Stephen A Smith rips Big Al..

[MoTappin]

Yes. The fans are not playing the game. Al sucks.

Yep. We have the right to withdraw our support if they do something stupid. Just like we should do with the idiots in Washington.

Look, I like the guy. He's got some great skills, but he kills us in other ways. He slows down the offense, doesn't pass out, doesn't defend, and having him here isn't allowing Favors to develop like he could. But even worse than killing us on the court is killing us with a losing attitude during the playoffs.

 

[BluesRocker]

Look, I think dealing with the media as an athlete/coach would be awful, and 90% of the questions they ask are pointless and unthoughtful, which is probably why 90% of sports interviews are filled with dumb cliches; but it's always bothered me that when somebody is finally honest with the media (which is what you would think the media wants), they then get lambasted by said media.

Good point. I have always felt the same way.

I never want to hear a guy say he has quit already though

 

[BYE]

I'm with Smith here. Big Al has never thought that his team had a chance. He has played like a loser the whole series and showed that he can score against this team very easily but never did in the first two games. He has lost to Duncan like 24 out of 25 times and has no mental toughness or pride. The statement is pathetic! Unless you have lost, you never admit defeat. When your heart has given up, then you have no chance, and it has shown in Al's play this whole series. The fact that he was honest makes it even worse because he really does feel that he has no chance and has all series. That's the fundamental problem with Al's competitiveness. "Never underestimate the heart of a champion" is what Rudy T. used to say. So how do you estimate the heart of a not-champion?

 

[margodydek]

Good point. I have always felt the same way.

I never want to hear a guy say he has quit already though

Thinking more about it, he probably should have waited till the series was over before he said this.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Harris basically just said, "we didn't bring it tonight, but this game should be easy to forget". They had a segment about it on SportsNation

What Al said, was honest, what Harris said, was just dishonest pandering and he was just saying what he thinks he should say.

Look, I think dealing with the media as an athlete/coach would be awful, and 90% of the questions they ask are pointless and unthoughtful, which is probably why 90% of sports interviews are filled with dumb cliches; but it's always bothered me that when somebody is finally honest with the media (which is what you would think the media wants), they then get lambasted by said media.

How is what Harris said bad? He was just saying they played like **** and they have to move on and play better the 3rd game. He obviously did that, too bad the rest of the team didn't.

I usually don't really care too much about these comments, but Jefferson's rub me the wrong way. Save that for after tonight if you lose, not before the game is played.

 

[Fishsticks]

Okay, so it is bad for a Jazz player to give up on a series because there is one game left, but it is okay for Jazz fanz to give up on a player even though there are several games or seasons left on his contract? Interesting.

This is pretty stupid.

 

[kwb]

Okay, so it is bad for a Jazz player to give up on a series because there is one game left, but it is okay for Jazz fanz to give up on a player even though there are several games or seasons left on his contract? Interesting.

Yes it is bad. Why? He gets paid millions to play the game. Us fans work and use our money to watch him play.

 

[candrew]

At least they respect his game. I've got nothing against Al. He's a good player. Maybe he's not a franchise player, but he's a good player who had a good year and can score the ball at a high level.

He may not be a franchise player; but he's making franchise money.

If he wants to take 10 mil off his contract and come off the bench I'd be glad to keep him around next year.

Otherwise Jazz need to trade him before he says something else like this.

 

[green]

Okay, so it is bad for a Jazz player to give up on a series because there is one game left, but it is okay for Jazz fanz to give up on a player even though there are several games or seasons left on his contract? Interesting.

When Al starts paying me millions a year so I can entertain him, I will give my all to completion to the contract.

 

[carolinajazz]

He should have just said, "they are tough to beat, the best record in the West, but we will try our best."

 

[just because]

It's already been said and I agree, bad timing with this statement. My discust for AL goes has been well noted. I complain about him in almost every game thread and I try not to be a complainer. I really doubt we could get much more than a bag of chips for his contract, so I won't pretend to wish for a trade. However, if they resign him when that contract is over, I'm cashing in my season tix for a trip to fanny's burgers.

 

[akirac73]

Wow, I never thought the day would come where I agreed 100% with that pompous fool Stephen A. Smith.

 

[asian_roger]

"he's pathetic" <<< pretty harsh on national tv, but AL needs to look at himself and understand why everyone hates him in this series. You need more than "mad respect" and love to beat a team, you need some fire to whoop some ***. Comon AL!

 

[asian_roger]

"Are we going to kill a guy for being honest"

"I didn't kill him, I said he was pathetic"


LOL

 

[margodydek]

How is what Harris said bad? He was just saying they played like **** and they have to move on and play better the 3rd game. He obviously did that, too bad the rest of the team didn't.

I usually don't really care too much about these comments, but Jefferson's rub me the wrong way. Save that for after tonight if you lose, not before the game is played.

I guess given that this is happening in a playoff series muddies it up a bit, but I have no problem with a player admitting (after getting pummeled) that the other team is a better team. Harris' comments remind me of that kid in high school who got his a$$ beat in a fight, but after the fight has some excuse and says that if they fought again it'd be a different story. Just say you got your a$$ kicked. Once again, given that this is a playoff series, it might be best to say that after you've been eliminated.

 

[JJ Rage]

Stephen A., as usual, is 100% right here.

Skip Bayless, as usual, is a smug little ****head.

I wanted to slap the look on Ric Bucher's face off while Stephen A. was talking.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I guess given that this is happening in a playoff series muddies it up a bit, but I have no problem with a player admitting (after getting pummeled) that the other team is a better team. Harris' comments remind me of that kid in high school who got his a$$ beat in a fight, but after the fight has some excuse and says that if they fought again it'd be a different story. Just say you got your a$$ kicked. Once again, given that this is a playoff series, it might be best to say that after you've been eliminated.

I viewed it more as that he wasn't going to linger on a bad defeat and let it mentally bother him for the next game.

 

[//r00t 4 Jazz]

I viewed it more as that he wasn't going to linger on a bad defeat and let it mentally bother him for the next game.

IAWTP.

Also shocking people/posters read what they want from players statements.

 

[Gyp Rosetti]

^

Hogwash. What stood out to me was Al repeatedly saying that they need to play a perfect game in order to beat the Spurs. Really? Does he think that little of his surrounding cast? Or have teams simply been lucky by being perfect 16 times against the Spurs this year?

He should have said, "They're a very good team and we need to play better if we want to beat them. I need to play better if we want to beat them." Instead, he made it David vs. Goliath and as if we'd need a miracle to beat them just once.

 

[//r00t 4 Jazz]

^

Hogwash. What stood out to me was Al repeatedly saying that they need to play a perfect game in order to beat the Spurs. Really? Does he think that little of his surrounding cast? Or have teams simply been lucky by being perfect 16 times against the Spurs this year?

He should have said, "They're a very good team and we need to play better if we want to beat them. I need to play better if we want to beat them." Instead, he made it David vs. Goliath and as if we'd need a miracle to beat them just once.

I was referring to CT's comment about Harris' quote not Al's. I didn't have anything new to add about Al's comment so didn't feel like saying anything but yeah I'm dispointed he worded it like that (something closer to what you said would've been better) or waited until after the series was over if he wanted to say this.