[cnnsi] Yao number 4 on Kelly Dwyer's NBA Player Rankings

I think he's actually a Bulls fan if I'm not mistaken.

 

Well Kelly is right, even Battier himself admitted that he still hasn't fully adjusted.

 

Is he? Then what brings him to Clutchfans? Just curious of why non-Roxfans would visit here so often.

 

the dwyer kid's article is no different than a post on clutchfans. just someone expressing their opinion. that is what i love about the internet- it is a powerful equalizer.

to be honest, ive seen far more insight in some of the posts on this board than in the majority of articles i've read on sportsline, espn and cnn/si (dwyer included, unfortunately). we should feel proud of this although i think the bar is a bit lower than it used to be...

 

Actually, I thought Kelly was a Magic fan first and foremost? Or am I confusing him with someone else?

 

He lives in Orlando, so maybe that explains it.

 

Actually, the Caps Lock key is the great equalizer. That's why we have jobs -- capital letters. Another great equalizer, twinmemory, is hard work and dedication to craft. When you work as hard as I do going over game tape and stats, then you can speak to your posts being "no different." Until then, cram it.

Sorry I've been a dick today, guys, but I'm not about to let people piss all over something I work very hard at.

Sishir, I've been coming to Clutch's site since a little after the Barkley trade, and the BBS since the lockout year. I didn't sign up until late 2000 (under a different name), and then didn't start posting in earnest until 2003 or so. The reason a lot of us non-Rocket fans come here is simple: this is the best NBA message board on the net, and it's been that way for years.

 

Why does everyone think that? This has been brought up in, like, four or five other threads over the last two years. I'm from Chicago.

 

Actually, expecting sportswriters to know in-depth of all teams is unrealistic. We follow in-depth only one team. They have to do 30. Sure, they are professionals. But do they have 30 times more time than us?

 

Though I appreciate what you're saying, truly, I think it's entirely realistic, and something NBA columnists should strive for. Now, this doesn't go for the beat writers (on the road for 41-plus games a year and at the home stadium while other games play for the rest) who are asked to be the lead NBA columnist; but for those of us who have the oppurtunity, I think we should be expected to know as much as we can about every team.

In 2006, with the dish and Tivo and torrents and the broadband setup -- to say nothing of the coverage and insight provided on the web -- we have no excuse to fall short when it comes to knowledge.

If anyone ever disagrees with something I've written, it's because I'm a feckless moron, seriously, and not because I've been outworked.

 

I think the whole problem with us being ultra-sensitive about what the press writes regarding the Houston Rockets has to do with Yao Ming. We have had to hear so many individuals over the past several years heap unrealistic expectations on him, then we have to hear the same old, tired comments, "He needs to be more aggressive...he's the 2nd coming of Rik Smits...blah, blah." So, I think many Rockets fans take anything they perceive as being negative towards the players way too sensitively.

You know the phrase, "If you build it, they will come"? For the media, it's "If you write it, they'll believe." And I'm guessing that some out there know that the average reader looking at this is going to say, "Man, they got ROOKED in the Gay-Swift-Battier deal! He doesn't do anything for them!"

But you gotta expect that from some of us hyper-sensitive people out there. Could you imagine us going on a Chicago Bulls forum with all the negative stuff we say on here about Scottie Quitten (I mean Pippen)? We'd be as flamed as you can get.

Keep up the good, insightful work.

 

Kelly, I understand that you work hard and I agree with you that Battier has things to work on (he himself admitted as much). However, your "poor choice of words" is what has caused people here to question whether your watch enough Rockets games.

Even with Battier still learning the system, he is making a very large impact on the team. When he's out of the game is usually when the opposing team start making runs against the Rockets. Van Gundy mentioned that a couple of times already. Take a look at the game tapes and compare the minutes when Battier plays and when Battier sits, you'll see a big impact.

Anyhow, as a writer, your choice of words is how the readers understand you. Your choice of words is a big deal and can cause pepole to question you because we can't read your mind for your true thought about Battier.

 

Kelly, please don't take the bait. Many of us here know you already so don't feel obligated to defend yourself every time. The forum has been a bit chippier than normal the last couple of months so don't sweat it. I've been called a Yao-hater, a VSpan-hater (not wanting him to succeed), a JVG-lover (yes, that's an epithet to some here), accused of running up my post count, etc by zealots defending their pet players.

To equate good articles by legit journalists with posts here is nonsense. The only thing the internet equalizes is the ability to post. The quality of what's written is very unequal.

Keep up the good work Kelly. I don't always agree with you but that's OK.

 

34-12 KD - in Miami, against Shaq. Let's see where Yao ends up on your list .

 

Thanks for the clarification. Best NBA message board on the net is pretty high praise. I myself often feel the GARM gets clogged with moronic and sophmoric posts and if this is the best then others must really be bad. I have to admit I almost never look at other sports message boards except glancing at the T-Wolves and Twins boards on the Startribune website.