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Since no one liked my latest Kobe theory, here's my ode to Dwight Howard. I'm not sure what the comments mean, but I think they're making fun of me.
posted by Bethlehem Shoals @ 12/11/2007 01:30:00 PM
14 comments
14 Comments:
You of all people should know by now that Deadspin commentors are recruited out of the ADD rehab clinic.
As for Mr. Howard: When the Knicks played the Magic earlier this year, I naively thought "here's a possible win," due to believing all the hype about Rashard being Jon Koncak, and ended up curled up in a fetal ball watching Dwight Howard dunk (I swear he threw down eight dunks in that game that each made my nuts hurt, and I was just watching on TV). Funny that he's a Christian, the way he plays is straight Old Testament.
All you have to do to please the Deadspin commentariat is make a Stephen A. Smith cheez doodle joke 150 billion times. So I wouldn't worry what they're saying.
I think you're spot on about Howard. It does feel like you're watching the Big Man exhilaratingly redefined.
In the warriors/magic game last week, dwight had about 9 turnovers during regulation. The whole time, he had this sort of befuddled look on his face, like he was surprised to discover another immortal basketball soul who was limiting him (baron, of course). Then baron fouled out and dwight had two monster dunks in overtime to crush the life out of the poor warriors who were left.
"Any role on the floor can be animated, made into something breathtaking, if the right player gets handed it."
Very true. And the difference between J.R. Smith and Redick or Turiaf and Jason Collins.
One thing I find interesting about Howard is that despite his natural fit as a Big Man it seems that a conscious decision was involved to become this year's version. Originally he wanted to follow the Garnett model and work on his jumper and face-up moves. Then at some point he must have said 'screw it, I'm dunking them to pieces', despite Patrick Ewing being his assigned mentor.
My theory is that during the infamous All-Star dance-off (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9LmHXXWiJs), the transformation started when Shaq reached for his heart (symbolically). Not only does Howard do an amazing Shaq impersonation, he's also started to pull up his knees the same way when he has an uncontested dunk right under the basket. Plus he's also starting to get closer to the vintage 'Black Tornado' on some alley-oops.
David Thorpe on Howard. On Insider but readable without paying on my PC.
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=thorpe_david&page=Howard-071211&action=upsell&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnba%2finsider%2fcolumns%2fstory%3fcolumnist%3dthorpe_david%26page%3dHoward-071211
As a DS commenter, I'll say that they have the ability to be very funny, but generally make fun of everything and everyone. That's the Deadspin way. Don't take it too serious.
PS I'll reiterate what I said on DS, Dwight Howard is nothing new, he is the heir apparent to Dream. Go back and watch some old footage of Hakeem, even in the mid-90's he was fun to watch. Fancy soccer footwork!
Oh, and as for the raw dunking power, Dwight's style is reminiscent not only of Shaq, but of Darryl Dawkins aka Chocolate Thunder (though he was more of an Amare pf, not a true center).
I've been to three Magic games so far this year (1-2 record) and when Dwight has been on, he's been remarkable. The moves are so effortless now, but the results of hundreds of hours of practicing. He's built like David Robinson with a GNC Gold Card. Everything is coming into place and what's going to take the longest is the actualization of being that much better.
I think some veterans get to him because they've been there as long or longer than him, so far. But, the guys that have come in since? They're inevitable and mentally derided. Not a single person in the league should have the power to intimidate him. Once he realizes that, then he'll have the Shaq potential to dominate en route to titles.
Shoals, I dug the article, but the FD fun of it was that it was generally light on Dwight-centric content.
Aw Shoals don't sweat the Deadspin commentors. Just remember -- you're the one classing up the joint.
In other news, and I can't think of anywhere else to relate this, my crazy Russian doorman just informed me that the problem with the Knicks is that they don't have enough white players -- like Keith Van Horn. I was left totally speechless.
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Man, I wish Amare never had microfracture...watching him clown Dwight for the past 3 years in head to heads was one of my favorite basketball moments.
Dwight truly has become the monster that I thought Amare was on his way to becoming. I hope and pray that he never gets injured; he's too important to this league.
I guess you have just attracted two audiences.
On DS you get memes.
On FD you get sloppy bjs and comparisons to Plimpton.
I'm not saying I want to be loved by everyone. I just had absolutely no idea what half of the comments meant.
Is that better or worse than the FanHouse comments, Shoals?
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