I believe that the Thabeet/ Shane Battier trade is more than a basketball move. It could fix a huge problem in Memphis. This problem goes a little something like this. To save said person from embarrassment (and sadly this person could be one of about ten Memphians that have said this to me), I have changed her name from Mary Raine to Ignorant Memphian.
Me: “I wish I could get home in time to watch the Grizz game. We play the Kings tonight.”
Ignorant Memphian: “Why? We’ll get killed! We are so bad. It’s so embarrassing.”
You.
Drive.
Me.
Crazy.
For several reasons. First, we are not a bad team. We have a very legitimate shot at making the playoffs. I, in fact, expect it. Just because you don’t follow basketball doesn’t mean you should assume the Grizzlies suck. Haters need to step off. Second, even if we were to be the worst team in the NBA (been there), we are Memphis’ team! Memphis has to rally around the Grizz to change the attitudes that so many Memphians have of indifference at best or aversion at worst. The Grizz are going to continue to falter or even leave if the attendance woes continue. Yes, we are a small market. I realize that. But OKC and Portland are two of the best attended, most riled up fans in the NBA, and they are small markets also. Rose Gardens Arena is amazing because the fans are in love with their team. And there are just so few Memphians that feel that way about the Grizzlies.
And that is where the trade comes in. Some may hate on it. (See a pretty good article by Bill Simmons, specifically the final section: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/110225/part1&sportCat=nba). But Memphians hated Thabeet. Not him personally. That seems a little shortsighted. But he was a bust. A joke. A project. #TradeThabeet. And sure, Pau Gasol was one of the better forwards in the league. Still is. But he is so hard to cheer for. People thought that the league should have vetoed that trade, yet I stand by it. I love watching Marc Gasol play. He is likeable.
And that is where Shane Battier comes in. Sure, he is an aging, average player with a decently high price tag. His prime shooting days are in the recent past. And he is from Duke. And despite all of this, especially the Duke thing,
yet I love him. Guys love how scrappy and hard he plays defensively. Girls swoon when they talk about him. He is a fantastic guy. And, maybe above all, he gives the Grizz more playoff experience. This trade gives those marginal Grizzlies fans a reason to become fans again. It reminds those bandwagoners that we once made the playoffs, and, despite the goose egg for a win column, we can make them again.
So let’s get rowdy for the playoff push,
MEdwards
It is very frustrating. Many have actually picked us to beat the spurs tonight. Yes, Parker is out, but that is still incredible. I think we will win the game provided Manu does not go to the line 45 times. I say we just get Tony Allen to OJ Mayo him early and put him out of the game.
Haterz gone hate, ya just gotta shakem off playa