Great column! I think it rightly portrays Malone for who he is: an egomaniac who has always been jealous of those who have accomplished more than him, and has always been obsessed with what MJ has. Honestly, has there EVER been a player in history who is more hated by basketball fans everywhere? Man, nothing ever made me happier than when Malone and the Lakers did not win a ring last year, and I was even more ecstatic when he decided to retire a few days ago. I guess he finally accepted his destiny as a loser... http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/3398836
You know what, I despite Malone as much as any Rocket fan with a pulse does. But just because he never got a ring, I don't think you can call him a loser. A piece of human scum who doesn't deserve to draw another breath, yes. But a loser? I don't think so, personally. He's a hall of famer, I don't think there's any question about it.
Malone is NOT a loser. No one like the guy, and he deserves for not being liked. However, his HOF career speaks for itself. When you win as much as he does, you are not a loser. He failed to win championship rings, because of one reason --- MJ, who was simply unbeatable at the time. If the Jazz were to play the Spurs of 2002 and Pistons of 2003, they'd stomped them both.
MJ sure did stop alot of HF's Championships. Malone, Stockton, Barkley, and Reggie. I believe he would have stopped Dream too if he did not retire those two years, what a player he was. Mark
In my opinion though, the second year the Jazz went to the Finals they shouldn't have even been there. The Rockets, at the #8 seed, had the Jazz down 2-1 and led by 8 points in Game 4 when Barkley was lost for the playoffs because of a triceps injury (courtesy of Antoine Carr -- who ironically would sign with the Rockets 8-9 months later). I'm not whining about it since injuries happen, but since we're talking technicalities and woulda/couldas, then just as easily they should not have been there.
I think I may have misstated what I meant, so let me say what I actually meant... By loser, I meant a guy who never won a ring, despite the many chances he got to do so. I donot mean that Malone has not been a winner in the sense of winning games in regular seasons and playoffs. He is a winner in that sense. But I am one of those people that believes if you really want to be considered among the elite players of all time, numbers donot say much about you. You have to deliver a championship sooner or later to earn the respect of people everywhere. That is not to say that, for example, a Ben Wallace or a Rasheed Wallace are better players than Malone was, but rather that they are "winners" in the only way that matters in sports: championships. But that is just my bias opinion. I put a premium on being a champion, not just winning a few games here and there. My point is this: When presented with repeated opportunities to win the rings, Malone failed at every given chance. BTW, was MJ playing on that Detroit team last year? I know Malone was injured and not very healthy at the time, but like it or not, he will probably be always remembered as the player who got the most chances to win it all, and yet fell short every single time, and failed to deliver in the crunch. That says a LOT about a player. MJ delivered at the end, Hakeem delivered at the end, Malone didn't. That is all that matters. He KNEW that, that is why he was desperate to bandwagon his way to a championship. But the bad karma has stuck to him everywhere he's been. Probably well-deserved...
Clutch is right, that second jazz team that made it to the finals was really not as good as previous years and it was a miracle they made it -sort of like last year's lakers. I think the best Jazz team might be the one that lost to the Rox in 1995.
Probably a good point Clutch. But that was the Rockets' fault in my honest opinion, that was a serious choke job by the Rockets that year. While most people look back fondly at that year we made the Western Conf finals, I look back at it with disappointment, asking why did three HOF not carry that unbelievably talented/deep Rockets team to the finals against the Bulls. We could have overwhelmed the Bulls in the finals, although everyone said that about every team pretty much that has met the Bulls in the finals, and yet the Bulls beat everyone of those teams. Nevertheless, when the Jazz DID get to the finals, they arguebly had a deeper team and a better overall lineup than the Bulls did. And they still lost. How did they lose? Jordan slapping the ball away from, who else, Malone at the final seconds, and then knocking down "the shot" to win it all. Now I am not sure if this speaks more to Jordan's greatness/clutchness or if that very moment was symbolic of Malone's whole career: that is always not making the clutch plays when it counts, being beat by Jordan (again), and once again coming up a bit short. But ya well, as I said, it is just my opinion.
Hell I remember When Drexler got BEAR HUGGED by Karl while Stocton hit the game winning shot NO FRICKIN CALL [Of course Barkley didn't rotate but . . . . ] it took all that got them to goto the finals.. Rocket River
BTW, I know Barkley was lost for the playoffs, but we still only had to win two more games, while the Jazz had to win three. At the same time, we lost THREE games in a row to the Jazz after Barkley went down. That was shameful.
Charley 'Hater' Rosen is really on tear with his articles. It is always fun to read the dirt that he loves tossing out there. On the flipside, his proclamation that Malone doesn't crack the top 10 PFs in NBA history took things across the river to the Idiot Village. Evan
The funniest part about the play where Jordan stripped Malone was Malone's reaction. There was a slight hesitation by Malone, followed by a pathetic flop to the ground. Now THAT sums up his career.
Malone overrated. Yeah, I mean he is only a 2 time league MVP and the leagues 2nd all time leading scorer! Totally overrated! What was the media thinking!!?!? Regardless of what you personally think of Malone, dirty or whatever, the guy was one of the greatest PFs of ALL TIME in the NBA. He can be great AND still be a jackass. But let's give the guy his due.
I think I agree with that. And it's funny, because while other Jazz teams went to the Finals and the WCF, that team was knocked out in the freaking first round.
I totally agree. Rosen has got to be one of the worst sportswriters out there. And trying to put Malone out of the top 10 is ludicrous especially given the lame list that he gives us. Some of those players are ridiculous to even put ahead of Malone. Like Sikma. Come on, Rosen. just because Karl Malone didn't say hi to you at Denny's doesn't mean that he is not better than Jack Sikma.
Great post Deuce. Malone is and will always be my most hated athlete ever, but the guy is one of the greatest to ever play the game, and maybe the best PF ever. I can't believe I just said good things about Karl Malone.
