Of course some players do, but not the majority. I've tried showing players this forum. I've let them read game threads in the past. They got through about 20 posts, laughed and handed me back the laptop. They could give a shit about what any of of the 4 guys who LIKED your post have to say about them as players. I think it hurts fans feelings, but they just don't. Wheels is on here...... I introduced this forum to Kevin Pritchard and Tom Penn. They both used to get a kick out of what people would post. But that's about it. Said if they ever needed a laugh they'd go read a game thread, or draft thread. They would say they couldn't believe there were so many "Basketball Experts" on here.
If I were a multi-millionaire celebrity basketball player, who worked his entire life to get to such a position, then I would absolutely laugh my ass off and ignore everything people said about me online. Otherwise, I'd go mad. If you get to Dame's level, LeBron's level, KD's level, Curry's level, etc etc......you don't have to justify anything with anyone. Period. If I was a basketball manager and mentoring up rookies who were just drafted to my team, I would express to them the seriousness of staying off of social media except for very specific interpersonal relationships such as email and private "must have" accounts. Twitter and facebook does not qualify there.
Oh, I definitely get that many don't care. To be completely honest I don't really care what most of them think either. Most of them prove they aren't that more of an "Expert" than us normal people. I think it's ego more than anything, for both fan and Player / GM / Coach. We all think we know much more than we do and so we dismiss people pretty quickly because of that.
This is reality! The real players, Coaches and GM's know that what gets said on here or forums like this is complete fantasyland crap most of the time. Seriously. People on this forum actually think they could coach or run a team better without even the slightest bit of knowledge on what it actually takes or what is really happening. It's comical most of the time.
Every comical post on this forum from posters that "...actually think they could coach or run a team better without even the slightest knowledge on what it actually takes or what is really happening". You kind of have to read the post and not dissect it. One thing that helps in this case is to take the words and meaning for exactly what they say. Warning!!!! Do not add any obscure meaning or possible implication. On another note- I purposely did not add a name or call out any singular poster because there are multiple. The beginning of the post is where i set the stage on the concept. Again it would be best to take it for what it says and not add any perceived notion or previous conversation other than the comment i was responding to. It goes like this. Here is my take on it. The Blazers are entertainment. S2 is entertainment. This is not a job(unless this is indeed your job). I have had my time when i thought a bit too much about the Blazers. I spent years doing pregames and player analysis as well as coaching/GM analysis. Don't think for a second i don't understand. In the last 5-6 years i went to work for a guy who actually knows. Believe me when i tell you you don't even want to know some of the stuff he has told me. The NBA is entertainment. I am and always will be a fan of that entertainment. But i know better now than to take it for anything else. I will leave you with that. It's just the way i look at it now. I can respect the way you look at it to. Kjironman is a fan!!!
I agree that it might hurt fans feelings. They get very emotionally attached to a team and they spend hours watching and rooting for the team. Then they spend even more time doing contract and player analysis. Then they spend hard earned money to go to a game or buy their favorite jersey. Heck some fans travel to watch a game even. To think that the player doesn't respect that or even give a shit is hard for some to take. They think "How can they not understand how much time and effort i have put forth" when they tell someone "I'm a huge fan". It happens even within this board. When you the Former HPC says things like this. The minute someone has direct dealings with reality they get confused or even defensive.
Evan Turner blocked me on Twitter for criticizing him. Didnt even tag him. Meyers blocks everyone. If they really didnt give a shit they wouldnt do that.