Great assessment. I also will never understand the subsequent retaining of Flip when all that behind the scenes stuff was going on even after Ben left. He was not winning so . . .
Irregardless, Big Ben did himself fine. No big name college wanted him, and so he proved all the naysayers wrong. No NBA team wanted him, and so he proved all the naysayers wrong again. Kudos to Big Ben. He sure can't shoot worth a lick though.
LOL @ this article. Anderson Varejao's agent is seeking 10 MILLION an year for him? And Ben Wallace shouldn't retire. Is he seriously going to help Cleveland by taking a buyout which won't even be the full 14 mil, I bet. What has Cleveland done for him? I wouldn't mind riding the bench for 14 million dollars for one more year. But Ben can wait on law school one more year.
Ben didn't get where he is in life by taking what is not earned. The key thing about Ben in that article is that he says, "I deserve a buyout" but he would be willing to quit without one if it is time. There is a guy being honest about his intentions. Most of us would be happy to be paid to do nothing. That's not what got Ben where he is today.
What I meant mostly Roscoe, is that he can still be somewhat effective (teaching younger bigs), but he will still be riding the bench. I guess he doesn't want to be traded again or must feel he really can't contribute anymore. He recognizes the writing in the wall. Either way this just further proves The Low's point in that it is indeed Flip Saunders that Ben Wallace left, if he is indeed willing to leave 14 mil in the table.
Low...Thanks for your response. I'm not sure if Cleveland will buy out Ben's contract. Maybe one day, some player will write the book chronicling the years 2001-2007..
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! You make millions, shut up. Pretty much sums up Joe's thoughts I'm guessing.
You DO realize that in a room full of millionaires, money stops becoming a factor at some point and people DO make decisions based on what they are happy with, don't you? Well, either way...it doesn't matter. I'm pretty happy with what Ben Wallace accomplished over his career and I will appreciate it long after he's gone from the game. I can also appreciate with a measurable amount of humor how much hate there is for a guy who actually succeeded here. But, yet there is hardly the level of disproportionate hatred for people who fail miserably here.
Good point...It's just hard to feel sorry for a millionaire who is deciding on wether to take 11 or 15 million.
People felt slighted when he left. Perfectly normal response to rejection. Not so much what he did here, its that he chose another team over the Pistons. Especially if it was not about the money.
The fact that the team he left for was the Chicago Bulls factored in for me. I'm over it now though... don't blame him for leaving one bit.
I'm ready to hang his jersey from the rafters. Two years ago, I was ready to hang him from the rafters.
A) Yes I understand but loyalty (to his teammates, fans, franchise, etc.)should be a factor also. And if money isn't a factor any more why would he state that he "deserves" a buyout from a franchise that he's done relatively little for? Hmmmm. Also, you DO realize that for being paid millions of dollars while the people who love and support you spend their last dime to come and see you may feel you are being selfish by walking out on them only for what they percieve to be more money? That's a BS excuse......a room full of millionaires? That statement is everything I hate about sports now a days. The love of the game, loyalty, trust, hard work....those are the things I love and used to love about Ben until he walked because he didn't like our coach. Sorry, but to me that childish. B) I don't hate Ben......why do you insist on crying everytime someone criticizes him? He's gone and with him left my biased opinion when evaluating the man. I think he's overpaid, has a rapidly diminishing skill set, a vastly inflated vision of his worth to a franchise, etc.... You DO understand people have and are intitled to have their own opinion regarding the high and mighty Ben Wallace don't you? Just to be clear, I love everything he's done for the franchise and everything he stood for as a Piston.....I just don't think it excuses him from any sort of criticism.
I know. My ist thought was out of all the teams why the Bulls. Then he goes on to the Cavs. Of course that one was not his fault. Be kind of boring around here if everyone agreed on everything.
