RRyder823 wrote:LogitechBucks wrote:If you over simplify the entire saga down to a simple p.r. letter then yes there would be little chance it had any impact. Having said that, I remember how this thing was everywhere. It even made it into my Facebook newsreel. It was talked about more than the actual amazing play the team demonstrated through the first three games.MickeyDavis wrote:It's one thing to debate whether to move on or sign him to a mega deal given his ACL injuries. There are cases to be made for both sides. But to argue that a p.r. letter factored into a playoff series loss...
This wasn't the first incident where Jabari went to the media and caused a distraction in the Bucks locker room. On January 23rd, of 2017 Jabari was benched by his teammates, yes his teammates and not Jason Kidd. This was in response for Jabari sharing with Media information that took place in the Bucks locker room. Apparently Jabari was able to affect the team in that instance, so maybe dejavu took place after the players heard about this letter while they were in a huge playoff series.
The other factor that your overlooking is that players like to be asked about their successes and how they did this or that. The day this came out, the first question each player had to answer was about Jabari. If I had just played a great game less than 24 hours ago and no one was asking me how I did it, but instead were focusing on some gushy story, it would be distracting or deflating to me as well. The fact is, the game after this came out, the Bucks looked flat, unmotivated and out of sync. It was if some great force sucked the energy right out of them. I am sure they might have been a little emotionally sprung from the previous three games but this story and the way it unfolded had to be somewhat of a distraction. It is not that big a leap to say it had some kind of negative impact on the team even if only in a minor way.
A: It wasn't nearly as big of a story as your making it out to be. You continue to say "the first question they were asked was assbout Jabari after a big win" and quite honestly that wasn't the case. In fact I can't remember a single player ever responding to in the media. Did it come up once or twice? Probably. But it's not like they were digging for quotes from Jabari teammates. In fact if you'd be so kind would you please actually post some of the responses the players had if there were so many?
B: sorry but a sports story popping up on FB regarding a sport you follow on a team you most likely "liked" isn't actually indicative of a story being a big deal. If that's the case holy cow when the Packers cut or sign a 3rd string lineman it must be a huge story because it pops up on FB at least 6 different times.
C: If you wanna hold serve on this argument I sure hope your holding the same stance against Giannis as a person as the moment he started farming national attention, giving interviews and having articles written about him the Bucks have had a lot of trouble winning. Perhaps his teammates are distracted by being asked about Giannis and how great he is after the team started off hot. They must have had the wind sucked out of them by the media giving all the credit for the wins to Giannis (see how that sounds?)
D: If this was a distraction for any player, (it wasn't), then please trade them now. If a guy gets distracted by being asked a question over something as ordain as this then they'll fold the moment anything relevant comes up.
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The media was falling over themselves talking about Jabari's letter. That is a fact period. This message board went absolutely bonkers with this letter. So it was there and I believe it was a distraction that was completely unnecessary. If he wanted to say those things to the players, go visit them at practice or in the locker room. This was done by his agent to try to help corner the Bucks into a max deal, plain and simple.
You mention Giannis and all of his new media attention. First of all Giannis is a team player and secondly he earned this attention because of his continued improvement through hard work. He didn't throw himself into to the media by feeling sorry for himself. This isn't even a comparison.
I read the letter, watched the news stories and then watched the Bucks lay an egg in game four and play with no emotion, no hustle, and out of sync and I was pissed. Maybe it had no effect at all. However, the way it played out makes anyone who wants to be reasonable wonder. If three or four Bucks players came out and said they were bothered by Jabari's actions you would just say they are jealous of Jabari or something like that so there is no point in debating this with those who think Jabari walks on water.
