Im sorry if this has already been posted, I did search and couldn't find anthing so here it is. http://espn.go.com/page2/s/simmons/020913.html Here's where Mobley and Rudy get the recognition they deserve: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Starters Mike Bibby: It's amazing that nobody mentioned his name all month. Everything Davis and Miller couldn't do (create their own offense when it mattered, drain big shots, take care of the basketball, make smart decisions) was something Bibby specialized in during the 2002 playoffs. They could have beaten Argentina and Yugoslavia with him. I love Mike Bibby. Have I mentioned that lately? Paul Pierce played selfishly and was AWOL on defense -- and that's coming from The Sports Guy. Paul Pierce: Surrounded by the right teammates, I think he would have bought into this thing; he never seemed like he was enjoying himself, and maybe playing with Bibby would have changed that. Just for the record, the Peep played selfishly for most of the tournament, mailed it in defensively in the two biggest games and reportedly feuded with Andre Miller. Let's agree never to discuss any of this ever again. Antonio Davis: The most polished of the pseudo-centers. Believe me, I'm not jumping for joy about it, either. Remember when the United States used to produce centers? Remember those days? Robert Horry: Good defense, clutch shooting, doesn't care if he gets the ball, blends in with everyone, always seems to be on the winning team. Needed to be there. Period. As one of my readers once wrote, he's the Nate Dogg of the NBA. Good things just seem to happen when he's around. Antoine Walker: Yeah, yeah ... I know. Two Boston guys in the starting five. But consider this: Walker wanted to be there; he would have emerged as the leader of the team; he would have thrived with the 3-point line; and Twan and Pierce have developed a unique on-court chemistry that would have come in handy every time a play broke down. Call me crazy. (And by the way, if you think Wallace and Brand are better basketball players than Antoine Walker, as Taggert told Rosewood in "Beverly Hills Cop II," "We really need to talk.") Bench Jalen Rose: Perfect sixth man. Plays three positions, creates his own shot, shoots 3s, takes over games, plays any style, commands double teams when he's hot, has already proven himself in big situations, insanely competitive ... and nobody ever mentions him. Ideal for the international game. J-Ro gets a bad rap, yo. He's the shiz-nit. Word. Holla. (Ever notice how nobody can write an NBA column anymore without "writing black"? Probably my least favorite journalistic trend of the last 20 years. There are a great many black players in this sport, therefore, I must make my prose a little more urban. Word up. This is one phat column I'm writing. Recognize.) Richard Jefferson: Why not pick a bench player who's hungry and feels like he has something to prove, instead of somebody who's already made an All-Star team, makes $10 million a season and wants to get minutes? By the end of last year's playoffs, Jefferson had emerged as a defensive menace (as well as a breakout star next season). And he always seemed to be on the floor when the Nets were making a run. I just like him. Michael Finley was actually one of the bright spots for the U.S. squad -- because he at least put out some effort. (Note: You could also make a case for Michael Finley in this spot. By all accounts, he proved himself better than any U.S. player - nobody worked harder, tried harder and cared more about the team. And I was never a huge Finley fan. Of course, the fact that he was one of the bright spots on a sixth-place USA team probably says something. I'd rather have Jefferson's defense and intensity; you might feel differently.) Andre Miller: Since Bibby is indisputably better and more accomplished, 'Dre would have accepted being his backup (unlike with what happened with Davis). He also seemed to get better as the tournament dragged along, although it still seemed like he was dribbling too much (I hate that -- pass the damn ball). As for Davis, I still like his game, but he's developing into a poor man's version of Kevin Johnson, one of those "I put up stats, but I don't make my teammates better" guys. At least Miller's heart seems to be in the right place. Keon Clark: Possesses a bonafide low-post game, always rises to the occasion, runs the floor better than anyone ... as nuts as this sounds, if my life depended on it, I would rather stick him on this team over Wallace and O'Neal. Wallace was horribly exposed in the tournament (you can't beat quality teams playing four-on-five on the offensive end), and O'Neal's stock dropped more than anyone with the possible exception of Baron Davis -- thanks to Jermaine's poor foul shooting, lack of low-post moves, crummy defense, shoddy passing and horrendous body language. Other than that, he looked pretty good. (Plus, every team needs one head case, right? Keon isn't a bad head case, either ... he's a fun head case, the kind of guy who gets arrested for mar1juana possession right as his agent is trying to land him a $40 million free-agent deal. Doesn't make him a bad basketball player. And the pot jokes could have been flying for three straight weeks. Good times.) Cuttino Mobley: Instant offense, bad matchup for certain teams, 3-point range, good team guy, and someone who actually would have wanted to be there. Great 10th man/wild-card guy off the bench. He plays the slash-and-kick-out game as well as anybody. And the episode of "The Life" when he went shopping for Ferraris with Steve Francis, both dressed in jogging suits, remains my favorite TV moment of 2001. Jon Barry: Good for team chemistry, 3-point range, loads of intensity, wouldn't have needed big minutes, and a much better option as "The Token White Guy" than Raef Lafrentz. And we need a "Jump off the bench and pump your fist after a big hoop" guy. Popeye Jones: You might think this is crazy, but hear me out: The 12th guy on the team isn't playing, anyway ... why not pick a likable veteran, a role player who's simply happy to be there, someone who could bang bodies and set picks in practice, and somebody who also doubles as the scariest-looking guy in the league? Where's the downside here? Rudy Tomjanovich (coach): First of all, they need to make him the permanent head coach (this whole "rotating coach" thing never made sense to me). But you need someone who everyone respects and likes, someone with big-game experience, someone flexible enough to change game plans on the fly, someone who knows how to juggle egos. ... I mean, it has to be Rudy T., doesn't it? Especially because he mastered that drive-and-kick-out offense with Francis, Mobley and the Rockets over the past few years. Everyone loves Rudy T.
