They'll need him to gimp along for three years first. And the bust 'once in a generation' player needs to have surgeries for like five years in a row and play a total of 82 games. I'm trying to sympathize, and I do, but there's just no comparison. What happened here was unprecedented, at least as far as I know.
On a podcast a few months ago Bill Simmons and Steve Kerr tried to come up with a franchise as snake bitten as us (Roy/Oden/Sabonis/Bowie) and neither one could.
Bill Walton.....game 7 of the 2000 WCF....not to mention all of the close losses and collapses during the Drexler era.... The only other franchise I can think of that might come in 2nd is is the Magic, who lost Shaq as a FA, and had Hardaway's career cut short. They also had a superstar in T-Mac who was severly diminished due to injury. But I can't think of any franchise who has had as bad a luck with injuries. 4 franchise centers.....
You forgot Grant Hill with the Magic when he had all those knee problems and almost died from a staff infection. Can't really blame Shaq leaving on the magic, they tried lowballing him like 3 times before and horrible media about him being selfish and wanting huge money when he wasn't worth it. I don't think the magic ever offered more then 60 mill. T-Mac and Yao with the Rockets is close but they were pretty solid before that.
The early 90's were an odd time for NBA contracts, a transition period between the 1-2mil a year contracts and the 10-20mil a year balloon contracts. I can see a new owner without much skin in the game looking at historical contracts and offering Shaq a contract that would today be seen as worse than an insult. But to him, it probably was in the 80th percentile for contracts offered in 1990-1994.
Up 12 points, 1:10 left, and Thibs has Rose still in the game. Completely unnecessary, and you have to fault the coach for this, at least in part.
I like Rose and I feel bad for him. But fuck the Bulls and their fans. I have had enough of their BS to last me a life time.
It won't matter anyhow. According to many posters here, the only reason the Bulls are good is because of Thibs. We'll see...
The Bulls went 32-7 (.821) with him and 18-9 (.667) without him, so they won't wither (played 41% of the season without him) and are still an elite team (.667) which will probably win the first two rounds.
Orlando isn't even close. Sure they have had some bad luck; Penny, Grant Hill and T-Mac, and made some bad management decisions; not immediately offering Shaq the max possible, not checking Hill's medical carefully, the botched team build around Dwight Howard, BUT..... for every "snakebit" the Magic have experienced, they have received multiple kisses: Winning the Shaq lotto Winning the next lotto (Chris Webber - who they traded for Penny) Having Duncan consider moving to them (when have the Blazers EVER EVER EVER had a free agent of that caliber put us at the top of their list?) Getting Grant Hill as a free agent (they wanted Ducan and Hill, and got the guy they wanted, even if it was a mistake.) Getting T-Mac as "consolation" prize. Winning the Dwight Howard lotto. How many #1 picks have the Blazers had in the last 20 years? 1 - and his bones disentigrated into dust. How many #1 picks have the Magic had in the last 20 years? 3 - and those players have been All-Stars for the Magic, All-NBA for the Magic, and taken the team to the Finals. There is no way that team is snakebitten. If that is snakebitten - then give us some of that shit - please.
What terrible news for Rose. I know I like a player when I am drawn to watch them even though I'm not a fan of the team. Rose is that kind of player for me. Good kid, plays hard, confident but not overly cocky. Was looking forward to watching what he could do with his team against the Heat. I have no dobut he will be back at 99% (are you really ever 100% after an injury like that . . . there is a least a 1% loss in leg strength mcuh less the mental part of reinjuring it)
I think ACL is one of those recoveries that you come back stronger then before. I have never gone through but have had friends that have.
When Chicago exits the playoffs earlier than they would have, national TV ratings will take a small hit from the #3 market.
