re: Latest brush with greatness..

[bird <birdwl@earthlink.net>]

> From: "Thomas Murphy" <tfmiii@worldnet.att.net>
>
> PS - Isn't it ironic that JJ has been subject to such criticism post 
> trade?
> Now some folks are merely being consistent (like Mark) and I have 
> absolutely
> no problem with that (I've enjoyed your posts Mark - please keep it up).
> However the Pollyannas on the list (everything green is great - any
> criticism constructive or otherwise is verboten) seem to have really 
> turned
> on him.

I haven't noticed these "Pollyannas" of which you speak on the list.  What 
I *have* noticed are people who think that the amount and kind of 
criticism heaped upon coaches, players, etc, are sometime unwarranted.  On 
the other side, I notice a lot of people who think they know so much more 
than basketball professionals (all right, this character flaw probably 
extends to us all), and spice up their posts with such classics as "Obie 
is obvious incompetent" or "Obie is a bonehead" or "This team will *never*
  compete/be any good/whatever".  And, just to be fair, I notice all points 
in between those two camps on the list, as well.

It's fine if you (the plural "you") think Obie's a moron, but it's not 
very convincing to those who do not.  One may not agree with how he's 
running the team, but when I hear a fan call a coach, or a player, or a 
trainer a "moron" or an "idiot" or some such, the first mental picture I 
get is of a guy sitting around in his skivvies, drinking low-rent beer, 
ranting and raving about sports on his computer.  Sometimes I even agree 
with the criticism, but people are too free with derogatory 
characterizations of people they do not personally know.

As for predictions, no one is very good at them, especially those of you 
who bought the $19.95 Way of the Ray Brand Crystal Ball.  So even such 
luminaries as Professor Bob aren't going to be convincing me that they've 
somehow channeled the spirit of Nostrodamus and know exactly how this is 
all going to turn out.  The fact of the matter is, we all have our biases,
  and some show them off more than others.  Mark Berry has the Dayton 
connection, Prof. Bob has the Potapenko trade, JB has Khalid El-Amin -- we'
ve all got something, or some things.  Every one of us.

Anyway, your point about JJ may have some merit, though I haven't noticed 
so much more criticism of him post-trade than pre-.  But try not to 
mischaracterize people who disagree with you just because they disagree, 
or group them as fascists who dislike criticism.  Perhaps they merely 
disagree with the criticism and/or do not think some list member is the 
next incarnation of Red Auerbach.

Bird