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Post by DERRENMATTS on Aug 16, 2006 13:21:54 GMT -5
Jefferson's bright career took a detour when he injured his ankle prior to the start of training camp last season. He came off a promising rookie campaign, highlighted by a really good showing in the 1st round of the playoffs against Indiana. It wasn't a matter of 'if' Jefferson was going to be a force, but a matter of 'when' he was going to arrive.
Last year was a mostly wasted year for Jefferson because of his early ankle injury, which knocked him off course for the early part of the season. He came back eager to build upon his promising rookie season, and for a short while, it looked like he was ready to explode. But then he severly sprains his ankle again, which takes him out for the rest of the season and ends his chances of redeeming his up and down sophomore season.
Initially, we were told that it was just a severly sprained ankle with a bone bruise. No big deal, right? A month or two of rest and relaxation, and after that, he'll be all better and ready to get back in the gym to work tirelessly on his game to prove himself for the upcoming season. But that wasn't the case. After lingering pain kept him from competing at full strength in the summer league games, and after people started questioning his heart and his ability to tolerate some pain, Jefferson began to question what was really wrong with his ankle. Why was it taking this long to get rid of the nagging pain in his ankle, which prevented him from going more than 2 weeks without shutting down.
Well, now its revealed that the cause of his recurring pain in his bothersome ankle that bothered him for months on end were bone chips that needed to be immdiately removed.
So finally, Jefferson's ankle has been properly taken care of, and now he can resume getting back on the track to stardom.
If we look at this season as Jefferson's second season, and minus out last year due to ankle injuries that have derailed his sophomore year, we can once again get excited for this kid's future.
It just wasn't fair to him, or to the fans who believe in him, that so many disappinted fans were calling him a bust because he didn't show significant growth from his rookie season. How could he when he was playing on a bum ankle for most of the year? Its tough enough that he's trying to learn how to play the post, how to play defense, and how to rebound at the highest level of basketball competition in the world, coming straight out of high school. To have to play on one leg only isn't a fair deal for any player, not even proven veterans, let alone a raw 20 year old familiarizing himself and transitioning himself into the NBA game.
Getting his ankle issue out of the way and eliminating the constant pain that held him back from performing to his capabilities will allow Jefferson to shine on the court once again.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2006 15:44:12 GMT -5
He definitely deserves another chance to prove himself. But, no excuses this time if he doesn't produce this time. It's not like he's going up against all-star big man on our team. He should be able to beat out the likes of Ryan Gomes, Ratliff, Pitts, and Powe.
I'm not expecting all-star numbers but I'm expecting better results than last year campaign.
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Post by eja117 on Aug 16, 2006 19:03:12 GMT -5
but he's beginning to become a sickie who gets hurt often and is out for long periods of time and even when he is healthy he has never exactly been a tough guy ala Malone or Perk. I want to see the same fire out of him that I see out of Perk and Gomes and Ben Wallace and Bird and Jordan and Magic. Gosh darn, you got all this talent, play like you appreciate it. That amazing dive for a loose ball is what I will expect from him every single game and practice and workout session and interview and when he walks down the street, and when he orders a pizza and when he does his laundry or takes a dump. I hate nonchalant players. Duncan and D Robinson was the most sickening NBA championship ever.
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Post by freshnthehouse on Aug 17, 2006 3:48:32 GMT -5
but he's beginning to become a sickie who gets hurt often and is out for long periods of time and even when he is healthy he has never exactly been a tough guy ala Malone or Perk. I want to see the same fire out of him that I see out of Perk and Gomes and Ben Wallace and Bird and Jordan and Magic. Gosh darn, you got all this talent, play like you appreciate it. That amazing dive for a loose ball is what I will expect from him every single game and practice and workout session and interview and when he walks down the street, and when he orders a pizza and when he does his laundry or takes a dump. I hate nonchalant players. Duncan and D Robinson was the most sickening NBA championship ever. Ive asked if before and I'll ask it again: How is Jefferson injury-prone but not Perk. The both missed a lot of time last year, and theyve both been injured this off-season. Also, how is perk not tough? Ive never watched Al play and thought that he was weak. The dude isnt afraid of contact on the offensive end, and he takes his share of charges on the defensive end. I think a lot of this AlJeff hate is in your head.
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Aug 17, 2006 7:44:52 GMT -5
Anybody who rolls his ankle the way Jefferson did, on both occasions, will miss time. Be it Karl Malone, Kendrick Perkins, or the Incredible Hulk. To call him injury prone, or sickie (whatever that means) because he misses time due to severyly spraining his ankle, is just uncalled for.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Aug 17, 2006 8:15:56 GMT -5
Another good piece, Derren!! I have posted it on Loy's Place...
I have a feeling that the chip is not going to be in Al's ankles this season, but on his shoulder and he is going to use it to silence all his critics for good...
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Post by eja117 on Aug 17, 2006 8:36:45 GMT -5
Wait, where was that chip before? The guy has to waste a season and get beat out by a late second rounder before he has a chip? The chip should have been the size of Texas on the day he was drafted. Perk got hurt once I think in three years, after working his tail off to get a body Al J has maybe only just started dreaming of, and then you question if he is tougher than AL J? Then Perk got hurt again in the offseason, when nothing matters. Up until now if I told you "last nite one of our bigs jumped onto the floor for a loose ball, and then retaliated a hard foul to a punk on the other team cause he kept handchecking our pg and flagrantly fouled PP" you would have known exactly what big I meant. 99% chance Perk, 1% Gomes, and that's it. That's why Perk, is not just a little tougher, he's a looooooooooooooooooooot tougher.
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Post by freshnthehouse on Aug 17, 2006 14:54:23 GMT -5
Wait, where was that chip before? The guy has to waste a season and get beat out by a late second rounder before he has a chip? The chip should have been the size of Texas on the day he was drafted. Perk got hurt once I think in three years, after working his tail off to get a body Al J has maybe only just started dreaming of, and then you question if he is tougher than AL J? Then Perk got hurt again in the offseason, when nothing matters. Up until now if I told you "last nite one of our bigs jumped onto the floor for a loose ball, and then retaliated a hard foul to a punk on the other team cause he kept handchecking our pg and flagrantly fouled PP" you would have known exactly what big I meant. 99% chance Perk, 1% Gomes, and that's it. That's why Perk, is not just a little tougher, he's a looooooooooooooooooooot tougher. Perk and Al have basically both played two seasons(Perks first season doesnt really count). They both missed sig. time last year, and they both have been injured this off-season. And in regards to AlJeff, give me some examples of Al not being 'tough' on the court. And mentioning his conditioning doesnt fly. Thats more stupidity than anything else. Like I said before, I've watched a C's game and been upset about AlJeff's lack of effort.
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Post by eja117 on Aug 17, 2006 15:31:38 GMT -5
Did you mean to say you never watched a C's game and been upset?
Can you honestly say that Al J plays as hard as Perk or perpares for his career as hard?
He is by far the worst conditioned guy on the team. Least likely to jump out of the gym. Most likely to eat himself out of the league. Ok he's not as bad as Scala or Pitts, but he's third worst.
Picture a picture of 4 boxes. The four boxes include AL J, Perk, Gomes or Delonte, and GG Cue the music
One of these things is not like the others, One of these things just doesn't belong, Can you tell which thing is not like the others By the time I finish my song?
Did you guess which thing was not like the others? Did you guess which thing just doesn't belong? If you guessed this one is not like the others, Then you're absolutely...right!
Another version:
Three of these things belong together Three of these things are kind of the same Can you guess which one of these doesn't belong here? Now it's time to play our game (time to play our game).
Bonus Version
Three of these kids belong together Three of these kids are kind of the same But one of these kids is doing his (her) own thing Now it's time to play our game It's time to play our game.
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Aug 17, 2006 16:38:49 GMT -5
Truth be told, Jefferson took things for granted early on. Things came so easily for Jefferson that he may have gotten the impression that he didn't need to work so hard on his game. Ainge and Rivers noted that in the past. Yes, he wasn't in the best condition in his rookie season. And he did come into training camp last year not as well conditioned as the coaching staff would have liked.
But that's why the injuries this past year was such a blessing in disguise. It made Al open his eyes for the first time--he's now come to the realization that he needs to work his tail off and go beyond what the coaches tell him to do. He now knows that he needs to devote his free time to getting better, mproving his game and getting in top physical condition.
Al is a different player from Perkins. Al is intuitive, he's a feeler, he's got instincts, etc. Perk uses strength and muscle in his game. Jefferson may not intiate contact as much as Perk or bang around as hard, but he certainly plays hard. No other big man gets down the court quicker than Jefferson. IMO, Jefferson is possibly the top pick and roll guy on our team because he's got excellent timing on when to roll after setting picks. And Jefferson is right up there with Gomes as the top garbage player on the team (scoring on loose balls and offensive putbacks).
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Post by freshnthehouse on Aug 17, 2006 19:57:50 GMT -5
Can you honestly say that Al J plays as hard as Perk or perpares for his career as hard? Whether he works harder than Perk is irrelevant. You said he isnt tough. I disagreed. I never said he was tougher than Perk. You have yet to bring up any incidents of Al being weak on the court. He was. Last year. From all reports he's been working hard to get into shape this off-season. Im not gonna a judge a guy's work ethic by one bad year he had when he was 20 years old. First off, I think Al's vertical leap is average for his size. But more importantly, what does that have to do with his work ethic? Larry Bird couldnt jump, does that mean he's lazy? Gerald Green could stop going to the gym, and he'd still be able to outjump 90% of the league.
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Post by jb on Aug 17, 2006 20:29:29 GMT -5
How old is Jefferson? This type of talent comes along once in a generation. Be patient.
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Post by eja117 on Aug 17, 2006 21:09:39 GMT -5
here is an example of when AL J wasn't tough. That random time when Perk was ejected ridiculously for a hard flagrant enforcer type foul, and the team went on to win the game cause he set a tone. It was Perk, not Al. That's why Perk is more respected.
Every time inside players were scoring at will and people were like "They really need Perk. Without Perk they're getting killed."
Every time Perk guards Shaq and Al guards Udonis Haslem. That is once again an example of Perk being tougher.
According to ESPN they are the same height and AL is 5 pounds bigger than Perk and yet Perk is always the guy with the thankless job in the middle cause Al can't do it. So why is the smaller supposedly less talented guy defending the other team's biggest and best guy every single nite? I'd be ashamed of myself. If Al has all this once in a generation great timing talent then he should be the big setting the tone and yet it's Perk and Al doesn't seem to mind. That is an incidence of not being tough. Let's say you are some bigger talented fighter and some bully picks a fight with you. Do you send your smaller bro to do your fighting for you? Every single time Perk defends a bigger guy and Al doesn't that is weakness on the court.
Then he basically gets beat out by a guy who is 3 inches and 15 pounds smaller than him. That is also a toughness issue. He beat him out in the regular season and he beat hom out in summer play. I know I know. His poor ankle. If one guy is always getting hurt and not recovering as fast and the other guys aren't that is also a toughness issue. I don't think you can say Perk has more health issues than Al.
If Al is a once in a generation talent than Gomes and Perk and superfly fudger mother fudger Guns of Navarone once in a generation talent.
Ok fine so he's a once in a generation talent. So I guess you can Kwame and Tyson on that list with him?
An injury was a blessing in disguise? Nobody would ever say that about Gomes or Perk or Delonte or probably anyone on this team so why the double standard? By that logic maybe we should call up Tonya Harding. I mean if his ankle was a blesing maybe she can pull off a miracle. There are no talented players. Just players and you are exactly what your record says you are.
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Post by freshnthehouse on Aug 20, 2006 2:15:22 GMT -5
here is an example of when AL J wasn't tough. That random time when Perk was ejected ridiculously for a hard flagrant enforcer type foul, and the team went on to win the game cause he set a tone. It was Perk, not Al. That's why Perk is more respected. So it's Al's fault that Perk made a good play? How is that a disservice to Al? Again, I still havent seen any example's of Al not playing hard. Well, they should be saying that. perk is a better shot blocker than Al. Thats his game. Well, of course Perk should handle the harder of the two big men. He's the better defender and he doesnt have to do much on the offensive end. Thats how basketball has been played for ages. You give the less important of the two players offensively the tougher defensive assisgnment. Larry Bird was 6'9"-6'10" and of an average build. Most guys that size in the mid 80s were playing power forward, yet Larry Bird was having career years at small forward. Is that because larry bird was a wuss? No, its because Larry Bird's skill set and playing style suited him for SF just as AlJeff is suited for PF and Perk is suited for C. Al's offensive game seems to work better when he can take advantage of players smaller than him, yet he runs the court well enough that he isnt going to be be beaten downcourt. IMO, it would be foolish to play him at C, just as it would foolish to make Perk a PF. Who has said that Al is more gifted defensively than Perk. I'd say Perk is light years ahead of Al as low post defender and shot Blocker. I know this sisnt directed at me, but for the record, I dont think Al is a once in a generation talent. But again, its Al's fault that perk takes charge of games on the defensive end? Was it Bird's fault that CMaxwell told his teammates during pre-game to get on his shoulders because he's gonna carry him to the win? Is Al supposed to lead the team at all times in everything? Isnt this a lot to expect out of a player? Why cant you. They both got injured late last season. They both got injured this off-season. They both required off-season surgery. Sounds almost identical. Yes there are talented players. The NBA exemplifies this more than any other sport. Take a guy like Bo Outlaw. He is a gym rat who spends tons of time in the weight room, and despite his lack of God-given tlane, has carved out a nice little career for himself. Then look at Derrick Coleman. This guy was notorious for not giving full effort, and he was much more likely to end up at a buffet than in a weight room. And despite all this, he still had twice the career that Bo Outlaw had, because Coleman was blessed with supreme physical gifts and basketball abilities. Like Paul Shirley said in one of his most recent blogs on espn.com. Some guys dont have to work at it. They can just show and still be better than most everyone.
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Post by eja117 on Aug 20, 2006 12:28:43 GMT -5
Yes. yes it is Al's fault that Perk always makes those plays and Al never does. If you never make those kinds of plays and you never are counted on to do so you might just be weak.
Take how tough Al J is, multiply that by 500, now double it and cut it in half, now multiply it by a million times and that is about how much tougher Larry Bird was than Al J. Also I don't think Larry was as big as most power forwards his age. Maybe the same height, but not bigger, and I bet if he wanted he would be a better power forward than Al and maybe even a better center than Perk. Not his best positin, but quite possibly better. Every time you watch a Larry Bird highlight video there are about 900 plays and events that Al would never dream of in his wildest flubber shoes nightmares. Toughness had something to do with it. People forget that Larry was proficient in all basketball skills and excellent in a few. he could have played any position sucessfully and that is cause there are no positions. Only basketball players, and people forget how good his defense was.
"You give the less important of the two players offensively the tougher defensive assisgnment."
Uh. No you don't. You're telling me when Zo and Shaq used to match up against each other Zo would let his PJ Brown guard Shaq? hey PJ was no wuss but Zo was tougher and that's why he took the hardest assignment. Yes he was the better defensive player. Cause he was tougher.
Why can't you say Perk has more healthy issues that Al? Well last season Al played in 59 games and Perk played in 68. The season before Perk played in 60, but that was a travest cause he was only playing 9.1 mins per game because Doc wouldn't play him, because he was our best big man. That's how Doc works. If you are the best player he won't play you.
A new theory of intelligence is the theory of multiple intelligences. So for example you can be emotionally smart, or athletically smart, or musically smart, or book smart. Derrick Coleman was athletically smart, but had less intelligence than a dog in pretty much every aspect of life, so since Bo Outlaw had a better career Bo Outlaw was if anything more talented than Coleman. Seriously, to argue anything different is to take the side of the guy at the gym that keeps getting beat all the time but then claims to be more talented. That's like saying Ryan Leaf (2nd pick) was more talented than Tom Brady (199th). Suuuuuuurrrrre he was.
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