08-21-2008, 01:35 PM
|
#1
|
Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 624
|
Maverick's Faith in Josh Howard
http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/story/848734.html
Quote:
Dallas Mavericks still have confidence in Josh Howard
By JAN HUBBARD
jhubbard@star-telegram.com
Talk to anyone who covers the Mavericks regularly and you’ll receive nothing but positive comments about Josh Howard.
There is no one on the team more consistently cooperative than Howard, who is always available before games and is one of the first players to be showered, dressed and answering questions after games. When you’re working on a deadline, promptness is appreciated.
That he is so accommodating is a tribute to Howard, because it doesn’t seem easy for him. He’s quiet-spoken and comes across as a little shy. You get the feeling that he is not always comfortable with questions that are asked, yet he always attempts to answer.
His track record with the media has made the past few months difficult because, although he deserves criticism for bad judgment, he has built credibility. It’s like the kid next door who is always polite and helpful yet he keeps hitting baseballs through your living room plate glass window. You want to break his neck, but you know he’s a good kid.
The infamous radio interview when he admitted smoking marijuana, the ill-advised birthday party after the Mavericks lost three of their first four playoff games to New Orleans, and the recent attempt to emulate a NASCAR driver, which resulted in an arrest for going 94 mph in a 55-mph speed zone, are lamentable decisions on Howard’s part.
But the conclusion reached by way too many people is that exercising questionable judgment in his personal life translates to a decline in ability on the basketball court, and that is ridiculous.
Howard had the best season of his five-year career in 2007-08. His averages of 19.9 points, seven rebounds and 2.2 assists were career highs. In the first two months of the season, he was so good that Dirk Nowitzki willingly deferred to him.
Nothing that he’s done in the off-season offsets the ability he demonstrated on the court. Yet there were fans and media who were in favor of the Mavericks trading Howard for Ron Artest before Sacramento traded Artest to Houston.
Wait a minute. Ron Artest? The guy who initiated that ugly Auburn Hills scene in 2004? The guy who once asked for time off during a season to promote a rap album? The guy whose dogs spent 77 days in a pound because Artest did not properly care for them? The guy who was charged with four misdemeanors in a domestic dispute at his home?
Howard may have had his moments as a space cadet, but he’s hardly Darth Vader.
"I know a lot of 20-somethings who have made mistakes, myself included," Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wrote in an e-mail. "The smart ones learn from the mistakes. Josh is smart. He has learned from all of this, and will continue to learn from it, and use it for motivation on and off the court."
But he might need some help. Howard held a charity softball game in DeSoto on Saturday and a local TV crew showed up and asked an easy question about being a role model. Howard was irritated and complained that he should not have been asked such a question at a charity event. He provided audio and video that did not make him look good.
Howard will face distracting challenges this year. If he starts slowly, the home fans may boo. On the road, he will hear derisive chants. Tough questions will be asked.
If Cuban is right and Howard is smart, he will answer all questions and the Mavericks will let him. The last bit of assistance Howard needs is someone standing next to him trying to censor reporters. It will make Howard and the Mavericks look bad.
Any professional media trainer would tell Howard that his response to questions is simple: "I’ve made some mistakes and apologized to the appropriate people. I’m moving forward and focusing on basketball."
And if he’s asked the same question 100 times, he needs to answer it the same way. Eventually it will go away.
Cuban believes in Howard’s basic goodness and pointed to Howard’s community work in the Metroplex and his home state of North Carolina as an example of his character.
"While others might have run away from responsibility when they get hit with negative media," Cuban wrote, "Josh not only followed through with all of his camps, he expanded the camps, increasing the number of scholarships [in his foundation]. In addition to the camps he has in Dallas and in Winston-Salem, in addition to his annual bowling tournament, this summer he added a charity softball game."
Howard has made himself the focal point of criticism, and he had a poor playoff series against the Hornets. But Cuban said that as a basketball player, "I have complete confidence in Josh."
And he should. Howard still has All-Star talent, which doesn’t mean the Mavericks would not consider a trade if they were offered equitable value. But despite nervous fans and media, the Mavericks are confident going into a season with Howard. A few wrong turns off the court have nothing to do with shooting straight on it.
Jan Hubbard, 817-390-7760
|
|
|
|
08-21-2008, 01:50 PM
|
#2
|
Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: 41.21.1
Posts: 36,143
|
Quote:
A few wrong turns off the court have nothing to do with shooting straight on it.
|
Maybe Jan needs to watch a few games? (although, she'll have to catch the first half if she wants to watch Howard!)
__________________
These days being a fan is a competition to see who can be the most upset when
your team loses. That proves you love winning more. That's how it works.
Last edited by Underdog; 08-21-2008 at 01:51 PM.
|
|
|
08-21-2008, 01:58 PM
|
#3
|
Platinum Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: hogwarts - school of witchcraft and wizardry
Posts: 2,301
|
After reading this..does anyone feel the urge to prank call
Quote:
Jan Hubbard, 817-390-7760
|
?
__________________
i bleed burnt orange. Hook 'Em Horns \m/
Last edited by nikeball; 08-21-2008 at 01:59 PM.
|
|
|
08-21-2008, 02:12 PM
|
#4
|
Guru
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 11,806
|
Well...you can definitely count him in for being a Maverick until Feb. at the earliest...they can't be trying to up his credibility for the purpose of trading him. It's like "enough already, don't you understand, he's staying!"
But he is right, it's in his best interest to have better than a "career best year."
Last edited by BGMaverick9; 08-21-2008 at 02:26 PM.
|
|
|
08-21-2008, 02:21 PM
|
#5
|
Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 57
|
Jan Hubbard is a he not a she.
|
|
|
08-21-2008, 02:26 PM
|
#6
|
Guru
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 11,806
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by littlelibo
Jan Hubbard is a he not a she.
|
fixed...but that's still weird.
|
|
|
08-21-2008, 02:32 PM
|
#7
|
Guru
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 15,241
|
|
|
|
08-21-2008, 02:36 PM
|
#8
|
Guru
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 11,806
|
Oh Jan...you and your crazy scented candles. Wasn't that what she was into?
|
|
|
08-21-2008, 02:50 PM
|
#9
|
Diamond Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 7,031
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by alby
|
jesus, she is hot
Last edited by MavsX; 08-21-2008 at 02:51 PM.
|
|
|
08-21-2008, 03:34 PM
|
#10
|
Guru
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 11,806
|
Pam>Jan....
Pam FTW
Looooooooooooooooooooooooooooong summer, damn it.
|
|
|
08-21-2008, 04:49 PM
|
#11
|
Platinum Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 2,313
|
Karen >>>>>>>>>> Pam
|
|
|
08-21-2008, 05:03 PM
|
#12
|
Lazy Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Lazytown
Posts: 18,721
|
Come now. Jan is not hot.
Pam isn't really hot either, she's...cutesy.
|
|
|
08-21-2008, 05:07 PM
|
#13
|
The Preacha
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: The Rock
Posts: 36,066
|
Jan is completely hot for a mid 30s + lady....no doubt.
__________________
ok, we've talked about the problem of evil, and the extent of the atonement's application, but my real question to you is, "Could Jesus dunk?"
|
|
|
08-21-2008, 05:30 PM
|
#14
|
Diamond Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Basketball fan nirvana
Posts: 5,625
|
phyllis....a little portly but adventurous.
__________________
"It does not take a brain seargant to know the reason this team struggles." -- dmack24
|
|
|
08-21-2008, 05:33 PM
|
#15
|
Diamond Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 7,031
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by alexamenos
phyllis....a little portly but adventurous.
|
dammit alex
|
|
|
08-21-2008, 06:45 PM
|
#16
|
Golden Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,456
|
HI Jan, Im..... Jan.
Last edited by craggmac; 08-21-2008 at 06:48 PM.
|
|
|
08-21-2008, 07:46 PM
|
#17
|
Guru
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 11,806
|
ouch...
|
|
|
08-21-2008, 09:22 PM
|
#18
|
Guru
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 15,241
|
not hot?
|
|
|
08-21-2008, 10:38 PM
|
#19
|
Golden Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,456
|
Turns out, Jan is more like a cross between Bill Murray and Don Nelson.
Last edited by craggmac; 08-21-2008 at 10:39 PM.
|
|
|
08-21-2008, 11:48 PM
|
#20
|
Diamond Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Between Blue Lines
Posts: 4,425
|
Rep to alby for reviving The Office thread.
__________________
"I still go through it in my head," Nowitzki said. "One of my last nights in Germany [last month], I was trying to go to sleep, but I couldn't. I was thinking about the free throw I missed [late in Game 3], about different situations that happened in that series. I'll never forget it. It's going to stay in my mind until we win it all."
|
|
|
08-22-2008, 01:10 AM
|
#21
|
Platinum Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: hogwarts - school of witchcraft and wizardry
Posts: 2,301
|
Alby...wtf..what movie / show is that picture from?
__________________
i bleed burnt orange. Hook 'Em Horns \m/
|
|
|
08-22-2008, 01:34 AM
|
#22
|
Guru
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 23,188
|
^ Blades of Glory
__________________
"Cream of the crop gon' rise to the top." -Jaden Hardy
|
|
|
08-22-2008, 06:22 AM
|
#23
|
Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Arlington
Posts: 83
|
Advantage Jan...
..d
__________________
Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.
|
|
|
08-22-2008, 07:37 AM
|
#24
|
Rooting for the laundry
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 21,342
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by jthig32
Pam isn't really hot either, she's...cutesy.
|
Maybe so, maybe so.
But Pam really does it for me all the same.
|
|
|
08-22-2008, 07:39 AM
|
#25
|
Lazy Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Lazytown
Posts: 18,721
|
^ Oh I agree. But I still wouldn't really describe her as hot.
|
|
|
08-22-2008, 11:26 AM
|
#26
|
Diamond Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Basketball fan nirvana
Posts: 5,625
|
surely I'm not the only one who's noticed that phyllis really perks up anytime something kinda kinky is mentioned.
__________________
"It does not take a brain seargant to know the reason this team struggles." -- dmack24
|
|
|
08-24-2008, 12:20 PM
|
#27
|
Guru
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 15,241
|
I'm quite upset I didn't get more rep for the pic of Pam Beasley =P
|
|
|
08-24-2008, 01:57 PM
|
#28
|
Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 336
|
rep ++++
__________________
Dirk is already writing his memoirs called "One and Done".
I wouldn't say our window of opportunity is closed. It just turned into one of those small crank open bathroom windows!
|
|
|
08-24-2008, 05:31 PM
|
#29
|
Guru
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 11,806
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by alby
not hot?
|
You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to alby again.
sorry alby.
|
|
|
08-25-2008, 06:48 AM
|
#30
|
Platinum Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 2,313
|
Please, you all suck, advantage Karen.
|
|
|
08-25-2008, 09:05 AM
|
#31
|
The Preacha
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: The Rock
Posts: 36,066
|
So the Mavs are going to stick with Josh Howard, huh?
__________________
ok, we've talked about the problem of evil, and the extent of the atonement's application, but my real question to you is, "Could Jesus dunk?"
|
|
|
08-25-2008, 09:08 AM
|
#32
|
Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: 41.21.1
Posts: 36,143
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by sike
So the Mavs are going to stick with Josh Howard, huh?
|
I thought this thread was about mildly-cute actresses...
__________________
These days being a fan is a competition to see who can be the most upset when
your team loses. That proves you love winning more. That's how it works.
|
|
|
08-25-2008, 09:11 AM
|
#33
|
The Preacha
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: The Rock
Posts: 36,066
|
Is there a mildly hot actress named Josh Howard? Because I hear the Mavs have some faith in her.
Maybe she could get Josh Howard back on track!
__________________
ok, we've talked about the problem of evil, and the extent of the atonement's application, but my real question to you is, "Could Jesus dunk?"
|
|
|
08-25-2008, 09:13 AM
|
#34
|
Rooting for the laundry
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 21,342
|
We should have a Karen vs Pam death match in that other thread after all the current death matches get dealt with. If that ever happens.
Go Maverick's Faith in Josh Howard!
|
|
|
08-25-2008, 09:16 AM
|
#35
|
The Preacha
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: The Rock
Posts: 36,066
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flacolaco
We should have a Karen vs Pam death match in that other thread after all the current death matches get dealt with. If that ever happens.
|
just post it when a new one is ready...Stephen Hawking and Christopher Reeves are giving each other very menacing winks and blinks right now...
__________________
ok, we've talked about the problem of evil, and the extent of the atonement's application, but my real question to you is, "Could Jesus dunk?"
Last edited by sike; 08-25-2008 at 09:16 AM.
|
|
|
08-25-2008, 10:13 AM
|
#36
|
Minister of Soul
Join Date: May 2001
Location: on the Mothership
Posts: 4,893
|
Advantage Pam. I never even knew Olympic Stadium was on the background in that scene until now.
|
|
|
08-25-2008, 11:37 AM
|
#37
|
Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: 41.21.1
Posts: 36,143
|
__________________
These days being a fan is a competition to see who can be the most upset when
your team loses. That proves you love winning more. That's how it works.
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:17 AM.
|