A defense for wanting to see Amir Johnson play at Detroit Bad Boys

This lays out the case pretty well I would say.


Sometimes when we are pumped up about a guy like Amir, it isn't easy to remember all those little events and quotes that stoked the fire in the first place. This gives a bit of a chronology.

More solid evidence that Flipper just doesn't like AJ. I think either AJ or Flipper go by next year if Flipper can't get his head out of from where the sun don't shine in the next couple of months.

A defense for wanting to see Amir Johnson play at Detroit Bad Boys

Sounds like Flip is jealous of Amir's youth and athleticism. Deep down inside, Flip still believes that he can still produce in the NBA... maybe not for 20 minutes per game, but in a 5-10 minute stretch, his 55 year old body can still do some damage. He's taking this frustration out on Amir subconsciously.

That article was written on Nov 13th. A month later he has been fully healthy and the DNP's have been pilling up.

'Would have been a lottery pick this year". Gee, I wonder why the fans are so anxious?

By next year he will definitely be getting burn, either with us or some other place. Too many teams wanted him and he knows that. He may not be a verbal loudmouth but he knows what is going down and how it will impact his career and financial future.

Just because we haven't read anything about it in the papers or heard it on the tube or radio doesn't mean he and/or his agent haven't spoken to Joe D. about the situation.

Right now AJ is in the first year of his 3 year contract so he can still be a little patient, but he knows that he can't sit on the bench next year and then start playing in the 3rd year of his contract and start putting up some prime time numbers. He needs to start playing no later than next year or it will affect his next deal significantly in a negative way. I am sure he and his agent realize this.

This year he can still be patient with garbage minutes and practicing against the likes of Sheed and Dyess. By next year he will be getting some serious minutes either with us or elsewhere.

If you look from the perspective of Amir, maybe it is OK to get garbage and practice time this year. But from the perspective of the team, he needs to be developing. He maybe that x-card that puts the team over the top in the playoffs. As the article said, we already know what we can get out of most of the players on the team. But the likes of Amir and Stuckey is the unknown part that us fans are excited about. It's not the about the best starting five. We, for the most part, don't believe they can win it all without help from the others. But we sure as heck know that they are not going to get any help from NazMo, Flip Jr., and Lindsey. So, where is all the help going to come from? That's something that Joe has to explain to Flip, as Flip obviously doesn't get it.

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“How many words does you know? What is some of dem?” - Ali G

how crazy is that? The entire league, media and all the fans know how important it is to develop AJ. How talented he is.
And yet, Flip refuses to play him. Why is that?
Why does this organisation have a problem with players younger than 30?

I was watching Yao toss Dice around like he was a kid the other night. I remember one shot on TV when Dice was trying to push Yao off the block and he was bent forward at the waist and only came up to Yao's waist.

Then a minute later there was a shot of the Pistons' bench with Amir's 15 year old looking face sticking out above the throng and I remember thinking, please don't put that kid in there with Yao. He's going to end up in the third row. And part of him maybe in the sixth.

Yeah, he's got to play or else what is the point. Good thing there aren't many Yao's.

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"But first, are you experienced? Or have you you ever been experienced? Well, I have."
Jimi

It is my contention, hopefully I am wrong, that Flipper just doesn't like him and therefore keeps coming up with lame excuses for not playing him except in garbage time.

Shaq has made a career of putting all opposing centers in the third row, including Big Ben once in a while. That doesn't mean you don't play someone against him.

Dyess is maybe stronger than AJ is at this time but he is nowhere near as mobile or quick nor does he have AJ's hops or reach.

Muhammad Ali was lighter than almost everyone yet he whipped all of their butts including Frazier whose career he effectively ended in "The Rumble in the Jungle"

Bob Sanders is arguably the best off the ball defender in the NFL and he is totally undersized, but no defender today is quicker and faster to the ball then he is.