STAT calls Spurs "dirty"

[Divide Et Impera]

Yeah, just like voting is only 1 vote???

"Grizzly Adams DID have a beard."

-Lee Trevino

 

[Gaddabout]

OK. I'll be the only one to suggest this was pointless for Amare to bring up in the national media and is something that should have been forwarded to the league office behind closed doors. Amare bringing it up does nothing for the Suns, but might fire up the Spurs for no other reason than they're looking for a reason to get fired up.

 

[arwillan]

OK. I'll be the only one to suggest this was pointless for Amare to bring up in the national media and is something that should have been forwarded to the league office behind closed doors. Amare bringing it up does nothing for the Suns, but might fire up the Spurs for no other reason than they're looking for a reason to get fired up.

i concur. he could have just said something to the coaching staff or to the refs in private and then if necessary forwarded it to the league office. now that he has called them out, i think they will play even more agressive defense, but i doubt they will try to hurt anyone now that there is a spotlight on it.

spurs motivation- +1.

 

[Mainstreet]

i concur. he could have just said something to the coaching staff or to the refs in private and then if necessary forwarded it to the league office. now that he has called them out, i think they will play even more agressive defense, but i doubt they will try to hurt anyone now that there is a spotlight on it.

spurs motivation- +1.

I'll take my chances if the referees call the game fairly. I think more aggressive defense to the Spurs is more fouling.

If Amare hadn't said anything to the public any complaint to the league office or referees, IMO, would have gone in the trash can. I mean what Bowen and Ginobili do is not new and the referees seldom call it. I'm sure other players have complained many times to the league office before with no result. I do think D'Antoni was clever to stay out of it and let Amare voice his opinion so at least everyone knows what is going on.

 

[SO91]

They got blown out by 20 points after our coach said the Suns were more talented than they were...This isn't going to motivate them any more than they already are.

 

[elindholm]

They got blown out by 20 points after our coach said the Suns were more talented than they were...This isn't going to motivate them any more than they already are.

No kidding. Plus the fact that if they lose Game 3, they're back in a hole as far as home-court advantage is concerned. I'm sure they'll be plenty motivated.

 

[SO91]

No kidding. Plus the fact that if they lose Game 3, they're back in a hole as far as home-court advantage is concerned. I'm sure they'll be plenty motivated.

Exactly

 

[msdundee]

..... i think they will play even more agressive defense, but i doubt they will try to hurt anyone now that there is a spotlight on it.

That's good enough for me. Aggressive defense is one thing -- looking for the Suns to play some aggressive defense of their own again -- but those other moves can't be anticipated.

I don't have a problem with Amare spouting off and I don't think it will work against us. He'll get serenaded by the boo-birds but he won't care. Fans on spurstalk are calling for "retaliation" for his comments (some suggestions about targeting Nash's nose) but the Spurs are smarter than that. I hope it doesn't get any uglier than it has been on Saturday but we're in SA and it might. Almost make me wish we had a benchful of hard fouls to put in. Maybe Big Daddy can suit up, he'd get his six in about five minutes.

 

[SO91]

I don't really see the Spurs turning into the old Pistons or the Lakers of last year with the hard fouls, the pushing and the shoving. For the most part they're a classy organization, with a classy leader in Timmay. (even if he is All-NBA whiner team captain)

 

[azirish]

I'd say if you checked around the league, Bowen and Manu are hated for their dirty tactics more than any high minute guys I can think of. Yes, Fortson is everyone's #1 thug, but Fortson hasn't played in a long time.

It doesn't matter that Tim Duncan is a gentleman and I can't remember any complaints about Parker other than excessive hand checking. The Spurs may get away with cheating a lot, but it's Bowen and Manu that people hate. There is no place in the NBA for their kind of thuggery and it's up to the refs to end it.

A lot has been made about Raja's clothes lining of Kobe (he was suspended for a game), but not much about some of the things Kobe did to Raja first. In any case, I do not believe Raja intended to hurt Kobe although he was clearly wrong.

 

[cly2tw]

Actually, "dirty" is probably not the correct word here. Playing not "clean" by the books needs not end up "dirty" a la Bowen. It's "recklessly/maliciously dirty" compared to Raja's "no-injury-risk dirty".

 

[kps0001]

Raja's "no-injury-risk dirty".

really?

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Yeah, just like voting is only 1 vote???

I'd say your form of protest is similar to writing the President a letter with a political request rather than voting. Your e-mail to the NBA ends up in the overzealuos fan folder of David Stern's inbox that might get a return form letter with a stamped Stern signature if you're lucky.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

i concur. he could have just said something to the coaching staff or to the refs in private and then if necessary forwarded it to the league office. now that he has called them out, i think they will play even more agressive defense, but i doubt they will try to hurt anyone now that there is a spotlight on it.

spurs motivation- +1.

Now possibly the referrees will be looking more at the way the Spurs play.

tighter officiating = Suns +1

 

[cly2tw]

really?

You have proofs of Raja risking injuries to the others on defense? I would certainly change my mind on him then.

 

[elindholm]

I'd say your form of protest is similar to writing the President a letter with a political request rather than voting.

I'd rank it lower than that. Stern knows that 99.9% of the people who write in on a specific issue like this are fans of the team that would benefit from his action. Their "opinion" is completely self-serving and carries zero logical weight.

 

[kps0001]

I think you probably should have chosen your words more carefully. There is always a risk of injury when you clothesline a guy and thrown him to the ground or kicking a guy as in the Bargnani situation.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

You have proofs of Raja risking injuries to the others on defense? I would certainly change my mind on him then.

Um, he did intentionally clothesline someone last year. And I'm pretty sure he kicked another player in the balls this year that earned him a suspension. And that foul he put on Ginobli in Game 1 wasn't exactly what David Stern has in mind for the NBA.

 

[Greg Popovich]

Bowen has been routinely criticized throughout the league, so if Amare was trying to effect him, it was fruitless.

I think he was really trying to effect the refs to watch Bowen more closely, which I myself don't have any trouble with. That Bowen play was very disturbing on Amare and he did have a right to call out Bowen publicly.

I do have a problem with putting Manu in the same category as Bowen. The act he complains of was not an intentional act to harm Amare and if he believes so, Amare needs to develop a thicker skin. I think if you examine nearly every game, you could probably find a play here or there where a player grabs another. If Rajai bells does this, does this make him a "dirty" player.

STAT should have reserved his comments to Bowen. Getting Manu revved up by press clippings is the last thing That STAT or the Suns fans should want. Manu has had a miserable playoff series against both Denver and Phoenix. Getting something else to divert his attention away from his up to now poor performance is not a wise move by anyone, STAT or otherwise.

 

[Cheesebeef]

not a fan of any of our guys starrting a war of words and name calling. All that does is let the Spurs know that whatever tactics they use ARE WORKING and getting under our skin, which is all those kind of tactics are used for - not to injure, but to frustrate and shake us off our game. No need to flame the fire. I'd rather see us just take it out on them on the scoreboard and we did that last game - I hope that continues.

 

[The Man In Black]

I don't agree about Ginobili-

Greetings Valley of the Suns, I have to say what a great team you have.
Don't let Amare's lack of seasoning sway you. This should 've been dealt with on the court and internally.
Having said that, I note a few things:

The reason the Spurs are hated is because quite simply...they win a lot. They play physical D. Back in the day, the no blood, no foul really existed.
So while everyone oohs and ahhs about the slick alley-oop, Spurs know that they need to play D and execute great in the half-court.

About Amare getting kneed in the crotch. The offensive player is allowed to attack the rim. He can jump, knee up to get himself towards the rim. That knee fends off would-be attackers who could try to block the shot. Most post players would take a knee to the chest or stomach or even hip-leg area, but your guy Amare', springs for legs and all, jumped high not dettered, but then took the hit-you know where. Was he mad? Sure but again, it's a legal play. The offensive player does not have to give up position.

Don't believe me? You think Manu attacking the rim with his knee up is a new thing made to counter Amare?

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That shot is taken Mid 70's, Dr. J on perennial ALL-D player ( and future teammate) Bobby Jones.

If Amare didn't want the knee, he could've backed off the play. That is why after that happened, Tim Duncan got in Stoudamire's grill and told him that what Ginobili did was a legitimate basketball play.
Do you need more proof that offensive players who attack the rim lift their front leg to fend off would-be defenders?

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What about this one where the knee already made contact with the defender?

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Or the way this guy attacks a rim?

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Or this guy?

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It was nothing like THIS:

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Truth be told,Amare did it to Kobe just like that pic above in that 1st round.

 

[az1965]

In the 2nd picture, the knee is not making the contact. Watch closely.

 

[cly2tw]

Hey, MIB, from all the pics you showed I see close similarity only between Manu's and Malone's. I guess that's no coincidence, right? Others have their knees and legs well below their own body center.

 

[Bufalay]

Um, he did intentionally clothesline someone last year. And I'm pretty sure he kicked another player in the balls this year that earned him a suspension. And that foul he put on Ginobli in Game 1 wasn't exactly what David Stern has in mind for the NBA.

that doesn't count. that stuff was cool!

 

[cly2tw]

Bowen has been routinely criticized throughout the league, so if Amare was trying to effect him, it was fruitless.

I think he was really trying to effect the refs to watch Bowen more closely, which I myself don't have any trouble with. That Bowen play was very disturbing on Amare and he did have a right to call out Bowen publicly.

I do have a problem with putting Manu in the same category as Bowen. The act he complains of was not an intentional act to harm Amare and if he believes so, Amare needs to develop a thicker skin. I think if you examine nearly every game, you could probably find a play here or there where a player grabs another. If Rajai bells does this, does this make him a "dirty" player.

STAT should have reserved his comments to Bowen. Getting Manu revved up by press clippings is the last thing That STAT or the Suns fans should want. Manu has had a miserable playoff series against both Denver and Phoenix. Getting something else to divert his attention away from his up to now poor performance is not a wise move by anyone, STAT or otherwise.

I agree with your analysis. Manu's holding is not risking injury at all. Actually, Raja's clothlining was so carefully executed to not hurt Kobe, it's like from the WWW show. So, Amare's trying to call refs attention on various defensive tactics that are against the rule but tend to be overlooked by the refs, partially due to Spurs reputation as the best defensive team. It explains why he includes Manu here.