http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...uston/3006891/
HOUSTON — Dwight Howard might be known as "Superman," but he'll be drawing inspiration from another superhero during his debut season with the Houston Rockets: Batman.And isn't that ironic? The 27-year-old whose physical feats in his early NBA years were like something out of a DC Comic — the bounding leaps, bulging muscles and extraordinary feats — is now using its stories for spiritual guidance.
As he sits on a couch inside Toyota Center, which he now calls his basketball home, discussing his decision to leave the Los Angeles Lakers that was so hard to make but so easy to understand, he recalls the words that rang so true.
"I actually wrote (them) down and can tell it to you — it's from Batman," Howard tells USA TODAY Sports. "Batman and Alfred were having a discussion (in the 2012 Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises), and Batman didn't like what was going on and he felt like the best thing he could do was just hide.
"Alfred told him, 'You have to endure it. You have to take it. People will hate you for it, but that's the point of being a legend. You can be that outcast. You can make the choice that no one else can make, and that's the right choice.' "
The choice to leave one of the NBA's most storied franchises.
"I kind of took that with me in this situation in L.A.," he continues. "It was hard, something that most people wouldn't have done, because they're looking at the whole situation and people are going to think that I'm running (from the pressure), and people are going to think this or that.
"But I'm like, 'Man, I want to be this legend, I want to be at the top. So I have to endure all that hate, all that criticism. I have to take it, and that's what's going to make me the person and the player I am.' "
Much like the Rockets themselves, Howard sees that scene as a perfect fit for his story. The protagonist plays the part of antagonist for the good of the masses — in this case Rockets fans who are so hopeful that they can enjoy a championship for the first time since back-to-back les in 1994 and 1995.
Over time, Howard thinks, people will see why the move should be praised: Because he left an extra $30 million behind in Los Angeles in order to pursue a le now, and because — after all those justifiable claims that he had become someone who was putting his business interests ahead of basketball — he is eschewing the Hollywood spotlight that never lived up to its allure.
"As you get older, you start to think about the business side of things, and not just basketball," Howard says. "And the first couple years, it was all about basketball and growing. And then, just a little bit of business and marketing and sales and all that stuff started to come in, and the mind-set wasn't just basketball anymore.
"It was basketball growing the business and making more money — all that stuff. Sometimes that can cloud the basketball if you let it. A lot of people were in my ear (during his Orlando Magic days) about being in a bigger place and bringing more dollars in and all that stuff. ... But I started realizing that you never can despise small beginnings. Everything in Orlando came from little Orlando, and I looked at a guy like Kevin Durant in Oklahoma City, and look what he has done just being there."
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Was that pic taken before or after sweeping the Lakers ?
When all else fails, take advice from a Batman movie.
Ain't no nobody likes playing with K. Bryant. Nobody.
In other words, Batman inspired Dwight to stop being MVPau's Robin and get away from Alfred (Kirby)![]()
The Consoling! BWAHAHAHA!![]()
Isn't Kobe bane? Set out to destroy la with a woman controlling/whipping him.
maybe Mark Cuban just needed to portray Dwight as Batman in the cartoon he created for Dwight...
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good grief, taking an inspiration from a comic book character and to make it worse, its from a well known like Alfred the butler![]()
As I've said before, Dwight Howard has the mindset of a 12 year old. This further solidifies my opinion. I've never seen a player that concentrates on absolutely everything except actually playing.
Reaching. TBh, if that doesnt make you scoff at this dudes mental makeup ... don't know else to say ... Batman helped you solidfiy that decision? GTFO.
Look Im gonna be honest. I Wanted Dwight back ... But not at max salary. Said it here and on LG. SO in that case, Im glad he left. Only Lebron and Durant deserve a max deal in the new CBA. Just irritated we got nada.
I like harden (SOCAL baller Artesia HS IIRC) and Parsons. But I cannot root for McHale and this fraud. Love the dream, Clyde Moses Houston is a good franchise and I enjoy the city whenever I visit. some passionate fans out there. And beautiful women.
But I am rooting for this clown to fail miserably. Call me salty I don't care. I never BEGGED for him to stay or for Lakers to trade for him. TBH The VETO bothers me more. Because at least Paul though a flopper aint a phony.
And the fact this cat makes more than Lebron is a travesty. Whatever failings Lebron had mentally before he rang ... he is Bird/Magic/MJ compared to the baby-makin' clown.
So yes I said it. I don't like him. And I am not gonna hide my disdain (like Amb has for Kobe) and say It's just cuz because of stats or media overrating him. I dont like his punk-ass. and freely admit it. No I don' know him. And I tried to look the other way after his press conference when he denied the knife he plunged in SVG's back. He just rubs me the wrong way.
Though I will try to be objective with my takes as I always am despite being a huge Laker fan, I'm man enough to admit I can't stand Dwight.
This entire forum has changed into the Lakers cuckold forum. You crybabies aren't even making the playoffs imo. c'ya at Kobe's Broken Knee!
, tbh..
We may not. Doesn't change his mental makeup. Lucky for yall Harden will be taking the key shots and his flameout vs. the Heat was an aberration (I think). If Rox could win but Dwight fail ... I would be cool with it. Exciting young team.
But I hope yall succeed (regular season) only to be failed by a bricked FT, foul out, a stripped ball on a failed post move or a paternity scandal when you need Dwight most.
Dwight isnt the hero you want him to be ... but by paying him the max, he will be the one you "deserve" ...
how dumb howard is for being inspired by a batman movie ?![]()
Real talk, I agree with you, Dwight's a complete pussy and immature, tbh... other stars around the league are grown-ass men, but Dwight still acts like he's 12
You can't deny that some Lakerfan are clearly salty over The Rejection, though....
no doubt. But the veto hurt more (for me at least) look at what Paul has done for dem Clips ...
Paul is not worth max (imho) but more deserving than Dwight and it's not close.
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