<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Hey, guys! Thought you guys might be interested in what was said on the radio this morning here in PHoenix about this Amare situation. This morning on Xtra Sports 910 on the Bickley and MJ show, they were interviewing a media guy (Paul Coros) who is traveling with the Suns over in Italy and goes to all the practices.They asked him what the heck is going on with this. He said that apparently, the team is starting to think that he is just dogging it, that there isn't anything really wrong with him, that he just isn't putting in the effort to get back. They brought up Jumaine Jones who I guess tore up his ankle in the off season and they said that he is out there giving it his all inspite of being in some pain. According to the doctors, they did an MRI on the knee and there's no swelling and nothing wrong visibly with the knee that had the microfracture surgery and Amare is shutting himself down. They said it kind of reminded them of the TO/Parcells situation in which the coach wanted the player to practice/thought the player could practice and the player was saying he couldn't practice.The media guy said that even D'Antoni is starting to grumble about the situation. They didn't mention any direct quotes but said he isn't that type of coach to hang a player out like that and if he's saying stuff, that it shows how much of an issue it is. They also mentioned how Kurt Thomas was on crutches last season going to every practice, big man meeting, etc. making every effort to get back and how can the coach justify starting Amare over Kurt when he isn't showing any effort to get back.They just said that the team is suspicious of Amare, kind of rolling their eyes when they are asked about him. They are saying that he is isolated from the rest of the team, when the team huddles up and breaks, they don't wait for him to come over and join them, etc. Coros said he saw one time where Amare got up to go over and got about half way there and they broke and Amare just went back and sat down.The team is getting very frustrated with the situation. Now the guys on the show are saying that the scrubs who are earning less than a million who have been hurt are busting their butts to get back and the 72 million dollar man isn't. Paul Coros is quoted as saying the situation is causing friction and discord on the team. Amare just sits on the sideline and sulks, that he is very moody, 'has dark moods', etc. Now they are speculating how this is going to affect the team next year with the cap situation and that it's the type of thing that can sink the team because he's going to be taking up a significant amount of the salary cap and they are trying to sign Diaw.Anyway, thought y'all might be interested, seeing as how they are our biggest competiton</div>Posted by Karlmalone fan on lg.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Something-To-Say @ Oct 7 2006, 11:54 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Whoa whoa whoa, you live in Phoenix? What school do you go to?</div><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Posted by Karlmalone fan on lg.</div>
Thats disapointing. Maybe he has been reading too many articles in the press saying that he cant be the same player. That might be f'ing with his head. If its true, I hope he snaps out of it. He is too good of a player to give up like that. If he keeps it up maybe a mid-season blockbuster is on the cards. The suns survive because they have some of the best chemistry in the L. Some one getting the kind of money he is not putting in the effort could really break a team. Cmon Amare get your sh*t together, play through pain, stop crying and take a look at what the guys that struggle to get in the L are doing and the injuries they play with, just to sit on the bench. They should inspire you.
If Amare doesn't come back strong this year, I will consider him as the next Grant Hill or Bill Walton. Great players who messed up their careers because of injuries.I could also add Allan Houston or maybe even Jermaine O'neal since he's been down the last couple of years.
I think someone needs to slap Amare. That's all I got to say. Kurt Thomas needs to do something about this, he's the tough veteran leader... I'll enjoy another WCF but Amare playing well is our only chance at a championship, probably for quite a while. Nash will be OLD soon, Kurt Thomas is already OLD and next year he will be gone, Marion will be gone for cap reasons, if they don't sign Diaw it'll be another Joe Johnson situation and they won't get lucky this time, Amare will be worthless so we'll have to build around Banks and Barbosa.... Not good. Get well soon Amare, or at least give an effort. If you don't, well then take you and your restaurant over to LA you bastard. :thumbdn1:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ASUFan22 @ Oct 6 2006, 08:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>If you don't, well then take you and your restaurant over to LA you bastard. :thumbdn1:</div>I know we're all frustrated, but let's not get carried away. I don't want him anywhere near LA. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemies. But really, he needs to get his stuff straight and realize if he chooses to, he's the best player on this team. I also heard or read (source pending) that after he missed practice the first day, he was I guess trying to suck up to everyone for bailing on the team. It's kinda hard to fit back into a team that now realizes they can do it without him (though with him is much easier). They're ready to pass the ball around, where Amare might not want to be in a pass first system. It's a sad scary thought all of it. I can't imagine a Suns championship without STAT. Since his rookie season, he's been like the promised child.
Wow, This would be horrible."The worst thing in this world is wasted talent"<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>I know we're all frustrated, but let's not get carried away. I don't want him anywhere near LA. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemies. But really, he needs to get his stuff straight and realize if he chooses to, he's the best player on this team. I also heard or read (source pending) that after he missed practice the first day, he was I guess trying to suck up to everyone for bailing on the team. It's kinda hard to fit back into a team that now realizes they can do it without him (though with him is much easier). They're ready to pass the ball around, where Amare might not want to be in a pass first system. It's a sad scary thought all of it. I can't imagine a Suns championship without STAT. Since his rookie season, he's been like the promised child.</div>Very well put, Welcome to the forums :winkglasses:
*IF* these reports are true, then this is the most dissapointing news I have heard in awhile. Up until this article, everything I heard of Amare has been positive, that he's a hard worker and a general nice guy, so hearing this is quite a but of shock.Without a 26/9 Amare, this team will never sniff the Finals.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BALLAHOLLIC @ Oct 7 2006, 12:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Wow, This would be horrible."The worst thing in this world is wasted talent"Very well put, Welcome to the forums :winkglasses:</div>I recruited him for the recruiting contest a couple months ago. I said this in the Suns forum but I will say it again here. In the paper they said that the next day Amare felt fine and wanted to play in the game. I'm just tired of this roller coaster ride. He just needs to shut up and play.I definetly don't agree with the Suns not "sniffing the Finals" without Amare. I really think they can. With a healthy team last year they were on pace for 60 wins and they are a better team this year with or without Amare. They took the Mavs to 6 games with Raja having the calf injury which just got better and not having Kurt Thomas who would have helped greatly in the playoffs. Now we have Banks and with him giving Nash rest, Nash will not fade away late in the playoffs because of having to play so much and that aggravating his spinal condition. All we need is a little bit more luck with injuries than last year and I believe that they have a good chance to reach the championship. Stoudemire playing at a high level, though not very likely, would just erase any doubt I have.
As a Spurs fan, I hope this is true. Without a healthy Amare or in this case a "lazy/bad attitude Amare", I dont see the Suns competing with either the Spurs or Mavericks. Now, as a basketball fan, I hope that he turns his attitude around. Him along with a couple others in the league can do alot of things that nobody else can do. His athleticism for a big man is ridiculous. It was shown when he lit up Duncan for over 35 a game 2 years ago in the playoffs. He is such a talent; I dont want to see it go to waste.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nitro1118 @ Oct 7 2006, 01:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>*IF* these reports are true, then this is the most dissapointing news I have heard in awhile. Up until this article, everything I heard of Amare has been positive, that he's a hard worker and a general nice guy, so hearing this is quite a but of shock.Without a 26/9 Amare, this team will never sniff the Finals.</div>I couldn't agree more about the first part. I can only imagine how frustrating this must be for Amare. poor guy. but I do think they can sniff the finals without amare. they got pretty close last year without him, and also without kurt thomas.
I personally dont think Kurt Thomas would add that much to the team. Sure, he is a good rebounder and decent defender but I think that he would just slow down the Suns tempo. I really dont think he would help all that much. I think the Suns need a 100 percent Amare to get in to the finals.EDIT: If Amare is 100 percent, and they dont make it to the finals, it will be ridiculous.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ballerman2112 @ Oct 7 2006, 11:54 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I personally dont think Kurt Thomas would add that much to the team. Sure, he is a good rebounder and decent defender but I think that he would just slow down the Suns tempo. I really dont think he would help all that much. I think the Suns need a 100 percent Amare to get in to the finals.</div>It's not like he is new to the team. The offense was scoring 108 points per game with him, he lost some weight and was keeping up just fine. He is a big part of our D and last season he was very good there, not just decent. He would've made a big difference early in the playoffs. With him healthy they may have reached the Finals last season. He has never slowed us down and I don't see why he would start to. A team needs a rebounder to start the fast break. And if Raja was healthy and not bricking all his shots they may have made it with just him healthy too. I wouldn't have them as favorites without Amare but I think they have a very good chance.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ASUFan22 @ Oct 7 2006, 02:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I definetly don't agree with the Suns not "sniffing the Finals" without Amare. I really think they can. With a healthy team last year they were on pace for 60 wins and they are a better team this year with or without Amare. They took the Mavs to 6 games with Raja having the calf injury which just got better and not having Kurt Thomas who would have helped greatly in the playoffs. Now we have Banks and with him giving Nash rest, Nash will not fade away late in the playoffs because of having to play so much and that aggravating his spinal condition. All we need is a little bit more luck with injuries than last year and I believe that they have a good chance to reach the championship. Stoudemire playing at a high level, though not very likely, would just erase any doubt I have.</div>They have always matched up well with the Mavs. If they played the Spurs last year it would have been a sweep, or a 5 game series. Without Amare they lack an offensive low post presence, which makes the team fairly one dimensional. Great teams like the Spurs know when to push it and when to play D, which the 2005 WCF proves. Spurs were at the Suns PPG average, and Suns were all the way down to 102PPG, despite Amare averaging 37PPG. Outside of Amare they are a better team now, and play a bit better defense, but without Amare they are a one dimensional team on offense, not a very good defensive, and don't have the overall firepower to beat the Mavs or Spurs in a 7 game series.With the West, and East, getting stronger and stronger and more balanced, this team has no chance of getting to the Finals without Amare.
This sucks. Amare is one of my favorite players, and living here in Scottsdale, I always found it odd that I was the only one out of my friends saying that Amare will come back and do wonders for the Suns. I think that the media reports are getting to his head.Or maybe his knee really does just get stiff. It doesn't need to be swollen or have anything wrong with it to hurt. I just really hope that Amare comes back strong. We definetly need him to win the Finals this year, and if we are going to win the NBA Finals, then this would be our year. We had a great team last year without Amare, and now that we have him back, we definetly have the strongest chane to win it in the west, IMO.But I really hope for Amare to get better through all of this.
Well, they obviously have a chance to do it but I personally dont think they can beat the Mavericks or even the Spurs. Two of the Spurs big 3 were not 100 percent healthy for the majority of last year so I could make excuses, but im not going to. All teams have injuries. Also, Boris Diaw IMO did just as good at the center position as Kurt Thomas did. The Suns can do just as good without Thomas by going to a smaller lineup IMO. Also, if the Suns couldnt beat the Spurs with their very talented team 2 years ago in the playoffs, I dont see how this team would be able to. Amare was 100 percent healthy, playing some of the best basketball I have ever seen. Nash was the same, Q-Rich was the leading 3-point shooter in the league that season, and besides the first two games, Joe Johnson was healthy and he is a VERY good player. Not to forget one of the most versatile players in the leauge in Shawn Marion. Sure, the Suns still have their big 3 but Amare will not be as effective, and Nash is getting older. Without Nash, this team does not opperate. period. Barbosa is good, but he is no Steve Nash.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ballerman2112 @ Oct 7 2006, 02:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Well, they obviously have a chance to do it but I personally dont think they can beat the Mavericks or even the Spurs. Two of the Spurs big 3 were not 100 percent healthy for the majority of last year so I could make excuses, but im not going to. All teams have injuries. Also, Boris Diaw IMO did just as good at the center position as Kurt Thomas did. The Suns can do just as good without Thomas by going to a smaller lineup IMO. Also, if the Suns couldnt beat the Spurs with their very talented team 2 years ago in the playoffs, I dont see how this team would be able to. Amare was 100 percent healthy, playing some of the best basketball I have ever seen. Nash was the same, Q-Rich was the leading 3-point shooter in the league that season, and besides the first two games, Joe Johnson was healthy and he is a VERY good player. Not to forget one of the most versatile players in the leauge in Shawn Marion. Sure, the Suns still have their big 3 but Amare will not be as effective, and Nash is getting older. Without Nash, this team does not opperate. period. Barbosa is good, but he is no Steve Nash.</div>Yeah, that is true about Nash. But a point about us not being able to beat the Spurs 2 years ago, was just like you said, Joe Johnson was injured for the first two games (both of which we lost), but if memory serves me correctly, the game that JJ came back, we won. It might not be a driving force, and it is possible that even with JJ we would have lost the series, but it is also possible that we could have won.On a side note, I know one of the guys that does the radio show that said this stuff about Amare.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ballerman2112 @ Oct 7 2006, 12:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Well, they obviously have a chance to do it but I personally dont think they can beat the Mavericks or even the Spurs. Two of the Spurs big 3 were not 100 percent healthy for the majority of last year so I could make excuses, but im not going to. All teams have injuries. Also, Boris Diaw IMO did just as good at the center position as Kurt Thomas did. The Suns can do just as good without Thomas by going to a smaller lineup IMO. Also, if the Suns couldnt beat the Spurs with their very talented team 2 years ago in the playoffs, I dont see how this team would be able to. Amare was 100 percent healthy, playing some of the best basketball I have ever seen. Nash was the same, Q-Rich was the leading 3-point shooter in the league that season, and besides the first two games, Joe Johnson was healthy and he is a VERY good player. Not to forget one of the most versatile players in the leauge in Shawn Marion. Sure, the Suns still have their big 3 but Amare will not be as effective, and Nash is getting older. Without Nash, this team does not opperate. period. Barbosa is good, but he is no Steve Nash.</div>You obviously didn't watch the Suns last year then. You do know that they were only a .500 team without Kurt right? Their defensive FG% was 5% higher, their rebounding took a big step back and they just looked much worse. I know the Spurs are good but I still think we can beat them with this team we have. This team is better then the one two years ago. We had no depth 2 years ago, Q during the whole playoffs was just as useful as Pat Burke was this year and Joe Johnson not being there put us in a big hole early(Raja Bell's D is better anyway). If the team can stay healthy I don't see why they can't beat the Spurs. Duncan will have his way against a slower Kurt but having his toughness and veteran prescense still helps in that series. Before last season when the Suns got Raja, Manu said he hated playing against him and he was tough to score on, with Raja and now someone who can play defense inside, Manu won't have his way against the Suns like he did 2 years ago and now we have Marcus Banks so Nash won't have to guard Parker the whole series. Banks is a feisty defender and can match Parker's speed. Elson and Butler can be intimidating inside, but Kurt can shoot the mid range shot with perfection or if Diaw comes in he will be too quick for them. Barbosa will also be too quick to guard and has continued to improve his skills and has gained more confidence every year. He can be a very dangerous scorer off the bench. The Suns have good depth, their defense is just not comparable anymore to that sh*t they had out there 2 years ago. They will be a tougher challenge then they were.As for Nash's age, he's not that old yet. Last year he only slowed down because he was playing a career high in minutes and the Suns had to play two 7-game series. Nash will get more rest this season and will be ready to play when it matters. 2 years ago:2 good defenders3 good shooters3 sometimes 5 reliable players in the playoffsNow:5 good defenders3 good shooters, 5 if some of the newcomers(Banks, Jones) can improve like most players do when they come here7 reliable players not counting Amare, you can say 8 if one of the Jones' gets good playing timeThe difference is the Amare factor and you all saw how Diaw did in his first time in the playoffs. He averaged 18 points even after a slow start. He was improving all throughout the season and postseason last year and will be even better this season with his experience. He can provide the mismatches that Amare gave us. Even though he's not as explosive, he is smarter on the defensive end and a better playmaker which is dangerous for other teams, especially if he can get his mid range jumper to work for him this season. I'm not worried at all.Edit: And I know everyone has injuries but the Mavs didn't have any serious ones and the Suns gave them a good challenge with all the injury problems they had.
