anybody have it? :lol
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anybody have it? :lol
no
I don't have this either.
'Pop said we were tanking the last game of the season to get the Mavs in the playoffs, and then we kicked their pansy [butts].'
That quote?
:p:
ESPN Magazine-Pg. 84
Richard Jefferson: SPURS
"When I first got here, Tim Duncan told me, 'Don't suck. As long as you don't suck, you'll be helping the team.' He basically told me that I wasn't very good. Now, most nights, if I play okay, Tim says, 'Yo, you didn't suck tonight.' So, for the most part, I try not to think about anything other than not sucking. It's good to know that as long as I don't suck, as long as I don't hurt the team, as long as I'm neutral, I'm okay."
Not that this is completely relevant to the thread, but I have a feeling Richard Jefferson is gonna bounce back. He's got all the tools, just had a bad season mentally, you could tell. Seems like he's working on his mentality, which is a big thing if you play for the Spurs. You can tell he's smart.
By the way, the article that Jefferson's quote was published in featured various athletes' responses, after being asked what the best advice they ever received was. ESPN broke the different responses into categories (i.e., philosophical, practical, etc.) Tim Duncan's advice was listed as "Philosophical".
Very funny, very Tim.
Don't suck what or whom? lol
I really want to see RJ have a kick ass upcoming season. I love the Mavs quote and the humility expressed in the "don't suck" quote. You gotta pull for the guy. TP is going to bring it hard this season due to his upcoming contract negotiations, and his frustrating previous season. If RJ steps up, Manu stays healthy and Tiago clicks... :lobt:
I think Jefferson was learning to negotiate his shift from the role he was used to playing (go-to guy) to the role that would best help the Spurs (role player). Jefferson has never had a problem with his size or his ability. The problem Jefferson went through last season was shifting from being on a team where many of the plays drawn up went through him and he was asked to take it to teams off the dribble often or to consistently handle the ball to having the amount of plays drawn for him dramatically decrease. On top of that, Jefferson was asked to play in a technique/position that he wasn't acclimated to, for a portion of the season. It changes your mentality when you know you are going to handle the ball often and have plays drawn for you to having to relegate your feelings to play a position that you aren't familiar with. All of a sudden, you have to be more accurate and you have to be accurate while, oftentimes, not being "warmed up". It is unfair to ask a player to be the same when you place him/her in a different environment. In the position that Jefferson plays and the kind of player he was used to being, thats a big change. You can tell Jefferson knows the game and is a thinking basketball player; just give him time and patience and I have a feeling he will fit in.
That said, his contract negotiation was ridiculous. And, to stir the pot, Bonner's was too. I know its been said on eight million other threads, but there.
people hate on him but he's done some pretty good things for the future of the Spurs.
Wow, so wait. Last year was RJ trying not to suck? Yikes.
These quotes can't be real, can they?
And anyone who likes that don't suck quote is out of their damn mind unless its tongue in cheek which I have to believe if its real thats what it is.
I'm just trying to not suck? What the fuck?
I think he is being sardonic. That is his sense of humor. He is a pretty humble and self-deprecating guy. It would be cool if everyone would cut him a little slack and let him come into the season with a fresh attitude. Unfortunately, that doesn't appear to be a likely occurrence.
I'm with everyone who's down to give rich one more chance, I'm giving up hating on him(for now). Now lets see what dudes made of
Even Tim fore-warned RJ of the no hanky panky rule
"dont suck"
He needs to work on his 3pt shooting and he will be fine.
Watch RJ have a beast Season.
One could only hope! That and Anderson is good off the bench as well. If Tiago comes in and plays goo and all three of these things happen the Spurs are a real problem everyone forgot about.He does need to do that some, but I liked aggressive slashing RJ who could get to the line or finish (Thats when he is at his best).
There were times near the end of the season and during the playoffs where RJ would literally just stand 20 feet from the basket during an entire play. It was VERY frustrating to watch. This guy has 3-pt shooting ability, but played a role last year he was completely uncomfortable with. RJ needs to shoot 3s and shoot within 10 feet of the basket, nothing in between.
I have high hopes for RJ this season. I expect him to have barely better numbers, but be much more efficient in how he gets those numbers. If we get an efficient 13-15 PPG from the SF spot and solid defense, we will cause alot of problems this year. We have to have RJ playing well to have a shot at a title because that SF spot is huge in this system. especially on the defensive end where we need his size and rebounding.
is that don't suck thing legit
$15 mill to not suck? Oh brother.
Jefferson needs to drop about 5-10 pounds and come in lighter. He looked heavy and slow last season. And I think the extra weight gave Popovich the dumb idea that he could play PF.
Richard actually played PF in small lineups often throughout the season, moreso during the first 2/3 of the year. His rebounding was pretty good but he wasn't very effective offensively. By the end of the season, Richard was out running the wings most of time and he looked more fluid offensively.
I have no doubt that Richard will play a lot of minutes again. He may even lead the team in minutes played like he did last year. The doubts I have about RJ are with his lack of ability to keep focus on his defensive assignment. There were numerous times last year where Richard simply lost track of his man, especially in ball reversals.
what makes everyone think timmy was referring to basketball?
For qualifying forwards (and if anyone can tell us where NBA.com states what is "qualifying" but I'm assuming it's something like 25 min per game)....
Amoung 76 qualifying forwards, Dick Jeffersons 5.6 boards per 48 is
73rd of 76
Amoung all forwards irregardless of minutes played, Dick is
154th of 169
http://www.nba.com/statistics/player...ager.offset=50
i think jefferwson will do great his second year and begin to take his own shape as a spur. a new identity is hard to acquire after 9yrs of playing a certain way i think what the spurs are doing for him is great and will make him more of a durable/more explosive threat. he wont be running around trying to score all game and when called upon (hopefully pop worked on incorperating dick into the system) he will have that explosiveness
the fact is, he should be a better player......considering his love for balls.
Those rankings are thrown in there with all forwards, including Pau Gasol, Zach Randolph, Tim Duncan, Carlos Boozer, etc.
Besides, RJ didn't play PF the majority of the time...but he did play there frequently against certain teams.
Jefferson was still the 4th leading rebounder behind Duncan, Blair and Dice, even out-rebounding PF Matt Bonner (the 2008-09 4th leading rebounder behind Duncan, Thomas, & Gooden).
So compared to what they have had the previous year with Finley playing 3 and 4, he rebounded pretty well.
Timmy is one funny guy.:lol:lol
I think the dude is going to come out with a vengeance.
Tim's comment definitely falls under the category of "being over yourself," as Pop has said before. Kind of a Spurs mantra.
Tim leads this philosophy by example. You get over yourself and just do your job.
Certainly the opposite of most NBA players' mentality, which is the whole, "Gimme my respect, then I'll be able to do my job."
Gee, so he was 30th out of 32 when limiting it to starting SFs. Not an improvement.
Outrebounded Bonner? As in more per minute or as in more total number of rebounds because RJ played 60% more minutes?
Outrebounded Finley? :rollin:lmao So could any of our grandmas.
Look, I'm not going to get into a fruitless, tar-ball argument over rebounds per 48 minutes against all SFs in the NBA over a simple comment that RJ rebounded pretty well (in the Spurs system). Look, Fabbs, you know as well as anyone that the Spurs send their wings back in transition at the expense of rebounds...so they don't compete with other wings in the category of rebounding.
Other than Manu, the Spurs wings don't get near 4.5 reb./game. Besides Manu, you'd have to go back to Turkoglu in '04 to find a 4.5 reb/game SF with the Spurs. I think part of the reason RJ was in the 4s on reb./game was because he played PF when they went small.
If you want me to agree with you about RJ's rebounding numbers per min. or per 48 min. versus the rest of the league, then sure...I agree with you. If you are not a Jefferson fan, join the crowd, but Richard did a pretty good job of rebounding last year.
Solid D, I'm with you on the defensive assignments. I've seen it happen, a number of times, where Jefferson would get sucked away from his assignment because of misdirection in ball reversals (especially at the 4) or get caught behind a screen he didn't see being set-up. I think Richard has a big upside offensively (when compared with his production last season) and the potential to become a solid defender. Note that I say potential, his lateral quickness and mentality leave something to be desired but I feel like he's worth keeping on. . .particularly after the agreement he made to help free up room for the Spurs, financially.
The way I looked at Tim Duncan's quote, he was telling Richard that he needed to watch and learn, rather that attempting to contribute right away. He was telling Richard that, although he may not be contributing in the manner that he was used to with other teams, right away, he was also not hurting anything, which is good for the team. It forced Richard to step back and realize that he wasn't the center of the team and it also subtly told Richard what his place in the system was. It wasn't just supposed to be, DONT SUCK, although if you look at it from that simple perspective its pretty funny. My dad used to say simple shit like that and it would force me to think. Its a cool way of teaching someone without having to say too much. Just because Tim seems simple with what he says doesn't mean he a simple guy.
If Jeffersons confidence has degraded to the point where is just out on the court trying not to suck, then we are in for a few long seasons with him. That is not the confidence befitting a professional athlete.
I'm not sure what everyone's still bitching about. For all his faults his still better than any other available options. If he performs better the attitudes here will change (save the 5-10 posters who were/are in love with d-leaguers), but if he continues to play poorly then i guess the hate is deserved.
New season. New mindset. I think he can find his niche.
Lol, let's hope his new mindset has changed from trying not to suck.