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Fabrication. Pure garbage.
I hope angry...
http://www.aolsportsblog.com/2007/05...ds-a-code-red/
The Debriefing: Manu Ginobili Needs a Code Red
Posted May 30th 2007 9:00AM by mjd
Filed under: Spurs, Western, NBA Playoffs, Jazz, Featured Stories
The Debriefing is a column that runs every weekday at 9:00 a.m. here on FanHouse. It goes deep into one issue and then bounces around to a plethora of smaller ones ... and does it all in a way that will make you feel like the prettiest girl at the cotillion. Bookmark this page, and visit daily.
I'd never condone a fan throwing something on to the court, but Monday night in San Antonio, as foreign objects rained down on the Spurs, I've got to confess that I wouldn't have been terribly upset if a rusty tire iron flew down from the upper deck directly into Manu Ginobili's face.
Let me be upfront about this: I'm a Spurs admirer. I strongly disagree with those who say the Spurs play boring basketball, and if I had to make a list of my favorite guys in the league to watch, Tim Duncan's probably going to be the first name on it. I'm even eager to admit that Manu Ginobili is a sensational talent.
But I've grown to hate him. You should, too. We've all got something to lose with Manu Ginobili.
I've long ago accepted flopping as a part of the NBA. Two people forced me to do so: Shaq and Vlade Divac. Shaq, because when he was in his prime, flopping was the only way to defend him. O'Neal's gargantuan proportions forced an offensive foul every time he moved towards the basket with a man behind him. But if you didn't exaggerate the effects of the contact, you weren't getting the call.
And let's not downplay Vlade's role in this, because before Ginobili, he was the NBA's flop king. I don't know if it was the beard, the accent, the chain-smoking, or just that Vlade just seemed like lovable guy, but I could never be mad at Vlade for anything. He could put pornographic pictures of my grandmother on the Jumbotron at Arco, and I'd say, "Oh, that Vlade, he's such a kidder."
Manu Ginobili, however, lacks that same charm.
Before Ginobili, the NBA sort of had its own style of flopping, different and less offensive than what goes on in soccer. It used to be limited to post play and stepping in and taking charges as someone drove the lane. But now, this balding son of a strumpet will flop anywhere on the court, at any time, at any distance away from the ball, and for any amount of pretend contact. At this point, Manu Ginobili makes Vlade Divac look like Chuck Wepner.
Let me also say that I know that Manu Ginobili isn't the only guilty party here. There are varying degrees of floppers all over the league, but Ginobili's made himself the standard-bearer. In Game 4 against Utah, his flop act was the lone reason that the sweet, harmless, completely non-aggressive Derek Fisher was ejected from the game.
Fisher picked up his first technical after he turned to run up the floor, and gently brushed up against Ginobili, who then flew backwards like he had been hit by a Buick. Fisher ended up with a technical for unintentionally grazing Ginobili with his torso. Minutes later, Fisher picked up his second T when Ginobili flopped after Fisher actually did foul him on a three-pointer. I believe Fisher said something to insult Ginobili's masculinity, the ref heard it, and Fisher was ejected.
What Ginobili's doing isn't normal, and it has to stop. I'm not merely saying that this is something I don't like, I'm not saying I want Manu Ginobili to lose. I'm saying that if those goes unchecked, I fear for the future of the NBA. I'm saying that I want Dawson and Downey to break into Ginobili's room and stuff a contaminated rag into his mouth before this goes any farther.
It's not good for anyone. It's bad for fans, as the NBA gets farther away from honest compe ive efforts and closer to a contest of who can be the craftiest, sneakiest, most devious lowlife in the league. It's bad for the league because it pushes the NBA closer to soccer, which will lead to soccer-like TV ratings.
And it's bad for the players because the honest ones who attempt to walk the straight and narrow. Manu Ginobili couldn't be doing more damage to the NBA if he showed up at the rookie symposium with a smallpox blanket.
The contamination hasn't spread that far yet. It's gotten to fellow South American Anderson Varejao (and perhaps also to this gentleman, who shared a hotel with Ginobili and then felt compelled to take an altogether different kind of dive), but no one else in the league is in Ginobili's same flopping class.
And that's why I'm not worried about this sounding like a gross overstatement. This is a problem that needs to be nipped in its Argentinian bud. Protecting the NBA from serial floppers should be the league's top concern this off-season. Yes, even more important than microfiber basketballs and what type of pants Samuel Dalembert is wearing when he shows up to the arena.
I'd like to see a rule that makes a blatant flop a technical foul. I realize that it would be impossible to enforce this correctly, and that a ton of issues come along with it, but I don't care. If flopping backfires on a few of the repeat offenders and they get T'd up, the practice will slow down dramatically. This isn't something that the NBA will have to enforce vigorously for an entire year. Just show that it can happen, and the threat will be enough to keep floppers at bay.
That's not enough, though. I'd like to see some kind of internal handling of the matter ... which brings us back to the Code Red. Whatever it was that Derek Fisher said to Ginobili to get himself ejected was somewhat justified. The game had been decided by that point, he didn't cost his team anything ... the only problem is that he didn't go far enough. Maybe Fisher shouldn't have said a word, he just should have looked at Ginobili laying on the floor, and kicked him in the mouth. The series is 3-1 anyway, and the Jazz are probably going to lose tonight. He might as well have done the rest of us a favor.
Fisher's too sweet of a guy for that, though. I'm pretty confident that if I had ten minutes alone in a room with Ron Artest, I could convince him that messing up Manu Ginobili is a good thing for all of us, and it would finally get the public back on his side. I'm pretty sure that "Ron, Manu told me that everyone from Queensbridge is a pansy," would do the trick. And Ron Artest could solve all of our problems.
I HOPE MANU SHOWS THE WORLD HOW HE FEELS BY DROPPING 40 pts on the jazz tonight...........PLEASE LET IT HAPPEN!!!
Fabrication. Pure garbage.
I call total and complete BS at this point. I don't even need to read further that he calls Manu a flopper and defends Fisher in the same article to know this dude has serious credibility issues.Let me be upfront about this: I'm a Spurs admirer. I strongly disagree with those who say the Spurs play boring basketball, and if I had to make a list of my favorite guys in the league to watch, Tim Duncan's probably going to be the first name on it. I'm even eager to admit that Manu Ginobili is a sensational talent.
Aw, poor wittle baby Spuhs and the constant cwiticism. I'm sure Manu will curl up in the fetal position on his bed and cry himself to sleep with his championship rings. Nobody sheds any tears for the dynasties. Some of you in the Spurs fanbase need to get over yourselves.
I call BS. Manu flops, but he ain't got nothing on Fisher himself, not to mention Raja Bell, Steve Nash, Dwayne Wade, and probably other guys who flop. Manu isn't even the same LEAGUE of flopping as those guys.
All this boils down to this: A "flop" is simply an exaggerated way of calling attention to the fact that there was some contact. If the refs buy it, and call the foul, then you've done your job. Some nights, the refs buy it, and some nights the don't. Manu doesn't change his style much, and there are plenty of nights where he gets hacked, flops, but still gets no calls.
I call BS. Manu flops, but he ain't got nothing on Fisher himself, not to mention Raja Bell, Steve Nash, Dwayne Wade, and probably other guys who flop. Manu isn't even the same LEAGUE of flopping as those guys.
Give me a break. This is blind homer talk. Manu is the Gretzky, Jordan and Jerry Rice of flopping. Nobody else comes close. Dude is an awesome baller, I'll give him his due there, but the flopping is the one part of his game I can't stand.
Considering every third sentence was a skewing the facts i doubt Manu would give it a second thought.
I agree with all of you but
MANUUUUUUU PLEASE DOMINATE TONIGHT
I'm sure any distress this article may bring to Manu is quickly alleviated by him viewing his bank balance.
hahahhaha
Everyone is spitting at manu besides SA media ...
why can't POP defend Manu..how he defended bowen....? I mean even jazz players say he FLOPS williams said straight up........??
IF i am manu i am beating the out of jazz and williams tonight!
No fin..he'll grab his nutsak and perform unlike the sensitive little Mavs. And yes...we're still laughing at you guys, get used to tt.
Amazing how every time you put up a post you just prove how little you watch your own team. Manu isn't the biggest flopper in the state of Texas.
The funny thing about Fisher's technicals in Game 4 is that each was immediately preceded by a Fisher flop. Fisher got his first as the players ran up the floor after a Manu layup. I still think that Fisher wasn't exactly trying to avoid Ginobili and I think that was because Fisher was pissed that he couldn't draw an offensive foul before the layup; he tried to flop on a screen and his flop ended up breaking down the defense and giving Manu an easy path to the basket.
Fisher's 2nd T came on that play just inside the three point line in front of the Jazz bench. Manu started his drive and probably pushed off; but Fisher flopped around trying again to draw a call. When he didn't get that call, he obviously put a hard foul on Manu while Manu was shooting. Did Manu embellish the contact? Probably. But was there any doubt that Fisher fouled Manu? Absolutely not. Fisher intended to foul Manu and then lorded over him after the whistle as if he'd sent some sort of message from one flopper to another. Whatever, the fact remains that Fisher did more flopping on those plays than Manu did.
saying Manu isn't a flopper is like saying Dirk isn't a choker.
The league went after Bowen. It's just a bunch of idiots and losers going after Manu.
Gay article.
I doubt Ginobili reads such things.
Anyways, so what if Manu is regarded by some as a "flopper"? His team is one win away from the NBA Finals. Leave it to the fans of ringless teams to continue to rationalize why their favorite team cannot break through.
stupid thread.I bet Manu already knows about the article and may be saying:talk all you want,I´m the one winning championships and making tons of money.
Who is this guy and why did I just waste time reading more than 30 seconds of what he wrote?
while polishing his championship rings. WTF would Manu care what is said about him? He seems to enjoy it all, the good and the bad. This is one smart man, the naive "I don't understand what I did to make them mad" act is inspired. He knows exactly what he is doing. He 'mind games' these rooks like no one else.
They may love you or hate you but they'll never forget you.
nobody is saying Manu isn't a flopper son, we're saying he's not only not the only one, but he's not even the worst one. He's just the one on the team everyone fears and therefore hates. This and only this is the reason everyone is crying their eyes out about Manu.
Why the Spurs don't comment on criticism:
It's not their style. Let people talk and say whatever they want to say. The Spurs just show up, and play. And win. Nothing else matters.
I'm so hurt. Couldn't you at least throw in a "three rings" or "chokers" taunt for old time's sake? Two ping pong balls and all of the sudden the Spurs and their fans invented basketball, not James Naismith.No fin..he'll grab his nutsak and perform unlike the sensitive little Mavs. And yes...we're still laughing at you guys, get used to tt.
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