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ORLANDO -- Stephen Jackson is trying to run from his troubled past, and he often wonders what will give way first, his weary legs or the public's perception of him. It's almost like he's in a sprint and a marathon all at once. The more ground he covers, the longer the journey, it seems.
"It's gotten to the point where it bothers me," Jackson admits.
hhvo wrote:Jack is definitely one of the most, if not the most, underrated player in the NBA at the moment. His contribution to his former teams such as the Spurs, Pacer, Warriors and now the Bobcats (all playoff teams) should earn him more recognition than he currently have. Jack along with Wallace are the foundation for Bobcats basketball for the next few years. Man, I enjoy watching them play!
Perception and reality often live in different neighborhoods in sports. And the perception is that Jackson is hardly the person who would find meaning in a Malcolm Gladwell book, much less describe meeting Gladwell as "special" -- as he did during our conversation.
You have to be careful when you refer to an athlete as "misunderstood," because it's often just a generous way of excusing the fact that he or she is really a nincompoop. But when it comes to Jackson, "misunderstood" fits. The perception is that he's a thuggish problem child, mostly based on a couple of those "different situations" from earlier in his career. But that perception is so off-base that it makes you wonder if the sports world should get a Seeing Eye dog.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Six years after playing a prominent role in sparking the scariest, ugliest brawl in NBA history -- Pacers at Pistons with fans fully involved -- Stephen Jackson still has no regrets about charging up into the stands behind teammate Ron Artest.
He would do it again.
It's why the Charlotte Bobcats are making their first playoff appearance in franchise history. It's why they believe they can beat the heavily-favored Magic in Orlando Wednesday night to even the first-round series.
It's his attitude. It's Captain Jack.
"He walks with a swagger. He's brought aggressiveness and toughness to this team,'' said Charlotte forward Gerald Wallace after practice Tuesday. "He made us better. Everyone here knows we can count on him.''
Howard Mass wrote:You do not have the right to not be offended. Just because something is offensive to you does not mean that it breaks the board rules.
