Re: PENNY

[Alex Wang <awang@mit.edu>]

> And what has Penny done in the playoff games he's been in?  Disappeared.
> Anyway, Paul, you're right that he has talent - you're also right he has
> some head problems.  He's selfish, a "me first" guy, and if Pitino wants him
> I hope he can straighten him out.  Penny will have to the star on any team
> or he won't be happy.
> 
> Dorine

Seriously, Dorine, have you paid attention to the actual performances
of the athletes you disparage? First you say that Pippen hasn't done
anything and now that Penny has disappeared in the playoff games he's
been in. Head case, yes, but a definite playoff performer. From NBA.com:

1996-1997:
After Miami grabbed a 2-0 lead over Orlando in their First Round playoff 
series, the Magic went to a three-guard alignment and told Hardaway to 
focus on scoring. He responded with 42 points in Game 3 and 41 in Game 4
as the injury-riddled Magic improbably tied the series. Hardaway scored
33 points in Game 5 but it was not enough as Miami prevailed. He finished
as the second-leading scorer in the 1997 NBA Playoffs with a 31.0 average,
just behind Michael Jordan's 31.1.

1995-1996:
During the postseason he took on more of the scoring load, averaging 28.3 
points, 6.0 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game, including a 
career-high 38 points in Game 1 of the emotion-charged Eastern Conference
Finals against Chicago. 

1994-1995:
As well as he performed during the regular season, Hardaway was even better 
in the playoffs. The Magic dispatched the Boston Celtics and the Chicago 
Bulls in the first two rounds, won the Eastern Conference in a seven-game 
tilt with the Indiana Pacers, and then were swept in the NBA Finals by the 
Houston Rockets in four games. Hardaway increased his scoring average in 
each of the successive rounds: 15.5 points per game against Boston, 18.5 
against Chicago, 19.6 against Indiana, and 25.5 against Houston. He 
shot .500 (35-of-70) from the field in the Finals, nailed 11 three-point 
goals in those four games, registered four double-doubles in points and 
assists in the playoffs, and averaged 7.7 assists for the postseason. 

I'm not sure where exactly you think the "disappearances" are. If all our
players "disappear" in the playoffs like this, we'll be in good shape.
Over his career he's averaged 21.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 6.5 apg in 45 playoff
games.

Alex