Walker

["Shawn Niles" <shizzjr@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Walker needs to be traded.

Let me explain. Walker is a very good player. He's not a great player, but 
he is very good. He's a great team leader. He inspires other people. He does 
everything that he possibly can to win games and never gives up. But the 
refs hate him. They sincerely hate him.

I don't know if it goes back to how he was his first few years in the league 
or what it is. But something happened, and it caused a permanant rift. For 
this reason, the C's will never win a championship with Walker on the team.

I told a friend of mine 2 or 3 years ago that the C's would never win with 
Walker on the team. I had started to recant that after last year and how the 
team was doing. But thinking on it now, they made that run despite the refs. 
They have all their wins this year despite the refs. Most games that they 
win, they win despite the refs. Look at the NO game the other night. The C's 
couldn't buy a call, and Walker in particular. He gets bumped and bruised 
and banged all the way to the basket and nothing is ever called. I'm 
starting to think that's why Obie has this 3 point mentality, is because he 
knows we will never get a foul call.

Now I am not blaming last night's loss on the refs. But it certainly would 
have been a much closer game had they called the fouls that Antoine 
received. Look at that play near the end of the third. I think it was a 10 
point game at that point. Walker drives in against Kenyon. After Kenyon 
shoves him with a forearm to the back, then nudges him off balance with a 
body shot, then pulls Antoines left arm out of the way, he is able to tie up 
the ball and a jump ball is called. I don't blame Antoine for being upset. 
Paul gets it as well, but because he is much more aggressive and explosive, 
he gets to the line more. But Paul constantly has guys swiping at his arms 
and hitting his elbows. Watch the Lakers sometime, and observe how no one is 
able to breathe on Kobe without having a foul called. No wonder the guy can 
score 40 points in 9 straight. Paul would too if he got that treatment.

Back to Walker though, it is for that reason that I think he needs to be 
traded. He can't get calls that most rookies get. I agree that maybe 
sometimes a foul does not happen. But most every other player, and EVERY 
OTHER star player, gets the benefit of the doubt. Antoine is treated like 
less than a rookie. So many times it turns out to be a 4 point swing. I've 
been watching this more closely lately. Antoine will drive in and get fouled 
with no call. Down the other end we go where the same play, or in many times 
not even as bad of a play, happens, and a foul is called on the C's. For 
instance, last night's play i mentioned. If the foul was called and Antoine 
hits the free throws, it's an 8 point game. Instead, the foul is on Antoine 
and Kenyon hits free throws. 12 point game. It happens at least 3-4 times a 
game. That's a 12-16 point swing most games simply because the refs refuse 
to give Antoine even the least bit of respect.

And it's impossible to win against good teams when that is going on. The C's 
can often overcome it against bad teams. And because they have more desire 
and heart than any team in the league, the can sometimes overcome it against 
good teams. But not on a consistant basis. Which is why they would never be 
able to beat a good team 4 out of 7 in the playoffs. Which is why, 
unfortunately, Antoine needs to be traded.

Imagine how ineffective you could render another teams star player if you 
knew you could grab and grope him and get away with it. Imagine how easy 
Orlando would be to beat if you knew that you could grab Tracy on the arms, 
bump him off his spot, give him body shots while he is going to the hoop, 
basically do whatever you want to knock him off balance. That is what teams 
know they can do with Antoine and Paul. The difference with Paul is he has 
more natural ability to be able to overcome it. And I don't sense that the 
refs hate Paul like they hate Antoine. But I am convinced that coaches know 
this and instruct their team to do it. You can hear Byron before last nights 
game: "Now remember Kenyon, you can push Antoine and shove him and grab him 
and do whatever you want because we know 9 out of ten times a foul will not 
be called". And then they try and praise Kenyon for great defense. The whole 
thing is sickening.

So I didn't mean to turn this into a long rant, but that is my take. If we 
want a championship, Antoine has to go. He will just never be allowed to win 
one. The C's would have to be playing at an incredibly high level to 
overcome the treatment Antoine would get in a championship series.






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