Grantland: The Pest (Matt Barnes)

[mkwest]

Ten years and eight teams into his NBA career, Barnes insists he never starts fights. But he will end them. “If you look at my career, I’ve never really been messed with personally,” Barnes said. “When I’m in trouble, it’s usually me sticking up for somebody else or taking it for a teammate. I don’t think I’ll change that. I think I’ve toned it back a little bit, but I look at my team as my family, and I would do anything for my family just like I would do anything for my team. I think that’s given me a bad reputation with the referees. But that’s who I am.”

After Henry married a white woman named Ann, he moved his family from San Jose; their interracial marriage stood out in the Citrus Heights neighborhood. Henry urged his children to never back down from a fight. “All we did: play sports in the street and fight,” Danielle said. “If we came home crying, my dad literally would send us back outside with another sibling to go and handle whatever happened. If it didn’t end in our favor, we were sent back outside to just deal with it.”

Most NBA players, Barnes said, do not want to fight. He’s different, he added, because he will when provoked. “I love when we can actually be physical and the refs let us play physical and there’s a little talking,” he said. “Whether people think I’m trying to get under their skin, more than anything, it’s just competing. You don’t see me grabbing them. If we’re banging, we’re banging, and if we’re running by each other and it’s physical, it’s physical. I’m not going to come out there and try to get in somebody’s head or stick my foot underneath his leg or pull his jersey or all the things you saw Bruce Bowen do. I don’t do that. I just go out there and play hard.”

Jonathan Abrams, Grantland

[mkwest]

Great read imo. It gives a little insight to the Barnes family upbringing and why Barnes is the way that he is. He's a classic example of a player that you love when he's on your team, but you hate his guts when he's on the opposition.

I used to look at him as a fake tough guy and that's something that I still see him referred to as by non-Clipper fans. I hated the idea of him being on the team in the beginning, because I flat out couldn't stand him. After a short period of time, I fell in love with his intensity and style of play. I definitely don't look at him as a fake tough guy. That was a myth that I had believed, but was able to put to rest quickly. He's a hothead. He's an agitator and can be a bit of an a-hole, but there's nothing fake about him.

[mttwlsn16]

Will read this tomorrow after work

[Vanilla Man]

no.

[azncorruptedo17]

Someone has to stand up for Griffin, he won't do it himself.

[mttwlsn16]

Just finished reading it. Very good piece.