Sergio man crushes

by Jack Burton on Nov 21, 2007 2:54 PM PST

What is it about Sergio that gets everybody Fired up? This guy would get no playing time on 28 other teams in the leauge, yet here we want to fire the coach because he doesn't play. I didn't get it last year and I don't get it this year. People make excuses for him, over hype him and it seems are down right googley eyed for him. He's not a good player yet, deal with it. Could he be? I would say yes but it won't be for a while. It would be much easier ot be a fan if Sergio wasn't on the team, because he dominates every topic. If he was that good Nate would play the guy. The fact is he's short, weak, plays no D and can't shoot. He doesn't run a half court offense very well either. The only thing he would be above average in is running the break. He does excell there. Nate would not bench a guy that would help the team (or in some of your oppinions, win the MVP, the NBA title cure cancer and create a vaccine for HIV) because of some hidden personal vendetta. It's Nates job to lead his teamt to victories not piss off blazer fans by not playing Sergio.

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He is unpredictable

People get bored watching basketball and Sergio does exciting, unpredictable things. He brings drama and spectacle to the court. He's still a crap defender who shouldn't be starting anywhere in the NBA. But he's creative and expressive and stylish. People dig that. Some people figure this is not going to be a "Substance" year in terms of wins and playoff series . They would rather throw it all away in favor having a "stylish" year. I get it, i'm just not convinced.

by Jumbo on Nov 21, 2007 3:49 PM PST reply actions

short?

Since when is 6'3" short for a pg?~Nathan

Blazer's fan since '84, Currently exiled in Tennessee and North Carolina

by HurraKane212 on Nov 21, 2007 5:00 PM PST reply actions

Part of the Stereotype

He fits the stereotype of a small pass-first point guard who can't shoot. He isn't short, but he is one of the 10 lightest players in the NBA according to the player survey released on NBA.com today.

by poster on Nov 21, 2007 5:59 PM PST up reply actions

OK

Stay here this Off Season, instead of sittin' on your Nat'l Teams bench. Don't smoke, eat right, shower daily & work the weights. El Mago is still very young & can develope his body alot.

"A time to build up, a time to break down, A time to defend, a time to score, A time to cast away players, A time to gather players together"

by BlueBooYay on Nov 22, 2007 6:06 PM PST up reply actions

Well put

He needs to get extreme. Changing his deodorant would do that.

The sublime moment: Ball touches nothing but net. Greg squeals in delight! -- Elaine from HoopFest Haiku, 2001

by tominhawaii on Nov 23, 2007 10:19 AM PST up reply actions

I'm usin' "Right Guard-Sport"

Aerosol in a large brown can.

What is "The Thing", That will satisfy my personal "Manhood" & attract the Ladies for comrortable, casual conversion & companionship?

I shower, at least, once a week.

"A time to build up, a time to break down, A time to defend, a time to score, A time to cast away players, A time to gather players together"

by BlueBooYay on Nov 23, 2007 10:43 PM PST up reply actions

he probably shouldn't be starting

but he should be getting substantial minutes. Sergio's got great attributes for a pg--fantastic vision, handle, very good speed and ability to break down a defender off the dribble. His game hasn't come together yet, but the only cure for his ills is substantial and predictable playing time.

You can't tell me that in a league where rafer alston is starting for a contender and smush parker's getting 20 min/game that Sergio doesn't deserve playing time with some nba team or another. You realize that teams are so desperate for pgs that has beens like darrell armstrong and never beens like jeff mcinnis are still getting serious minutes?

by howlingfantods on Nov 21, 2007 6:27 PM PST reply actions

Substantial minutes?

He didn't get substantial or predictable playing time on his own Spanish team (7.4 min during summer '07). How does a guy like that deserve substantial minutes on any NBA team?

As for Alston, he's a 9 year vet with career averages of 9.6 PPG, 4.9 APG & 1.7 TO. He's earned his starting job. Parker has been getting minutes because Wade's been out, but still he has a career 9.2 scoring average.

The reason the league still has places for guys like Armstrong (career 10/5/2) and McGinnis (9/5/1) is because teams DON'T want mistake prone and unproven players like Sergio, and would rather have a worn out vet who they can count on to make good decisions.

by t jay on Nov 22, 2007 6:09 AM PST up reply actions

uh...c'mon....

How THIS is percieved as a knock on Sergio is beyond me. It wasn't just any old Spanish team it was the Spanish NATIONAL Team! Y'know...one of the top 3 or 4 teams in the WORLD. Just making the team is an honor.

by nlj on Nov 22, 2007 9:20 AM PST up reply actions

He's a smoker

Most Americans cannot smoke in bars, and he want to puff on a cigarette in the middle of an NBA arena. It is just not practical. In the comedy sense of it, and as a fan of bad boys, I think it is cool. I just do not think it is a good idea for the point guard to be smoking on the court, and obviously, Nate agrees with me.

If he would just give up the smoking, the world would be his pineapple. He would have more time to play; his health would improve, he would probably be quicker, children could look up to him, and Nate would be more comfortable giving him more minutes.

The sublime moment: Ball touches nothing but net. Greg squeals in delight! -- Elaine from HoopFest Haiku, 2001

by tominhawaii on Nov 21, 2007 7:53 PM PST reply actions

Give the man a patch

Why arn't the training staff and front office folks encouraging him to quit. Tell him he has to quit or he won't play, and tell the public why you're not playing him. The NBA is too competitive to have a professional player smoking in todays day and age. Crazy!!

by coreydm on Nov 21, 2007 10:47 PM PST up reply actions

tom

is joking, my friend.

by sergioFTW on Nov 21, 2007 11:11 PM PST up reply actions

It's plausible

He's a Spaniard, I don't know their basketball culture from squat, or maybe I'm just gullible. Whoops! I was wondering why this hadn't been posted before.

by coreydm on Nov 22, 2007 11:03 AM PST up reply actions

You must be

post - fatty.

I believe he felt that most European players are overrated by NBA fans today and he showed his disdain by calling them chain smoking Euro-trash.

by timg56 on Nov 24, 2007 1:53 PM PST up reply actions

I don't get it either

Then again, I'm a bad person for saying the Blazers wouldn't win a game before Thanksgiving.

I guess I was only road right. Stupid homers, wins are for good teams.

by fri2219 on Nov 21, 2007 9:38 PM PST reply actions

Here is the thing...

I dont have a man crush on Sergio. but, he has court vision that cannot be taught, it is soooo natural for Sergio. Plug Sergio into the suns offense and he would flourish, he can find open shooters like anyone not named Steve Nash. The problem is we dont have the shooters/runners that pheonix has, and we dont have the coach to allow sergio to play free. Sergio's career is dependent upon the system he plays in. If they let him go, he could be great. If you try to control him, he will disapoint...

RUDY > MJ

by myemic23 on Nov 21, 2007 10:05 PM PST reply actions

Flourish?

The other Suns are open because Nash shoots an absurdly high percentage from anywhere on the floor. You can't defend him by pushing him to an area where he can't hit the shot because he is money from everywhere. You can't sag and give him the three. You can't pressure him because he will drive and dish. He is a handful because he can do everything. He sets the tone for that team.

Sergio isn't there yet but I would agree that it would be interesting to see what he would do in that system with those players. My thinking though is that those guys would not be open because Sergio will never demand the attention that defenses give to Nash.

by tssbro on Nov 21, 2007 11:02 PM PST up reply actions

Why don't we try a more realistic comparison?

Comparing Sergio to Steve Nash is just ridiculous. That's like comparing every young kid who throws down a nasty dunk to Jordan.

IMO a more apt comparison would be to someone like Jason Williams. When he was with the Kings, everyone used to ooh and ahh at Williams' slick passing ability and overlook the other weak parts of his game. Only trouble is the Kings didn't get to contender status until they traded Williams and brought in the less flashy but fundamentally sounder Mike Bibby.

Sergio can't shoot, can't defend, and can't run the half court offense. At least Williams could hit the timely 3 on occasion.

by superbatman on Nov 22, 2007 3:10 AM PST reply actions

Good comparison

My point exactly.

by tssbro on Nov 22, 2007 7:54 AM PST up reply actions

Sergio shot less than 2% less than Jarret Jack

last season. enough with the can't shoot thing.

by sergioFTW on Nov 23, 2007 9:56 AM PST up reply actions

OK

But my point was in the context of putting him in Phoenix and watching him flourish. I wondered if he would because he doesn't shoot like Nash which might allow defenders to sag and fill passing lanes.

Jack doesn't shoot like Nash either so we are agreed on that.

by tssbro on Nov 23, 2007 5:50 PM PST up reply actions

Sergio would be great in the D-League!

I think if Sergio spent a 1yr or 2 in the D-league, and developed his game that then (maybe then) he would have a place on an NBA team. His turnovers, and lack of defense is just killing me (and hurting the team).

He can get up the court quickly! He does also have great court vision, but with that court vision you must also have great court communication with your teammates otherwise that cour vision is worthless, and results in turnovers, and broken plays which we see so often from him.

by SurReal on Nov 22, 2007 2:58 PM PST reply actions

man, get a life

Really, you have no idea what this guy is capable of doing
we gave 38 minutes to Jack last year and what did he prove?
HE doesn't know how to run the floor
He doesn't know how to defend properly, he is better than Sergio but still average
He doesn't think

And he just proved everybody that his position is as a 2 coming off the bench!!

by blazersupanddown on Nov 22, 2007 11:06 PM PST reply actions

More damning

than the National Team thing was his Summer League performance. As far as the backcourt went this summer was about Sergio and only about Sergio. And when Oden and Lamarcus both exited it was about Sergio period. The team was looking for him to grab the bull by the horns and take off. He barely made a peep. In fact the offense looked downright constipated at times. Was this all Sergio's fault? Of course not. But that was the time for him to show what he's got. Since he didn't in that environment against a lot of brand new, barely, and non-NBA competition it's not surprising he's not getting a ton of run against actual NBA guys. Of course he can still work his way into the rotation and he is getting chances to do so but he really hurt his early season prospects by not asserting himself over the summer.

--Dave

by Dave on Nov 23, 2007 1:24 AM PST reply actions

I would rather lose playing Sergio than Jack.

The competition for Sergio's minutes at the point are Jack, Roy and Green (it isn't a competition with Blake, Blake is much better, and much more ready to start). Roy's a shooting guard and Green is way, way worse than Sergio. Sergio is better at being a point guard than Jack (although not better as an all round player). He's also four years younger than Jack. He also plays the style best suited to the Blazers (remember Nate talking about playing uptempo in preseason?) Then, he has the best +/- per possession on the team. We have been better offensively and defensively per possession with him in the game than with him out of the game. Then, of course, he's younger than all the other point guards on the team, and so has the most room for improvement, four years younger than Jack I believe. Finally, what we are asking for is solid, predictable minutes a game, say twelve minutes total, six minutes a half so that he can improve.

by EnglandDan on Nov 23, 2007 5:11 PM PST reply actions

In the first half,

Sergio was plus one. Blazers down by one... If only he could play 48 minutes a game.

by EnglandDan on Nov 23, 2007 8:17 PM PST up reply actions

What we're asking of him

Here's what Sergio gives us. Against the Kings: 17 min, 4 pts, 1 ast, 2 TO. This is your Sergio. This is why the Spanish National coach had the confidence to play him only 7 minutes a game. This is your beloved Sergio. This is Sergio.

by t jay on Nov 24, 2007 6:39 AM PST up reply actions

again!

Completely ludicrous. Have you considered the fact that Sergio Rodriguez is the youngest player on the Spanish National Team? (That's the Spanish NATIONAL Team remember...one of the best teams in the WORLD) The YOUNGEST player! And he's a point guard. A position that typically takes extra time to learn. Steve Nash, just to name one example, didn't average double figures in scoring until he was 26 years old. That season was the first that he averaged more than 5.5 assists a game as well. He didn't get to double figure assists until he was 30. Do you really expect Sergio to be putting up huge numbers every game right now? Two words: development and patience.

by nlj on Nov 24, 2007 10:36 AM PST up reply actions

thank you...

and to add on, Calderon was the Spain teams starting pg and got a ton of the minutes at point for spain. TJ ford went down and now Calderon is starting for the raps. In his first three starts he is averaging 12ppg 11.7apg and 1topg, not too shabby...

RUDY > MJ

by myemic23 on Nov 26, 2007 5:25 PM PST up reply actions

Yes, he is adapting to Nate's style.

He started the season producing big numbers. Nate benched him. Now he's focusing on defense. He is greatly improved in that regard. At some point Nate will let him play his offensive style again and he will have big numbers and play defense. Nate actually played him more than I would have last night. All I'm asking is regular minutes in each half of every game. He is easily our best prospect at point guard. I am quite convinced that when he's the same age as Jarrett Jack or Steve Blake he will be considerably better than either.

by EnglandDan on Nov 24, 2007 1:08 PM PST up reply actions