Could part of the fans' frustrations be a sense that...

Suns_fan_2007 · Post #1 » by **Suns_fan_2007** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 12:37 am

the Championship window is closing?

The mood this season feels very different from the last few seasons.

I wonder if sub-consciously as fans we're feeling a bit like the window is closing, especially seeing Bell not be as effective as before, Nash not hitting his shots like the past few seasons, Marion trade rumors becoming louder than ever, etc etc...

I wonder if part of our psyche is that this is the last ride - all or nothing.

If we don't achieve greatness, Marion might go, Bell will probably be traded, Diaw / Banks / Barbosa - who knows?

All this wears on the mind of a fan, and could be part of the reason for the early season worry?

-SDU- · Post #2 » by **-SDU-** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 12:42 am

lol, another thread ;-)

i dont think so personally

i think the frustrations are coming from the same thing thats frustrating the team

we lost in ugly circumstances last season and now, every step to get back there is a chore

we can do it, but its mundane and its like "god this regular season sucks, all we want is a series with the spurs again" and its just like every win means nothing because we have more important "unfinished business" and every loss is frustrating

so in the past a painful loss is erased with a celebrating win but now its a painful loss followed by a "whatever" win, and in general bringing the fans and players down because we arent enjoying the wins, we are only getting annoyed by the losses

nashill · Post #3 » by **nashill** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 1:34 am

Suns_fan_2007 wrote:the Championship window is closing?

The mood this season feels very different from the last few seasons.

I wonder if sub-consciously as fans we're feeling a bit like the window is closing....

No, the window in yet closing but what frustrating is, the fans,we, all know what this team's problems but Dantoni is not addressing them. This team has the best chance of winning it all the way compared to the 3 past seasons ONLY if Dantoni starts to make changes and prepare this team to beat the Spurs.

Cash · Post #4 » by **Cash** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 1:41 am

I honestly don't think this year's team is as good as last year's team, regardless of coaching issues.

mkot · Post #5 » by **mkot** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 1:55 am

nashill wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

This team has the best chance of winning it all the way compared to the 3 past seasons

No. Last year's team had the best chance but we didn't get it done. We didn't improve from last year, teams like Lakers, Portland and NO has improved, and then we're struggling. That's basically where we're at right now. You can blame the management as much as you blame on the coach and players.

Christine-In-AZ · Post #6 » by **Christine-In-AZ** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 3:23 am

The reason why us "the sky is lower" Suns fans are at a minimum fearful is the Suns have lost roughly 3 out of 4 those "bigger, more weighty" regular season games...even revenge motivated games. Many of these games the opposition has had the intangibles weighted against them ...injured stars, playing on a back to back for example.

"Big, Revenge, Barometer" Games that you you know they're really going to be focused...games that they likely wouldn't have lost over the past 3 years, they're losing more often.

You can accept the filter that the Suns are treating the regular season differently, hence the loses. Or you perceive it as this Suns team's position to win the champion is significantly lower than last year.

I still think there's hope for this bunch, but they are not at the apex position they were at one year ago. I think that is clear. At a minimum the others, the obsticles are more and better, meaning the Suns have to get much better. Better than '07 and they are not.

-SDU- · Post #7 » by **-SDU-** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 9:33 am

spurs lost today, is their sky falling?

nashill · Post #8 » by **nashill** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 11:33 am

-SDU- wrote:spurs lost today, is their sky falling?

Spurs are tough mentally and they have a great coach who can figure out their problems right away.

-SDU- · Post #9 » by **-SDU-** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 12:37 pm

its all perception

this suns team MUST be mentally tough to endure some of the BS fickleness of its fans

guaves13 · Post #10 » by **guaves13** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 2:46 pm

-SDU- wrote:lol, another thread

i dont think so personally

i think the frustrations are coming from the same thing thats frustrating the team

we lost in ugly circumstances last season and now, every step to get back there is a chore

we can do it, but its mundane and its like "god this regular season sucks, all we want is a series with the spurs again" and its just like every win means nothing because we have more important "unfinished business" and every loss is frustrating

so in the past a painful loss is erased with a celebrating win but now its a painful loss followed by a "whatever" win, and in general bringing the fans and players down because we arent enjoying the wins, we are only getting annoyed by the losses

Great post SDU. I think that is the main problem. Combine that with a few guys struggling with shooting % so far (Raja, LB) and we are where we are. And where are we? Oh yeah we have the best record in the western conference!

As far as our window closing, it may be with this core group. That's the beauty of the NBA though there is always another era waiting in the wings. We still have some great young players and with some shrewd GMing skills we will build on that.

impulsenine · Post #11 » by **impulsenine** » Tue Jan 8, 2008 4:51 pm

The reason fans are frustrated with A- performance from the Suns is that they've been an A- team almost since the beginning.

The Suns have always been a good team; in the last years we've had a great team. But we know that the team is capable of the kinds of explosions that they demonstrated against Denver - and against anybody.

Imagine if we'd shot that well versus San Antonio.

It's sort of like having a Lamborghini that never quite gets tuned up.

Christine-In-AZ · Post #12 » by **Christine-In-AZ** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 3:37 am

-SDU- wrote:its all perception

this suns team MUST be mentally tough to endure some of the BS fickleness of its fans

No fickleness here. After 12 or 15 games it seemed cleared to me that the Suns (who were clearly ranked 1, 2 or 3 all last year) ..are a 4th to 8th ranked team, that hasn't shifted much for quite a period now. (defensive intensity and consistency is better since Christmas).

San Antonio despite the record gets a deep bow and respect. They know how to do this

eastsidecrossover · Post #13 » by **eastsidecrossover** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 6:00 am

Look at it from this pov. the spurs last year looked sluggish until after the all-star game. they played well enough to stay as one of the top 3 teams and in contention. they finished the 2nd half strong and rode that momentum into the playoffs.

Hopefully, this team gets their chemistry and other issues right and get it going each game by then.

Christine-In-AZ · Post #14 » by **Christine-In-AZ** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 7:17 am

^^Well put! And I still do think that this group can get it humming before it's over. Hopefully the eyes will get back on the prize, which might be all that is missing so far.

That would be Cool!!!...and then opinions typed out like mine and Frank Lee and many others will sound so incredibly myopic and irrationally motivated...just dumb! My guess is if that does happen (win it all without a shake-up), Frank Lee and those others won't give a flying f--k! Because our Suns finally after 40 years freaking did it!. I know I won't care.

Sometimes being critical is being a better fan. I don't know about the "everything is just fine" Suns fans, but I watch my team from the management side. I'm not in the stands jumping up and down....applauding. I'm management ...I'm never satified!

Frank Lee · Post #15 » by **Frank Lee** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 10:51 am

Interesting Article

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/13986

And yet another point ...

Noah (Santa Monica, CA): Sounds like D'Antoni likes his team and Kerr doesn't. Who budges? Will they make a move? I think the team needs some swagger.

Chad Ford: I think it's the owner that needs to budge. He keeps trying to cut payroll and gives D'Antoni less and less to work with every year. How good would this team be if it still had Joe Johnson and Kurt Thomas right now?

ClosAZ · Post #16 » by **ClosAZ** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 3:40 pm

Frank Lee wrote:Interesting Article

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/13986

And yet another point ...

Noah (Santa Monica, CA): Sounds like D'Antoni likes his team and Kerr doesn't. Who budges? Will they make a move? I think the team needs some swagger.

Chad Ford: I think it's the owner that needs to budge. He keeps trying to cut payroll and gives D'Antoni less and less to work with every year. How good would this team be if it still had Joe Johnson and Kurt Thomas right now?

We'd be a freaking dynasty!!! I disagree with Chad Ford on this part - Even with losing Joe Johnson and Kurt Thomas if Mike Dantoni didn't sign our favorite Frenchman and used a couple of 1st round picks we gave a way (Rajon Rondo for example) instead of signing Banks than we'd be in a much better position financially. Sarver still as others have mentioned has the 6th or 7th highest payroll in the league. Dantoni shares some of the blame here for sure. It's not just on the owner. Steve Kerr is who I'm banking on in the future to make sound decisons, get the Suns what they need, and keep it cap friendly for Mr. Sarver. I trust Mr. Wildcat and believe he will get it done, coming from a former Sun Devil.

Hindsight is 20/20, we are still currently 1st in the west, Definitely still have work and tweaking to do, and have a fantastic team compared to 95% of the other teams in the league. We're due some luck, let's all grab some rabbits tails and rub away. "Boris! Go get some of your Dirty Scottsdale girls and rub their beautiful butts for some good luck the rest of the year!"