It is the idea that the Dwightmare is as bad or worse than The Decision and all the digs at Dwight Howard being a loser who doesn't want to win and doesn't want the spotlight. I agree that Dwight Howard has some attitude issues but this article is a rip into Howard that he has to reform himself to win over the NBA fanbase. I think it is just inflating this situation to more than it is.
Great post, The_Yoyo. For my money, Marc Stein’s transparently blatant (and baseless) Dallas pimping was the week’s most egregious sign that actual reporting has officially been replaced with mouthpiece regurgitation. But then, I have a special place in my heart reserved for an unbridled hatred of all things Dallas. You will not find an article of Stein’s that didn’t inexplicably cast the Mavericks as neck-and-neck with the Rockets despite there not being a shred of evidence to support such a claim. Seriously – on what planet was Dallas a legitimate contender for Dwight Howard? Other than the one Mark Cuban populates? They essentially had the same pitch as LA, minus the high profile, winning legacy and... what else? Oh yeah - an additional $30MM. We’ll never officially know the pecking order - but how do they finish anywhere higher than fourth? And that’s only because Howard, if he’s smart, was never going east to try and outduel LeBron (somewhat confirmed by the fact four of the five finalists were Western Conference teams). But he kept pounding it, over and over – the Rockets and Mavericks were frontrunners… and it was, each and every time, a 10000000% fabrication, designed to make Cuban look good to justifiably cranky Maverick fans (those that are left; most are now Ranger fans, of course) when Howard inevitably rejected them (“Oh! They were so close..”) while simultaneously creating a false narrative about Cuban and the Mavericks’ fading relevance.
Bravo. I agree with everything the YoYo said. I was thinking the same thing throughout all the media coverage.
Great OP. Bit of a shame clutchfans doesn't filter out certain media outlets & phony journalists like other sporting fan forums do. Just constructive criticism, take it as you please. I believe that if a forum is there to represent a community fanbase for a sports team/club/franchise with it's players, coaches etc, then that forum shouldn't be assisting media outlets & journalists with website "hits" if those sources are not only unworthy of being credible but outright slanderous in character assassinations of those players that represent the club. Not only is the problem that you are giving the money hungry corporations like ESPN more hits & $$$ but the propaganda spreads through the clubs own supporters & supposed fans that are willing to get on the bandwagon & regurgitate the lies & hypocrisy on forums like this. These fans are the highly suggestive types & it's quite ironic as I say that as I've just recently watched the movie "Trance". While it's only about 5% of the population that are highly suggestible when it comes to hypnosis, the actual percentage when it comes to being influenced by media brainwashing is much, much greater. Case in point Fox News. Anyway I thank the OP for educating the many that don't realize the "TRUTH" & hopefully posters such as The_Yoyo continue to educate the uneducated. Sorry if I offended any fans of Fox News, as you were
To be fair, the narrative has been negative on DH since the Orlando fiasco. Plenty here too. But it doesn't excuse reporting false reports and a negative spin on a truly neutral event. (He hasn't made a decision after 1 day = he's waffling and a drama queen...ok) We basically saw sports journalism turn into tabloid fodder and it's a shame people are so easily manipulated. I'm sure I'm going to get some disagreement here, but I think the LBJ Decision was also turned into an atomic bomb by the media and in turn by fans. And this is coming from a Cavs fan. I think a lot of fans fell victim to that too (including many here). Now for all the articles on the how and why DH left, couldn't handle it etc...Before the meetings took place, nearly everyone agreed Houston was the best destination for BASKETBALL REASONS. We are clearly the best situation for a win-now championship contender compared to the other options, especially LA. And yet most articles and writers totally ignore what they themselves AGREED was the best situation, and instead do a 180 and say he left out of fear, pressure, whatever. Some say Dwight was superficial for wanting the 'Hollywood' attention. And yet they rip him for leaving 'stardom' and LA history for championships and making NBA history.
LOL if anyone can catch Around The Horn listen to Plaschke or however you spell his name. The Butt hurt is so strong with him. He says Rockets will be a top 4 team but win a round and likely get eliminated because Dwight isn't a leader and the team has no leaders. Dwight can't grow into a leader because the Lakers tried and therefore it can't be done. That's his logic on it. Bomani mentioned that Hakeem won his first championship at 31 he says something like "He's always been there." whatever that is supposed to mean. The other guys did think Dwight could grow into more of a leader with the help of Mchale, Hakeem, etc...Bill blew that off because the Lakers tried and failed so it can't be done. First of all...Dwight was NEVER going to be the leader of that team with Kobe around. No way. Any ways he ended his argument saying the Lakers didn't even really try to get Dwight Howard! Ahh...the jilted lover.
You know what's funnier? He said the Lakers only had two billboards. Apparently not. It's funny to see these diehard Laker fans squirm like this. Now that he left them "Fine! You can have him, we don't want him!" sounds like something a 7 year old would say. Bill claimed that anyone who knew what was going on knew the Lakers really didn't want Howard back...which makes no sense, if that was the case they could have just let him go without making a effort at all. Like the Hawks and Josh Smith. Bomani was pretty pro-houston and the rest of the guys were pretty reasonable (They'll be really good top 4 team, TBD what they can do past that) but Bomani is from Houston so that is expected.
He's the biggest moron on that show, and the one with the clearest "local" agenda of the bunch. Between him and Adande right now, there's enough angst to fuel an entire Taylor Swift song. "Dwight left??? Oh yeah, well we never wanted him anyways!" I hope ESPN LA enjoys covering Donald Sterling and USC football for the next 4 years.
From the Wikipedia page on Marc Stein: "Stein is a 1991 graduate of California State University, Fullerton and a supporter of Premier League team Manchester City. He lives in the Dallas area with his wife and two sons."
