One of the reasons we started this blog was to launch an all-out assault on ignorant and ill-informed media. One of the historically problematic culprits: our local paper, the Times Picayune. (Though, admittedly, they have improved much over the years.) In particular, one of those esteemed beat writers is always on our Shit List: John DeShazier. If anyone ever mastered the “Our team played great but sucked doing it and I’ll tell you how and why they suck,” J.D. has. His article in today’s paper? TT6 and can’t find it online. As far as I’m concerned, they pulled it, knowing the Hype would rip it apart. Score one for the Bush Doctrine and us. Too bad for the Times Pic, I’m going to talk about it anyway.
The article focuses on new owner Gary Chouest embarking on his interview road trip with team president, Hugh Weber, and general manager, Jeff Bower, looking for a new Hornets head coach; and assumes Chouest is monitoring and assessing Weber and Bower at the same time. Of course, Johnny cites no sources, no authorities for this information, and his story is 100% speculation. Okay. Fine. He’s an “editorial” writer. Fair enough. 
But I know what you’re saying, how can I verify what he said if it’s not online? Well, here it is, in black and white. Look to the right. I’m just going to focus on his most absurd points. For example, DeShazier argues that Bower has more non-playoff appearances since becoming GM in 2005 than playoff appearances (3-2). Neglecting to mention that Bower took over after the team was thrust into the much tougher Western Conference and blown up; also not mentioning that he built a winner from nothing. DeShazier also points out that Bower’s teams have declined in victory totals the last three years. Neglecting to mention that the place from which the Hornets were descending was the best Hornets regular season record ever. Or that two of those three years were the team’s best, by far, since moving to the Western Conference. Okay, but this is all really small fries, nit-picking a fellow journalist, who, as you all know, is already on our bad side. But then he makes the mistake which no doubt got his article pulled from Nola.com. Some of you may have already skimmed ahead and ruined the surprise.
DeShazier writes: “and just two draft picks – Chris Paul in 2005 and Darren Collison in 2009 – can be considered successes.” Well, certainly they were successes. But, I don’t know, maybe there was a guy drafted last year by Bower called MARCUS THORNTON. Listen folks, Thornton broke the Hornets rookie records for most points in a game, most points off the bench in a game, most 3s in a season, most combined rookie points in a season (with Collison), and most points in a single quarter. Oh yeah, he also holds the non-rookie Hornets’ records for most points off the bench and most points in a quarter. He also made the Second All-NBA Rookie team, and by most accounts, was the best 2-guard out of this year’s rookies. So if you’re John DeShazier, wake up this morning and give yourself a nice hard facepalm. Because you deserve it.
As to Marcus Thornton, on behalf of New Orleans, we apologize for all the haters and idiots. We’ll be back next year, cheering you, hyping you, and watching you help this team back to the Playoffs.
Posted in I Amuse Myself, It's Not His Prerogative, Promotions, Site News, Worldwide Domination |
Mood Right Now:
Attack Mode
I’m pretty sure it’s not a conspiracy on the part of NOLA.com to hide their bad articles– they usually don’t mind having them right out there, errors and all. Haha. But they do suck.
Jeff Bower is good in my book. He managed to trade both Devin Brown and Mike James AND GET SOMETHING IN RETURN. I’m still amazed about both those things.
I’m pretty sure he doesn’t consider Thornton our draft pick. We traded for him. Therefore he will not be considered a draft pick of the New Orleans Hornets. When you go to look at the list of draft picks of all the teams, it will show that he was drafted by the Miami Heat and then TRADED to the New Orleans Hornets.
Check out what it says next to #43.
http://www.nba.com/draft2009/
Kind of like Darrell Arthur isn’t considered to be the Memphis Grizzlies draft pick. We drafted him and then the Grizz traded for him.
So DeShazier would consider Kobe a Hornets’ draft pick and Thornton not a Hornets’ draft pick?
If that’s indeed his logic, it’s just another instance of distorting reality to fit his narrative.
He’s our draft pick because Miami drafted him only AFTER we called and told them to. It should still be counted. We don’t consider Darrell Arthur our draft pick. Does anyone?
@atthehive, he probably would that’s why people are still laughing at the Hornets until this very day. Because they know the Hornets drafted him and immediately traded him. Even though it was a pre-arranged deal, people know who drafted Kobe.
For the record, I hate DeShazier too but I’m more than willing to bet this is what his thinking was. We don’t like it but I’m pretty sure that’s what his thinking was. Send him an email and he’ll probably tell you that’s what his thinking was.
Didn’t Buckets break the rookie record… twice? Like, broke his own record?
@Mo: I always get surprised by people who think trading Kobe, before he played a minute in the NBA, was a bad move. We needed a big man; the Lakers gave us Divac, a very skilled big man, who immediately contributed to the Hornets’ success. Kobe, however, didn’t start right away, and didn’t make the impact he did for several years.
Sure, in HINDSIGHT I wish we kept Kobe. But at the time, I have to say Hornets made the right call. Keep in mind also, that high school kids weren’t as reliable as, say Lebron now, straight into the NBA.
I also think people forgot just how low Kobe went in the lottery – It wasn’t like Kobe was the #1 pick or anything… he was picked #13TH! I guess most knew the potential was there for Kobe to become, well, Kobe… but he was certainly not considered a “sure thing.”
From the other side of the looking glass, Kobe Bryant and DeShawn Stevenson looked the same. So I’m with Caleb on this. No one knew. Because plenty of guys in his position did bust.