Nellie on Barkley

[Simon2]

No Barkley?

Coach Don Nelson said he always turns the volume down whenever he's watching basketball, especially on TNT when Charles Barkley is the studio analyst.

"You know Charles," Nelson said. "We know he's not sitting in front of the TV watching the games. That's the last thing he's doing.

"He's on his cell phone. He's not sitting there studying."

Ever since Nelson's team has become known in some circles as among the NBA's elite, Barkley has been a vocal critic of the Mavericks.



I wonder if this will gain any steam or get any pub. I hope this is like the little snowball on top of the mountain.

[LRB]

Originally posted by: Simon2
No Barkley?

Coach Don Nelson said he always turns the volume down whenever he's watching basketball, especially on TNT when Charles Barkley is the studio analyst.

"You know Charles," Nelson said. "We know he's not sitting in front of the TV watching the games. That's the last thing he's doing.

"He's on his cell phone. He's not sitting there studying."

Ever since Nelson's team has become known in some circles as among the NBA's elite, Barkley has been a vocal critic of the Mavericks.



I wonder if this will gain any steam or get any pub. I hope this is like the little snowball on top of the mountain.

What we need is a provocative and hopefully fineable statement by Cubes about Barkley.

How about I wouldn't hire Charles Barkley to review the menu at Dairy Queen. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[ReDIRKulous]

Does anyone else think this Barkley thing is personal and not about basketball?

Did something go down with Nellie and Barkley at some point? Was it Dirk's dunk on Barkley? Is it because the MAvs best player -- Dirk -- is 7 feet tall and not a post player so he is "soft", plus Dirk is white and from Germany. Is it because Cuban is a rich billionaire and supposedly "buying" a championshiP? It is strange because Barkley and Fin are kind of friends... he is alwways kind of sticking up for Fin but then bags on the Mavs.

It is weird because Barkley won't say anything good about anyone but Fin on the Mavs. He absolutely raves about Manu Ginobli and never says one good thing about Steve Nash and rarely says anything about Dirk.

I don't know, the whole thing is really perplexing. Barkley is just nuts though... so who knows.

[kingrex]

Barkley trys to get away with as much as he can get with so little. He will make a "controversial" point here and there just to justify his paycheck at TNT, but other than that he offers nothing to that broadcast. I like Kenny Smith sometimes, but that whole show deteriorates into a lot of nothing. I usually mute it or change the channel when they go back to the TNT studios.

[FilthyFinMavs]

Originally posted by: ReDIRKulous
Does anyone else think this Barkley thing is personal and not about basketball?

Did something go down with Nellie and Barkley at some point? Was it Dirk's dunk on Barkley? Is it because the MAvs best player -- Dirk -- is 7 feet tall and not a post player so he is "soft", plus Dirk is white and from Germany. Is it because Cuban is a rich billionaire and supposedly "buying" a championshiP? It is strange because Barkley and Fin are kind of friends... he is alwways kind of sticking up for Fin but then bags on the Mavs.

It is weird because Barkley won't say anything good about anyone but Fin on the Mavs. He absolutely raves about Manu Ginobli and never says one good thing about Steve Nash and rarely says anything about Dirk.

I don't know, the whole thing is really perplexing. Barkley is just nuts though... so who knows.

No it's not because Dirk si white and from Germany. Maybe it has something to do with Dirk not going to Auburn. I'm not to up to par with the whole situation between Dirk and Barkely but Barkely did offer to pay for Dirk's time at Auburn. I think the whole thing with Dirk is that he isn't the traditional power foward. His game isn't like Duncan or Garnett's. In Chucks eyes he believes he is no better then Kukoc but to be honest he has given Kukoc more props in the past then Dirk. With Barkely and Fin it is more of a personal situation. Barkley's mom is good friends with Fin's mom. I admit I somewhat support Barkley but alot of his ragging on the Mavs is not called for. Every game that is on TNT the guy praises the opposing team in the pregame but if the Mavs are ahead at halftime he still expects the opposing team to win the game like the Spurs game. Then when the Mavs win he has no comment in the post game. We are just going to have to deal with it because he is never going to change. I just don't get how he can dislike the Mavs but love Finley.

[ReDIRKulous]

No it's not because Dirk si white and from Germany. Maybe it has something to do with Dirk not going to Auburn. I'm not to up to par with the whole situation between Dirk and Barkely but Barkely did offer to pay for Dirk's time at Auburn. I think the whole thing with Dirk is that he isn't the traditional power foward. His game isn't like Duncan or Garnett's. In Chucks eyes he believes he is no better then Kukoc but to be honest he has given Kukoc more props in the past then Dirk. With Barkely and Fin it is more of a personal situation. Barkley's mom is good friends with Fin's mom. I admit I somewhat support Barkley but alot of his ragging on the Mavs is not called for. Every game that is on TNT the guy praises the opposing team in the pregame but if the Mavs are ahead at halftime he still expects the opposing team to win the game like the Spurs game. Then when the Mavs win he has no comment in the post game. We are just going to have to deal with it because he is never going to change. I just don't get how he can dislike the Mavs but love Finley.

Barkley does say semi good things about Dirk but he kind of under sells Dirk in my opinion.

Here is an example... remember that game where Dirk got 46 points, game 1 of the Portland series. After the game Barkley said, "he is a baaad boy". Now.. imo this was Barkley under valuing Dirk. He specifically used the word "boy" imo. And in general when ever he compliments Dirk it is like pulling teeth. I remember one time he commented on how he liked that Dirk came up big in both game 7s in the playoffs last season... but I swear.. he could barely get the words out. It was almost like he was embarrassed to say it. The thing is though.. I notice all this stuff a lot because I don't live in Dallas and tape all the nationally televised games and watch them quite a bit. So I notice every tiny little snide remark.

You know... i am not realy convinced that it is a racial thing... but honestly I wish someone would call him out on it as a racial thing because it might actually be the only way to force him to shut up about the Mavs. lol

[FilthyFinMavs]

Originally posted by: ReDIRKulous

Barkley does say semi good things about Dirk but he kind of under sells Dirk in my opinion.

Here is an example... remember that game where Dirk got 46 points, game 1 of the Portland series. After the game Barkley said, "he is a baaad boy". Now.. imo this was Barkley under valuing Dirk. He specifically used the word "boy" imo. And in general when ever he compliments Dirk it is like pulling teeth. I remember one time he commented on how he liked that Dirk came up big in both game 7s in the playoffs last season... but I swear.. he could barely get the words out. It was almost like he was embarrassed to say it. The thing is though.. I notice all this stuff a lot because I don't live in Dallas and tape all the nationally televised games and watch them quite a bit. So I notice every tiny little snide remark.

You know... i am not realy convinced that it is a racial thing... but honestly I wish someone would call him out on it as a racial thing because it might actually be the only way to force him to shut up about the Mavs. lol

I think thats just how Barkley is. I don't think he intends to be a racist he just doesn't realize what he says. But you know what? The guy praises Gino more than any analyst i've ever seen. It's something personal with Dirk and I believe it is the whole Auburn incident. Another reason I believe he doesn't prop him up much is Dirk's D in the past. In this league if you aren't considered a good defender you are labled soft. Dirk isn't necessarily known for his D. I Think Barkley has a hard time sticking up for someone who he believes is soft. Maybe this is why he doesn't praise Nash too much either.

[kingrex]

I don't agree with a lot of what Barkley says (on the occasion I actually listen to him), but there is no doubt that the Mavs have a reputation of being soft. That goes for Nash, Dirk & Finley. NVE was the only "non-soft" player the Mavs had as far as the perception goes.

This year's team with the additon of Walker, Delk & Fortson (not to mention the new rookies) are moving towards erasing that perception.

Who knows, maybe even Barkley will start giving them credit. Then again, who cares?

[rakesh.s]

barkley is a fool..everyone knows that

mavs fans shouldn't even care about him...i think the whole thing about him hating the mavs is because of Dirk..in the past it was defense, but after Dirk called him a moron in the WCF last year, that really got him going....i think nellie is the one guy who can go toe to toe with barkley verbally and honestly, it's about time he took a stronger stance about defending the team

a bit off topic but he still thinks everyone is a racist..if you've noticed the past few seasons, there's always one entire show dedicated to him saying that black people aren't treated fairly and such

[sbjensen]

Perhaps I'm far too generous, but I've always liked Charles as a player and as a public speaker (that is, loudmouth). I rarely agree with him (and that's always been true), but I believe he speaks his mind candidly, frankly, and with humor.

Why does he diss the Mavs with such consistency? Well, I think Nellie hit the nail on the head. I don't think it's personal at all. He's just lazy about broadcasting, and he believes the Mavs are STILL a soft team. He doesn't pay attention to the fact that the new Mavericks are FAR better rebounders than prior teams, and also have the capacity to play much better team defense. But that doesn't mean that his now-stale, outdated opinion is driven by personal feelings. I really think Charles believes, together with a lot of other people, at least some of whom are great basketball minds, that to win an NBA title a team must be solid defensively and TOUGH. He doesn't believe the Mavs are either one. And, at least prior to this year, they certainly were not defensively solid, when judged against the other elite teams in the NBA. And, I think NVE was the only truly TOUGH player on last year's team. I happen to think that the underlying premise is wrong -- I actually think it's possible to win with great offense and mediocre defense/rebounding -- although my view has far less historical data to confirm it.

Now, Charles, like many other charismatic figures, speaks in hyperbole -- both for humor and to emphasize his point. Thus, his criticism of the Mavs is overstated, and that's just a matter of style. But his opinion, lazy though it probably is, is also consistent with the opinion of most media and probably most basketball people in the NBA. He just thinks the Mavs won't win a title unless and until they get tougher and can defend better. That opinion does NOT make Charles fringe -- it's right with the mainstream view. I understand not liking his style -- I happen to like it, but that's purely a subjective personal view. And even though I like his style generally, he rubs me the wrong way with his criticism of the Mavs, b/c I love the team so much.

Until the playoffs, we won't know for sure if Charles' opinion of the Mavs is truly outdated, or if it is accurate (though far overstated).

[FilthyFinMavs]

Originally posted by: sbjensen
Perhaps I'm far too generous, but I've always liked Charles as a player and as a public speaker (that is, loudmouth). I rarely agree with him (and that's always been true), but I believe he speaks his mind candidly, frankly, and with humor.

Why does he diss the Mavs with such consistency? Well, I think Nellie hit the nail on the head. I don't think it's personal at all. He's just lazy about broadcasting, and he believes the Mavs are STILL a soft team. He doesn't pay attention to the fact that the new Mavericks are FAR better rebounders than prior teams, and also have the capacity to play much better team defense. But that doesn't mean that his now-stale, outdated opinion is driven by personal feelings. I really think Charles believes, together with a lot of other people, at least some of whom are great basketball minds, that to win an NBA title a team must be solid defensively and TOUGH. He doesn't believe the Mavs are either one. And, at least prior to this year, they certainly were not defensively solid, when judged against the other elite teams in the NBA. And, I think NVE was the only truly TOUGH player on last year's team. I happen to think that the underlying premise is wrong -- I actually think it's possible to win with great offense and mediocre defense/rebounding -- although my view has far less historical data to confirm it.

Now, Charles, like many other charismatic figures, speaks in hyperbole -- both for humor and to emphasize his point. Thus, his criticism of the Mavs is overstated, and that's just a matter of style. But his opinion, lazy though it probably is, is also consistent with the opinion of most media and probably most basketball people in the NBA. He just thinks the Mavs won't win a title unless and until

Until the playoffs, we won't know for sure if Charles' opinion of the Mavs is truly outdated, or if it is accurate (though far overstated).

I agree. I don't agree with his perspective of the Mavs but I like the guy. He is one of the few who doesn't mind speaking what is on his mind and that is rare.

[dude1394]

SBJenson... I think you are onto it. Nellie is right and most of the tv announcers are very lazy. Except for the folks who actually call the games. I'm sure that barkley is doing a LOT more during the games than taking notes.

In his defense I did read his biography recently and came away impressed with just how difficult it is to play in the nba. He talked about in his rookie year when he got about 20 minutes or so a game and said ok, this isn't bad at all. But then when it became 36 it was pain all of the time. Knees, feet, broken fingers. It gave me a better appreciation for the game.

Oh and in the book he had nothing BUT good things to say about dirk. Talked about how impressed he was when he first saw him and how he was a great talent.

I don't think charles could ever be accussed of being lazy on the basketball court, it's a shame someone doesn't point out to him how lazy he's being at his current job.

[dirno2000]

It does seem personel, but who knows why? When the Mavs were an up and coming team, Barkley was a big supporter. This year he seems more negative than ever. Maybe the fans were especially nasty to him when he was at the AAC in the playoffs.

[LoveMyMavs14]

I just remember someone with a giant "BARKLEY IS A MORON" sign at the AAC during the Mavs/Kings series (I think? Did TNT carry any of those games? If not, I guess it was during the WCF). I wonder if something did happen between Barkley and someone in the Mavs organization. But I don't mind it, Barkley can spew all this talk, and he just has to eat crow again and again. He'll never give Dallas the props they deserve, but at least we can enjoy them, most of the time, proving him wrong.

[Psychedelic Fuzz]

Originally posted by: dirno2000
It does seem personel, but who knows why? When the Mavs were an up and coming team, Barkley was a big supporter. This year he seems more negative than ever. Maybe the fans were especially nasty to him when he was at the AAC in the playoffs.

Yes, I remember some brutal signs at the playoff games I games went to, and some not very kind remarks coming from the general vicinity of my cohorts and I in the band section.

[LoveMyMavs14]

I wonder how it feels for him to have the entire city of Dallas anti-Barkley?[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[MightyToine]

It is weird because Barkley won't say anything good about anyone but Fin on the Mavs

Actually, Barkley also has been supportive of Antoine Walker. He mentioned how Walker looked in terrific shape and he was proud that Walker lost about 20 pounds and stuff...


The only beef he has with Walker is that he takes too many threes....

[FilthyFinMavs]

Originally posted by: MightyToine

Actually, Barkley also has been supportive of Antoine Walker. He mentioned how Walker looked in terrific shape and he was proud that Walker lost about 20 pounds and stuff...


The only beef he has with Walker is that he takes too many threes....

He never praises Walker. That was one of the first I ever seen him praise Walker and I don't think that was an intended praise at all. He was talking about how Baron and Walker lost weight and are playing good ball right now but I think he is praising them for there weight loss because he intends to do the same and he sees how hard it is.

[Chiwas]

Coach Don Nelson said he always turns the volume down whenever...Charles Barkley is the studio analyst.

Nelson isn't any original on this. Surely millions do it.

[Psychedelic Fuzz]

actually, I like to listen to barkley...you know, like people go to hockey games to see fights or slow down to look at a car wreck or watch the anna nicole show.

[Rhylan]

Barkley has said tons of good things about Dirk in the last three seasons. He just doesn't pay enough attention to the games to actually come away with any opinion on the Mavs as a whole outside of the tried and true, "Dallas is softer than my stomach."

[LRB]

Barkley is a complete and utter moron who constantly spouts foolish statements which are almost entirely out of the factualy context of the games that he is supposedly being paid to research, watch, and then analyze. Barkley is the most slothful, inaccuarte, opionated bigot covering the NBA on a national basis. I take it as a surpreme complement that he hardly ever has anything good to say about the Mavs and most of their players. I only wish that TNT would fire his fat and overrated ass so we wouldn't be forced to turn the volume off at half time to avoid his ignorant and pompous rants which show him to be the peerlessly ignornat pontificator that he is.

[grndmstr_c]

Originally posted by: LRB
Barkley is a complete and utter moron who constantly spouts foolish statements which are almost entirely out of the factualy context of the games that he is supposedly being paid to research, watch, and then analyze. Barkley is the most slothful, inaccuarte, opionated bigot covering the NBA on a national basis. I take it as a surpreme complement that he hardly ever has anything good to say about the Mavs and most of their players. I only wish that TNT would fire his fat and overrated ass so we wouldn't be forced to turn the volume off at half time to avoid his ignorant and pompous rants which show him to be the peerlessly ignornat pontificator that he is.

Preach it, LRB.

[dirno2000]

Originally posted by: LRB
Barkley is a complete and utter moron who constantly spouts foolish statements which are almost entirely out of the factualy context of the games that he is supposedly being paid to research, watch, and then analyze.

I don't think that's what he gets paid for. I would argue that he's paid to entertain, while pissing some people off in the process. He seems to be doing a good job. I've read a couple of places that sometimes the TNT post game show actually draws a higher rating than the game.

It’s not just the Mavs either. The message boards of all the major contenders have had F’ Barkley threads at one time or another over the past year.

[FilthyFinMavs]

Originally posted by: dirno2000

I don't think that's what he gets paid for. I would argue that he's paid to entertain, while pissing some people off in the process. He seems to be doing a good job. I've read a couple of places that sometimes the TNT post game show actually draws a higher rating than the game.

It’s not just the Mavs either. The message boards of all the major contenders have had F’ Barkley threads at one time or another over the past year.

I'm suprised by this. I would've assumed we were the only ones who were upset with him. You can't tell me the Spurs fans are upset with him. He still calls them the best team in basketball and hypes up Gino. Laker's fans might be. I would call them the team to beat regardless if Spurs won the championship last season.

[LRB]

Originally posted by: dirno2000

I don't think that's what he gets paid for. I would argue that he's paid to entertain, while pissing some people off in the process. He seems to be doing a good job. I've read a couple of places that sometimes the TNT post game show actually draws a higher rating than the game.

It’s not just the Mavs either. The message boards of all the major contenders have had F’ Barkley threads at one time or another over the past year.

dirno that may possibly be what they do pay Charles for, but it's certainly not what I think they should pay him for.

BTW my abysmally low opinion is not just based on Mavs games, I absolutely cannot stand the ignonorant tripe that spews from his mouth during games between other teams as well. Barkley is the antithesis to well informed, knowledgeable, and objective.

[bernardos70]

Originally posted by: LRB
Barkley is a complete and utter moron who constantly spouts foolish statements which are almost entirely out of the factualy context of the games that he is supposedly being paid to research, watch, and then analyze. Barkley is the most slothful, inaccuarte, opionated bigot covering the NBA on a national basis. I take it as a surpreme complement that he hardly ever has anything good to say about the Mavs and most of their players. I only wish that TNT would fire his fat and overrated ass so we wouldn't be forced to turn the volume off at half time to avoid his ignorant and pompous rants which show him to be the peerlessly ignornat pontificator that he is.

Just to back that up, on the Spurs game broadcast through TNT, Barkley said about the mavs: "They can't keep this team they got now, they ain't got no rebounding, no defense, they gotta make a trade."
..... no rebounding even though we're outrebounding our opponents, huh barkley?

[LRB]

Originally posted by: bernardos70

Just to back that up, on the Spurs game broadcast through TNT, Barkley said about the mavs: "They can't keep this team they got now, they ain't got no rebounding, no defense, they gotta make a trade."
..... no rebounding even though we're outrebounding our opponents, huh barkley?

A game BTW which we outrebounded the Spurs and played better D than the Spurs. Heaven forbid that Charles pull his fat head out of his fat butt for 2 minutes to look at the most obvious and glaring of facts before opening his fat mouth.

[Lonely PSU Mavs Fan]

"Mr. Barkley, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul." -- from Billy Madison. I always think of this quote whenever he says something about the mavs.

But i must say that Barkley does have a few humurous quotes. My favorite: "You know the world is off tilt when the best rapper is a white guy, the best golfer is a black guy, the tallest basketball player is Chinese, and Germany doesn't want to go to war."

[DwD]

But i must say that Barkley does have a few humurous quotes. My favorite: "You know the world is off tilt when the best rapper is a white guy, the best golfer is a black guy, the tallest basketball player is Chinese, and Germany doesn't want to go to war."

Even in his "funny" quotes, Barkley proves his idiocy as us Mavs fans know that the tallest basketball player is Shawn Bradley at 7'6" and not Yao Ming at 7'5".

[superheadcat]

But i must say that Barkley does have a few humurous quotes. My favorite: "You know the world is off tilt when the best rapper is a white guy, the best golfer is a black guy, the tallest basketball player is Chinese, and Germany doesn't want to go to war."

excuse me, but that quote is from chris rock. if barkley did say that, he repeated what chris rock said.

[MightyToine]

If you remember last year also it was the whole "gone fishing" stuff. Barkley talked about the mavs "going fishing" because they would get beat and Michael quite flatley stating "I DON'T FISH"...

I wonder....


If Finley ever decides to Fish, you think we can use Sir Charles as Live Bait? [img]i/expressions/devil.gif[/img]

[Walkerforthree]

Barkley, I don't want to comment on him, because it would just anger some.

[MavKikiNYC]

Barkley and Galloway harmonize. <with Kiki lip-synching in the background>

Mavs need a mulligan in their drive to catch the Lakers
By Randy Galloway
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

The Lakers are here tonight. Maybe you've noticed, but the timing of their local arrival is not good. Even as we speak, Charles Barkley is warming up his trademark cackle.

Sir Charles will be telling us again, via TNT, how the Mavericks are nothing more than NBA mutants. At the moment, there's little evidence to offer in the way of rebuttal. Certainly not when compared to the Lakers. As if any team compares to the Lakers in the early-go of the season.

So in search of an argument, or better yet, nasty name-calling, I fired off this opinion Wednesday to the always volatile Mark Cuban:

"If only the NBA had a mulligan rule, and what was done could be undone, and the Mavs of last season were suddenly the Mavs of this season. Welcome back, Nicky, Raef, Raja, etc. And we would all still be gladly waiting on that one over-the-top trade for a frontline bouncer."

Cuban's e-mail response came quickly, but unfortunately, it read calmly, almost like a reassuring letter from Mom and the family back home.

I hate it when Mark is calm. It's more fun when Cuban overreacts to my overreactions.

"We are a much better team this year," Cuban said. "We rebound, shoot and defend better."

He also echoed the Mavs' main sermon. Give the new mix time to blend.

Cuban's bottom line: "We have better players, a better mix of skills."

I don't know about any of that "better" business.

It is obvious, of course, that what had been the sweetest shooting team in basketball has gone to Brick City, routinely dipping into the 30s. And that's not a cold front. At least, weatherwise, it's not.

Even Don Nelson, who has seen it all as an NBA coach, is befuddled by all those shots that now go clang.

And OK, the Spurs are also struggling with their wholesale off-season roster changes, as is Minnesota, which many had promoted to "Big Five" status in the monster that is the Western Conference. Sacramento was another off-season fiddler. The Kings win at home, but have been so-so on the road and are still without the injured Mr. Webber.

But then there are the Lakers. It was in all the papers. The Lakers "changed," too.

LA brought in Karl Malone and Gary Payton. Everybody got excited, or for those conference foes, worried.

Shaq and Kobe. Now Malone and Payton to boot.

But Shaq and Kobe, we are told, have a strong dislike for each other. Over the summer, Kobe also had a problem with room service at a Colorado hotel. Big trouble happened. Lawyers and DAs are involved. Again, it's been in all the papers.

The Lakers are supposed to have their "issues." Distractions are possible. Maybe distractions will happen. A couple of early November road losses were encouraging for Laker-haters everywhere.

But now?

Beautiful harmony and beautiful basketball prevail.

The Lakers pass, shoot, score, defend, rebound. My gawd, Kobe is even being called a team player. And that doesn't mean his legal defense team.

By the way, be honest here. Did you think Karl Malone wasn't an off-season answer for the Mavericks, even knowing the 40-year-old would have signed in a second?

Twenty years ago, Karl vowed the Mavericks would regret passing him up in the draft. They did, and did, and did.

And now, another regret appears to be on the way. Malone has not only been sensational, but also taken over a leadership role on a Lakers team that had no leader.

Meanwhile ...

Golden State is off to its best start in seven years -- a meager 8-7, but progress anyway. And the leader of all this? Nick Van Exel. Little Nicky, the bad guy who went good under Nelson, is being praised in the Bay Area as the veteran glue who has united the locker room. The same thing happened here in the playoffs last spring, right?

And Raja Bell? Went to Utah. The Jazz, without Malone and John Stockton for the first time since World War I, are a shocking 10-6, and Bell has become the favorite of hard-butt coach Jerry Sloan.

Raef LaFrentz? He's still useless, this time in Boston, but for those of us now inclined to call a mulligan on the off-season deals, Raef has to be included in the recall.

At the moment, however, nothing is like last season for the Mavs, unless you include Dirk Nowitzki's ankle pain.

The Lakers are here tonight. The timing is not good, and neither is the shooting. Go ahead, Charles, and cackle.

[Chiwas]

Thankfully, Magic is more objective, or polite, whatever, about the Mavs than Barkley. And Smith is more like neutral.

[bernardos70]

I think a perfect example of a good commentator and personality is Steve Kerr. Proving that it isn't that hard to do, the guy is new but he does his homework.

[Joey]

My feeling is this...
No matter what the reasoning for his dislike of the Mavs, BARKLEY IS AN IDIOT!!!

[Chiwas]

So in search of an argument, or better yet, nasty name-calling, I fired off this opinion Wednesday to the always volatile Mark Cuban:

"If only the NBA had a mulligan rule, and what was done could be undone, and the Mavs of last season were suddenly the Mavs of this season. Welcome back, Nicky, Raef, Raja, etc. And we would all still be gladly waiting on that one over-the-top trade for a frontline bouncer."

Cuban's e-mail response came quickly, but unfortunately, it read calmly, almost like a reassuring letter from Mom and the family back home.

I hate it when Mark is calm. It's more fun when Cuban overreacts to my overreactions.

"We are a much better team this year," Cuban said. "We rebound, shoot and defend better."

He also echoed the Mavs' main sermon. Give the new mix time to blend.

Cuban's bottom line: "We have better players, a better mix of skills."

I don't know about any of that "better" business.

Old-timers never die; only get stuck.

[MavKikiNYC]

Maybe Galloway was questioning whether there was any 'mix' at all--or whether instead, there were two or three guys who appear to do pretty much the same thing, and as a result, can't play together at the same time.

They are rebounding better. They aren't shooting better. Defending is more or less the same. Tonight won't really be a fair gauge of their ability with Dirk down, but.....maybe they can show some guts.

[Captain Disaster]

Currently Galloway is right on; we'll see if time changes reality. Maybe one day the Fab Five will all play to their potential, consistently.