[Goose]

To JRutledge:

>You think better defensive players commit more fouls? You >just lost all credibility right there.

Not necessarily, but if you are playing aggressive defense, it tends to lend itself to commiting more fouls.

Let's see, Team A plays zone while Team B plays man-to-man. Which team usually (not always) has more fouls?

The fact is that Jordan rarely fouled out, yet was considered a great defensive player. In an earlier reply you said that because centers often were the last line of defense, they were apt to create more fouls. So, centers that play agressively on the defensive end are prone to more fouls, but the guards that play more agressively are not.

Like I said, as great as Jordan was, he was no different than the other great stars in the league in that he benifited from star treatment.


>So are you telling me it was a conspiracy that Jordan was >healthy all the time in his career? If a player fouls out >it is usually at the end of the game. Players do not foul >out in the first 5 minutes of the game. During the Bulls >first championship, it was the bench that had an amazing >run, not the starters which included Jordan.

Please, enough on Jordan. He was used as an illustration and I am hardly here to discuss the health of Jordan.

Now, as for not fouling out in the first 5 minutes, most of us that have watched Shaq could say that he could have fouled out in 5 minutes or he could have fouled out whomever was guarding him in 5 minutes. Take your pick.

>It is obvious to me you just do not like the NBA game. It >is obvious to me you do not watch or follow much >basketball. Stars foul out all the time. I see stars get >frustrated and get thrown out for their behavior.

Don't be silly. I'm not going to get into a LDPC over who has watched more basketball, when you have made it clear that you are a bit fuzzy on Wilt, who BTW was the greatest of all time, period. But that is another discussion. The fact still remains, that Wilt NEVER fouled out of a game. Kind of amazing seeing that he was one of those centers whom you claim attract more fouls.

As for liking the NBA, I would be more apt to say I tolerate it. I enjoy the game of basketball, but I do not enjoy watching many NBA games, and from their ratings, it appears that most others don't watch it either.

As for losing credibility, you surely don't want me to pull out the NBA stat book, do you?

The point is, and it has been this way since the first Celtic title, is that the stars in the NBA have received preferred treatment by the referees. I'm not the only one saying it as I said to Chuck, even players past and present say that it is true. Now, is it just perception on their parts and those of the fans, or is it really true?


goose