I responded in the K-Mart/Mad Max thread how each advanced stat separates you more from the players. I was always a fan of efficient ball, HATED Vernon Maxwell's off balanced heaves when he had such a nice shooting motion. But I liked Vernon Maxwell for being tough, feisty, fast and clutch. Thats it, no more reason needed. AST/TO ratio, true shooting %, who gives a crap. Maxwell made funky off-balanced shots to win games, after the first title while getting sprayed with bubbly champagne he kept maniacally screaming "Knicks in SIX! Knicks in SIX!" as a taunt against the expert predictions, and you'd want to "have a beer" with him. Same here. Even the most hardcore stats person valuing efficiency has to consider that putting all effort on the court not taking plays off counts as the purest form of efficiency there is. And its always fun to watch determined people.
Karl Malone, don't care what his stats are, just flat out hate the guy regardless of how great people think he is...yes I have pure hatred towards that piece of crap! He gained stats just through so many cheap shots, I don't know how to account for them. So when he retired with no ring, it was the first time I believed there's a Basketball God.
I was flat-out happy (and frankly surprised) when Ron - Ron was gone - gone. I give Trevor additional support because I want him to succeed while being the anti-Artest. I rooted against the Lakes because to me D-Fish lost his skill and morphed into a dirty player. So, I magnify all his faults. I hated Karla always, but never so much as when he wore the uni Boki tore trying to keep himself from major harm after Malone's undercut. So, I scoff at his ring-chasing, and failing. Finally, Chuckles. I wasn't happy when he was obtained. And I believe to this day he was the root cause of the fallow years of the Rox. I rarely dial on TNT's Ernie Show because I discount any crap flowing from Cur Charles' mouth.
I think we all let emotion factor into our like or dislike of a player. It's just that most won't admit it and end up defending their guy to the point that they look foolish. I'll freely admit that I've been guilty of that many times over the years.
lets admit something tough, carl malone was good! people just dont understand, yes he took many cheap shots, but in the road to being an nba champion you need more than just talent, you need hustlers, bullies,intangibles, size, swagger, fighters, and greedy hard nosed players that no matter what! have the mentality to get the job done (killer instinct). For me its love hate situation, life isnt fair, the nba is not perfect, carl malone was a dirty player but its all drama and part of the nba, you have to admit that if carl malone was in our team you wouldnt have seen his faults. example: i hate when players draw late charges on the rockets, but what about us? shane has pretty much contaged every body into doing it even YAO was doing it and he's 7'6 for crying out loud!
