<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Jermaine O'Neal, self-appointed spokesman for high school athletes with pro aspirations, glows when a 19-year-old rookie like Celtics forward Al Jefferson makes the jump into the NBA ranks. ``He'll become one of those guys I have to circle on the calendar, so I know when he's coming up,'' the Pacers center said of the Celtics rookie after yesterday's practice. ``He has a post game - he does have that,'' said O'Neal. ``He's still a rookie, but I like his approach.'' O'Neal's own jump from high school to becoming Portland's first-round pick (17th overall) in the 1996 draft was considered a work in progress. After four years of barely breaking the rotation in Portland, he was traded to Indiana prior to the 2000-01 season. So he understands the concept of impatience with developing high schoolers, even if he doesn't agree with it. ``If you draft anyone, why would you then be impatient with them?'' said O'Neal. ``Why should anyone lose patience in that situation? (Jefferson) is a great example of a high school guy making the move and doing well right away, but I think all of the high school guys who have come in support what I said. A lot of good players don't even get drafted.'' This is where O'Neal puts the onus to produce back on the team. ``I had P.J. Carlesimo my first year in Portland, and then Mike Dunleavy,'' he said of the Blazers coaches. ``P.J. understood me a little more. Dunleavy doesn't like to play younger guys. ``That's why it's very important for teams to be careful when they draft early entry players - even four-year (college) players - that these guys are compatible with the coach. They just have to figure that out. It's a million-dollar industry, so they just have to do that. ``The people you draft have to be compatible to your style. Taking a player because you didn't want someone else to get him is the wrong way to go.'' </div> Source
"Al Jefferson"s don't come around very often. IMO, O'Neal is just trying to use Al's success as a reason why an age limit shouldn't be put in place. While I appreciate his kind words about AJ's game, I totally disagree with the connection he tries to make between AJ and the fact that a lot of HS guys don't get a lot of burn.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting 44Thrilla:</div><div class="quote_post">"Al Jefferson"s don't come around very often. IMO, O'Neal is just trying to use Al's success as a reason why an age limit shouldn't be put in place. While I appreciate his kind words about AJ's game, I totally disagree with the connection he tries to make between AJ and the fact that a lot of HS guys don't get a lot of burn.</div> Can anyone think of a less flattering endorsement (worse bad omen even) than having Jermaine O'Neal, one of the league's biggest punks, and worst actors, and all around biggest pieces of crap, say he respects your game. And totally tongue in cheek too. As usual, this guy has a vendetta to fill, so he drags some other unwilling slob into the mess. What a stunning display of disrespect. Someone should give him a nice elbow in the brain, and spill 'em out the back of his head, like he tried to do to Ricky the other day. You want to talk suspension, flying elbows are good enough for me. The thing is, this team tries to play like the Pistons teams of old. The only problem is, they don't have the talents, leadership, or drive. They have the coaching, no question, but they fall short everywhere else. And that is all you need to know to realize they aren't getting out of the first round, just like usual, and they won't contend seriously with this group of hackers, grabbers, and thugs in place.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Ignignot:</div><div class="quote_post">Jermaine O'Neal, one of the league's biggest punks, and worst actors, and all around biggest pieces of crap ... </div> Wow. That's a bit harsh, don't you think? I've always thought Jermaine seemed to be a pretty good guy.
say what? <font color="Navy"><font size="4"><font face="Lucida Console">Aren't getting out of the first round eh'? Looks like they did just that. Why all the Jermaine hate?</font> </font> </font>
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Birdman33:</div><div class="quote_post">Wow. That's a bit harsh, don't you think? I've always thought Jermaine seemed to be a pretty good guy.</div> That's the thing, the league has spent so much time and energy (and it's mostly the Pacers, I shouldn't say the league) improving this guy's image, but he's really a dirty player, a whiner, and moreover, the guy isn't a winner. The more he complains about the way the league handles things, which he does, constantly, and the more his on-court bullcrap goes over with the refs, the deeper the hole this guy digs himself. Donnie Walsh, Bird, and Rick Carlisle work tirelessly to keep this guy in a positive light every year, but if he doesn't get what he wants, then the league has to deal with it, and that's not necessary. How about when he said he wouldn't play for anyone but Isiah? Which, by the way, is career suicide. Playing for Isiah is like throwing your career right out the window. But he pushed it, and Bird had to work overtime to get him to just suit up for Rick. Which is nuts, Carlisle puts Thomas to shame in the coaching department, and the Pacers have done nothing but improve with Bird at the helm. Nevertheless, if the league wants to put in an age limit (which, by the way, is probably going to cause more problems than it will fix) they seem to have to go throw Jermaine, because apparently he seems to think he has some sort of say. The man sat on that bench for long enough that he got absorb plenty of serviceable play in Portland, and then it took a change of venues for him to get that he needs to play, now, or he's not ever going to. And more power to him for getting it, but watching his career play out, has been one annoyance after another. But I'm through hating on the Pacers, they won, and handly, and I hope they have another great series with the Pistons, just like last year, and we get some more great moments out of them (I'm thinking Tayshaun's game saver in Game 6) and good luck to them.
