SA Reaction To Amare's Accusations

[Gee!]

Mike Finger: With opponent on heels, Amare plays the victim

Web Posted: 05/10/2007 11:41 PM CDT


San Antonio Express-News

Gregg Popovich admitted he was fighting the urge to overreact and do something "silly." Tony Parker was trying to decide if he needed to be more aggressive. And Robert Horry, with his own playful ideas on how to reclaim some momentum, even invoked the name of Jackie Butler.
But then?

Amare Stoudemire opened his mouth and provided the Spurs with the only adjustment they needed.

As much as people talk about lineup changes and strategic moves this time of year, nothing shakes up an NBA playoff series quite like a slip of the tongue. So when Stoudemire blasted Bruce Bowen on Thursday and accused the Spurs of being a "dirty team," he might have thought he was simply blowing the whistle and calling out an opponent.

But at a point when the Suns should have finally been feeling strong and confident against their biggest nemesis, wasn't Stoudemire just turning them into victims all over again?

For years, Phoenix had struggled to put itself in the position it reached on Tuesday. The Spurs had beaten the Suns in 16 of the teams' last 20 meetings, including five of the last six in the playoffs. During that time, there was a growing perception that the Spurs were the one team capable of getting into the Suns' fast-breaking heads.

But after a blowout Phoenix victory in Game 2, it was suddenly Popovich's team that had to figure out how to regroup.

With three days off between Games 2 and 3, the Suns could have spent that time smiling and swaggering and allowing doubt to creep into the minds of Parker, who had trouble being chased by Shawn Marion, and Manu Ginobili, who still hasn't found his postseason stroke, and Bowen, who hasn't slowed down Steve Nash as much as he'd hoped.

But when Bowen heard about Stoudemire's comments Thursday, didn't he have to laugh a little inside? A huge part of his game is making an opponent uncomfortable, and Stoudemire all but confirmed Bowen is doing his job against the Suns.

After viewing the clip of Bowen's kick on YouTube — which already boasts almost as many Bruce Bowen "cheap shot" videos as it does of animals playing musical instruments — it's understandable why Stoudemire might be a bit perturbed.

But to take his frustration public? After a victory?

That's not the best way to show the tables have turned. The only possible upside for Phoenix would be the league suspending Bowen, and that didn't happen.

Sure, Stoudemire isn't the first to complain about Bowen's defensive tactics. But run down the list of the most vocal critics: Ray Allen, Vince Carter, Isiah Thomas, Flip Saunders and Cuttino Mobley.

What do they have in common? Losing records against the Spurs, and zero playoff series victories against Bowen.

It seldom pays to voice frustration about an opposing player's transgressions, and the Spurs know this firsthand. One of the only times they've really made a fuss about a perceived cheap shot in recent years was last year in the conference semifinals against Dallas, when Jason Terry's fist landed below Michael Finley's belt.

Remember how that turned out? Terry was suspended for Game 6, then came back fired up and scored 27 points in Game 7 to help the Mavericks win the series.

Bowen, in all likelihood, will react the same way, just like he usually has.

There was a hiccup earlier this season when Thomas' complaints prompted a league official to warn Bowen about placing his foot under jump shooters, making Bowen a bit tentative for a while after that. But that was because the NBA was questioning his entire defensive approach. In this case, the only thing the league can really do would be to tell him to stop kicking players in their calves.

Chances are, Bowen can still guard while adhering to those guidelines. And when his pestering style becomes the focal point of the series, making the Suns look like the victims instead of the conquerors?

The Suns can thank Stoudemire for the adjustment.

 

[B-Dogg]

Thats actually a pretty good unbiased article from a SA paper. While Amare should be pissed he should have used that as self motivation and kept it to himself to after the playoffs or at the very least after the series. Hell let Raja know and even things up on the court when Parker goes into the lane.

 

[Bufalay]

I'd like to see banks and burke rough up bowen

 

[Toothbrush]

The last thing I read about this issue was from someone saying that everyone should shut up because Amare didn't even say anything about it. Then the next day it's on the radio that Amare made those comments.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

Thats actually a pretty good unbiased article from a SA paper. While Amare should be pissed he should have used that as self motivation and kept it to himself to after the playoffs or at the very least after the series. Hell let Raja know and even things up on the court when Parker goes into the lane.

It was probably difficult for him to keep it to himself, after all of the Youtube and other internet attention it got.

 

[Covert Rain]

If Amare comes out and has a big game then all this junk meant nothing. If Amare lays an egg and the Suns lose your going to hear it all over the place.

 

[Chaplin]

Strategically, perhaps Amare was simply trying to make the league take notice, which in turn might subtly affect how the official referee the game. If that's the case, then he was successful, regardless how the Spurs themselves took it.

 

[Gaddabout]

If Amare comes out and has a big game then all this junk meant nothing. If Amare lays an egg and the Suns lose your going to hear it all over the place.

The Truth.

 

[Kolo]

I read that article twice and I still have no idea what the writer's point is. The only thing I can come up with is that the Spurs were thinking of making adjustments, but now they don't have to because Amare thinks Bruce Bowen plays dirty--which makes no sense. I'd give Mike Finger a B- on form, D+ on content.

 

[Gee!]

I read that article twice and I still have no idea what the writer's point is. The only thing I can come up with is that the Spurs were thinking of making adjustments, but now they don't have to because Amare thinks Bruce Bowen plays dirty--which makes no sense. I'd give Mike Finger a B- on form, D+ on content.

I guess the general point he was trying make without coming right out and saying it is he feels Amare is wussy.. Thats what I get from it.. Very subtitle..

 

[Gaddabout]

I read that article twice and I still have no idea what the writer's point is. The only thing I can come up with is that the Spurs were thinking of making adjustments, but now they don't have to because Amare thinks Bruce Bowen plays dirty--which makes no sense. I'd give Mike Finger a B- on form, D+ on content.

It's definitely been an unusual experience reading columnists from a medium-sized market. Not at all like the LA or Dallas writers at the ginormous newspapers -- they all have a strong idea what the Suns are about. Or at least they think they do. The San Antonio columnists seem like they're sorting this Suns team out, and they're writing in mid-thought. Reminds me of the understated, vanilla columns you used to find in the R&G when they were family-owned, and before they were bought out by Gannett and turned into McPaper.

 

[az1965]

In short: Amare just hosed his own team by openning up his mouth.

That was a crapy article.

 

[hsandhu]

Idiotic article. So the spurs are gonna be more focused because of what amare said? This team has won 3 titles w/pop/duncan, but they werent gonna play a motivated game 3 until amare opened his mouth. Moronic argument.

 

[Toothbrush]

Jody Oehler was making the same point yesterday. He basically said that one shouldn't give his opponent any advantage what so ever, and Amare opening his mouth may give the Spurs a boost. It shows that the Spurs do get into the heads of the Suns.

It's like that annoying little brother that would kick you when mom wasn't looking, and when you went to go tell her she just told you to ignore him and then he'll leave you alone.

 

[Maligzar]

You would think that guys would learn after the Lakers series that words used by your opponent can't motivate a team. They stand to rile up fans, but if an NBA player isn't finding enough motivation on his own there is no way something like this would be that source of motivation.

Additionally, Amare has a history of talking smack and backing it up. Don't forget that he came out and said the Lakers series wasn't going to be like last year, and that we would win in 5 games.

Amare talks, but he backs it up.

 

[jenna2891]

to be fair to amare, he's coming off a previous season as a spectator due to injury. what if he held his tongue and then bowen does the same thing again, except this time amare doesn't walk away from it? of course he's pissed, but it's not unreasonable to want to make sure bowen doesn't get away with trying it again.

 

[az1965]

to be fair to amare, he's coming off a previous season as a spectator due to injury. what if he held his tongue and then bowen does the same thing again, except this time amare doesn't walk away from it? of course he's pissed, but it's not unreasonable to want to make sure bowen doesn't get away with trying it again.

He continues to get away with it with league looking the other way and honoring him as one of the best defenders. Hopefully, this may cause a close eye on him by the refs during the remaining series.

On the other hand, I'm completely dumbfounded by the fact that the refs continue to ignore blatant grabbing of Spurs players even when being pointed to by the players.

 

[The Man In Black]

It's not a kick to the achilles is it?

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IS IT? Well technically...

It's not. It's contact with the bottom of the foot. In short, Amare never got kicked in the calf. Isn't youtube great at showing how fast distribution of videos can be? Now can we let sleeping dogs lie and just get back to talking hoops?

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[kps0001]

It's not a kick to the achilles is it?

You must be registered for see images

IS IT? Well techincally...

It's not. It's contact with the bottom of the foot. In short, Amare never got kicked in the calf. Isn't youtube great at how fast distibution can be? Now can we let sleepiung kick lie and just get back to talking hoops?

You must be registered for see images attach

youtube is pretty great but your eyesight is not.


got this from sunsbum on spurstalk where this debate has gone on through several threads in which one is now almost 30 pages long.

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[The Man In Black]

Would you care to elaborate?

My eyesight shows that the area in question isn't the achilles area. Do you disagree?

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Would you care to elaborate?

My eyesight shows that the area in question isn't the achilles area. Do you disagree?

Just because that slo mo shot doesn't show a shot to the achilles, doesn't mean that he was not trying to kick him there.

 

[kps0001]

Would you care to elaborate?

My eyesight shows that the area in question isn't the achilles area. Do you disagree?

looks to me like Bowens foot, in the circled part of the pic I posted, is on Amare's achilles! not much more needs to be said.

 

[The Man In Black]

Is Bowen on trial for actual kicking or attempted kicking?

Because the accusation as quoted is this:

"It was a wide-open play," he said. "I saw the replay and Bruce Bowen came up behind me, measured his feet and kicked me purposely in the back of my Achilles. That was a dirty play.

But this pic counters that argument, that there was no kick to the achilles. So, can someone elaborate or hypothesize the "alleged" kick to the area known as the achilles region?

 

[The Man In Black]

looks to me like Bowens foot, in the circled part of the pic I posted, is on Amare's achilles! not much more needs to be said.

Circled part of the pic? Link please. And please note, I've spent time in the training room and can detail out where the achilles is. I just want to make sure that a counter-argument can be made by someone who knows which muscle, tendon, ligament area was affected. Looking at the pic, I've provided, Amare got brushed on the sole of his foot. Heelside, but sole nonetheless.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Is Bowen on trial for actual kicking or attempted kicking?

Because the accusation as quoted is this:


But this pic counters that argument, that there was no kick to the achilles. So, can someone elaborate or hypothesize the "alleged" kick to the area known as the achilles region?

That pic could have been a split second late/early in capturing the "alleged" kick to the achilles region. It proves nothing.