Karl and Melo are drinking the Kool Aid again...

by Andrew Feinstein on Sep 28, 2008 8:38 AM MDT

Speaking with the Rocky Mountain News' Chris Tomasson (who continues his excellent coverage of the Nuggets so bloggers like me have something to opine on), Carmelo Anthony threw out the number 60 for the second year in a row. As in, that's how many games Melo thinks the Nuggets might win again next season.

Last year, it wasn't just Melo but several Nuggets - including head coach George Karl - who threw out the 60 number and got ignorant fans like me all excited...and then viciously disappointed. So pardon me for tempering my optimism this season, but I'll be shocked if the Nuggets come within five wins of 50 again.

On the one hand, I appreciate Melo's confidence. As well as the newly displayed confidence of Karl, Nene, Kenyon Martin and others. But all the Nuggets and their coach have done for the past three or four seasons is talk, talk, talk. It's time for them to keep their mouths shut and try surprising us for once, rather than serving up false hope they aren't competent enough to deliver on.

To Karl's credit, he's being a bit more candid about his situation this season (but let's be frank, he's playing with the house's money at this point in his career). In his Friday interview with Tomasson, Karl admitted to being left out of personnel decisions lately, referred to Bobby Jones and Taurean Green as "nothing" (I love that line) and is self aware about possibly being pinned as the Nuggets fall guy this season when - err, should (trying to be positive, its only September!) - they fail to get past the first round of the playoffs again. And for those of you who have followed this blog from Day One know, I won't let the Kroenke Cronies make Karl the only fall guy when - err, if - we finish with another season of playoff ineptitude. When - err, if - Karl gets the axe at season's end, then Mark Warkentien and Rex Chapman should get the axe with him.

That being said, Karl is being paid $3 million this season and next, whether he's in Denver or not, to figure out how to make this team win. And win now. So while I appreciate some of Karl's newfound candidness, he could do without drinking the Melo Kool-Aid with quotes like (copied from Tomasson's interview):

"I love people [basketball pundits] saying that, 'They're awful. They're going to be bad.' I don't see us as bad. My belief is we have enough talent to be ultra successful."

Memo to Melo and Karl: we do have the talent to be ultra successful, so stop talking and start acting.

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60 wins, please... It will never happen as long as Karl is at the helm. I am not saying this team doesn't have the talent to make an impact in the West but they just don't have everything else it takes to win 60 games. Too bad Karl has another year on his contract because there is no way our cheap ass owner is going to let him go for the better of the team after he just gave away Camby to "clear up space".

by Goldennugget on Sep 29, 2008 12:11 AM MDT reply actions

60 wins this year will only happen if they play defense like their life depended on it. Take it personal when Pau Gasol get's an easy dunk, get angry when Shane Battier hits an easy 3, after standing alone for 10 seconds.

Every time they give up a shot, they look at each other as if to point the blame somewhere. The buck stops here. Every one needs to be accountable. Did they watch Boston with a title this year? It was their defense that did it. Denver will always put up 110 points a game, but what good are you doing went you're giving up the same amount. PLAY DEFENSE!

by Jon-Michael on Sep 29, 2008 7:23 AM MDT reply actions

Even if they win 60 in the regular season, once they get into the playoffs, the other team will make a concerted effort to stop our running game and we will lose since Karl doesn't teach half-court offense or defensive rotations. Apparently those things are below us.

by John on Sep 29, 2008 7:46 AM MDT reply actions

Yeah I heard him say 60. Well at least he's aiming high! The team is confident and should be! They had a bad defense last year but they have nothing to be truly ashamed about. 50 wins is good. the only thing they can look down on was losing to the eventual Western Conference champs and getting swept. The Nuggets, on Paper or on the court are not as bad as advertised... At all! They may not win 60 but they should win 48 or more. I mean seriously...

AI, JR, Melo, Kmart, Nene

Are all great players! Thats a Very solid line up, because everybody can put up 15 or more points in thier starting lineup. There isn't much lacking from that lineup! Save for defense which isn't written in stone as a problem this year. They have Post play and Defense... Perimeter Offense truly unparalelled with AI, Melo and JR. as well as athletism. They do lack Perimeter D which is a question to me. It could be fixed tho.

by chillz on Sep 29, 2008 9:49 AM MDT reply actions

Also This team will finaly start camp with all their main players ready. Last year Kmart, Nene, "Atkins"... All missed camp and the preseason. I'm upbeat for them. I can't wait!

by chillz on Sep 29, 2008 9:58 AM MDT reply actions

The problem I have with these 60 win predictions is that it seems to come from an attitude that says "We're so good, the other teams should just roll over and die for us; pack it in after the first quarter and let us show the fans all the talent we have."

The really good teams say things like "If we can stay healthy, if we can play together as a team, if play hard with energy every night, if we get a solid contribution from the bench etc. then we have a chance to be successful" You don't hear the Nuggets saying things like that.
There's a difference between confidence, arrogance, determination and a misplaced sense of superiority. The Nuggets seem to have a mix of misplaced sense of superiority and arrogance.
When Darryl Strawberrry told Homer Simpson "I don't know who you are, but I'm better than you (at baseball)". That was confidence. When Melo says he's going to win 60 games, by implication that means he's going to beat several of the top teams in the West several times. That's the mix of misplaced superiority and arrogance I'm referring to.

by Anonymous on Sep 29, 2008 12:03 PM MDT reply actions

Melo for god's sake plz take a big cup of shut the fuck up

by Iverson Warrior on Oct 2, 2008 6:59 AM MDT reply actions

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