i tend to agree with what tigermission has said thusfar. I believe a lot of peopel thinking T-Mac is cocky comes from his past, and well, he has to pay for that. You can't make a change one year and think everyone will forgive your previous attitude/actions. But seeing him at least appear more mature and humble, yet still confident is very reassuring and inspiring to me. The hand signal I really do see as no more as a team building thing. I mean you've all read where it came from, and how it was in NO way directed at any other player besides teammates. I think the Rockets were just enjoying their (shortlived) postseason success and were really bonding as a team. I never thought that we dissed the mavs, but it's the sentiment I get from the mavs fans. mutombo's "guarantee" was just speaking too soon for me. be confident but don't give the other team a reason to get fired up...that's my take.
He was talking about that when he is "feeling it" and he is in rythem, his defender is at his mercy, he is really irrelevant. I think we have seen that more than a few times with great players before to know that this is true. When Hakeem/Shaq or Jordan felt it, there was absolutely NOTHING the defense could do to stop them. Same thing applies to Kobe, possibly even Lebron in the future. There are VERY few players in the league that are unguardable on any given night. I can say that Kobe, McGrady, and Iverson fit that mold of players more than anyone else in the league right now. Lebron can also be considered one of those type of players.
LOL! Deke is just having fun, he knows he can't even back that statement up, since he wasn't a "star" player on the team. I think he was trying to put pressure on his teammates to deliver on his promise. I can't say it backfired, I mean he did come in Game 6 and gave us a huge boost on a night when Yao was a no show. So at least we avoided being embarassed/beat on our own court.
agreed. And I'd like to say I like the way T-Mac shows it...he doesn't stare anyone down, he looks at the crowd in a "I hope you're entertained" kind of way. I believe Mutombo does his finger wag for the same reasons, he no longer directs it at a player, but rather the crowd. And let's be honest, you can see how energized and pumped up they get after big plays. Sometimes it's not about showmanship, it's just reacting in a natural testosterone filled way. Look at Dampier on his TWO put back dunks the whole series, yelling like he's done something...even the mavs fans are asking themselves "dampier a bust??" Welcome to the rockets' world. get a player who plays hard in their last year of their contract, and watch them scrub it up after that (mo taylor, mooch, maloney, etc.)
LOL! Yah, Stoudamire staring everyone down everytime he dunks, Q doing that stupid sign whenever he scores, their cocky coach, they definitely have a cocky team. But hey, let them enjoy their season, they are playing well right now. I am rooting for them (although it is hard to do so) to beat the Mavs and put them out of their misery. Did you see Avery slipping and falling last night when he was complaining to the ref? He got even MORE pissed because he got the tech for being on the court during game play, when he actually slipped and fell and didn't mean to be physically on the court. Avery was clearly embarassed and was complaining (I think) about the first tech, so he got the 2nd one. LOL! That was hilarious!
I'm not against showmanship. I'm against showmanship before you've done or won anything. Bob Sura and Jon Barry? Give me a break. At least Deke has done something in this league. I noticed you forgot to respond to my postings of Deke's statements. Did they satisfy your requirements for "proof"?
because they suck, they know they lucked out, and they know that Dirk is going to be so hurt because Steve left him that he can't perform, both sexually and on the court. And that doesn't sit well with the referees, cuban and stern....
Deke does the finger wag to the crowd because he'd get a tech for taunting if he did it to a specific player now.
Me and the wife couldn't stop laughing when all that went down. T hink the Suns will beat the Mavs in 5 or 6 games and the Suns will lose to the Spurs in WCF.
Yah, that is why the league now is trying hard to do something about it. I wish the NBA had a similar system like the NFL's, with their non-guaranteed contracts. There are way too many players in the league who only show up during contract years, and then fade away again until next time they need to sign a new one.
Deke's statement was premature, yah. But it is not like the guy is in his "prime" or anyone gives a crap about what he says. The guy is a bench player at the end of his career. Other teams won't really feel slighted when Deke says anything right now. They would, however, take notice of McGrady or Yao talking smack. So within context, Deke's statement meant nothing
so deke needs to come out and say "i was just tryin to get my team motivated. And I know how to use chopsticks, I've been to china..." hahaha, crack me up.
Generally speaking, home team fans see their players different from everyone else, that typical homer. TMac was cocky & arrogant, and he is cocky now. Just look over the published pre/post game comments, the guy is cocky. I don't like the cockyness way from any player, because that's a display of poor sportsmanship. I guess I can take it as long as the guy is good and accomplished. TMacs is good, but he hasn't accompolished anything yet neither with the Magic, nor with the Rockets.
I dunno man, I didn't think Dirk was cocky when he stuck his tongue out and celebrated his big put back dunk. Caught up in the moment. Now dirk did carry himself differently, but then again...he kind of stunk it up for the series.
Why does it matter if he says that? Some players are allowed to say certain things Tmac can say that hes probably the best scorer in the league besides Iverson (and dont tell me oh tracy finished 6th this year, he still is one of the better scorers he can slash dunk shoot from anywhere he has no range limit) Shaq can say things but jason terry and the mavs cocky attitude man terry rubs me the wrong way after he acted all cool after the 32 pt. outburst and then at halftime of game 7.
yeah, he was doing that "calm down" gesture or something. I only hated him b/c he was an opponent. Onoly Josh Howard really got on my nerves. Well also Dirk. he's a GREAT player, and I have NO problems with players SELLING a foul, but faking one where there is no foul is where I have a problem. I didn't like that part of Dirk's game.
I watched every game of thats series. He was the better player. The media loves a winner. (I guess we do too, though). T-Mac tells it like it is. When he says that when he's hitting 3s like that his defender is at his mercy, are you going to argue with him. He's incredibly confident and his teammates feed off that. If anything he has a propensity to be too negative when things are bad.
