Re: Pardon my enthusiasm

["James A. Hill" <jahill@leasingservice.com>]

> From: "James A. Hill" <jahill@leasingservice.com>
>
> If he's not willing to put in the work to correct it, then why not
> embarrass
> him until he does.  It's not the missing that is the problem, it is the
> lack
> of effort he puts in to correct it.
>
> This is their job.  If they don't want to put in the effort then why do
> they
> collect their paycheck?


Mr. Bird do you even read what you write?  What nonsense.

1. Shaq refuses to work on his free throws.  He refuses to shoot them the
way the shooting coach's who have worked with him want him too.  It is a
fact.  If he isn't embarrassed on his own, he should be.

2. Embarrassing them is not foolish. Look how it has helped Walker become a
better player.  (You think the boo's didn't effect him?) This is what
Jackson does.  It worked on Kobe last year.  You have another motivational
solution?

3. If you actually read a post you would have noticed that I said "It's not
the missing that is the problem, it is the lack
of effort he puts in to correct it."  This would offset your statement "Some
people work hard, do the best they can, and still fail or fall short of
expectations.  Wow, what a shock."  No sh*t.  Which part is confusing?

4. It's not naive to think that players are paid to produce.  It is
apologists that reinforce the lack of accountability that are naive.

"They get paid regardless of production."  What a perfect statement to
support anti-union legislation.  Let's cancel tenure as well.  What total
nonsense.  Players are paid to produce in a team environment.  The more they
can contribute is usually reflected in their pay scale.  This is why "many"
fans would support non-guaranteed contracts as in the NFL.  To make it a
"play for pay" league.

5. "Tell me, Jim, are you the best at what you do?"  As I said, it is your
skill set that decides if you can be the best at what you do.  Effort will
allow you to be the best that you can BE, regardless of skill set.  This may
be difficult for some to follow but it is a undisputed truism.  I.e. A math
wizard may have greater personal success at a chosen profession that
requires the use of math at a high level instead of choosing a profession
that doesn't require math at all.  Personal success does not always include
more pay then another job however.

6. "It's time to stop expecting more of NBA players than you would the
average person.  Sure, they get
paid a lot of money, but if society paid people what they deserve garbage
collectors (and other less-than-desirable but very necessary jobs),
educators, and the like would make far, far more than CEO's, professional
athletes, and stock traders."

This is more nonsense.  Why, why, why? I'll tell you what, you give up on
society being responsible for their choices if you want.  I choose
otherwise.  But if you think that NBA players shouldn't be held to standards
reflecting a professional athlete what can I say?  I disagree.  If they
don't want to play like a pro athlete then they can change professions as
far as I'm concerned.  I support the team.  The players are but members of a
team.

Your statement about garbage collectors etc... deserving more then CEO's or
others that "earn" more then they do shows your very confused about
"choice".  No one forced anyone to take a specific job.  Job choice is a
choice.  If I choose to be an educator then that means that I also know what
the pay scale is and I accept that. (I am not a paid educator, btw.) This is
the same with all jobs.  If you don't like the pay, change jobs.  If you
need a different skill set to get the job you want, then go and get it.  If
you can't develop the skill set you want for some reason then choose
something else.  I still can't dunk or grow to 7'.  Guess I won't be a
center in the NBA.  Better choose a different job.

But to go back to basketball and Shaq.  If he wants to stop the hack-a-Shaq
then he needs to at least try and learn how to shoot FT's.  If he doesn't,
then hack-a-Shaq will continue and he'll have to live with the results.
It's his choice. I'd take him on my team, but I'd still try to get him to
work on his FT's.

<Jim


>
> If they don't like it, find another job or put in the work.  Tough.

I love this myth that says if you're not perfect it's an imperfection of
your character or because you just don't work hard enough.  The corollary
is that is that if you work hard enough, only good things happen to you. I
know this may come as a shock, but bad things happen to people who work
hard, too, and not everyone can be perfect.  I'm not saying Shaq oughtn't
to work on free throws, because, frankly, if the officials are going to
allow him to bull his way in the paint and/or plant himself for longer
than three seconds, then he ought to take advantage of it, and, given that,
  free throws are about the only thing he would *need* to work on.

But it's also true that if you cut him because of that, you'd be a fool.
And if you tried to motivate someone by "embarrassing" them on their
imperfections, then you're only slightly better.

Tell me, Jim, are you the best at what you do?  If not, is it because you'
re some sort of lazy ass?  Do you feel good about getting your paycheck?
You probably do, and rightfully so, but so does virtually every NBA player,
  as well.  And just as rightfully.  It's naive to think NBA players are
paid to produce; they are paid to be available, injuries notwithstanding,
to their team.  They get paid regardless of production.

Some people work hard, do the best they can, and still fail or fall short
of expectations.  Wow, what a shock.  It's also true that *none* of us are
completely free of of that kind of guilt.  It's time to stop expecting
more of NBA players than you would the average person.  Sure, they get
paid a lot of money, but if society paid people what they deserve garbage
collectors (and other less-than-desirable but very necessary jobs),
educators, and the like would make far, far more than CEO's, professional
athletes, and stock traders.

Bird


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Jim Hill
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