Listening to MSP this morning . . . they brought on a Houston reporter. The reporter asked MSP crew what they thought of Przybilla. MSP crew either were or acted clueless and said something like hard nose defender, limited offensive skills. The reporter explained the Joel hatred going on in Houston and again they reacted surprised saying how Blazer fans hate Scola and Yao ( obviously the MSP was on a different page when understanding the hate that is going on against Joel by many Houston fan). So it made me wonder, does Joel know there is hatred brewing for him and that he will get a loud reaction when he is introduced? Or is this hate a minority few NBA junkies and he won't get more than a handful of jeers? Personally, I hope he gets booed pretty intensly. I know his teammates back him up and it might just add a little extra fight for the Blazers. If they are going to win one in Houston, they have to be ready for an all out war. The team will rally around Joel to take on the Rockets, the crowd . . . and the refs.
I hope the fans do boo Joel, it will only help "enforce" his role as an enforcer.... If Joel became even a little more Bill Laimbeer, and started getting under opponents skin a little bit more, the team would be so much better of for it. You know, the more everyone worries about Joel flopping and elbowing and pushing, the more they don't pay attention to Brandon and LA killing them. Long live the "red ass"!
Hopefully they boo. Let's get some bad blood in this series, and I think Joel would thrive in that kind of situation. I don't think he's ever faced anything like that. And it'll be a good learning experience for the guys to play in real hostile playoff environment and then break their backs with a win.
I was trying to remember if Joel has ever been booed during introductions. I can't recall and agree I think Joel will feed off it . . . and hopefully his teamamtes. I'm pretty sure he will get booed loudly . . . and again I wonder if he expects it given that it hasn't happened to him before.
I think he has always been booed in Minnesota (except for the last game there) and he said that he expects it, and doesn't bother him, and that he kind of fed off of it. Anybody else remember reading this?
Joel is like Chuck Norris, he will roundhouse kick the boo birds in the teeth after he blocks their shot!
I forgot about that. He was booed from bitter Minnesota fans when he left the Gophers early for the NBA. That "I Hate Joel Przbyilla" thread on the Rockets forum is hilarious...
I take with a grain of salt criticism of Joel as a "flopper" and a "dirty player" from a fanbase that blindly supports Luis Scola and Ron Artest.
And no matter what Joel does, we still have Oden. Remember when Joel and Carlos Boozer both got tossed on double technicals? So we bring in Oden and the Jazz brought in . . . who again? How's that working out for you, Utah? That was hilarious. (Even more hilarious when Sloan got tossed.)
I dont see a "I Hate Joel Pryzbilla" thread over there. Their forum is dead. They still have threads from March on their main page. Losers!
The one on clutchfans that has been mentioned on the board: http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=166965
I bet if you told Houston fans that Artest was arrested on domestic violence charges they would disagree.
If opposing fans are booing a player for his on-court play... that player must be doing something right. Keep it up Pryz.
