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Barrister15
Joined: 09 Mar 2005
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 Posted: 02/06/15 2:18 pm ::: |
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People act like
a) DT would retire from basketball and then sit around watching tv and eating chips all day. Do you really think she wouldn't do something else where she'd make probably more money, like coaching?
and
b) that she had the choice of making $1.5 mil and staying home for the summer vs. making $107K for the whole year. Was the $1.5+ only contingent on her sitting out the W season? I was under the impression that the $1.5 was her salary and that they would pay her something extra -- at or around the $107K -- to keep her home from the summer. Even if they doubled her WNBA salary to keep her away from the W for the summer, is $100K enough to walk away from your team and fans? That's not the difference between long term poverty and a lifetime of wealth. And what about next year when they make the same offer?
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pilight
Joined: 23 Sep 2004
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| Posted: 02/06/15 2:37 pm ::: |
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Perhaps Ekat saw that and the bonuses for players who don't play overseas and decided to make this Taurasi deal as a preemptive step, essentially saying "we will win this bidding war so don't mess with us".
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ArtBest23
Joined: 02 Jul 2013
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| Posted: 02/06/15 2:51 pm ::: |
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| Barrister15 wrote: |
People act like
a) DT would retire from basketball and then sit around watching tv and eating chips all day. Do you really think she wouldn't do something else where she'd make probably more money, like coaching?
and
b) that she had the choice of making $1.5 mil and staying home for the summer vs. making $107K for the whole year. Was the $1.5+ only contingent on her sitting out the W season? I was under the impression that the $1.5 was her salary and that they would pay her something extra -- at or around the $107K -- to keep her home from the summer. Even if they doubled her WNBA salary to keep her away from the W for the summer, is $100K enough to walk away from your team and fans? That's not the difference between long term poverty and a lifetime of wealth. And what about next year when they make the same offer? |
The financial benefit isn't the marginal amount they paid her to stay away, it's the potential for saving her body and being able to have one or two additional $2M years.
And yes, I think there is a distinct possibility that Taurasi wants to retire to her privacy and a quiet life on the beach where her primary income is living off of the assets earned during her basketball days. Maybe she wants a family for example.
A few years ago she answered it this way:
Q: What are you going to do after basketball?
A: I have an obsession that includes vintage T-shirts, a wine bar and a tapas restaurant. I have a weird obsession with really good coffee, really good wine and really cool, vintage T-shirts, like a 1986 Guns N' Roses throwback tour shirt. Stuff like that
Q: Where will this obsession be located?
A: Probably Manhattan Beach (Calif.). Some place real laid-back, cool. That's what I'm thinking.
Never once have I seen her say she wants to be a coach or a broadcaster. If someone else has, I'd love to see a link to the interview.
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kool-aide
Joined: 09 Jun 2009
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| Posted: 02/06/15 3:30 pm ::: |
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| ArtBest23 wrote: |
Never once have I seen her say she wants to be a coach or a broadcaster. If someone else has, I'd love to see a link to the interview. |
Last WNBA season, there was a clip of DT interviewing Catchings and she asked Catch what she wanted to do after playing and Catch said being a GM was a goal. DT said coaching was something she was considering--that she wanted to be "around the game" after her playing days were over. But that she didn't really know what she was going to do. A coffee shop was also mentioned as a possibility.
Last edited by kool-aide on 02/06/15 3:33 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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mercfan3
Joined: 23 Nov 2004
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| Posted: 02/06/15 3:32 pm ::: |
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| Barrister15 wrote: |
People act like
a) DT would retire from basketball and then sit around watching tv and eating chips all day. Do you really think she wouldn't do something else where she'd make probably more money, like coaching?
and
b) that she had the choice of making $1.5 mil and staying home for the summer vs. making $107K for the whole year. Was the $1.5+ only contingent on her sitting out the W season? I was under the impression that the $1.5 was her salary and that they would pay her something extra -- at or around the $107K -- to keep her home from the summer. Even if they doubled her WNBA salary to keep her away from the W for the summer, is $100K enough to walk away from your team and fans? That's not the difference between long term poverty and a lifetime of wealth. And what about next year when they make the same offer? |
Every professional sport has a resting period, because it shortens careers to be playing year round.
Taurasi has played year round since graduating from college, except for the summer Phoenix "tanked." As someone else pointed out, a summer off of rest may mean that Taurasi will get an extra two or three years of playing at an elite level, meaning she'll command the 1.5 over more years.
She's given her fans ten years and three championships. WNBA fans have to stop being so entitled, especially when it comes to Taurasi. (Which is odd because it seems like many people here hate her..so why they insist she plays every second of a WNBA game.) It would be stupid of Taurasi to not take this offer. Yes, it sucks for the fans, but she's given a lot to the game and to her fans..she deserves to take care of herself.
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kool-aide
Joined: 09 Jun 2009
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| Posted: 02/06/15 3:37 pm ::: |
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| pilight wrote: |
Perhaps Ekat saw that and the bonuses for players who don't play overseas and decided to make this Taurasi deal as a preemptive step, essentially saying "we will win this bidding war so don't mess with us". |
Maybe. This "pay to not play in the WNBA" contract is not a new thing for them. It's just that DT is the biggest face to agree to do it, I think. For all sorts of reasons, Nolan was not the same sort of super-star face of the league like DT is. And if there is a summer for DT to sit out in the next couple of years, this is the one to pick.
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Shades
Joined: 10 Jul 2006
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| Posted: 02/06/15 3:51 pm ::: |
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| ArtBest23 wrote: |
| Barrister15 wrote: |
People act like
a) DT would retire from basketball and then sit around watching tv and eating chips all day. Do you really think she wouldn't do something else where she'd make probably more money, like coaching?
and
b) that she had the choice of making $1.5 mil and staying home for the summer vs. making $107K for the whole year. Was the $1.5+ only contingent on her sitting out the W season? I was under the impression that the $1.5 was her salary and that they would pay her something extra -- at or around the $107K -- to keep her home from the summer. Even if they doubled her WNBA salary to keep her away from the W for the summer, is $100K enough to walk away from your team and fans? That's not the difference between long term poverty and a lifetime of wealth. And what about next year when they make the same offer? |
The financial benefit isn't the marginal amount they paid her to stay away, it's the potential for saving her body and being able to have one or two additional $2M years.
And yes, I think there is a distinct possibility that Taurasi wants to retire to her privacy and a quiet life on the beach where her primary income is living off of the assets earned during her basketball days. Maybe she wants a family for example.
A few years ago she answered it this way:
Q: What are you going to do after basketball?
A: I have an obsession that includes vintage T-shirts, a wine bar and a tapas restaurant. I have a weird obsession with really good coffee, really good wine and really cool, vintage T-shirts, like a 1986 Guns N' Roses throwback tour shirt. Stuff like that
Q: Where will this obsession be located?
A: Probably Manhattan Beach (Calif.). Some place real laid-back, cool. That's what I'm thinking.
Never once have I seen her say she wants to be a coach or a broadcaster. If someone else has, I'd love to see a link to the interview. |
http://youtu.be/o4g0NysKx74
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Nnekalonians 1:14 - Thou shalt not accept that which is not earned
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ArtBest23
Joined: 02 Jul 2013
Posts: 14550
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| Posted: 02/06/15 4:45 pm ::: |
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| Shades wrote: |
| ArtBest23 wrote: |
| Barrister15 wrote: |
People act like
a) DT would retire from basketball and then sit around watching tv and eating chips all day. Do you really think she wouldn't do something else where she'd make probably more money, like coaching?
and
b) that she had the choice of making $1.5 mil and staying home for the summer vs. making $107K for the whole year. Was the $1.5+ only contingent on her sitting out the W season? I was under the impression that the $1.5 was her salary and that they would pay her something extra -- at or around the $107K -- to keep her home from the summer. Even if they doubled her WNBA salary to keep her away from the W for the summer, is $100K enough to walk away from your team and fans? That's not the difference between long term poverty and a lifetime of wealth. And what about next year when they make the same offer? |
The financial benefit isn't the marginal amount they paid her to stay away, it's the potential for saving her body and being able to have one or two additional $2M years.
And yes, I think there is a distinct possibility that Taurasi wants to retire to her privacy and a quiet life on the beach where her primary income is living off of the assets earned during her basketball days. Maybe she wants a family for example.
A few years ago she answered it this way:
Q: What are you going to do after basketball?
A: I have an obsession that includes vintage T-shirts, a wine bar and a tapas restaurant. I have a weird obsession with really good coffee, really good wine and really cool, vintage T-shirts, like a 1986 Guns N' Roses throwback tour shirt. Stuff like that
Q: Where will this obsession be located?
A: Probably Manhattan Beach (Calif.). Some place real laid-back, cool. That's what I'm thinking.
Never once have I seen her say she wants to be a coach or a broadcaster. If someone else has, I'd love to see a link to the interview. |
http://youtu.be/o4g0NysKx74 |
Thanks. That's interesting. At one point she says she might like to coach, at another she says something similar to what she said in 2011 about a coffee shop and simple life at the beach. I though it was interesting that in 2011 she named Manhattan beach as the place she might retire to after basketball, and last year she bought a place in Manhattan Beach.
http://archive.azcentral.com/sports/mercury/articles/2011/05/21/20110521phoenix-mercury-diana-taurasi-new-beginning.html
I have a feeling she has things more thought out than she let on in that video, both on a short term and long term plan.
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patsweetpat
Joined: 14 Jul 2010
Posts: 2313
Location: Culver City, CA
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| Posted: 02/06/15 5:15 pm ::: |
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| UofDel_Alum wrote: |
| patsweetpat wrote: |
You guys, you're all missing the easy fix. I can't believe nobody's mentioned it.
All we gotta do is get U.S. taxpayers to directly subsidize WNBA teams, the way Russian taxpayers directly subsidize Russian women's basketball teams, including UMMC.
Okay, so... how do we go about doing that? |
The taxpayers should not subsidize the salaries of the WNBA. |
Well, I suppose I'd have to agree with you. Or at the very least I'd have to agree that it's exceptionally unlikely. But given that, I just don't see how a market-driven WNBA is supposed to generate salaries that could possibly compete with the top-level salaries currently being enabled elsewhere by the collective resources of millions and millions of European (and Chinese) taxpayers. I simply don't think there's any combination of sponsorships or marketing or Laurel-Richie-earning-her-keep that can make that a reality.
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ArtBest23
Joined: 02 Jul 2013
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| Posted: 02/06/15 6:01 pm ::: |
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| patsweetpat wrote: |
| UofDel_Alum wrote: |
| patsweetpat wrote: |
You guys, you're all missing the easy fix. I can't believe nobody's mentioned it.
All we gotta do is get U.S. taxpayers to directly subsidize WNBA teams, the way Russian taxpayers directly subsidize Russian women's basketball teams, including UMMC.
Okay, so... how do we go about doing that? |
The taxpayers should not subsidize the salaries of the WNBA. |
Well, I suppose I'd have to agree with you. Or at the very least I'd have to agree that it's exceptionally unlikely. But given that, I just don't see how a market-driven WNBA is supposed to generate salaries that could possibly compete with the top-level salaries currently being enabled elsewhere by the collective resources of millions and millions of European (and Chinese) taxpayers. I simply don't think there's any combination of sponsorships or marketing or Laurel-Richie-earning-her-keep that can make that a reality. |
Although the question for most players probably isn't whether the WNBA matches or exceeds those salaries. I assume most would rather play here. So what does it take in combination with all the other advantages of playing and living in the US (homes, friends, family, better conditions, better competition, endorsements) to compete with a $500,000 European salary? Does it take $200K? $300K?
Or ask this question. If the WNBA moved to the basketball season and had a full winter season schedule, thereby making it an either-or proposition, how much would it take to incentivize most players to choose to play in the US rather than in Europe or China?
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patsweetpat
Joined: 14 Jul 2010
Posts: 2313
Location: Culver City, CA
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| Posted: 02/06/15 7:16 pm ::: |
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| ArtBest23 wrote: |
| Or ask this question. If the WNBA moved to the basketball season and had a full winter season schedule, thereby making it an either-or proposition, how much would it take to incentivize most players to choose to play in the US rather than in Europe or China? |
I highly doubt the WNBA could make that move without first completely breaking with the NBA. And I agree with Clay's take (upthread) that being inside the NBA umbrella is probably way better for the W than being outside of it.
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Skyfan22
Joined: 12 Aug 2013
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p_d_swanson
Joined: 01 Dec 2004
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| Posted: 02/06/15 9:03 pm ::: |
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| mercfan3 wrote: |
| Taurasi has played year round since graduating from college, except for the summer Phoenix "tanked." |
She also took five months off the previous year...
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Barrister15
Joined: 09 Mar 2005
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Location: New York, NY
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| Posted: 02/06/15 10:58 pm ::: |
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| My greater concern is the league and the precedent this sets for the future. She's a major draw -- not just in Phoenix, but wherever the team plays. When the superstars of the league start taking the season off, where does that leave the WNBA? The league is on shaky enough ground at is, when it becomes so unimportant that athletes can start sitting out seasons not because of injury, but just for the hell of it, IMHO, it doesn't bode well for the future stability of the WNBA.
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p_d_swanson
Joined: 01 Dec 2004
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| Posted: 02/06/15 11:50 pm ::: |
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| Barrister15 wrote: |
| She's a major draw -- not just in Phoenix, but wherever the team plays. |
Over the last six seasons, the Mercury have ranked 11th, 11th, 3rd, 6th, 1st and 6th in average road attendance. So they finished just as far up the track this past year going 29-5 as they did in 2012 when she elected to sit out the first time. And I would attribute the spike in 2013 more to Griner than any other factor...
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mercfan3
Joined: 23 Nov 2004
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| Posted: 02/07/15 12:55 am ::: |
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| Barrister15 wrote: |
| My greater concern is the league and the precedent this sets for the future. She's a major draw -- not just in Phoenix, but wherever the team plays. When the superstars of the league start taking the season off, where does that leave the WNBA? The league is on shaky enough ground at is, when it becomes so unimportant that athletes can start sitting out seasons not because of injury, but just for the hell of it, IMHO, it doesn't bode well for the future stability of the WNBA. |
Personally, I don't think it's a huge concern for the league.
I don't think Taurasi takes this option five years ago. She just happens to be still elite but aging. She's 34 (I think? She might be older), and arguably still the best in the world, and she's achieved everything she can possibly achieve in the WNBA. How often is that going to be the case? I think the WNBA is at risk with Parker for a variety of reasons...but then again, Parker still hasn't won a championship.
Diana commands that sort of benefit from her team. Money in Europe is unstable. It's not like they are going to offer it to any star. And the women want the WNBA to succeed. But Diana's old for an athlete. Kobe Bryant began falling apart at 34, Tiger Woods won his last major championship at age 32 and the wheels have fallen off ever since. In the WNBA Sue Bird began to fall from grace at age 34, LJ has had issues in her 30s, Becky went down hill at mid 30s..I could go on and on..but the point is..mid 30s is way past the prime of a professional athlete, and DT to still be elite, it is not only unusual but also calls for protection of her body...something year round play will not help.
It is not selfish of Diana to do what is best for her health, future, and career. It is selfish of fans to expect Diana to give more than she already has. She's given enough to the Women's game.
edit: okay..since graduating from college..she's had 5 months off, and one WNBA season off (where she had a hip injury and played during the olympics.). Kind of makes my point. 
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hyperetic
Joined: 11 Oct 2005
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| Posted: 02/07/15 3:26 am ::: |
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| Its an old argument about whose the best. Some would say Taurasi is the best in the game now but others might say Maya Moore. And then you have the fringers who may say Sue Bird, LJ, EDD, Griner or Diggy even. At some point in the past you may have had an argument for Diana to be the support pillar that if removed would send the W tumbling. Not so much now I think. Taurasi's name is deified among old-heads (in W-terms) but the newer fans are most likely fond of the newer players. |
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hyperetic
Joined: 11 Oct 2005
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| Posted: 02/07/15 3:32 am ::: |
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| Question: These players that would be under the Beckham rule, lets just say for argument's sake a team has designate someone to that. Then another player for the team far outplays the designee. The under producing designee gets to keep what they got right? |
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sambista
Joined: 25 Sep 2004
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tfan
Joined: 31 May 2010
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| Posted: 02/07/15 5:04 am ::: |
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| hyperetic wrote: |
| Its an old argument about whose the best. Some would say Taurasi is the best in the game now but others might say Maya Moore. And then you have the fringers who may say Sue Bird, LJ, EDD, Griner or Diggy even. At some point in the past you may have had an argument for Diana to be the support pillar that if removed would send the W tumbling. Not so much now I think. Taurasi's name is deified among old-heads (in W-terms) but the newer fans are most likely fond of the newer players. |
You overlooked the player who has gone to the finals with less talent than most if not all the names you mentioned: Angel McCoughtry.
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caune
Joined: 18 Nov 2004
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| Posted: 02/07/15 9:07 am ::: |
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| tfan wrote: |
| hyperetic wrote: |
| Its an old argument about whose the best. Some would say Taurasi is the best in the game now but others might say Maya Moore. And then you have the fringers who may say Sue Bird, LJ, EDD, Griner or Diggy even. At some point in the past you may have had an argument for Diana to be the support pillar that if removed would send the W tumbling. Not so much now I think. Taurasi's name is deified among old-heads (in W-terms) but the newer fans are most likely fond of the newer players. |
You overlooked the player who has gone to the finals with less talent than most if not all the names you mentioned: Angel McCoughtry. |
Not mentioned for the same reason Jim Kelley isn't mentioned in great quarterback discussions, ya gotta not just be in it, ya gotta win it.
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Jet Jaguar
Joined: 11 Feb 2014
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| Posted: 02/07/15 10:21 am ::: |
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| hyperetic wrote: |
| Some would say Taurasi is the best in the game now but others might say Maya Moore. And then you have the fringers who may say Sue Bird, LJ, EDD, Griner or Diggy even. |
Seriously, who in the world would say Skylar Diggins is the best in the game now?
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tfan
Joined: 31 May 2010
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| Posted: 02/07/15 10:50 am ::: |
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| caune wrote: |
| tfan wrote: |
| hyperetic wrote: |
| Its an old argument about whose the best. Some would say Taurasi is the best in the game now but others might say Maya Moore. And then you have the fringers who may say Sue Bird, LJ, EDD, Griner or Diggy even. At some point in the past you may have had an argument for Diana to be the support pillar that if removed would send the W tumbling. Not so much now I think. Taurasi's name is deified among old-heads (in W-terms) but the newer fans are most likely fond of the newer players. |
You overlooked the player who has gone to the finals with less talent than most if not all the names you mentioned: Angel McCoughtry. |
Not mentioned for the same reason Jim Kelley isn't mentioned in great quarterback discussions, ya gotta not just be in it, ya gotta win it. |
A foolish notion, perpetrated by people not smart enough to understand the difference between an individual sport and a team game, and also to factor in luck.
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mercfan3
Joined: 23 Nov 2004
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| Posted: 02/07/15 11:16 am ::: |
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| hyperetic wrote: |
| Its an old argument about whose the best. Some would say Taurasi is the best in the game now but others might say Maya Moore. And then you have the fringers who may say Sue Bird, LJ, EDD, Griner or Diggy even. At some point in the past you may have had an argument for Diana to be the support pillar that if removed would send the W tumbling. Not so much now I think. Taurasi's name is deified among old-heads (in W-terms) but the newer fans are most likely fond of the newer players. |
But the point is, the 34 year old has a legitimate argument. And I was saying that really, at that age, they start breaking down.
Does anyone think Lebron James will be the best player in the NBA at 34? He's already showing signs of age. And he gets summers off..
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hyperetic
Joined: 11 Oct 2005
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| Posted: 02/07/15 11:59 am ::: |
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| Jet Jaguar wrote: |
| hyperetic wrote: |
| Some would say Taurasi is the best in the game now but others might say Maya Moore. And then you have the fringers who may say Sue Bird, LJ, EDD, Griner or Diggy even. |
Seriously, who in the world would say Skylar Diggins is the best in the game now? |
Simple young fan's brought to the league by her celebrity. |
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^
