I mentioned this in the Vulajic incident, and Rafer has got to keep Skip in line. I know his swagger fuels his game, but when he starts showing off instead of giving crisp passes and maintaining efficiency of the offense, that rhythm can throw off his teammates. He has to keep Adelman and his teammates words in mind.
This is awesome logic. My dog has eaten just fine his whole life...something like 2,000 days or so, but over the past 2 weeks he's thrown up 4 or 5 times right after eating. But it's only 4 or 5 times out of 2,000 days so there must not be a trend there!
I don't know maybe its my age (35) or how I was brought up in sports but I would be willing to bet that these guys that confuse Rafer's sense of sportsmanship with swagger are all under the age of 18 or simply act like it.
You must play like a F A G and scared that your opponent might get mad and play tougher. If a player cant respond to his opponent's intensity , then he shouldn't play at all. grow some nutts
EXACTLY. rafer draws strength from attitude. without it he wouldn't dare shoot with such confidence. now this can bite you in the ass, as earlier this season when he kept putting it up and nothing was falling. but it's the same will and toughness of mind that allowed him to probably the BIGGEST factor in our streak after yao went out. on a team where the superstars are not "hard" someone has to be the enforcer, rafer's it so QQ. it's hypocritical to go to the butcher to get meat then cry that he's slaughtering cows. just support your damn team and quit crying and nitpicking now that the streak is over
Yep, case proven. Even in my older years, I love to play one on one with the young guys that just talk smack, worry about their looks, playing the "and 1" style and just completely and utterly dominate them. Now that's NUTTS!
Nutts is playing hard and having no fear. Appears to me that you hate the whole "AND 1" theme. Rafer backs up his talk.
Whatever works for Rafer, Fake, Real, who cares? I hope he keeps doing it. Regardless if its trash talking, playing and 1 ball, etc. I rather not have him revert back to the Rafer before the 22 game winning streak.
LMAO So . . what you saying is. . .The critics come out . .when there is something to criticize? Rocket River
I dont know what league you're watching. you're supposedly an "old timer" "venerated elder" yet 20 years ago this league was bloody as hell. scola's flagrant 1 would have been called "defending the lane" and neither alston nor rondo would have even gotten technicals for their conversation. if you think alston has an attitude go ask detroit circa 89 or any of those lakers teams what a hard attitude on the basketball court is. toughness = wins. it's no coincidence that you saw them emerge at the same time during the streak
I don't know about you guys but I would rather have a classless Rafer who plays out of his mind over a classy Rafer who makes 30% of his shots. If Rafer needs to be a punk to perform, then be all you can be Rafer!! Be our Rodman. Pass on the "be humble, be hungry" motto to everyone on the team but him.
Going against an elite team, what was the two left handed passes that became turnovers? AND1, confidence or stupidity?
Is he not allowed to have some bad plays? How well has he been playing since the start of the streak?
I never thought anything about Scola's hard foul being anything like Rafer showboating. And your linkage to the circa 89 Pistons to Rafer's showing up his opponents have no relevance. Playing hard (Laimbeer, Vinnie Johnson, Isiah, Mahorn, Dennis Rodman, John Salley, etc) isn't the same as making a steal and looking back at your opponent in a silly staredown while streaking for a layup. I was just waiting for Rafer to blow the layup after that one, reminescent of Leon Lett from the Cowboys. Funny how some people seem to equate showboating with toughness. I'm not saying to not have an attitude or a mean streak (Otis Thorpe comes to mind) but when it comes down to stupid, immature antics then I believe that hurts a team more than it helps. I'd rather see "toughness" manifested like a Battier or a Carl Landry, not rafer-style showboating. Rafer is too good a player to be doing that crap nowadays.
He's allowed to have bad plays, but those passes stand out because they are a reflection of his attitude tonight and the past 2-3 games. Look, I could see him staring Rondo down during the layup, but Cassell had just entered the game. Face it, the Celtics got in his head and his behavior was what we saw tonight. Remember, stay humble, stay hungry.
Wow, when we lose, some fans really just have to throw something or someone under a bus. Let us remember that the beef with New Orleans stems from last season(Remember the ejection of him and Desmond Mason?). The Lakers game was over, Vujajic kept on pressuring Rafer for no reason, and he barely did anything in terms of And1 moves and you call that showboating? I love having a guy like Rafer on the team. I wouldn't an entire team with this personality, ahem, the Celtics, but 1 person with that kind of passion doesn't hurt. And if it helps his shot and the Rockets win games, so be it.
