As the Rocky Mountain News' Chris Tomasson pointed out in his recap of the Nuggets 107-101 season-ending loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Denver Nuggets concluded the 2007-08 NBA Season by getting swept in a four-game series for the first time in team history.
So we have that going for us, which is nice.
As I delete the 27th text message sent to me tonight from a Laker fan (#27 reads: "domination. pure and simple"), I've officially succumbed to the fifth stage of grief about my beloved Nuggets: Acceptance. Applying the Kubler-Ross model, allow me to eulogize "the season that should've been but wasn't" from one fan's perspective...
STAGE 1: DENIAL
After head coach George Karl's Nuggets lost to the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the first round of the 2007 playoffs - the team's fourth straight first round loss without mustering so much as two wins, and the third straight such loss under Karl - Karl said that the Nuggets players needed to "respect the regular season" more going into 2007-08. The implication being that if they took the regular season more seriously, they could avoid another first round match up with the eventual Western Conference Championship team.
At the beginning of this season, the Nuggets players predicted a 60-win season and a possible division title in order for the Nuggets to secure something higher than a 7th or 8th playoff seed. Moreover, most NBA pundits were forecasting the Nuggets to finish somewhere between 3rd and 5th in the tough Western Conference, given the relative health, talent and experience of the roster and coach.
So while the Nuggets early season losses to inferior opponents like the Isiah Thomas-coached Knicks, the Clippers, the Pacers and Blazers (at home), coupled with blowout losses to quality opponents like the Celtics, Rockets and Lakers - while routinely giving up 60 points at halftime - should have set off some alarm bells among the fans and the media, Karl pacified us by pointing to the injuries to Chucky Atkins and Nene and feeding us quotes like "I thought we did a good job most of the night."
STAGE 2: ANGER
As the 2007-08 season progressed, however, the Nuggets continued to give up 60 - and in many cases, 70 - points at halftime against both quality and inferior opponents. Throw in some inexplicable losses to piss-poor Eastern Conference teams like the Hawks, Bobcats, Bulls and Bucks (not to mention barely squeaking by the Heat, the NBA's worst team, in overtime) and Karl and the team's laissez-faire approach to each regular season game wasn't flying with the fans or the media anymore. The local newspapers' sports columnists finally turned their attention away from the Broncos, Rockies and Avalanche (albeit briefly) and started questioning Karl and the Nuggets desire to win games.
And of course, out of anger I launched this blog to fire up Karl by suggesting the team fire Karl (sorry for the tongue twister), hoping that a) Karl would give an effort that's consistent with his $3 million salary and, b) that the players would rally around their coach and finally "respect" the regular season.
But all I got for my efforts was the threat of a lawsuit from Karl's "lawyer".
STAGE 3: BARGAINING
The collective vitriol aimed at Karl and the Nuggets by the fans (at Pepsi Center or via blogs like this one) and the Denver sports media didn't change the fortunes - or the nightly effort - of the team. After the NBA All-Star break, the Nuggets slipped perilously into 8th - and sometimes 9th - place in the Western Conference standings. What was once a team we all expected to compete for the 1st seed in the conference was now fighting just to be eliminated in the first round of the playoffs (again)...and somehow everyone was okay with this!! Karl and the Nuggets media surrogates like Scott Hastings and Chris Marlowe spoke of how amazing 50 wins would be, and how anything can happen when you make the playoffs. So instead of holding the coach and players accountable for dropping out of contention for a title (read: underachieving), we rooted them on with everything we had just to make the playoffs.
And "make the playoffs" they did - as an 8th seed on the second-to-last day of the regular season.
STAGE 4: DEPRESSION
In the playoffs, the Nuggets collection of flaws - no set offense, terrible defensive effort, complete lack of composure, rushed jump shots, refusal to play hard on every possession, over-dribbling, too much standing around, constant whining with the refs (which turns the refs against us when we need them most, see: Game 4!), and so on - were exposed to their fullest effect against the Los Angeles Lakers; a classy, serious, well-coached, professional basketball team that will likely represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. To make matters worse, Nuggets fans watched the 8th-seed Atlanta Hawks, a team that won 29 less games than their opponent, pull off two gutty home wins against the far superior Boston Celtics. While the Hawks were channeling the 1993-94 Nuggets, the 2007-08 Nuggets - winners of only seven less games than the Lakers - couldn't get one measly playoff win, and never had a shot in three of the four games in which they lost.
Never forgetting what the expectations were going into the season, I haven't felt this upset about a home team since the Broncos lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1996 NFL Playoffs (and yes, I was at that game, too).
STATE 5: ACCEPTANCE
And now that the season is over, we have to accept that this Nuggets team - as currently constructed - is going absolutely nowhere in the Western Conference.
Never ever.
A coaching change, something I still believe we are in dire need of, isn't going to solve all the Nuggets problems. Nuggets owner Stanley Kroenke - he of a (thankfully) enormous checkbook and passion for basketball to boot, but little instinct into what makes a winning NBA team - should also be considering changes in management and parting with certain members of the Nuggets' roster.
During the off-season, this blog will make such recommendations after reviewing the free agent market and the results of the NBA Draft Lottery (which, as a lifelong Nuggets fan, used to be my favorite night of the year and in a weird way, I kind of miss it). And of course, I still need to complete my breakdown of the Mark Warkentien / Bret Bearup / Rex Chapman Administration. I'm not letting those guys off the hook.
And what about the future of firegeorgekarl.com going into 2008-09? Well, like Coach Karl himself said during tonight's TNT broadcast: during the off-season I'm going to consult with the people I love (i.e. you, my readers) and see if I'm ready for another go-around with this.
But rest assured, this blog will continue in one form or another. That is, of course, if you'll have me back!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
The 5 Stages of an Aggrieved Nuggets Fan...
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47 comments:
Well said.
And thank you for bringing truth to this tumultuous season and voicing my exact frustrations as a Nuggets fan.
Hopefully we'll have something better to talk about at the end of next year's season.
Keep the blog. It's fun.
I think Kenny the Jet Smith said it best: the Nuggets are a bunch of one-on-one players. They are just are hard to watch on offense as they are on defense. CWebb made another astute observation about how the scorers leave the people who do the dirty work out to dry and hesistant wondering whether they should crash the boards or get back on defense.
Bottom-line: the Nuggets need to have a team concept on both ends of the floor. They have to work together and orchestrate an offense and defense rather than manufacturing one, the other, or both.
The Lakers became a team this year and that's why they performed so well.
And it was their team concept that really exposed the flaws of the Nuggets.
As I watched this series, I became convinced that it's not just the coaching. It's the players lack of maturity and basketball IQ.
And the Lakers were just a better team than the Nuggets.
I gave up tix this year because I couldn't stand watching them play. Kenny Smith and CWebb articulated why.
"Everyone is going to fairly point at Melo and AI but no one will mention that Karl was absolutely embarassed by Phil Jackson."
Dude you are so crazy!! Kobe beat the Nuggets by himself at the end with amazing shots(because he is the best on the planet)... Phil had nothing to do with that... my five year old nepew could have coached that last 6mins for the lakers! You guys are bitter ad crazy! Hey Andrew and the rest of you sit on the couch coaches. Fire who? Why don't you spend as much time supporting your your team and coach as you too putting them down then maybe you sorry denver fans may win someday. hahahahah ....We never gave up on our team or coach even though we went out in the first round the last 2 years to the same team.... support your team!! Laker Fan!
Thanks for keeping the blog alive dude,as a Nuggets fan (or A.I fan)from Turkey,it's great to have objective news somewhere out of nuggets.com.
Drew I hope we don't have to have this blog next season! LOL
I went thru all 5 stages this season. Its funny... as I watched the game I really didn't care if they won just if they'd fight... Fight Hard. And they did which isn't indicative of the coach but the players not wanting to go home.
I wouldn't read to far into what the players say about wanting Karl back... If you think about it, what else could they say!? If they did say they'd like a change they'd be torched in the media as all players are.
Deangelo, you give too much stock in what commentators say... The Nuggets do have one on one players but are Camby , Kmart, Najera and Nene one on one players? And what is a one on one player? A player that can dribble? It was a baseless comment aimed at what the nuggets DO not the kind of players they have. It was misappropriated. Also about the dirty work playing being left out to dry... This is bologna. Camby rarely goes for offensive rebounds and stays around the arc on offense, Kmart stays arount the baseline but does rebound sometimes. The reason they are left out to dry is because they have no set position on the floor within Karl Open offense.
Also the team BBall IQ and not the coach?! Are you High?! 3 of those players have been to the finals. AI, Kmart and Camby... Kmart's been there 2 or 3 times! If your Offense lacks structure how much IQ can you use, when there's no set positions on the floor for you!? No set plays ran save for a few lob plays?!
You do know that Paul Peirce AND Ray Allen are NOT good defenders right? Yet they play on the best defensive team in the NBA! WHy? Because they and well coached and their system covers their weaknesses by placing roleplayers around them that PLAY and KNOW their role. Perkins isn't allowed to dribble the ball coast to coast and turn it over... Rondo's job is to defend and score off the scraps. The Bench comes in and defends with all they've got... Eddie House was NEVER a defender.
Coaching makes a world of a difference!
I think you should keep the site going next year too. It was fun reading all year. Maybe you should change the name though, to fire Mello & A.I.
Seriously, in two home games and your starting center only gets 1 field goal, and that's a 3 pointer! Something's definitely wrong on the offense. We can easily turn on Karl for not running an offesive plays playbook, but do you seriously think these guys could ever follow anything? Also, can you even imagine Karl benching these two guys? I think this season he did the best he could. He survived. He didn't get into an open conflict with these two primadonnas, he got the team to the playoffs (albeit more like the team got itself there) and he put together a winning season. It has to be the management's decision to get rid of these guys.
You can't coach an uncoachable team. And if you try, you're gonna get your head blown off. Some players, God gave them too much talent and not enough brains.
Excellent blog, I enjoyed reading it very much. First of all, Laker fan, go away...you will never understand the pain we "true" nuggets fans have endured over the years. Your probably one of those natives of Colorado that has jumped on the Laker bandwagaon at some point just becasue you can't take the pain. Anyway, I will try to be as quick as I can. Bottom line is that in order for us to be considered title contenders, we need to trade AI. I said this to Chris T. in the RMN mailbag in February. We need a true point guard to distribute the ball. And play great defense. Wish we still had Andre. Obviously, the powers that be will not fire George, so all that we can do is wish that he will "quit" officially. Let Najara go. I love AI, but in order for us to be relevent, we must pass the ball and play like a real team. deagelo, I agree with you, Kenny the Jet is usually the only one right most of the time on that tirad of show. Dump AI and Go get a quality point guard for a fraction of the cost and and you'll plant two flowers with one seed! JR, Klieza, Nene all future studs-almost all got their start in Denver. Melo, inmature and has room to grow. I believe he will learn from this and get serious. (i certainly hope so) we have a great team. K-mart really showed me alot over the course of a full year. He has the mental toughness we need to succeed in the playoffs. (might as well be postitive, no one will take that contract. Camby, looked terrible in this series. (see game 2, he looked like he was sleep walking). WE NEED A PASS FIRST POINT GUARD!!! There I feel better now. Thanks for letting me share. I leave you with this. Since Nuggets management won't get rid of Karl, STOP BEATING A DEAD HORSE! Start a new blog.... tradetheanswer.com I can't hurt at this stage more than it already does.
i don't think i'm quite yet through all the stages haha
keep up the blog. but like chillz mentioned. i hope the blog isn't needed!
fire karl. re-sign jr. trade camby (and kleiza if needed) for a good PG.
i don't think both jr AND linas can develop properly on this team with melo and AI still around.
well we are not going to have Larry Brown as our head coach next year.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3373007
Andrew, I think you should keep this blog up and running because you are one of the only Nuggets sites that is actually realistic and not delusional.
'Gelman79'
I hate to break it to you, but if Iverson leaves, that team still would have a lot of problems to fix and just getting a 'pass first PG' will not hide them. I'm willing to bet money that if Iverson leaves they won't even make the playoffs next year, in which it will become even more of an issue with Carmelo and his future there as well. Iverson does need to explore his options, but not for the reasons you are stating. He needs to go to a team that is serious about contending, and that team and organization needs to start figuring out what they want and are trying to build towards. Because it is painfully obvious that when they traded for AI they didn't have a plan from start, just expected that guy to fix all their problems. Also, you're just as crazy if you want to get rid of a hustle/unselfish player like Najera. Other then AI, JR and Kenyon..he's the only other one that plays the game with any heart on that team and plays hard every game.
J.R. Smith! Please stay!
Thanks for the blog.
Let's look at this:
1) a sudden consensus has emerged that George is not the problem
2) the "uncoachable" players are the problem according to this consensus
3) the roster was put together by the front office
4) the front office doesn't believe that firing George even merits discussion
5) the "uncoachable" players have unmovable contracts
Therefore, there will be no changes, not to the roster, the coach, or the front office. Everybody (except the undisciplined players) is covering their ass. The "journalists" are helping them do this.
I have never seen a situation (in sports) as f**ked up as this is in my entire life.
I can no longer root for the Denver Nuggets. They used to have my loyalty, but now they only have my contempt.
First off, keep the blog alive! It's the best one around!
Second: Andrew, did you think of a plan B (or plan C for that matter) for the coaching situation now that Larry Brown is headed to the Bobcats?
Third: why does everybody keep referring to the Western Conference as a TOUGH conference? I think it's a very WEAK conference. You don't even need a .700 winning pct. to win it (Lakers were .695)
Fourth: J.R. Smith! Please stay!
I can never go into Stage 5... that man George Karl is disgusting. I don't know why fans can accept it, but Karl is holding us hostage with his "basketball game is nothing compared to what I went through in life" shit motto.
Just because he faced hardship, doesn't mean the other person doesn't. He's a drama queen, intimidated by his past failures and intimidated by today's players' egos... instead of accepting it and embracing it. This "new Karl" is his escape and it's made him pathetic.
He's lost his pride... noone liked to play for the "Furious George" then but he still earned his players' respect. Now he's transformed into "Nice George" and noone still likes to play for him and he loses respect too.
Phil Jackson and Greg Poppovich are tough love coaches but are they aware of today's players' ego compared to previous generation's ego? Yes. Do they adjust? Of course. Otherwise, they wouldn't succeed. Maybe George should invent himself a time machine and go back to the 60s where he can coach without worrying about egos. Then he can have his team... but until he can accept he's coaching in this era full of egos, then he can't function as a coach by avoiding it.
He's one pathetic guy... he wants to control players to his mentality instead of accepting them.
I can't believe we Denver fans are settling for a situation where our beloved team is being held in someone's grip. George is cunning... he's more powerful that you all realize and more unwanted than Saddam Hussein was in Iraq by Iraqi people.
Until we all revolt and decide we can't take it anymore, George is here to stay. As "good fans" doesn't mean you have to settle for a team that is not aware of its precarious situation it's put in ahead. You should root for the team anyway you can and support it. And the only way you can support the team is demanding Karl be fired effective as today.
Andrew, if you're at Stage 5, that means you have lost battle with George Karl and the very fact why you created this blog in the first place.
Never accept it and continue to demand Karl's firing because that man is becoming the Denver Nuggets' worst enemy.
It's not the Lakers, Spurs, Melo's immaturity or first round exits. It's that man at the helm that needs to be waxed right now.
He's becoming a terrorist to this organization. He can no longer meet the requirements to succeed at this level and he kept saying it's the L that's getting tougher not that he's lost his coaching skills.
Poor George, we all do pity you, but don't drag our beloved Nuggets team down along with you. You can cry in your home all day for never winning championships, or players hating you... but just don't bring my Nuggets down. I can't care less what happens to you, just don't bring my Nuggets down.
Leave. And I know I'm being rude but sometimes rudeness is needed for people who don't know their place like George Karl. That man is the most selfish person who can only think about himself. It's about "George surviving life hardship" to him instead of "coaching the Nuggets to the best of my effort and ability" when he collects $3 million every year.
To him, the Denver Nuggets are nothing but his media for proving he's transformed to be the Nice George. To him, the Denver Nuggets are nothing but an anger management class. And I don't think George is aware and is respectful of the Denver Nugget fans. To him, we're non existent.
This is not about the Denver Nuggets when he's on the sideline, when he sits without making adjustments, when he chew on his cough drops, when he calls a timeout. It's about George Karl wanting to show to the world today's players are full of egos.
---
By the way, you should keep this blog running. This is one of the best Nugget sites out there... if not the best.
You know we should just trade AI to the Mavericks for Jason Kidd. Why? To prove that we are indeed not better without AI. But hey you'll see.
In case some of you don't remember, AI has led a team to the finals before, so I guess he deserves all the insults. And JR is great, but very stupid. The shots he takes sometimes makes you scratch your head. But honestly, I don't think the Nuggets can contend for a championship this year or anytime soon.
Go Kobe!!!
Game 3 scouting report explains it well. Although it does let George of the hook a bit, it is still his job to find a system that works for all his players or teach them a new way to play.
http://www.blogger.com/blog-options-basic.g?blogID=792849764888026968
Warren Buffet said that don't put good money after bad money. So after last year's Nuggets loss, I promptly surrendered my 10-pack tickets to Nuggets' organization knowing that this team will not improve, will not go anywhere, until coach KARL is FIRED. I am very happy that my decision to not go as many games worked out. I am still a Nuggets fan, it saddens me though that fans have no say or voice. Talking about mismanagement, box-office at Pepsi Center was charging $2 per ticket as "service charge" before the start of the season. I mean come-on..After pressure by NBA offices in NY, they took that off in November. We get the team we deserve; a collection of stars put together by an inept and greedy management so that they can fill their coiffeurs.
Great work all season, Andrew. Keep it up. This is one of the better NBA blogs.
The last 3 minutes of last nights game summed it up.
Lakers kept their cool. Nuggets did not.
Laker's star dominated and made clutch plays. Nuggets star fouled out and the other dribbled around for 20 seconds at a time with his head down until he launched a prayer or passed the ball wildly to any player he may catch out of the corner of his eye.
Laker's team passed, created shots and scored. Nuggets "plays", there were none. They dribbled and hoisted up shots, and if they were lucky, hit a gift (Camby from the corner) or had a rebound fall into their hands (Nene).
Laker's coach...well, gave it to Kobe. Nuggets coach put his best player on Kobe with 4, then 5, fouls and, as everyone knew was going to happen, fouled out because he can't guard Kobe.
Lakers got all the calls. Nuggets got none. Although, when the Nuggets did happen to get a few calls in the third quarter, they made it a game.
Camby has got to go. He is one dimensional and only plays hard on the defensive end, occassionally. Last year's defensive player of the year (and this year's runner up) is a joke. He can't guard any big one on one. When he played hard last night, he was a tolerable (a few big blocks)...but he only played hard for a half. Trade him for a PG and a young big while he still has value (i.e. while he is still riding his DPY rep).
Melo and AI - I like them, but not together. They are simply too similar on the offensive end. Too much ball hogging, flow stopping, dribbling, ending in fade away 15 footers.
JR - Getting better, but has a long way to go.
Kleiza - marginal.
K-Mart - he is what he is. You have to take the good with the bad.
Karl - He has lost his fire. He was out coached. Yes, Jackson had a better team to begin with, but it was obvious that both on the offensive and defensive end the Lakers had more knowledge and intensity. Jackson's offensive set-up is second to none when the right players run it and he knows how to coach on the defensive end (i.e. get players on the right position to make defensive plays). Maybe Karl's players are not coachable, but it is clear the Karl is no longer trying to coach them either. That is a lose, lose.
Thanks for the post.
I wanted to say your poll doesn't offer many choices...
I want to keep Melo and fire Karl... but I don't want to keep everybody on the roster either.
I just had to say this to you Nugz fans:
Ya done got hosed by refs. Not one single call went your way that whole series. The JR Smith "elbow"; the block/charge; the Shaq treatment on AI....redonkulous.
I've stated this on another board. The Nuggets had no leadership, flooor generalship or points out of the point guard position.
I think that someone from the Nuggets organization should give Gilbert Arenas a call. His big shot hitting ability would be what the Nuggets need, not to mention he is very disgruntled with being in the Wizards organization.
...P/S/-BRING IN VAN GUNDY!!
The Nuggets played their hearts out last night. They were just the inferior team...plain and simple. There was definitely an imbalance in calls made by the refs. Seriously, so many bullsh*t calls stifled any potential momemtum. But that aside, they just got beat by a better team.
The bright spots are:
JR is sick and needs to start! He should have an amazing season next year.
Kleiza is developing into a starter.
Nene is coming around and would have had a great season if not for testicular cancer.
Andrew, you hit the nail on the head with the added frustration of seeing the undermanned Atlanta Hawks get two wins against the #1 seeded Celtics.
My expectations for this team have had to be lowered constantly during this season.
1. Start of the Season - A #3 seed going into the playoffs. Maybe I put too much stock into the "we can win 60 games this year nonsense". Then when Karl heard those numbers he said, "Whoa, maybe 55". In retrospect it sounds really crazy. 55 wins for you clowns?
2. Mid-Season - Home Court in the 1st round. I thought we still had a shot to catch the Jazz at this point. I, like some of you, felt that the Nuggets could get their act together and take care of business.
3. Late Season - Make the Playoffs. Ok, forget about a top seed and home court, just get in the playoffs, we'll do some damage once we are in!
4. The Lakers Series - Six Games. Ok, the Lakers are a great team, but I want to see them get pushed by the Nuggets; give 'em hell, maybe steal a game in LA; and make me proud!
5. Games 3 & 4 - Just play hard. Go down fighting, give it your all and most of all...Give Us something to Build on for Next Year!!
Maybe I was crazy for having my hopes up so high at the start of the season.
Keep up the good work Andrew! I think this site is very theraputic for a lot of us Nuggets fans.
I forgot how "great" Kobe Bryant was. What an amazing leader and great teammate! *Flashback to last season* BEEP BEEP there goes the bus that just ran over Andrew Bynum. Lets get the facts straight here! Kobe did not THROW Bynum under that bus, he was simply driving it screaming "TRADE ME!" I'm glad to see that the front office changed your diaper, gave you a lolly pop, and wiped the tears from your face. They even gave you Pau Gasol, which miraculously changed your mind about the team and GM. After all, he should get the award for GM of the year right? Congratulations Kobe! Out of all the bandwagon ass Lakers fans, you are the biggest one. Here's my qualm with Bryant, he's fake. Everything about him. Praising his teammates during the post game interview, commending the front office. GARBAGE! All of it. Kobe, keep the "black mamba" nickname because you truly are a snake. If this is the leagues MVP, you can keep him.
What can I say about the series? Worst officiating ever? Probably. Breathe or look at Kobe it's a foul. It doesn't help either when every sports writer on the planet has committed to a Lakers Celtic's finals either. After all it will "revitalize the NBA" by renewing a "rivalry long missed and needed." That's crap too. Karl looks about as interested in coaching as a fat man does in running outside during a heatwave. Look I understand why the players picked up the "T's" Who was going to work the refs if the coach wasn't? So they complained themselves. It isn't the way you win, but from what I saw, I probably would have complained too. Maybe Melo quit, but I know Iverson didn't. He's given everything to the Nuggets, played with a broken finger and all. So if Denver blames him for the problems, you don't deserve a guy with that much heart. I think everyone played hard BUT Melo. Well i take that back. It's difficult to play hard when you get called for a foul whenever you are closer than 3 feet from the ball. Did the ball take out a restraining order on Melo?!? Sure seemed like it. But to not win a single game? Seriously?!? There would have been more movement on the bench if Coach Karl suddenly choked on one of this cough drops. Wait time out - Maybe he was too busy thinking about how proud of his son he was. - WARNING "CRAP ALERT" - Either way an all star roster just got toasted like a marshmallow. Good job Lakers, you served us Nuggets fans a big fat serving of Carmellomars. UGH, Kobe Bryant rapes Iverson out of the playoffs once again. Cheer up A.I., it's just something else he is talented at. After all you the know the saying, "practice makes perfect." MVP, MVP MVP!!
Hi man.
Congrats 4 this blog.
Well, I think the better option for the next season is to trade Kenyon Martin and fire up Karl, contracting a coach who can teach defense to our team. A coach like Fratello, or Jeff Van Gundy.
What do you think about my opinion?
Sorry for my English, I'm from Spain.
Well done!
Lukas
You can't give up on this team because:
a.) you have seen glimpses of what they can do when playing together and motivated, and
b.) none of these players will be going anywhere (at least not the big money ones.)
c.) It reminds me of the year before the Knicks got Riley. All they need was someone to work with that talent.
What these players are going to see this year is that talent alone is not enought to win.
Hire Van Gundy.
camby is as good as gone
anyone who thinks differently is a moron....i think a starting 5 of melo, jr, iverson, k-mart, and Nene, is still one of the more talented 5 in the west, but they have a leadership problem...ever since iverson showed up, melo has become a lap dog, and really quit working on his game...he relished the role of team leader prior to his 15 game suspension, and it's time for the nuggets to get back to that.
LONG LIVE FIREGEORGEKARL.COM!
Andrew, your poll should include:
"Fire Karl and trade Camby"
"Fire Karl and do not resign AC"
"Fire Karl and resign Najera"
Hi,
I am a Lakers fan and found your blog during the playoffs. The blog is very insightful, humorous, and generally very well written. Good luck with the blog and I will certainly return to read more.
Thanks,
Johnny
Hey all i have to say is one thing.
Chillz and andrew,
if u guys don't wanna do thiz again next year cuz of ur moaning then guess wat. DON'T DO IT! God is it tat hard. abd all u ppl got 2 much time on ur handz 2 rite so fuckin much shit that doesn't make any fuckin sense.
Here's what the Nuggets should do: buy out KMart's and Nene's contracts, trade AI for Jose Calderon and perhaps another decent player on the Raptors, then with all the money they will have saved, they can offer Josh Smith a good contract. Imagine a starting line up like that: Calderon, JR, Carmelo, Josh Smith, and Camby. That's 3 defensive threats (Calderon, Josh, and Camby) and 3 offensive threats (JR, Melo, Josh Smith). It is true that Camby can't really shut down other opponents, but he is a great at defending the team while playing TEAM defense. With a TEAM of defenders, Camby could reach his full potential as a big man defender. By trading AI for Calderon, the Nuggets would get a good defensive and passing-minded point guard, and could probably get one or two decent role players along with the deal. They might even be able to keep Kleiza. Yes, I know, KMart and Nene are very competitive, but they are also NOT many things: consistent, dominant, or really even worthy of a starting role on a team. Josh Smith plays great transition D, he is a big presence, and he can get the crowd going: exactly what the Nugs need.
ill have you back, you write a GREAT blog!!!!
To the Laker fans that keep rubbing it in: Are you secretly Nuggets fans? Is that why you are here??
BOTTOM-LINE: I believe that if we had a good coach we could have won at least 60 games and gotten out of the first round.
Fire George Karl, send him to LA to be with his son.
See this blog to see a lot of good ideas on how to fix the Nuggets and what went wrong especially in the playoffs: #6 NuggSter
Come back, man. We need any type of Nuggets blog that is critical of the team's mistakes, celebratory of it's accomplishments, and can be a rallying point for Denver fans. That is this blog. Your insight, information, and love of the Nuggets is great to read everyday.
Thanks Andrew for bieng the leader of the people who understand what is really happineng with this organization and thanks for standing up for what you know/belive is best for this team.
Let me clarify because there still seems to be some belief that an overhaul is neccesary in order to achieve success with this team. The Nuggets have many problems right now, most of which can be fixed with a new coach. Trades fix one problem. If you need an inside presence, you make a trade. If you need to sell tickets and need a star player that will do so, you make a trade. This should be best evident this year with Phoenix, Dallas and L.A, all of which turned out differently and only one of which to this point actually worked (L.A.). Trades don't fix the type of problems the Nuggets have. Coaching does. We have the pieces and each person on the team plays a vital role in our success. We have a perfect balance of defense and offense we just need someone to work it properly.
I really don't care much for George Karl anymore. He knows he isn't a benafactor to this team and so do we. Yet he reamains our achilles heel and refuses to do anything within his power about it. He has no idea about what the phrase "for the greater good means". He is just there to collect his 3 mil each year and sit un-enthused on the sidelines as his team becomes the first 50 win team to get swept in the playoffs.
If there is a glimpse of unselfishnesss in Karl's heart he will, for our sake, hopefully embrace it and resign next year. And Andrew you are doing such a good job I think you should keep covering the Nuggets no matter what happens next year.
Thanks Again for giving us hope.
You are one sad man to have a site such as this. Performance begins with the players not the coaches. I would like to see you coach a team loaded with individuals who don't respect a TEAM game. George has heart and loves this game, but no matter how much heart is involved in his coaching he will never win a championship when egos such as Melo and AI get in the way. Need I remind you just how much trouble these two have caused throughout their professional careers. You do the math jackass.
The Nuggets were a below .500 before George arrived. There would have never been a post-season without the man. You "George haters" all have some issues.
we used to be excited just to get to the postseason but it gets old when you don't do anything for 5 years. we don't just wanna get there anymore.
Thanks A for the rant outlet here. It will be interesting to see how the team unfolds here in the off season. It would be great to see Karl go. He holds pathetic news conferences without inspiration and I just don't get it. Regardless,send Camby and unfortunatly AI for whatever we can get and hope the team can pick up on Karls ??? because it looks as if he is here to stay.
You know I am most disappointed with Nugget Fans. Just like Karl threw JR Smith under the bus you guys are throwing AI and Melo under the bus. Granted I can understand Karl, but Allen Iverson. The Nuggets were not RELEVANT before AI came to town.
Because JR Smith makes 3's from 30 feet, he's the next MJ. You guys are delusional, and because you are, you have this team. A team based on flash with no fire (Yeh MJ commercial)
I barely ever hear people complain about how Karl sat Diawara (Denver's best perimeter defender) who actually started a good amount of games last year. Sat Hunter, who actually started a couple of games this season and had good outings. Atkins a 3-point demon, didn't even play in the playoffs.
Your management let go of Steve Blake ( He was willing to sign for 5-mil but the nuggets management decided against it), traded Evans ( the best and most efficient rebounder for the Nuggets) for Hunter who did not play.
One thing that really aggravates me about you guys, unlike Andrew who came up with this site, is that very few of you understand basketball. Trade Iverson and Camby for Calderon and Parker. You do realize that you play in the Western Conference. Calderon is gonna be effective against Paul, Nash, Parker, D-Williams, B-Davis...Parker is gonna guard Kobe, McGrady, Ginobli, J. Howard etc
Give me a break, for all you intelligent basketball fans out there who think this team is dysfunctional. Remember, there was a team once called the Trail Blazers that was full with Nutcases (that's what the media called them) and till this day they have not made the playoffs. Wallace is in the 2nd round, Wells is in the second round, Stoudemire is gonna be in the second round. You give me the right situation, and I'll put you on the road to a championship, that is the promise every superstar/ all-star player gives you, unfortunately not everybody is that fortunate.
If you like start demanding trades, start saying this guy should go, that guy should go, before you know it, you'll be a 17-win team again, and Costa will die of a heart attack.
Get it straight the Nuggets, only hope is a system where they can make the best use of the players they have, trades are great when you can give little away but the Nuggets little players don't get time to play and only their big-time players do. A trade of any star right now will only bring the Nuggets down.
J - ok you may have an understanding of the game. Big kudos to you but I was the happiest fan to see Evans go. Challenge me on that ! He was baggage and the only thing he had going for him was that stupid grin. I can only hope for a Costa heart attack. Hunter was good during his brief minutes but Atkins never found his game. Blake was the best passer we had last year but he had little confidence in his shooting. Anyway we are all fans with different knowledge of the game. Hope for a better year thru 2009
I hope the Nuggets get Jeff Van Gundy or Flip Saunders (say, the pistons fire him).
They need a coach who teaches defense and class to this team. I love the Nuggets so much.
But we have to be patient
BTW, the http://getgarnett.com was changed to http://thelakersnation.com upon the failure of the Lakers getting KG.
It would be fitting to change this site to http://thenuggetscountry.com
or
htto://thenuggetsworld.com
if george step out and someone better comes in
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