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I found this excerpt the most amusing. Personally, I view D. Howard as being overrated. But, I do agree with this writer's opinion toward the end of this. In my opinion, seemingly every season the MVP is a conversation about the same three or four players with one or two new names brought up to keep it interesting. I mean unless your player wins it, you can careless about following the race during the regular season. Not to mention, that not every deserving player that year ends up winning it. As evident last season when Kobe won it instead of Garnett. As said, it's a joke, it'll be about the same three or four candidates until they retire. Who cares anymore? Last season was the first time I ever paid attention to it somewhat until Garnett went down.

Likewise, the great Bill Russell is quoted in the USA Today article about the MVP race: "If I had to pick, you know what I'd do? For the first time in history, we'd have three MVPs [LeBron, Kobe and D-Wade]."

Not even a guy who won five MVPs by playing defense, blocking shots and getting rebounds mentions Dwight's name.

What's it say about the ESPN-ization of the sports world when Russell can't even appreciate how valuable Dwight's dirty work has meant to his team's success? How shallow have we become as spectators when all we appreciate in sports anymore is the 5-second highlight we see on SportsCenter?

Why not just stop calling it the MVP and start calling it the ESPY?

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/o ... 459.column

One thing I never get is, why isn't Ray or Paul even in these discussions? Our record is as good as the Magic and D12 has two all-stars on the wing. Is it because our players don't have to be selfish every game just for our team to win?

individual awards are stupid.

all the attention the NBA pays to that kind of crap is part of the sickness in the league.

^ Very true. Yet still, I was excited when Bird won 3 of them in a row back in the 80's. When it's your guy you all of a sudden start caring...

Back to the topic at hand, the article was in the Orlando Sentinel - of course they're rooting for Howard. Kobe has a great team built around him and to a lesser extent so does LeBron. Regardless of the fact that I think LeBron is the best player in the world, my vote goes to Wade. What a crap team team yet somehow they've made the 5th seed. Pretty amazing accomplishment.

Dwight is an excellent rebounder and a very strong defensive player but not an MVP. He rarely touches the ball is crunchtime and still has ways to go on the offensive end. Maybe some day soon but not this year.

Somehow I doubt that the perception and lack of respect toward Pierce changes any if he were in MVP talks just once. The guy has won a NBA Finals MVP and can't get a foul call from the referees to save his life.

What I dislike about Howard is that he isn't really a center. I know, who is in today's NBA. But, he's a player who relies more on his strength and athleticism than natural skills. A young Russell would devise a game-plan to slow him down. I mean it took Shaq some years to develop any semblance of post skills. Remember when Shaquille was all about just overpowering an opponent and slam dunks in the paint. Then he began to develop a decent hook shot. In a league where players are faster, stronger and bigger physically. You simply aren't going to be able to stop a Howard or LeBron. Defenders try too hard to take them on one-on-one rather than become cerebral. You aren't going to shut these types of players down entirely and when you begin to understand that. You can learn to guard them more effectively. That is, take away what this player likes to do and make them react and adjust. If you're a Howard and know that very few or anyone plays you like that. Why develop your post game?

His All-star performance has hurt his chance of winning the MVP.

I personally think that Stan Van Gundy deserves COY.

Over the next decade or so, Dwight is one of the league's premier talents. But outside of a system where he is utilized perfectly, I don't think anybody puts him in MVP discussions. I do not for a moment believe he deserves to be in the same discussion as guys like Lebron and CP3 and to a lesser extent KG. I had a debate regarding this on another team-neutral message board recently (whether he was an elite or top 5 player rather than if he was an MVP candidate).

I don't even think Kobe has a realistic shot at the MVP. LBJ and Wade are playing much better than Kobe, and Howard is a level below all of them. The player who's been most overlooked this year IMO is Chris Paul.

What would bother me is how LeBron probably will win it with likely the league's best record and Garnett doesn't and Boston actually did finish with the best record last season. I say, it's all politics. Paul will simply have to "wait his turn." This year, it's LeBron's turn, the season after will be Wade's turn and then it'll be Paul's turn. Watch and see.

Sure, I guess he should be discussed as one of the top-5 players in the league, but to claim anyone but LeBron deserves the MVP is absurd. He's far and away the best player in the league this year and if anyone else gets a vote it's a sham.

Dwight is a top 5 guy, but there is no reason to mention him. He has no chance of winning it and Lebron already won the award by the All-Star break anyways.

To rebut ESPN in that excerpt above, Russ didn't mention Howard because he didn't deserve mention...Russ isn't part of the ESPN-ization of sports, but the hyping of Howard is!

And LeBron for MVP this year, not even close...

I think he is more of a candidate for most improved player. After being stuck in neutral as an offensive player the last few years, he has show some signifcant and unexpected improvements this yeear.

I agree with the above people. Dwight is definitely top 5 and I could see him being a perenial MVP canidate over the next decade. But, Lebron is the MVP this year hands down.

UGA Hayes wrote:I think he is more of a candidate for most improved player. After being stuck in neutral as an offensive player the last few years, he has show some signifcant and unexpected improvements this yeear.

I still think he relies more on being an athletic freak (and getting away with loads of over-the-back for rebounds) than having oodles of talent ala LeBron...he's an excellent player, no doubt...but I just can't bring myself to like the guy...

He definitely deserves to be in the MVP conversation, but this is Lebron's year and deservedly so.

In terms of the writer's opinion on ESPN influencing the MVP race I would have to agree. Their whole Kobe campaign last year was sickening.

Yup...but that was part of an NBA/national media campaign to rehab Kobe's image, which no one outside of LA bought, anyway!

HEEEEEEEELLLLL YEEEEEESSSSSSS HE DOES LOL

and....CUE the Magic trolls!