Amazing Bill Simmons Article on the Suns

[crisper57]

Scroll down past the 5 stars ...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/100507&sportCat=nba

The Phoenix crowd is wired differently than a typical NBA crowd: more urgency, more unbridled excitement, more vitriol for the refs, more hatred for their opponents, more everything. It's like a college atmosphere, only angry and more desperate. Everyone wears orange, everyone screams, everyone seems hopelessly tied to the ebb and flow of the game. When the wrong call or break goes against them, 40 years of torture quickly bubbles to the surface and every defense mechanism kicks in. It's tangible. You can feel it. They totally believe in this team ... only they totally don't. If that makes sense.

 

[AfroSuns]

Nice article. I have never scream so much in my life like i did yesterday, it was crazy at USAC. Solid win

 

[dodie53]

good read.

thanks for the link

 

[ninous26]

I too had never ever screamed and clapped so hard in my life.. Before I used to be kind of timid and shy at a suns game.. In game 1 I just unleashed.. Screaming, yelling, cussing, jumping, everyting.. Because I believe and I am so sick and tired of being the nice guys that always get pushed around and never have anything come our way.

I lost my voice for 2 days after that and my skin started to peel slightly off the palms of my hands.



GO SUNS GO!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[NashDishesDimes]

Yeah nice article, its funny how dudley become studley overnight and the suns are the hottest sports story right now, period.

 

[SunsTzu]

Scroll down past the 5 stars ...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/100507&sportCat=nba

The Phoenix crowd is wired differently than a typical NBA crowd: more urgency, more unbridled excitement, more vitriol for the refs, more hatred for their opponents, more everything. It's like a college atmosphere, only angry and more desperate. Everyone wears orange, everyone screams, everyone seems hopelessly tied to the ebb and flow of the game. When the wrong call or break goes against them, 40 years of torture quickly bubbles to the surface and every defense mechanism kicks in. It's tangible. You can feel it. They totally believe in this team ... only they totally don't. If that makes sense.

He completely nailed how I feel when watching the Suns.

 

[crisper57]

He completely nailed how I feel when watching the Suns.

+1

 

[Quagmire]

What trade were they talking about at dinner? My best guess is the Amare for Hickson/Z trade. Some of the best trades are the ones that never happened.

 

[AzStevenCal]

What trade were they talking about at dinner? My best guess is the Amare for Hickson/Z trade. Some of the best trades are the ones that never happened.

I'd guess the trade to SA that supposedly would have included Hill and Blair. I have no info but it seems relevant to the occasion.

Steve

 

[elindholm]

I'm guessing it was the preseason deal with Golden State for Biedrins, the pick that turned out to be Curry, and whatever filler.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

I'm guessing it was the preseason deal with Golden State for Biedrins, the pick that turned out to be Curry, and whatever filler.

Nah. I'd bet they would love that with how Curry has looked so far.

My guess is Hickson, Z, and the Cleveland pick. What an abomination that would have been.

 

[Gaddabout]

I said it a couple of years ago, but Bill Simmons is the first guy who ever got the Phoenix fan -- any Phoenix fan. He's been here before and noted the Suns were a different breed ... in many ways worse than the other tragic sports teams because the Suns have been consistently good. Like being in hell staring at water cooler with no spigot.

FanBoy was almost entirely based on Simmons pre-ESPN blog.

 

[sunsfn]

I'm guessing it was the preseason deal with Golden State for Biedrins, the pick that turned out to be Curry, and whatever filler.

Yes, I agree it was this one!
Remember when the suns front office was dancing when the 7th pick was Curry, then Don Nelson said we are not trading him.

 

[jagu]

I too am tired of the label of soft, preppy white boy shooters who lose. This team has a lot of manliness- minus Barbosa and Collins.

 

[Bufalay]

I too am tired of the label of soft, preppy white boy shooters who lose. This team has a lot of manliness- minus Barbosa and Collins.

Preppy white boy? I've never heard that one.

 

[AfroSuns]

I too am tired of the label of soft, preppy white boy shooters who lose. This team has a lot of manliness- minus Barbosa and Collins.

Barbosa may have low BBall IQ but he is anything but soft, a nice guy? yes but not soft.
Neither is Collins who had been with Utah for what? 12yrs? He may be limited offensively but you can tell there is some toughness in there

 

[Bert]

Barbosa may have low BBall IQ but he is anything but soft, a nice guy? yes but not soft.
Neither is Collins who had been with Utah for what? 12yrs? He may be limited offensively but you can tell there is some toughness in there

From what I've seen of Collins in a Suns uni, to say he is 'limited offensively' is being extremely kind. lol He looks lost everytime the ball is in his hands. He does what is asked of him though and he plays solid D so I dont mind him.

 

[jagu]

Barbosa may have low BBall IQ but he is anything but soft, a nice guy? yes but not soft.
Neither is Collins who had been with Utah for what? 12yrs? He may be limited offensively but you can tell there is some toughness in there

Where exactly would this "there" be?

 

[jagu]

I love how Collins misses layups , I'm actually laughing more than I'm frustrated because it surprises me that a guy that big and that close to the hoop finds it hard to lay up the ball.

 

[abomb]

Very good article. Even as a Lakers fan, I have thoroughly enjoyed the Suns' playoff run this year.

 

[AfroSuns]

I love how Collins misses layups , I'm actually laughing more than I'm frustrated because it surprises me that a guy that big and that close to the hoop finds it hard to lay up the ball.

Believe me, i am one of those favoring removal of Mr. Snuffleupagus from the starting line-up. The guy Sucks, cant jump, cant run but you got to admit. We are winning, so he must be doing something right even if minutely.
Of course the Suns can do better but what i am saying is irrespective of his deficiencies, i am sure he is not soft, you don't play for Sloan for that long if you are.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

Barbosa may have low BBall IQ but he is anything but soft, a nice guy? yes but not soft.
Neither is Collins who had been with Utah for what? 12yrs? He may be limited offensively but you can tell there is some toughness in there

respectively disagree, Collins is a worthless player, he plays solely to absorb fouls at the start of games. He will be out of the league next year, bank it.

now if I was Collins, I would pull an Horry, and elbow Manu with a massive elbow square in that broken beak he calls a nose. Firstly, he gets suspended 3 games, no loss on the court, but it would seal the rivalry as one the greatest modern ones of all time. Collins, would go from worthless stiff forgotten by Suns fans by august to a legend.

I know some may disagree with that tactic, but we have been the nice guys for decades, it's time to give these guys some payback.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

I love how Collins misses layups , I'm actually laughing more than I'm frustrated because it surprises me that a guy that big and that close to the hoop finds it hard to lay up the ball.

exactly he has almost no basketball skills or IQ, he is only here because they Need 6 mins at center. Collins doesn't frustrate me at all, he has always sucked, I expect failure, he isn't in the NBA due to skill, he is a counter measure to eat early mins, and allow frye to come of the bench and create match up issues.

Enjoy him fanbois, he ain't gonna be back.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

Believe me, i am one of those favoring removal of Mr. Snuffleupagus from the starting line-up. The guy Sucks, cant jump, cant run but you got to admit. We are winning, so he must be doing something right even if minutely.
Of course the Suns can do better but what i am saying is irrespective of his deficiencies, i am sure he is not soft, you don't play for Sloan for that long if you are.

as soon as Lopez returns, Collins will be a cheerleader or hack a Duncan.

Believe me hen understands he is lucky to experience this series.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I know some may disagree with that tactic, but we have been the nice guys for decades, it's time to give these guys some payback.

Buried deep inside me is the type of fan that would love to see this happen. I do everything I can to keep that little voice in check though because I just don't want to be that person. I don't think we need to turn the other cheek out there but I don't want to cheer for a team that would intentionally injure an opponent.

Steve