I was content to call it a truce and move on but I cant after reading that (Jayz's post). He has NOT produced a lot more than I give him credit for. He is a career 5 rebound per game power forward. Read the last line a couple of times out loud and tell me where you see production. The way you guys talk about him helping make other players better , you'd think we are discussing Jaon Kidd. With the exception of maybe Phoenix and Seattle, we lose every matchup at the 4 in the west conf...and not for nothing, at least when Seattle went after baker, he was coming off good years and an All Star appearance with the Bucks. I didnt go thru the East conf but I challenge you to find a handful of 4's that are worse. I didnt have a problem with him when he made 1 million. It's the extra 47 I have a problem with. You really didnt ask me how I could hope for more talent at the 4 than Mo has given us did you? Why on earth would I want my power forward to average 8-10 rebounds and play good defense? The reality of the situation is that Mo has never produced and he will be hard pressed to do so after the achilles injury. That is a fact. It sucks, but its a fact. I understand you are a fan just like me and you want to believe that he will be better than he has been in the past, but odds are, he wont. I have every right to be angry at the fact that he makes a ton of money and sucks, just like you have every right to think he will improve our team.
Well, its not like Mo can just use and abuse anyone who is guarding him, but he DOES shoot the midrange jumper better than just about any big man in the league. What can you do about that? You can't really guard it. I can't think of any power forward who could really affect Taylor's offensive game too much. Hmmm...hasn't showed a lick of talent? Don't know about that. He's got loads of offensive talent. His 13 points per game for the Rockets last season has more to do with him being the third or fourth option on offense last season than it does with him not having the talent to score more. His measly 28 minutes per game had something to do with it too. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about Mo Taylor's offenisve game. Now, the defense and rebounding, which are the parts of the game that require desire and tenacity more than talent, are what Mo's weaknesses are. And those two aspects of his game are certainly BIG weaknesses. I heard great things in the offseason about Taylor's work ethic, and thought he was going to change people's opinions of him this season. But then he got injured and has apparently been so lazy that he now weighs 300 pounds or more. This really confuses me, because he seemed so excited in interviews last season. I remember him expressing his excitement in playing alongside Eddie Griffin, and I remember his excitement after he signed the contract. This news about him gaining all this weight really has thrown me for a loop.
I remember that season - I had Mo T on my fantasy team because I thought he would be a statpadding cherrypicker - which he was - but I was a bit disappointed. Mo would score 25 or 32 one night, then take the next two games off, scoring 4 or 7. Voila, 17 avg. I think Mo was more interested in having a few showcase games that season. He was also competing with Derek Anderson in the "Get out of LA!" shot sweepstakes. If Mo can return from the injury, he does have a sweet shot and good passing ability. Bad rebounder and bad defender. Still, a potentially very useful player. His passing and shot certainly do fit with Steve and Cat's game. Let's see where he is in training camp. I'm hoping Mo's increased bulk will make him more useful clearing out inside and setting picks - which is what you want from a role player. Yao or Griffin can get the rebound. If the ball comes back his way after the pick, great - he can knock it down. Best of luck, Mo.
<i>When did I say this season? I read last year that that was one of the things he was working on. Obviously, it's harder to do that with a blown ACL. </i> Cat, As president of the Mo Taylor Fan Club, you probably should know that he blew out his Achilles, not his ACL. Carry on.
I thought this rumor of his increased bulk was dismissed recently by someone on this board who ran into MoT and his brother in Houston?
Thanks for pointing that out because I was fixing to myself. giddy: Doc Rocket was a little non-plussed with that thread, if I remember correctly. Who wants to bet that Mo wants us to get Lamar?? I wonder what the two of them will do together....
The Cat will never ever admit that Mo is an underachieving fat ass with a history of achilles problems and bigger holes in his game than the Royal Gorge. His body hasn't changed a lick since he entered the league, other than to get fatter. KT in the last year has built his body more than MoT in his whole career.
It's a misnomer (bogus, bs, a lie etc...) when people say you can't excercise due to an achilles tendon injury. Mo could have lifted weights on his arms, performed situps. Hershel Walker stayed in shape doing situps and push ups, nothing else. Mo could have jogged in the pool with a brace on. The only thing he lifted was the weed, drink, and food to his mouth. His new nickname = MoFat.
Instead of showing support for Mo Taylor, can we get some structural support for the court if he doesn't lose weight?
What are you talking about when you say you can't work out when injured. man532 was right about Hershel Walker staying in shape doing push-ups and sit-ups. Hell, I tore a ligament near my ankle and was out for my entire freshmen year, all I did was work on my upperbody and came back twice as strong. I know if I can do that then MoT can definitely do it. I had school and sports and still worked out, so to tell me that Mo can't do it when he just signed a fat contract (no pun intended) and has all the time in the world is ludicrous. Especially condsidering the fact that Mo plays the 4 and needs to learn to bang down low and God forbid he should learn how to box out. So much for that tremendous work ethic. When Mo comes back, I'll cheer for him and support him (just as any player that comes back from injury deserves), but if he lags after a couple of months and doesn't contribute I won't say that I wasn't expecting it.
