Go ahead, NBA, and cancel the first few weeks of the regular season.
Better yet, go ahead and cancel the whole damn thing.
Knock yourselves out.
Lock yourselves out.
Do us a favor.
Do yourselves a favor.
Take the year off so you will comprehend what everyone on God’s green earth should comprehend at one time or another: That in the grand scheme of things, we just aren’t that important.
David Stern and LeBron James and the rest of the smug, arrogant, rich, pampered, greedy, spoiled, self-indulgent NBA needs to learn its lesson. And the lesson is this: America has had it with sports leagues and their so-called fiscal problems.
In this economic climate, the NBA labor dispute is a disgusting affront to those who have real jobs or, worse, have lost real jobs.
Then he went to Michael Jordan’s dynastic Bulls and their six championships. Van Gundy speculated that perhaps Jordan was the only superstar on that team.
“I have always wondered, as good as Scottie Pippen was, would he have been considered a star if he hadn’t played with Jordan and had to carry a team on his own,” Van Gundy explained. “We’ll never know, but my point is that sometimes we make the determination after the fact. In other words, after Chicago won championships, we branded Pippen a star.”
—————————————
Here is what Yahoo! Sports’ lead “NBA fan-blogger” – and terrific basketball writer – had to say concerning the accuracy of Stan Van Gundy’s assessment of Scottie Pippen’s actual basketball ability:
Stan Van Gundy, in a less annoying way than his brother usually does, often comes through with statements for effect. Not things he really believes in, but something stated to help shift the narrative, usually to help his (read: his team’s) own cause. This allows for people like us to take the piss out of him, but he doesn’t usually care. Just as long as his team gets the calls, the next time around. Or just as long as his boy Dwight makes the cover of something.
But this? For anyone, this is a ridiculous statement. For someone with Stan Van Gundy’s basketball smarts? This is a betrayal of the depth of hoop knowledge that we’ve long admired and often talked up. I’m sure, if pressed, Van Gundy doesn’t feel this way; but I’m too tired to try to understand his motivation here. I don’t get his angle. I don’t care. This was a dumb thing to say, Stan Van Gundy.
—————————————
Hmmm …
Did SVG say that Scottie Pippen was a less-than stellar NBA player?
Did SVG say that Scottie Pippen belongs somewhere other than being on the NBA’s list of 50 Greatest Players Of All-time?
Did SVG say that Scottie Pippen was NOT, in fact, one of the best defensive players in the history of the NBA?
No, he did not … according to what this pair of eyes can see.
However …
Did SVG say that Scottie Pippen may not actually belong on the list of the NBA’s authentic “superstar” players?
Does SVG believe that Michael Jordan belongs on the list of the NBA’s authentic “superstar” players?
Yes, he does … according to what this same pair of eyes can see.
If SVG had been asked which players he believes warrant inclusion on the list of the NBA’s authentic “superstars”, he may well have identified an ultra exclusive group of men like:
Bill Russell
Michael Jordan
Wilt Chamberlain
Magic Johnson
Larry Bird
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Oscar Robertson
George Mikan
Tim Duncan
Kobe Bryant
Shaquille O’Neal
Hakeem Olajuwon
Julius Erving
Although there have been a number of fantastic players in the grand history of the NBA, could it possibly the case that Stan Van Gundy may not consider the majority of them to be properly qualified to fit into the exclusive category of an authentic “superstar”?
Pippen sits out final 1.8 secs
Kudos to Stan Van Gundy for his mostly accurate assessment of Scottie Pippen’s ability, as an elite level player.
This is why sports have always been so amazing to me – because they have the extraordinary power and potential to pull people together. Doesn’t matter if you’re black or white, Republican or Democrat, Christian or Muslim, Gator or Seminole – everybody comes together at a Magic game and roots for the same team.Peyton Manning, a white quarterback, loves to throw the football to Reggie Wayne, a black wide receiver. Magic forward Mickael Pietrus, a black man from Guadeloupe, is great friends with center Marcin Gortat, a white man from Poland.NBA, you see teams made up of players from every country and every race, and we all get along,” Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers once told me when he coached the Magic. “We’re a pretty good model for all walks of life.”
I’ve written it before and I’ll reiterate it here: The sports world, perhaps more than any other part of our everyday lives, truly is color blind. Mostly white fans will fill an arena to cheer for mostly black basketball players.
“In the
What’s it tell you when Dwight Howard, a young, incredibly healthy black man, is inspired by Kay Kellogg, an older, incredibly sick white woman – and vice versa?
Kay’s entire body is in excruciating pain, but on Sunday night she was smiling and clapping and cheering at every point Dwight scored and every rebound he pulled down.
She cried on the way to the arena as she reflected back on all the good times Dwight and the Magic have provided her over the years.
“I was just so excited, I started to tear up,” she said. “I was thinking about all the times I’ve watched Dwight and how happy he makes me feel. I just love him and the Magic so much.”
The thing is, he was supposed to inspire her but she has ended up inspiring him. He sees how she is facing her death and it makes him want to make the most of his life. She is not depressed. She is not bitter. She just talks about how lucky she is to have lived such a wonderfully full life.
“She’s just a blessing,” Dwight says. “She’s just overwhelmed with joy every time she comes to a Magic game. … We take life for granted sometimes. One thing I learned from her is that she makes the most of every breath she takes. We all need to be like that.”
