NOH- CHI -MIN

[shrink]

David West is in no way, shape or form an all-star center.

I apologize for slipping the word "center" in there. I should proof what I read. He was an All Star .. period.

And Joakim Noah certainly isn't a "cancer". The homers around here tried to claim that in order to justify the Brewer selection, but it simply wasn't true. He's had one incident his entire career, and other than that has been an overwhelmingly positive locker room presence.

Strange how ajosu mentioned four then.

Here's what I remember. He was out of shape. He got in trouble for smoking pot. There was an altercation with Ben Wallace. And then the player benching.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I disagree with your point that people are making these incidents up, and doing so to justify the Brewer selection. Personally, once the team picked a guy, that's who we have and he's a sunk cost. I never agree with the concept of looking back at history with perfect hindsight, and for those that do, I can't remember anyone ever doing it to justify the Brewer pick. He's the Brewer player now, and that's what we ytalk about.

Those incidents were not made up. The fact that you can only remember one (especially when four are listed two posts above you) makes me think you shouldn't be pointing fingers at what's true, panth ol' man.

[panth181]

I didn't realize being out of shape counted as an "incident". A good effort on the part of those who are actually trying to argue that Joakim Noah is a locker room cancer, though.

If I'm not mistaken the other three all took place within a very short period early in his rookie season. The benching may or may not be related to the others.

At any rate, anybody who is still trying to argue that Joakim Noah is a locker room cancer obviously has no idea what they are talking about - and probably an axe to grind.

[Krapinsky]

I think we can all agree the term "cancer" is being used loosely here. I think certain character attributes of Noah are seen as positives and some are seen as negatives. Clearly, he wasn't the most mature guy coming into the league, but the guy cares about winning as much as anyone and seems to be growing up fast.

[panth181]

He was the 100% unquestioned locker room leader of a team that won consecutive national titles.

The problem in Chicago is that he'd never had to play in such a cancerous locker room environment before - he called out some of the veterans, who quickly reminded him that he was a rookie.

If we are using the cancer analogy, Noah is the chemotherapy.

[john2jer]

He was the 100% unquestioned locker room leader of a team that won consecutive national titles.

The problem in Chicago is that he'd never had to play in such a cancerous locker room environment before - he called out some of the veterans, who quickly reminded him that he was a rookie.

This is the impression I got from the whole deal. Kind of a "might makes right" situation and Noah got the short end of the stick.