Back in the early 90s, this was the norm. You would never catch Reggie Miller chatting it up with Charles Oakley or John Starks. Kevin Garnett comes from that school of competitor. I wish pansy-ass douchebags like Dwight Howard and Chris Paul would take a page out of Garnett's book. That entire Celtics team is full of guys who still play the old-school way. Are Garnett's antics on the court getting old? Yes. Does he give a damn?? Hell no.
Hmm..you might have a point there! Still though, if you can't separate real life from a game you have a serious problem which is something nobody can deny with Garnett. When he cried on TV about hating to lose, you knew he was into this way too much. He's taking things too serious.
This. Garnett can be a bit of a punk sometimes- but stuff like this is honestly what the NBA needs. Too many players are buddies from high school, college, AAU, olympics- what have you. The NBA almost reminds me of my school- whereas the other leagues remind me of my friend's school. My school's playing their "rival" tonight- a "rival" that we share a few sports teams with, that we're pretty friendly with. After the game, they'll be no rivalry. In contrast, my friend's school's had the same rivals since the '70s, and the games get pretty heated. Needless to say, his school's games are more fun to watch. The NBA has plenty of fake "rivalries" but (except maybe Celtics and Lakers) in reality it's all guys chumming around. Contrast that to the NFL where a Giants jersey where get you killed in Philly. To the MLB where the Reds and Cardinals seem to get into a bench clearing brawl once a year. To the NHL the Blackhawks and Red Wings practically go to war. What do we have in the NBA? Guy high fiving each other and joining the opponent's team. I put passion into watching your games, why can't you show the same passion? It's disheartening.
I don't think too many people are going to share my views but I guess a sports forum is the wrong place to convince people sports is not to be taken that serious. I understand the passion and rivalry thing but not being able to walk around in another team's jersey on the streets because you might get 'killed' is pathetic. I am from Europe and you know what I loved about the US (New York)? The fact I could go to MSG and watch the Rockets play the Knicks with my Rockets sweater on and being able to sit amongst both Knicks and Rockets fans and having a Knick fan congratulate me later that evening in the hotel.
It's not a game, it is a lifestyle. BIG DIFFERENCE. And you know what, I will back KG on everything he is saying. Allen did not even leave for money, he left the C's to go win with the Heat, who face the C's every playoffs. It insults their ability to play and strains their relationship. It is like a backstab. Think of it as if your "best friend" was telling lies about you behind your back. Would you like it? No. It is backstabbing. So why would KG like it when Ray Allen backstabs?
yep, when fans get into it, it can get pathetic. I'm from Europe too, and I have a great Euroleague basketball team nearby, a team that grew Sabonis and several other great players and competed for top titles many times. But I don't enjoy going to the games at all, mainly because of the ultra /drunk / stupid fan groups. That said.... the Pacers - Pistons brawl. There are stupid fans everywhere. I like the players to be ultra competitive though. For fans, it's just sports, for athletes, it's work and lifestyle. These are the best athletes in the world, and many of them needed insane amounts of motivation / competitiveness just to be in the NBA. And I don't mind seeing it. To me, KG's 'insanity' is not that much different from Ray Allen or Nash taking their lifestyle / diet / workouts to the extremes. Different personalities, but all of them take sports to a level where it rules their personal lifes. I don't see a reason to dislike any of them for it.
Why should it be petty? Not the right word. Hard to understand maybe. They were close friends and not relatives. Even if they were relatives it's ones right. Cutting ties should be as hard on him as on anyone.
How is there anything wrong with what KG said? Why does everyone have to be nice? Why can't people care about winning instead of making friends? That's what capitalism is.
You are too serious on this. Both of them will retire, maybe with more rings than one, get together again and laugh it off. Why should they hang out when one is a Heat and one a Celtic?
If people are fine with KG being like this then they should be fine with it the other way around. I really don't agree that this is a...Old School thing. players from the Old Skool hung out and what not. Charles and Michael ring a bell? Also it's not like players nowadays are always buddy buddy, it just depends. It's not a old school thing. What's this idea that everyone from 99 on back was just this fierce competitor that went to sleep in his teams jersey. All fiercely loyal to the team that drafted him. I don't think it makes KG more competitive either. You guys saying Lebron, Duncan, and Kobe are not competitive? Kobe especially with all the player friends he seems to have. Just look at a more vicious sport like football. Rey Lewis has a whole list of guys he's friended. Arian Foster for example and those two battled, clashed, and had a moment at the end of a playoff game.
