moocow007 wrote:
What narrative? That JR Smith is the not the Anti-Christ narrative?
You mean, the Knicks are better off without JR long term narrative.
moocow007 wrote: Just like Stephon Marbury wasn't the Anti-Christ narrative? That's the narrative I'm after. I mean how many times are we going to do this as fans? Focus blame on someone, chirp to no end that if we shed that anti-Christ that things will turn but it doesn't? Guys we like we protect to no end. Guys we hate we demonize to no end? When does this silly little tit for tat end? Never? 2085?
I don't think I've seen a single fan pin all of our troubles on JR. But a lot of people recognized that JR was actively struggling with the system, that historically he's been disruptive and that he had no short term value to a team looking to reset. Steph got a raw deal and deserved a shot in D'antoni's offense, but again...After he got into an altercation with the team president on a plane, my sympathy for his situation was gone. And while we're on better off without him, moving Tyson Chandler was the right move too...and Woodson. None of them are the anti-christ, but none of them were beneficial to this team long term and they all behaved in ways deserving of criticism. JR more than anyone.
moocow007 wrote:George Karl himself said that JR Smith is an important weapon to the Nuggets success due to what he can do on the floor BUT is someone that you have to know how to use...much like a gun. Karl has said explicitly that Smith most definitely can contribute to success. Does that mean that George Karl liked him as a person? NOOOOOOO. Did JR Smith suddenly start doing stupid things after he got to NY? NOOOOOO again. So...ONCE AGAIN...JR Smith has been this anti-Christ character fans want to paint him as BEFORE NY. Ergo my quip about finding God. Nothing has changed. He was a successful weapon that helped the Nuggets win when he was in Denver because Karl knew how to utilize him. He could have been that in NY. Didn't happen. Can he be that in Cleveland? Sure looks like it, don't it? The league is not full of boy scouts. The other team doesn't always have the better players. Grass isn't always greener.
Well the Knicks used him well enough for the best season of his career and all was forgiven from most...he blew that. So even when utilized in the best, most productive possible way, he imploded and was a detriment to the team. Even Karl didn't really have him figured out, his production was, is and always will be inconsistent (and that's when damn near everything else is uniform, minutes and system included). In fact, his production for the Knicks pre-trade isn't far off from his production in his final season at Denver. He's just not that good despite having all the ability to be great. And bringing up Cleveland after 7 games isn't proving much. For one, it's 7 games and for two, he's put up his typical production when you average it out. He is what he is.
moocow007 wrote:Honestly, how many people were hoping he fail in Cleveland so they can say they were right? How many people are furious right now that he's doing well? I mean think about it. Don't have to admit it...just think about it. And then maybe we can focus on which side actually is worse...JR Smith or his detractors who push for supposedly doing and thinking and saying the right things?
Hoping he'll fail or just expecting him to do something dumb and disruptive like the pattern his career has followed all along. If the Cavs can keep him behaved through the playoffs, they'll have lucked out and it won't have to do with good management. He had issues everywhere.
The hyperbole of "anti-christ" is useless, no one's saying that and the few people that push that much hate don't need to be bothered with because nobody's gonna change their mind. Acknowledge the real arguments against him...inconsistency, character issues (and no, this isn't a boy scout's league but it's also not a place where a 14 ppg, weak at everything else, unable to listen to coaches, partying during a playoff stint player gets a pass shooting 42% from the field), and an inability to grasp the system he was in.
moocow007 wrote:Who is comparing him to Stoudemire? Not me. I'm simply saying that using Stoudemire as an example of the scapegoat that folks keep wanting to find to justify something that is wrong.
Yeah, I get it, and it's a weak juxtaposition if you don't like the semantics. Stoudemire is disliked because of injuries more than anything else and that is out of his control. JR gets hate because of his behavior, no mitigating circumstances, he did a collection of stupid things that caused a large contingent of Knicks fans to give up on him in spite of his talent. Plus if you really want to ride that juxtaposition, would you really argue that this team is better off with either of those guys? I vehemently disagree
moocow007 wrote: JR Smith was a basketball player, just like Stoudemire. Smith produced extremely well at one point with the Knicks, just like Stoudemire. Smith ended his tenure in NY poorly, just like Stoudemire? Who the **** cares about personality if the result was the same? Would you rather a boy scout that can't do **** or a bad person that helps you win if utilized correctly?
Better questions,
Can you replace 14 ppg and not much else with a player who has more character? Yes
Is it worth that 14 ppg to have a guy on the team who has a history of being disruptive? Nope
Would I take a boy scout who will give me 14 ppg consistently rather than a bad person who gives me 20 points one night, 8 points the next? Yes, but I grant that it's debatable.
And just to conclude...there's always gonna be a whipping boy for fan bases. Landry Fields continued to be a whipping boy in Toronto, JR was in Denver and there's guys like Beasley who always get that hate. It's the nature of the fans, if they don't hate the players and the team is doing bad, it's the coach and if not him, then it's the damned owner. This gets especially bad when a guy doesn't seem to care about his team and if nothing else, JR gave a serious impression that he didn't give a damn (shoe laces, elbows, partying, pipe, etc).
