"Had Michael Jordan not decided to take a 20-month sabbatical from professional basketball, the East's number would almost certainly have become 10 of 10, and the Rockets would have the barest of ring fingers." -- Michael Wilbon, Washington Post, May 14 "There's nothing like having to deal with an opponent with as much talent as Horry, who feels he's under as little pressure as Horry. Remember, this is a guy who owns twice as many NBA championship rings as Kobe and Shaq." -- Michael Wilbon, Washington Post, May 27
That's great and clever! Thanks for the laugh, Will. God I hate sportswriters, especially those who don't even realize what they are saying half the time. Wilbon is still better than Blinebury, but then after all, isn't everyone better than Fran??
He didn't say anything hypocritical there, just the truth. Jordan has more talent and is more "clutch" than Horry is, so it's not inconcievable that what he says is correct.
Speaking of Blinebury and Hypocrisy, Fran's latest column about Horry is the most galling one in his recent run of anti-rockets acerbity. Fran Blinebury ROUTINELY busted Horry in his four years here. I started reading the Chronicle only after the demise of the Post, and was neutral to the Chron's columnists going in. But at that time, to Fran, Horry's lack of aggressiveness was the catch-all problem for the Rockets (in championship years no less). And now, thinking we have all forgotten his previously stated opinions, Fran has once again jumped the bandwagon to a winning team for "good cover" and is praising Horry for his clutch play. I guess this sounds a little bitter towards ol' Fran, but enough is enough of this guy. Fran turned me off from the get-go with his constant acrimony towards my favorite Rocket at the time, Robert Horry. And his recent stroke of kicking the Rockets while they are down has rendered it impossible for me to respect him as a writer. Notice he had no column after the Rockets won the first draft pick. Seems to me a good columnist who covers basketball should reflect on the Rockets' good fortune and positive outlook for the future in addition to analyzing the negative results of last season. OK. Rant over.
Hypocrisy: The practice of professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; falseness. An act or instance of such falseness. He says that if MJ was there, the Rockets may not have the rings, something to be considered. Would Chicago have won? Who's to tell? But it's certainly a possibility. The matter of the fact is that Chicago did not win and Horry does have two rings with the Rockets, something that cannot be taken away, seeing as how you cannot go back and play the games. It may sound contradictory, yet it's his belief whether everyone agrees or not. In any case, this argument has been beaten all around the bush in the Rockets 2002 forum when the first comment came out, so I'm not going to rehash it any further. Personally, I just fail to see the hypocrisy in such a statement.
