When I was honing my writing craft in high school, I got some excellent advice from a teacher, and I have held onto it to this very day. Write what you know. If you can't do that...lie. (I may have heard it on television - I can never keep the two straight.) The implication of the second part of that axiom is that the lie has to be convincing. If you're going to lie to me, make me believe in the lie.
The problem with sports media has gotten so bad that the Unnamed Sports Programming Network lists among its NBA experts - a full-fledged homer (the aforementioned Stein), a statistician (John Hollinger, whose mathematical formulas are, to borrow a line from Phil Jackson, dubious at best), and a Joe Schmo blogger (lifelong Blazer fan, Henry Abbott).
Are they kidding me? I'm all three of those, and I don't even get paid! And I certainly would never proclaim myself - or allow anyone else to do so on my behalf - an expert of any kind. I'm just a guy who pays a lot of attention to detail, and hopes that the hammer doesn't strike too far from the head of the nail.
But this is the state of journalism today, and not just in sports. One need look no further than Fox News Channel (faux News, for the E-literati amongst us), where I actually witnessed a female anchor defend Simon Cowell's assertions that Ryan Seacrest is gay by saying that "he's so busy. He doesn't have time!" Dead serious. If I had a copy of the video, I'd show you. The fact that a national news network was spending prime air time talking about American Idol banter is bad enough, but to denounce Seacrest's questionable sexuality by claiming that his job keeps him away from the Blue Oyster bar? (Insert tired John Amaechi joke here.)
All digressions aside, my point is that journalists of all stripes have next to zero credibility anymore. They have all gone Hollywood -- looking for the sexy angle, the controversy, the new blood. They all seem to write and talk like they're auditioning for that big break on Inside Edition.
I guess that explains why Shawn Marion only received seven (7) first place votes for Defensive Player of the Year, making a grand total of 43 ballots for 93 voter points. He built a head of steam in the middle of the season, but it seems to be a case of "too little, too early" as Camby, Duncan, and Bowen skyrocketed to the top of the conversation when it was clear that the Spurs and Nuggets would meet in the first round. That's right boys (and girl) - let's all promote our Golden Boy playoff series as much as possible. They had to, of course, since nobody on either the Mavericks or Warriors would be mistaken for a defender in the league (despite Josh Howard's sudden comparisons to Scottie Pippen).
The hype around these other players is so bad that even the coaches in the league have been sucked into the void of intellectual atrophy provided by the sports media. Marion didn't even make the All Defense team, and there are TWO! I guess they just don't listen to bloggers anymore. Unless, of course, they have been hired by the Unnamed Sports Programming Network to provide fresh meat to the nationally biased circle jerk that is the fraternity.
As you can see, I am none too thrilled about Marion's perennial snub, predictable though it might be.
But I've done my stories on Shawn, and quite frankly, I am tired of repeating myself. I am not a parrot, which might also explain why I never seem to say the same things as "those guys".
What I would really love to do is give a great big I TOLD YOU SO to the schmucks who voted Dirk Nowitzki as this year's MVP. It has become apparent, with nary a journalist shying away from predicting Dirk as this year's recipient of the award, that Nash will be screwed out of it (not that he even cares).
And to be perfectly honest, I don't care that Nash will not threepeat as the league MVP. Everyone knows how great he is, especially after completely dismantling the Laker defense in three of four games in the postseason, let alone his domination of crunch time in Dallas on March 14.
Experts like Marc Stein (former Mavs beat writer, yes) were quick to point out that voters shouldn't judge their preference based on a single game. After all, it is a season long award, and the season was already four and a half months old at the time with another month left to play. If Dirk's play prior to that game wasn't enough for voters to maintain their confidence, then surely his play afterward would redeem him.
As it turns out, they were right on that point. One game should never determine who the MVP should be. It's not fair to the guys who play the other 81 games of the year (or most of them). What that game did, though, was highlight exactly why Dirk should never be voted for the award.
Great statistical season and convoluted PER aside, Nowitzki failed to perform when it mattered - in crunch time of a big game against the reigning MVP with playoff seeding in the balance. Dirk failed miserably, as he bricked three straight free throws, opening the door for Shawn Marion's rebound, Raja Bell's shooter screen, and Steve Nash's miracle three pointer to send the crucial game into overtime.
THAT, my friends, is the epitome of an MVP. He makes his team mates better, they do everything in their power to get him the ball for that last shot, and he MAKES IT.
Even Jason Terry outperformed Dirk in that game, as he made his own clutch three to force a second overtime. And how did that game end? Shawn Marion was face guarding Dirk Nowitzki on the left wing, forcing Dirk to take a fall away 17 footer. And despite Shawn's best efforts and his game savvy not to go forward on the pump fake, Nowitzki could have easily hit that shot. He made one earlier in the overtime, why not this one? Because instead of acting like an MVP and going for the score come hell or high water, he went for the foul.
He pump faked to get Shawn in the air, and instead of jumping into his defender, he fell away, hoping the referee would actually bail him out on the play. He tried so hard to get that foul call that he actually hit the floor ass first. The thing is, an MVP will even tell you that an experienced big game official won't make that call with the game on the line.
And who skied above every Maverick around the basket for that final rebound? Steve Nash. An MVP knows that the play isn't over until the buzzer sounds, and he wasn't going to let Josh Howard get the put back on that basket.
The entire final 22 minutes of that game defined the essence of Most Valuable Player. He wills him team back from the depths, overcoming a 7 point deficit in the final minute by scoring 10 straight points, hitting a clutch three to send the game into overtime. And when he misses the first one, he trusts his team mates to get him the ball and the open space to try again. He makes his free throws when they matter the most. He keeps his composure, and imposes that MVP will on those four players in the same uniform.
He is a leader.
And now, those facts are no more apparent than now, as Dirk's Mavericks are on the verge of being knocked out of the first round by the eight seed Golden State Warriors. It's bad enough that his team is in the hole, but his response after the game 3 loss should have these "experts" second guessing themselves all the way to the unemployment line.
If we lose the next game, our season is pretty much over.
I don't recall Steve Nash ever saying anything even similar to that when the Suns found themselves in their own 1-3 hole last year. In fact, I don't think I have ever heard an NBA player say ANYTHING like that after ANY game.
And this is the guy that experts have been lifting onto a pedestal all season long. This is the guy that Marc Stein said had the same leadership qualities as Nash. This is a guy who just made a lot of people in the sports media business look like complete buffoons.
I may not be an expert, and I may not make any money doing this writing thing, but I have one thing that these professionals don't - the right to say "I told you so."
16 comments:
I sincerely hope the Mavs lose game 5, and that Dirk puts up nominal stats in the loss.
Not that it would or should change the minds of anyone with an MVP vote, but it would be so fitting for Dirk to receive his MVP trophy with the Mavs already eliminated from the playoffs!
Good Call dude...
Dont know if you ever listen to KissFM but their morning show (JohnJay and Rich) had MIM's in the studio yesterday morning and convinced him to record a SUNS version of THIS IS WHY IM HOT!! Check it out!
http://tinyurl.com/2vn8hr
Any writers you do like?
Dirk played better than any player in basketball, consistently, from the first week of November until the end of the season. Even Steve, Kobe and Duncan had stretches that were much worse than Dirk's worst. If you want to hand the MVP to someone because of the first round of the playoffs, then I'll be right there, covering the ceremony with Luol Deng.
Unless you're pissed at the All-D votes, which coaches vote on. Not writers.
By the way, the whole "makes his teammates better" BS shows nothing but disrespect toward the players on your favorite team -- Steve doesn't make Amare and Shawn better. He didn't teach Amare how to gather passes and finish in the lane after absorbing contact -- he was doing that in high school, where some of the writers you mentioned were scouting him.
Nash didn't teach Marion how to run the floor, anticipate angles, or shoot from long range. He just gets them the ball. He gets them the ball better than just about any player in the history of the game has done, but he doesn't "make them better." Show the Suns some respect.
(Also, if you have to tell people, "I should be getting paid;" you usually aren't the type that should be getting paid. Virtue and skill should be their own reward.)
Kelly,
Since I have been told by multiple people that you respond to emails and have posted responses on blog's before I am inclined to believe this may actually be you...
That being said. Are you actually going to deny the fact that Dirk has choked 2 years in a row now under pressure in the playoffs?
Granted the MVP is a regular season award but, I'd be willing to bet that given a second oppurtunity after witnessing the first round the results would be completly different.
Lastly if we based the MVP on the first round Baron Davis would win not Deng...
PS. Charley Rosen is a HORRIBLE writer..
Any writers I do like? Of course...me. I thought that was apparent through the tone of the entry. Seriously, though, I thoroughly enjoy the works of Bill Simmons and T.J. Simers. Those guys know how to put things in perspective.
And I think you do need to read the entry again, as I said that the March 14 game, as well as this first round, have HIGHLIGHTED the reasons that Dirk is no MVP. I also pointed out that it is indeed a REGULAR SEASON award.
Dirk wasn't any more consistent this year than any other player. He just happened to have teammates who stepped up and made up for his off nights. His bad games (NONE of those three players ever have bad stretches) were masked by great team play.
Now, it's understandable that you don't quite get the whole "makes his teammates better" argument. You would have to understand basketball in general in order for that to happen. You would also have to understand a little more about the English language, as "better" is a comparative adjective. No one says that Steve makes his teammates great players. They already ARE great players. Steve just makes them better by delivering the ball to them where they can be most effective with it.
He also (as I mentioned in the entry) imposes his will on his team. To put it another way - Steve Nash makes otherwise selfish players unselfish players by setting an example that they are compelled to follow.
"if you have to tell people, "I should be getting paid;" you usually aren't the type that should be getting paid."
I don't even know what that means. First, I don't "have to" tell people. I do it to make a point. It is a device I use to illustrate the inequity of Corporate America. Secondly, what "type" need one be to get paid? A sycophant? A hack? A Kelly Dwyer? A Charley Rosen? A Marc Stein?
If I were doing it for the money, then I would assume that this blog would not exist. I do it because I love writing, regardless of the pay scale.
Nice to know that I could piss you off today. Please come again when you can actually prove me wrong about you.
And a point of contention...at least I don't google my own damn name. What does that say about your type?
So the March 14th game invalidates the other two contests where Dirk was brilliant in leading his team to victory? I can lend you the DVDs, if you want. Did you watch basketball before the Kobe vs. Shaq game? The type of swoon Nash had following his Feb. return from injury was exactly the funk I was talking about. Dirk didn't come through with that until the season's final two weeks. Duncan had his in January. Kobe had his in November.
How is Steve making his teammates "better" if they're already able to do the things he allows them to do? He may allow them to do those things nine times a game, whereas Howard Eisley allowed them to pull it off once a game a few years back, but it's still the same skill set. He allows his team to play at peak potential, he makes his team "better." He doesn't make his teammates better. No player ever has. Michael Jordan didn't teach Steve Kerr how to hit a jump shot.
Call it an inequity. If somebody thought you could bring readers to their forum, they'd have found you, and paid you. And before you type the "that's not the type of person I want to be, having to hack it up for cash" twaddle, consider that you already think yourself worthy for a job -- that's why you brought the pay bit up in the first place. Don't try to have it either way.
The great lot of NBA blogdom offers analysis and insight that somehow manages to rise above subjectivity and teach people new things. The worst is when the fans willingly ignore things they know will hurt their argument (November 9th, 2006; December 28th, 2006) when objective scribes who have been around all year are also around and know better.
Pick on the idiots who want to give Dirk an MVP because of the "best player on the best team" tripe. Pick on Dirk's pathetic first round in a vacuum, especially when you know it's a regular season award. Celebrate the play of what could be the NBA's finest player to ever play the position -- don't instead choose to waste your time denigrating others with specious reasoning.
It just makes you look, at any age, desperate.
"Raja's shooters screen?" you need to watch that play again.
"Nice to know that I could piss you off today. Please come again when you can actually prove me wrong about you."
Hard to do that with someone who's entire argument consists of hyperbole.
You could have said "Kelly Dwyer, who disagrees with me as to Steve Nash's relative merits as an all-around basketball player when in comparison to Dirk Nowitzki;" but you chose the pop rocks route. Congrats.
The more you post, the more you lend credence to my assertion regarding you and other sports writers.
Please point out where the March 14 performance invalidated anything. I will say it again -- IT HIGHLIGHTED HIS DEFICIENCIES!. It's nice to have a big game early in the year against a team that is still finding its identity after reintegrating Amare Stoudemire into the mix. It doesn't bode well when facing the same team at full strength at the end of the season with serious playoff implications on the line. Dirk has consistently failed in proving his MVP status when it counts the most. I'll say it again just to get it through that dissonance you're feeling -- March 14 and this first round illustrate his deficiencies.
Nash's "swoon" -- you said it yourself. How many players are going to pick up where they left off after an injury and two weeks off? And Kobe had his coming off surgery. Dirk didn't come through with his until the final two weeks? Isn't that exactly when an MVP candidate should be at his best?
I already explained how Steve makes his teammates better. Look at the difference when he's on the court and when he was out with injury. Where was the ball movement? Yes, that culminates in team performance, but that team performance is a result of his teammates playing better (sharing the ball). Is that really so difficult to understand? I never said he improved their skill sets...I said he makes them do things they don't normally do. That makes them better, does it not?
Regarding the inequity -- I can easily counter by saying that I can easily apply for positions as a paid writer. I am more than confident in my writing abilities to do so. I don't expect anyone to "find me and pay me." That's not how the system works. What I expect is for professional writers to hold themselves to a higher standard than a mere unpaid blogger, which you don't.
And if you read my profile (which I see that you have), you would realize that I openly admit to my homerism, and I make no apologies for it. That is the point of this blog...to give Suns fans a voice that our local media doesn't share. Maybe you should go through and read my entries. Maybe you'll find that I am a lot more objective about things than you're considering. Might I suggest my Game 3 analysis of the Suns-Lakers series. Or maybe my Comments on Amare Stoudemire's infatuation with Kobe Bryant.
But if this is strictly about MVP chatter, then I will let you know that I do not ignore November 9th and December 28th. But that is something that you need to reconcile for yourself, as I have already stated in the entry and in comments that one game should not determine a person's candidacy. I don't take it away from Dirk based on March 14, and I don't give it to him for those other two games.
You're the people who wrote yourself into that corner. You said all along how Dirk should be MVP, but as soon as he shows signs of why it isn't such a forgone conclusion, you go on the defensive with your "we shouldn't judge him on one game!" rants. And how defensive are you being? So much so that you refuse to comprehend what I said at the bottom of it all...the games in question didn't make or break Dirk's candidacy. They simply provided reason to question your decisions.
"Pick on Dirk's pathetic first round in a vacuum, especially when you know it's a regular season award."
I could have sworm that I said more than a few times that it is indeed a regular season award. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I just can't read what i have written.
"don't instead choose to waste your time denigrating others with specious reasoning."
Specious reasoning? Outperforming the frontrunner head-to-head? For your information, I didn't declare Steve the MVP. Sports writers did. I simply made a comparison between a projected MVP and a known quantity MVP. If that's designating Steve as the MVP, then this discussion would be moot, as Steve would be expecting a press conference in a couple weeks.
"It just makes you look, at any age, desperate."
As does carrying on a straw man argument with an anonymous blogger.
"You could have said "Kelly Dwyer, who disagrees with me as to Steve Nash's relative merits as an all-around basketball player when in comparison to Dirk Nowitzki;" "
I also could have said, "Can you believe this fucking moron thinks that Dirk is the MVP? What a douche!"
But I didn't. I called it like I saw it. A slew of sports writers who make decisions based on, as you say, specious reasoning are a part of a growing problem with journalism in general in theis country.
"you need to watch that play again."
Yes, I'm aware that it could easily have been called a foul, and it could have cost the Suns the game. But what veteran referee is going to make that call in the closing seconds, especially when his focus is on the star players?
Hey look...Bill Simmons wrote up something about this very topic. Pardon me whilst I go read it.
Not so sure that a foul would have even cost the Sun's that game on that play...
Considering the "Clutch" MVP like FT shooting from Dirk at the end of regulation, who's to say he would have made those?? Besides Good Defense from Shawn should not be confused with a foul.
I especially liked the MVP type comments by Dirk after the game, this is by no means a direct quote but look them up and you'll see that he try to share the blame...
Something to the effect of "WE" missed some key free throws at the end of the game....
No Dirk... "YOU" missed some key FT's at the end of the game...as Jey pointed out Jason Terry was more clutch than Dirk with his Free Throw's and 3 pointers in OT...
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