Why Suns fans should be rooting for the Spurs

[Weenus O'Baggins]

I am sorry, but I have to disagree. Pop did what was necessary to win. He is a champion. Good for him.

So you want to watch a ft shooting contest all day? People get too concerned with "being #1" and forget that ultimately this is entertainment and nothing more.

There is nothing entertaining about tossing scrubs out to foul the statistically worst ft shooter on the opposing team.

 

[nowagimp]

So you want to watch a ft shooting contest all day? People get too concerned with "being #1" and forget that ultimately this is entertainment and nothing more.

There is nothing entertaining about tossing scrubs out to foul the statistically worst ft shooter on the opposing team.

Its pathetic, to destroy the game of basketball like it was some kind of risk game or something. If the suns become a "hack a player flopping team", I just wont watch, its not worth my time.

 

[Cheesebeef]

So you want to watch a ft shooting contest all day? People get too concerned with "being #1" and forget that ultimately this is entertainment and nothing more.

There is nothing entertaining about tossing scrubs out to foul the statistically worst ft shooter on the opposing team.

if this were entertainment and nothing more, you'd have nothing to get onery about Chris regarding the Suns. Most fans watch for one reason and one reason only... to see their team win. Especially fans (like me) who actually waste as much time as we do talking about their team on a message board when they could be doing ANYTHING else which would make their lives more productive.

you know what's entertaining, watching your team advance and play in the next round.

 

[Weenus O'Baggins]

if this were entertainment and nothing more, you'd have nothing to get onery about Chris regarding the Suns. Most fans watch for one reason and one reason only... to see their team win. Especially fans (like me) who actually waste as much time as we do talking about their team on a message board when they could be doing ANYTHING else which would make their lives more productive.

you know what's entertaining, watching your team advance and play in the next round.

I watch basketball because it is short attention span theater. You get to see amazing athleticism. You can actually have it both ways. Play an amazing game and acheive victory rather than what we saw.

Fortunately I am sure that rule will be changed next year.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I watch basketball because it is short attention span theater. You get to see amazing athleticism. You can actually have it both ways. Play an amazing game and acheive victory rather than what we saw.

Fortunately I am sure that rule will be changed next year.

why? This isn't the first time Hack-A-Shaq has been used. The league's not gonna bail out Shaq unless every team just starts doing that in every game next year and even then, I'd be shocked to see a change.

personally, I think what pop did was brilliant. NO ONE has done what he did in every quarter. People always seemed to save it for the end. Maybe it changes, but I'd bet you anything it doesn't.

 

[Weenus O'Baggins]

why? This isn't the first time Hack-A-Shaq has been used. The league's not gonna bail out Shaq unless every team just starts doing that in every game next year and even then, I'd be shocked to see a change.

personally, I think what pop did was brilliant. NO ONE has done what he did in every quarter. People always seemed to save it for the end. Maybe it changes, but I'd bet you anything it doesn't.

The reason it has to change is because it wasn't just Shaq. It was Skinner as well. The last thing the league wants is to be boring, and there are a plethora of 60% FT big men in the league that this tactic could be used on. That's why I never buy into the Spurs conspiracy theories because they are the antithesis of what the NBA wants.

It isn't just a "Shaq" rule. It is a "not in the spirit of the game" rule.

I believe the easiest fix is to allow teams the option of refusing the FTs and taking the ball side out.

 

[Weenus O'Baggins]

BTW that choice in refusing the fts would mirror the NFLs foul policy. It's a simple and clean fix.

 

[Cheesebeef]

The reason it has to change is because it wasn't just Shaq. It was Skinner as well. The last thing the league wants is to be boring, and there are a plethora of 60% FT big men in the league that this tactic could be used on. That's why I never buy into the Spurs conspiracy theories because they are the antithesis of what the NBA wants.

It isn't just a "Shaq" rule. It is a "not in the spirit of the game" rule.

I believe the easiest fix is to allow teams the option of refusing the FTs and taking the ball side out.

i think you're thinking with you're heart (hoping for something that will benefit the Suns) and not with your head. The hack-a-shaq is already a distant memory in Stern's mind at this point.

again, if this strategy started being used in every game against us and other teams at the end of every quarter next season maybe something will be done about it, but it won't and nothing will change.

 

[Covert Rain]

Popovich's horrid abuse of the fouling rules has assured that I will not be rooting for the Spurs. I respect them as a team, but I want to watch basketball, not Shaq and Skinner shooting free throws.

I will be hoping for the Celtics so that KG and Ray Allen can get their rings.

I have to agree here. As much as I say congrats to the Spurs for playing what I felt was a clean series, I have to root against them.

I think Pop is a great coach but I lost a ton of respect for him for using Bush league tactics to help beat the Suns. Phil Jackson who has taken shots all year at Shaq even basically called them bush league moves against the Suns.

I don't think the Spurs needed to resort to those tactics to win the series but they did. I don't know if Pop was so worried about the Suns this year that he felt he had to or not. I just know he did.

I can't route for the Spurs period. I hope the Hornets go all the way. That's who I am going for.

 

[Weenus O'Baggins]

i think you're thinking with you're heart (hoping for something that will benefit the Suns) and not with your head. The hack-a-shaq is already a distant memory in Stern's mind at this point.

again, if this strategy started being used in every game against us and other teams at the end of every quarter next season maybe something will be done about it, but it won't and nothing will change.

I really am not. There are a lot of big men who shoot as bad as Shaq. Shaq just happens to be the most famous. As I feel the Suns are years from contending for a championship, I just want to be entertained while watching the NBA as a whole. Off ball FT shooting contests aren't entertaining. I can go to Dave and Busters and watch that.

 

[Matt L]

I think that Pop is a good coach but there is no way that I want to see another series with a San Antonio team. They are just too boring and to watch. Did anyone outside of Cleveland and San Antonio watch the Finals last year? They are good at what they do and always seem to do just well enough to win but they have absolutely no entertainment value. That said I will definitely tune in when they are about to be eliminated by Lakers/Hornets.

 

[TJ]

Or you can treat the "Hack a Shaq" as an intentional foul "because its the letter of the law" according to David Stern. FTs plus the ball

 

[Andrew]

The second I ever root for the Spurs is the second I bend down and an elephant flys out of my ass.

 

[CaptainInsano]

BTW that choice in refusing the fts would mirror the NFLs foul policy. It's a simple and clean fix.

But that would require Stern to use some common sense, thus it is not going to happen.

 

[cobbler]

I have to agree here. As much as I say congrats to the Spurs for playing what I felt was a clean series, I have to root against them.

I think Pop is a great coach but I lost a ton of respect for him for using Bush league tactics to help beat the Suns. Phil Jackson who has taken shots all year at Shaq even basically called them bush league moves against the Suns.

I don't think the Spurs needed to resort to those tactics to win the series but they did. I don't know if Pop was so worried about the Suns this year that he felt he had to or not. I just know he did.

I can't route for the Spurs period. I hope the Hornets go all the way. That's who I am going for.

I have read several articles dealing with how the intentional foul itself is detremental to any "true" sport. They say fouls are called for breaking the rules of the game. They go on to state that to intentially break a rule to gain advantage over an opponent is not sporting in itself. The hack a Shaq takes it to a new level.

In basketball , the intentional foul has evolved into a strategy but in its essence is really not sporting. Whatever happened to give me your best shot and ill do the same and whoever is better will prevail?

They rarely call the intentional foul as such in the NBA. You see it a lot more in the college and intermediate level games.

So with that all said, given the state of the game today, the win at all costs attitide that prevails in sports taday, how can you blame Pop for using whatever is given him to his advantage. It certainly doesnt make it sporting and most definetly takes away from the game in general, but it give him the advantage to WIN the title and that is ultimately what gets the recognition. To me personally, it would diminish the value of the win.

Of course, none of this excuses Shaq's failure to make the shots. if he does, nobody would consider breaking the rules.

 

[wsupkid]

if this were entertainment and nothing more, you'd have nothing to get onery about Chris regarding the Suns. Most fans watch for one reason and one reason only... to see their team win. Especially fans (like me) who actually waste as much time as we do talking about their team on a message board when they could be doing ANYTHING else which would make their lives more productive.

you know what's entertaining, watching your team advance and play in the next round.

I call BS! So to win you would be cool to let SUNS players take out a knee? BS What is going on in spurs camp is taking away from the game I love!
I have always hated Manu as a player but I would LOVE him on our team!
This is not the same as bruce b. I respect the fact that he works so hard at D. (thats as far as it goes) YOU DONT WIN AT ALL COST! There are unwritten rules!

 

[TheCardFan]

BTW that choice in refusing the fts would mirror the NFLs foul policy. It's a simple and clean fix.

Why not just hold a star player accountable for improving his game? Shaq created the trend and if he started making them, it would stop immediately.

Intentional fouls happen all the time. Foul to give situations and trying to come back from behind at the end of the game are two more examples.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I call BS! So to win you would be cool to let SUNS players take out a knee? BS What is going on in spurs camp is taking away from the game I love!

no spur tried to take out a knee this year... or any other year. they do what the rules allow them to get away with. the rules don't allow you to take someone's knee out. You do whatever you can within the rules to win. Period.

 

[wsupkid]

I know what you are talking about. I agree he needs to work on that area more. My question is where is the SPORT in fouling Shaq the way the spurs did? what is the difference in Molone putting an elbo in an eye? It doesnt belong in the game! Thats why there needs to be a rule change.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I know what you are talking about. I agree he needs to work on that area more. My question is where is the SPORT in fouling Shaq the way the spurs did? what is the difference in Molone putting an elbo in an eye? It doesnt belong in the game! Thats why there needs to be a rule change.

part of sport is taking advantage of an opponent's weakness. Shaq can't shoot FT (which ARE part of the game), so Pop exploits that weakness. There's NOTHING that says Malone should be able to put his elbow in someone's eye. FTs are part of the game. Just because Shaq sucks at them doesn't mean the league should bail our team out.

 

[wsupkid]

no spur tried to take out a knee this year... or any other year. they do what the rules allow them to get away with. the rules don't allow you to take someone's knee out. You do whatever you can within the rules to win. Period.

Ok, it is within the rules to but in a Skinner and HARD foul parker! Is it not? Dont get crazy here. I have no problem fouling shaq at the end of a game to take advantage of an opportunity. But If I was the Coach I would have made it the longest game in NBA history spending all my fouls the team had. Ok, Ok, maybe I would have Shaq put an elbow in parkers eye!

 

[Cheesebeef]

Ok, it is within the rules to but in a Skinner and HARD foul parker! Is it not? Dont get crazy here. I have no problem fouling shaq at the end of a game to take advantage of an opportunity. But If I was the Coach I would have made it the longest game in NBA history spending all my fouls the team had. Ok, Ok, maybe I would have Shaq put an elbow in parkers eye!

huh?

 

[wsupkid]

There's NOTHING that says Malone should be able to put his elbow in someone's eye. .

? Now thats a stupud comment.

 

[Covert Rain]

I have read several articles dealing with how the intentional foul itself is detremental to any "true" sport. They say fouls are called for breaking the rules of the game. They go on to state that to intentially break a rule to gain advantage over an opponent is not sporting in itself. The hack a Shaq takes it to a new level.

In basketball , the intentional foul has evolved into a strategy but in its essence is really not sporting. Whatever happened to give me your best shot and ill do the same and whoever is better will prevail?

They rarely call the intentional foul as such in the NBA. You see it a lot more in the college and intermediate level games.

So with that all said, given the state of the game today, the win at all costs attitide that prevails in sports taday, how can you blame Pop for using whatever is given him to his advantage. It certainly doesnt make it sporting and most definetly takes away from the game in general, but it give him the advantage to WIN the title and that is ultimately what gets the recognition. To me personally, it would diminish the value of the win.

Of course, none of this excuses Shaq's failure to make the shots. if he does, nobody would consider breaking the rules.

I am not saying I blame him. I am saying it's bush league. I am saying it goes against the spirit of the rule. The rule was put in place to deter that practice...not encourage coaches to use it up until the final 2 minutes.

 

[Cheesebeef]

? Now thats a stupud comment.

how so? you do realize that by saying the above, your basically implying that there is something which states players CAN elbow others intentionally, right?

I mean, if caught, Malone IS penalized for it, right? Through fines or suspensions, there's absolutely a rule that says you can't elbow someone intentionally. That's not to say the rule is always interpreted correctly, but that's not even a question of "spirit of the game" - it's just outright forbidden.