I feel perfectly qualified to lay out Kenyon Martin since we both went to the University of Cincinnati. Nobody was a bigger fan of his, nor respected his wonderful story from rags to riches through hard work and discipline, than I. Certainly nobody was more disappointed than I when he broke a bone in his leg in the 2000 conference tournament, which ended Cincinnati's hopes of a national championship. Make no mistake, perched at #1 virtually the entire season and boasting a 32-2 record, Kenyon Martin was on a mission.
We Bearcats alumni felt genuinely sorry for more than ourselves, Bob Huggins or for the team when Kenyon went down in such a meaningless game. We all felt bad for Kenyon. He deserved more as a senior, Wooden Award winning National Player of the Year, a silent leader.
No way such a quiet, humble warrior whom I respected like David Robinson at one point, would end such a stellar collegiate career in which he went from total unknown to the pinnacle of the game.
Then came the NBA and sweet justice. Irrespective of the broken leg, it was a weak draft year and Kenyon still went first overall. But there started the problems, the tatoos, the foul language, the back talking to Byron Scott. To me, Kenyon Martin's behavior in the NBA has shouted volumes about how truly underrated Bob Huggins is as a coach.
With nobody to keep this instant millionaire's ego in check, and with an evident lack of moral constraint and role models in his life, Kenyon Martin essentially junked his prestigious Wooden Award status with such gems as making fun of a teammate struggling to return from an organ transplant (Alonzo Mourning), although it was mainly Richard Jefferson who supposedly stirred that pot. And although he suffers from some sort of speech impediment, its hard to sympathize with someone so combative in interviews with a salty mix of four letter words. Such class, indeed. And when Bob Huggins was unceremoniously all but dismissed from the University of Cincinnati, angering 99% of the alumni, including myself, only the "pro" version of Kenyon Martin could spew the garbage that he had to say on stage at Huggins' going away shindig:
"I want my number taken down from the university. I only played for Bob Huggins anyway." Basically, what Kenyon Martin said was that he could care less about the alumni and fans who essentially gave him the opportunity to become a millionaire. Student athletes play for their schools, first and foremost, not their coaches.
What is Kenyon Martin today as a "pro"? He's a limited game-having thug. And former #1 draft picks and Wooden Award winners should not be mere thugs. Kenyon Martin is a thorough letdown, an embarrassment to me as an alumnus of the University of Cincinnati. He will never possess even a fraction of the character and class of the tenth man on a team like the San Antonio Spurs. Kenyon Martin is selfish.
So Martin needs to take those hard, cheap fouls he lashes onto Manu Ginobili too often and save the energy. He would be better served to apply that thuggish energy toward smashing his own face against a steel wall like some sadistic toddler...which is pretty much how his game and act shows him to be.
Kenyon Martin does not even deserve to walk on the same floor as Manu Ginobili as he does not deserve to breathe the air at Fifth Third Arena where my Cincinnati Bearcats play. Not until he apologizes to people, eats an oversized portion of humble pie and goes back to playing basketball instead of thugball.
Last night in Denver, when Kenyon essentially smashed Ginobili in the head then smirked at Coach Popovich, was the final straw. Incredibly, Martin is my least liked player now and I am hoping for a playoff matchup with Denver. Meantime, I want to see Martin laid out on the floor by a nasty flagrant 2 foul. Sadly, Kevin Willis is no longer on the team. Maybe Karl Malone could come out of retirement in time for the playoffs?
Anyway, from rags to riches to the trash heap- that is Kenyon Martin's career.
Get your shots in now Kmart, we already own your ass in the playoffs anyways. But you do have those oh so nasty dunks and staredowns! 
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K-SUCK! K-SUCK!K-SUCK! DAMN U!!!!!!!!!!!
