The Rockets front office gets it. The unending spew of negativity from Barkley (and to a lesser extent Shaq) on the NBA's flagship show has an impact on the team's prospects. It helps create a narrative that can make it harder to get potential players and certainly hurts the Rockets brand. That's why they have directly addressed the issue with TNT. If the Rockets beat the Mavs tonight and Barkley pulls his usual shtick, I sincerely hope Maori continues to bait him, until he explodes with another idiotic rant about nerds, analytics, or whatever. Because it was Barkley who came off much worse after that last exchange.
THANK YOU. By any logical measure, these guys are particularly aggressive when it comes to being critical of the Rockets. Even now that James Harden has essentially forced them to recognize how good he is, they say it with a sigh. When we lose we suck worse than anyone on earth and when we win it's obvious we should have won. If there was any rationale for their behavior, this would be the season where they change their tone, the season where they barely listed us as a fringe playoff team and we got the #2 seed in the toughest conference maybe in the history of the NBA. It's personal. It's worse than when you watch any other team's broadcast, even if it were teams with whom we have a bit of a rivalry. I just can't believe they're allowed to continue to do it when it's so apparent.
They were complimentary/respectful towards the Rockets when they got past the Blazers that one year and were playing against the Lakers in the second round. It comes down to success in the end. The Rockets are one of those teams that have won a lot of games in the regular season and have done very little in the playoffs. Its been a pattern. I would guess that no team has won more regular season games in the last 10 years and have had less playoff success than us. We've lost 6 out of the last 7 playoff series since 03/04, including 3 times when we had home court advantage. Of course Shaq has a weird animosity towards Dwight Howard, and Barkley has a personal grudge against the Rockets ownership. And those are factors; not denying that. But let's not pretend that's all it is about. Beyond the postseason failures, both Shaq and Charles have been vocal on the style of play they are not fond of, and it so happens to be the way the Rockets play (lots of 3s, lots of ISO ball, few post ups). Put it all together, and I'm not the least bit surprised that they are dismissive of our team. And frankly, I stopped caring about it long ago. If we actually do something special and they still cut us down, then it would bother me.
I don't really care if the commentators respect the Rockets or not. What I don't like about the show is the lack of professionalism. I expect to hear some good analysis from people who know the game well. Shaq and Charles don't even do their homework. (Kenny is a little better.) They are there just to add some clown effect to the circus, which I never find entertaining.
90% of Inside the NBA is Shaq and Barkley (primarily Shaq) laughing at their own jokes. I never liked the comedy they offer. Most of their comedy derives from a famous athlete doing silly things. None of their crap is witty and they barely actually discuss basketball.
When we got James Harden, who ended up doing crazy things his first year, TNT was enamored by our team. The rhetoric quickly changed as soon as the Lakers were spurned by Dwight Howard. Their media was livid...as essentially their entire city "whored" themselves out in hopes to ensure that Dwight would stay to save a dying situation. That anger and animosity continued and continued. The story line has already been set. Houston Rockets have emerged as the new villian. The team no one wants to succeed... 1. They hate our "loud" GM 2. They hate Dwight "Coward" chosing the city of Houston over the bright lights of Los Angeles. (in their minds "who does that") 3. They hate James Harden's game and the way he "manipulates" foul calls. Therefore not worthy of getting acclaim, and certainly not worthy of the MVP... These former players are just fans who have their opinions and personify current athletes who they see on television and make judgments about them. They are just glorified fans with a wide reaching microphone. And they chose to root for their guys...and throw shade our way. Till Dwight and James continues to succeed on the highest level, there is zero reason for the narrative to change. Till the Rockets do something of meaning, in the playoffs...Success changes things!
The other night I wanted to finish up the Clips/Spurs game in my room (no TV) threw on TNT Overtime on my PC, was nice to not hear them talk, and got to see Coolio sing gangsters paradise during halftime instead.
I stopped watching that TNT Show many years ago, more due to Kenny Smith than Barkley. Barkley is just funny, but Kenny is a moron. Play well for us as a player, but as a sports commentator, he sucks.
Getting all bent out of shape on glorified barbershop talk. I do agree on what Morey said one time, to the effect that those guys do have a big stage in the basketball world and saying incorrect statements whether intentionally or just not knowing still gets to many audiences and can influence the casual fan into believing false info.
I heard about predicting what will happen in the game, but predicting what charles barkley, kenny and crew would say is new to me you can't say you hate Kenny, Charles etc, then watch them on their every word it's hypocritical. thank goodness ubigred knows what's up! the game is way more important than the commentary.
if people don't want to listen to TNT, they can have the ESPN people like Stephen A Smith who is purposely sensationalizing his antics to get attention. People respond to TNT Inside the NBA because it's not rehearsed or contrived. Inside the NBA is more real, they are free flowing.
I've been reading through the forum the last few weeks as an alternative to other forums I post on. But after seeing this I had to join to say that I'm also at war with them. Great minds think alike!
I like NBA on TNT, couldn't care less what they think about my team though. They're a good side show to the game.
I've read through this forum the last few weeks. But after seeing this I had to join to unite in the war with TNT and ESPN.
