Official Welcome Home Kyrie Thread

[Whiskey Slick]

Talent and commitment are two different things.

Nobody, so far as I can see, has ever questioned Kyrie's talent.

As for family issues, I don't need a lecture about family issues from anyone:

Re: Kyrie

My mother had advanced Parkinson's while my brother had ALS, both died and I used my bereavement time, but while they were sick and fading away (I wouldn't wish either on my worst enemy), I still went to work everyday because I had bills to pay and a family to support. Nothing heroic about that. That's just the way the normal (non millionaire) world lives. We can't just stop working every time there's a personal problem with the family, as much as we might want too.

Between losing my mother and my brother respectively, my father unexpectedly died of a massive heart-attack. Shortly thereafter my other brother and I had our hearts checked out because heart disease runs in my family and my father died so suddenly. It turned out my bother had a 90% blockage in his artery which required immediate open heart surgery. If it went undiscovered he (like my father) was already living on borrowed time.

BTW my brother who died of ALS had the same open heart surgery about two years earlier.

Bottom line: I think it's pretty clear that I understand "family issues" and no matter how much Kyrie loves his family, he doesn't love them anymore than I loved mine. Maybe the same, but not more, AND YET, with the exception of bereavement I still had a responsibility to get up and go to work everyday, but then again I wasn't fortunate enough to stop working anytime I felt like, nor is at least 90% of mankind. Good for him that he does, but he shouldn't abuse the privilege.

I'm not saying he is, but it's hard to imagine his "family issues" are any worse than mine, unless his baby is seriously ill, in which case nothing else matters. But that aside, IMO (having been there) he should not be walking off his job anytime he feels like it. The Nets are only tolerating that because he's Kyrie. Let TLC or even Tyler Johnson try that and watch how fast they get cut.

BTW if it's true that Bradley Beal can be had for the right price, I would offer Kyrie tonight.

Kyrie has more talent and is the better player, but Beal is no slouch and he's more reliable.

That said, I hope we at least TRIED to swap Kyrie for Beal by the deadline.

Though even if we did I wouldn't be surprised if Washington told us to take a hike.

This, for the second time, will probably cost us the #1 seed. Maybe the 2 and 3 seeds as well.

Oh, and there will probably be more vaccinated fans in the stands come playoff time.

[GTR11]

Talent and commitment are two different things.

Nobody, so far as I can see, has ever questioned Kyrie's talent.

As for family issues, I don't need a lecture about family issues from anyone:

Re: Kyrie

My mother had advanced Parkinson's while my brother had ALS, both died and I used my bereavement time, but while they were sick and fading away (I wouldn't wish either on my worst enemy), I still went to work everyday because I had bills to pay and a family to support. Nothing heroic about that. That's just the way the normal (non millionaire) world lives. We can't just stop working every time there's a personal problem with the family, as much as we might want too.

Between losing my mother and my brother respectively, my father unexpectedly died of a massive heart-attack. Shortly thereafter my other brother and I had our hearts checked out because heart disease runs in my family and my father died so suddenly. It turned out my bother had a 90% blockage in his artery which required immediate open heart surgery. If it went undiscovered he (like my father) was already living on borrowed time.

BTW my brother who died of ALS had the same open heart surgery about two years earlier.

Bottom line: I think it's pretty clear that I understand "family issues" and no matter how much Kyrie loves his family, he doesn't love them anymore than I loved mine. Maybe the same, but not more, AND YET, with the exception of bereavement I still had a responsibility to get up and go to work everyday, but then again I wasn't fortunate enough to stop working anytime I felt like, nor is at least 90% of mankind. Good for him that he does, but he shouldn't abuse the privilege.

I'm not saying he is, but it's hard to imagine his "family issues" are any worse than mine, unless his baby is seriously ill, in which case nothing else matters. But that aside, IMO (having been there) he should not be walking off his job anytime he feels like it. The Nets are only tolerating that because he's Kyrie. Let TLC or even Tyler Johnson try that and watch how fast they get cut.

BTW if it's true that Bradley Beal can be had for the right price, I would offer Kyrie tonight.

Kyrie has more talent and is the better player, but Beal is no slouch and he's more reliable.

That said, I hope we at least TRIED to swap Kyrie for Beal by the deadline.

Though even if we did I wouldn't be surprised if Washington told us to take a hike.

This, for the second time, will probably cost us the #1 seed. Maybe the 2 and 3 seeds as well.

Oh, and there will probably be more vaccinated fans in the stands come playoff time.

Which part Kyrie being heart and soul of this team you don't understand?

I'll take half azz Kyrie over likes of J.Kidd, D.Will, Beal etc because he's home and he loves it. Also get that through your head, if there's no Kyrie there is no KD and Harden. Throwing bunch of talent together is not the way it works today, didn't work back in day either.

[Whiskey Slick]

Which part Kyrie being heart and soul of this team you don't understand?

None of it.

I'll take half azz Kyrie over likes of J.Kidd, D.Will, Beal etc because he's home and he loves it.

That part I understand, entirely, because you said "home" and not just "hometown".

[GTR11]

Which part Kyrie being heart and soul of this team you don't understand?

None of it.

Plain and simple.

If there is no Kyrie, there is no KD -> there is no James Harden.

You can go and love Bradley Beal all you want, that don't makes this team fluid as it is.

Since when Bradley Beal became better player than Kyrie ( when healthy ) on the court? Kyrie known what he can do come money time!!! Bradley putting empty pts without being able to make playoffs. Dame and Harden ( I'm ashamed to even bring them names here ) putting pts and taking their teams to PO in WC.

Danny Ainge won't trade for Bradley Beal, enough said here.

[Whiskey Slick]

Plain and simple.

If there is no Kyrie, there is no KD -> there is no James Harden.

You can go and love Bradley Beal all you want, that don't makes this team fluid as it is.

Since when Bradley Beal became better player than Kyrie ( when healthy ) on the court? Kyrie known what he can do come money time!!! Bradley putting empty pts without being able to make playoffs. Dame and Harden ( I'm ashamed to even bring them names here ) putting pts and taking their teams to PO in WC.

Danny Ainge won't trade for Bradley Beal, enough said here.

Since when did I even say Beal is better?

To the contrary, if you read the post I pasted I said Kyrie is more talented and the better player, but Beal is the more reliable. I don't have to wake up everyday worried whether or not he decided to take another extended vacation, leaving Harden to carry the load by himself in terms of the BIG 3, because KD has a genuine injury.

Again, I readily admitted Kyrie is more talented and the better player than Beal, BUT it's close enough, seeing as Beal is the leagues leading scorer, and Beal is a bit younger too, that I would make the swap for the reliability and availability. I'm a Nets fan, not a Kyrie fan, certainly not at the expense of the team, and these extended vacations (plural) may very well cost us the all important #1 seed. Maybe the 2 seed as well.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not a hard-hearted man. After what I've been thru I understand tragedy and suffering, eventually EVERYONE will discover what that really means and I have empathy for anyone who is going thru real tragedy and suffering. Been there, done that, and it will happen again because life is filled with suffering and it never stops, but if you read my post I have a pretty high threshold for what constitutes pain and suffering, enough so to walk away from my job. If we disagree about that, fine. Let's just politely agree to disagree.

It's all moot now anyway, the deadline has come and gone.

Now let's just hope Kyrie decides to comeback to work ASAP. Oh and congrats on his new baby.

[MrDollarBills]

No wonder Kyrie was looking stressed the last couple games

This information did not have to be divulged. Birth of a child, loved one in need of care, all fall under the umbrella of "attending to a family matter". The Nets gave out enough information just by saying that and that's all that needed to be said frankly. I'm glad the reason is a joyous one and not something bad like someone got hurt or passed away.

[Prokorov]

Re: Kyrie

My mother had advanced Parkinson's while my brother had ALS, both died and I used my bereavement time, but while they were sick and fading away (I wouldn't wish either on my worst enemy), I still went to work everyday because I had bills to pay and a family to support. Nothing heroic about that. That's just the way the normal (non millionaire) world lives. We can't just stop working every time there's a personal problem with the family, as much as we might want too.

.

I'm not sure when this was... maybe it was before the new labor laws. If this were to happen today you would be entitled 6 weeks with full compensation in all 50 states and depending on the state you may get even more time then that. And if your employer denied it, or attempted to coerce you into not using it then you would have an enormous easily winnable lawsuit on your hands and the company would face massive sactions from the federal government.

the 1993 FMLA act as well as the added protections to it in 2000 and 2011 have brought the US into the 20th century and where the rest of the world is when it comes to putting value on family and health. We still have a ways to go.

If you were not full time or were a small business owner then this wouldnt apply to you either, so maybe that was the case. but Bernie has been working on expanding FMLA to cover part time workers and a tax credit for small business owners who incur financial hardship in FMLA situations.

Years ago only the rich could absorb this and only the best in their line may get away with it, but for a while now these protections apply to 99% of full time workers, not just millionaire athletes

The Bottom line is this. Federal law protects kyrie, all nba players, and all full time US citizen workers for taking time for family matters. the CBA allows for kyrie to take as much time as he wants for undisclosed personal reasons as long as the team excuses the abscence (which the team has).

Kyrie is 100% entitled the time he has off, with pay.

If the team said it was unexcused AND it wasnt a family/health matter it would be different. but neither of those are the case, let alone both/

[Prokorov]

Talent and commitment are two different things.

Nobody, so far as I can see, has ever questioned Kyrie's talent.

As for family issues, I don't need a lecture about family issues from anyone:

Re: Kyrie

My mother had advanced Parkinson's while my brother had ALS, both died and I used my bereavement time, but while they were sick and fading away (I wouldn't wish either on my worst enemy), I still went to work everyday because I had bills to pay and a family to support. Nothing heroic about that. That's just the way the normal (non millionaire) world lives. We can't just stop working every time there's a personal problem with the family, as much as we might want too.

Between losing my mother and my brother respectively, my father unexpectedly died of a massive heart-attack. Shortly thereafter my other brother and I had our hearts checked out because heart disease runs in my family and my father died so suddenly. It turned out my bother had a 90% blockage in his artery which required immediate open heart surgery. If it went undiscovered he (like my father) was already living on borrowed time.

BTW my brother who died of ALS had the same open heart surgery about two years earlier.

Bottom line: I think it's pretty clear that I understand "family issues" and no matter how much Kyrie loves his family, he doesn't love them anymore than I loved mine. Maybe the same, but not more, AND YET, with the exception of bereavement I still had a responsibility to get up and go to work everyday, but then again I wasn't fortunate enough to stop working anytime I felt like, nor is at least 90% of mankind. Good for him that he does, but he shouldn't abuse the privilege.

I'm not saying he is, but it's hard to imagine his "family issues" are any worse than mine, unless his baby is seriously ill, in which case nothing else matters. But that aside, IMO (having been there) he should not be walking off his job anytime he feels like it. The Nets are only tolerating that because he's Kyrie. Let TLC or even Tyler Johnson try that and watch how fast they get cut.

BTW if it's true that Bradley Beal can be had for the right price, I would offer Kyrie tonight.

Kyrie has more talent and is the better player, but Beal is no slouch and he's more reliable.

That said, I hope we at least TRIED to swap Kyrie for Beal by the deadline.

Though even if we did I wouldn't be surprised if Washington told us to take a hike.

This, for the second time, will probably cost us the #1 seed. Maybe the 2 and 3 seeds as well.

Oh, and there will probably be more vaccinated fans in the stands come playoff time.

Akso, there is 0.0% chance the nets offered kyrie for beal... or for anyone for that matter.

1) Because despite your distaste for him missing time, the team doesnt view it at all in a negative light
2) Kyrie is roughly elevnty-billion times the player beal is
3) his teammates would revolt given they all love kyrie, he is a huge part of their title hopes and moving a guy because he misses time for family or medical health reasons is gross and it could be them in the future

[Prokorov]

Which part Kyrie being heart and soul of this team you don't understand?

None of it.

Plain and simple.

If there is no Kyrie, there is no KD -> there is no James Harden.

You can go and love Bradley Beal all you want, that don't makes this team fluid as it is.

Since when Bradley Beal became better player than Kyrie ( when healthy ) on the court? Kyrie known what he can do come money time!!! Bradley putting empty pts without being able to make playoffs. Dame and Harden ( I'm ashamed to even bring them names here ) putting pts and taking their teams to PO in WC.

Danny Ainge won't trade for Bradley Beal, enough said here.

Maybe if we traded for Beal he could lead us to being 4 games out of the 10th seed like he is with westbrook now despite being healthy and playing every night?

[Prokorov]

Now let's just hope Kyrie decides to comeback to work ASAP. Oh and congrats on his new baby.

I dont hope he is back ASAP. I hope he is back when its good for him and his family. so he will be ready and focused and his family wil be in the best place.

whther thats tonight or 2024

[Prokorov]

No wonder Kyrie was looking stressed the last couple games

This information did not have to be divulged. Birth of a child, loved one in need of care, all fall under the umbrella of "attending to a family matter". The Nets gave out enough information just by saying that and that's all that needed to be said frankly. I'm glad the reason is a joyous one and not something bad like someone got hurt or passed away.

Yup... and it is completely gross the media ran with "he is just missing time for his birthday he doesnt care about his teammates" and really sad that fans jumped on that too and are killing the guy.

I would move hell and high water to see the birth of my next kid and quit my job and sue my employer if they tried to stop me. there is no more joyous moment then watching your child be born. and it takes an enormous toal on the mother to deliver... especially a first time child. being there for them after birth is important as thats when initial complications can arise, breastfeeding can be difficult, and just having basically gone through a huge medical procedure and needing to heal + take care of a new born.

Also, its really important for dads to be physically present in their childs first days. from a nuerological standpoint the first days are when those associations begin. I'm glad kyrie is taking being a dad so seriously. having seen how quick that can go away with his mentor kobe dying.

Its funny... you know, Paul George can knock up a stripper and blackmaila nd bribe her to have an abortion and thats ok because he is playing on ESPN. but Kyrie cant take time for the birth of his kid and to be with the family because he misses that ESPN game. what a F'd up world

[MrDollarBills]

No wonder Kyrie was looking stressed the last couple games

This information did not have to be divulged. Birth of a child, loved one in need of care, all fall under the umbrella of "attending to a family matter". The Nets gave out enough information just by saying that and that's all that needed to be said frankly. I'm glad the reason is a joyous one and not something bad like someone got hurt or passed away.

Yup... and it is completely gross the media ran with "he is just missing time for his birthday he doesnt care about his teammates" and really sad that fans jumped on that too and are killing the guy.

I would move hell and high water to see the birth of my next kid and quit my job and sue my employer if they tried to stop me. there is no more joyous moment then watching your child be born. and it takes an enormous toal on the mother to deliver... especially a first time child. being there for them after birth is important as thats when initial complications can arise, breastfeeding can be difficult, and just having basically gone through a huge medical procedure and needing to heal + take care of a new born.

Also, its really important for dads to be physically present in their childs first days. from a nuerological standpoint the first days are when those associations begin. I'm glad kyrie is taking being a dad so seriously. having seen how quick that can go away with his mentor kobe dying.

Its funny... you know, Paul George can knock up a stripper and blackmaila nd bribe her to have an abortion and thats ok because he is playing on ESPN. but Kyrie cant take time for the birth of his kid and to be with the family because he misses that ESPN game. what a F'd up world

We live in a callous society where women are expected to do all the heavy lifting in terms of what happens after childbirth. I remember when Daniel Murphy who was the 3rd basemen for the NY Mets at the time took TWO games off (which is like what in MLB time, less than a week?) to be with his wife after the birth of their child and the media in the area made all kinds of obscene comments about him, including someone saying that his wife should have scheduled a C Section ahead of time so that Murphy wouldn't miss games.

Can you imagine suggesting something like that, which is painful and life altering, just to avoid an athlete from missing time? I can't. But this is what people, mostly men, think. That it's all on the woman.

I didn't need to know that Kyrie and his wife were having a child, but by all means, he should be there. Both women and men deserve paternity leave, no questions asked.

[Prokorov]

No wonder Kyrie was looking stressed the last couple games

This information did not have to be divulged. Birth of a child, loved one in need of care, all fall under the umbrella of "attending to a family matter". The Nets gave out enough information just by saying that and that's all that needed to be said frankly. I'm glad the reason is a joyous one and not something bad like someone got hurt or passed away.

Yup... and it is completely gross the media ran with "he is just missing time for his birthday he doesnt care about his teammates" and really sad that fans jumped on that too and are killing the guy.

I would move hell and high water to see the birth of my next kid and quit my job and sue my employer if they tried to stop me. there is no more joyous moment then watching your child be born. and it takes an enormous toal on the mother to deliver... especially a first time child. being there for them after birth is important as thats when initial complications can arise, breastfeeding can be difficult, and just having basically gone through a huge medical procedure and needing to heal + take care of a new born.

Also, its really important for dads to be physically present in their childs first days. from a nuerological standpoint the first days are when those associations begin. I'm glad kyrie is taking being a dad so seriously. having seen how quick that can go away with his mentor kobe dying.

Its funny... you know, Paul George can knock up a stripper and blackmaila nd bribe her to have an abortion and thats ok because he is playing on ESPN. but Kyrie cant take time for the birth of his kid and to be with the family because he misses that ESPN game. what a F'd up world

We live in a callous society where women are expected to do all the heavy lifting in terms of what happens after childbirth. I remember when Daniel Murphy who was the 3rd basemen for the NY Mets at the time took TWO games off (which is like what in MLB time, less than a week?) to be with his wife after the birth of their child and the media in the area made all kinds of obscene comments about him, including someone saying that his wife should have scheduled a C Section ahead of time so that Murphy wouldn't miss games.

Can you imagine suggesting something like that, which is painful and life altering, just to avoid an athlete from missing time? I can't. But this is what people, mostly men, think. That it's all on the woman.

I didn't need to know that Kyrie and his wife were having a child, but by all means, he should be there. Both women and men deserve paternity leave, no questions asked.

I remeber the murphy stuff and the MANY callers who said he should make his wife have a C-section. awful humans

[MrDollarBills]

Yup... and it is completely gross the media ran with "he is just missing time for his birthday he doesnt care about his teammates" and really sad that fans jumped on that too and are killing the guy.

I would move hell and high water to see the birth of my next kid and quit my job and sue my employer if they tried to stop me. there is no more joyous moment then watching your child be born. and it takes an enormous toal on the mother to deliver... especially a first time child. being there for them after birth is important as thats when initial complications can arise, breastfeeding can be difficult, and just having basically gone through a huge medical procedure and needing to heal + take care of a new born.

Also, its really important for dads to be physically present in their childs first days. from a nuerological standpoint the first days are when those associations begin. I'm glad kyrie is taking being a dad so seriously. having seen how quick that can go away with his mentor kobe dying.

Its funny... you know, Paul George can knock up a stripper and blackmaila nd bribe her to have an abortion and thats ok because he is playing on ESPN. but Kyrie cant take time for the birth of his kid and to be with the family because he misses that ESPN game. what a F'd up world

We live in a callous society where women are expected to do all the heavy lifting in terms of what happens after childbirth. I remember when Daniel Murphy who was the 3rd basemen for the NY Mets at the time took TWO games off (which is like what in MLB time, less than a week?) to be with his wife after the birth of their child and the media in the area made all kinds of obscene comments about him, including someone saying that his wife should have scheduled a C Section ahead of time so that Murphy wouldn't miss games.

Can you imagine suggesting something like that, which is painful and life altering, just to avoid an athlete from missing time? I can't. But this is what people, mostly men, think. That it's all on the woman.

I didn't need to know that Kyrie and his wife were having a child, but by all means, he should be there. Both women and men deserve paternity leave, no questions asked.

I remeber the murphy stuff and the MANY callers who said he should make his wife have a C-section. awful humans

I remember well, you had jerk offs from Queens and Staten Island calling up the stations advocating for a woman to get her STOMACH CUT OPEN just so that her husband can play in 2 games in Late march of an MLB season.

[Hello Brooklyn]

Some of you guys should be ashamed for making fun of Kyrie when he wanted to be there for the birth of his child.

I wouldn't miss my child being born for Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

Obviously he doesn't want to be on a road trip when its so close to the delivery date.

[Prokorov]

Some of you guys should be ashamed for making fun of Kyrie when he wanted to be there for the birth of his child.

I wouldn't miss my child being born for Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

Obviously he doesn't want to be on a road trip when its so close to the delivery date.

Yeah and i mean even if it wasnt the kid being born. family stuff is important. like what if it was during pregnancy and they got an inconclusive test and the mom was stressed? what if it was just finding out she was pregnant and it was unplanned and they needed time to absorb the news and plan things? do you want to be 2000 miles away when your wife first gets the news?

Excused family absence with team consent should not be scrutinized regardless.... like even if during those 4 days he celebrated his birthday, why wouldnt he? is he supposed to sit in a locked room until he returns to the team?

i never got the hate. disappointment not to see him? sure. but the hate was always dumb

[HardenGoat]

All I care about is a healthy Kyrie. Physically and mentally. And a healthy KD. Once we get the whole gang rolling there isn’t a team out there that can stop us fully healthy. Book it.

[ecuhus1981]

I'm relieved to see that Kyrie is returning to play Monday. I say relieved, because I honestly find it difficult to drum up joy for KAI these days.

I understand he's had an onslaught of life events over the course of this season. I'm glad the team and front office have supported him 100%, other teams could have turned on a mercurial star for leaving them in a championship run, and frankly I wouldn't blame them.

If Irving comes out and drops 60, I'll be impressed. I'll reserve my Kyrie joy for when I see him play consistently, when he's providing rest days for Harden and Durant, when he's reliable. I love you, bud; I need you here, now and always, in order to trust you're gonna be here when we need you most. Congrats, daddio.

[ecuhus1981]

<bump>

So, Kyrie Irving is now allowed to practice with the team at our home facility. Considering how little teams practice on the road, this certainly improves the outlook of integrating our native son back into the team.

How do you feel about this ruling?

[Stone]

I think its great for us. That gives him a good week with the rest of the guys before the season starts. I hope they turn around the ruling and allow him to play in the Barclays also. But I am not holding my breath.