Okay, you take just about any superstar these days and you can find thousands of NBA fans that hate them. Kobe, Shaq, McGrady, Webber, you name him. But this thread isn't about those guys. This thread is about all the role players over the years that have really irked you, for one reason or another. Allow me to start. Detlef Shrempf (sp?) -- Played for the Sonics back during the years when we found it impossible to beat them. The guy was an absolute Rocket killer, and I hated the way one of his eyes was higher up on his head than the other one. I will refer to him as Sloth from now on. Jeff Hornacek -- Everytime he wiped his stupid looking face before a free throw, it took a monumental effort on my part to not sell my soul to the devil for just the opportunity to be teleported onto that basketball court with a sharp knife and a gallon of gasoline. On top of that, the guy had an uncanny knack of hitting odd, off the wall shots that should never go in for even the best players, let alone a goofy white guy with a stupid haircut. Vinny Del Negro -- His name alone was enough to raise the bile to the tip of my throat, but he was a Rocket killer as well, so his play invoked my ire. My only consolation is the grim hope that he is living somewhere underneath an overpass in San Antonio. Hell, he already had the 5 O'clock shadow for it. Dennis Rodman -- It is a huge accomplishment for anyone other than a Chicago Bulls fan to NOT hate the Worm. The guy just had a disgusting look. From the way his lips curled up in a perpetual sneer to his off court attire, I never had a moment where I experienced anything that could be described as respect for Dennis Rodman. He was a good rebounder and defender...and that is all I will give him. Wally Scuzzbiziazziak -- Screw the spelling of his name. That's part of why I don't like the guy. He has one above-average season as a role player and now he thinks he is Mr. Big Shot. I have never seen a player celebrate more for less. If a teammate gets a steal and passes it to him already standing under the basket, and he hits the wide open layup, he will run back down the court screaming and pumping his fist like he just won the championship single-handedly. Eat my ass, Wally. Eduardo Najera -- The man is grooming himself to be the next Karl Malone. Screw you, Eduardo! We were almost rid of Karla, and now you come and try to take his place?! Well, I won't let you, damnit! I swear I will find a way to stop you! And also, stop telling all your fans in Mexico who never get to see NBA games that you are the best player in the league. I saw that commercial. That poor freaking kid said he thought you were the best NBA player by far. You either slipped that little dude a mickey, or he never gets to watch the games. Either way, you disgust me. Reggie Miller -- I'd like to take him by the ears and just swing him around for a while to make up for all the flopping that guy has done. He must have attended the John Stockton School of Floppin (now run by Derek Fisher since Stockton forgot where it was located). I'll give Reggie one thing, he is more attractive than his sister. Vlade Divac -- Vlade Vlade Vlade. Allow me to introduce you to something that might make your love life a little better...it's called a RAZOR. You use it to scrape that freaking carpet off your face so women won't vomit just from the sight of you. Perhaps his beard-related women frustration is why he spends so much time flopping on the ground during play. He likes to look up the players' shorts. Chris Dudley -- Well, let's face it, the guy barely qualifies as a role player. But he was stupid looking, so I will mention him here. I think he ended up shooting 20% for his career on free throws. Nice job, Chris. Okay, that's enough for now. Everyone else, add in your own role players, past and present (or future, if you are unusually gifted) below.
Good topic. Funny how it always seems to be to be to good role players that torch the Rockets. Good call on Najera. That guy is really starting to bother me. I would add: John Starks Charles Oakley Danny Anige (his later years) Danny Ferry Rick Fox Ruben Patterson I know Im missing many. I hate most of the big guys that sit on the bench all season and play the enforcer role(hack people) in the playoffs. Also in my opinion Reggie Miller is not a role player. He has been on of the better SG's in league over the past 10 years or so.
Well, I think I have a different idea of what a role player is than other people. Szcerbiak was an All Star last season as well, but that doesn't make him something other than a role player in my eyes. To my way of thinking, if the player can carry the team, then they are a star, if they just work really well within the concept of the team, then they are still role players, just good ones. Shrempf was a good role player. He never would have been able to carry that team without Payton and Kemp. Same with Wally World. As for Reggie Miller, the guy has been one of the better SGs for a long time, but he seems to get all his points shooting while coming off screens...I have a hard time calling a guy like that anything other than a role player, but feel free to disagree with me.
Which makes me wonder, what Rockets have done this other teams. Cassell - Yeah, not only was he good, but he could easily get under your skin. I think a lot of people hate him. Never stopped talking. Horry - Somewhat likeable, but he's put so many daggers in the back that the fans gotta be grinding their teeth. Maxwell - An above average player who always found a way. Very physical and could hit big shots. A bad boy. Got to hate him when he beats you with a desperation three. Herrera - He owned a few teams over a very short period of time. He only had one shot, but damn, he lit a few teams up with it.
My List Rick Fox - Can't stand him with the Lakers, and his refusal to play for team Canada since when he did in '94 pisses me off as well. Steve Kerr - Never liked the Bulls...Always hated this little twirp. I think you guys covered the rest.
He was a star and a role player. I think these terms are often used to categorize NBA players, but they shouldn't. It should be used to evaluate players. Reggie Miller was a deadly player coming around screens his entire career. He fortunately got to play with Dale/Antonio, Smits, and tons of other good role players. He was never a player that could completely take over a game without the help of his team. He would always need the beefed up PF to set up picks. He is probably a top 3 clutch player of all time, he had a lot of memorable moments, but in the end he was a player that made a living out of coming of screens and shooting, kicking his feet out so he gets a contact foul, and flopping while defending the worst backcourt guy for the other team.
Jeff Hornacek Jeff Hornacek Jeff Hornacek Jeff Hornacek Jeff Hornacek Jeff F***ING Hornacek!!!! Not only did he ALWAYS managed to have a good game against us, but he used to hit that little teardrop runner in the lane...ALL...THE...TIME! He's as big a part of my hatred for the Jazz, if not more, than Stockton and Malone. Bryon Russell pissed me off, also...
A-Train, is you hate Byron Russell, then get yourself a little pay-back. Apparently he hates it when people call him Byron and not Bryon...
Greg Foster....when he hit that jumper in the WCF and did the throat slit thing, that made me sick. Not to mention he is hard to listen to and look at. Oh, and that assertion that Reggie was never a player that could completely take over a game without the help of his team is not entirely true. Ask Spike Lee. Remember the game with less than a minute left, and Reggie scored 9 points, and logged two steals to seal the game completely on his own.
Does anybody else think we would have gotten torched if we had met Indiana in the '94 finals instead of New York? Reggie Miller was almost unstoppable that year, and Smits's height and long arms would have given Hakeem major fits...
Lunatic, Is it just an accident that most of the guys you hate are non-blacks? And the reasons you gave for hating them fit only the mind of a True Lunatic.
Well, I would like to think it is an accident. I certainly didn't conciously try to think of mostly white role players that I dislike...it just worked out that way.
I remember the 8 in 8.9...vividly. That isn't "taking over a game" though, that was just 2 ****ty inbounds passes and 3 wide open shots.
