wouldn’t have taken him if they’d been #2.
by pagingstanleyroberts on Nov 20, 2009 1:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah
Boy, this Kevin McHale is a sure-thing as general manager. Let’s give him at least a decade.
by medicineball on Nov 19, 2009 12:20 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Oh, I did shudder over the KG pick
Not that the Wolves desperately needed a point guard so much. But that draft of the first High School pick in a long while, for that team? A team whose leadership started with Isiah Rider? It was very high risk.
He came in that first summer and was so skinny that during summer ball (he didn’t participate in the games I saw) his shorts were in danger of sliding off. Corey Brewer skinny.
(Good times. Good memories.)
"It has come to the editor’s attention that the Herald-Leader neglected to cover the civil rights movement. We regret the omission."
by feral on Nov 19, 2009 3:24 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
And don't forget that draft day interview
Before he lost his Southern accent, KG sounded a bit like Forest Gump. That probably didn’t ease anyone’s nerves either.
by John Doe on Nov 20, 2009 12:36 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Big Country
I had a friend make fun of me because we passed on Brian “Big Country” Reeves
by Blakeley on Nov 20, 2009 12:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Let Steve Nash go back to Phoenix...
He’s going to physically break down and totally decline over the next few years…
Mark Cuban – 2004
"I'm gonna make you cry...I'm gonna make you cry and dip my cookie in your tears!!!"
by mutleyil on Nov 23, 2009 11:39 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Also, he's not worth the $
But let’s give what we paid him to Erick Dampier!
by pagingstanleyroberts on Nov 23, 2009 12:33 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
"Hey wtf?"
“Instead of a game-wrap for Portland we get 2 day old fanposts bumped to the main wall?”
Oh wait, that’s more of a current complaint. What’s the matter Stop-n-Pop, you can’t find anything new to say about a third, identical blowout by Portland?
by John Doe on Nov 23, 2009 12:44 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
What a steal
We got Marko Jaric and all we had to give up was Sam Cassel and a future 1st round pick (the one we still freakin owe to the Clips!)
by JacobA on Nov 23, 2009 12:47 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
No one was saying that.
Ever.
by pagingstanleyroberts on Nov 23, 2009 3:33 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I wasn't around then
How was that one sold to the fanbase? Was Jaric’s insanely attractive wife mentioned?
by aarendsvark on Nov 23, 2009 5:01 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Everyone was just desperate to get rid of Cassell
at that point; he was seen as totally destructive and everyone was certain he had to go. Jaric seemed to have some upside as a big guard.
by Eric in Madison on Nov 23, 2009 5:05 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Cassell did have to go. But it could have been another way. Picking up Cassell and Sprewell was going all in on winning the title, and shortly thereafter we were treated to “I have to feed my family” and 12 months of Cassell pouting over no extension.
This was also in the era where we could never get a top-notch MLE free agent to sign here either. Other teams were after Jaric that offseason as he looked like a player, even if he hadn’t really produced. McHale took it way too far in terms of salary and the trade assets.
by Punisher#8 on Nov 24, 2009 7:52 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
It was questionable even then
Jaric was a restricted FA (Utah and Denver were also after him) and Cassell came off of a bad season. It was mostly based around his supposed fit for Dwane Casey’s offense, which was going to feature more dribble penetration like the Sonics had the previous season. He was supposed to fill the Brent Barry role only as a better defender. They also got a guy who was a high 2nd round pick the previous year (Lionel Chalmers) who was cut in camp.
by pagingstanleyroberts on Nov 23, 2009 6:23 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Actually
he didn’t have a hot wife yet. I’m still pissed about that. How does Marko Jaric get Adriana Lima?!
I can be available if she is that desparate. My girlfriend will understand.
by Mplax on Nov 24, 2009 3:11 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
It's the Chris Rock joke
“I’ve wanted to get with Janet Jackson my whole life. Ever since ‘Good TImes’ I wanted Janet Jackson. Now she’s dating Jermaine Dupri. Jermaine Dupri! >shakes head< Now I realize I HAD A CHANCE! I had a chance. It’s like walking into a Cadillac dealership and the salesman says, ‘We just had a deal. All Cadillac’s $1. You just missed it!’”
Because there are no fours.
Toine
by CaliWolf on Nov 24, 2009 3:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
This Tim Thomas signing
will be an athletic player who can shoot the 3, rebound, and defend. I think this is the time that he finally harnesses his potential, says the [city name] [team].
I remember this for the Bucks, Knicks, Suns, Clippers, Knicks again (but with Pringles guiding him) and now the Mavs. Apologies to Wayne Winston, but I can’t imagine anyone being fooled by the possibility of him helping out.
by aarendsvark on Nov 23, 2009 5:08 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Marko Jaric
He doesn’t hate being here! Yeah, I guess that’d be the only way to put it.
by aarendsvark on Nov 23, 2009 5:17 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
"The Bucks just drafted a point guard.."
“Who couldn’t even see the floor in Europe, and he didn’t even show up to the draft on time. Can’t wait for the Brandon Jennings era….”
by LoveTo on Nov 24, 2009 2:16 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
"i cant believe how poorly karl malone is playing. i know hes a rookie but he is 22 and he fouls a lot,
turns the ball over like crazy and has a PER of 13 with a .50 TS%. hes a physical specimen for sure but i think its time to assign his ceiling at ‘might make a couple of all-star teams’. its just hard to believe he wouldnt have shown more at age 22 if he were destined to be a superstar in the future.
"Oooohhh, cat in the wall, eh? Now you're talkin' my language."
by TheMoon on Nov 24, 2009 7:54 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
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