# Dick Vitale has got to go!



## MAS RipCity (Feb 22, 2003)

I was so annoyed listening to his ongoing boner for these college kids and CONSTANT negativity towards the foreigners and HS'ers. Remember this was once a guy who said the Wiz should take Battier #1 overall in 01. It's one hting to have an opinion,but he is blinded by something because he was so irrational in his explanations. He prolly thinks Jameer Nelson will be the best pg in the nba next season. Then goes and spouts off some college hoops stuff during the nba draft....he just needs to go i am sick of him.


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## Perfection (May 10, 2004)

His voice is so annoying that I have to turn down the volume when I play NCAA Basketball on the Playstation. I mean, I guess I can understand the complaining about the college player of the year slipping to #20, but at the same time, he does seem to have a definate bias against anyone not from a U.S. College team. 

Obviously he loves the college game, as he's covered it for so long, but I don't think he belongs in the NBA draft...especially if he's gonna go off again about players for the NCAA next year (Warrick etc.)

Anyways, plainly put, I don't like the guy either. If he and Bill Walton ever commentate a game together I will become deeply depressed. :sour:


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## mtomezak (May 24, 2004)

He also did not pay attention to the NBA season this year...

Last night he said Dumars was 2-3
Successful in getting wallace and brown but stupid in not getting Anthony.

YOU ARE SO STUPID VITALE. DONT YOU REALIZE THE PISTONS WOULD NEVER HAVE GOTTEN SHEED IF THEY GOT ANTHONY AND PROBABLY WOULD NEVER HAVE WON THE TITLE. IF ANYTHING DUMARS IS A GENIUS FOR NOT PICKING HIM, AND GOING ON TO WIN THE TITLE. SO STUPID VITALE....KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT...

he probably just looked at their stat lines for the year and was like...oh Anthony should have been picked, but I think he was doing pizza commericals as opposed to watching the playoffs...oh and probably performing "favors" for Nelson/Duhon/Okufur/West/Gordon/


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## IAMGREAT (May 22, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>mtomezak</b>!
> He also did not pay attention to the NBA season this year...
> 
> Last night he said Dumars was 2-3
> ...


Why wouldn't they have been able to get Sheed? I suppose since they won the championship the bad pick doesn't stand out as much. Darko's contribution was so minimal how would it not have been a good thing to add a player who could contribute?

Vitale is really a buffoon but he was right about Carmelo.


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## IggytoWiz_at5 (Jun 5, 2004)

This guy only likes college players, he doesnt understand potenial.


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## Baron Davis (Apr 14, 2004)

How can Detroit not be able to get Rasheed if they drafted Anthony? Detroit barely lost anything by getting Rasheed, so I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have to give up Anthony for Rasheed. 

Dick Vitale isn't that annoying, and he's right about potential. Potential is always a chance of success and but then there's a high chance of a bust if the player is only considered to be potential.


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## Coatesvillain (Jul 17, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Baron Davis</b>!
> Dick Vitale isn't that annoying, and he's right about potential. Potential is always a chance of success and but then there's a high chance of a bust if the player is only considered to be potential.


The problem I really have with the guy, is how he's basically acting like there weren't any draft busts when the draft was mostly college upperclassmen. And anyone who's been paying attention to basketball for a while knows that there were plenty of busts in the past.

When he said High school kids don't get better, I wanted to scream, because he's wrong. How many HSers have to be successes for him to realize they aren't all failures?

What he doesn't realize is passing up a guy with a high roof for potential, for a guy who can help sooner because he went to college, can be a big mistake. Hell, ask the Sixers, they drafted Stackhouse at #3 instead of KG, and looking back we see the flaw in the move.

The only positive about Vitale on the draft, he made Stephen A. seem that much less annoying.


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## jokeaward (May 22, 2003)

Alright, Dick, we get you. Nobody wants a James Lang. Nobody wants Olivier Saint-Jean or Chris Washburn, either, even if you did call their college basketball games.

He's got a point, we do critique NCAA players more than foreign players and HSers.

LOL, "Let's look back in five years and you tell me how ____ and ___ are!"

Lemme guess, Dick: You were fine with Samaki Walker before Kobe Bryant. Walker must have a winner's mentality.


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## mo76 (Jun 13, 2003)

> If he and Bill Walton ever commentate a game together I will become deeply depressed.


Are you kidding? That would be awsome BABY. THROW IT DOWN>


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## Amareca (Oct 21, 2002)

Someone should really duck tape his hands behind his back next time at least.


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## Kyle (Jul 1, 2003)

I personally like Vitale and think he's a great announcer.


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## Coatesvillain (Jul 17, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Kyle</b>!
> I personally like Vitale and think he's a great announcer.


I personally find him to be a great reason to turn the channel.


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## budselig (Jun 18, 2004)

Vitale is terrible and should be hung. That said, he serves a purpose, which is to take the side of college players over high school and foreign guys. He provides, or attempts to provide, entertainment.


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## knickstorm (Jun 22, 2003)

only took 2 years to figure out vitale was wrong about yao and jwill


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## Nimreitz (May 13, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Baron Davis</b>!
> How can Detroit not be able to get Rasheed if they drafted Anthony? Detroit barely lost anything by getting Rasheed, so I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have to give up Anthony for Rasheed.


1) With Melo on the court Kobe goes crazy on the Pistons in the Finals. Melo is a great offensive player, but he can't defend like Tayshaun. They already have a weak link in their defense in Rip, with another one they wouldn't have won the title.

2) How can you criticize a 7'1'' biambidextrous 18 year old with some of the best footwork ever seen and some of the best agility in a big man in a long time, that didn't contribute for the NBA Champions!? He can't get PT over Ben Wallace, Mehmet Okur, and Elden Campbell? Big surprise! He's 18 and his coach has doesn't even WANT to play him!

Everyone is being unfair to Darko, and when he's the next great center in the NBA and consistently knocking LeBron's Cavs out of the playoffs, then maybe people will finally give him his dues.


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## vandyke (Jan 8, 2004)

The thing that irritates me the most about Vitale, is he must be a multi-millionaire he must be loaded with money all money he has made from the college game so who is he to say these High School and Euro players shouldn't be drafted and be allowed to make a living just like the great living that he makes for himself if these players are going to be drafted why should they go to college and not be able to provide a comfortable living for their families just like the one he provides for himself and his family, of course he doesn't want GM's to draft these high school players he wants them to be in college, the only people that get that money are the universities, the television networks, and Dickie V. The hypocrisy of that whole tirade last night is sickening.


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## sb telfair (May 12, 2004)

word up hes damn annoying


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## jokeaward (May 22, 2003)

Good point. And some non-college players can actually play! The GMs usually draft the good ones!

When he was saying "Who gets hurt... who gets hurt..." I was thinking literally, like Lamarcus Aldridge tearing his ACL or breaking his hip and ending his career in college. Tough, no $15M contract for you.


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## optimus18 (Apr 24, 2003)

What irks me is having to watch a man's game played by a bunch of selfish and immature babies like Carmelo.....with the mentality of a 9 year old.......

I would have to say it would be much better to be a bust out of college than out of high school.......

You have your college acceptance or your degree to fall back on, what happens to a high school kid that spends all his late first round money on women and gold, gets injured, and doesn't have anything to fall back on..........???????

Vitale's life is college!!!!! and you know what college basketball would not be what it is without him!!!!!! He values education and maturity which would allow these kids to succeed in all aspects of life....not just the physical basketball side.


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## IggytoWiz_at5 (Jun 5, 2004)

just keep him in college and ban him from doing anything with the nba.


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## mattmo (Feb 24, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>optimus18</b>!
> 
> You have your college acceptance or your degree to fall back on, what happens to a high school kid that spends all his late first round money on women and gold, gets injured, and doesn't have anything to fall back on..........???????


ummm, yeah a criminal justice major or sociology major is really gonna help these guys. Have you seen the graduation rates for some schools? Cuse is around 20% of their team. They have guys who quit school during their senior year after basketball is done. They only have 2 months to go and they quit! Basketball players like Emeka Okafor, great players at large schools that do well acedemically (and major in something other than the majors mention above) is fairly rare in big conference schools. lets not be niave here, most college busts end up doing the same exact things the HS bust does.


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## a (Aug 25, 2002)

i think dick vitale has been around basketball a lot longer than anyone on this board. get rid of these high school kids and nba teams will actually be able to score 80pts a game. half these high school kids will be overseas in 5 yrs.


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## Coatesvillain (Jul 17, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>a</b>!
> i think dick vitale has been around basketball a lot longer than anyone on this board. get rid of these high school kids and nba teams will actually be able to score 80pts a game. half these high school kids will be overseas in 5 yrs.


Overseas doing what? Playing in Olympic qualifiers?


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## gdog (Aug 24, 2003)

> How can you criticize a 7'1'' biambidextrous 18 year old with some of the best footwork ever seen and some of the best agility in a big man in a long time, that didn't contribute for the NBA Champions!? He can't get PT over Ben Wallace, Mehmet Okur, and Elden Campbell? Big surprise! He's 18 and his coach has doesn't even WANT to play him!


biambidextrous? Let's not question his sexual side, please, yes he does have the hair and the taped ear, but lets not judge.

Anyways, Vitale is a one-sided hypocrite, but my beef is with ESPN, why have the moron on when you KNOW he will talk bad about half the players and praise biasedly the college guys?
At least Stephen A. Screamin' let loose at him a bit, but come on ESPN let it be a night of praise and hope, not hate and negativity.


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## sheefo13 (Jul 13, 2002)

dickie v is just a bit bias:grinning:


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## optimus18 (Apr 24, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>theycallmemattmo</b>!
> 
> 
> ummm, yeah a criminal justice major or sociology major is really gonna help these guys. Have you seen the graduation rates for some schools? Cuse is around 20% of their team. They have guys who quit school during their senior year after basketball is done. They only have 2 months to go and they quit! Basketball players like Emeka Okafor, great players at large schools that do well acedemically (and major in something other than the majors mention above) is fairly rare in big conference schools. lets not be niave here, most college busts end up doing the same exact things the HS bust does.



I agree somewhat.........but I look at it this way.....at least there is something else there that the kid can make a decision about. Hopefully they would be smart enough to go back to school and get a degree and do something with their lives. If kids begin to believe all of the bad outside influences in their lives and think they are better than they really are..........these kids will stop working and studying in high school, not even get qualifying scores to be accepted into college......and embarrass themselves after their "bust" experiences in the NBA....

Many of these kids who are financially strapped will end up making bad decisions based on bad information and influences and will miss an opportunity to get an education and earn an honest living..........something they did not have during their childhood......

Where do we draw the line??????? 

Hopefully Vitale is looking out for the best interests of these kids and not focusing solely on the popularity of college basketball.......

It can be argued both ways, but personally I would like to believe that Vitale is sincere with his care for these kids and not himself...


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## MongolianDeathCloud (Feb 27, 2004)

Jack McCallum of SI ripped Vitale pretty hard and Simmons of ESPN sounded like he was dying to. It also seemed like Bilas and Tirico wanted to lay into him (and everyone else on the menagerie of freakishly obnoxious sports commentators -- all they would have needed was Walton and perhaps Ainge alongside Vitale, A. Smith, Stu Scott, and Tolbert to drive off every fringe fan of the NBA in one fell swoop.)

Jack McCallum


> Dick Vitale analyzing the NBA draft? Why not bring in The Galloping Gourmet to analyze the war in Iraq? Vitale is a relentless self-promoter who is ignorant of the NBA game and should've gone to bed before the first round instead of the second. Vitale added nothing to the analysis by screaming about his own travel schedule, who's going to be No. 1 in college basketball next year and Jameer Nelson being overlooked. While Vitale was foaming at the mouth about Nelson, his ESPN colleague David Aldridge, who does know something about pro hoops, pointed out that Nelson would probably be traded from point guard-loaded Denver. Which is exactly what happened a few minutes later.


http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=nbadraftwinners&prov=cnnsi&type=lgns


Bill Simmons


> 7:35 -- Just realized that I'm writing a column about a telecast that involves Dick Vitale, Stu Scott, Tom Tolbert and Stephen A. Smith ... and all of them are off-limits.
> 
> 7:47 -- Not only is Dick Vitale wearing a blood-red shirt, there's a black and red background behind him. And he's screaming. I keep waiting for him to morph into Beelzebub.
> 
> ...


http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/040625

Basically, Vitale is a tool. It's creepy because he carps on and on with his vitriolic agenda in that reaaaallly tired cartoon character style. It's like hearing Bugs Bunny go off on pro-choicers or something. And it bothers me that he acts like the do-no-wrong college game is being hurt by all these greedy youths -- he knows damn well that he's made a grip on these kids and the corrupt college programs are anything but the girlscouts.


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## Nevus (Jun 3, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>MongolianDeathCloud</b>!
> Basically, Vitale is a tool. It's creepy because he carps on and on with his vitriolic agenda in that reaaaallly tired cartoon character style. *It's like hearing Bugs Bunny go off on pro-choicers or something.* And it bothers me that he acts like the do-no-wrong college game is being hurt by all these greedy youths -- he knows damn well that he's made a grip on these kids and the corrupt college programs are anything but the girlscouts.


:laugh: Show no mercy!

He's like a corporate shill for the NCAA... Jay Bilas is my new hero for calling him on it. Jay Bilas punked him.


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## GNG (Aug 17, 2002)

Bilas was mainly standing up for himself, rather than the HS kids that Vitale wouldn't lay off of last night, but the "Have you ever said anything positive about any international or high school players..._ever_?" line was fantastic after all the lame ad nauseum tirades. That completely makes up for his "Ridnour can't defend the chair I'm sitting in" line from last year.

And I did agree with what Vitale was talking about with Nelson. Not all the other garbage, but with Nelson, he had a point. He's the collegiate player of the year PG. He probably didn't deserve to sit there until #20. But lay off it, already. It seems like Vitale's only purpose on a Draft telecast is to belittle anyone and everyone without a college degree. 

And was he really expecting the Celtics, who need a big, to take Kirk Snyder?

I've talked with him before, and he seems like he genuinely believes what he says about high school players, which makes him either ignorant, stupid or a snake. I'm thinking it's more of the first one than anything, but ignorance is never an excuse.


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## a (Aug 25, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>PhillyPhanatic</b>!
> 
> 
> Overseas doing what? Playing in Olympic qualifiers?




overseas getting killed in the european leagues.


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## Pinball (Aug 3, 2002)

Never liked the guy, never will. Forget his ACC and Duke bias for a second. Vitale obviously knows college ball pretty well so he's not a bad guy to have on the set. However, he knows nothing about the NBA. I find it hard to believe that he tunes into a game more than 30 seconds per week with all of the outrageous stuff that he says. He needs to stick to evaluating college kids because he doesn't know **** about the NBA. The dumbest poster on this board is as qualified as he is to judge the NBA.


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## DaUnbreakableKinG (Jun 28, 2003)

Vitale has the worst voice in the world. And with that baby thing that he says he becomes even more annoying. He shouldn't be on TV.


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## sonny22 (Dec 28, 2003)

I felt like kicking Vital in the ,outh on draft night. He never mentions the fact that 3 of the top 5 players in the league never went to college. Or the fact that 6 of the top ten players necer stepped foot on a college campus. He is dillusional. He is starting to look more and more like an donkey.


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## WhoDaBest23 (Apr 16, 2003)

Vitale is annoying, period. He knows his college basketball pretty well and should just stick with that. He should never give his opinion about the NBA again. Saying that high school players and Euros will never amount to anything is just bull****. He's so biased for college players that it's not even funny. It doesn't help that he has the most annoying voice in the world. I respect what he does with college basketball, but it ends there.


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## Dakota (Aug 18, 2002)

Do you all remember when Dick Vitale stated that Jay Williams was the best basketball player, outright, in America? ( Or at least best point guard I think. ) Now he was elated that the Chicago Bulls selected him at #2 two years ago. He said that particular pick was terrific and would help the Bulls tremendously in the long run. Anyone remember that?? 


Well, during the draft, Dick Vitale also stated that selected Ben Gordon was a terrific move. Best move in 5 years for the Bulls. Best draft in 5 years for the Bulls. 

....

Whattttttttt?? Dicky V is a flip-flopper!!!!!!! 


Obviously Dicky V only promotes the current trend of great college kids. He forgets about the ones who didn't pan out who he promoted in the past. He is a hyprocit, and a double-standard. I hate Dicky V with a passion. Get that guy off the air. He's like a racist, but in a basketball sort of way. He is discrminatory against the High Schoolers most of the time without even a legitimate reason. WTF. Get a clue.


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## KB21 (Jun 20, 2003)

ESPN has really degraded the draft coverage. They want to put more emphasis on the controversial issues rather than actually talking about the player's talents.

The coverage was MUCH better on TNT with Hubie Brown as the main analyst. There wasn't all this irrelevant banter by Screamin A. Smith and Dickie V. You didn't have a guy acting like he knew something about the pro game like Jay Bilas does. Ernie Johnson was much better as the main voice than Mike Tirico is.

TNT set themselves apart by getting real coaches to make commentary on these picks. Brown was the NBA coach doing analysis, and they routinely had Rick Majerus and John Thompson doing commentary from the college coach point of view. You didn't see those guys come out and say, so and so will likely be a bust like Jay Bilas did with Josh Smith after the Hawks took him 17th.


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## IAMGREAT (May 22, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>KB21</b>!
> ESPN has really degraded the draft coverage. They want to put more emphasis on the controversial issues rather than actually talking about the player's talents.
> 
> The coverage was MUCH better on TNT with Hubie Brown as the main analyst. There wasn't all this irrelevant banter by Screamin A. Smith and Dickie V. You didn't have a guy acting like he knew something about the pro game like Jay Bilas does. Ernie Johnson was much better as the main voice than Mike Tirico is.
> ...


ESPN is terrible. I hate them, but they're all I have to watch. I loved the draft on TNT (except when they had Rick Majerus speaking). It doesn't seem that any of those guys talking about the draft knew anything about the players, unless the guy went to college of course. I find that stupid. What do those guys think they'll be talking about up there, knowing that likely half of the players chosen will be foreign or from high school?


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## a (Aug 25, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>sonny22</b>!
> I felt like kicking Vital in the ,outh on draft night. He never mentions the fact that 3 of the top 5 players in the league never went to college. Or the fact that 6 of the top ten players necer stepped foot on a college campus. He is dillusional. He is starting to look more and more like an donkey.



do you realize how many high school and international players NEVER MADE IT. why all the fuss over vitale just cause he doesnt want to see high school kids come in and ruin the league. im tired of the level of play continuing to drop b/c we have guys making rosters who arent ready.


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## Coatesvillain (Jul 17, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>a</b>!
> do you realize how many high school and international players NEVER MADE IT. why all the fuss over vitale just cause he doesnt want to see high school kids come in and ruin the league. im tired of the level of play continuing to drop b/c we have guys making rosters who arent ready.


Do you realize how many superhyped four year Seniors never made it in the NBA? The door swings both ways. I don't agree with an age limit at all, but I do believe in a possible minor league system.


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## jokeaward (May 22, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>a</b>!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Like National Champion Khalid El-Amin or ACC champ Randolph Childress in years past?

If you go to college you can still wash out of the NBA.


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## MemphisX (Sep 11, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>PhillyPhanatic</b>!
> 
> 
> Do you realize how many superhyped four year Seniors never made it in the NBA? The door swings both ways. I don't agree with an age limit at all, but I do believe in a possible minor league system.


No...give me the list then I will give you a list of can't miss HS all americans who washed out because their college coach left them to get a better job or decided to reign in their talent.

Anybody want an example of the hypocrisy of college basketball...see Mike Montgomery. The same tool who blasted Josh Childress for turning pro and abandoning the Cardinal then two months later he does the same thing.


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## Coatesvillain (Jul 17, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>MemphisX</b>!
> No...give me the list then I will give you a list of can't miss HS all americans who washed out because their college coach left them to get a better job or decided to reign in their talent.


Even better. That number severely outweighs the number of HS to pro failures.



> Anybody want an example of the hypocrisy of college basketball...see Mike Montgomery. The same tool who blasted Josh Childress for turning pro and abandoning the Cardinal then two months later he does the same thing.


Truthfully, I think they need to fix the problem, of course I doubt it'll ever happen. They should either make coaches honor their contract, or allow players to transfer that year and play if the coach leaves.


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## Matthew Maurer (Oct 17, 2002)

Love the thread and agree he know nothing about what it takes to be a great NBA player... I'm still waiting for Shane Battier to be the superstar he claimed he was going to be!!!!


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## a (Aug 25, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Matthew Maurer</b>!
> Love the thread and agree he know nothing about what it takes to be a great NBA player... I'm still waiting for Shane Battier to be the superstar he claimed he was going to be!!!!




and im still waiting for kwame brown to be the superstar you claimed him to be!!!!


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## Nimreitz (May 13, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>a</b>!
> 
> 
> 
> do you realize how many high school and international players NEVER MADE IT. why all the fuss over vitale just cause he doesnt want to see high school kids come in and ruin the league. im tired of the level of play continuing to drop b/c we have guys making rosters who arent ready.


If anything ruined the league it's that college's can't provide enough great players for a full 30 team league. It's the same thing that's happened in baseball, watered down pitching because the league is too big. Do you want to go back to 16 teams? Neither do I, so deal with the level of competition.

And regarding the last post, I think we can all agree that Kwame (even today) is a better pick than Battier, Curry, Chandler, Diop, J Rich (selfish stats guy on a bad team), and Eddie Griffin. So lay off Kwame, he was the best player of the top 7 or 8 picked in that draft.


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## Matthew Maurer (Oct 17, 2002)

> kwame brown to be the superstar you claimed him to be!!!!



Hey it takes a while sometimes for big man remember Jermaine O'Neal


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## Coatesvillain (Jul 17, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Matthew Maurer</b>!
> Hey it takes a while sometimes for big man remember Jermaine O'Neal


:yes: I get agitated when people say that Kwame is a bust, or even infer it. He's perhaps one of the more slept on players in the league.


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## a (Aug 25, 2002)

wow, all i said was that kwame brown wasnt a superstar.


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## Peja Vu (Jun 9, 2002)

LOWDOWN ON DICKIE DUNCE: AWFUL, BABY! 

Nice article by Peter Vecsey


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## faygo34 (Mar 22, 2003)

the only guy we can call a bust so far that has come out of HS is leon smith. and he was picked 29th i believe anyways. other guys like bender,brown,chandler and curry all have some time before we label them as busts.


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