I watched the ASG last night, and came away with a mixted feeling. On the one hand, I had fun to see some of the nice plays and especially great plays between Steve and Ming. On the other hand, I guess I had a "wrong" expectation from an ASG. Since the start lineup is decided by votes from fans, I would assume that that will be the real start lineup, instead of just the first 5 mins. Vince and Ben as first 2 vote getters in the Eastern sat pretty much the whole 2nd half. Ming and Steve didn't see the floor at "critical" period of the game. As soon as the fan voting result came out, bunch of ex-plyers, so-called experts, broadcasters jumped out and "educated" us fans, who deserved more than who etc. Everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion, we don't need someone to tell us who WE want to see. As a NBA star player, I guess without much defense, everyone can drop some shots if they are given the chance and minutes. Therefore, I don't think it's necessary to have a ASG MVP, and I don't think the coaches should "over-coach" the personnel on the floor, although he can and should set plays, but based on the fans' decision of the lineup. There is a reason average fans like me don't want to see Shaq's banging games without serious defense in an ASG, and there is a reason that VC is the top vote getter for 4 years in a row. I always thought it was a fan event, but I guess I am wrong. Of course, I hate that damn "Bad Apple".
Shaq and Kobe were the home town guys. How on earth someone could have a problem with them being the focus down the stretch is beyond me. Thats how it should be. If/when the All Star games come to Houston, would you want Yao and Steve on the court, vying for the MVP, even if they aren't voted the starters???
NO, if they are not voted as starters, I don't want them to take away others' minutes and chase that worthless MVP. A city is given the privilege to host an ASG, to me, it means you are trusted to showcase your passion and love for the game, the respect to other players AND respect for the fans. It's not a place to tell everybody that you guys are in my town now, I will just get what I want, take it or leave it. I am not just talking about Yao, Steve and Shaq or Kobe, I am also quite upset to see VC on the bench for almost whole 2nd half, despite his performance in the 1st half. If it really is "how is should be", why don't we just have a home team against the rest game, why don't we just drop the fan voting?
Fans vote for who they want to start, they don't determine playing time. Thats why there is a coach. Jamal Magloire was helping the East win the game, Ben Wallace was not. But you feel Ben Wallace should be playing regardless????
My common sense in a bball game, your starting lineup normally get more minutes. I agree with your arguement about Ben, but can you say T-Mac or Redd played better than VC? Kenny even picked VC as MVP candidate in the Eastern in the 1st half. Like I said, I was wrong to think that as a fan event, obviously it's not. It's a media event, a home town event, and a coach's event.
Well said real_egal, agree 100% with you, Yao could have been MVP also if He gets Shaq's minutes (and the ball of couse). But on the otherhand, I am glad that Yao & Steve didn't play alot of minutes, so they can rest and not get injuries (ex. Brad Miller).. Who cares about ASG results anyway, afterall it's just a show (It fits Shaq perfect...) We need to put on a show tomorow with WAS, now that's important. VP
My VP is not in town, that's why I am on this bbs in the office Actually I don't want Yao to get that MVP, coz he already had too much pressure to "replace Shaq" - another task the media assigned him. In fact, maybe it's a good thing what happened in the game, it might add some fire to SF, Yao, VC's games. I wish both Rockets and Raptors do well.
My gripes about the All-Star weekend: 1) Too much Lebron and Carmelo Anthony ass-kissing 2) Too much "Bad apple" commercials 3) Putting idiotic NBA players in the celebrity game who ball-hog and swat people a foot shorter than them and dunk over them like it's actually a real game. 4) Too much Lebron and Carmelo Anthony ass-kissing 5) Too many stupid interviews with every celebrity sitting on the sidelines and asking the same question "What do you think of Lebron?" 6) An idiotic 989 Skills challenge that is based on who can make the shot on the first try= winner and that person ended up not having any sleep in 2 days, went first, looked to be sleepwalking bewteen the cones and still won. 7) Slam dunk competition with no-name talent (except J-Rich) and racist judges whom half of them never dunked in their life and the contest ending in 32043209 retries and missed dunks and awarding a winner by default even though the last two finalists missed their dunks 8) Rookie game which consisted of zero defense and first and second year players who think they're stars (except a handful who were legit) 9) Stupid 3-point shooting contest with only 5 people in it and only 2 rounds. 10) Stupid slam dunk contest wiht only 4 people in it and 2 rounds which is supposed to be the main event of that night 11) All-Star game where the leading vote getter plays 16 minutes and the hometown boy plays 36 minute and everyone else gets around 15-20min and the MVP is already predetermined before the game 12) Too much Lebron and Carmelo Ass kissing 13) TNT camera crew who would rather show slideshows of stupid NBA history trivia like "leading vote getter in all-star game history" than show dunks in progress late in the fourth quarter 14) All the missed dunks and plays that were missed because of stupid interviews or showing people in the crowd 15) All the Shaq and Kobe ass kissing 16) Too much Magic Johnson stuttering 17) Too much California-schlong-stroking 18) Too much Arnold camera time
Why would this matter when almost no hometown fans get to go to the game? The majority of the Lakers/Clippers season-ticket holders had to watch the game on TV just like us in Houston while business execs and celebrities were wined and dined by the league. I'm with the Philly owner; I don't want an ASG in Houston. They market it like they are catering to the fans (with the voting and all) and then don't let anyone come to the game. I think we need to start a campaign next year to vote in the crappiest players on the ballot.
The focus on Shaq & Kobe didn't surprise me at all. The event was taking place at the Staple's Center, so you had to have known Shaq & Kobe were going to try to steal the show. I also think Shaq was trying to show up Yao for having been voted to start ahead of him.
I think Carlisle chose to use Mcgrady and Kenyon Martin at the 3 spot more than Carter because of their size. They have the size to match up with Garnett at the 3. And Carter didn’t get minutes the the guard spots because Iverson and Kidd were playing well and racking up a ton of assists. I’ve never viewed the All-Star game as a reward for the fans. I always thought it was more of a reward for the players and the coaches that have earned the accolade of being an all-star.
The All-Star game is for Fans. If the fans voted for the starters you would think there's a logical correlation between who they want to start and who they would like to see play. It's ridiculous to say the fans voted just to name the starting lineup. So if I'm the coach and I start Vince Carter and play him for 1 minute then bench him, how is that keeping with the spirit of All Star balloting. Then why even have fan balloting if it's just a sham. Let the coaches and players vote. If you're going to promote it as a game for the fans, then the fans should determine who they want to see. They do so by casting their votes.
True. The ASG is kinda fixed.... On one hand they allow the fans to pick the ones the people want to see, yet since the ASG has to be played in a CITY, and the players of that CITY get SPECIAL treatment. Shaq even said, his teammates were trying to get him the MVP of the ASG. What's funny is that you could tell by the fans reactions in the stands that they WANTED to see MORE of Vince and Yao. It was in LA, but there were outsiders in the stands.
I think they should get rid of fan voting. That way, you don't have all of the b****ing about snubs and you don't have guys getting voted in that haven't played a single game due to injury. Just let the coaches/media determine the all-star teams. You would probably get mostly the same players anyway, except you might get Carmelo Anthony over Francis.
