The all-things-Melo week in review...
by Andrew Feinstein on Aug 20, 2010 12:52 AM MDT
in Denver Nuggets: News and Opinion
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PrintThe will-or-won't-Melo-stay-in-Denver story has divided Nuggets fans, made a mockery of the national media and brought thousands of new readers to Denver Stiffs. It's been an interesting week to say the least...
A month ago, I introduced a new verb into our basketball-laden lexicon: LeBron'd. In my column at that time, I openly stated that I wasn't confident Carmelo Anthony would re-sign Denver's generous $65 million contract extension (which is really $83.5 million if you include his player option 2011-12 season) and suggested that a Melo waffle could/should lead to preparations for a post-Melo world in Denver. That angle received little attention beyond this site as Melo was on his honeymoon and hadn't publicly commented on the extension offer.
That all changed this past Monday.
On Monday, the Denver Post's Chris Dempsey and Nuggets.com's Aaron Lopez caught up with Melo at his Highlands Ranch-based basketball camp and finally got #15 on the record regarding his future in Denver. As if he was taking line reads from the LeBron James' playbook, Melo said: "...at this point in time, I have to do what's best for me and my family. I'm just taking my time, figuring out if I want to take that extension or not."
Gulp.
For the skeptics like Dempsey and myself, the dots could finally be connected pointing to a likely Melo departure: the house for sale in Littleton, the purchase of a home in Los Angeles, the marriage to a Brookyln-born, Hollywood-loving celebrity (just look at this picture of Melo's wife with Clippers owner Donald Sterling) and, finally, the publicly ambiguous, anything-but-reassuring comments about staying in Denver. It was starting to feel very Cleveland-esque around town and Melo was clearly cognizant of this, Tweeting late Monday: "Funny how people come up with there [sic] own analysis of a situation. I tell you boy....... Unbelievable."
But as it turns out, we were just getting started.
Early Tuesday, CBS Sports' Ken Berger already had Melo leaving Denver and by Tuesday afternoon Berger's colleague (and my Blogs with Balls conference buddy) Matt Moore had Melo wearing a Knicks jersey. Not wanting to be left out in all the fun, ESPN's Ric Bucher - who confidently boasted that "Kobe Bryant has played his last game in a Lakers uniform" prior to the 2007-08 season - regurgitated what everyone else already knew, and had already reported, when citing Chris Paul's infamous toast at Melo's wedding as "proof" that Melo and the Nuggets will be parting ways.
Then on Wednesday, things got really bizarre. The legendarily incompetent con-artist Isiah Thomas guaranteed that Melo would become a Knick. SI.com's Chris Mannix "reported" that multiple sources told SI that Melo is open to a long-term deal with the Nets or Rockets. (The Rockets? Really?) And not to be outdone, the New York Post's Lenn Robbins "reported" that, according to a Melo confidant, #15 has his heart set on playing in New York and believes he'd be a better fit for the Knicks than LeBron would have been. If I wanted "reporting" like this, I'd read the Weekly World News.
To top things off, Melo himself - or whomever controls his Twitter account - re-tweeted my open letter to the Nuggets' best player since Alex English in which I served up my case for why Denver might be the best fit after all. A few hours later, the re-tweet in question was deleted, presumably because Melo or whomever re-tweeted it finally bothered to read the whole letter...a heartfelt yet admittedly sarcastic case for why Melo's hunt for championships should take place in Denver.
And then on Thursday, the Post's Benjamin Hochman finally got some current Nuggets to go on the record regarding the ordeal. As reported by Hochman, head coach George Karl said he hopes this Melo stuff is just "summer talk", while Nuggets power forward Kenyon Martin made a startling statement by saying: "Personally, my thinking is — I can't see where we got better this summer. Al (Harrington) is cool...but I can't see how we got better. You know, I'm going to be out and (Andersen) is going to be out...so did we get better? I can't say that we did." Gee, thanks for the confidence boost, K-Mart - it's a good thing you're not in charge of Nuggets season ticket sales.
It should also be noted that the Knicks allegedly offered a "package" of Eddy Curry's expiring contract, Danilo Galinari and a future first rounder to the Nuggets which was rightfully rejected here in Denver.
Meanwhile, throughout the week each of the Post's three columnists offered three separate opinions. Mark Kiszla reported that Nuggets management won't get "LeBron'd" as Cleveland did in early July. Dave Krieger suggested that it's Melo himself who holds all the cards here (which I respectfully disagree with). And Woody Paige advised the Nuggets to stand pat and see how the season plays out, considering that this team is just two years removed from almost making the NBA Finals.
Boy, what a week.
So where do we go from here?
As I see it, the Nuggets essentially have three options:
1) Treat Melo like the Lakers treated Kobe Bryant in the summer of 2007. This means that the Nuggets would essentially entertain trade offers while secretly refusing to budge on any deal whatsoever while hoping that the team gets off to a good start, hoping that a Pau Gasol-esque miracle deal becomes available in exchange for K-Mart's expiring contract before the trade deadline, hoping that the team has a deep playoff run and hoping Melo ultimately stays in town because of all the good things happening here. The problem, of course, is that that's a lot of hope and the franchise would be saddled with the salaries stemming from any possible K-Mart deal whether Melo stays or not. In other words, a huge gamble.
2) Trade Melo to the highest bidder. If it's in fact true that Melo and his management team have served up four to five possible cities/franchises to Nuggets management for relocation, the Nuggets actually find themselves in an advantageous position. Simply put, in this scenario the Nuggets can take whatever the best deal is for their lone superstar player and start rebuilding for the future.
3) Trade Melo regardless of how many teams are bidding. This might sound insane on the face of it, but the Nuggets could elect to avoid the looming distraction and trade Melo for whatever they can get however paltry the return value might be.
After giving this much thought and allowing the dust to settle a bit, I'm standing by what I said on Monday which is consistent with the second scenario above: IF Melo indeed has no intention of staying in Denver (which, to be clear, no one knows for certain yet), it behooves the Nuggets to trade him now while they actually have some leverage. But, it doesn't mean they have to trade Melo no matter what. As has been reported by the New York Daily News' Frank Isola, the Knicks probably don't have enough to coax the Nuggets into a deal, meaning the Nuggets are better off waiting things out than panicking with a Knicks deal. I agree with this strategy wholeheartedly.
If Carmelo Anthony truly wants to play elsewhere and do so while getting the maximum amount of dollars and guaranteed years that could come to him with the offered extension, he and his team are going to have to play ball with Denver. Eddy Curry's expiring contract, Danilo Galinari and/or Wilson Chandler and a meaningless future first round pick aren't worth trading Melo now. Sorry, New York. Conversely, getting Brook Lopez, Devin Harris and a first round pick for Melo would be a great deal considering the circumstances. As would be any Clippers package possibly including Blake Griffin.
Neither the Denver Nuggets nor Carmelo Anthony nor a possible recipient team of Melo's talents are going to have their cake and eat it too. IF Melo is ultimately traded, the Nuggets won't get fair market value but could at least come close. IF Melo is insistent on leaving Denver with his max money, he'll have to settle for losing good players from the receiving team and pass on being a Knick altogether. And IF Melo is traded, whomever acquires him will have to deal with building around #15 sans a few good players now wearing Nuggets uniforms. For some reason, the national (not local) media doesn't seem to grasp all this as they start picking out Melo's locker inside Madison Square Garden for the 2010-11 campaign. And it certainly doesn't help that most of them have an unhealthy East Coast, and specifically New York, bias.
I guess the bottom line for me is that if Carmelo Anthony really wants to be a Knick, he'll have to wait until the 2011-12 season (if it ever happens) and play for about $30 million less in a city with obnoxiously high tax rates and living expenses. In the meantime, in a wait-and-see scenario Nuggets fans would get their eighth-straight playoff appearance and hope for the best thereafter.
After digesting all this nonsense all week long, the Nuggets' position seems pretty clear me. It's Melo's position that remains up in the air.
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I maintain that all signs from the Nuggets are pointing to them NOT
trading him under most any circumstance, with the unlikely exception of being absolutely wowed by a trade. Otherwise….as you and I both know….everything coming from the Nuggets organization the last day, and sited by Woody Paige and Benjamin Hochman, is both that no deals have been offered (per Hochman) and the Nuggets have every intention of getting in to the season with Melo (per Woody Paige)
As I’ve stated before there’s an extreme parlor game being played by Melo’s hangers on and the New York media. Humiliate the organization (the bullshit Bucher article) and then by proxy shame the city of Denver with random rumors (which if you think about it each rumor is getting more and more ridiculous) till we say “here….take him for nothing…we don’t care” they tried it with Lebron and got egg on their face. Now it’s Denver’s turn.
This is going to require a strong constitution but I think we can make it. The key being hiring a new GM and having a bit of a sit down with Melo. We should know more then.
By the way….I feel bad for Mark Kiszla….he was constantly fed info by Rex Chapman in the Nuggets FO (don’t ask my why I know that….I just do) and his last column was kind of a rehash of the one he wrote a month ago.
"If there's a new way....I'll be the first in line. But it better work this time...." Peace Sells....but Who's Buying
Proving that you can be gay and not like Madonna, and rock out to Metal. .
Quitter's People United Member # 78
When I site Woody by the way....I'm referring to his mailbag column
where he specifically sites “sources” within the Nuggets saying hes certain that Melo hasn’t actually made up his mind AND he expects Melo will be here this season. Which in itself is an assertion.
http://www.denverpost.com/woodysmailbag
I still suspect that Melo is still thinking about going to NY….but I am seriously starting to believe that the Nuggets plan on taking their chances.
"If there's a new way....I'll be the first in line. But it better work this time...." Peace Sells....but Who's Buying
Proving that you can be gay and not like Madonna, and rock out to Metal. .
Quitter's People United Member # 78
You need to learn the difference between site and cite.
"Woohoo Denver, Yeah... All right Denver justify my love!" ...Homer Simpson
"Denver isn't considered a frontier maam, not these days"... Josh Randall (Steve McQueen) in an episode of Wanted Dead or Alive set in 1871, filmed in 1958.
And you need to learn some tact
jpage’d
"If there's a new way....I'll be the first in line. But it better work this time...." Peace Sells....but Who's Buying
Proving that you can be gay and not like Madonna, and rock out to Metal. .
Quitter's People United Member # 78
Thursty....I appreciate the correction of grammar
"If there's a new way....I'll be the first in line. But it better work this time...." Peace Sells....but Who's Buying
Proving that you can be gay and not like Madonna, and rock out to Metal. .
Quitter's People United Member # 78
It’s my job. I guess some people around here aren’t quite used to it but there’s a reason some refer to being Thursty’d. Many people find it amusing and few take me too seriously.
When I read what you write, I read exactly what you write and for me there’s a world of difference between “site Woody” and “cite Woody”. If you say it out loud there’s no difference but on the printed page one of them makes no sense whatsoever while the other does. I keep saying that I should publish a dictionary of homonyms some day.
"Woohoo Denver, Yeah... All right Denver justify my love!" ...Homer Simpson
"Denver isn't considered a frontier maam, not these days"... Josh Randall (Steve McQueen) in an episode of Wanted Dead or Alive set in 1871, filmed in 1958.
Thursty I'm well aware of what you do
However, on a site where people often type quickly misspelling often occurs…much like texting. I appreciate what you see….but I think you get too caught up in the mechanics of the written word rather than what’s actually being said.
It happens. Syntax and grammar are often compromised when one types quickly. I do appreciate the correction. However, I’m sure you understand how that can come across as a bit petty.
"If there's a new way....I'll be the first in line. But it better work this time...." Peace Sells....but Who's Buying
Proving that you can be gay and not like Madonna, and rock out to Metal. .
Quitter's People United Member # 78
Lose vs. Loose
That’s the one that drives me nuts. A lot of people get that one wrong.
Formerly KS and CS
by ThrowItDownBigManThrowItDown on Aug 21, 2010 10:13 AM MDT up reply actions
I'm pretty sure most people here are competent at writing
while in school or in their daily jobs. I think to constantly call out people here for really small things in a sports blog, especially during game threads, when its fast-paced, quick exchanges(and sometimes alchohol induced rants), is rather…well unfun. :)
That said, Thursty On, brutha!
Brad Hawpe - I'm going to miss you most of all. Please don't kill us wherever you play....
"You can learn a lot just by watching"-Yogi Berra
QPU #4, YHEG #4, Proud Member PR Gynocracy
He won't die if he gets it wrong. Need is kind of a strong word to use in this situation.
by MMGraves on Aug 20, 2010 12:10 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
How about "He needs to learn the difference between “site” and “cite” if he wants to communicate effectively with the written word"?
"Woohoo Denver, Yeah... All right Denver justify my love!" ...Homer Simpson
"Denver isn't considered a frontier maam, not these days"... Josh Randall (Steve McQueen) in an episode of Wanted Dead or Alive set in 1871, filmed in 1958.
eh, he did communicate his point effectively
as long as we all understood him
How about understanding that this is a sports blog and not a
thesis, test or newspaper?
Brad Hawpe - I'm going to miss you most of all. Please don't kill us wherever you play....
"You can learn a lot just by watching"-Yogi Berra
QPU #4, YHEG #4, Proud Member PR Gynocracy
I have love for you, Thursty
If it’s not worth writing well, it’s probably not worth reading
by Artimus Mangilord on Aug 23, 2010 2:33 PM MDT up reply actions
This is the most insulting thing I've ever read.
It would be amazing when you make your first grammar error or spelling error. Unbelievably condescending.
Dear Rockies - Please finish ahead of the hated Giants
Brad Hawpe - Thanks Brad, you were a class act. I'm going to miss you most of all. ( Please don't kill us wherever you play)
"You can learn a lot just by watching"-Yogi Berra
QPU #4, YHEG #4, Proud Member PR Gynocracy
yeah
grammer are not thing. I don’t have the same problem as Thursty, so please feel free to talk in a way that only poor grammadores would understand. I also don’t mind if you don’t spellcheck, don’t edit your posts, don’t read out loud what you write before posting, or never went to school.
by deezNuggets on Aug 24, 2010 12:33 AM MDT up reply actions
Sadly, has no thought been given that maybe some people
are not particularly articulate, but still have something to contribute to a discussion.
Dear Rockies - Please finish ahead of the hated Giants
Brad Hawpe - Thanks Brad, you were a class act. I'm going to miss you most of all. ( Please don't kill us wherever you play)
"You can learn a lot just by watching"-Yogi Berra
QPU #4, YHEG #4, Proud Member PR Gynocracy
That would be better than the other way around.
There’s no way you’d read a completely unwarranted and idiotic troll post and be like, “this grammar is impeccable!”
I think the grammar police are just being playfully zealous.Wait a minute… “grammar police ARE” or “grammar police IS”? God damnit! Look what you’ve done!
heh...that's funny you mean a certain Laker fan who like to come and play?
I don’t have time to be a grammar cop, as I am too busy being a don’t hate Melo cop…or hadn’t you heard?
Dear Rockies - Please finish ahead of the hated Giants
Brad Hawpe - Thanks Brad, you were a class act. I'm going to miss you most of all. ( Please don't kill us wherever you play)
"You can learn a lot just by watching"-Yogi Berra
QPU #4, YHEG #4, Proud Member PR Gynocracy
sure. everybody knows that by now.
jk
but on that topic: I appreciate your efforts to keep some of the Melo opinions in check. I believe almost everybody here wants him to stay, but I also believe almost none of them are saying anything that would make him want to stay.
Melo’s not interested in our amateur opinions of what’s best for him, or of how much we can get for him in trade. Melo wants what every latent hero wants: the undying, unwavering support of his fans. That’s the only part of the equation that we have any control over.
If he doesn’t see that it’s out here somewhere, why would he stay?
Your “don’t-hate-on-Melo cop” routine has been way better than the “stop-being-so-optimistic-about-Melo cop” routines. If all these so called non-Melo-haters really want him to stay, they should be more supportive of those of us who have the capacity to be more optimistic about it.
sorry if you were hoping for that to just blow-over, but I had to put my two cents in.
by deezNuggets on Aug 25, 2010 12:21 AM MDT up reply actions
It's not as if...
ESPN, Bucher, & co suddenly came to this eureka moment at the same time. This is phase one in what’s, regrettably, become a cliche… The Exit Strategy. yeah. Sounds like a Shannon Tweed flick from 1991. “Shannon Tweed in Exit Strategy”. And like Tweed in 91, we will also be getting fucked.
Great write up!
Only thing is, you were off by one year with the Kobe references.
And speaking of Pau Gasol-ish deals….if the Clippers have another terrible season maybe we could get our hands on Chris Kaman? I know this is a pipe dream but a man can hope.
http://www.youtube.com/bektur34
Thanks for catching that, it's fixed...
Andrew Feinstein | DenverStiffs.com | denverstiffs@gmail.com
by Andrew Feinstein on Aug 20, 2010 7:25 AM MDT up reply actions
Another Nets fan joins denverstiffs..
Been reading this site for the past few days (for obvious reasons) and I just wanted to chime in a give another Net fan perspective on this:
We feel that if Denver ends up trading Anthony, it’s our game to lose. The pieces we have right now blow away anything the Knicks could offer and based on most of the posts i’ve read on here, you all agree. I would HIGHLY doubt that the Nets would trade Brook Lopez but a more realistic scenario would involve either Devin Harris or Derrick Favors, and probably not both.
Since nothing is going to happen until you guys have a GM in place, when do you think that could be? And any deal with the Nets would probably have to include Troy Murphy ($11mil expiring) and he can’t be moved until Oct.11th.
You guys are getting plenty of extra readers from this ’Melo saga.
Thanks for reading NetsKiNG and welcome to Denver Stiffs.
It’s looking like David Griffin of the Phoenix Suns and formerly of the Nuggets is the leading candidate for the GM job here in Denver. Local media suggest the hiring should take place soon.
You can actually read some of his blog here Nuggets fans.
I would agree that the Nets have some inticing pieces for any trade and if Melo decided he would go to the Nets I think Denver could get some value for him there. I think a package with Murphy, Favors and some picks could be intriguing.
Denver Stiffs.com
Denver.SBNation.com
by Nate Timmons on Aug 20, 2010 8:32 AM MDT up reply actions
Which trade would appeal to you more..
Harris/Murphy/Twill/ 2 #1’s
or
Favors/Murphy/ #1
The general consensus from our side is if we can get Melo without giving up Favors, a future SF-C trio of Melo/Favors/Lopez is awfully scary.
I would hope that if it came down to it that Denver would reject any trade with New Jersey that doesn’t feature Favors or Lopez (and I’d guess the Nets would be willing to deal Favors before Lopez.)
Hopefully we can laugh at all this trade talk after Melo inks his extension to STAY IN DENVER!
Denver Stiffs.com
Denver.SBNation.com
by Nate Timmons on Aug 20, 2010 8:40 AM MDT up reply actions
Haha
It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if Melo came out next week and said “I’m staying in Denver, the media knows nothing.”
We all saw how ESPN handled the LeBron situation with clowns like Chris Broussard predicting that he would land with 14 different teams based on his “sources.”
by NetsKiNG on Aug 20, 2010 8:43 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
Harris
Isn’t Harris a PG? I don’t see Denver wanting another PG. Both Lawson and Billups are better than Harris. I guess you could play him a SG. The only way I see Harris included is if a third team is involved and Denver is moving Billups also.
Formerly KS and CS
by ThrowItDownBigManThrowItDown on Aug 20, 2010 10:21 AM MDT up reply actions
uh oh, he's an international scout?
nooo.. nuggets have done so well avoiding shitty euro players recently. i’ll take the thuggets a thousand times over teams like filled with euro trash like toronto. i hate almost all euro players. ahhhh.
by skithebert on Aug 20, 2010 9:21 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
Seems like the big question then under the scenarios above
is whether Melo wants out bad enough that he’s willing to leave money on the table. If that’s the case, the Nugs are screwed.
This is really high stakes poker for the new GM.
QPU # 2.
next week for GM
According to Post beat writer Benjamin Hochman in yesterday’s paper: “All signs point toward former Phoenix Suns executive David Griffin being that guy, with an announcement next week, though nothing is yet finalized because the team is still talking to candidates.”
Check out Griffin's blog in my post above ...
Denver Stiffs.com
Denver.SBNation.com
by Nate Timmons on Aug 20, 2010 8:40 AM MDT up reply actions
I read that too.. but he says something later that kind of scared me...
He said something like Ujril (sp?) had an amazing interview and he’s still a possibility to get the job… I just hope Griffin is signed already… but wouldn’t mind Ujril to become like assistant GM
Andrew,
I still can’t see Melo agreeing to any kind of extension with the Clippers. He’d forever be the red-headed stepchild in L.A. if he did that and it’s THE CLIPPERS! Nobody wants to play for the Clippers…Los Angeles or not.
I will also maintain that Melo has a good deal of leverage because whatever team agrees to a trade for Melo will only do so if he agrees beforehand to sign an extension with them.
And if a team wants to try to “rent” Melo for the rest of the upcoming season and gamble on trying to sign him, if he doesn’t agree to an extension before a trade, will not be giving up premium assets.
Just my two cents …
Denver Stiffs.com
Denver.SBNation.com
Leverage
I still think Denver has more leverage than is apparent. The only way Melo gets a contract for 20+ Million a year is if Denver makes it possible for him. If he plays out the season without signing the extension, Denver can force him into the terms of the new CBA. Max contract money for resigning with your existing team will almost certainly be substantially reduced, and it has been reported the owners will be looking for some way to keep from getting Lebron’d in the future. Max contracts of 15 million for resigning could be possible, and perhaps 10 million to change teams. Melo could be looking at leaving 30 to 40 million on the table if he tries to force his way out. He’ll be 31 or 32, depending on if they lose a season to a lockout, when this contract would expire, so it’s likely to be his last huge contract.
Formerly KS and CS
by ThrowItDownBigManThrowItDown on Aug 20, 2010 10:33 AM MDT up reply actions
Excellent point.
Denver Stiffs.com
Denver.SBNation.com
by Nate Timmons on Aug 20, 2010 10:51 AM MDT up reply actions
Can't Melo say
“I’m going to tank this season unless you do a sign and trade” as leverage? …and wind up with essentially a max contract on another team?
Not a chance
Nugs would bench him or suspend him. Or at least I hope they would.
Not bench
Gasus would have him jailed and executed.
Formerly KS and CS
by ThrowItDownBigManThrowItDown on Aug 20, 2010 3:19 PM MDT up reply actions
I think Melo's a professional and will continue handling this situation as such.
Denver Stiffs.com
Denver.SBNation.com
by Nate Timmons on Aug 20, 2010 3:47 PM MDT up reply actions
both lebron and bosh were accused of going through the motions
true or not that would also be an issue with melo. the other side is a major injury would hurt his value for melo and the nuggets. no matter if melo signs with denver or goes to another team it would be best for all concerned to do it before the season starts.
pick up a calf every day pretty soon you will be picking up a cow
we're on a mission from god
I think I'm ready for a two week, late summer Melo this/ Melo that break
Although I will be flying back to Syracuse and will have to drive past the new athletic facility he just paid for…or at least he paid a good chunk. It is supposed to be pretty sweet. I think it is called the “Please Come to Cuse and Play Ball Even Though the Weather Sucks Carmelo Anthony Center”
See you in a couple.
anywhere but NY....
FUCK THE KNICKS. theyre an absoluetly moronic organization that feels entitled to the leagues best talent, because, hey, the knicks play in new york! i was hella pumped when lebron snubbed them this summer. if melo bails, (which i REALLY hope does not happen), then so be it. but ship him to the nets, rockets, clips, wherever. just dont let the knicks have the satisfaction. their sense of entitlement disgusts me.
You know Andrew,
You and Nate are kind of like the official voices of the Nuggets Nation on this site. You get to do all your cute little interviews and pretty much only the things you guys write appear as the main headlines for articles (other blogs, if a person writes a good fanpost, it is headlined/bumped to the center of the page). None of that bothers me, but it means you should have certain responsibilities. I was initially pissed off at your letter to Melo because it was sarcastic and I thought to myself, “well, it’s a good thing Melo isn’t going to read this shit because it would absolutely make me want to sign with another team because these fans sound ungrateful.” After all, Carmelo Anthony doesn’t make you spend all your hard-earned cash on season tickets and what not; you do it because you like the team, so I don’t think you should’ve come at Melo from that angle to begin with, not to mention your smart ass comments throughout (perhaps you would prefer cheap season tickets so that you can watch Junior Harrington try to dribble the ball up the court so he can pass it to Vincent Yarbrough again). Now I’ve come to learn that Melo did in fact read the post (and probably your terribly inappropriate shot at LaLa) and now I’m pissed again. I don’t feel like your shitty pessimistic attitude is representative of a lot of us here at pickaxeandroll.com (yeah my loyalty is with Nate). And if it is representative, I think a lot of the pessimism on this site can be directly attributed to you and your headline columns. However, if you are going to be the representative of this site, you should figure out everyone’s opinons prior to posting some of your ridiculous articles that could be read by our best player. If you don’t want to be a representative of this site, then I ask that you let some of us get the front page every now and again. I, for one, would be more than happy to write a sincere letter to Carmelo asking him to stay.
by NugNugz on Aug 20, 2010 10:35 AM MDT reply actions 2 recs
Good points to think about...
Throughout this past summer, both Nate and myself have posted FanPosts on the home page coming from the readers and I agree in principle that we should be doing this more often.
That said, Nate and I are responsible for the quality of what is posted on the main home page. This doesn’t mean we have to agree with the point of view of the writer, but it does mean that what’s written must be done so coherently, must fit in the format of our site (note we always have a top left picture “anchoring” the story and an “above the fold” teaser before getting to the main article), and must be grammatically and factually correct. When Nate and I get things wrong grammar, spelling or facts-wise, we either catch it among ourselves or a reader does and we change it immediately.
My macro point is this: we welcome other points of view and are open to posting them on the main page. But this is a two-way street. Any reader who wishes to have his or her FanPost featured as an article must adhere to the same quality standards Nate and I strive to adhere to.
Let us know your thoughts…
Andrew Feinstein | DenverStiffs.com | denverstiffs@gmail.com
by Andrew Feinstein on Aug 20, 2010 10:56 AM MDT up reply actions
Personally, I think Jpage would be great third author of the site
If he/she wanted to do it. I always look forward to seeing his take after reading the articles. Just a suggestion.
by Rainbow skyline on Aug 20, 2010 5:37 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
IAWTC and reccin this
Brad Hawpe - I'm going to miss you most of all. Please don't kill us wherever you play....
"You can learn a lot just by watching"-Yogi Berra
QPU #4, YHEG #4, Proud Member PR Gynocracy
NugNugz
Like Andrew said, some good points for sure.
And also like Andrew said, we do promote stuff to the main page, but I agree we could be doing a little more and that’s where the burden falls on the reader. I’ll keep an eye out more for stuff if you folks want to put it out there.
As far as formatting, we can edit the posts and make them work so they will be uniform (we’ve been doing that with some recent front page bumps this summer). Also, feel free to email me and let me know that you’re writing something and you want to give it a look or be on the lookout for it!
As far as writing styles … I have my times when I’m critical, but I’ve always found the glass half full approach to get me through my sports fandom (that isn’t the case when I watch games…my friends can tell you that). So I’ll typically give you guys/gals that perspective.
Andrew typically raises a lot of questions with his articles and touches on subjects that cross our minds, but perhaps we’re not really wanting to talk about. In my opinion you have to have that side of the conversation to keep pushing things ahead. I think our different writing styles and viewpoints help to keep things lively around here. We surely don’t agree all the time and it’s important to have that…that’s what sports is all about. Sort of the more it sounds like a conversation around here, the better I think.
Denver Stiffs.com
Denver.SBNation.com
by Nate Timmons on Aug 20, 2010 11:22 AM MDT up reply actions
The issue is that Andrew is painfully anti-Melo and getting TONS of publicity for it. It is simply my opinion, but I believe that an anti-Melo sentiment coming from the most read Nuggets site on the web is just wrong. When it comes from the site’s proprieter, it is more than wrong, it’s dangerous. I don’t think that Melo or any of the Nuggets scour the comments on this site the way that we do, I think they probably skim headlines and read those. That means that Melo is probably reading A LOT of negativity about himself (AND HIS WIFE!?!?!) on this site, coming from it’s proprieter. Hopefully, he knows that Andrew represents a tiny minority of Nuggets fans but I am not so sure. THIS IS A NUGGETS SITE. Not an NBA site or a general sports site. IT IS A NUGGETS SITE! If Andrew was just some troll from Silver Screen & Roll blasting our SuperStar, he’d get it with both barrels! Instead, we kiss his ass and perpetuate some of his rumor mongering, opinion first style of “reporting.” It is counterproductive. The argument that Andrew is “bold” or “daring” in putting on paper what some of us have only secretly wondered about and that makes it acceptable is lunacy!
By the by, I left comments the other day about Andrew’s suspect agenda and they were promptly removed by someone. There was no name calling, there were no curse words and no defamation in it’s legal (or lay!) sense. Just open speculation about the width and breadth of Andrew’s agenda (not unlike his speculation about Melo and his wife just the day before.) Point being, how can we ever hope to get more opinions on the front page when unflattering opinions don’t even get to stay in the comments section for 10 minutes? Unflattering opinions about someone that has had absolutely ZERO to do with seven straight years of playoff basketball in Denver!?!
Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
by Big Mickey D on Aug 20, 2010 6:11 PM MDT up reply actions
I don't buy it.
I have disagreed with Andrew many times but I have never been censored. The only time I have seen this is when someone said a lot of profane things to Andrew. If I remember correctly, it may have also been threatening.
Not only were they banned but Andrew made the point of telling us he was banning them and why.
There is a slight possibility...
…that I didn’t click “post” but I also e-mailed him directly days ago with no response still. The censorship wasn’t really my intended take-away anyway.
Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
by Big Mickey D on Aug 21, 2010 2:04 AM MDT up reply actions
I’ve had a post or two deleted but they probably never should have been written in the first place so I didn’t have a problem with it. It was doing me a favor to have those deleted.
"Woohoo Denver, Yeah... All right Denver justify my love!" ...Homer Simpson
"Denver isn't considered a frontier maam, not these days"... Josh Randall (Steve McQueen) in an episode of Wanted Dead or Alive set in 1871, filmed in 1958.
I certainly don’t see Andrew as being anti-Melo as much as he is pro Nuggets. Remember this is the guy who started www.firegeorgekarl.com. The reason he started it was that he saw Karl as hurting the Nuggets. Karl turned his approach around and got results as well as turning Andrew around. If Andrew sees a player whether it’s JR, Nene, Bird or Melo; no matter who it is, that he sees as hurting the team he’s going to go after them. It’s as simple as that. Andrew sees Melo leaving as having a very negative impact so he’s come out against it. He’s compared Melo to the greatest Nugget of all time: Alex English. That seems very pro Melo to me. He sees LaLa as a possible threat to Melo staying in Denver so he comes out against her but that is consistent with his stance that pro atheletes should not be married. If he perceived LaLa as a force for keeping Melo in Denver then he’d be praising her virtues up and down.
Having watched pro basketball in Denver since the days of Spencer Haywood I have a different perspective on the Melo thing. For one thing there’s nothing I can do about it so I just wait and see. I want Melo to stay but it won’t be the end of pro basketball in Denver if he doesn’t and there’s no telling what could happen. When Dice got traded for Camby and Nene it seemed a horrible trade but then Dice got hurt and now it looks like that was a great trade. When Kiki got traded to Portland it seemed like a strange move but look how well that turned out. Denver basketball has had its up and downs with probably more than its share of downs and we’re certainly over due for a time when Denver is on top and LA and Boston are perennial bottom dwellers. Melo could be a contributor to such a thing, but you never know. You’ll just have to wait and see.
"Woohoo Denver, Yeah... All right Denver justify my love!" ...Homer Simpson
"Denver isn't considered a frontier maam, not these days"... Josh Randall (Steve McQueen) in an episode of Wanted Dead or Alive set in 1871, filmed in 1958.
I almost always agree with you Thursty and kind of do again. I think we all need to just wait and see and avoid pushing Melo out in the meantime. You write: “Andrew sees Melo leaving as having a very negative impact so he’s come out against it.” Which isn’t true at all. Just read his “Leverage” piece. But let’s say he is against Melo leaving? My suggestion? He should stop writing inflamatory, rumor based garbage that may indeed inadvertantly have the opposite effect.
I seem to remember being able to spellcheck on this site before. Do you know how to make that happen or do you just “Thursty” yourself as you are typing? ;) I’m actually serious. Why can’t I see where that setting is? Help please!
Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
by Big Mickey D on Aug 21, 2010 10:58 AM MDT up reply actions
I’ve read the Leverage piece. I still think that Andrew feels that the best thing for the Nuggets would be for Melo to stay but he’s the only one that can truly settle that argument. I think some people get so wrapped up in hero worship or at least hero admiration that they see hate in anything critical that might go toward their hero.
I’ve never seen a spellcheck feature on this blog and I don’t think there was one on the old Denver stiffs (before SB Nation) either. Yeah I do “Thursty” myself as I type. I have big hands that don’t fit on a keyboard very well and I tend to make a lot of typos. I also read the thing before I hit the post button and I usually correct things when I do that.
Despite my reputation I pretty much never go in for correcting typos. When a guy writes “site” twice when he should have written “cite” that’s not a typo. I have a younger brother who can’t spell to save his life and he once wrote that he was going “site seeing”. I suppose he was going to see “sites” but probably meant “sight seeing”. The words “site”, “cite” and “sight” all mean different things and when I read them I don’t adjust for what they sound like and equalize them as some seem able to do. I’m a literal reader which comes in handy in my line of work. The “loose”/“lose” thing (as well as confusing “then”/“than”, which minihulk does all the time so I couldn’t keep up) mentioned earlier is another one that I’d tend to go for especially if it is done twice in one post. Things that have common misspellings like “hypcracy” instead of “hypocrisy” are up for my criticism too. The ubiquitous equalization of “your” and “you’re” is particularly annoying as is the “there/their/they’re” problem. It seems that for many the word “they’re” doesn’t exist. I’ve recommended in the past and will continue to recommend http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html
It would be an easier read for me if everyone who writes anything anywhere would have that web site memorized.
"Woohoo Denver, Yeah... All right Denver justify my love!" ...Homer Simpson
"Denver isn't considered a frontier maam, not these days"... Josh Randall (Steve McQueen) in an episode of Wanted Dead or Alive set in 1871, filmed in 1958.
Resign and Re-sign kill me
All I ask is for a space or a hyphen!
That one throws me too but I’m a lot more lenient than my reputation has me.
"Woohoo Denver, Yeah... All right Denver justify my love!" ...Homer Simpson
"Denver isn't considered a frontier maam, not these days"... Josh Randall (Steve McQueen) in an episode of Wanted Dead or Alive set in 1871, filmed in 1958.
I agree
I thought the letter was poorly written and it’s a shame that is what Carmelo happened to read. If he even read it. Although of course, if Melo lets things like that influence his decision we got much bigger issues anyway.
I mean, I understand Andrew’s writing style. He takes a stand and writes his opinion. Oftentimes, it appears to be an intentional way to shake things up and grab readers. While that can be interesting to read, its kind of frustrating having that style as the voice of the fans. I guess with the surprising power that this blog has ( i mean where else can you get nuggets coverage), there’s a sort of responsibility to write more as a journalist than a blogger.
RE: my writing "style"
I know I get branded with being a pessimist and an instigator around here, but I really don’t set out to write that way. Really, I don’t! I do, however, like to tell it like it is (from my POV) and it’s my job to say the things that the traditional media outlets cannot even touch and many fans are afraid to bring up but are probably thinking anyway.
For example, I took a ton of heat for comparing LaLa to Yoko last week – a comparison that to this day I stand by 100%. That analogy didn’t come out of left field. I’ve used it and/or heard it among Nuggets aficionados in conversation for years and felt as though we were overdue to raise the issue here (the only place where the issue can be raised). Many Nuggets fans I spoke to before writing that column agreed with my assertion that she could be complicit in “breaking up the band” so to speak, and after publishing the column I received tons of emails thanking me for bringing it up (I wish more people had commented that way, but I have no control over that).
The bottom line is I love all the readers who frequent and contribute to this site. I feel like we engage in a heated yet cordial – for the most part – debate about all things Nuggets on a daily basis and this site has truly become a special community for Nuggets fans. And that’s because of your readership.
But Nate and I could certainly do a better job of getting your thoughts onto the front page and will look to do so in the future.
Andrew Feinstein | DenverStiffs.com | denverstiffs@gmail.com
by Andrew Feinstein on Aug 20, 2010 11:42 AM MDT up reply actions
I've liked your opinions of late but if you even hint at an idea that can be taken as anti Melo this site will eat you up
Believe me, I try it all the time! LOL
Melo is Denver Stiffs reader’s sacred cow.
/sigh....this isn't even worth commenting on
oh wait…..I just did
"If there's a new way....I'll be the first in line. But it better work this time...." Peace Sells....but Who's Buying
Proving that you can be gay and not like Madonna, and rock out to Metal. .
Quitter's People United Member # 78
I'll say this Gasus
you are extremely consistent and you have never wavered in your opinion….theres something to be said for that.
"If there's a new way....I'll be the first in line. But it better work this time...." Peace Sells....but Who's Buying
Proving that you can be gay and not like Madonna, and rock out to Metal. .
Quitter's People United Member # 78
Andrew, you and Nate dont "owe" people anything
that’s a misnomer. Now, there are consequences to what we write. While the letter was definitely sarcastic, the Yoko column was a bit…..too far. That’s only in my opinion. I wouldn’t have written it.
"If there's a new way....I'll be the first in line. But it better work this time...." Peace Sells....but Who's Buying
Proving that you can be gay and not like Madonna, and rock out to Metal. .
Quitter's People United Member # 78
Not true
Nate and Andrew are paid for what they do on this site. As well, the position of authority has clearly benefited – at least – Andrew’s career and life. The site doesn’t exist without subscribers & readers and, therefore, they certainly do owe people something. What? I’m sure we have different opinions. The Hypocratic Oath says to do no harm. It doesn’t say Doctors HAVE to fix people, they just can’t do harm. I think that the leader of a Fanatical Sports Website should take a similar oath. Andrew’s sarcastic and flippant “Open Letter” to our Superstar and his over-the-line comparison of said SuperStar’s wife to Yoko Ono DID HARM! Maybe more than we even know… But at least it brought “thousands of new readers to DenverStiffs…” I guess I thought we had a different agenda.
Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
by Big Mickey D on Aug 20, 2010 3:39 PM MDT up reply actions
Err...isn't that the Hippocratic Oath
or we’re you going for the hypocracy angle? :)
Brad Hawpe - I'm going to miss you most of all. Please don't kill us wherever you play....
"You can learn a lot just by watching"-Yogi Berra
QPU #4, YHEG #4, Proud Member PR Gynocracy
Yes. Sorry.
Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
by Big Mickey D on Aug 20, 2010 4:17 PM MDT up reply actions
I was actually hoping you were going for Hypocratic Oath..
Considering that I agree with you that Andrew’s letter was sarcastic…and did harm :)
Brad Hawpe - I'm going to miss you most of all. Please don't kill us wherever you play....
"You can learn a lot just by watching"-Yogi Berra
QPU #4, YHEG #4, Proud Member PR Gynocracy
Sorry SDcat09 for the short reply...
Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
by Big Mickey D on Aug 20, 2010 6:35 PM MDT up reply actions
Neither one of you can spell. There’s no ‘a’ and only one ‘c’ in hypocrisy.
Maybe you should leave Thurstying to the expert.
"Woohoo Denver, Yeah... All right Denver justify my love!" ...Homer Simpson
"Denver isn't considered a frontier maam, not these days"... Josh Randall (Steve McQueen) in an episode of Wanted Dead or Alive set in 1871, filmed in 1958.
I was going for hypocracy as in
a newly created party…you know like democracy. :) Maybe you should find a sense of humour.
Brad Hawpe - I'm going to miss you most of all. Please don't kill us wherever you play....
"You can learn a lot just by watching"-Yogi Berra
QPU #4, YHEG #4, Proud Member PR Gynocracy
Wow Andrew! You almost addressed ONE of NugNugz FORTY SEVEN points!
Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
by Big Mickey D on Aug 20, 2010 3:29 PM MDT up reply actions
Telling it like it is can be fine when done right
I honestly think few people have a problem with many of the points you make. Definitely has served to stimulate discussion. You have a well-reasoned opinion that Melo will not be a Nugget much longer. Some people get emotional when hearing it, but your opinions are certainly not without merit.
I think the problem a lot of us readers have had with your writing style is more related to the tone. Especially in the last couple articles. The phrases like “insatiable appetite for attention” and “that’s right, me” just give a snarky and vitriolic tone many seem to believe is not representative of us Nuggets fans. While I’m happy you and the blog are receiving national attention as a result of all this, I just find it disappointing it’s due this article which in many ways misrepresents us as a fanbase.
If we trade him...
I love the pieces Orlando has…
If we do trade him, I read that we could get something along the lines of Gortat, Bass, and Peitrus. At the end of the year, we can dump K-mart or J.R., or both, and get a solid scorer. Having Gortat and Bass would be a huge upgrade up front, and it would allow Nene to play the 4. You would see everyone’s offensive production go up with Melo gone, and the defense would be unbelievably better (since Melo plays NO D).
1. CB/Ty
2. JR/Afflalo
3. Peitrus/JR
4. Nene/K Mart/Bass
5. Gortat/Bass/Andersen
-Seriuosly, people forget how important defense is. Without Melo, we automatically become much better defensively. And as I said earlier, we could find a scorer with K-mart/JR’s contracts… I would much rather keep Melo, but if he wants to go there isn’t much we can do but get something in return!
RMFT
Much better assets coming out of Houston
Scola, Martin, and a NY 1st round pick would be about as good of a trade as you could hope for I think. Nugs would have the deepest team in the league after this deal. Your deal involves 3 role players which will do nothing to make the Nugs contenders now or in the future.
Kevin Martin is a great asset
if you want another K-Mart that plays for only about half the season.
Scola is obviously the bigger part of the trade
He would fit all the Nugs needs and Martin should help scale back some of the increased scoring requirements from Harrington, Billups, and JR. As long as both Kmarts are good for the playoffs the Nugs would be dangerous as fuck. I’d argue that they would be a better team with this trade than if the kept Melo. It would be close but the addition of a NY 1st round draft pick just takes it to the point where I would have to accept. It helps both Houston and Denver and is by far the most reasonable trade proposal I have seen.
Gotta Love these Fantasy Trades
Everyone is throwing around trades that do not really make sense. Just because it works in the ESPN Trade Machine doesn’t mean the teams are going to go for it.
Look the Knicks DO NOT have anything to offer unless they can bring in a 3rd team. They will just have to wait til Free Agency and hope Melo doesn’t get traded before then.
The NETS have some young good pieces, but they are not going to tear their team apart for Melo. They might trade Favors and a few other (throw in some picks), but I doubt they trade Lopez. Good Bigs are hard to find.
Houston has nothing Denver would want for Melo. Maybe Scola and another player for Kmart but that’s not happening either.
The Clips have some good pieces. Griffin & Gordon (and others) would be nice in Denver especially once JR is gone. However that doesnt solve our issue of Nene not really being a 5. Nene needs to be a 4 because he shies away from contact against any 5 that is bigger than him. If you want prove, look at the Utah series. Freaking Fesenko out played him.
Not impressed with anything Orlando would give up for Melo. For of those Gorat fans, are you freakin’ serious?
so in the end, what do we really have? Not alot of good options. Is it better to let him go via Free Agency and get $40m under the cap and start over?
Hope for a 2011 lockout cause I hate it when the inmates run the joint!
by LEEDS on Aug 20, 2010 12:20 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs
Houston can actually give the Nugs something they could use
I’d say Scola, Martin, and a NY 1st would do the trick. Not sure how that is dillusional. Nugs are definitely getting the lower talent level but they address their needs for a good healthy big and they replace some of Melo’s scoring with the other Kmart. Not too sure at all why you think that doesn’t make sense because it sure would for Houston and Dever would become a more well rounded/deep team. One could argue with some ferocity that the Nugs would be the deepest team in the NBA.
I'd rather have Favors and Terrence "Chilly Willy" Williams
over Scola and Martin. Of course the numbers have to work, which at this point they don’t
Then the Nugs would be rebuilding and hoping 2 guys that haven't done anything in the NBA pan out
I give that one a big no way. We allready know Scola and Martin can get it done. I’d much rather see the Nugs with a legit shot every year rather than fighting for the top pick in the lottery every year again.
Not sure about Houston's assets
I am not sure if Denver would want just another scorer in Kevin Martin (plays no defense). While Scola hustles, he’s just 6’9 maybe 6’10 which means Nene is still playing the 5. Not sure where it helps us. You basically traded for a 2 who can score but plays no defense. Denver already has JR Smith for that.
The 1st pick might be nice if it they can somehow turn it into Harrison Barnes, but who knows where that pick will end up.
I still think Houston is a smoke screen. Not really a viable option (for Melo) in my opinion.
What I really like in Houston is if we can trade JR for Battier. Need more character guys on the team (only if Melo stays). Then somehow get Marc Gasol from Memphis, but again now we get into dreaming about trades and not reality.
Scola is a get it done, healthy big
He would fill the Nugs need for a 5th big and he is arguably better than any the Nugs have. He is extremely durrable and has a sweet post game. Nugs would have a very deep frontcourt and still retain and add to their deep backcourt. Martin would be relied upon to score and guard the other teams lesser guard while Billups or Afflalo would guard the better of the two guards. JR will start playing the 3 as a backup to Harrington. In my eyes the Nugs improve with the trade, not sure how you can be so against it. It is 100 times better than anything the Nets or Knicks have to offer.
starting lineup?
So you’re starting lineup would be:
Nene, Scola, Harrington, Billups and Affalo or Kevin Martin?
You do realized that Kevin Martin is a volume shooter, right?
You also want to put Billups on the better guard? He gotten eaten up alive against DWill. You’re better up getting Battier instead of Kevin Martin and let Harrington and Billups do the scoring with JR off the bench.
I think I am not for the Houston trade because it really doesnt do anything other than keep us at around 45 wins. I would rather us tank it and get a top 3 pick and rebuild than keeping chugging along (after the Melo trade) at 45 wins and barely make or miss the playoffs. Even if we get there, we’re 1 and done.
Nugs would still be above 50 wins
It doesn’t matter who would start but I would lean towards JR with the consistant threat off the bench in Martin. Nugs would still have a ton of fire power and be a more balance team. They would definitely be the deepest team in the league.
Rotation:
Billups, Lawson
JR, Kmart2, Afflalo
Harrington, JR, Afflalo
Kmart, Nene, Harrington
Scola, Bird, Nene
Starters would be:
Billups
JR
Harrington
Kmart (Nene until Kmart gets back)
Scola
Jr starting over lil Kmart?
okay then. Kmart over Nene?
Kmart is a better player than Nene
If he is healthy (I get it, that is a big if for sure). I kind of struggled with that one because of the height issue but Scola played a lot of center last year and did well there. Either way, the Nugs would be the deepest team in the league and put a scare in any team that has to face them in a 7 game series. They could shuttle out 9 guys that would start on most NBA teams and 1 guy that would be a great reserve on any NBA team.
Totally disagree.
It would be scola and Nene starting at PF and C respectively.
Interesting comments from Billups regarding Melo
“He has not once said he didn’t want to be a Nugget,” Billups said. “He loves Denver, he loves the Nuggets, he loves the fans. So, it’s a part of him that I’m sure is eating him up a little bit because he’s taken all this press and he’s not said one thing to support or to not support what they are saying. He’s just trying to enjoy his summer, chill out and he’s in every story. Honestly, I think that the publications and things are out of control.”
And the pushback to the NY rumor mongers continues.
Obviously this doesn’t automatically mean Melo’s gonna sign….it’s just Chauncey stating his “informed” view
http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_15841151
"If there's a new way....I'll be the first in line. But it better work this time...." Peace Sells....but Who's Buying
Proving that you can be gay and not like Madonna, and rock out to Metal. .
Quitter's People United Member # 78
you are the best :)
Brad Hawpe - I'm going to miss you most of all. Please don't kill us wherever you play....
"You can learn a lot just by watching"-Yogi Berra
QPU #4, YHEG #4, Proud Member PR Gynocracy
Billups
The problem is Billups is just as biased, if not moreso, than us. He wants and needs Melo back as well. His only chance, small as it is, at seeing the Nuggets pick up the last year of his contract is if Melo comes back. Hopefully he is trying to convince Melo to come back behind the scenes.
Formerly KS and CS
by ThrowItDownBigManThrowItDown on Aug 20, 2010 3:22 PM MDT up reply actions
"I think that the publications and things are out of control."
Telling. Can we PLEASE remember that these guys are so drunk on their own Kool Aid (I would be too!) that they read EVERYTHING about them. Melo is coming here to read about himself and he’s finding all these trade ideas and shitty things being said about his wife, his intentions, his defense! At least Cleveland fans begged and took the high road so that when LaBoring took his talents elsewhere they had every right in the world to spew venom. When Melo leaves us, more than a few folks will point to this site and how ridiculous we are in Denver that we can’t even support our Superstar! Why is everyone reporting on rumors and opinion when Melo has said and done NOTHING to point in either direction? Because information is currency and people like Andrew, Kizla and Bucher (IMO) are so greedy and selfish that they will counterfeit it rather than not be connected to what could be a breaking story. If you report news that you created, are you a reporter or a promoter? Yes, I am saying that these guys (Feinstein et al.) are closer to Don King than Dan Rather and it is bordering on shameful.
Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
by Big Mickey D on Aug 20, 2010 3:51 PM MDT up reply actions
It is ridiculous
the lack of love Melo gets from nuggets fans
I have a hard time believing that Melo spends time reading this blog. I can’t count the times I’ve read, seen or heard how coaches, agents and other players tell each other not to read the newspapers or watch sports reports. I know they do anyway but these days the amount that is written and the time it would take to keep up precludes them from reading it all. Just think if you’ve got millions to spend, professional athlete conditioning to maintain, a semi-celebrity wife, a young son etc. you just have a lot better things to do with your time than to waste it reading this blog.
"Woohoo Denver, Yeah... All right Denver justify my love!" ...Homer Simpson
"Denver isn't considered a frontier maam, not these days"... Josh Randall (Steve McQueen) in an episode of Wanted Dead or Alive set in 1871, filmed in 1958.
He did though. He re-tweeted the "Open Letter" column and later un-tweeted it...
And, frankly, the idea of our Superstar reading some of the crap on this blog makes me want to dick-punch Al Gore (for inventing the internet of course.)
Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
by Big Mickey D on Aug 22, 2010 6:28 PM MDT up reply actions
Heaven forbid he read shitty things about his shitty defense
This blog should be shut down until Melo makes a decision.
by Artimus Mangilord on Aug 23, 2010 2:54 PM MDT up reply actions
Good point.
Thank God you caught that amidst all of the other decent and completely ignored points.
Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
by Big Mickey D on Aug 24, 2010 2:21 PM MDT up reply actions
Simmons did a funny piece about Knicks owner James Dolan
he really sounds like a piece of work. somebody tweet that to Melo!
LaLa's take
FUCK MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.
"Us being in New York is a possibility," Vasquez said. "It depends on Melo’s career and where it takes him. There’s a lot of talk about the Knicks, I mean, there’s a lot of teams out there, he’s a great player and I think collectively we just need to think about what makes sense for our family. But I would never say that being in New York is not an option, I’d be lying to you if I said that."
Vasquez said her allegiance was always with the Knicks "until I met my husband, then I jumped ship to the Nuggets. Melo will tell you, and all the players will tell you no matter where their loyalty is, there aren’t many places like Madison Square Garden. They’ll all say that, and it’s nothing against their teams but there is a different energy in there, and you really can’t top that."
let's go nuggets! who u wit?
And that is just LaLa's opinion.
If she loves Melo, and being with the Nuggets is best for Melo, then I suspect she’ll support that decision. It doesn’t matter what her opinion is of MSG…
Brad Hawpe - I'm going to miss you most of all. Please don't kill us wherever you play....
"You can learn a lot just by watching"-Yogi Berra
QPU #4, YHEG #4, Proud Member PR Gynocracy
Do you seriously think
That LaLa will support Melo is he stays? You’re nuts! My wife might support me since I am the breadwinner on where we live ,but LaLa still think she’s got it (even though I didnt know who she was until she was dating Melo), so she will want to be in LA or NYC
And Melo is the breadwinner by far in his family.....
so if that is your measure, then definitely LaLa will support him.
Brad Hawpe - I'm going to miss you most of all. Please don't kill us wherever you play....
"You can learn a lot just by watching"-Yogi Berra
QPU #4, YHEG #4, Proud Member PR Gynocracy
They live in California
If Carmelo REALLY wanted to play for the Knicks, why didn’t he buy a home out there? Why did he sign an extension a few years ago? Why didn’t he demand a trade earlier in his career?
Chris Andersen could be in a porno with his 'stache. Too bad he still wouldn't know how to box out.
Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy.
Quitter's Proud United Member #11
u talk like u actually know her
shes been supporting him all this time and idk if u forgot but they do have a child together
In time the criticism turns to praise
Carmelo balled hard, relentlessly attacking the bucket-Colin Powers
There is no quit in Carmelo Anthony-Reggie Miller
visionsfromthecut.tumblr.com
QUITTER'S PEOPLE UNITED #115
You missed the point.
The point is, LaLa is NOT like other normal women. She wants to be part of "It" so she will WANT to be in LA or NYC.
Remember they did buy a $2 million home in LA.
And he signed eariler after 3 years here. Dude they all signed (from DWade to LeBron) back then.
Now its different. Open your eyes. IF Melo listens to his wife, he goes to NYC or LA (or at least tries to force it that way). IF he thinks about it clearly, he stays in Denver.
Also their Littleton home is on the market. Aan Yes I live in that same gated community.
One thing I get from this
is that where they live seems to have everything to do with where Melo takes his career. She seems to be talking about Melo’s career and where his family lives as one thing. In her mind it’s “where WE’re going”.
Seems to eliminate having his family in one place and playing in another.
MSG is a historic place in American sports
but like with Fenway and especially Wrigley that doesn’t mean it isn’t a pile of shit by now. Of course I’m not one who is very much into tradition but I sometimes wonder why people are amazed by crap piles and it isn’t as if these are places that will stand for thousands of years like the Rome Colosseum.
"Until you shoot me off my bike I'll keep looking for a contract" - Jens!
Quitter's People United member # 42
If you've ever been to a concert there
The boxes sway to the music. It doesn’t seem very stable. One thing it has going for it, though, is that it’s on top of Grand Central, so demolishing it would probably be more complicated than re-edifying or whatever the proper construction term would be for strengthening the existing structure.
by deezNuggets on Aug 23, 2010 10:23 AM MDT up reply actions
Well eventually it will have to be torn down
I hope they have some sort of plan mapped out if it is in such a tricky location.
"Until you shoot me off my bike I'll keep looking for a contract" - Jens!
Quitter's People United member # 42
You missed the point..
The point is, LaLa is NOT like other normal women. She wants to be part of “It” so she will WANT to be in LA or NYC.
Remember they did buy a $2 million home in LA.
And he signed eariler after 3 years here. Ddue they all signed from DWade to LeBron back then.
Now its different. Open your eyes. IF Melo listens to his wife, he goes to NYC or LA (or at least tries to force it that way)
I don't have a problem with Andrews perspective
I do however, have a problem with how he feels that his perspective is the same as everyone else, and that his subjective view on things are like an absolute fact to him. Saying things as if they are fact when they are just blind speculation is a bit more gossip and a little less substance.
If we do trade to Houston, why not get Shane Battier and Scola with a 1st round and 2nd round pick. We would get a good contribute from Battier, and it would make us a very good defensive team all around.
1 Billups/Ty/AC
2 Jr/Smith/AAA
3. Al/Harrington/Shane
4. Luis Scola/Birdman/S.Will
5.Nene/
Then we try and get another big for expiring K-mart.
Not the prettiest lineup, but it will get us 50+ wins.
Quitter's People United Member #00
"Cleavland got 99 problems but a bi*ch ain't one"
I'd much rather have an aging battier
than KevMart
ATL plz
trade melo and birdman to atl for JJ marvin williams and zizi we both come out good with that
1 Billups/Ty/AC
2 JJ/AAA/Smith
3 AL/M.Williams
4 K Mart/S.Williams
5 NENE’/ZIZI
now dat can work
by Martarvis Smith on Aug 22, 2010 11:42 AM MDT reply actions
The bigger question is...
Is Melo really worth 20 million bucks a season. The answer is no. He is a tremendous offensive player who doesn’t play to his tremendous offensive skills (too many jumpshots). A 20 million dollar is an all around player who is a leader that makes teammates better. When the Nuggets went to the WCF we all agreed that the MVP was Billups. If we paid Billups 20 million a season everyone here would think we were clinically insane. The best thing is for the Nuggets to start a bidding war for Melo at the deadline. Trust me the Nugs have all the leverage because Melo will not leave 20-30 million on the table by not taking a sign and trade. Take the Nets possible deal off Favors, Twill, Murphy and 2#1’s. That gives us a very bright future and along with the cap space to sign free agents to go along with Chauncey, Affalo and Nene (maybe JR) will make us competitive in the here and now. To commit to Melo limits our ceiling to where it is now with the issue of everyone else around us getting better. By the time Kobe starts playing old, Nugs will be dominant and be able to start a dynasty.
Best assets come from Houston, period
Nothing the 10 and 72 Nets can offer comes even close. In trading with the Rockets the Nugs can obtain legit veterans at 2 to 3 different positions and a NY Knick first round pick. You couldn’t find a better trade partner for now and the future.
What do you have against Houston?
“The Rockets? Really?”
We offer the best trade option for you guys so what’s the problem? We have a great roster with Yao back, and we probably have the deepest roster of quality players, so I can see how ’Melo finds that attractive.
So, what’s the problem with ’Melo mentioning Houston?
"You got to believe in yourself. Hell, I believe I'm the best-looking guy in the world and I might be right."- Charles Barkley
If the Nugs trade Melo I sure hope it is to Houston
They have a bunch of really good players and would be the best option by a long shot. Not to mention that Houston has (I believe) two NY Knick 1st round draft picks that could be moved.
We do.
"You got to believe in yourself. Hell, I believe I'm the best-looking guy in the world and I might be right."- Charles Barkley
by bone31crusher on Aug 24, 2010 3:17 PM MDT up reply actions
Yes, with Yao “back”…..but let’s be honest, the chances of him even contributing in a meaningful way this year seems less and less likely
I’ve never been a Nugs fan, but I’ve lost a lot of respect for Melo after this summer….. I kind of thought the guy was a peice of shit after the whole “bronze metal in a lake somewhere/no snitching” video, but he seemed to step up and mature a lot about a year after that….. He’s taken a large step back in terms of respect in my book this summer, just like LeFraud and Chris Paul. I’d say the same about Bosh, but I didn’t respect him to begin with
How is it less and less likely?
He’s 3 months ahead of schedule. He wasn’t supposed to be ready until after 1 or 2 months, but now he is set to play in the opener.
"You got to believe in yourself. Hell, I believe I'm the best-looking guy in the world and I might be right."- Charles Barkley
by bone31crusher on Aug 25, 2010 12:51 AM MDT up reply actions
1 or 2 months after the start of the season*
"You got to believe in yourself. Hell, I believe I'm the best-looking guy in the world and I might be right."- Charles Barkley
by bone31crusher on Aug 25, 2010 12:51 AM MDT up reply actions
There was also talk of him possibly returning late last year....
And now its barely by the opener this year?
I say less and less likely because of the context/tone of Yao’s more recent comments. He doesn’t seem confident and if he doesn’t (or can’t) trust his leg, he’s not going to be very effective
Disagree with you on the Yao thing
But I’m with you 100% on Melo.
I appreciate Carmelo and truly feel that we should do whatever it takes to re-sign him to a solid contract with the Denver NUGGETS. If he dose wish to leave, then we as fans and as a Team can deal with it, but it could be difficult for that first part, trying to re-build our team without him. And if he leaves that doesn’t really guaranty anything for him, Basketball-wise. Apparently there are a few “outside of basketball” reasons that might be in play. Stuff I can’t control, so understanding that I still support both Carmelo and the NUGGETS, now and in the future. Another point to be made, there aren’t too many if any trade possibilities out there that I like, New York does not have the pieces for a trade like this. The only New Jersey trade I like is a highly un-likely one. Where Derrick Favors, Brook Lopez and a 1st round pick get sent to the NUGGETS in return for Melo, Smith, Balkman and our 2nd round pick.
Carmelo can win a Championship with the NUGGETS, He is easily one of the top 5 best players in the league, but there are some moves that need to get made for this team to be a Championship caliber Team and to make not just Carmelo happy but also the to make the rest of the NUGGETS loyal fan base happy. I put my basketball support out there for Melo and the NUGGETS, hope we can figure it out.
GO NUGGETS!
The legendarily incompetent Isaiah Thomas ? Any one that talks about Isaiah Thomas like this does not know him, or anything about him. Therefore this person is a dam fool. You need to look deep inside yourself and find out what ails you about Isaiah first and get it fixed so you are able to judge him fairly. Isaiah is clearly legendary, but incompetent; not on your life and is in no way shape or form a con-artist. For you to have this kind of hatred for one of the greatest players to ever play in the NBA shows you need help, and plenty of it and fast. OH!…… Maybe your an uneducated person. I’m sorry I never thought of that; forgive me.
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