Rumor has it that when Okur heard that he had made the All Star team in the West that he text messaged a thank you note to Carl Boozer who is recuperating from his injury somewhere in Jamaica.

Rumor also has it that when Larry Brown read about Okur making the All Star team in the West he called a press conference and told the press that "Okur is now playing the right way"

:hoops:

They also said something like, it is a bigger honor for him than when he won the Championship with the Pistons, because he didn't play a very big role in it.

They also said something like, it is a bigger honor for him than when he won the Championship with the Pistons, because he didn't play a very big role in it.

sounds exactly like memo, arroyo, and darko supporters. accomplishments are "tainted" because their guy didn't play a big enough role in it.

sounds exactly like memo, arroyo, and darko supporters. accomplishments are "tainted" because their guy didn't play a big enough role in it.

My point is, most of these guys don't appreciate being a role player on a winning team like we fans think they should.

As an example, look at Chauncey's quote about being selected for the all-star game. "This is special for me because I feel they picked me because of my talent and as opposed to being picked because of our team's success." WTF is that? And he's one of the more humble stars in the NBA.

And he's one of the more humble stars in the NBA.

Or one who doesn't get interviewed all that often.

Okur never complained publicly about LB but the coach would not let the guy take a shot over 6' long. And thats a big part of his game now.

Almost lost in the 2nd round back in 04 because of the Okur bias, unless you agreed with LB that Darvin Ham was the man.

I still think Darvin Ham can be a contributor on a championship team.

My point is, most of these guys don't appreciate being a role player on a winning team like we fans think they should.

As an example, look at Chauncey's quote about being selected for the all-star game. "This is special for me because I feel they picked me because of my talent and as opposed to being picked because of our team's success." WTF is that? And he's one of the more humble stars in the NBA.

Exactly. These guys want their name all over everything....I want titles.

Okur never complained publicly about LB but the coach would not let the guy take a shot over 6' long. And thats a big part of his game now.

Almost lost in the 2nd round back in 04 because of the Okur bias, unless you agreed with LB that Darvin Ham was the man.

Well, considering we won the title. I side with LB.

Besides, Okur didn't HAVE to complain to the press, he simply half-assed it and pouted all the time. Hence, being given the name (not by me) of "Baby Fats"

Tribune Blogs -- Jazz Notes: Phil Miller and Steve Luhm (http://blogs.sltrib.com/jazz/2007/02/okur-pick-makes-perfect-sense.htm)

Exactly. These guys want their name all over everything....I want titles.


I want titles too, I just don't think the best way to do it is to have SELF-ABSORBED HARD-ARSE COACHES THAT CARE MORE ABOUT THEMSELVES THAN THE BETTERMENT OF THE TEAM is the way to go.

I wonder how much better off we would be if we actually played some of the younger guys and had a coaching staff that appreciated their skills a bit more?

Darko wouldn't be in Orlando.

We might have Okur instead of Sheed (Mr. I'll show about every 2 in 5 games) [Sheed supporters can't deny that he doesn't play hard all the time because all you have to do is look at his play after Technicals, proof is in the pudding].

We might have guys that want to play hard and show up everynight instead of guys who are content to be "FAT AND HAPPY". (Nice effort vs the Spurs last night, cough cough).

Yup, we let the IDIOT LB run MEMO out of town and pi$$ off our #2 overall pick to the point where he didn't want to be here either.

It can be debated until the cows come home but IMO, LARRY BROWN DID NOT WIN THE TITLE HERE.

THE PISTONS DID.

WITH LB COACHING AND HIS STUBBORN WAYS, THE PISTONS WERE PLAYING .500 BALL BEFORE THE SHEED TRADE.

AFTER SHEED, A MARVELOUS RUN, AND A TITLE.

THEN WE OUT-BID OURSELVES TO GIVE SHEED A FAT DEAL? NO ONE ELSE COULD HAVE GIVEN HIM AS MUCH AS THE PISTONS DID.

They should have re-tained Okur (age 23 or 24 at the time) and TRIED TO SIGN SHEED for much less than they gave him.

NY was only dangling MLE MONEY and we gave him much more than that.

I put alot of this on Dumars for hiring coaches that refuse to play the younger talent. Other than Tayshaun the Pistons don't have any young players that are significant contributers. Delfino could be traded tomorrow and not missed that much. We just have very little to look forward as far as development.

If you want to talk about Maxiel and Amir, keep talking because I'm not seeing much "playing" out of them. Amir is said to have a good head on his shoulders but yet even he can't like the idea of making very little compared to having the opportunity to play and get noticed and EARN A MUCH BIGGER PAYDAY. It's human nature. Why settle? I know I wouldn't want to. Why should Amir? Every single promise to the young players that we fans have been told of appears to have been broken by the managment or coaching staffs. If I'm a young player entering the draft this season, I'm PRAYING that the Pistons don't pick me.

Bottom line, Players want recognized for their achievements and if they don't get it, they will look for other ways to get it. It's all about getting noticed AND GETTING PAID.

That could be true about us outbidding ourself for Sheed... the teams with the cap $'s that year were all lotto teams not looking to add older players.
It does hurt having our mediocre centers while an ex player is on the allstar team.... the knock on Memo was his lack of footspeed on defense... and now we have a starting center that is twice as slow.
I will say that CWebb makes the rest of the team better... I'm not sure I can say that for Memo.
That Memo/Arenas rule came two years too late.
Sheed isn't giving us the bang for the buck... ok, once every three games.