Kelly Dwyer: My New BFF

For those who only made a cursory glance of my latest entry, I have been graced by the presence of a spectacular sports writer with all the professionalism one would expect from someone I hold in such high esteem. Yes, Kelly Dwyer of si.com felt the urge to defend himself after I called his journalistic integrity into question regarding his choice for the league MVP. Is it really him? I can't say for certainty, but all signs point to authenticity.

Now, I don't blame him for going on the defensive about the whole thing. After all, I would do the same thing if I had the nuggets to Google my own name and find out if anyone is talking about me. I may not be a professional writer, but I do hold myself to a certain ethical standard that I believe is defensible under such circumstances. But Kelly Dwyer isn't me.

So in light of the fact that he has been all over my sack today, I would like to make a few things clear.

1. I am a fan of good writing, regardless of the level of objectivity. All I ask is that - if he decides to remain on the homer side of subjective - he is honest with it, and manages to make a compelling argument for his beliefs.

2. My comments about my lack of paid status have been a running gag since January, when I called out the Arizona writers for their unoriginality, and the national writers' perpetuation of certain myths regarding the Suns - namely their supposed lack of defense. I wrote about that subject (among others) at the time, only to find similar stories in "reputable" news sources five days later. The joke began as, "If I'm writing about this stuff before these guys, why am I not getting paid?" Get over it, Kelly. It has nothing to do with any insecurities or lack of talent on my part.

3. This is a blog dedicated to the Phoenix Suns. It is written from the perspective of a Suns fan who happens to have a good understanding of the professional game. I do my best not to go overboard with my fanship, instead making every attempt to remain as objective as humanly possible. I support my arguments regarding the Suns with statistical analysis and in-game comparisons, and any disagreement is welcome. All I ask is that I be given the same respect that I show others by supplying the pertinent information. If you make a counterclaim, you had better damn well back it up with good, solid information...not simple opinion.

4. My educational background varies widely from the human sciences to statistics to physical education to media studies. I am also well-versed in the nuances of the English language, and my use of tools such as irony and satire often go unnoticed due to the subtlety with which I employ them. Be assured that my opinions, however biased they may seem, are grounded in an understanding of all relevant aspects of sports culture, and I know exactly what I am saying. Don't try to twist my words or ignore valid points in order to better suit your own argument.

5. If you can't take the heat, get out of the valley.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, let's get dirty, shall we?

In my earlier entry, I stated clearly that the March 14 game between Phoenix and Dallas should in no way decide who the MVP of the league is. I also stated that it is a regular season award, and Dirk's performance in the first round series with the Warriors has absolutely no bearing on his projected MVP status.

My point was that, "What that game did, though, was highlight exactly why Dirk should never be voted for the award." I went on to explain why that was the case, using performances from that game alone because it was a crucial late season game with playoff seeding implications. (Honestly, did November 9 and December 28 carry that pressure? I think not.) The Suns closed the gap to two games with that win. It was rendered meaningless, though, as they failed to show up for the following two games against tough playoff teams.

But the Suns' performance after that game does not change the fact that Dirk failed miserably in crunch time of that important game. No one really expected the Suns to take a three day vacation after that win, so there was no reason for Nowitzki not to show up at the end of that particular game.

I subsequently hammered the point home (that the voters got it wrong) by referencing the Golden State series. It was reason for voters to question their decisions. Is this how an MVP performs under pressure? Does an MVP declare the season over when his team is down 2-1?

You may not like my argument, Kelly, and you obviously don't agree with it. You don't have to. All you have to do is acknowledge that, as a professional writer, you may have been wrong about this guy. There is more integrity in that, in thoroughly reading an entry and getting to the crux of the argument and finding the validity, than there is in making comments about my age, my unpaid status, or my homerism.

Seriously...you get paid for that?