homjm
Bulldog (over 250 posts)
Posts: 260
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Post by homjm on May 20, 2005 14:56:41 GMT -5
What's up w Zo? And please don't say he's just very happy to be playing because he acted like this before his kidneys failed...It's very annoying, like when Jerome Bettis rushes for 4 yards on 2nd and 10 in the first quarter...CALM DOWN and QUIT MAKING A FOOL OF YOURSELF!!!!
"The most underrated subplot of the playoffs: Alonzo Mourning acting like an absolute jerk against the Nets and Wizards, showing up his opponents time and time again with the muscle flexing, the gratuitous fist pumps and everything else ... and nobody calling him out because he's had so many health issues over the years. Really, having one kidney gives you the excuse to embarrass your opponents 10 times a game? I never got that memo. There isn't a bigger frontrunner in sports -- he's in for a rude awakening against the Wallace Brothers. And just for the record, if there's any difference between Alonzo weaseling his way out of New Jersey and Toronto and what Vince Carter weaseling his way out of Toronto, please, fill me in. "
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KHoyaNYC
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 1,900 
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Post by KHoyaNYC on May 20, 2005 14:58:58 GMT -5
Say what you will but no one can deny that Alonzo has stepped up big time for the Heat in the playoffs, regardless of his antics.
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Post by hoyalove4ever on May 20, 2005 17:05:47 GMT -5
Yeah, criticize Alonzo for playing hard and being excited. With all the jerks in the NBA, he's definately the guy to go after.  |
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NCHoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 2,924
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Post by NCHoya on May 20, 2005 20:15:33 GMT -5
I am sure no one on this board will critcize Zo beause he is a former Hoya great, but I agree with the Sports Guy, Zo has been a bit over the top with all the antics during the playoffs. I realize he is playing with a great deal of emotion after the kidney issues so I guess I am cool with it but the whole Toronto thing really disappointed me. His treatment of the Raptors is exactly why people can take cheap shots at the current state of the NBA. If he could play, Zo should have played for the team he was traded to, he was being very difficult with the Nets and with Raptors he was just being a brat. All that said, Zo is still the most inspirational Hoya in my eyes, maybe that is why his actions this year are so disappointing.
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RBHoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 4,132
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Post by RBHoya on May 20, 2005 22:06:59 GMT -5
The flexing is stupid, but I dont fault him for pumping his fist or being pumped up after making a nice play. He's a veteran and he's trying to get that elusive championship. There's nothing wrong with being pumped up about playing well, and I don't think that's showing up the opposition in any way. That sort of raw emotion is what makes sports great.
Though I think the author is right about Zo taking a beating in this upcoming series.
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TBird41
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
"Roy! I Love All 7'2" of you Roy!"
Posts: 8,740
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Post by TBird41 on May 21, 2005 9:35:44 GMT -5
I am sure no one on this board will critcize Zo beause he is a former Hoya great, but I agree with the Sports Guy, Zo has been a bit over the top with all the antics during the playoffs. I realize he is playing with a great deal of emotion after the kidney issues so I guess I am cool with it but the whole Toronto thing really disappointed me. His treatment of the Raptors is exactly why people can take cheap shots at the current state of the NBA. If he could play, Zo should have played for the team he was traded to, he was being very difficult with the Nets and with Raptors he was just being a brat. All that said, Zo is still the most inspirational Hoya in my eyes, maybe that is why his actions this year are so disappointing. While I don't think that Zo handled the situation as well as it could have been handled, his actions w/ the Nets and Raptors are nowhere near as bad as Carter's. Zo signed with the Nets because he thought that they would be trying to win a championship and he would be the missing piece. Obviously, he was mislead, as the Nets weren't really trying this year. The man is risking his health to try and win a championship and I can't really fault him for not taking it well when he is mislead and then traded to a lottery team. It wasn't Zo's job to carry the Nets to the championship, it was his job to put them over the top. Carter was supposed to be the player carrying the Raptors and he quit on them. He didn't sign with them under the assumption that he was the final piece and that they were going to win immediately, he signed with them to be the star. It's a different situation to me. |
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HoyaNJ5
Century (over 100 posts)
Posts: 238
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Post by HoyaNJ5 on May 21, 2005 10:57:35 GMT -5
While I don't think that Zo handled the situation as well as it could have been handled, his actions w/ the Nets and Raptors are nowhere near as bad as Carter's. Zo signed with the Nets because he thought that they would be trying to win a championship and he would be the missing piece. Obviously, he was mislead, as the Nets weren't really trying this year. The man is risking his health to try and win a championship and I can't really fault him for not taking it well when he is mislead and then traded to a lottery team. It wasn't Zo's job to carry the Nets to the championship, it was his job to put them over the top. Carter was supposed to be the player carrying the Raptors and he quit on them. He didn't sign with them under the assumption that he was the final piece and that they were going to win immediately, he signed with them to be the star. It's a different situation to me. I agree with your distinction. As a Nets fan, I was extremely angry at the way that idiot, Bruce Ratner, handled Kenyon Martin's negotiations. His whole plan all along was to move the team to Brooklyn. He didn't care that Kenyon Martin was the second most important player on that team after JKidd. Alonzo had every right to be Editeded off because the team definitely mislead him. |
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Post by HoyaOnBothSides on May 21, 2005 10:58:18 GMT -5
If you followed the Nets situation at all, you would realize that the Nets only signed 'Zo as a favor to him when no other team would give him a second look (or at best a one year contract) given his kidney condition.
The Nets gave him a 4-year deal!
Granted, it had a lot to do with Jason Kidd's push to sign his good friend 'Zo, and the Nets would do anything to resign Kidd, but the Nets still took a big flyer on a guy who they knew would miss AT LEAST one full season.
'Zo's actions are arguably WORSE than Carter's because 'Zo betrayed the team that gave him a shot when no one else would.
Don't let 'Zo's blue and gray cloud your judgement here, he's a very good guy who in this case acted quite selfishly.
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TBird41
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
"Roy! I Love All 7'2" of you Roy!"
Posts: 8,740
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Post by TBird41 on May 21, 2005 11:15:40 GMT -5
If you followed the Nets situation at all, you would realize that the Nets only signed 'Zo as a favor to him when no other team would give him a second look (or at best a one year contract) given his kidney condition. The Nets gave him a 4-year deal! Granted, it had a lot to do with Jason Kidd's push to sign his good friend 'Zo, and the Nets would do anything to resign Kidd, but the Nets still took a big flyer on a guy who they knew would miss AT LEAST one full season. 'Zo's actions are arguably WORSE than Carter's because 'Zo betrayed the team that gave him a shot when no one else would. Don't let 'Zo's blue and gray cloud your judgement here, he's a very good guy who in this case acted quite selfishly. I was under the impression that other teams were trying to sign him too, including the Wolves and Heat. |
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HoyaNJ5
Century (over 100 posts)
Posts: 238
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Post by HoyaNJ5 on May 21, 2005 13:33:55 GMT -5
If you followed the Nets situation at all, you would realize that the Nets only signed 'Zo as a favor to him when no other team would give him a second look (or at best a one year contract) given his kidney condition. The Nets gave him a 4-year deal! Granted, it had a lot to do with Jason Kidd's push to sign his good friend 'Zo, and the Nets would do anything to resign Kidd, but the Nets still took a big flyer on a guy who they knew would miss AT LEAST one full season. 'Zo's actions are arguably WORSE than Carter's because 'Zo betrayed the team that gave him a shot when no one else would. Don't let 'Zo's blue and gray cloud your judgement here, he's a very good guy who in this case acted quite selfishly. No, there were other teams who were interested. The Nets decided to offer him a 4-year deal while everyone else was only willing to give him a shorter deal. And, let's not pretend as if the Nets gave Zo a four-year deal out of the generosity of their hearts. They signed him b/c they thought it would provide the missing inside presence that the Nets would need to win the title. To say that the Nets signed him as a favor to Zo is complete BS. Do you really think that the Nets would offer a deal to someone just b/c they felt bad for them? Please. They took a risk, and they lost out on that risk. |
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Post by Frank Black on May 22, 2005 15:03:34 GMT -5
How can it be said that Zo 'embarrassed' his opponents by getting fired up? These are adults we are talking about here, if their egos are that fragile they ought to find another profession.
And if I were playing with one kidney and thinking every game could be my last I would be beside myself with fury if the team I signed with decided to tank it. Every player wants to have a chance to reach the pinacle of their sport and I've never understood athletes who get slagged off for gunning for one. Zo has no reason to apologize.
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Post by sweetney50 on May 23, 2005 12:43:15 GMT -5
I've always been a big Zo fan and what I loved best was his competitiveness and desire. He was always giving his best no matter what the situation. That being said, the posing is stupid and juvenile. It's not about how fired up he is. It's the Terrell Owens "look at me" attitude. Go back to the old Zo.
With regard to the Toronto situation, I think TBird hit it on the head. The Nets screwed him big time. I heard the Zo was ready to sign with Dallas and had a verbal agreement with Cuban. Cuban wanted Zo to call Jason Kidd to convince him to come to Dallas and Kidd ended up convincing Zo to sign with the Nets. Both those guys get free passes in my book because the Nets screwed both of them.
Carter is the one who looks horrible for quitting on the Raptors.
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Boz
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
123 Fireballs!
Posts: 10,355
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Post by Boz on May 23, 2005 13:52:59 GMT -5
It has been my consistent and unwavering opinion for several years that The Sports Guy is a know-nothing putz, particularly with respect to the NBA, where he thinks he knows the most.
I've read nothing here that changes that opinion.
If he wants to tell me why Rocky 4 is a better movie that Karate Kid 3, I'll listen. He's pretty funny when he does that.
Alonzo has ALWAYS been a fired up, energetic unbelieveably competitive player. This is nothing new. Some people have appreciated that over the years, some object to it. The Sports Guy is clearly in the latter group (surprise, surprise, he's not much of a fan of anything Georgetown-related).
Alonzo's "antics" have nothing to do with his kidney and they have nothing to do with the Nets. That is the player he is and always has been (and if you think this is something new by Alonzo, just ask Nadav Henefeld; or the Celtics when he was in Charlotte). Maybe he's jacking it up some, OK, but it is probably his last chance and he's getting to play a pretty big role.
While Alonzo is probably my favorite Hoya of all time, I think his way out of N.J. was pretty bush league, and yes, he got a pass for that and yes, I'm sure it was for the most part because of the kidney problem. Maybe that wasn't fair, but it has absolutely nothing to do with the player he is on the court.
And that is why it is not "underrated" nor a "subplot." Its a non-story, to pretty much everyone except Simmons, because Alonzo is playing like the guy he is, like him or not.
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