I'm happy to see Zo and GP get one....Zo has always played his heart out and Payton (although a rocket killer for many years) has always had my respect as a player.....hats off to those two.
If anyone deserves this title Zo does. Donating a kidney to a kid who needs one while you're in the NBA tells you what kind of a guy he really is.
Don't get me wrong, I 100% respect 'Zo in his personal struggle and returning from his illness, it's just what he did off the court that get's me. As for 'Zo and the Nets, I'm just saying that 'Zo didn't really do them any favours and they caught a good break. When he got trade to Tonto, despite not wanting to play there,, I agree that BAbcock is partly responsible,. But really, 'Zo is working for the League and the Raptors. If he gets placed there, play for the Raptors and work something out with them. And as for the "whoring" statdement, I was referring to the rash of vets searching for a ring of late and moving from contenders. GP got traded to the Celts and initially didn't wanna play for them, but he still did. That was the least Mourning gould do. I respect 'Zo and what he's gone through to get this ring and his hard work. I can easily see why he sould be an inspiration, it's just that his negative traits that came through(from my perspective) are points off for Mourning's case. That's not to say that all inspirations/role models have to be perfect - none are, but his unproffesionalism sticks out most in my mind.
Mourning shouldn't get an preferential treatment just because he had a kidney transplant. He should be treated like any other player in the league and that is that he is expected to honour his contract that he signed. Don't give me all this crap about how he almost died. That doesn't give him the right to demand to play with any team he wants. Nothing that happened off the court has any correlation to what his responsibilities are as a player. It isn't only Mourning. I lose respect for any players that sign a contract and don't honour it.
Eclipse pretty much summed up my thoughts on Zo. Babcock had a part with the way Mourning embarassed Toronto, but it's just that whole attitude he had. Its almost as if he felt he deserved a championship while he was playing for the Nets. And for him to continue to bash the organization a year after he left them is absolutely ridiculous. Hopefully he retires and I don't have to listen to him or hear about him anymore.
Alonzo is a jerk, he shouldn't be an inspiration to anybody, when's the last time you see him doing anything for anybody else other than talk? Ok good he survived, someone else donated a kidney to him, yet he gets all the glory, lying in a hospital bed and surviving is something your body is doing for you, all the doctors that have worked hard to get into Medschool and save him, nope, they aren't inspiring, all the soldiers dying overseas, yes, Alonzo is as inspiring as those soldiers since he won a championship for himself and no one else, those soldiers are putting their lives on the line for a war thats much more terrible than an nba game, while Alonzo does this for himself, this is such a joke post, I thought when i clicked on it, that it was sarcasm, I had no idea people would actually find Alonzo inspiring.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Chuck:</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah, Alonzo Mourning is a selfish jerk. He's lucky to even be alive, and playing, and he decides to screw over two teams.</div> Selfish jerk? Please know what your talking about before you type. Mourning gives to charity as much as anybody in the league does. Who cares about basketball terms, wow he did a couple teams wrong, big deal, its a business. Alonzo Mourning does things for people, hate his demeanor and the way he carries himself on the court all you want. I know for a fact that he spends time with kids and does plenty of charity. Some of you take a few minutes of your time to read this article, about the "selfish jerk", who "doesn't do anything for anybody" <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> It's been two years of extreme ups and downs for Mourning. Playing for the 2000 U.S. Olympic team last September, Mourning endeared himself to the world when he flew more than 9,300 miles from Australia to Miami so he could witness the birth of his daughter, Myka Sydney. He arrived a mere 20 minutes before the delivery and spent a precious day with her before returning to the Games to help the team win a gold medal. The next month, he bravely confronted the diagnosis that he had focal glomerulosclerosis, a kidney disorder for which Mourning had to take 15 pills a day. He returned to the Heat lineup in March 2001, six months sooner than expected. While dealing with that, he has been fulfilling a promise to his hometown of Chesapeake, Va., and a lady named Fannie Threat, now in her late 80s. Mourning was just an adolescent when Threat, a foster mother, took him into her home. She looked after him until basketball stardom took him first to Georgetown University and then to the NBA in 1992, initially with the Charlotte Hornets and now the Heat. "Before I leave this Earth," Threat told Mourning several years ago, "I want you to come back and do something for your hometown." By then, Mourning already was intensely involved with his foundation work in Miami. His "Zo's Summer Groove" in July encompasses a block party, concert, golf tournament, charity dinner and all-star game and has raised more than $1.4 million in five years. The money supports 100 Black Men of South Florida, a youth-mentoring effort; Children's Home Society, a foster-care resource group; and other outreach efforts. Mourning also has worked with local donors to launch a planned $3 million youth center in the struggling Overtown neighborhood. When Threat made her request, Mourning clearly was neck-deep in outreach efforts. But Mourning knew his foster mom was right; he had to try to work the same magic where he grew up. Now he puts on a Summer Groove there in August, with a "fun day" in the park; a celebrity softball game; a free basketball clinic; and a golf tournament. The Hampton Roads Summer Groove, only in its second year, expects to raise $50,000 for local Boys and Girls clubs and Chesapeake Care, a free clinic for poor families. Before the golf tournament in Chesapeake, Mourning finds time to visit sick kids in a hospital. These days, he has more to offer than toys and autographs. He can share his own story about being seriously ill. "How are you doing, Zo?" the kids ask. "How are you feeling?" Mourning offers a smile and encouraging words. "I'm remaining positive," he tells them. "Even if there are good days and bad days, if your heart is strong and your mind is strong, your body will feel better." To battle the disease, Mourning has teamed up with San Antonio Spurs star Sean Elliott, who also suffers from the kidney disorder, to launch Zo's Fund for Life. So far, it has raised more than $1 million for research and education. For one man, it seems like a lot to take on. Especially when his "breaks" end up being working vacations with little downtime. It must be enough to make Threat proud, right? "She's pleased," Mourning says, "but she isn't satisfied." And neither is Zo. </div> Its an older article but it gets the point across. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Alonzo is a jerk, he shouldn't be an inspiration to anybody, when's the last time you see him doing anything for anybody else other than talk?</div> I guess people like you and Chuck should feel really stupid when Zo has raised millions in charity. He also donated his entire Miami Heat salary to charity before for people who have kidney sickness and under priviledged children. For real people, its ok to dislike a player, but you cannot take away anything from Alonzo as a person, and some of you have been real ignorant with your comments (BlackMamba).
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting B-22:</div><div class="quote_post">Selfish jerk? Please know what your talking about before you type. Mourning gives to charity as much as anybody in the league does. Who cares about basketball terms, wow he did a couple teams wrong, big deal, its a business. Alonzo Mourning does things for people, hate his demeanor and the way he carries himself on the court all you want. I know for a fact that he spends time with kids and does plenty of charity.</div> He donates to charity. That's great. But, that's not really what everybody's talking about. Someone said that his recovery from kidney surgery and eventual championship is inspirational. I don't think so, because he is a jerk on the court, and he was selfish when it came to honouring his contract.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Chutney:</div><div class="quote_post">He donates to charity. That's great. But, that's not really what everybody's talking about. Someone said that his recovery from kidney surgery and eventual championship is inspirational. I don't think so, because he is a jerk on the court, and he was selfish when it came to honouring his contract.</div> Call it selfish, but sometimes you have to be selfish to succeed and thats the way it is. Alonzo may be selfish, but look at him now it paid off and he went to a team that could compete, and he contributed and helped him win. He had a monster performace against the Mavs in game 6. He made plays more than any Maverick not including Dirk (who disappeared in the 4th quarter). Zo earned his ring, but some of you Canadians, and Nets fans (and the Black Mamba) are bitter about it. Its not like an All Star ditched your team or something. Zo was an older player, looking for something that definitely could not be found in Toronto or NJ. It is inspirational when somone can come back from something like that, and win. You guys make sound easy, why don't you try getting a kidney transplant. You have to be mentally tough to come back from it, and when a little kid who needs a kidney and is sick in bed watching a Miami Heat game and sees Zo swating people like Jason Terry, that little kid will think that there is still hope for himself and for his dreams.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting B-22:</div><div class="quote_post">Call it selfish, but sometimes you have to be selfish to succeed and thats the way it is. Alonzo may be selfish, but look at him now it paid off and he went to a team that could compete, and he contributed and helped him win. He had a monster performace against the Mavs in game 6. He made plays more than any Maverick not including Dirk (who disappeared in the 4th quarter). Zo earned his ring, but some of you Canadians, and Nets fans (and the Black Mamba) are bitter about it. Its not like an All Star ditched your team or something. Zo was an older player, looking for something that definitely could not be found in Toronto or NJ. It is inspirational when somone can come back from something like that, and win. You guys make sound easy, why don't you try getting a kidney transplant. You have to be mentally tough to come back from it, and when a little kid who needs a kidney and is sick in bed watching a Miami Heat game and sees Zo swating people like Jason Terry, that little kid will think that there is still hope for himself and for his dreams.</div> His fight back from the kidney transplant certainly is amazing. And the fact that he was able to play basketball is about the only thing about Zo that is close to inspirational. Everything outside of that is tainted. His championship and his performance in the playoffs is not as inspirational to me, because I know he had to whine like a baby to get to that position in the first place. What he did was more than just selfish. He bent the rules and yet everyone seems to find this acceptable. Why? Because he's old? Because he had surgery? Because Toronto and NJ were crappy teams? Because he contributes to charity? There's no justification for forcing a team to trade you and breaking your word. You're stuck on a lottery team? Tough luck. Zo didn't earn his championship. Earning a title entails working with a team that you signed with and helping to build it into a champion. Mourning abandoned the team he made a pact with to ride Shaq and Wade to his ring.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Chutney:</div><div class="quote_post"> There's no justification for forcing a team to trade you and breaking your word. </div> He never really gave his word to Toronto though... <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Zo didn't earn his championship. Earning a title entails working with a team that you signed with and helping to build it into a champion. Mourning abandoned the team he made a pact with to ride Shaq and Wade to his ring.</div> Zo earned his championship. He didn’t just sign with the Heat sit on injury reserve all year, and collect his ring when the Heat won the title. Zo had what five blocks in one game during the close out game against the Mavericks? After Shaq and Wade Alonzo was arguably the best player on the Heat’s roster. Zo played and contributed just as much as anyone on that roster he earned that championship ring. No matter how people feel about it. As far as the original topic goes I do find Zo’s story inspirational. I mean to come back from a kidney transplant and play at the level he has when doctors said he could never play basketball again is an inspiration to anyone with a disease, and even the average person. If you don’t give up on your dream, or yourself wonderful things can happen. Some of the stuff said in this thread went from ignorant to idiotic. TBM how can you say you hope a guy you have never met rots in hell for doing what was best for himself? Is that a sin now a days? Does him not wanting to play for the Raptors, or his problem with Net management discount everything he has done in live as a person and player. That’s just ignorant right there.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Zo didn't earn his championship. Earning a title entails working with a team that you signed with and helping to build it into a champion. Mourning abandoned the team he made a pact with to ride Shaq and Wade to his ring.</div> In that case Zo has indeed earned his championship because he has honored all of his contracts up until the entire NJ-Toronto episode. I don't understand why some of you people are acting like Zo is VC or something. In my opinion its ok to be mad at VC, but Mourning is a veteran looking to win a chip', BKS is right he did what was best for him so thats that.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">In that case Zo has indeed earned his championship because he has honored all of his contracts up until the entire NJ-Toronto episode. I don't understand why some of you people are acting like Zo is VC or something. In my opinion its ok to be mad at VC, but Mourning is a veteran looking to win a chip', BKS is right he did what was best for him so thats that.</div> Damn straight. There are so many other guys who whine on the court, Alonzo is probably the least worst of them. I mean you could at least show him some love and respect, all the people on Sports Illustrated respected Alonzo for his miraculous recovery and tenacious defense. C'mon, he's not Latrell Spreewell. Is he?
B-22 "Zo earned his ring, but some of you Canadians, and Nets fans (and the Black Mamba) are bitter about it. Its not like an All Star ditched your team or something. Zo was an older player, looking for something that definitely could not be found in Toronto or NJ." Thanks for singling people out especially Canadians, while no Canadian watches Raptors except for Torontonians. Since Iverson and Iguodala cannot also find a championship contender in Philly, why dont they also tell PHilly that they were too sick to play like Alonzo and regroup with the heat? would that make you feel better? Carter was given away for that trade, Alonzo is garbage compared to Carter, but Toronto gave up an allstar for someone that didn't even show up, so that was a ditch. He even lied and the doctors said he was physically unable to play, so Toronto had to pay $10 million to get him off the team. HE LIED. he is not an inspiration, getting things for yourself is can only inspire others to be selfish. And so what, he donates to charity. Doesnt almost all of the other players donate to some form of charity? It can only make you look good.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting intrepid1983:</div><div class="quote_post">B-22 "Zo earned his ring, but some of you Canadians, and Nets fans (and the Black Mamba) are bitter about it. Its not like an All Star ditched your team or something. Zo was an older player, looking for something that definitely could not be found in Toronto or NJ." Thanks for singling people out especially Canadians, while no Canadian watches Raptors except for Torontonians. Since Iverson and Iguodala cannot also find a championship contender in Philly, why dont they also tell PHilly that they were too sick to play like Alonzo and regroup with the heat? would that make you feel better? Carter was given away for that trade, Alonzo is garbage compared to Carter, but Toronto gave up an allstar for someone that didn't even show up, so that was a ditch. He even lied and the doctors said he was physically unable to play, so Toronto had to pay $10 million to get him off the team. HE LIED. he is not an inspiration, getting things for yourself is can only inspire others to be selfish. And so what, he donates to charity. Doesnt almost all of the other players donate to some form of charity? It can only make you look good.</div> lol at you attempting to throw the 76ers into this, like they really have to do with anything. That just shows how high your immaturity level is. The traded Vince, but even if Zo did play he wouldn't have made your team any better. Do you have any proof he lied to doctors? Cause first of all that doesn't even make any sense, don't you think a doctor would know when a player is physically able to play? That is part of their job you know. I think a doctor would know if Zo was lying or not. I singled out people, inclunding Canadians because its obvious why they are mad that Zo did their team wrong. That has nothing to do with what Zo accomplished though. Yeah a lot of players have given to chartiy, but Alonzo's charity in particular has raised millions of dollars. Not many players can brag about that buddy.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Chutney:</div><div class="quote_post">He donates to charity. That's great. But, that's not really what everybody's talking about. Someone said that his recovery from kidney surgery and eventual championship is inspirational. I don't think so, because he is a jerk on the court, and he was selfish when it came to honouring his contract.</div> Wake up, everybody has to be selfish at some point in the NBA. From the players to GM's. If I'm Mourning, going to a bad team in Toronto at that point in his career, I'd do the same thing. Besides, why is it teams easily get rid of players and say "it's just a business" but players get called "selfish" for wanting to win. Zo plays his heart out every time he's on the court, how does that equate to him being a jerk? You can't throw personal attacks on somebody you've never met.
lol What I dont get is that if you sign a contract then why don't you uphold it. I mean if you don't wanna play for that team then why sign the contract. Alonzo mourning might be a nice guy based on that segment they did during half time during a game and there is no doubt his value on the court, but be a professional and honor your commitments. Gary Payton deserved this ring and I'm happy for him because this leaves Karl Malone (one man i hate) without one.
Throwing in the 76er's shows how i can relate to you since your team is the 76'ers based on observations of your status on the left, throwing in Canadians on the other hand shows otherwise, since I might as well say All Americans, as opposed to just Miami, or New Jersey, most Canadians don't even watch bball buddy, just Torontonians in particular since raptors play there, and the rest of the country only watches hockey, be a bit more specific, since that proves you know nothing of Canadian geography. How does throwing in 76'ers show my immaturity level since i'm trying to the stat that you are showing everyone else? I'm giving you an example of what Alonzo did, if Iverson did that too, would you think it's right? Remember, I have not attacked your credibility at all, just the topic until now since you started it. And why do people keep overlooking the fact that this thread is about Alonzo being enlightening? It all stemmed from that topic. People also seem to ignore his dishonouring of the contract, people who fight for him tend to ignore that part of his enlightenment. Just my opinion that I do not find him enlightening, it is okay if other people do, that was just my 2 cents on the topic, you don't have to believe me, it is ok, we're all entitled to our viewpoints on the basketball topic. For all I know, he probably is doing some inspiring things, but I haven't personally found that yet till more evidence of his works are revealed.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Best Kept Secret:</div><div class="quote_post"> He never really gave his word to Toronto though... Zo earned his championship. He didn’t just sign with the Heat sit on injury reserve all year, and collect his ring when the Heat won the title. Zo had what five blocks in one game during the close out game against the Mavericks? After Shaq and Wade Alonzo was arguably the best player on the Heat’s roster. Zo played and contributed just as much as anyone on that roster he earned that championship ring. No matter how people feel about it. </div> It might surprise you, but I'm more annoyed about what he did too the Nets, than what he did to the Raps. Our retarded GM had a hand in the Toronto debacle. Here's what I meant about him not earning that championship. He didn't earn the right to switch teams like that. Nobody can. Really, he didn't earn the right to be on that Miami Heat team in the first place. I've always been firmly against players demanding trades. I didn't like it when VC did it. Or Shaq. And I don't like how Zo did it. I haven't taken anything away from his return from a kidney transplant. In a previous post I said you can find that inspirational. But what he's done and how he's acted in the NBA since then has been far from inspirational. ------------------------------ <div class="quote_poster">Quoting B-22:</div><div class="quote_post">In that case Zo has indeed earned his championship because he has honored all of his contracts up until the entire NJ-Toronto episode. I don't understand why some of you people are acting like Zo is VC or something. In my opinion its ok to be mad at VC, but Mourning is a veteran looking to win a chip', BKS is right he did what was best for him so thats that.</div> But what makes it alright for that NJ contract to not be honoured? There's no difference between him and VC. And Shaq. And Steve Francis. And any other player that breaks their contract. How is being "a veteran looking to win a 'chip" any justification? There are lots of veterans in the league and every player is looking to win a title. He's allowed to look out for what best for him, but it has to fit within the rules. What kind of precedent did he set? --------------------------------- <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rock4life:</div><div class="quote_post">Wake up, everybody has to be selfish at some point in the NBA. From the players to GM's. If I'm Mourning, going to a bad team in Toronto at that point in his career, I'd do the same thing. Besides, why is it teams easily get rid of players and say "it's just a business" but players get called "selfish" for wanting to win. Zo plays his heart out every time he's on the court, how does that equate to him being a jerk? You can't throw personal attacks on somebody you've never met.</div> You made so many random points, but none of them really make sense: 1. Everybody has to be selfish at one point and that point is when they are a free agent. Zo took the big money and left Miami. That was selfish, but I have nothing wrong with it because that's how the system works and he did what he felt was best for him. 2. It doesn't matter what you would have done in that situation. You would have been wrong too. Everybody keeps making this point about him being a veteran. What does being old and in the decline have to do with being allowed to break the rules? It's all part of this idea that players deserve championships. Nobody deserves a title. You're stuck on a bad team? Tough luck. Maybe he should have been smarter when he was signing that big contract. 3. If Zo had a problem with the system he should have said something when he was making millions as a free agent. Not when his whole plan backfired and it looked like he was going to retire without a title. You can't complain about the system if you're profiting from it. Plus, when teams get rid of players, they still have to pay them. Zo ditched the Nets/Raptors and they still had to pay him for some stupid reason. But everybody who finds his story inspirational seems to skip over that part. 4. I don't know the man, but that doesn't mean I can't make judgments about what he has done. You don't know him. What gives you the right to defend him? I never attacked his game. I admire his game. But, he has acted like jerk. Zo's continued to publicly criticize the Nets, despite totally screwing them over. He should be apologizing or shutting up.
