Dirty Dirk

[kg_veteran]

You boys need to play nice. I'm aware of the history here, so I'll let you have your little jabs back and forth. For a little while.

Ed - If you're going to try and insult someone, it would probably be more effective to use the correct verb tense. Just a tip...

[Male30Dan]

I would take an Oscar the Grouch and/or Barney article over Vescey/Sam Smith!!!

[Drbio]

Mary that post earlier was genius.

[EricaLubarsky]

edit

[Chef Ed]

Folks understand something about me, especially the ones that have no earthly idea who I am, and not that it matters.

I am not offended by the comments above. In fact, quite the opposite. I'm flattered that one of my columns has drawn so much attention. Negative or not. So thank you reading it in the first place.

As far as the column itself, there is nothing in it that is earth shattering. The only point that I was making is that the game itself seemed to confirm what a lot of you have been stating in the past and that is Dirk Nowitzki needs to be the leader of this team, and when it comes down to either tieing a game, or winning it, Dirk should be the one to take the shot. Not Finley, or any one else, and the game last Wen proved that he is cappable in doing.

I don't really care to spar with anyone. That is pointless and everyone, including Mr. Murph has his opinion of me and that will never change.

I do find it somewhat funny that a poster(Mary) whom I've never talked with or posted with seems to feel that her opinion of me should carry some sort of merrit. Again, Murph and I will never agree or get along. That is just the history of me on this site, but again, I would like to spend more time here, and because I now know that some of you do read what I write, I will.

As far as my column writing abilities. I am not a member of the press. I do get press passes to the games, and I cover the Mav's for the free site of Hoopsworld. I would never put myself in the same catagory as some of the national writers you mentioned, or claim to be anything more than just a fan that loves the Maverick's and like to voice an opinion. That's all. Take it for that, and nothing more.

Again, thank you for so much attention to this column. It's good for my ego and it's things like this that make me work harder to write better.

PS. It's nice to be back. Thank you.

[EricaLubarsky]

I don't really care to spar with anyone

you really are dumb arent you? You try to come in and piss people off and argue and then in your next post you try to take high ground and claim that you don't want to spar? Hilarious.

I am not offended by the comments above. In fact, quite the opposite. I'm flattered that one of my columns has drawn so much attention. Negative or not. So thank you reading it in the first place.

Eminem would be rolling in his grave.

[mary]

I do find it somewhat funny that a poster(Mary) whom I've never talked with or posted with seems to feel that her opinion of me should carry some sort of merrit

I don't really care if my opinion carries "merrit" with you or not. I wasn't giving an opinion of "YOU", but of the article you wrote (see the difference??) It's a discussion board, I'm allowed. Anybody that patrols the dumping ground that is db.com, is pretty familiar with who you are Chef Ed.

And I'm sorry...but I really can't take any article seriously that contains the following paragraph.

If any of you had the opportunity to watch the exhibition game on Wednesday afternoon between the USA, and Germany, a team that isn’t even in the Olympics, then you saw something that we haven’t seen in Dallas the entire time that Dirk Nowitzki has been a member of the Maverick’s. Dirk Nowitzki led his team. Dirk Nowitzki demanded the ball down the stretch. Dirk Nowitzki kept his team in the game and put them in a position to win it in the end.

Dirk has done this PLENTY of times in a Maverick uniform, most recently in last year's playoffs. Its because of Dirk that the Mavs WERE in a position to win those 3 games that were determined by missing the final shots. If Dirk hadn't been the workhorse that he was (and don't dismiss the key defensive plays he was making at the end of games), they would've been blowouts.

[kg_veteran]

Originally posted by: Chef Ed
I don't really care to spar with anyone. That is pointless and everyone, including Mr. Murph has his opinion of me and that will never change.

If you don't care to spar, then don't spar.

And frankly, thank God you don't want to spar. I'd hate to have to come in and clean up the mess after they got through with you.

[Murphy3]

If any of you had the opportunity to watch the exhibition game on Wednesday afternoon between the USA, and Germany, a team that isn’t even in the Olympics, then you saw something that we haven’t seen in Dallas the entire time that Dirk Nowitzki has been a member of the Maverick’s. Dirk Nowitzki led his team. Dirk Nowitzki demanded the ball down the stretch. Dirk Nowitzki kept his team in the game and put them in a position to win it in the end.

It's difficult not to take a jab at someone when they write something similar to this. It's as difficult to deal with as listening to Stephen A. Smith go on one of his rants.

[Chef Ed]

KG,
Don't worry, I doubt there will be anything worth cleaning up. And again, I do thank all of you that read the column. It's flattering. So again, thanks. I would feel bad if no one commented at all.

As far as taking a high road, isn't that what your doing? So again, to each his own.

Now back to the content itself.

[MavsFanFinley]

As far as the content of the article the premise is sound. Until Mr. Finley decides to give up the bestowed title of Leader on this team then Dirk will continue to show the respect that Finley has deserved since he got here. Dirk isn't the kind of individual to step on toes to get where he wants to be. So until Finley gives it too him then Dirk will continue to take a back seat to Mike.

I would just like to see Finley be the leader he is supose to be and give the crown to Dirk.

I know I don't want Dirk leading the team if he's afraid to step on some toes. Whether it's Finley, Nelson, Donnie, Cuban, or the water boy for not delivering his gatorade sooner.

Finley has been quoted as saying Dirk is the best player on the team. How Dirk hasn't even reached his full potential but amazed at what he's done already. In the last playoffs, he had a conversation with Dirk about how he did everything a superstar is supposed to do and if he had gotten help from himself and Nash, they could have won some games.

I'll repeat...Finley isn't the problem.

[shaw-xx]

Anybody that patrols the dumping ground that is db.com

Huh! Didn't you have another proof to debate except for using these dumb words?

[sandeepgm]

I am a new poster here. Apologise for that last post. Just cudnt get it done right the first time. I dont know anything about the posters here to voice an opinion on anybody and i shouldnt. Yes i did read the article. It seemed that it stated the obvious but i am happy to read every article about the Mavs N dirk. So thanks to chef 'Ed' and 'Hello' to all the regulars in here...Cant wait for the regular season to start...

[kg_veteran]

Now back to the content itself.

Do you really want to talk about the content of your article? Okay...

I can overlook the punctuation and grammar errors, the constant reference to yourself as "we" in the article, and the overuse and mangling of common cliches, but most of the points you try to make are ridiculous.

You talk about an ongoing "debate" among Mavs fans as to who should take the last shot and a "debate" about why the Mavs don't often convert in late game situations. You then do a decent job of explaining why Dirk is the best option to take the last shot or have the ball in his hands with the game on the line. After that, it goes downhill.

You basically argue that one game-tying shot by Dirk in an exhibition game between Germany and USA is going to 1) suddenly convince Nelson to consistently put the ball in Dirk's hands with the game on the line and 2) convince Dirk that he is the leader of the Mavericks. The idea that Nellie would suddenly change his end-of-game philosophy based upon the outcome in one international exhibition game is ludicrous. But then you state that Dirk has never "demanded the ball down the stretch . . . kept his team in the game and put them in a position to win it in the end." You say he's never done any of those things (which is just plain wrong), but that by doing them in an exhibition game with his German teammates, he might now be prepared to do them with the Mavericks. The lack of logic is baffling.

And then you throw Finley under the bus. MFF addressed that pretty well. Michael Finley is NOT standing in Dirk Nowitzki's way.

It's nice for us to see that game and dream about a day when Dirk is consistently the guy with the ball in his hands with the game on the line. But suggesting that that game makes it more likely makes no sense.

One other thing. You need to do a little more fact-checking on some of the random comments you throw out in your columns. Like this:

Unfortunately for Germany the US put the ball into Allen Iverson’s hands and he did what he has always done since coming into the league. He made an off balance jumper to win the game at the buzzer.

Here's what Allen Iverson said about that shot:

"That was great. It felt good because it was the first time in my life I hit a buzzer-beater like that," Iverson said. "That's what basketball is all about." ESPN.com - Iverson sinks buzzer-beating 3-pointer for win

[Drbio]

Can't add much to kg's post on the lack of content.

[mary]

Originally posted by: shaw-xx

Huh! Didn't you have another proof to debate except for using these dumb words?

I would like to offer my apologies to those in the landfill industry. I was out of line.

[mary]

Originally posted by: Drbio
Mary that post earlier was genius.

Doc! I barely recognized you [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]


I hope you're not ditching the retro avatar.

[Male30Dan]

Originally posted by: mary

I would like to offer my apologies to those in the landfill industry. I was out of line.

Mary you are truly on a roll today...

Edited to fix my "CHEF ED-ESQUE" blunder!!! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[Drbio]

She is also on a roll. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]




mary- as soon as they can fix it I suppose it will return.

[Male30Dan]

Originally posted by: Drbio
She is also on a roll. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]




mary- as soon as they can fix it I suppose it will return.

I aperciate yur vocabalary lesin dok!!!

[Chef Ed]

KG,
The importance of that last second shot should be taken more seriously than your giving it. The fact that the entire television audiance that was watching the game new that Dirk was going to take the shot, and the entire US team that was on the floor knew that Dirk was going to take the shot, and Larry Brown new that Dirk was going to take the shot.

So my question remains. Why couldn't they stop it? Or should I say, why didn't they try to stop it, or did they?

If Dirk isn't as good as some of us feel he is then he should have been stopped. At least to some posters on other sites Dirk can only hit from the outside, or he doesn't want to go to rim as often. So if the US team is so full of All-stars then they shouldn't have allowed Dirk to make the shot.

Maybe it's because during the entire game Dirk demanded the ball and led a bunch of no-bodys to a buzzer beater game that ment absolutly nothing, except to Maverick fans. Because when it comes right down to it this is what everyone has been calling for Dirk to do ever since he got here.

So what I said in my column may have been repeating itself, but now it seems to carry more weight than it did before, because now we know for certain that Dirk can do it if he wants to.

So the questions are if Dirk will continue the process when he comes into training camp, and will Finley step aside and allow him to do just that. The other question is if Nelson will figure it out and when the time comes the play will be drawn up for Dirk to take instead of Nash, or Finley or someother player that shouldn't be taking the shot in the first place.

So as much as your respected as the moderator on the site, look at what happened from a different point of view. This is something that all of us have wanted to see out of the German for the last 3 years. So how is it that he does it on a team that isn't even playing in the Olympics, but he won't do it on his own NBA Team..

[Big Boy Laroux]

god! finley does not need to step aside! finley is not to blame! if anything, nellie and walker are to blame (walker being blamed as direct result of nellie trying to have the offense run through him). so nellie is to blame. there we go.

dirk hit a great shot. everyone in the gym, and watching on tv, knew that dirk was going to take that shot. 2 members of USA were on him. has he hit shots like that as a mav? yeah. do i wish he would demand the ball more? yes. is it fin's fault? of course not.

chef, i hope you never write a cookbook. i guarantee the recipes that result from people using teaspoons vs. tablespoons or vice versa (as that will be an inevitable typo) will be ghastly.

[sike]

If Dirk isn't as good as some of us feel he is then he should have been stopped. At least to some posters on other sites Dirk can only hit from the outside, or he doesn't want to go to rim as often.

Chef, I think the reason this article is getting so much attention(beside the fact that some don't rate you as #1...I have no inclination one way or the other) is that you seem to think you are saying things are controversial, when, in actuality, all you are saying is a giant echo of what most have been saying for three seasons or more. There are very few that I know of on this site that don’t think Dirk is capable of much more than we’ve seen so far…if the posters on “other sites” think all Dirk can do is score from the outside...leave that forum…they are fools and obviously don’t have any understanding of the game. “Why couldn't they stop it?” because Dirk (when hot) is one of the most unstoppable offensive forces in the league…once again, very few on THIS FORUM would disagree with this…and most have stated it and proved it so often that is now an accepted fact.

So the questions are if Dirk will continue the process when he comes into training camp, and will Finley step aside and allow him to do just that.

you are crazy if you think that Finley was the reason that Dirk had a less than spectacular year last year……Finley does not need to step aside in any fashion, rather, he needs to step up when games are on the line and give Dirk more support if you want the truth. Dirk will continue the process of becoming a leader(speculation), but Finley does not need to change a thing…its Dirk who needs to step up.

So how is it that he does it on a team that isn't even playing in the Olympics, but he won't do it on his own NBA Team.

ask Nellie the genius who would rather go with matchups then one of the leagues top scorers…Dirk has shown no hesitancy to take the shots…and when given the chance has proven a big game performer…to imply that this is anyone’s problem but Nellie’s is more than feeble.

[Chef Ed]

I'm not saying that Finley is at fault. I never have stated that. What I have stated is that Finley shoud step aside as the glorified leader of the Mav's and let Dirk take it over. Dirk has stated over and over that this is Finley's team, and I think that needs to change.

Of course this is nothing new, but what Dirk did against the US has just emphasized it more. Sure we have talked about this over and over till we are blue in the face, but it doesn't seem to change, does it? No it doesn't. At the end of games Finley still takes the shot and misses it.

Is that his fault? No. That is Nelson's fault for drawing up the play in the first place. All this does is just stress the fact that needs to change and what happened last Wen should be an indicator that it needs to happen now.

That is the only point that was trying to be made. Nothing new, just something that is talked about but nothing is ever done to change it. It needs to change now. And Wen was a good enough reason to make sure it happens.

[sike]

Is that his fault? No. That is Nelson's fault for drawing up the play in the first place.

yup.....its Nelson who needs the change in strategy....

anyone think that is coming anytime soon? *sheesh*

[kg_veteran]

Originally posted by: Chef Ed
KG,
The importance of that last second shot should be taken more seriously than your giving it. The fact that the entire television audiance that was watching the game new that Dirk was going to take the shot, and the entire US team that was on the floor knew that Dirk was going to take the shot, and Larry Brown new that Dirk was going to take the shot.

So my question remains. Why couldn't they stop it? Or should I say, why didn't they try to stop it, or did they?

If Dirk isn't as good as some of us feel he is then he should have been stopped. At least to some posters on other sites Dirk can only hit from the outside, or he doesn't want to go to rim as often. So if the US team is so full of All-stars then they shouldn't have allowed Dirk to make the shot.

Ed, stop trying to backpedal. Your article argues that "something happened over the last week (the Germany-USA game) that we (Are you speaking for others, or just yourself?)feel might just be the thing that changes this trend (the alleged "trend" to give the ball to Finley rather than Dirk with the game on the line) and puts the ball in the player’s hand that has the best opportunity to either make the shot or kick it out to the open man. " You didn't argue that Dirk making one shot proves he can make late-game shots (which would also be a pretty shaky premise). You argued that, as a direct result of that exhibition game, Dirk will start getting the ball with the game on the line and that Dirk might NOW become the leader of the Mavericks.

So the questions are if Dirk will continue the process when he comes into training camp, and will Finley step aside and allow him to do just that.

This is such utter nonsense. If Finley hadn't stepped aside repeated times over the past few years, Dirk (and Steve) would not have developed like they have. Many other players in Finley's position would have balked at having their role reduced. Finley hasn't.

The other question is if Nelson will figure it out and when the time comes the play will be drawn up for Dirk to take instead of Nash, or Finley or someother player that shouldn't be taking the shot in the first place.

I wouldn't put it past Nellie to draw up a play for somebody other than Dirk, but I certainly don't think he'll draw up plays for players that are no longer on the roster.

As for the notion that Nellie will look at how the Germany-USA game came out and say, "Damn, I didn't know that Dirk could do that! I'd better make him my 'go-to' guy...", well, that's just absurd.

So as much as your respected as the moderator on the site, look at what happened from a different point of view. This is something that all of us have wanted to see out of the German for the last 3 years. So how is it that he does it on a team that isn't even playing in the Olympics, but he won't do it on his own NBA Team..

Don't purport to speak for "all of us". You don't know what "all of us" think. Certainly, what MANY Mavs fans have wanted to see is Dirk given the same opportunity in Dallas to dominate that his German coaches give him. That has little to do with Dirk.

Also, don't throw out that "I know you're a moderator" bit. I didn't refer to my opinions or comments as being more or less valid because I'm a moderator. I did look at things from your point of view. Your point of view is just nonsensical.

[Drbio]

Chef "Special" Ed hardly can think for himself much less the rest of us. That attempt at a retort was nothing shy of a reeds quality political post. My goodness....this is sad.

"What I have stated is that Finley shoud step aside as the glorified leader of the Mav's and let Dirk take it over. "
What a bunch of crap...

[nowitzki_prophecy]

Chef "Special" Ed hardly can think for himself much less the rest of us

LOL

[Fidel]

We are not going to comment on the "contents" of the article. We think it`s not worth it.

In case you wonder, the "we" that´s me, my dog and my toilet bowl. We talk about this basketball stuff all the time.

[EricaLubarsky]

add me to the "we", Sike

[Fidel]

Originally posted by: EricaLubarsky
add me to the "we", Sike

I know I haven´t been posting much
but do I really look like Sike to you Erica?

not Sike


Take a look at him again and compare:

Sike

won´t you agree that he looks totally different?

[Day1MavsFan]

Having read this board for a year, I know nothing of the history of you, Chef Ed, other than the occasional reference. I welcome you to post here, but I also disagree with some of the content. The part about Dirk not doing those things WAS ridiculous, because he does do those things, except for the demanding of the ball. I didn't see him do that, necessarily, in that particular game either, however. Also, your grammar and punctuation is a bit of turn-off, as was your back-pedalling . If I was reading that as an article on a site, then I'd think it was a joke. Lastly, I don't see why this changes anything, since Nellie is drawing up the plays. And if this does come to fruition, it might just as well be due to Nellie waking up or feeling pressure from Mark.
I do see what you were trying to say about Finley, however. It's not so much that he is "in the way", but that he hasn't "handed over the reigns" per se. At least he hasn't to my knowledge, anyway. In other words, he could "push" Dirk to take control more, since he is the incumbent leader and that it seems that Dirk has been deferring to him for being such. I also think that the article brings the issue out for discussion, which is a good thing. It is definitely a worthwhile subject, although nothing new, of course. For those that criticize it for not being breaking news, does every article have to be?

[Chef Ed]

It's funny what some of the posters here are saying about myself and the article. The fact that this subject has been beat into the ground for the last couple of years isn't anything new, but the fact that nothing has ever been done to change it is disturbing.

And that is the point to all of this isn't it?

Ask yourself something. Why is it when the Maverick's lose a game on a last second shot the boards are covered from head to toe with why doesn't Dirk take the shot, and why did Finley end up shooting it in the first place? Not to mention why did Nelson draw the play up for a player that seldom makes the shot to begin with?

Again, that is the point to all of this isn't it?

Why hasn't Nelson changed the rule?

Why is it Finley takes the shot all the time?

Keep in mind that I have always been considered a very big homer when it comes to Mr. Finley and I still am, but there comes a time that being the leader is more than just a title bestowed by the rest of the team.

Sure it has done well in the past in order to keep the chemistry in check in the locker room, but now that this team is changing daily, doesn't that mean that the leadership roll on the team needs to adjust to the changes that are being made?

Isn't it the leader's responsibility to put the team in the hands of the player that will make the most impact when it counts the most?

Isn't leadership not only taking responsibility for the success, but also the failure that the team endures?

Being a leader is not just a title. It isn't self imposed. It has to be earned, but at the same time the teammates on the team have to be willing to acknowledge the individual in question.

And up until this time Dirk has always defered that responsibility on to Finley. And Mike has responded, but what happened on Wen against the US was something we haven't seen from Dirk ever.

In fact you could go as far as to say that it started last year when he called out his coach/Owner and teammates after a certain loss on the road.

And it seems to have carried over onto the off season with his obvious leadership on his German team. So the question will be asked again. If Dirk can have that kind of success on a team that isn't even in the Olympics against a team of NBA All-Stars then why can't he do it against teams such as San Antonio, and Minn, and Sacramento?

That my friends is the point of the column. Not to beat the same thing into the ground on a day to day basis, but to emphisize that it is time to stop talking about it and do something about it.

And isn't that the definition of leadership?

[grndmstr_c]

How in god's name you can write that we've never seen Dirk do anything like that before is completely beyond me.

[Chef Ed]

When?

[EricaLubarsky]

sorry Fidel. It's just habit. I shoulda checked better. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[Max Power]

Originally posted by: Chef Ed
Why is it Finley takes the shot all the time?

The playoffs are still pretty fresh in MY mind - all three of the trio formerly known as the big 3 had a chance. All three failed.

And up until this time Dirk has always defered that responsibility on to Finley. And Mike has responded, but what happened on Wen against the US was something we haven't seen from Dirk ever.

How many All-Stars (besides Dirk) are on that German team? How many NBA players (besides Dirk) are on that German team? OF COURSE Dirk is going to be the dominant player. He is light years better than any other player on the team. The Mavs actually have some talent on their squad.

It would do Dirk a world of good if Nellie makes him a co-captain this year. But that is ALL that anyone other than Dirk can do. Dirk has to make that final step and declare this his team. If Finley tries to step aside and Dirk still wants to defer then the team will crater. Because you are ASSUMING that Dirk wants to be a leader of the Mavs - I have seen very little to support that view.

It will also do Dirk a world of good to have his buddy Nash off the team. Anything that takes Dirk out of that deferrental state he's in will wind up helping in the long run.

[EricaLubarsky]

This may be stupid, but I would always rather have the open man or the man with the best position take the final shot.

[Chef Ed]

Max,
Isn't that what Dirk did last year when he called the team, his coach, and his owner out after a loss, and wasn't Dirk that stepped up his game after he made the comments he did?

If that isn't forcing the issue I'm not sure what is.

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally posted by: Chef Ed
Max,
Isn't that what Dirk did last year when he called the team, his coach, and his owner out after a loss, and wasn't Dirk that stepped up his game after he made the comments he did?

If that isn't forcing the issue I'm not sure what is.

Who is arguing that he hasn't?