I don't think if I've ever laughed at a DD post before. This day will be marked in my calendar. As for the bolded portion, DD's world. Seeing as how I think you could do what you do with out the help of others. Can you imagine a forum where DD just argues with himself by contradicting everything he says?
I think the issue is that too many folks take too much seriously, sometimes you are being serious and sometimes they are just flippant comments. Other than personal attacks etc...I don't take much seriously. Glad I could make you laugh...that is a good thing. DD
Did he win a championship before the rule changes? Yes Was he scoring like a no.1 option of a team before the rule changes? Yes Thats enough to show he would've sustained that level of production and success regardless of rule changes.
Did he win championships as the best player on his team before the rule changes? No. Was he the #1 scoring option of a team before the rule changes (not scoring like, but the actual #1 option)? No. I could easily say, did Lebron come into the league and put up really good numbers before the rule changes? Yes. Do players that put up 20/5/5 as rookies go on to become elite players and perennial all-stars? Yes.
The bottom line is that the "manufactured stars" argument is a stupid one to make unless you want to say it is true of every perimeter player that plays in the league from this point on unless the rules are changed back to what they were before. Actually, let's take the argument even further. Not only are these guys "manufactured stars," but so is every player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Back in the good old days, the rules used to be changed to make it harder on the great players. They widened the lane to slow Mikan. They did it again to slow Wilt. They banned dunking in college to stop Kareem. All these "superstars" of the past thirty years have had it easy. They aren't real stars.
Now this turned into parenting theories? I guess you can safely say that whoever would sleep with Delonte West can't be a good mom. :grin:
lol you can regurgitate the same nonsense however you want, he's just going to accumulate more trophies :grin:
Good for him. It doesn't change the fact that he's benefited from the rule changes just like every other perimeter player has. It should really be the fans of the big guys who are upset by the newer rules, not the Kobe fans.
OK, if you want proof, check this out. Kobe's FTA/FGA was 0.502 in 04-05, and 0.377 when handcheck rule was introduced in 05-06. He's shooting significant less free throws after the change. And his FTA/FGA actually stayed at low .30 most of his career.
