Well, that should get Google’s attention. Maybe even someone who follows basketball. Apparently, my breakdown of how Chris Paul’s numbers last season gave him one of the most historic point guard seasons ever, and which, incidentally, blew away Steve Nash’s two MVP seasons, is forgotten. Some people, who don’t believe in small markets, are convinced the Hornets will finish no better than 7th this year, and that CP3 does not even get consideration, let alone a single vote, in the MVP category, though Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant do. Crazy. And people wonder why I disappear in the offseason. People are so fucking ridiculous that they forget what the sport of basketball is and/or are so fucking bored that they just invent stories to keep themselves occupied. Oooh… Stephon is insane, Rubio won’t come over, C.J. Watson only took a one year deal?! Whatthefuckever.
Listen. It’s not rocket science. If you’ve ever watched basketball, it’s pretty fucking obvious that Chris Paul is a once-in-a-generation talent. Quick, name the best players in the NBA. If you didn’t say CP, Kobe, and one other person, then you’re a moron. Yeah, yeah, freedom of choice, opinion, etc. All that also includes the freedom to be wrong, to be a moron, and just plain ignorant. Congratulations. Sometimes I wish this country was a totalitarian state and they made everyone worship the players who had talent and heart (yeah, I’m talking to you Vince Carter), rather than just those that get the most attention. At least it’d be a little more honest.
Sorry if I don’t drop to my knees and worship the capitalist propaganda that would make us believe the Knicks deserve a championship when they haven’t even put forth a team that resembles a professional unit since Allan Houston played for them and don’t bask in the glow of yet another Celtics-Lakers matchup when there are are 30 teams in the league with 30 equally laudable fanbases, or for that matter, drool at the mere mention of the “Chosen One”—a.k.a. the Nike whore or whoever makes the sponsors figure will make them the most money (um, Dwayne Wade?). Call me an elitist, call me a purist, yeah, like those are bad things, but I appreciate the game of basketball. I’ll follow the talent like Deep Throat said to follow the money. And the media is complicit. Already they’re putting it again as Kobe-LRJ for MVP and Celts-Lakeshow for the ring. Fucking sad. Unprecedented parity and they mouth the same shit? Dimemag is one of the few that gets it. They ask the hard questions. Steve Nash (no offense, dude, I love your game), and Duncan (ditto) both have two MVPs, and Shaq one? What the fuck? Dime thought that weird. Me too. But I digress. Dime also noticed that no one has truly appreciated CP3‘s greatness. That the rest of the country isn’t onboard makes me want to drop a bunch of downers chased with beer like Hunter S. Thompson and go on a shooting spree.
But why cry over spilt media milk? That’s just how it is today, money, money, money. No one cares about the truth or the purity of existence that is exemplified by the beauty of physical perfection, which is exactly what excellence in sports is. Forget that Chris does things that no one has, probably ever, other than Magic, Johnny Stock, and the Big O. That’s okay. People can forget. And then the season will start. And then you’ll all remember why they called him the Baby-Faced Assassin, the Grief Merchant, or the guy who could talk about Fight Club. Call him what you will, or ignore him if you will; I’ll be watching, though, and I’ll call him what he is: a warrior, a winner, and the-real-MVP, and someday soon, an NBA Champion.
And it will happen in New Orleans. And people will wonder why they don’t know more about him. They’ll wonder what inane thing they were doing when Chris Paul did ______ because their TV station didn’t carry that game. You really want to know what “amazing” is? Just watch CP do his thing.
Until then, pretend that someone else deserves the headlines. Pretend that some other player should be the league’s MVP. When the truth is he can do things that no one else can, is a leader like few others, and who will continue to smash records on his way to greatness. I know where I’ll be when it happens. Do you?
Scrappy
The only way CP3 will get the MVP is if the Hornets finish 1st in the Western Conference and he puts up those stats again. Look at the “small market” MVP’s in Garnett, Duncan, and Nash and you’ll see that either their team had the best record in basketball or was in the top 3 teams. A lot of sports journalists don’t like to think for themselves (or write very well), so you are not dealing with people that don’t see the forest, just the tallest tree. Let the players (or coaches vote) instead and you’ll get the real MVP.
Ha! Of course I could use a sports writer as an editor.
I agree in that you’d probably get the real MVP if the players or coaches voted. F*** the media.
Did you see that Charley Rosen article where he said CP3 was overrated because of his defense? I’m a Blazers fan but I got mad on your behalf when I read that mess.
Awesome piece. I think Chris Paul is the most underrated player in the NBA. I would have had him 2nd or 3rd in the MVP race last year, behind LeBron and MAYBE Wade. The guy is incredible.
Great post – simply by watching what he does, it’s clear that he makes his team MUCH better. I cannot stand the “must be a top 2 or 3 team” crap – sure, you likely have solid winning record and look like you can win a few playoff series. But some have the luxury of better teammates. Most Valuable Player is the guy that has the greatest net impact on wins (it should be a RELATIVE thing). Take this player away and how far will they fall with an average player at that position.
For further ammo, see this: http://www.wagesofwins.com/2009MVP.html
The Paul vs Wade numbers vs votes is striking.
Really felt CP3 deserved the MVP 07-08 season but Kobe has deserved the prize for a long long time. CP3 will get his eventually. Nash got 2, can’t see CP3 ending his career without at least one.
Thanks for the great comments, people. I’m pretty much with Pete. CP probably should’ve gotten the MVP in 07-08, but how long seriously could people keep saying Kobe was the best player in the League and not give him at least one MVP.
And thanks for the link, Liston. I’ve seen that before, but it really is amazing to see different quantifications of how great CP is. And yes, Matt, the “lack of defense” chirp on CP is strange. Statistically, steals are move valuable than blocks because they guarantee a change of possession; I believe the guys over at atthehive.com proved how his ridiculous rate of steals is just as good or better than being a “lock down defender” type.
I don’t pump up Chris because I’m a Hornets fan, I do it because I’m rarely not amazed by what he does on the floor. Thus, you can usually tell really quickly those writers who are sincere and those who are not. If you say you’re not impressed, it’s because you saw the one game where he had a gimpy ankle and were too lazy to watch the other games. Average people, I get it. You’re busy, you follow your own team. Sportswriters? It’s your fucking job! Boggles me.
Didn’t CP3 make all-nba defense? Don’t think people doubt his defense. They know about the rebounds and steals, the future “Mr. Quad-trouple double!” In terms of small market, not marketable I don’t buy it. CP3 gets tons of love from Right Guard, and Nike. Problem is really playing time.
In my area, excluding playoffs, I see Hornets at most 5 games a year. Compare that with Lebron, Kobe, Wade and the other referee’s “Most likely to succeed” brat pack, and you’ll find it hard for anyone to vote for a player who you’ve seen so little.
If you really want to nip-pick I think CP3 should have worn the 2009 NBA All-Star MVP. If I recall correctly he was real close to a triple double. He set the pace of the game from being laughing stock to at least semi-competitive. CP3 also had at least 2 of the highlight plays of the game. Alley-Oop dunk from Parker and give a go from Shaq. Those may not exactly be the plays but you get what I’m sayin..
MVP will never make sense. 04-05 PHX had a +33 win change. Nash wins, deservedly so. But 05-06, despite the Pistons and Spurs with better records (and Chauncey with slightly lower stats), Nash’s stats went up the next year, so they set precedent of individual statistics (-8 win change). But like I mentioned at Dime, you see the 08-09 voting, and Wade gets far more votes scoring more points, losing more games (in the L-East, with a relatively healthier squad), and being less efficient than CP? Is the MVP award sponsored by T-Mobile too? Plus, even Chauncey Billups should have gotten more nods, merely for team success.
Off topic, but Jason Kidd should have had an MVP by now too (01-02).
@Pete
You know, I had forgotten about that because I laughed it off, being an All Star game. But you’re absolutely right. Shaq/Kobe was like a self-perpetuating prophecy. They talked about it all game, and then it happened. But CP dished out how many of those points for them? And honestly, as I recall, KB was kinda a ball hog in that game… total black hole. I had a lot more fun watching CP/BRoy run the floor and do their thing. And then became sad because Brandon Roy will never start an All Star Game with CP until the year after Kobe retires. When realistically he will deserve it a lot earlier than that…. this is actually the second year in a row I have really enjoyed watching Paul/Roy together.
Yea now that you mention it, CP3 made Roy Jordanesque, I don’t recall Roy missing any shots CP3 setup for him. I think the voting is like 50/50 fans and media. But it just seemed to coincidental that Shaq and Kobe got the same amount of votes. But hey like the real MVP it’s more of a life time achievement thing with those 2. A thank you for not ripping each others head off type of award.
But to be fair the “fans” didn’t actually vote CP3 in right? He was trailing T-Mac by a very large margin in voting. I remember people said that Stern had to have intervened. That would have been a tragedy T-Mac starting over CP3.
ticktock, you only like BRoy because you think he’s sexy.
Last one and I’m out,
Everybody that is in contention for MVP seems to be somewhat of a media whore or did something spectacular..
Nash: “5 secs or less”
Kobe: 81, jump over cars, trial
Lebron: Mocking opponents pregame (swear this gets more coverage on ESPN than a Hornets game!!!)
Wade: Buying churches, and getting sued
Dwight: Superman stuff
Dirk: Love affair with the Bay Watch alum
If CP3 truly wants a MVP sooner he’ll have to do somethin stupid like play William Hung songs real loud in the lockerroom. That’ll get attention….
@ Mark
The opposite! Roy is sexy BECAUSE he’s so good. Haha.
hahaha… riiight… *rolls eyes*
As for the All-Star fan voting, I don’t think it’s that much of a stretch that CP did actually past T-Mac. Once the (in arena) votes were counted, it would only make sense for CP to gain more votes. T-Mac gets a lot of online votes from China but China doesn’t get In Arena votes. And I don’t think T-Mac was leading by millions of votes was he? T-Mac wouldn’t have played anyways though.
I just hope by the time CP wins the MVP it won’t be because “he was due for one” or because “he should’ve had one long time ago”.