Dwyane has learned that anything he says will be front page news and has already used it to his advantage by telling a Chicago newspaper that he questions whether the Bulls are a loyal organization. When Wade was a kid in the suburbs of Chicago, Michael Jordan won the NBA title in his six last full seasons with the Bulls and then was told that organizations win championships and not players. Wade's questioning of Chicago's ethical treatment of greatness could very well steer potential free agents away from the Windy City. What a fantastic pre-emptive strike.
However, what people need to hear most from our master recruiter is a ringing endorsement on Michael Beasley. If Wade proclaimed that Beasley will average "at least 19 points and 8 rebounds next season", it would instantly make Miami the hot destination of the summer (as it should be). Of course, those are actually Mike's per 36 numbers for his two "lackluster" seasons on the Heat. For some perspective, could you imagine the hype Michael Beasley would get right now if he had stayed in school two more years and come out the year the Washington Wizards got the top pick? The debate would rage about whether they should draft John Wall or the local favorite who is virtually guaranteed to put up 20 and 10 for the next decade. Instead he came out the same year that the #1 pick was held by a team that had local ties with Derrick Rose and has been an afterthought since. A Wade endorsement (whether sincere or not) would dramatically change the perception on Miami's ability to build a dynasty.
Keeping Michael around creates a similar dynamic to the 2008 Lakers and Celtics, which met in the NBA Finals - three veteran studs and a young, unproven one. Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom had Andrew Bynum, while Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen had Rajon Rondo. Two years later, both teams are one game away from meeting each other in yet another NBA Finals and perhaps only a Kevin Garnett injury has kept this from being the NBA Finals matchup for the past three seasons. Both teams have been able to add to their potent cores by using the mid-level exception on Ron Artest and Rasheed Wallace, respectively.
When Shaquille O'Neal came to town he insisted that Dwyane not be traded to LA and accepted a lesser salary in order to allow the organization to put together a championship squad in his second season on the club. A similar effort should be made now to keep Michael around in the Andrew Bynum/Rajon Rondo role. Of course, you do whatever you can to bring in LeBron and Bosh/Stoudemire, but if championships is what these guys are looking for, then it should not be too hard to convince them to give the kid a real chance to blossom with them.
Kbboy80
I said it from day one, every team has their fallout boy. If the Cavs lose this will somehow all come back to Shaq “screwing up their team” without anybody mentioning this is pretty much the same team from last year that got whooped by the Magic. as far as the core goes. Delonted,MO,Big Z, Varajeo. All still here with an upgrade in talent. But it will all come back to Shaq, somehow he will get the blame even tho Clv is quick to turn away from him, bench him, and go with the core from last year in the closing quarters. Shaq has been quiet, hasnt cried, and is basically playing the role of “stiff” and just rebounding, defending and doing what is asked.
Its all so hilarious to me how on PTI the other day, idiot Wilbon proclaims “Lebron’s cast isnt all that gay. Yea he got a guy like Jamison and Mo Will but, these guys dont play good together”. Oh really? So when ESPN slobbed them for all 60 something wins they werent playing well together or were not a good enough cast? Ridiculous.
LeBron’s cast isn’t all that gay… but Sledge is.
LMFAO!!! I just caught that. What wilbon said was “Lebron’s cast isnt all that GREAT”.*
They are pretty gay tho, but you are right, not as much as Sledge.
Asylum for tonight’s game?
Sledge gets into it with me next calling me a fagget with mental retardation and childhood issues, to which I respond that I agree it is childish to call each other gay, but that he always responds by calling us faggets, which shows he can't even pick a side and stick with it... who is the retard? These comments are quickly erased from the board and then I take a few shots at Ira and soon after I get called to the principal's office:
FMB says:
May 13, 2010 at 4:30 pm
He’s a bust because our local beat writer has deemed him as such and goes around telling anyone who listens that he is a bust. Then his buddy writes a national story about how Haslem is better and the Heat have been keeping it a secret.
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I agree 1000000 PERCENT. All you ever hear is Ira coming out of peoples mouths, as it pertains to Beasley. Which okay I get, he is our most respected local Heat Beat Writer. But does that mean its correct? Who knows, especially when you have Coach, President, and Owner saying otherwise.
OMG, our most nationally respected beat writer is Ira!
I don’t recall Ira saying that Beasley is a “bust”. Get it right. He has just written about Beasleys shortcomings and him not meeting the higher expectations most people had for a #2 pick these past 2 seasons. Even Wade has expressed the same sort of discouragement. Not to mention Pat Riley who has been approving Beasley’s limited minutes for 2 consecutive years as general manager. Beasley is not bust, where did Ira write that? At just 21 y/o, he may be a late bloomer on the wrong system, who knows. Time will tell. He could be the next Lamar Odom or the next Rasual Butler. We’ll see.
Sledge can you really say that Ira has not been hypercritical of Beasley?
20 and 10 from Beasley, Lets keep some perspective.
5 and 5 from Beasley, Beasley looked lost.
15 and 7 from Beasley following night, Beasley gave up more than he scored.
The problem wasnt in reporting the bad, it was not reporting the good.
Ira is anything but unbiased
We are all biased to some extent when evaluating players. i happen to agree with Ira most times about Beasley. His porous defense, being lost in the court, and the 10 Beasley Flaws that I’ve repeatedly posted here. I also agree that Haslem does other things on the court that Beasley just hasn’t learned yet or is incapable of. Beasley has been an inconsistent scorer, that’s all. No passing skills, treated like a rag doll in the paint, etc. etc. That’s why Wade complains, that’s why the Heat entire coaching staff headed by pat Riley has severely limited Beasley’s minutes for 2 seasons. They all agree with Ira too.
Sledge, CyrusTheVirus, et al.
Play nice, guys. Let’s try to keeps this forum civil, or at least not like the playground in grade school.
Fair warning to all – any and all impersonators will be banned. Pick your username and stick to it.
That is all.
what if its funny and positive? or not crude at least?
Why not ban trolls?
impersonator = troll
Impersonator = comedy for those who want to talk Heat basketball and have to hear the repetitive opinions of somebody who just wants to get under the skin of Heat fans.
Your protection of that blogger is a disgrace to your newspaper… get rid of the cancer or you will lose your following. Guaranteed.
Soon after a new blog topic was started and Jrod kept the dialogue going:
But what if your famous? Can you still get banned?
Because to me thats funny, not trolling, I never say hateful or crude remarks, I just use it to accentuate my points.
I know Chris T is a wise man, and will use his correct judgement.
Just trying to clean the place up a bit.
Excellent news.
agreed
Get rid of Sledge, then
What are your thoughts, comments, concerns. I don't necessarily want to be banned so I will respect the posted rules. However, now that I know we are being watched, can we actually get the trolls out? What needs to happen in order to clean out the trash?