Kenny Smith's comment: "You've got to be selfless to be selfish"

[Solid D]

I don't think I have it on DVR but TNT TV analyst Kenny Smith made a most unusual statement after the Houton Rockets squeeked by the Lakers.

Speaking about Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs, Kenny said you have to be selfless in order to be selfish...and then went on for about 60 seconds trying to describe how that can happen. Ernie, Charles and Magic all listened along with the late-night TV audience without comment.

I scratched my head, then searched for new ways of thinking, but try as I might, I just couldn't help Kenny out with how someone could be selfless, in order to be selfish. When a ball goes out of bounds, we call out to the on-lookers "a little help!"...so I ask y'all "A little help?" on what Kenny meant.

[Slomo]

By selflessly leaving 11 millions $ on the table the team can afford to surround him with talent so he can selfishly win the trophy every year?

[2centsworth]

selfish winning requires selfless playing. OMG I'm confused.

[degenerate_gambler]

kenny smith's rambling analogies are becoming legendary..

[Mark in Austin]

IF you ultimately want championship rings more than anything else, the only way to get them is to put team success before individual success. When you put the team first, you will often find yourself in less of a spotlight - your individual actions aren't as noticed. However, by acting in such a selfless way, the end result can be more rings - and wanting more rings could be considered selfish, I suppose.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

selfish winning requires selfless playing. OMG I'm confused.

kenny smith's rambling analogies are becoming legendary..

Kenny makes unnecessary attempts at putting things cleverly and ends up rambling on and on, rather than just flat out saying it.
When Magic is there, he always ends up summing up Kenny's 10 sentences comparing the do's and don'ts of the teams that night.. " Yeah, they passed the ball"

[T Park]

You selfishly want fame from multiple championships.

To get those championships you have to be selfless.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

That Tim Duncan guy is a selfish son of a .

[Walter Craparita]

give up a little to get a little back.

Look at the bigger picture.

[SpursWoman]

By selflessly leaving 11 millions $ on the table the team can afford to surround him with talent so he can selfishly win the trophy every year?

[boutons_]

In spiritual/ethical circles, they say stuff like:

"The more you give, the more you get"

or

"Give in order that you may receive"

[GrandeDavid]

I liked his gasoline and getting a lift with your buddy nonsensical analogy he made during the NBA lockout on the Jim Rome Show. Talk about rambling. But Kenny is a nice guy, I need not ill on him. I met him in Vegas this summer. He coached his son's AAU team which lost to my nephew's.

[slayermin]

I liked his gasoline and getting a lift with your buddy nonsensical analogy he made during the NBA lockout on the Jim Rome Show. Talk about rambling. But Kenny is a nice guy, I need not ill on him. I met him in Vegas this summer. He coached his son's AAU team which lost to my nephew's.

I remember I heard that live. I can't remember the details but it was something like if he and Jim took a road trip and Jim paid for the gas, that Kenny thought he should pump the gas. And I forget the rest.

[ShoogarBear]

You've got to be cruel to be kind.

[timmy21_4rings]

By selflessly leaving 11 millions $ on the table the team can afford to surround him with talent so he can selfishly win the trophy every year?

agree...

Kenny, keep it simple stupid...Do not give TV viewers something to think during commercials!! I want to be relaxed or cooking or surfing other channels instead of thinking what you said.

[JamStone]

you can spin it several ways to make sense of it. ultimately, he's an idiot.

[naico]

He's selfish cuz he wants to win championships and he's doin that by selfless play and selfless commitment (Leavin' mony on the table)

[timvp]

A s fish hiding in its s is selfish and not a selfless s fish.

[1Parker1]

A s fish hiding in its s is selfish and not a selfless s fish.

Try saying that 10 times.... or even once!

[Reggie Miller]

A s fish hiding in its s is selfish and not a selfless s fish.

William Shatner Voice: Brain....exploding!!!....(must mate with pastel green alien)...aaarghhh!!!...my brain....

[SenorSpur]

By selflessly leaving 11 millions $ on the table the team can afford to surround him with talent so he can selfishly win the trophy every year?

Let's go with that one.

[MoSpur]

What Slomo said.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

I think the problem here is one of transcription. What he actually said was, "You have to be selfless to sell fish." From the guys on the boats to the ones throw them around the market to the people who make sure there's always plenty of crushed ice, it's a team effort. That's the philosophy of the Spurs. Only instead of fish mongering, they monger NBA Championships.

[Reggie Miller]

I think the problem here is one of transcription. What he actually said was, "You have to be selfless to sell fish." From the guys on the boats to the ones throw them around the market to the people who make sure there's always plenty of crushed ice, it's a team effort. That's the philosophy of the Spurs. Only instead of fish mongering, they monger NBA Championships.

Mongering is a confusing word. Fish mongering means selling fish, but iron mongering means fabricating tools out of iron. Maybe I should try fabricating tools out of fish, and that would make it all clear as day.

[anjlbitz]

I thought it made complete sense. But Kenny Smith isn't exactly a very articulate man.