This is the intro to the post where I say that I’ve always liked Kevin Garnett. I’ve always liked Kevin Garnett.
But then I mention that this season he’s really upped the ante on being a huge juicebag and how that it’s been even worse in the playoffs.
But this year, he’s been a huge juicebag. I mean, really a lot guys. The clapping in dudes faces and showing up other teams and generally just being a caricature of himself since his health and skills are deteriorating.
About now, you’ll say “his skills aren’t deteriorating! He’s been hurt,” especially if you’re one of the 19,000 Celtics bloggers. But then I’ll point out how he’s missed the most games he’s ever missed in his career and this is his worst season since he was 22. So we’re both basically right, since he’s never going to get totally better. Then I’ll press on with how he’s being a jerk.
And in this playoff series against the Bulls, he’s really being a jerk. Well, I don’t necessarily know if he’s being a jerk, but he’s certainly being 11 years old. Like when the Celtics told him that he had to sit on the bench even though he is so intense that he can’t sit on a bench and watch basketball like a grown-up. Then when he decided he couldn’t take it anymore, he went to the locker room during game 1. But the Celtics had to tell him that they needed him on the bench, which they had already told him before, but apparently that was intensed out of his intense mind. You know, typical 32 year old stuff.
Or when he spent the next four games yelling and swearing at the Bulls like a shortstop in your Little League that no one liked at school.
But then we’ll both realize that that shortstop was actually in the game, so this analogy needs some modification.
But the funny thing is, the shortstop is actually on the field. So I guess it would be more like the shortstop’s friend yelling from behind the third base fence that you suck for four games. And everybody on the other team is like, “who is that kid? He’s not even playing. Doesn’t he have anything better to do?” It’s basically the exact same situation, except that Kevin Garnett is 32.
Now I’ll realize that I should probably address the fact that Garnett has always done this.
Of course, Garnett has always done this kind of thing. But there’s a huge difference now that he’s NOT ACTUALLY PLAYING. I mean, yeah, he can punch his teammates and attack smaller players when he’s the main guy on the court because I guess that’s honorable and intense. But no one’s going to attack an injured guy, so Garnett has free reign to just act like a juicebag kid all he wants, I suppose.
Long live Anthony Peeler, if he’s still alive.
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Quickly about the foul, since Matt provoked a response. It’s flagrant. Matt points to the Bynum foul as evidence that it wasn’t, so I’ll invoke the Horford foul, which was a flagrant, in support of my argument. Horford was going for the ball (on a fast break, against a quicker player, which is harder to judge) and he got called for a flagrant. Rondo did the same thing (though his was in the halfcourt, on a slower play, when he’s way quicker than the guy going to the hoop), as he fouled on the head, from behind. Miller just didn’t fall down because he’s way bigger. Rondo was still a good two feet away from being close to the ball even if he was “trying.” Like Barkley said, “it’s the result, not the intent.” It should have been a flagrant.
Nonetheless, I can’t weigh in on the game since I was at the Flight of the Conchords concert and missed everything but the highlights. The missed call didn’t lose the Bulls the game. They did that themselves way before that. Either way, Bulls in 7.
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Well, I’m with you on your label for the post, at least. But trash talking is part of the game. Sure, KG’s passion gets the better of him at times — but he’s still a part of the team, even on the bench, and he wants to beat the other guys. It’s not like he’s playing dirty by yelling at people. I like players that care and have a personality, even when it comes out this way. Also, I’m a Celtics fan.
(And yes, Rondo’s foul could have been — perhaps even should have been — called a flagrant, and justly, but not calling it one is not, in my opinion, horribly egregious. The fact that you and Matt each found an analogy to support opposite conclusions suggests this one is somewhere near the middle, does it not?)
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Absolutely agree, KG has become an absolute toolbag jerkoff. Him picking on little PG’s under 6ft all year and now this crap. I hope Miller punches him in the face. Most of the other Celtics are like pricks too since they got KG. And to hell with the NBA for not doing anything.
Lollllllll. This is so funny. U bulls fans starts trash talking on of while he is the manon court or sideline whatsoever still being a Celtic.you loser suck!!!!
I completely agree. Except I’ve felt like this about some of his antics for more than a this season. Also I’m a Lakers fan. Also I hate the Celtics. So I’m biased, but loved the article none the less.
PJ,
You’re right, he wasn’t playing dirty by yelling at players. He was playing dirty by setting vicious, deliberately painful moving screens. He was playing dirty by blindsiding a guy who’s just trying to keep up with his man and flooring him. He was playing dirty by hitting players in the back of the head, and shoving them in the back, during dead ball situations.
And when he wasn’t playing dirty, he was busy showing a complete lack of any sportsmanship whatsoever.
I’ve always had an issue with the result-vs-intent argument for flagrant fouls. It may just be a matter of semantics. What bothers me is when people make an argument that a foul should be flagrant because the player was injured. You can get injured in a lot of ways that aren’t the fault of the fouler. Not that this is necessarily the case here, but my impression has always been that fouls are about result, but flagrants are about either intention or irresponsibility.
Yeah, trash talking is part of the game. A very, very, small part. Unless you are KG. There is no way to deny that he makes the sport less enjoyable for everyone around him, except for himself. I think his team can overlook it when they win, but if they lose I can imagine some choice words being said. or not, because KG would totally freak out like a baby, then who knows what would happen.
awesome picture. he looks like an alien right before he would bite someone with the inner jaw!
I’m in the jerk category. It was grate to get rid of KG in exchange for Big Al. KG is old; Big Al hasn’t reached his prime yet.
More, KG is an azz. When with the Wolves, the team held a pre-season workout at a community high school. Afterwards, all the team members stayed after and signed autographs.
All, that is, but KG. In fact, KG blew off a young wheelchair-bound admirer and jumped on the team bus. Fortunately for the youngster, a cop saw what KG did and took the kid up to the team bus. The cop went on the bus and asked KG for his autograph. The youngster left with a grin from ear-to-ear.
“Yeah, trash talking is part of the game. A very, very, small part. Unless you are KG. There is no way to deny that he makes the sport less enjoyable for everyone around him, except for himself.”
Yeah, because when they were losing all of the games in Minnesota we heard a lot of players and coaches coming out and saying Garnett was a bad teammate.
Where do you phonies get this stuff?
“All, that is, but KG. In fact, KG blew off a young wheelchair-bound admirer and jumped on the team bus.”
Yeah sure he did.
I understand if you got a problem with him trash talking. That’s fine. But to talk about the mans skills is another thing. You do realize when KG is 70 years old he will still be a better athlete than you have been over the course of your entire life, right?
“I understand if you got a problem with him trash talking. That’s fine. But to talk about the man’s skills is another thing. You do realize when KG is 70 years old he will still be a better athlete than you have been over the course of your entire life, right?”
I agree with Steven… Great minds have always encountered huge opposition from mediocre minds… KG is and will always be KG. A lot of great players do trash-talking, even legends so to speak. Even you yourselves as ordinary citizens trash talk from time to time. The only difference is that you are not under the limelight. Perhaps it would be best to look at yourselves in the mirror first before hurling invectives to others. You are not perfect. Nobody is perfect.
HERE WE GO CELTICS…….2009 WORLD CHAMPS SEE YAH IN A MONTH AND WE’LL TALK
Quit your bitching, just because your team lost. The Chicago bench was talking just as much during the whole series, so I don’t feel bad. Learn how to handle loosing gracefully, you will be better for it. Better luck next year…..
Neil, your misquote of Einstein aside, KG is not a “great mind.” He’s a basketball player.
And fuckyoo, even if the Celtics win, KG will still be an a++hole.
ok but its okay for the whole bulls bench to stand on the side lines talkin trash the whole game?
yeah bet you didnt think of that
im agree with you boy