# Dirk for MVP Column



## bencollins (Sep 30, 2002)

It'll be up here tomorrow: http://www.nba.com/mavericks/news/collins_column_archive.html

Last week I found myself in the express checkout lane at a supermarket buying nothing but four boxes of Jimmy Dean Breakfast Skillet Helpers. I guess this was a faux pas because the checkout lady stared at me like Jimmy Dean’s Breakfast Skillet Helpers were the main ingredients to contact explosives, but I had no idea that this was against proper supermarket etiquette and I would not rest until I had some of Jimmy Dean’s gift to mankind in my stomach.

If you don’t know what Jimmy Dean Breakfast Skillet Helpers are (from now on affectionately known as JDBSH), then you have quite obviously not seen the genius commercial on TV. You know the one – where the father of the family is actually the sun personified and he’s up early making his perfectly non-planetary daughter breakfast with the big box o’ JDBSH. It’s 30 seconds of raw brilliance and Jimmy Dean should be writing posthumous thank-you letters to the guy in the advertising firm who made his name cool again.

But, truth is, I don’t even like eggs. For a good year of my life, I swore I was allergic to them. Honestly, I probably won’t make it through the first box and the rest of them are just going to sit in the back of the cabinet with all of those exotic Slim Jims my parents bought in 1997. (Really, Blueberry Blast Slim Jims? C’mon.)

It’s just that, on some level, we’re all gullible. We all subliminally, or not so subliminally, fall into the trenches of advertising or product placement because we find something funny or we hear it often enough.

Prime example: every NBA pre-game show on ABC or TNT. At 8 P.M., every couple of nights a week, someone reaches up the back of Charles Barkley’s shirt, turns his settings to “Idiot, But Mildly Coherent” and he sputters off why LeBron James should be MVP of the league. He shouldn’t -- if Steve Nash won the MVP last year based on the fact that he could’ve made any team a playoff team and LeBron’s Cavs couldn’t make the playoffs in the East last year, then we’re looking at two very different criteria – but if you hear Chuck often enough, it burns into the back of your mind like a cattle prod. And, guess what, then we’re all sheep again.

The media falls into this trap, too. They discount Kenny Smith and Charles as not holding any water, but their votes are consistently in line with what the top-three in MVP voting look like. They’re in line for the proverbial JDBSH the day it comes out.

Frankly, there’s nothing we, the common fan, can do about what the media decides to air and what not to air. ESPN, TNT and ABC decide what sells in that region by who they want to market. I sound like everyone’s cynical, crazy uncle here, but it holds some truth.

There is one way, though, that will always work. But it’s not subliminal. It’s not even close. It’s loud. It’s in your face. It’s sometimes even obnoxious.

But, man, it works.
Watch a Lakers game. Any Lakers game. Win or lose, if Kobe Bryant is on or if Kobe Bryant is off. They will only chant one thing throughout the entire game, and they do it without one hint of hesitation. Nothing complicated: it’s only three letters. But those three letters have more power than any major media outlet could have in three hours worth of programming.

MVP.

Works every time. So much so that, when they did chant it, it even got the most fervent Laker-hater alive to think a little bit. I forgot about the fact that his team was barely a .500 ballclub. I forgot about his horrendous shot selection. I forgot about the disaster the NBA would have on its hands if Kobe Bryant, yes, that Kobe Bryant, was the league’s Most Valuable Player. There’s just something about those three letters that draw you in.

Once I came back down to Earth, I realized that this could work for the real MVP of the league. The one leading his team to the best record in the West after some critics predicted that his team wouldn’t even make the playoffs. The one who was third in MVP voting last year, but has only made himself better, shooting better from the field and becoming the best statistical clutch shooter in the NBA. The one about to lead his team the furthest in the playoffs that his team has ever seen: Dirk Nowitzki.

Word is spreading, too. And it’s starting just one locker over.

“He’s got my vote,” said Jason Terry, Mavs starting point guard and main Dirk-distributor. “He’s led this team this far this season. He’s my MVP.”

With six games left, Mavs fans, Jason Terry needs your help to backup his vote. Chant MVP for the guy who has the numbers to back it up. Chant it for the guy who deserves it. Chant it for the guy who is rightfully, not subliminally, putting his name in the MVP race.

Because, sometimes, there is truth in advertising.

I hope you liked my column this week, check back next week and keep those emails coming to [email protected]


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

good article...Ill rep that...


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

Mike Monroe: Photo finish for MVP 

Web Posted: 04/09/2006 12:00 AM CDT

San Antonio Express-News 

There hasn't been a season in the past 20 in which the race for NBA Most Valuable Player was less well defined with only 10 days remaining before ballots are submitted.

You can't even get easy agreement on the top-five candidates, let alone the player who most deserves the league's most prestigious individual honor. There is marginal consensus on the "big three" among the candidates: Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups, Suns point guard Steve Nash and Mavericks power forward Dirk Nowitzki, and biased voters in Cleveland, Miami and Los Angeles probably think players from those locales belong. 


The official MVP ballot from the league requires voters to rank the top-five players — in order. First-place votes are worth 10 points, second-place seven, third-place five, fourth-place three and fifth-place one. 

Every year there seem to be some odd, mostly provincial, votes cast for the No. 5 spot on the ballot, since such votes typically are "throwaway" votes that won't affect the race at the top of the ballot. That's not the case this year — one reason it is so intriguing that the field of legitimate candidates is so large. 

Each voter has his or her own criteria. The heavy bias here is team success. Individuals who play an all-around game — and at both ends of the court — get extra credit. The intangible value of "making teammates better" is difficult to quantify, but certainly a factor. 

Examining the MVP candidates: 

Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks: He has been a rock for the Mavericks in a season in which they became one of the league's three best teams despite a rash of injuries to key players. He has adapted to coach Avery Johnson's approach, including the emphasis on defense. And he remains one of the league's best clutch shooters. The negative: You wish he would be more of a physical presence in the post. 

Steve Nash, Suns: The reigning MVP has had an even better season than when he won the award. The fact the Suns have 50 victories while effectively playing the entire season without their most dominant big man is tribute to his ability to make his teammates better. The negative: He still doesn't defend. 

Chauncey Billups, Pistons: He is the unquestioned leader for the team with the league's best record. He adapted to coach Flip Sanders' more free-flowing offense and is adept at setting up teammates before going to his own scoring game. And he isn't called "Mr. Big Shot" for nothing. At crunch time, the Pistons want the ball in his hands, in part because he is one of the league's best free-throw shooters. The negative: The other three All-Stars on Detroit's roster. 

LeBron James, Cavaliers: No. 3 in the league in scoring, No. 11 in assists and this season's leader in triple-doubles. James' play over the past few weeks put him on the list of those who have to be considered for MVP. Why, he even hit his first game-winning shot. The negative: The Cavs' record doesn't compare with the Mavs, Suns or Pistons. 

Elton Brand, Clippers: The Clippers are returning to the playoffs and may even win 50 games, and he is the primary reason. He has been solid all season, scoring and rebounding, and a good crunch-time producer, too. The negative: The team record doesn't compare, and you wonder if Sam Cassell's presence has been equally as important to the turnaround. 

Kobe Bryant, Lakers: He's the league's scoring leader and an amazing clutch shooter and a solid defender. The negative: He takes too many shots and the Lakers may not even make the playoffs. 

Dwyane Wade, Heat: He has carried the Heat through the wholesale offseason roster changes and a rash of injuries to key players. The negative: Can there be an MVP from a team that also has Shaquille O'Neal? 

Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets: He has been one of the league's best scorers since the All-Star break and one of its best clutch shooters all season. The negative: The Nuggets' record and defensive deficiencies. 

Tony Parker, Spurs: With Tim Duncan ailing all season, Parker elevated his game and leads the team with the league's second-best record in scoring. The negative: That midrange jumper still needs work. 

The opinion here about No. 1 has wavered over the past few weeks. Just about the time Nash seemed to have secured a firm grip on the only vote I control, he was thoroughly outplayed by Billups in a head-to-head matchup one week ago. 

Then, after Billups' domination of Nash appeared to make him the logical choice, Nowitzki waltzed into the AT&T Center and put on the sort of MVP performance that Spurs fans once took for granted from their favorite power forward, Duncan, in a game the Mavericks had to have. 

For the moment, that puts Nowitzki on the No. 1 line on at least one ballot, followed by Billups, Nash, James and Brand. 

This season, however, we reserve the right to change our mind several times before April 20. 



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[email protected]


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## chn353 (Mar 12, 2006)

as much as i want dirk to win the mvp, he most prob wont get it due to the likes of lebron james and kobe bryant.

lebron james has shown he can take on teams himself avging 30 pts, 6 rebs, 6 assists and leading the cavs to their first ever playoffs since (2001?), as well as that he won all star mvp

kobe bryant.. scored 81 pts, leading ppg in nba.

for dirk to win mvp, mavs would have to be more dependant on dirk but mavs have other good players like stackhouse, terry, and howard.
unlike the lakers or cavs who are dependant on just 1 player. if kobe and lebron didnt play they would most likely lose every game, but if dirk didnt play mavs still have a higher % of winning

but :cheers: to dirk for his spectacular season


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## Arti (Nov 6, 2004)

I want Dirk to win it too, and I think he is deserving. But the media doesn't hyp him up enough


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

Arti said:


> I want Dirk to win it too, and I think he is deserving. But the media doesn't hyp him up enough


See I dont think he deserves it until he matches the intesity of some of the players who come in here to prove hes soft...when Kobe had 60 points on us. Dirk should have had 30 with us having a 10-15 point lead or 50 with us within 1 point...(depending on how trhe game was flowing of course)

there have been too many games where a single player has undressed us and we had to leave the arena with our tail between our legs because 1 player beat us...I understand this happens sometimes but those need to be the games where Dirk sends a mental message right back at em, "Yea, you dropped 50 on us but I had 45 and next time things will go my way"


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Dragnsmke1 said:


> there have been too many games where a single player has undressed us and we had to leave the arena with our tail between our legs because 1 player beat us...


hmmm.... I can only name Kobe Bryant being a single player.

Care to fill me in on the other players who's dominated Dallas this season?

Unless you infer "one game is too many," then I am in agreement. If not, I TOTALLY DISAGREE.


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

Gasol 36points 15rbs 5assist final:112-92
Parker 30points 5assist final: 92-90
Kobe 43 points final: 109-106
Kobe 60points 8reb (sat out 4th qt) final: 112-90
B.Davis/J.Richardson : 66points(each had over 30) 15 rebounds final:111-109
k.Martin 34points 9boards/C. Anthony 24points 10 assist/A.Miller 17 points 10dimes final:113-104
Nash 25points 11assist/B.Daiw triple double final: 115-107
J. Richardson 40points (Dirk did have 51points and 9boards though) final :122-121
c.Billups 31points 11assist final:97-90
James 46points final: 107-94


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

Dragnsmke1 said:


> Gasol 36points 15rbs 5assist final:112-92
> Parker 30points 5assist final: 92-90
> Kobe 43 points final: 109-106
> Kobe 60points 8reb (sat out 4th qt) final: 112-90
> ...


in more then half of our losses we let a single player(or more) simply destroy us and in only one of those losses did Dirk have an answer back type game...


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Dragnsmke1 said:


> in more then half of our losses we let a single player(or more) simply destroy us and in only one of those losses did Dirk have an answer back type game...


LOL

Wow... you make NBA sound like a pick-up game on city corners. "You score 30 points on me, and I am going to sccore 30 on you."

So last season Steve Nash personally "answered" when their opponents scored a ton of points on them? Nope. He consistently averaged around 15 points/game. He "assisted" his team to victory. (no pun intended)

Why was Nash MVP last year? BECAUSE HIS PRESENCE MADE THE TEAM BETTER. HE ELEVATED THE GAME OF THE PLAYERS AROUND HIM.

Why should Dirk have to answer when DAL takes a beating? He doesn't need to. The team record speaks for him. All those players may have had success against DAL, but that's a whole separate issue (team defense) and has no bearing on whether or not Dirk "deserves" MVP.

Plus, you might not feel Dirk "deserves" MVP, but there are plenty of people out there who thinks he does. He WON'T get it, but that's a whole another issue as well.


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

edwardcyh said:


> LOL
> 
> Wow... you make NBA sound like a pick-up game on city corners. "You score 30 points on me, and I am going to sccore 30 on you."
> 
> ...


the Traitor had big games against big opponents though...he answered and dragged his team when needed...besides answering with point he constantly dished out 15-20 dimes in those games which is good for 30 points at least...

the team record in this case does not speak for MVP...opponents, sports writers referees, and anyone else who "matters" feel like the Mavs are always beatable if the opposing best team player goes off or is allowed to go off...I think this is subconciosly why we are called soft...our best player plays great when we are ahead...he plays good when we are behind...

sometimes you have to get the moral victory and let the other team know they got lucky when they won...to this day no team feels lucky when theyve beaten the Mavs...


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

also: if you want to go through all our wins and see how many times Dirk had a 30 point game when another player on the team had a monster game you could have the ammo to make me wrong...and Ill admit Im wrong...but I doubt it...


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Dragnsmke1 said:


> also: if you want to go through all our wins and see how many times Dirk had a 30 point game when another player on the team had a monster game you could have the ammo to make me wrong...and Ill admit Im wrong...but I doubt it...


LOL... I am not trying prove you wrong, so I am not going to dig through the records.

I am only saying it's not relevant. If LeBron puts up 60 points against DAL, you are expecting Dirk to answer by scoring 50+ points? LOL... NO WAY! That's not Dirk! That's not AJ either.

AJ preaches "extra pass before the shot," and Dirk, like a good team player, will do what AJ asks of him.


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

edwardcyh said:


> LOL... I am not trying prove you wrong, so I am not going to dig through the records.
> 
> I am only saying it's not relevant. If LeBron puts up 60 points against DAL, you are expecting Dirk to answer by scoring 50+ points? LOL... NO WAY! That's not Dirk! That's not AJ either.
> 
> AJ preaches "extra pass before the shot," and Dirk, like a good team player, will do what AJ asks of him.


which is why I think we are best team in the league, and on our way to our 1st Chip...*but this thread is about Dirk being MVP*...


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Dragnsmke1 said:


> we are called soft...


The team overall is playing much more physical than last year.

AJ works hard on it, and I am sure next year will be even more physical.



Dragnsmke1 said:


> ...no team feels lucky when theyve beaten the Mavs...


Does Mavs feel lucky when they beat SAS, DET, PHX, or MIA?

Out of all honestly, these teams are all fairly evenly matched (MIA and PHX may be lower defensively). So what's the big deal? The only thing that counts is the playoffs. If Mavs doesn't get far in the playoffs, the public will always be on the other side.


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

edwardcyh said:


> The team overall is playing much more physical than last year.
> 
> AJ works hard on it, and I am sure next year will be even more physical.


you know it, I know it and the Mavs know it but thats still the perception...you got Phil Jackson saying he WANTS to play the Mavs...like I side in the parts you edited out, I think its a subconscience thing for people to call us soft becuse we let 1 player dominate us quite often and dont have that player that puts the team on his shoulders and drags us back to victory or almost victory(we win because of good team ball)


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

edwardcyh said:


> Does Mavs feel lucky when they beat SAS, DET, PHX, or MIA?
> 
> Out of all honestly, these teams are all fairly evenly matched (MIA and PHX may be lower defensively). So what's the big deal? The only thing that counts is the playoffs. If Mavs doesn't get far in the playoffs, the public will always be on the other side.


No because the Mavs know they are actually a better TEAM then all of these teams...but that is also why Dirk is not the MVP...


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

Dragnsmke1 said:


> See I dont think he deserves it until he matches the intesity of some of the players who come in here to prove hes soft


I think you hit the nail on the head. 

There is an intangible to the debate - and I can't guarantee it - but the perception is Dirk is too soft to dominate the game. Nash's game is seen as sick ( I don't think *that* highly so as to say his game is blacktop outrageous, because I remember when he got here we booed him), but the nation see's him dominating the tempo, and career years from his teammates. 

Of course Dirk's game is not to make others around him so much better, or to throw dimes in the same manner - he's a scorer. But he's not the best scorer. That's a problem when you try to make everything equal with the other candidates. Kobe and Lebron score more. Dirk has a stronger supporting cast, and he doesn't mind other guys on the team going off, which they can, and that's an important point. 

So unless Dirk's 25-30 pts a night are punctuated by rim-rocking throwdowns, or are accompanied by strong defensive outings, he's viewed as a very consistent player on a very consistant team, and you give Avery coach of the year for orchestrating it.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Dragnsmke1 said:


> No because the Mavs know they are actually a better TEAM then all of these teams...but that is also why Dirk is not the MVP...


I just realized that this is still continuing to page 2. LOL

Ok... first of all, there is a distinct difference between "the best player on a great team" and "MVP." Chauncey and Dirk both fall into the first category, while LeBron tops the second category. This is the opinion I have maintained throughout the 2nd half of the season, and it still hasn't changed.

I hoped Dirk would get the MVP, and AJ would get coach of the year because I, as a fan, hope for the best, but I also realistically understand that neither of it will happen.

You are getting excited because I disagree with you on the point that you feel Dirk needs to "answer" when A SINGLE PLAYER on their opponent's team scores a ton of points on them, and I will continue to say, " he doesn't need to do that!" That's not Dirk, nor is that AJ.

Maybe that's the one thing that separates him from that MVP title? Maybe Not?

You have written him off because he lacks the attitude, and you have ignored the fact that the team played a hard stretch of games where 4 major injuries made him step up to carry the team. Frankly, if it wasn't because of those games, I would not even consider Dirk remotely close to the MVP title.

He IS the *DAL MVP*. I am sure we can agree on that.
:cheers:


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## chn353 (Mar 12, 2006)

his definetly the dallas mvp, no questions asked. 

but i dont think dirk will ever win the mvp title unless he starts hogging the ball which just isnt dirk. i wouldnt watch mavs games if dirk did hog it though so kudos to dirk


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

4ht qt down by 4...an MVP of the league gets 15-20 points this qt and seal the victory...he should finish this game with 40-45 points...


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

Dragnsmke1 said:


> 4ht qt down by 4...an MVP of the league gets 15-20 points this qt and seal the victory...he should finish this game with 40-45 points...


qt is half way over...started it only down by 4 now down by 7...Dirk has taken 2 shots and hit one...


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Dragnsmke1 said:


> qt is half way over...started it only down by 4 now down by 7...Dirk has taken 2 shots and hit one...


Are we still rooting for the same team?

:whoknows:


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

edwardcyh said:


> Are we still rooting for the same team?
> 
> :whoknows:


Oh yes, I always root for the Mavs but I dont let my loyalties blind me to the realities of our team...


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Dragnsmke1 said:


> Oh yes, I always root for the Mavs but I dont let my loyalties blind me to the realities of our team...


Then :cheers:


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

Bill Simmons' take on Dirk for MVP

3. Dirk Nowitzki
Averaging an astonishing 29-and-10 since the All-Star Break (the only two forwards to average 29-and-10 since the ABA/NBA merger were Bird and the Mailman). He's the only All-Star on a 60-win Dallas team. He shows up for every game. He's an underrated rebounder and superior free-throw shooter in crunch time. He solved the whole "Let's stick a smaller, more athletic guy on him!" strategy by punishing defenders with a variety of herky-jerk moves on the high post. He's German, which makes him fun to dislike whenever he starts sneering at his teammates or arrogantly celebrating after a big bucket. Out of any over-25 player, he made the biggest leap this season; it's hard to imagine anyone meaning more to his team. 



Quick Nowitzki story: Clips-Mavs, Monday night, tie game, 18 seconds left. Nowitzki is 5-for-18, but we all know he's getting the final shot -- right at the top of the key, where he's been thriving all season. Naturally, we assume that Dunleavy will send a second guy at him, since you never want to get beat by a franchise guy. So Dallas brings the ball up and feeds Nowitzki on the high post, only Chris Kaman (a gawd-awful defender) switches onto him. And we're waiting for the second guy. And we're waiting. Hell, even Dirk is waiting. Never comes. Finally, with the clock winding down, he puts a quick move on Kaman, upfakes him and drains a 16-footer to win the game, followed by a goofy gesture in which he coldly pulled his jersey out with both forefingers, almost like dueling shotguns. And then his teammates practically chest-bumped him to death.



Here's the point: I wasn't even remotely surprised. Not by any of it. (Well, except for Dunleavy being dumb enough to single-team Dirk with Kaman.) There are franchise guys, and then there are FRANCHISE GUYS. This season, Nowitzki added the caps.


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Dirk for MVP


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## Tersk (Apr 9, 2004)

Drag, Dirk scored 13 points in the 4th quarter - doing his all to try and win


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

Mavs Maniac said:


> Drag, Dirk scored 13 points in the 4th quarter - doing his all to try and win


Its no big deal...its my beleif that Avery really wasnt worried about the W anyway...2 games to go till playoffs, locked in, dont really want the 1st seed...I think it was more about getting the playoff rotation started...and as stated in the article, Our rotation sliced up the lead the Suns had...


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