RebKell's Junkie Boards

[RavenDog]

Last year, other than Arike, Dallas had no big time three point snipers. Their offense was anemic. With the Draft and accessions, they could have a firing squad.

Arike
Jefferson
Walker
Sabally
Cooper
KL Samuelson
Dangerfield

If Dallas took Cox instead of Sabally, they still have a firing squad. Now with Imani gone, it looks like it's Cox.

[mavcarter]

[Richyyy]

McGee-Stafford not being around isn't going to make a blind bit of difference to whatever Dallas's pick was going to be. A fringe center who might barely have clung on to a roster spot doesn't affect what you do with a #2 overall pick.

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Independent WNBA coverage: http://www.wnbalien.com/

[Rock Hard]

[ChiSky54]

When Pokey finally decided to use her, she exhibited rapid growth with rookie growing pains. We'll never know if, had that developmental phase continued, her growth would have continued. It was clear (at least to me) that others didn't seem to know how to guide and utilize her. I wish her well.

BTW, what is #NAPT? I looked it up and didn't see an obvious fit.

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There is nothing new under the sun.

[toad455]

[Shades]

[ChiSky54]

I had seen the hashtag before but don't know what the acronym stands for and couldn't find a definition. So when Rock Hard asked mavcarter how it got over the avatar, figured that was my opportunity to ask.

Sadly, I agree that Imani's departure has no impact on the draft decisions Dallas has to make.

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There is nothing new under the sun.

[Luuuc]

[mavcarter]

[RavenDog]

[Richyyy]

Meant exactly what I said, thanks. Whatever it was going to be, is precisely what it still will be. And I happily stand by the statement that the absence of a backup center who's been on three WNBA teams in four years, averaged less than 12mpg and 4ppg last season, and was only signed to a training camp contract in the first place makes absolutely no difference to the pick. So Gustafson or Anigwe or yet another rookie make the end of the bench instead; big difference.

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Independent WNBA coverage: http://www.wnbalien.com/

[RavenDog]

[ClayK]

"In my opinion" goes without saying ... it's the Internet.

And for what it's worth, I totally agree with Richyyy. IMS has never, at any level, come close to producing at an elite level (even in high school).

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Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā

[mavcarter]

[RavenDog]

[myrtle]

wow. a bit over-sensitive I'd say. And yes, these players that even make a W team are elite and IMS has obviously overcome issues to get there. And the fact that she's going off to law school is truly worth kudos. At the same time, all adults receive criticism and need to learn how to take it without over-reacting. Her place on the team was down toward the end of the bench. It's simply a fact.

_________________
For there is always light,
if only we’re brave enough to see it.
If only we’re brave enough to be it.
- Amanda Gorman

[RavenDog]

[PUmatty]

[Rock Hard]

[mavcarter]

[ChiSky54]

Ah...thank you!!!!

Now I get it! I didn't make the connection in spite of now looking back at Monday's conversation.

In the context of this board, I knew it couldn't have been:

Network Address and Port Translation
National Association for Pupil Transportation
National Association for Proficiency Testing
North American Proficiency Testing
a musical group by that name

So I was

As a Sky fan, I am so glad it is no longer true, but it was for so long!

Back to IMS, recently someone recently posted that it seemed she was distracted by her many interests. So I am glad she has found something to focus on. It sounds like she plans to return to WBB ("...Imani McGee-Stafford will forego the next two WNBA seasons..."), but it might not happen in light of her league history, discussed at length here. Whatever happens, I wish her much success!

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There is nothing new under the sun.

[ClayK]

As a journalist -- when there was a lot more journalism -- I used to deal with this a lot, especially at the lower levels. So is it legitimate to criticize a young athlete? Or in the high school arena, should you say which player missed the free throw or turned the ball over in the final seconds?

It's not a simple question. On the one hand, if the player makes the shot and gets the steal, they get praised. Does this mean that only praise is allowed? The stories are only about the positive? There's just a winner and no one ever loses -- though some leave with their heads held high?

So first, the player knows. She knows full well she missed the free throw. Maybe seeing it in the paper makes it sting more, but it happened. It's a fact.

And second, if sports are worth writing about, aren't they worth writing about in a somewhat rigorous manner? Or should journalists set aside any attempt at reporting what happened in order to save the egos and feelings of the players?

Obviously, my answer -- though self-serving -- was that if I am writing about an event, then I will write about the event as a journalist, and say what occurred. Again, obviously, others can disagree.

Once players get to college, they are (in my view) professionals, and now the "shield" of hurt feelings disappears completely, for me. People are paying money to watch you play, and the results are taken seriously. So if a player who was expected to score 12 points and get 5 rebounds a game averages 6 and 3, criticism will follow.

So is that criticism "name-calling"? My point about IMS is that she has never performed at an elite level on a basketball court. That, to me, is an objective fact when her career is compared with others. She has, of course, overcome many obstacles, but so have many, if not most, other elite achievers. And since we don't know their stories, presumably we should not criticize the performance of any athlete, or any individual in any field, because it does not honor their struggle.

I appreciate Randy's concern for IMS, and acknowledgement of what she went through, but I don't feel that should extend to banning discussion of her career.

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Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā

[willtalk]

When you look at IMS's history ( all the way back to high school ) it should be obvious that she never really was that invested in playing the game. It seemed that she really didn't like to play the game and was doing it just because she was tall, came from a basketball family, so it was expected of her.

If she doesn't want to play anymore, more power too her. She has a right to chose her own path.

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No one one is ever as good as their best game, nor as bad as their worst.

[ucbart]