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I love the gang here. Even if we're on completely opposite sides of the aisle.
Don't you all ing forget that...
Whatcha' drinkin'?
I don't pull out the whiskey bottle until the season starts...
I love the gang here. Even if we're on completely opposite sides of the aisle.
Don't you all ing forget that...
I don't know about the mature part, but there's no doubt about the superior part...
I love the gang here. Even if we're on completely opposite sides of the aisle.
Don't you all ing forget that...
I'm gonna.
lol butthurtI'm gonna
It could be worse. We could be discussing Jerseylicious.
Wake up to The 3 Stooges and then get a thread like this?
Awesome, baby ... with a capital A.
What are YOU drinking?Wake up to The 3 Stooges and then get a thread like this?
Awesome, baby ... with a capital A.
What are YOU drinking?
Better question: what am I NOT drinking?What are YOU drinking?
Just for ohm . . .
Apparently you're limited to 30 images and not 130.
What im trying to say is that you appear to butthurt the most. Whats done is done, no need to continue being negative Nancy.
yeah, this Benefactor poster i personally i don't even read his half the time because he always has a beef with somebody where appears to be butthurt.
OHM, of course we are cool. Same w/ Manu & Yazo. When I call you out on something I am doing like you would when you are talking with a friend and bs'ng around.
BJ: would a trade not have solved that problem? Acting like letting RJ walk would have been suicide bc they would have had no money seems intellectually dishonest. A trade to address needs does not seem far fetched, especially with rumors of guys lime Chandler being available for a pick.
You are right...what's done is done. That doesn't make it any less stupid in my mind or the mind of many others on here.
disagree completely.It's crazy that I've become somewhat of an RJ backer or one who sympathizes with the Spurs' decision to re-up him, but crazier things have definitely happened.
I was against the trade from the jump, have stated on multiple occasions he did not fit, and I've also said he couldn't be a legitimate starter on this team if they planned on winning a championship.
I haven't changed my tune or belief.
But, The Spurs were guaranteed to not win a championship this year had he gone elsewhere. Guar-an-teed. The bulk of their MLE would have gone to Splitter and then the Spurs would have been forced with the proposition of signing borderline NBA players and vet minimums to fill out their roster -- in a year they're thinking could be their last with the Big 3.
However small a chance it is that the Spurs could win a championship this year with RJ on the team, there's still a chance. They could conceivably win a le with him being a token starter, bench player or someone who's just not in the starting 5 that finishes the game. There's a chance the Spurs could find a rotation player for their defensive needs on the wing. They could maybe even go smaller and quicker on the perimeter to take away the lane and give up the jumper. There's a chance a player could be attained or a scheme could be devised.
The Spurs promised Tim they'd put together the best team possible when he signed his extension for less. They gave him and the team a chance.
So it's not about RJ being the difference maker anymore or lamenting the re-signing. It's just coming to terms with the reality and hoping for the best.
Now excuse me while I get off this thing . . .
Why would there be a guarantee that they couldn't win without Jefferson's stellar postseason accomplishments in silver and black. Can't win without his mediocre defense, his lack of three point shooting exploited by the Suns defense (only 1 three in 10 playoff games), his single digit scoring, his 10.9 PER ? His over-30 body being abused by ancient Grant Hill?
Are those things so incredible that Jefferson became bulletproof?
The pain from Jefferson isn't just for this year and the limited options if he was gone.
That pain comes in years ahead. Because Manu's contract goes beyond this season. Splitter's goes beyond this season. Duncan has spoken of playing until the wheels fall off. Blair and Hill go beyond this season. , even the Prince of Plus-Minus goes beyond this season.
By extending Jefferson into the far future, no matter what discount it's at or whatever math hoops people jump through to justify it to themselves ("Oh, it's like getting three extra years at only X-million, it's a bargain!") . . . guarantees the Spurs won't make moves to get better at small forward because of Jefferson's salary.
Because as I see it, Jefferson means no trading for a Wilson Chandler, or a Brandon Rush, or anyone else who could or would be an upgrade because the powers that be won't be willing to spend money on those kind of players because they have so much locked into RJ.
They are now stuck with mediocre, soft playing, delivers less than half the time, isn't used to finish games, declining former star for the rest of the Duncan era and the only way to improve that is to hope that some draft pick or d-leaguer blows everyone away and becomes the talk of the NBA.
objective...with the goods.
^^^^ Bravo
Cue... "but RJ saved me money on Geico!"
I have made the argument (although many don't agree) that the Spurs would only be marginally worse without RJ and having (barring any trade) guys like Simmons/Gee/Malik (had he not been let go).
I don't believe not having RJ vs having him does anything for the le hopes. To me, it's the same either way (meaning if RJ has a similar year to last year).
This is where my thought process begins and ends too. It seems to be the main difference between the RJ Fan Club and the rest of us.
I completely disagree with "the goods."
First off, they wouldn't have had the talent to win a championship had RJ left. Period. They probably don't have it with RJ. Probably; but they're closer to having it than they would have been.
They're a better team with RJ on it. That's not an endorsement of RJ, it's a reflection of the reality. What trade could be made had he gone elsewhere? There wasn't a sign-and-trade to be made and the only way to bolster their chances at a championship would have been to unload Parker; I'm guessing the odds of getting rid of Parker to improve your team in the short-term -- or great enough in the long-term -- to justify punting away maybe Tim's last year of elite play, aren't all that great.
Secondly, I disagree that RJ's presence prevents the Spurs from doing a Chandler, Rush or similar-type trade. I just don't believe that.
I'm still of the thinking the Spurs allotted a certain amount of money or a ballpark figure for Tim's final years of elite play. Yes, they're going to do everything in their power to not be a taxpayer for the likes of a D-League or borderline NBA player, but I firmly believe they'll pay tax if the right player's there to be had - they're working with $16-17M in savings this year and moving forward Tim's salary should take a decent hit, Parker could very well be gone and the contracts of guy's like Hill and Blair the club can pick up an option or guarantee a pretty modest sum through '12-13.
This is all about Tim. They're doing everything in their power to make sure the last year or two of his career as an elite player don't go without giving themselves an opportunity.
I'm not an RJ fan or part of a fan club. I'm a realist living in the now. Hopefully RJ can become a bench fixture or someone that's not relied upon to star and those games where he does help in the playoffs -- like he did last year -- are looked at as a bonus and not aberrations.
It's one thing to not like RJ, the way he fits, the contract he signed or the fact that he didn't live up to your or overall expectation, but to say the team would be better off without him just comes off as butthurt or ass-whipped.
The Spurs may not have what it takes to get it done and they may not be able to acquire what they need to get it done before all is said and done, but they've done what they could since the initial RJ trade. It was an all-in. There's no looking back or going back now.
But if you've got an alternative or had a way of making this team a contender for the final year or two of Tim as an elite player, I'm all ears. Haven't heard it yet -- and pointing to salary considerations 3 and 4 years from now when they'll likely be ecstatic to make the second round ... it just doesn't fly with me.
Said it before and I'll say it again, chicken salad. The Spurs made chicken salad.
Why couldn't the spurs trade for Chandler w/o RJ? That wouldn't require giving up TP. Also saying the spurs wouldn't have the talent for a le w/o RJ is moot. This is not the RJ of old. The talent you speak of, in today's terms, could be duplicated quite easily by another player.
I have also argued that a lesser talent, but better fit would be a net gain and help the spurs le hopes.
Saying the team could be better w/o RJ is not far fetched. I have yet to see how RJ's stats, defense and impact could not be replaced by a below average player. RJ in a bubble is not below average, but in his role on this team he is. That is all that matters.
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