And then there were 9

[mkot]

The point you keep missing, Frank Lee, is that spending is always a gamble, there's no guarantee. In hindsight the money we gave LB is well spent and the money we gave Boris should be spent on JJ. And then the money we gave Banks should stay in Sarver's wallet.

I don't understand people ripping on management on the signing of Boris Diaw. It wasn't a given that Amare would be healthy and on the court so it was a necessary for us to lock up Boris to cover our a$$ in the event that Amare had a K-Mart type of recovery. It's totally understandable why people wanted him locked up and why the suns did what they did. The tough thing with Boris though was that we had just gone through a comparable thing with JoeJ. And the hindsight on that deal was that we should have signed Joe for $50 million the year before. So, this time with Boris, they acted quickly. Well, that backfired in Boris's case as his play was not up to par the following year for various reason. The FO has had some bad luck in this regard. It's bad luck.

RE: the amount, well, was paid based on what he did in 05/06:

- REG: 35.5 mins, 13.3 points, 52.6% FG, 6.9 boards, 6.2 assists

- PLAYOFF: 39.8 min, 18.7 points, 52.6% FG, 6.7 boards, 5.2 assists

- WCF vs Mavs: 39.3 min, 24.2 points, 52.2% FG, 8.5 boards, 3.2 assists

His regular season numbers are comparable to what Tayshaun Prince had before Prince got a $9m per year deal from Detroit. Boris averaged 18-6-5-52% vs PLAYOFF level competition, and was arguably the Suns best player in the WCF vs the Mavs (the leading scorer in that sereis for the Suns). If that's not worth $9 million per, then what is? What you can say is: Boris didn't play up to the expectations of that contract. There is no doubt about this. But that's on him, not management.

You won't catch me whistling a happy tune because we have a good record.
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Yall keep your glasses on...I prefer to look at this team in the real light. Call it negative all you want...the opposition does not and will not ignore these shortcomings and weaknesses....and yall SUNShiners will be forced to go shadeless come playoff time.

It's stuff like this hard for people to take you seriously or objectively. Why do you want to distinguish yourself from the rest of us? It's funny becuase I consider A lot of people here are realists but you are here calling us homer. Could you please recognize that we are all fans, and that the vast majority of us are quite knowledgeable when it comes to the game of basketball and want the Suns to win it all? It doesn't make you look smarter by just look at the one side of the ball and spell gloom and doom.

We're always here to discuss things good or bad, win or loss, we're always here to discuss things. Yes you don't show up when the Suns are doing good because you only pop your head out when the situation is beneficial to your argument that the Suns suck. Could you tell us the last time you thought things were well, well at all? When's the last time you appreciate this team a bit? I apologize if I'm wrong but I can't really think of ANYTIME you haven't hated on the Suns in some fashion or another. Sometime you just disappear for some time then come back and start up your tirades. Is there ANYTHING at all that makes you happy being a fan? Anything you enjoy about this team or that gives you hope that we're a good team? You just freak out every time we lose and fire all of your salvos, prompting some fans here (the believers) to come to the Suns defense. Why don't you jump ship if you're going to freak out after every win or loss. Show some support for God sake...

[Frank Lee]

Thank you for the Tongue Lashing and Lecture.

I will be sure to share that with my therapists SDU and NeverFear.


Keep in mind, my comments were largely in response to allegations of foolishness and doubt. And I must point out, I do not select 'down' moments (ie losses) for my drumrolling entrances. My frequency here is determined by the comments from the posting populace.


Suppose you highlite exactly what it is I am supposed to be excitedly positive and sunshiningly happy about....show me the Glee factor...make me get out my pompoms. (and please, do not say...we could be the clippers or some other campy rebuttal...for we also could be the spurs)

I have been a fan too long to put much stock in Ws and Ls. I want to see a team play well...period....and this team is not playing well, there are players who are underachieving, and really no one overachieving. The only fire and determination seems to come from the littlest guy out there. There are open talks of Chemistry problems and it seems to be both on the court and off it....We play horrible defense and have trouble rebounding against physical teams. Our best offensive weapon is plagued by foul problems and is prone to disappear in the eyes of his team mates. Our coach knows but one way to coach. Our roster is essentially frozen by a monetary glacier which some how snuck up on managment. we have but a few assets to trade with. ooops ...there I go again, pointing out the negatives.


Yes, there are some bright spots, I think ( we still have the Surprising Sean Marks as a secret weapon...Grant is hurt, but not injurred).....but I do not see this team as one to fear come play off time. In fact, I think we would be a welcomed first round draw for anyone. I am sure a few others agree...I have seen it said.




I understand you view on Diaw, KJ. There is alot of love for Doris around here, for he is the missing link. You are right, his contract is bad because of his play. But, that still does not excuse the Top Brass for their ineffective signings and deals over the past 3 yrs. Banks and Diaw were 2 very important acquisitions...and they have been busts so far this yr.

The Artwalker makes very good points about consistancy from the front office. In fairness, we lost a GM mid season...had an interim GM for a season, and a rookie GM to replace him. The front office needs stability. I am not backslapping Kerr yet...I will save that for when he signs Webber....but if these guys twiddle their thumbs with the two trade exceptions we have, and make no improvements to this team for the stretch run and playoffs...I am afraid I will sour on them moreso.

Perhaps most of y'all (see Mkot, I am not calling everyone homers this time) feel that this team can pull it off as is....

I happen to...ahem...

disagree. :nod:

[mkot]

I have been a fan too long to put much stock in Ws and Ls. I want to see a team play well...period....and this team is not playing well, there are players who are underachieving, and really no one overachieving. The only fire and determination seems to come from the littlest guy out there. There are open talks of Chemistry problems and it seems to be both on the court and off it....We play horrible defense and have trouble rebounding against physical teams. Our best offensive weapon is plagued by foul problems and is prone to disappear in the eyes of his team mates. Our coach knows but one way to coach. Our roster is essentially frozen by a monetary glacier which some how snuck up on managment. we have but a few assets to trade with. ooops ...there I go again, pointing out the negatives.

There's no denial of some of the points you said above, I believe some of us realize that we aren't playing well and we're still probably a piece from being a legit threat, but hey, like you said, the reality is that this team is what it is and this is the group of guys we will have this season. It's not like they aren't playing hard. If they are coasting and playing like they don't care, then you should be angry, sure show them no support. It's a long season, sure there's expectation, but why can't you enjoy the moment we have now? Don't just look at one side of the ball. Are we really just jaded and spoiled over the positive characteristics of this team...that we just plain take them for granted? Nobody's mentioned (well I probably wouldn't had mention it now if you didn't ask for positives...) that the Suns shot 53% from the field in 3 straight games (stretched the Utah game). Folks, this is REMARKABLE because only 4 NBA teams even average over 47% shooting for the season. Shooting 53% for just one game is huge, shooting 53% for 3 games in a row is outstanding. We are now sitting at 49% on the season, is this not something you consider positive? But I guess because we're the Suns, we take it for granted.

Now, you ask: "who cares if they don't win, or they don't get enough rebounds." Well, the answer is: we SHOULD care. The Suns are first and foremeost an offensive team. But they have had some offensive issues this season especially with the 3pt shooting. If the Suns can work those kinks out, their weaknesses in other parts of the game won't be so difficult to overcome. That's why we had gone as far as we had over the past few years, our offense is good enough to overcome some of the weakness we had.

The Suns are playing offensive basketball at an outstanding level right now, and I find it a thing of beauty to watch. Is that something you can't enjoy and appreciate, Frank?

Like I said before...we're spoiled and the success this team had over the past few years had created a fantasy that they should win every game and they're better than most of the team in the league. Well, teams had caught up with us (more so than us being figured out by the league). The Mavs just dropped from 1st to 5th in the West, just told you how close teams are in the West right now.

I'm not saying you have no right as a fan to call out the team when they are half-a**ing it and not playing up to their potential. It's fair to highlight the the things that the Suns are doing wrong. The thing I'm saying is, the Suns are not a dysfunctional band. There must be something, anything, that can be appreciated regardless of whether some aspects of their game aren't great, such as their rebounding. I just hope some folks like you can see it. Even as a basketball fan, not a Suns fan, you look at this team and you can't help but admire them as a team, offensive basketball doesn't get any better than this. I just think some fans here lose sight of that, and I think it takes away from the enjoyment and appreciation of this team.

RE: chemistry, well, here's an article that said everything about so many day to day reactions around here that I hope you can find some time to read it.

http://suns.marqui.com/blog/suns01_01140801.aspx

Well, for the record, I think there are chemistry problems around the Suns. But I think it

[Frank Lee]

touche