Nice article about AJ

[nbascribe]

Was interviewed Friday along with a couple of other people on Avery Johnson. Article has San Antonio references.

Check it out at http://www.blackamericaweb.com/site.aspx/bawnews/johnson612

[whottt]

He added that even legendary players like Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson often fail to carry the success they gained playing over to coaching or management roles.

Ya well...if AJ had the success they had as players he wouldn't have matched it as a coach either. It's a joke to even put him in the same sentence as Jordan and Magic.


Basically it's fluff...I only wish AJ had been a coach instead of a PG for the Spurs.

If only he'd lashed out at his own Defense, shooting and FT's like he did at David Robinson, the Spurs would have had more titles...Pretty bad when the 7'1 C is a better FT shooter than the no game PG. Usually the no game PG's can hit FT's if nothing else.

[SPARKY]

So when ME called out DRob it was ok, but when AJ did so then it was a travesty?

[whottt]

ME backed it up by hitting shots to punish teams that tried to take Duncan and Robinson out of the game, and he hit daggers that saved wavering confidence...and ME called out everyone.

He didn't just take advantage of his best friends good nature to make himself look like a bigshot, like AJ did.

[SPARKY]

Clearly AJ didn't know what he was doing.

[whottt]

AJ is excellent at running his mouth...he's just bad at backing it up with his on court play. That's why he makes a great coach...he doesn't have to back it up and his total lack of shot and doesn't hurt his team.


You think the Mavs would be in the finals right now if AJ was the PG?

Think again.

[nbascribe]

whott...news flash....AJ is coaching in the finals. Where's Jordan and Magic on their coaching resumés with that distinction? Nowhere to be found.

You so-called diehard spurs fans amaze me. When AJ was here pretty much everybody was kissing his ass. He moves on, and everybody wants to bad mouth him. Yet I don't remember anyone thanking AJ, DRob and Sean Elliott for getting Bob Hill's ass ran? I don't here either one of you saying that with AJ and ME's leadership that the Spurs would have never gotten that title?

I don't see you two saying, "Way to go AJ for putting your money into a neighborhood where people thought it was dead and drug infested" or "Good job AJ. First DRob gives back and now AJ follows his longtime friend in doing the same."

AJ did something that a bunch of us wish we could do...go undrafted and prove himself. And instead of giving a guy like him (an ordinary guy mind you) props for grabbing success, you two yokels want to bad mouth him. And then we all wonder how come some Spurs fans are hated for their classless thoughts.

Way to go you two. Thanks for showing the world that for many Spurs fans are a bunch of idiots who don't appreciate any of our players.

Unfreakingbelievable.

[leemajors]

magic was a great coach and late night host.

[DarrinS]

whott...news flash....AJ is coaching in the finals. Where's Jordan and Magic on their coaching resumés with that distinction? Nowhere to be found.

You so-called diehard spurs fans amaze me. When AJ was here pretty much everybody was kissing his ass. He moves on, and everybody wants to bad mouth him. Yet I don't remember anyone thanking AJ, DRob and Sean Elliott for getting Bob Hill's ass ran? I don't here either one of you saying that with AJ and ME's leadership that the Spurs would have never gotten that title?

I don't see you two saying, "Way to go AJ for putting your money into a neighborhood where people thought it was dead and drug infested" or "Good job AJ. First DRob gives back and now AJ follows his longtime friend in doing the same."

AJ did something that a bunch of us wish we could do...go undrafted and prove himself. And instead of giving a guy like him (an ordinary guy mind you) props for grabbing success, you two yokels want to bad mouth him. And then we all wonder how come some Spurs fans are hated for their classless thoughts.

Way to go you two. Thanks for showing the world that for many Spurs fans are a bunch of idiots who don't appreciate any of our players.

Unfreakingbelievable.



I never liked AJ as a player. I think the Spurs won a championship IN SPITE of having a terrible PG. So he made a 10 foot basline jump shot against the Nicks? BFD.

I would cringe every time I saw AJ taking a jump shot. AJ makes TP look like freakin Kobe Bryant.

[strangeweather]

I never liked AJ as a player. I think the Spurs won a championship IN SPITE of having a terrible PG. So he made a 10 foot basline jump shot against the Nicks? BFD.

I would cringe every time I saw AJ taking a jump shot. AJ makes TP look like freakin Kobe Bryant.
Yeah, if we'd had John Stockton, we would have won more. But we didn't have John Stockton.

AJ had holes in his game like Swiss cheese. So what? He worked his ass off and did everything he could with what he had. We had a lot of PGs in the 90s that were worse than AJ, and almost all of them had more tools to start with than he had, but he was more effective on the court.

I respect guys like AJ a lot more than the guys who have all the physical tools but don't make anything out of them.

[DarrinS]

Yeah, if we'd had John Stockton, we would have won more. But we didn't have John Stockton.

AJ had holes in his game like Swiss cheese. So what? He worked his ass off and did everything he could with what he had. We had a lot of PGs in the 90s that were worse than AJ, and almost all of them had more tools to start with than he had, but he was more effective on the court.

I respect guys like AJ a lot more than the guys who have all the physical tools but don't make anything out of them.


He did have a killer, uncontested layup shot. :rolleyes

He is a good motivator, which is probably why he's such a good coach. I like AJ as a person, just not as a PG.

[whottt]

Yeah, if we'd had John Stockton, we would have won more. But we didn't have John Stockton.

AJ had holes in his game like Swiss cheese. So what? He worked his ass off and did everything he could with what he had. We had a lot of PGs in the 90s that were worse than AJ, and almost all of them had more tools to start with than he had, but he was more effective on the court.

I respect guys like AJ a lot more than the guys who have all the physical tools but don't make anything out of them.


Truthfully...the fact that AJ was the best PG on the Spurs for many years was a testament to the tightfistedness of the Spurs FO more than anything AJ did by hard work...hard work didn't keep his azz from getting cut by every other team that a mediocre PG to put in front of him.


I will agree on one thing....AJ wasn't an idiot like Strickland was.

[strangeweather]

Truthfully...the fact that AJ was the best PG on the Spurs for many years was a testament to the tightfistedness of the Spurs FO more than anything AJ did by hard work...
Don't get me wrong -- I would have loved to have someone better. But that's not AJ's fault at all.

If a guy doesn't have much potential but lives up to all he has, he's done his part. Blame the front office for their part.

[whottt]

Oh I do...don't worry about that. The FO is where blame #1 goes. They are very lucky that Drob was the type of guy he was, more worried about community service and being a great human being than people thinking he was the greatest basketball player ever, otherwise he'd have been playing elsewhere.

[leemajors]

Oh I do...don't worry about that. The FO is where blame #1 goes. They are very lucky that Drob was the type of guy he was, more worried about community service and being a great human being than people thinking he was the greatest basketball player ever, otherwise he'd have been playing elsewhere.

BAkriD would like you to prove that last statement... :lol

[nbascribe]

Oh I do...don't worry about that. The FO is where blame #1 goes. They are very lucky that Drob was the type of guy he was, more worried about community service and being a great human being than people thinking he was the greatest basketball player ever, otherwise he'd have been playing elsewhere.

When they got rid of Bob Bass and Pop became the general manager, that's when things began to change. And you can't blame the front office for everything thath goes wrong. In case you haven't noticed, there are only about fifteen teams in the league that even a have a title so something had to go right. And as far as the community service goes, there are a lot of guys who go out and do things unnoticed because that's what they do and who they are.

Mailik, Samaki Walker, Chris Whitney and quite a few others helped out kids on the city's Eastside and Westside when their time permitted. Some guys were doing things in two cities...their on-season and off-season residences. So that last statement about community service is a little skewed.

[ShoogarBear]

Hey, whottt, who do you think worked the longest and hardest at improving his game: DRob or AJ?

[nbascribe]

Hey, whottt, who do you think worked the longest and hardest at improving his game: DRob or AJ?
They ain't getting it SB. AJ epitomizes what it takes to succeed in a profession where the fraternity is close knit and instead realizing that he lived the life tha many of us wish he had, they wanna be monday night quarterbacking a guy's career AFTER he's retired.

DRob's game was flowed as well but nobody wants to admit that fact. And as usual, missing the point in the story seems to be the norm. Instead of saying, "dayum somebody actually said something nice about a guy who was San Antonio when he was here", it's fluff and stuff.

but yet if an article came out and lambasted Avery for being an arrogant ass (which he is known to be on numerous occasions), people would say the media is picking on the little guy.

Some days u just gotta say, "They're clueless on the Riverwalk"....

[whottt]

When they got rid of Bob Bass and Pop became the general manager, that's when things began to change. And you can't blame the front office for everything thath goes wrong. In case you haven't noticed, there are only about fifteen teams in the league that even a have a title so something had to go right. And as far as the community service goes, there are a lot of guys who go out and do things unnoticed because that's what they do and who they are.

Mailik, Samaki Walker, Chris Whitney and quite a few others helped out kids on the city's Eastside and Westside when their time permitted. Some guys were doing things in two cities...their on-season and off-season residences. So that last statement about community service is a little skewed.


Uh, no it wasn't skewed, unless those guys also were turning down offers to go play for the Celtics and Lakers.


You miss the point entirely...the point was not that he was the only guy wanting to do community service...hell Rodman did community service...

The point was that winning championships wasn't the most important thing to him, and if it had been he wouldn't have been here in the first place, much less spent his career here.


And Avery Johnson would have been cut from here like he was every other team in the N B A...just another scrub. Lucikily the best friend whose career he nutrode, was cut from a different cloth.

[whottt]

Hey, whottt, who do you think worked the longest and hardest at improving his game: DRob or AJ?

So?


Hedo probably worked hard at it too...your point?


Did that make you scream his name when he couldn't hit wide open shots?

[whottt]

They ain't getting it SB. AJ epitomizes what it takes to succeed in a profession where the fraternity is close knit and instead realizing that he lived the life tha many of us wish he had, they wanna be monday night quarterbacking a guy's career AFTER he's retired.

I monday night QB'ed his career while he was still active...


DRob's game was flowed as well but nobody wants to admit that fact. And as usual, missing the point in the story seems to be the norm. Instead of saying, "dayum somebody actually said something nice about a guy who was San Antonio when he was here", it's fluff and stuff.

but yet if an article came out and lambasted Avery for being an arrogant ass (which he is known to be on numerous occasions), people would say the media is picking on the little guy.

Some days u just gotta say, "They're clueless on the Riverwalk"....


Well at least you admit the arrogant ass part.

Look, people homer for AJ, to a ridiculous level already, but sticking him in a sentence that implies a peer or comtemporous relationship with MJ, and Magic...is completely ludicrous. That is getting way off the beaten path of reality.


Allow me:

Beno's success in the NBA was followed by an even greater success as a coach, unlike other PGs who had successful playing careers, like John Stockton and Oscar Robertson...


Yes that's an exaggeration...but it's just as glaringly obvious which name doesn't belong in the sentence when AJ is stuck in there with Magic and MJ.


No matter how hard AJ worked on his game.


Get real.

[ShoogarBear]

So?


Hedo probably worked hard at it too...your point?

Uh, no, Hedo didn't work hard at it. That was part of his problem.

You still didn't answer the question.

[whottt]

How hard is it to hit an open shot?


He had to work hard enough to get from Turkey to the NBA. That's a looooong way.


Did that make you scream his name when he couldn't hit wide open shots?

[miss paxton]

You so-called diehard spurs fans amaze me. When AJ was here pretty much everybody was kissing his ass. He moves on, and everybody wants to bad mouth him. Yet I don't remember anyone thanking AJ, DRob and Sean Elliott for getting Bob Hill's ass ran? I don't here either one of you saying that with AJ and ME's leadership that the Spurs would have never gotten that title?

I don't see you two saying, "Way to go AJ for putting your money into a neighborhood where people thought it was dead and drug infested" or "Good job AJ. First DRob gives back and now AJ follows his longtime friend in doing the same."

Thanks for showing the world that for many Spurs fans are a bunch of idiots who don't appreciate any of our players.

Unfreakingbelievable.

Wow, I have a lot of problems with this. First of all, I didn't like AJ as a player. Therefore, the fact that I don't like him now doesn't make me a hypocrite or unappreciative of Spurs players. Since my opinion has been consistent, that's not hypocrisy. Secondly, am I supposed to admire all former Spurs players? And if so, why?

AJ was leading this team before the 1999 title, but for whatever reason they didn't win until then. I don't like it when people criticize David for "not being able" to win a title by himself, and I certainly wouldn't say that about AJ either. I don't blame him for not getting the Spurs to a title before 1999; by the same token, I don't give him sole--or even significant--credit for it.

I also don't see how not liking AJ translates to being an "idiot who doesn't appreciate" ANY Spur. My thinking that he was an undertalented player whose best attribute was criticizing more talented players doesn't mean I don't appreciate David, or Tim Duncan, or Manu, or Parker. I don't care that AJ coaches Dallas. Coaching does seem to be his forte.

Also, I read the article, and I don't see where you're getting that AJ put his money into a drug-infested neighborhood. Maybe it's there and I just missed it. What I did read was that he chaired a fundraising campaign to build a sports complex; while he may very well have contributed his own money, the article doesn't technically say that. He also held a Katrina fundraiser. He's also a "consistent alumni donor" to his college--me too. I'll never criticize anyone for charitable work, and AJ lending his name has value. I'll also assume that he contributed some of his own money. However, I don't see where the linked article says that; maybe you're referring to another source.

[ShoogarBear]

Noted: question still not answered.

[whottt]

It was answered, about 3 years ago ;)...Hedo layup drill.

[whottt]

The beauty of arguing with you about this...I know weren't too young to have missed all of AJ's mid 90's 4th quarter shooting performances.

However hard he worked...it wasn't hard enough.

[ShoogarBear]

Still waiting for an actual answer to the question.

[velik_m]

Allow me:

Beno's success in the NBA was followed by an even greater success as a coach, unlike other PGs who had successful playing careers, like John Stockton and Oscar Robertson...



Beno won more championships than Stockton therefore Beno>Stockton :angel

[J.T.]

I remember going to a game when I was about 11 years old. And there was this 5 year old girl behind me screaming "Go AJJJJJJ!!!!" the entire fucking game. Nevermind the fact that AJ wasn't that great and the Mavs beat us this year, I hate AJ for having his stupid named screamed in my ear for 4 quarters on what is very easily in the top 10 most annoying times in JT's life.

[nbascribe]

I monday night QB'ed his career while he was still active...




Well at least you admit the arrogant ass part.

Look, people homer for AJ, to a ridiculous level already, but sticking him in a sentence that implies a peer or comtemporous relationship with MJ, and Magic...is completely ludicrous. That is getting way off the beaten path of reality.


Allow me:

Beno's success in the NBA was followed by an even greater success as a coach, unlike other PGs who had successful playing careers, like John Stockton and Oscar Robertson...


Yes that's an exaggeration...but it's just as glaringly obvious which name doesn't belong in the sentence when AJ is stuck in there with Magic and MJ.


No matter how hard AJ worked on his game.


Get real.
Whott it utterly amazes me how you figure that because AJ was an average PG makes him less of a player. There are a bunch of guys who are in the league to this day that can't hit a jumper, can't defend a pick and roll situation if you walked them through it or even hit the basic free throw...something four year olds do on their play rims from Playskool.

The article had nothing to do with his playing career in its entirity. It was about what he had done AFTER his playing days and the type of attitude that he instills in the players he's coaching now.

I know reading comprehension is a problem in our school systems but grown people should be able to read and comprehend articles without putting unnecessary biasness into their points of view. The drive that allowed AJ to beat alcoholism early in his playing days, to be a better husband and father, is the same drive that allowed him to become best friends with DRob and it's the very reason why #6 is going into the rafters.

Whether you like or dislike him as a Spur, the bottom line is that when many players had a chance to make a mark in this city, they rarely did. AJ left a legacy in this city and he's building a legacy in Dallas. That's something Michael has never done....AS A PERSON.

Oh and again, if you read the article without those tinted glasses, I mentioned how many players cannot become coaches and that it took a select breed to do so. Jordan was lousy in the front office at Washington. Johnson couldn't handle the crap taht went on with Nick Van Exel, Cedric Ceballos and others because he wasn't use to dealing with guys who were professionals. You have to have a temperment to be a coach and you need a I'm gonna kick ur ass attitude to handle players. That's why you see guys like Nate McMillan, Maurice Cheeks, Doc Rivers, AJ, Pat Riley, Phil and a few others who have either moderate to great success. Most of your successful coaches who were former players, were mediocre to above average players in the league.

[nbascribe]

Wow, I have a lot of problems with this. First of all, I didn't like AJ as a player. Therefore, the fact that I don't like him now doesn't make me a hypocrite or unappreciative of Spurs players. Since my opinion has been consistent, that's not hypocrisy. Secondly, am I supposed to admire all former Spurs players? And if so, why?

AJ was leading this team before the 1999 title, but for whatever reason they didn't win until then. I don't like it when people criticize David for "not being able" to win a title by himself, and I certainly wouldn't say that about AJ either. I don't blame him for not getting the Spurs to a title before 1999; by the same token, I don't give him sole--or even significant--credit for it.

I also don't see how not liking AJ translates to being an "idiot who doesn't appreciate" ANY Spur. My thinking that he was an undertalented player whose best attribute was criticizing more talented players doesn't mean I don't appreciate David, or Tim Duncan, or Manu, or Parker. I don't care that AJ coaches Dallas. Coaching does seem to be his forte.

Also, I read the article, and I don't see where you're getting that AJ put his money into a drug-infested neighborhood. Maybe it's there and I just missed it. What I did read was that he chaired a fundraising campaign to build a sports complex; while he may very well have contributed his own money, the article doesn't technically say that. He also held a Katrina fundraiser. He's also a "consistent alumni donor" to his college--me too. I'll never criticize anyone for charitable work, and AJ lending his name has value. I'll also assume that he contributed some of his own money. However, I don't see where the linked article says that; maybe you're referring to another source.

Ms. Paxton AJ donated $600k of his own money as seed money into the project. He didn't raise the full amount but helped by having his name being used as the chair to fund about another $400k. The church is making payments on loans for the rest of it and the sports complex is a part of the Eastside community initiative. The area around Antioch is crime riddend and drug infested. Wheatley Courts is right up the street and Sutton Homes isn't that much further. The area that taht church serves is always in the news sometime during the week.

And to say that coaching doesn't seem to be his forte is so ambiguitous. A first year head coach, a coach of the year winner, has the opportunity to make NBA history and you say it is not his forte? I don't follow. Dallas is that good of a team because AJ, along with his coaching staff, has changed the mindset of the team. Don Nelson, as good of a coach as he is and probably a Hall of Fame candidate one day, has never had any of his teams in an NBA Finals and here you have your successor getting the job done in one season when many thought it would take at least two or three.

Again I scratch my head at some of the logic that's used up here sometimes. There's so much dislike for AJ now it's unbelievable and I shudder to think what would happen if Malik, Devin, Tim, Tony, Manu or some other Spurs favorite decides to do something that Spurs fans don't like.

[whottt]

That's why you see guys like Nate McMillan, Maurice Cheeks, Doc Rivers, AJ, Pat Riley, Phil and a few others who have either moderate to great success. Most of your successful coaches who were former players, were mediocre to above average players in the league.



Hey...if you'd said other successful players like Scott Skiles and Doc Rivers haven't gone on to the coaching success that AJ has...I wouldn't have had any problem with the article.

It's still pushing it to put AJ in Skiles and Rivers' league as a player...

...but at least it doesn't make me spit coffe through my nose seeing his name alongside theirs in a sentence with the word players.


We'll overlook him being just put in the same sentence as, especially Maurice Cheeks, and Nate McMillian for now...

I know the point being made, but the fact that he was just casually thrown in there in a list of former "players" with Magic and Jordan was ridiculous.


It implied a peer relationship with Jordan and Magic,...those two had no peer and if they did it damn sure wasn't a Avery Johnson. Typical of the way AJ homers are always trying subtley to up his status as a player and make him seem to be more than he was...that BS has gone far enough in SA and I will continue to be the watchdog and voice of reason against rabid AJism.

[whottt]

Oh Jordan hasn't formed a community relationship, this is true, but Jordan was held captive by the media for his career...can't say I really blame him for his standoffish disposition.

[nbascribe]

Oh Jordan hasn't formed a community relationship, this is true, but Jordan was held captive by the media for his career...can't say I really blame him for his standoffish disposition.
if you're going to be a watchdog, get your facts straight. MJ wasn't held captive by anyone. He understood his role as a player and as a businessman. David Faulk, MJ's agent, made sure that Jordan realized that he had media obligations and the few things that Jordan has done in Chi-town are what he wanted to do. Now are they on the level of what DRob and AJ did here in SA? of course not. Jordan is a businessman.

And as far as you trying to rid this city of AJism, as a guy who covered AJ both on and off the court, I'll fight you tooth and nail to keep his name in the public eye as a positive role model in this city because as a whole, this community needs to know that guys like AJ and DRob thought more of the citizenry than just a paycheck.

A true watchdog would want to champion somebody like AJ because he was ordinary. This city doesn't have many true guys that people can feel connected to and it's asinine to think that you're doing all of us a favor by trying to rid this city of a memory and/or person who helped put this 'town' on the map.

[whottt]

http://ad.family.go.com/premium/nba/columns/monroe/406574.html

Here's a blast from the past about Saint AJ...



Johnson situation could spell trouble for Spurs



By Mike Monroe
Special to ESPN.com


Naturally, San Antonio's biggest worry of the moment is Tim Duncan's lower abdominal strain, which cost him five games and goes a long way toward explaining the Spurs' recent problems on the floor.

But the Spurs also are finding their locker room chemistry, so vital in their championship run last season, has gotten shaky.

At the center of recent controversy: Point guard Avery Johnson, of all people.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has benched Johnson in the fourth quarter of some games over the last month, and Johnson isn't happy about watching Terry Porter or Antonio Daniels finishing games. Emotions boiled over after a Feb. 15 loss at Cleveland in which Johnson once again sat much of crunch time. Here's what happened, according to reliable witnesses.
Johnson complained in the locker room after the Cleveland game that he wasn't getting the respect he deserved. Some of other players, according to a source who spoke with the San Antonio Express News, viewed Johnson's outburst as selfish. Johnson then went after Malik Rose in the locker room.


There was talk that Johnson threw a punch -- both he and Popovich vehemently deny that -- but some of the players confided, anonymously, that Rose, who was standing in his socks, slipped trying to get away from Johnson. Porter then jumped on Rose when he tried to get back up and go after him. Keep in mind that all of the players had just exited the shower and were in various states of undress.



The scene -- described by one player as resembling a Roman orgy -- :roflmao ended up with Rose being held down by a couple of players.

Whether or not the incident was a factor, the Spurs subsequently tried to move Johnson just before the trade deadline. They discussed a deal for Clippers guard Derek Anderson that also would have involved Jaren Jackson, but the Clips weren't interested.

They then tried to swap Johnson for Charlotte's David Wesley.

What such trade talk engendered is a team leader who feels betrayed by the man whose job he helped to save last season.

Publicly, Johnson is saying the right things, such as: "Everybody I think has been mentioned in trades (during) their career. Whether it comes out in the media or it was behind the scenes, talk is always going to be out there. The main thing is I'm focused on winning a championship this year. That's where my focus is."

Privately, however, AJ is hurt. Make that very angry and hurt. Betrayed may be more like it. He has been Popovich's most trusted player since Popovich brought him back to the franchise in 1994. He also saved Popovich's career last season when the team started 6-8 and some of the players thought a coaching change was in order. Johnson publicly backed Popovich while holding together the locker room.

Johnson is one of the most intense competitors in the game, a player who has overcome his own shortcomings (no pun intended) to become a key contributor on a championship team. That he should be the focus of controversy in San Antonio just proves how fragile championship chemistry really is.



Sorry...if AJ were anything like you and Harris purported him to be, I wouldn't be near as anti-aj as I am.

But the simple fact of the matter is, he isn't like ya'l portray him to be. His comments in the media bear this out time and time again, and as soon as people start judging his comments and actions based on their own merit and without the AJ mafia's intepretation of them....SA and Spurs fans get barraged with fluff pieces talking about what a great guy he is, how under-rated he was, and where his jersey deserves to hang.

He isn't, he wasn't, he's not. He wasn't a great player, he was a lousy player, definitely the worst to ever start for an NBA champion. His career is testament to his good fortune in nutriding, not 1, but 2, of the greatest bigmen to ever play the game, and still underachieving...and AJ and his mafia, think it was all because of him. They've pretty much brainwashed SA into believing this as well, when in fact, it was inspite of him.

I won't bad mouth his public service, nor will I deride his very, long apparent skill as a coach...but I will never stop pointing out that he wasn't a good player and he isn't a MR. Nice Guy either. And if you've covered his whole career then you know his well documented past issues and cancerous actions with the team...and still you do nothing but apologize for his actions. This does not make me reconsider my AJ stance...only your objectivity. IF he were what you claim he is...he wouldn't need an army of apologists to come to dig him out of holes every time his mouth digs him into them.

I will continue to deconstruct the attempts overinflate his skill as a player and rep as a nice guy.

Just keeping it real ;)

[nbascribe]

http://ad.family.go.com/premium/nba/columns/monroe/406574.html

Here's a blast from the past about Saint AJ...





Sorry...if AJ were anything like you and Harris purported him to be, I wouldn't be near as anti-aj as I am.

But the simple fact of the matter is, he isn't like ya'l portray him to be. His comments in the media bear this out time and time again, and as soon as people start judging his comments and actions based on their own merit and without the AJ mafia's intepretation of them....SA and Spurs fans get barraged with fluff pieces talking about what a great guy he is, how under-rated he was, and where his jersey deserves to hang.

He isn't, he wasn't, he's not. He wasn't a great player, he was a lousy player, definitely the worst to ever start for an NBA champion. His career is testament to his good fortune in nutriding, not 1, but 2, of the greatest bigmen to ever play the game, and still underachieving...and AJ and his mafia, think it was all because of him. They've pretty much brainwashed SA into believing this as well, when in fact, it was inspite of him.

I won't bad mouth his public service, nor will I deride his very, long apparent skill as a coach...but I will never stop pointing out that he wasn't a good player and he isn't a MR. Nice Guy either. And if you've covered his whole career then you know his well documented past issues and cancerous actions with the team...and still you do nothing but apologize for his actions. This does not make me reconsider my AJ stance...only your objectivity. IF he were what you claim he is...he wouldn't need an army of apologists to come to dig him out of holes every time his mouth digs him into them.

I will continue to deconstruct the attempts overinflate his skill as a player and rep as a nice guy.

Just keeping it real ;)
Whott I don't apologize for his actions. I never said he was a great basketball player. But what amazes me is that if I gave you the chance to go one on one with a so-called average NBA player, you'd probably fail. Getting into the NBA doesn't make you average by anybody's means who has played sports at a high level. I remember getting a phone call from Samaki when AJ and Malik got into it on the road. I had the story two days before Ludden did. And I ripped AJ for it. I've ripped him in person for things in the past. Hell I told him about Cassandra's actions when they happened.

His rep as a nice guy is that...he is a nice guy. What goes on in the job has nothing to do with how you conduct yourself outside of it. I'm a hellraiser at work but away from the clock, I'm generous as I can afford to be. I give back from my job because I made a former sportscaster a promise that if I ever got the chance to give back and REACH back, I would.

Just to show you what I mean by nice, AJ was a part of building a basketball court at the Scott Davis YMCA and Pop was in attendance. That's how the idea for the sports complex came to being.

it's not my job to try and convince you on his playing ability but I definitely will question your reading comprehension on this story. If you're gonna be a watchdog, then you will have to be able to debate the exact facts of a topic.

And I'm just keeping it real brah

[MadDog73]

AJ will be the only First Year coach to win an NBA Championship.

That's really all I need to know he's a great coach, the fact he won a Championship with San Antonio is just gravy.

Here's a question:

When will the Spurs retire his jersey, after he leaves the Mavs or while he's still coaching?

[miss paxton]

nbascribe, thank you for answering my question about AJ's personal financial contributions.

However, about the coaching, if you'll look at my post that you quoted again, you'll see that I specifically said coaching did seem to be AJ's forte, not that it did not.

[leemajors]

i agree, 2k dre.

[Marcus Bryant]

Pop described AJ as being a coach on the floor, IIRC. How right he was. I don't know what AJ did to whottt, but it must've hurt real bad.

[conneaut615]

Sure, there are true Spurs fans and SA citizens who don't like the Mavs, never have, or they've just discounted them all these years. And rightfully so. They definitely don't like Cuban, and are equally annoyed with Flip for coaching the Pistons the way he did the Wolves. But how can people not be truly happy for AJ and Joe Prunty? Two of the nicest guys ever who gave their all to this franchise and city for years?