Given that we’re in a war, it only makes sense for all conscientious citizens to make sacrifices.
(not only does George believe Rafael Palmeiro, he also believes Shaq slept with Serena Williams)
Rather than spend the extra $10 million on Antoine Walker, the Heat are better served putting the money into cloning Dwyane Wade in case the original pulls up lame.
The mercurial Heat guard you mentioned above actually spells his first name “Dwyane,” not “Dwayne.” I wouldn’t even bother correcting anyone in a situation like this, but mere minutes ago I was busted for referring to A’s closer Huston Street as HUTSON Street, and now I need a self-esteeem boost or something.
I meant to say the $10 million should be spent on spell-check.
The Heat are doomed no matter what they pay Shaq. First of all, they’re still the Miami Heat, and they always will be. Secondly, how many times have we seen teams load up on talent (Toine, JWill,) and then fail to get it done? I’m thinking the last four Yankees teams, and ditto for the Dallas Mavericks. That’s the kind of success I see for the Heat in ’06 – close but no cigar. On the upside, Shaq can no afford to buy Cuba.
Yeah, that loading-up-on-talent stuff is just fatal. Look how it killed the ’97 Marlins. Imagine the Avalanche without Ray Borque in 2001. What about Chelsea’s first Premiership title in a zillion years last Spring? The Pistons adding Rasheed Wallace in 2004? I guess Boston’s acquisitions of Curt Schilling and Keith Foulke in the winter of ’04 couldn’t have been considered “loading up on talent”, huh?
As a fan of the New York Mets, I can only thank heaven that my team didn’t succumb to this irrational talent-adding sickness over the past weekend.
The problem isn’t that the Heat are stocked with “talent”, talent is generally considered a good thing. The dilemma is that between ‘Toine and White Chocolate, you’ve got two guys want the ball BADLY, joining a team where Shaq already thinks he needs more shots. But getting these mega-stars to work together is the kind of thing coach Pat Riley specializes in.
I mean coach Stan Van Gundy. Who Is The Real Coach of the Heat, and not a LAME DUCK in any way.
I for one am glad that Shaq signed this contract. Now he can “address all of (his) family’s long-term financial goals”. Unless those goals include raising Atlantis, I think Shaq and his family’s long-term goals were covered by one of his Orlando Magic contracts.
And I think the trade puts the Heat over the top. The ‘they’re still the Heat’ argument doesnt hold up – they’ve been extremely competitive for one of the NBA’s newer teams – and are hardly deserving of some sort of Losers For Life tag. They were a hobbled Wade away from the Finals.
I think that Walker can maintain his unselfishness, especially since there’s no chance in hell that he could ever think that this is ‘his team’, like he did in Boston.
TH!
perhaps Aaron is a distant relation of Colin Cowherd, who spent much of this morning’s ESPN Radio show lambasting the deal, characterizing Williams as a ball-hog.
If Cowherd actually watched the NBA during the regular season — something he’s previously claimed is beneath him — Williams’ assist-to-turnover ratio might’ve been an indication that he’s not such a shitty PG. And it’s a hell of a lot easier to be a ball hog with Pau Gasol in the middle than Shaq.
But hey, if you’d rather have Damon Jones, no problem. Just don’t pretend you’re serious about improving the Heat.