Please stop booing Boozer
by clarkpojo on Jan 3, 2009 2:05 AM MST
23 comments
via www.nba.com
Carlos Boozer and Benedict Arnold have very little in common.
[Note by clarkpojo, 01/03/09 10:36 PM PST : I didn't notice that Sherbs had written a similar article about Boozer almost two weeks ago. I apologize, because it was a good post. Read it here.
Hey Jazz fans,
Can I make a suggestion? Stop with the hatred for Carlos Boozer. I don't care how you feel about him, but if you only harbor ill will towards him, keep those feelings to yourself. Whether you like it or not, Carlos Boozer plays for the Jazz and he most likely will for the remainder of the season. And what good does it do to hate him and boo him and write mean things about him other than make you feel better about yourself? I am not a Carlos Boozer fan. I am an avid Jazz fan. I think Boozer is very talented and that he is a below average defender and needs to improve in this aspect of his game if he is going to be great. And in his defense, he showed some defensive improvements in his game before he was injured. But in hopes of building some team and fan unity and decreasing the negativity in an increasingly pessimistic world, I want to dispell a few myths to clean some people's distaste for Booze.
Myth #1: Boozer is faking the severity of his injury and is trying to miss games.
I have defended Boozer on his injury before. Lots of Jazz fans seem to be of the opinion that Boozer should either play through the pain or that he is getting a 3rd MRI so that he can find someone who will validate his decision to sit out. That’s ridiculous. Team doctor Lyle Mason also concurred that this surgery is necessary. The team is fully aware of his condition and the level of pain is the only thing that Boozer could lie about. Kevin O' Connor said on Locked on Sports that he has seen how swollen Carlos' knee gets after exercising and that isn't normal. Boozer isn’t just dogging it or pretending the knee is worse off than it is. It is disappointing but a player wouldn’t get away this long just for sitting out because they wanted to. His knee just isn’t healing like it should have by now. And from Boozer's latest comments to reporters, we can infer that he was seeking a 3rd MRI in hopes of avoiding surgery, rather than seeking surgery as many Jazz fans believed.
Myth #2: The Jazz are fine without Boozer.
We can all agree on one thing. Paul Millsap is an absolute beast/stud/warrior/whatever positive thing you want to call him. Saying the Jazz aren't as good without Boozer isn't a knock on Millsap in any way. It is a knock on our team's depth without Boozer. With a healthy team we have Boozer and Millsap at the power forward. Without Boozer, we have Andrei Kirilenko and Kosta Koufos as backups. And if AK is playing backup power forward, then we are very thin at small forward, relying more on Matt Harpring and CJ Miles. With Boozer we are title contenders or at least a top 4 team in the West. Without Boozer we are contenders for the playoffs. Even if you think Millsap is as good or better than Boozer, the Jazz would have to replace Boozer with someone as good as Millsap in order to avoid having a worse team.
Myth #3: Boozer cost us the series against the Lakers last season.
This myth is difficult for me to debunk because I thought Boozer had a poor series against LA last season. Furthermore, if he had played even an average game in any of games 1, 2, or 5 last season, we probably win that series. And I don't feel bad for pointing him out because I think Boozer would be the first to admit the same. But as poorly as Carlos Boozer played against the Lakers and Rockets last year, he played that well against the Rockets the year before against a similar;y tough defense. So we know it isn't a habit. You can have a bad series or two and still be a fantastic and clutch performer. And my more important point is this. We Jazz fans always find scapegoats for why we didn't win a championship. In '97 it was Malone's inability to hit free throws. In '98 it was the ref's missed call on Jordan's pushoff of Bryon Russell. Last season Boozer became the scapegoat in many Jazz fan's eyes and it's been downhill for his reputation since. Consider this. Sometimes the Jazz just lose to the better team. (I don't include the '98 bulls in this explanation because I still believe we were the better team that year and that we had a mini collapse 8 minutes from a 3-1 lead.) But the Lakers were probably just better than we were last year, plain and simple. Boozer didn't play well, but it wasn't his fault that we lost that series.
Myth #4: Boozer is a snake and disloyal to the Utah Jazz.
Don't confuse Boozer's decision to opt out as a sign that he doesn't like playing in Utah or doesn't like the Jazz organization. Remember that he has said a couple of times that he wanted the Jazz to draft him originally. In these economically hard times it is difficult to hear Boozer make comments about his guaranteed raise and not feel some sadness or envy. But Boozer has the option to seek a better contract after this season if he wants to. His decision to opt out will only confirm what we knew all along: the fact that Boozer loves money: That is just like 99% of Americans and 100% of NBA players. He admittedly made a mistake by announcing his intentions 30 games into the season. That was dumb. But let's move on. While I would personally take a pay cut to play or live in a place that I preferred, Boozer obviously will follow the money and try to find a place that his family wants to live. You can't fault him for that. I know it is difficult for Jazz fans to believe, but there are other good teams to play for and other neat places in the country to live. Until we have evidence that Boozer isn't giving his best to help the Jazz win games, you can't call him disloyal.
So in closing, let me paint a little scenario. For all you fans who have publicly booed Boozer, how would you feel if he returned to the Jazz in March/ April and helped the team to a deep run in the playoffs and a world championship? Wouldn't you feel a little sheepish for biting the hand that fed your championship hunger? If not, then at least imagine the fact that Boozer will probably play better if he is supported by his home state fans instead of heckled by them. And if he plays better, then the team will be better. So, if for no other reason than to help the Jazz win, please, stop booing Carlos Boozer.
All comments are the opinion of the commenter and not necessarily that of SLC Dunk or SB Nation.
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His decision to opt out will only confirm what we knew all along: the fact that Boozer loves money: That is just like 99% of Americans and 100% of NBA players.
I am of the opinion that this is something that should be booed. Outside of that, this was a great fanpost.
Grammar is not a time of waste
by Patrick517 on Jan 3, 2009 11:44 AM MST reply actions 1 recs
+1
I’m from Portland and there are a lot of guys that would die for the town, including Martell Webster, Channing Frye, Steve Blake, Joel Przybilla, and Dan Dickau.
Joel turned down the Spurs’ offer one year, despite it being worth more than the Blazers’ offer, and that was in our darkest hours, when we were a complete bombshell of a team. Turning down the Spurs, fresh off a championship AND offering more money?
Joel is a hero in Portland for doing so. That’s dedication to a franchise.
Oh yeah, and he’s playing with a broken hand right now.
That’s the kind of thing I would love to see out of Boozer, and the rest of the NBA.
"What's that, some kind of hamburger?"
--Bo Outlaw on being asked how he felt about recording his first triple double.
We'll take him
Of course, we’re 8-25, so we’d probably take Benedict Arnold, too, providing that he can crash the boards and consistently hit the mid-range jumper.
SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!
I agree
stop with the booing.
Truthfully, I just want the story to go away. We’re in the middle of the season… the status of one player should not be dominating the headlines.
Myth #1… its crap.
Myth #2… I’d like to believe, but its not true.
Myth #3… it’s not all on Booze, but he deserves quite a bit of blame for his total disappearance when we most needed him.
Myth #4… snake? Sure. Disloyal to the Jazz? Nope. Do I wish he would’ve delayed his announcement? Yeah… but we knew it was coming anyways. And unless he absolutely blows the Jazz off in the off-season, there’s no reason to think of him as a snake.
Great post though.
Have to ask… are you sure you’re not mis-hearing? Maybe the “boo” is short for Boozer. :)
I'd like to clarify my position...
I’ve stopped booing Booze (I only booed him in my mind though, because I haven’t been to a game in a very long while). In fact, I stopped caring about it quite a bit back.
As for everyone else… do as you wish.
While I disagree with Booze’s opting out statement… at least the timing of it… and while I’m not impressed with the way this injury has been handled (by him, by the team, by the doctors/trainers, by everyone involved), the thing to keep in mind is that he suffered this injury while playing basketball, which at least makes it partially better than if it was something like Monta Ellis or (closer to home) Jarron Collins or the likes (as was mentioned below).
Do I wish Booze was playing right now? Yes.
Do I wish Booze had given us more games for the money he’s getting? Yes.
Do I wish Booze had shown up in the series vs. the Kobes last year? Yes.
Do I blame Booze for his injuries? No.
Injuries happen, we have to live with them.
Boo if you want, it’s your choice. Just remember that he was giving it his all (or most of it) before the injury.
If you are going to boo someone… how about Flop? I mean seriously… a golf cart?
Amen, stop booing Booze
We, as Jazz fans, embarassed oursleves when we booed Fisher, and we are doing it again by booing Boozer. Yes, he’s opting out, but so would anyone who can get more years and a better deal. Booze is just trying to get a fair market price. If you have a problem with that, boo Adam Smith and capitalism.
I've been trying
to get this point across over at TrueBlueJazz.com , but it isn’t received very well
Scrum
I love you man, but I just cannot agree on this one. We need to settle this on TBJ.
Tomorrow….noon…..let’s get it on!
We bleed True Blue.
www.truebluejazz.com
who won??
Man, we should forfeit before roy’s hammy explodes, knocking him into LMA’s ear who loses his balance and hits Greg’s knee… - HurraKane212
http://www.nba.com/news/miles_10_080919.html
Stop booing?
Why?
As fans our money pays their salary. If I don’t like the product that I am paying for then one of my ways to show my displeasure in what I spend my time and money on is to boo. If you don’t like it then don’t YOU boo, but don’t tell me not to boo! Boo-whoo!
If Boozer wanted to be traded last year, according to LHM, and is saying he is opting out to, “…get a raise” then you better bet your money that I will boo. I will boo his ass all day.
He’s got a sweet set-up and if he doesn’t have the PR sense to not say what he said then he should face the boos!
As a fan who contributes to the Jazz in apparel and an occasional game, I felt like my money got spit back in my face. I’ll boo that!
I’ll praise Boozer and consequentially I will boo him when I don’t like what I get. Just the nature of sports. If you don’t like it, don’t be one who boos.
injury
You can’t begrudge his injury. He sustained it while playing hard. If, suppose hypothetically, he injured his elbow by tipping a golf cart in the off season, then you say, “put on an elbow pad and get your ass on the court.” But he was wounded on the field of battle. Can’t begrudge that.
Buckle up!
Good Point.
If you boo anyone, boo Jarron. But he is such a nice guy, too.
The more you try to erase me, the more that I appear.
Myth #3
We lost in LA because it’s the frickin’ Basketball Bermuda Triangle where nothing is as it ought to be, especially refs, especially when our bigs get called for over the backs, but Pau the Memphis Hessian can play piggy back for free. In LA, your confidence doesn’t work, your piss and vinegar dry up, your mojo is on hold, and despite having the worst fans in the NBA, that building is Kryptonite for the Jazz. Don’t let our memories get the best of us. Go back and watch those LA games and see how many times the refs just plain got it wrong. It’s disgusting. At least the Utes could overcome southern home cookin’ reffin’ in the SECdome last week. But in LA, your powers are powerless.
Buckle up!
Brownie
Did you hear Steve Brown every time Derek Fisher shot the ball? “Derek Fisher squeezes out a shot.” “Derek Fisher squeezes out a long one.” Honestly, even if you think Derek Fisher is an a*&hole, there’s no excuse for using “squeeze” as a euphemism for “shoot” on live TV.
Buckle up!
Hold up....
… this argument
people outside of Utah tend to hate Jazz fans. You may take solace in that fact, but I personally think it hurts our team to be known as jerk fans
So suddenly we are supposed to worry about what the rest of the NBA thinks of us and be like LA and just sit silently and watch the game!? Please!
I pay to go to games to watch. I applaud when I like what I see and I boo when I don’t like what I see. If you are going to tell us all to stop booing then you need to play this politically correct and tell us all to stop applauding as well.
Jazz fans “seem” to have a high basketball IQ and reward the players for hustle and good play with an applause. Subsequently, they boo poor play/effort and what they don’t like. Get off this high horse of what we as fans should or shouldn’t do. We are Jazz fans first and foremost and you can either like it or hate it.
I would rather have the ESA as a rowdy place to play versus a quiet library feeling like the Staples Center.
I didn’t and don’t approve of the booing Fisher incident, but this isn’t the “Fisher incident”. And honestly I think this Boozer incident is a big overreaction, but don’t tell people to quit booing. They pay good money to see a Jazz game and have an opinion and booing is there way of vocalizing that opinion.
If we are using the “return a hamburger” argument, how should you tell them that they got your order wrong? I assume you would vocalize your opinion of it being the wrong order. I view booing as the same thing, vocalizing your opinion of something you dislike.
If booing is “wrong” then what is the best way for fans to let Boozer know that they dislike what he is doing?
This isn’t a formal setting where proper attire and attitude are checked at the door. It’s a recreational outing.
If you don’t like the booing, then don’t boo. Who cares what the rest of the NBA thinks, we don’t win a championship for being the most friendly to players.
Besides we aren’t at the booing Santa Claus state that Philly fans are at. At least take comfort in that.
And another thing...
…. this argument:
It could, however, make Boozer disinterested in playing well for the fans in Utah if we keep booing him. It only causes hurt feelings.
What!!?? Really! Come on you can do better than that.
That’s all I am posting on this subject. Sorry to bore y’all with my rants, but I strongly disagree with clarkpojo on this subject.
Let’s not let this distraction detract us from putting our positive energy towards getting the Jazz to win on the road. (Everyone put your two fingers on each hand up to your temples and begin transmitting the positive energy vibe towards this goal. It will help if we all face the direction of the ESA while doing so. And begin.)
Jazz fans are the most classless fans in the NBA.
Showed in that Warrior game with the whistle incident.
Nelly has wet dreams about starting Monta at center.
yeah
warrier fans would NEVER do anything so classless as to go to another fans blog and point it out/rub it in while insulting them. I was mad two, but only cuz i have a whistle and never once thought to bring it to a game, oh well.
Man, we should forfeit before roy’s hammy explodes, knocking him into LMA’s ear who loses his balance and hits Greg’s knee… - HurraKane212
http://www.nba.com/news/miles_10_080919.html
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