Post by krupimpski424 on Dec 24, 2005 4:15:16 GMT -5
I sure smell it. The end of the season awards, some say aren’t that important but in fact they really are. Player’s main goal should always be to win a championship but we have to keep in mind that, they to also need to feed to a family at home. Yes we look at the athletes and look with jealousy and envious and say, “Those spoiled over paid babies.” To a degree, yes, this is true but in other aspects it really isn’t. For as much money as they take in, the more they pay out. Players agents, assistants, child caretakers, business managers, publicists, managers, financial advisors. To the average person this may not be required but when you make 30 million a year coming off a high school education, living is harder than rocket science.
What does this have to do with the end of the season awards you might ask? Well great question. If a player makes the All-Star team, All-First team, MVP, or other various distinguished titles such as these, they receive a bonus. Not only a cash bonus but this could lead to various off the court bonuses such as endorsements. Endorsements that will only be given out to the cream of the crop and not to anyone that falls short of that standard. The season awards also give leverage to the player in contract negotiations. Do you think an All-3rd team player will make more than an All-2nd or 1st team player? No, especially for a player who is considered to be “Ageing.” The awards could also affect a player’s play. How so? If a player has been awarded this could boost a player’s morale and confidence on the court as well as the opposite happening if a player is not awarded. This year there were some major oversights, mistakes, and purely some miscalculations.
The most puzzling question is how did Mustafa Shukur take home the Most Valuable Player award? He wasn’t even the most valuable player in his conference, in his division, or even his own team! Don’t get me wrong if we were having a contest for the best name, he wins hands down. Shukur, a point guard, didn’t even lead the league in assists nor did he even topple the 20 point per game plateau. His 75% from the free throw line isn’t MVP material and nor was he a defensive standout. I could possibly understand this if the Warriors were a 70 win team but that wasn’t the case either. They sported the 4th best record in the league in the weakest division in the league. Also how can you explain the MVP being on the All-League 2nd team and not the first? Clearly he was undeserving.
While we are on the topic of point guards, why don’t we talk about Baron Davis. Three time, count it. One, Two, Three time player of the month who led the league in assists and played stellar defense all season was snubbed for MVP, All-League 1st team, and All-Defensive 1st team. He averaged 10apg on a team filled with scoring options and still managed to score 20ppg. He did all he could to help the Bulls make baskets but he was also a menace to other teams by preventing baskets by stealing the ball 2.5 times a game. So is Baron going to get the next sprite commercial? I doubt it. Maybe Mr. Shukur or Shannon Brown will but there is no pity for B. Diddy.
Someone now who was left off the list completely was the King, Lebron James. Lebron led the league in scoring at 29ppg and did his part all around grabbing 6 rebounds, 4ast, and 2 steals and the key stat is shooting 47% from the floor. This kills James for endorsements if he can’t live up to his knick name. Although Tracy McGrady, who single handedly knocked out two teams out of the playoffs, made All-League 2nd team. Unfortunately those two teams he knocked out were two teams he played for. The Pacers were due to make the playoffs until they decided to acquire T-Mac they quickly dropped out of the race. T-Mac scored a new $90 million endorsement with Adidas, while James is yesterdays news with the emergences of young guards such as Mayo, Ellis, and Gordon. If James was All-League 1st team things might be different.
Much like James, Kobe Bryant was snubbed last year from the All-League 1st team after leading league in scoring as well. This year he was named to the All-League 3rd team. Kobe Bryant has already lost his endorsements due to some legal allegations from a few years back. He has tried to shake the image of being a selfish player by working on his all around game. This year when his running mate, and best friend Jermaine O’Neal went down with injury, Kobe had to carry the Pistons on his back. Kobe averaged 29.1ppg which was three tenths shy of Lebron for the league lead(too bad O’Neal had to put up 50 in the final game of the season) for what would have been his 2nd straight scoring title. Seeing constant pressure of double teams every game, Kobe still put up his numbers all around. Magic Johnson, who is dubbed the best all around player in the game, didn’t have better all around numbers than Kobe. Kobe grabbed more rebounds and was equal to Magic in virtually every other category. Kobe doesn’t even take the backseat to Magic with T-Mac taking the 2nd team which leaves Kobe stuck locked in the trunk. This is the 2nd straight year where Kobe has gotten snubbed and the reputation that he is working so hard on to shake is still being echoed by the media. Kobe is only human and it's taking a toll on him. We’ve seen what the media is capable of doing to players with Chauncey Billups missing over half the season with a severe bout of depression.
A player that will see instant impact of being overlooked is free agent Ron Artest. Artest’s big claim to fame is his in your face shut down defense. Artest made the All-Defensive 2nd team behind who else our favorite cancer Tracey McGrady. While McGrady is laughing all the way to the bank, Artest is fighting for a paycheck. Artest hardly gets mention anymore with upper echelon of guards but he put up some great numbers this season. He had 25ppg, 8rpg, 4apg while getting over 2spg, which is more the 1st teamer McGrady, but got no love for All-League team, no endorsements, no contract. He led his team to the playoffs again this season but without the titles is looked at as a “bad” player to have on your team.
The media puts their spin on these awards and uses it to their advantage at the players' expense. It should be interesting next season to see how this effects these players and the training camps they have. So while Ron Artest is filling out his application to Circuit City, he’ll be seeing T-Mac’s new commercial playing on 35 TV sets in the store. Hey at least he will finally get his discount.
hey spence think i can get a 40+ christmas bonus on this one?
What does this have to do with the end of the season awards you might ask? Well great question. If a player makes the All-Star team, All-First team, MVP, or other various distinguished titles such as these, they receive a bonus. Not only a cash bonus but this could lead to various off the court bonuses such as endorsements. Endorsements that will only be given out to the cream of the crop and not to anyone that falls short of that standard. The season awards also give leverage to the player in contract negotiations. Do you think an All-3rd team player will make more than an All-2nd or 1st team player? No, especially for a player who is considered to be “Ageing.” The awards could also affect a player’s play. How so? If a player has been awarded this could boost a player’s morale and confidence on the court as well as the opposite happening if a player is not awarded. This year there were some major oversights, mistakes, and purely some miscalculations.
The most puzzling question is how did Mustafa Shukur take home the Most Valuable Player award? He wasn’t even the most valuable player in his conference, in his division, or even his own team! Don’t get me wrong if we were having a contest for the best name, he wins hands down. Shukur, a point guard, didn’t even lead the league in assists nor did he even topple the 20 point per game plateau. His 75% from the free throw line isn’t MVP material and nor was he a defensive standout. I could possibly understand this if the Warriors were a 70 win team but that wasn’t the case either. They sported the 4th best record in the league in the weakest division in the league. Also how can you explain the MVP being on the All-League 2nd team and not the first? Clearly he was undeserving.
While we are on the topic of point guards, why don’t we talk about Baron Davis. Three time, count it. One, Two, Three time player of the month who led the league in assists and played stellar defense all season was snubbed for MVP, All-League 1st team, and All-Defensive 1st team. He averaged 10apg on a team filled with scoring options and still managed to score 20ppg. He did all he could to help the Bulls make baskets but he was also a menace to other teams by preventing baskets by stealing the ball 2.5 times a game. So is Baron going to get the next sprite commercial? I doubt it. Maybe Mr. Shukur or Shannon Brown will but there is no pity for B. Diddy.
Someone now who was left off the list completely was the King, Lebron James. Lebron led the league in scoring at 29ppg and did his part all around grabbing 6 rebounds, 4ast, and 2 steals and the key stat is shooting 47% from the floor. This kills James for endorsements if he can’t live up to his knick name. Although Tracy McGrady, who single handedly knocked out two teams out of the playoffs, made All-League 2nd team. Unfortunately those two teams he knocked out were two teams he played for. The Pacers were due to make the playoffs until they decided to acquire T-Mac they quickly dropped out of the race. T-Mac scored a new $90 million endorsement with Adidas, while James is yesterdays news with the emergences of young guards such as Mayo, Ellis, and Gordon. If James was All-League 1st team things might be different.
Much like James, Kobe Bryant was snubbed last year from the All-League 1st team after leading league in scoring as well. This year he was named to the All-League 3rd team. Kobe Bryant has already lost his endorsements due to some legal allegations from a few years back. He has tried to shake the image of being a selfish player by working on his all around game. This year when his running mate, and best friend Jermaine O’Neal went down with injury, Kobe had to carry the Pistons on his back. Kobe averaged 29.1ppg which was three tenths shy of Lebron for the league lead(too bad O’Neal had to put up 50 in the final game of the season) for what would have been his 2nd straight scoring title. Seeing constant pressure of double teams every game, Kobe still put up his numbers all around. Magic Johnson, who is dubbed the best all around player in the game, didn’t have better all around numbers than Kobe. Kobe grabbed more rebounds and was equal to Magic in virtually every other category. Kobe doesn’t even take the backseat to Magic with T-Mac taking the 2nd team which leaves Kobe stuck locked in the trunk. This is the 2nd straight year where Kobe has gotten snubbed and the reputation that he is working so hard on to shake is still being echoed by the media. Kobe is only human and it's taking a toll on him. We’ve seen what the media is capable of doing to players with Chauncey Billups missing over half the season with a severe bout of depression.
A player that will see instant impact of being overlooked is free agent Ron Artest. Artest’s big claim to fame is his in your face shut down defense. Artest made the All-Defensive 2nd team behind who else our favorite cancer Tracey McGrady. While McGrady is laughing all the way to the bank, Artest is fighting for a paycheck. Artest hardly gets mention anymore with upper echelon of guards but he put up some great numbers this season. He had 25ppg, 8rpg, 4apg while getting over 2spg, which is more the 1st teamer McGrady, but got no love for All-League team, no endorsements, no contract. He led his team to the playoffs again this season but without the titles is looked at as a “bad” player to have on your team.
The media puts their spin on these awards and uses it to their advantage at the players' expense. It should be interesting next season to see how this effects these players and the training camps they have. So while Ron Artest is filling out his application to Circuit City, he’ll be seeing T-Mac’s new commercial playing on 35 TV sets in the store. Hey at least he will finally get his discount.
hey spence think i can get a 40+ christmas bonus on this one?
