David Aldridge - nba.com - "Dribbles" (about the tired Tony parker)

[pookenstein]

WTF you're talking about ? can you read ? indeed, if there's a topic where manu and TP fans are clearly on the same side, it's about international play.

this is why i said "offtopic".

[ElNono]

i know this is a little bit offtopic, but i really don't get this tony-bashing by the argentinians/manufans and the manu-bashing by the french/tonyfans.
in my opinion it's all about the spurs.
we don't win 2003, 2005, 2007 without manu and also not without tony.
i can understand that you like tony better than manu if you have that french background or like manu better, if you're from argentina. nothing wrong in being proud of your countryman but in the end one is as important to the spurs success as is the other.
just my 2 cents...

I wasn't bashing Tony at all. If anything, it was bashing at Longoria fans that kept claiming it was OK for Tony to play because he was young, but not for Manu.

[VI_Massive]

Is there any chance Pop sits Tony for a few weeks?

[sonic21]

Tony will play for sure for the french NT in 2011 and (hopefully) 2012. His dream is to play in the Olympics.

But it looks like he changed his mind about next summer. He'll most likely not play.

[murpjf88]

If your tired sit out for 3 weeks and let Hill, Manu, Mason run the show.

Parker would come back fresh and ready for another playoff run.

There's no way Parker would do that though because that would hurt any chance he has at making the All-Star team.

Hes not making an all-star team. IMO, I don't think three weeks will do him any good at this point. He would need something like a couple months. Even if the Spurs gave him three weeks off, the Spurs would get buried in a stacked western conference. Then you have the problem of George Hill running the show and I'm not comfortable with him at point gaurd at all.

[Obstructed_View]

This was not the previous point. The previous point was: "you got money, play the game and stfu".
To be tired or weary has nothing to do with your ing paycheck.

I have a very decent salary and sometimes I'm just tired. It happens.

The previous point was that he gets a lot of money to play basketball for the Spurs. When questioned about why he's not playing well this season, he's talking about how tired playing for free during the summer makes him. While the original quote you responded to wasn't completely accurate, it did touch on the one thing that all of us should keep in mind through this. I know most French fans are going to get mad when people mention where Tony Parker's bread is buttered, and I'm sorry about that, but it doesn't make it any less the case.

[murpjf88]

If the Spurs were toying with the notion of sitting for three weeks, they should of thought of that during the month of December.

[ElNono]

The previous point was that he gets a lot of money to play basketball for the Spurs. When questioned about why he's not playing well this season, he's talking about how tired playing for free during the summer makes him. While the original quote you responded to wasn't completely accurate, it did touch on the one thing that all of us should keep in mind through this. I know most French fans are going to get mad when people mention where Tony Parker's bread is buttered, and I'm sorry about that, but it doesn't make it any less the case.

When the Spurs signed him up for his contract extension they were well aware of what he could and could not do. That includes the fact that they cannot prevent him from playing for his National Team. If they felt they did not want that, then they could have not extended him. They also can still trade him if they don't like the situation.
Obviously, the fact that Tony and Manu are still on the team means that this is something the Spurs are willing to put up with.

[timaios]

Kace I think guys like Kobe are just machine, they can play at high level during 20 years with no issues for others it's more difficult to maintain motivation, there is no rule and the money has nothing to do with that. In TP case I think it's more a mental fatigue.

I think exactly the same thing. I think Tony is 100% healthy but is totally bored with the game of basketball.
You could see his lack of motivation against the poor Nets.
82 regular season games are too much, there's so much meaningless games in one season.
Maybe his enthusiasm will be back against the Lakers...

[Chomag]

If the Spurs were toying with the notion of sitting for three weeks, they should of thought of that during the month of December.

Agreed, it's a bit to late for this now. No longer are the Spurs in the wishy washy part of this seasons schedule. Tuff from here on out pretty much.

[MaNu4Tres]

Hes not making an all-star team. IMO, I don't think three weeks will do him any good at this point. He would need something like a couple months. Even if the Spurs gave him three weeks off, the Spurs would get buried in a stacked western conference. Then you have the problem of George Hill running the show and I'm not comfortable with him at point gaurd at all.

3 weeks would be plenty of rest and the 3 week time period wouldn't be a for sure thing.

It would be more like a week to week or game to game depending on how the team is holding up.

[VI_Massive]

Agreed, it's a bit to late for this now.

I think they could sit him after tomorrow night, either for the rest of January or until the next Lakers game. The opponents aren't THAT bad and we all know that Pop doesn't give a damn about playoff seeding.

[PublicOption]

trade him for harris..........NOW.

[Obstructed_View]

When the Spurs signed him up for his contract extension they were well aware of what he could and could not do. That includes the fact that they cannot prevent him from playing for his National Team. If they felt they did not want that, then they could have not extended him. They also can still trade him if they don't like the situation.
Obviously, the fact that Tony and Manu are still on the team means that this is something the Spurs are willing to put up with.

Unless I'm mistaken, the NBA won't let the Spurs prevent him from playing for his national team, so it was never part of the negotiations. The fact that they have no choice is why it's something the Spurs are willing to put up with, but don't act like they're happy about it, particularly now that he's playing like crap during what was supposed to be a break-out year when the Spurs smashed the piggy bank to bring in help after Parker himself complained about the depth of the team.

Wow that was a long sentence.

[ElNono]

I don't think a guy as compe ive as Tony would like to sit down and watch games like against the Lakers from the bench. I think he was already hurrying Pop to get him back to play after he twisted his ankle early in the season.

[Dex]

"Look at Manu," Parker said. "Every year he goes, and every year it hurts us a little bit. Because he was hurt, and we're not the same team when Manu's not playing. When Manu's playing his best, we're a championship caliber team. It's going to be tough for everybody -- for (Pau) Gasol, (Dirk) Nowtizki -- Nowitzki took a pass this summer. So I think everybody, as you get older, it's tough to do both. It's very tough to play every game and then go play with the national team."

Where was this reasoning before the summer, Tony?

[Obstructed_View]

I think exactly the same thing. I think Tony is 100% healthy but is totally bored with the game of basketball.
You could see his lack of motivation against the poor Nets.
82 regular season games are too much, there's so much meaningless games in one season.Maybe his enthusiasm will be back against the Lakers...

Not to mention all the meaningless games in the offseason...

[PublicOption]

or bench him for at least 3 weeks. play hill until he becomes great and pay tony peanuts and give the big money to hill.

[pookenstein]

ok, but this...

So much for the 'Tony is young, he won't have Manu's problems' theory...

...can easily be misunderstood as a provocation for the tonyfans.

[kace]

Kace I think guys like Kobe are just machine, they can play at high level during 20 years with no issues for others it's more difficult to maintain motivation, there is no rule and the money has nothing to do with that. In TP case I think it's more a mental fatigue.

very good point. and that's why i can't say i'm worried by Tony's play.

Last year, he had a bad time, even if shorter, and then found his groove and was just unstoppable to finish the year.. i see no reason to not see that again this year.

[jag]

But that did not happen, did it? Because they all played all games, and went through all the Team USA practices pre-tournament.

Again, don't dodge the questions, since you're quick to accuse but when pressed you run away like the scared little you are:

- Did Manu play for the National Team the summer before 2008, when he got injured against Phoenix?

- Did Manu play for the National Team the summer before 2005, when he arguably had his best season as a Spur?

What was Team Argentina preparation to the Japan World Championships?

What was Team Argentina preparation to the Beijing Olympics, and did Manu play any games before the tournament?


Please answer those questions, so we know you're not just flapping your lips, as usual.

Your logic is like that of a 10 year old. "If a player doesn't have an injury during NT play or directly after NT play, then NT play isn't contributing to injuries."

Manu was the backbone of the Argentina NT, playing heavy throughout the tournaments. Yet you compare him to US players like Kobe, Kidd and even LeBron???

The fact that LeBron is 25 years old didn't cross your mind?
The fact that Kidd averaged 13.5 mpg doesn't matter to you? Do you honestly think US players and international players shoulder the same load during NT play? Kobe Bryant, who averaged the 2nd most mpg on the team, averaged 23.5 mpg.

Your pro-Argentina arguments are so tired.

I'm here because i'm a Spurs fan. I'm here because i care about seeing the Spurs win. I'm not here to lobby for my country's (and the players associated with it) significance.

[kace]

or bench him for at least 3 weeks. play hill until he becomes great and pay tony peanuts and give the big money to hill.

why ? even at his so-so current level, tony is clearly the 2nd best spurs player this season. we need him to stay well-ranked.

[MaNu4Tres]

I think they could sit him after tomorrow night, either for the rest of January or until the next Lakers game. The opponents aren't THAT bad and we all know that Pop doesn't give a damn about playoff seeding.

Pop might not give a damn but you know Peter Holt cares about home playoff games. I don't think having Parker resting for 3 weeks would hurt the team more than some believe. This team isn't last years squad we have players that can fill it up. It would also possibly get Jefferson and Manu going in a more aggressive and confident direction because they would get more touches offensively.

[ElNono]

Unless I'm mistaken, the NBA won't let the Spurs prevent him from playing for his national team, so it was never part of the negotiations. The fact that they have no choice is why it's something the Spurs are willing to put up with, but don't act like they're happy about it, particularly now that he's playing like crap during what was supposed to be a break-out year when the Spurs smashed the piggy bank to bring in help after Parker himself complained about the depth of the team.

I'm sure the Spurs are not happy, there's no question about it. I'm sure they're not happy about the fact that the Luxury Tax exists either now that they have to pay it. I mean, it's there, it's part of the business, the rules, and you have to accept it, period.

To be honest, the pride these guys show to represent their NT for mere glory is just another sign of the high character guys this ball club has been proud of for a long time. Not saying you couldn't have one without the other, but you can't deny it's part of the same thing.

[pookenstein]

i'm here because i'm a spurs fan. I'm here because i care about seeing the spurs win. I'm not here to lobby for my country's (and the players associated with it) significance.

+1