[Grades] Grades v. Pacers 1/14/2014

So much suck tonight. Who had the most of it?

  • Gay

    Votes: 4 6.3%
  • Thompson

    Votes: 9 14.3%
  • Thornton

    Votes: 3 4.8%
  • Thomas

    Votes: 41 65.1%
  • Williams

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Fredette

    Votes: 1 1.6%
  • McLemore

    Votes: 4 6.3%
  • Gray

    Votes: 1 1.6%

  • Total voters
    63
  • Poll closed .

Glenn

Hall of Famer
Again, numbers. I never have said a word about his need to improve his "numbers".

If you think he is having an epic season, why are you so quick to think he will improve as he gets older? Is there a season above epic?
Certainly he will get better unless your comment about the word "epic" is just snarky. Cousins is a very special talent and yes I think he will get better. This is getting weird. Have I done something that is irritating? If so, I will knock it off and try to have a conversation.
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Again, numbers. I never have said a word about his need to improve his "numbers".

If you think he is having an epic season, why are you so quick to think he will improve as he gets older? Is there a season above epic?
don't be obtuse.

If you want to rag on a 23yr old big putting up historic number be my guest. But the only way to avoid hypocrisy at that point is to say you basically would have ragged on every 23yr old future HOFer in the modern history of the league, which I don't believe for a moment.
 
don't be obtuse.

If you want to rag on a 23yr old big putting up historic number be my guest. But the only way to avoid hypocrisy at that point is to say you basically would have ragged on every 23yr old future HOFer in the modern history of the league, which I don't believe for a moment.
So then you disagree with my assessment of the areas he could improve. This is getting irritating only because none of the replies are addressing the problem set.

I think Cousins needs to improve his emotional control during a game.
A: He's averaging a 20-12, what more do you want!?!?
I think he needs to show better maturity for game situations.
A: His numbers compare to other big men who are hall of famers.
While he's improved greatly, I think he still has some room to grow.
A: I don't know why you hate Boogie so much, he is the best big man in the game.

I have never doubted Cousin's skill. I don't understand why people keep bringing that up. And I have purposely avoided any conversations about his numbers where I found slight flaws in the hope to avoid sidetracking the point I am trying to make. But, I am doing a very poor job of communicating it, and my arm is getting tired and sore from swinging onto this dead horse, so I will cease and allow the Boogie orgy to continue.
 
So then you disagree with my assessment of the areas he could improve. This is getting irritating only because none of the replies are addressing the problem set.

I think Cousins needs to improve his emotional control during a game.
A: He's averaging a 20-12, what more do you want!?!?
I think he needs to show better maturity for game situations.
A: His numbers compare to other big men who are hall of famers.
While he's improved greatly, I think he still has some room to grow.
A: I don't know why you hate Boogie so much, he is the best big man in the game.

I have never doubted Cousin's skill. I don't understand why people keep bringing that up. And I have purposely avoided any conversations about his numbers where I found slight flaws in the hope to avoid sidetracking the point I am trying to make. But, I am doing a very poor job of communicating it, and my arm is getting tired and sore from swinging onto this dead horse, so I will cease and allow the Boogie orgy to continue.
I'm going to come at this from a different angle.
From what I understand you've been overseas and haven't really had the ability to watch a ton of Kings games or re-watch them, or obsess over them the last few years like a lot of posters you're currently going round-and-round with.

So let me put it this way.
These posters are like people who have been lost in the dessert for 20 days, and have been forced to filter their urine to make it drinkable to keep from dying from dehydration.
They've finally stumbled onto a sparely populated Oasis and someone has offered them a gallon full of water that has some sand in it.
They are ecstatic at the prospect of not having to drink their own filtered urine and are willing to ignore some of the grit that comes with the stand because they've been on the brink of death for so long.
You've just arrived to the Oasis to oversee the transport of these lost souls to a medical station where they can get help.
You've been offered the sandy water. You take a sip, but although you're a bit parched, you demure since it isn't perfectly clean.

So while Cousins might not be perfect, to us he's so much better, and the team's prospects are so much better than what we've been used to seeing it's a myriad of levels above what we've been enduring for years.

When you say that you want to see improvement in certain areas of Cousins game the reason you're not being listened too is because of the tremendous leap that a 22 year-old kid has done in the last year. Now he's 23 and we're hoping to continue to see the same improvements from 23-24 as we've seen from 22-23. Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean it isn't there, and for you to call him out on these flaws, when he's in the process of making such strides in such areas doesn't make sense to anyone who's been watching closely.
The fact that he's also putting up HoF type numbers, which you're not disputing, while making these tremendous strides is what has everyone so excited. He's 23 and we all know he's going to get better from a statistical point of view as well as from an emotional/leadership point of view. We're seeing the strides right now, and it doesn't make sense to put a damper on the growth we've seen just because it's not perfect just yet.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
I think Cousins needs to improve his emotional control during a game.
A: HE HAS.
I think he needs to show better maturity for game situations.
A: HE IS.
While he's improved greatly, I think he still has some room to grow.
A: Shenanigans. You admit he's improved GREATLY, but do not acknowledge he's done so in your first two comments.

I have never doubted Cousin's skill. I don't understand why people keep bringing that up. And I have purposely avoided any conversations about his numbers where I found slight flaws in the hope to avoid sidetracking the point I am trying to make. But, I am doing a very poor job of communicating it, and my arm is getting tired and sore from swinging onto this dead horse, so I will cease and allow the Boogie orgy to continue.
You may not have ever doubted his skill, but you continually refuse to recognize the growth and maturity he has shown thus far. That is the problem. Even some of his most vocal detractors of the past - and that includes a number of NBA coaches - aren't hesitating to give him kudos for his improvement. Is it really too much to ask FROM A KINGS FAN for the same?
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
Yeah, you might want to learn the landscape before you torch it. :rolleyes:

The polls in the grades thread are often more satirical than real. Or statements of the obvious more than soul-searching queries. Or simply something for people to ponder and discuss until all the grades are posted.
 
You may not have ever doubted his skill, but you continually refuse to recognize the growth and maturity he has shown thus far. That is the problem. Even some of his most vocal detractors of the past - and that includes a number of NBA coaches - aren't hesitating to give him kudos for his improvement. Is it really too much to ask FROM A KINGS FAN for the same?
there's an unfortunate number of kings fans who simply do not like demarcus cousins, and that fact colors their perception of him no matter what. he doesn't have c-webb's electric smile. he doesn't have vlade's populist appeal. he doesn't have peja's smoothness, or jason williams' flash, or mike bibby's crab walk. cousins is a superstar-in-the-making, but he may very well become the least marketable superstar in the modern era. he's a lumbering presence on the court. he plays below the rim. he's got an off-putting scowl. he takes things personally on the basketball court. etc...

now, none of that negatively impacts my view of demarcus. i love his game. i love his passion. i love his emotional investment in the team. i love his competitive streak. i love how he'd rather make enemies than act buddy-buddy with the opposition. i see a player with a lot of wins in his future because of those qualities, but others take issue with those qualities; many interpret them as reflective of a bad attitude or immaturity or poor sportsmanship. i disagree mightily with their characterization of cousins, but not much will alter such a characterization. demarcus could rescue children from burning buildings off the court and his facial expressions on the court would still draw a negative response from a great many fans...
 
there's an unfortunate number of kings fans who simply do not like demarcus cousins, and that fact colors their perception of him no matter what. he doesn't have c-webb's electric smile. he doesn't have vlade's populist appeal. he doesn't have peja's smoothness, or jason williams' flash, or mike bibby's crab walk. cousins is a superstar-in-the-making, but he may very well become the least marketable superstar in the modern era. he's a lumbering presence on the court. he plays below the rim. he's got an off-putting scowl. he takes things personally on the basketball court. etc...

now, none of that negatively impacts my view of demarcus. i love his game. i love his passion. i love his emotional investment in the team. i love his competitive streak. i love how he'd rather make enemies than act buddy-buddy with the opposition. i see a player with a lot of wins in his future because of those qualities, but others take issue with those qualities; many interpret them as reflective of a bad attitude or immaturity or poor sportsmanship. i disagree mightily with their characterization of cousins, but not much will alter such a characterization. demarcus could rescue children from burning buildings off the court and his facial expressions on the court would still draw a negative response from a great many fans...
I just wanted to mention that those 'negative' attributes you mention of Cousins are some of the things that I like the most as well. I love the fact that when he gets onto the court in his mind it's his job to obliterate the opposition. He goes in with the mindset of "I'm bigger, badder, and tougher than you, and there simply is nothing that you can do to stop me from wreaking havoc against your team."
The fact that he scowls and is mean shows that he's willing to get physical, and that's really what you want out of you big.