Jason Quick stirs up shit about Batum

Sigh.

 

I'm not sure that is stirring up shit? Probably a pretty fair article, no? Batum needs to be more assertive for sure. KP said when he came in for a pre draft work out that he had a little C'est la vie in him. He was right

 

Other than the fact that it is way early, I thought the article was fair.

 

He's right on Batum's offense. Batum looks like he's trying to set a record for most missed dunks/layups. He's missed so many tips and layups this year. Quick gave Batum well deserved credit for his defense though.

I think Batum will have some good offensive games this year. He kinda reminds me of an old Scottie Pippen. Steady defensivly, but only brings it offensively once in awhile.

 

I know it's a common excuse, but Batum was totally neutered by the refs last night - phantom, BS fouls. I was pretty angry about it at the time.

 

Batum is basically playing at the same level as he has the last few years, why is this such a shock?

People have unfairly high expectations for him. Their setting him up for failure. Just be happy that he's a good role player off the bench and leave it at that.

 

I like that Nate has 3 options in the 4th to go to depending on who is playing well: Crawford, Wes, or Batum. Last night it was Wes and JC. Nic will get his chance, but like I said in another thread, it is tough for players to be consistent when coming off the bench. But I will take 6 rebounds and 4 blocks in 21 minutes. He needs to finish on those dunks though.

 

Quel Con.

While some of the specifics in the article were correct, I thought the tone and 'color' of the article was insulting and anything but fair. So, Nico's minutes will be slashed significantly this year, and after three games Quick insults him repeatedly because he isn't playing like an all star. Fuck, half the team has stunk it up at times on the court. Nico says himself he needs to adjust to his reduced role. Quick still finds it necessary to instruct Nico to make adjustments "between his ears". Fuck you Quick. What's the matter, bitter because you haven't gotten to taste $amon's cock lately?

 

I think you might be a little too sensitive about this? He DOES need to make that adjustment. He needs to get that killer instinct. It's not an insult

 

I didn't think the article was fair and very shortsighted.

Nic is now coming off the bench and playing reduced minutes.

Start and play him 30 mins a game and you will see consistency out of him and some aggressive plays here and there. But when you come off the bench, it is hard to have an impact each night.We saw Matthews and Wallace go through the same thing where they would disappear coming off the bench. you could have written a similiar article about how they need to be more aggressive and what is wrong with them is between the ears.

Quick is wrong. Nic came in and was aggressive, in his Nic way. He attacked the basket on offense (it just wasn't dropping for him) and played very aggressive defense. He just doesn't do it with a lot of flash so I guess that means he isn't being aggressive and wanting it to Quick.

Nic is a good team player, willing to be the role player and not making an issue of the fact he is coming off the bench and gets limited minutes. Quick needs something to write about, I hope Nic ignores the article and keeps bringing it the way he has . . . those follow up missed tip ins in and missed lay up when he is attacking the rim will start to fall. Until then he will contribute with his aggressive denfense.

 

Food for thought: When grown men get paid millions of dollars to (essentially ) be entertainers and they aren't as "entertaining" as they should be, isn't it fair to critique them? If this was a talented actor giving a bad performance in a movie wouldn't it be expected that somebody would call attention to it?

There's nothing in that article that is factually incorrect and the conclusions are correct too. Nic needs to seize the moment and take the next step or else he's just another "promising but unfulfilled" prospect and the NBA's "graveyard" is littered with such players.

 

I thought the entire piece was condescending. And coming from Quick, that ticks me off. Could you tell?

 

I agree.

 

These aren't amateur athletes, they're pros and as such part of the territory is being critiqued by the press and the public.

 

Ya. I get that angle as well.

 

If Quick had any talent or objectivity he could write the same 'facts' without being a negative, condescending prat. And whether I agreed with him or not, it wouldn't bother me one bit. But he never has had and it seems he never will. I vented. I'm over it. It's not important.

 

I wonder what this means?

 

Quick is allowed to critic. I got no problem with that. Problem is he is wrong. Nic was aggressive and all over the rim on both sides of the court. It just wasn't his night. But he was attacking the rim and trying to make things happen. There is nothing wrong with Nic mentally.

Qucik can't distingush between a bad game from a bench player where his shots aren't falling to not being aggressive.

So I'm not arguing that Nic should be subject to being critqued, but that doesn't mean the critique is right. And isn't it fair to question whether the critque is accurate. Just because Quick lays down a bunch of facts doesn't automatically make his conclusions right.

Nic needs to seize the moment of going from a starter to a bench player? I think Nic needs to continue to improve, play his role and be patient. His time as a starter will come again and he will be ready to step into that role . .. nothing he has done on the court has shown otherwise.

 

I see Batum getting to a Stacy Augman level peak. That's about it. Augman was no Jive Turkey either. But he will never be an all-star; unless we are epically dominant like the time when we had 3 Blazers in the Allstar game. I'm fine with that. We need a good role playing wing that's a great perimeter defender.

 

My reaction too. The Oregonian, which is the defeatist cancer of the team, set out to destroy Batum's emotions and belief in himself. They succeeded and he won't be as good now. This is what turned Sheed into a media hater. (He had been only a ref hater.)

Last season, Wallace arrived and was so much better than Batum that he immediately took his starting job. In the summer, everyone forgot Wallace and decided that Batum had to get more minutes. Some even wanted Wallace given away for low draft picks. Apparently Quick was one of those with a ridiculous lack of memory.

Batum isn't any worse than he ever was. He's the same as ever. What did Quick expect? He sure never misses a chance to destroy a player's morale with his churchy musings about player emotions, projecting his own feelings upon others, pretending it's coming from them.