Burn the Internet
This League. Or this generation? Or just sensitive god damn people absorbing life through a screen? The internet has ruined all sense of rationality and we are still heading in the wrong direction. The lastest example come from the ever stable and totally sensible NBA.
The newest NBA feud is between Steven A. Smith of ESPN and Russell Westbrook of the Washington Wizards. Steven A. had the audacity to criticize Russ after he had an outstanding performance with 35 points 21 assists 14 rebounds. What was the critique of Westbrook after such a fantastic game? Steven A said it didn’t matter to him. It didn’t matter essentially because Westbrook has underachieved in his career up until this point. He didn’t say the word underachieve he actually specifically talked about Westbrook never developing an outside shot to compete against his peers and if he did he probably would have been a champion. Steven A then went off on some hyperbolic “maybe’s” and calls out the Wizards for being terrible with 2 MVP caliber players. Here’s Steven A’s comments. Skip ahead to time stamp 1:42.
Does Westbrook suck at 3’s? Yes. This year he is shooting an abysmal 32%. For his career he is at 30.5% as a guard. In the NBA. In 2021. That’s bad. It’s actually laughable, but I wouldn’t dare laugh at someone else in fear of literal hand cuffs at this point.
Apparently analyzing something as bad is now wrong. This wasn’t even being negative for ratings. The Wizards have two of the best players in the NBA and out right blow. Westbrook as fallen short in the WCF more than once with one of the best players in the world along side him in Kevin Durant (noteabale fellow sensitive internet user) including blowing a 3 - 1 lead. And again he sucks at shooting 3’s which is what the segment was about. To recap, Westbrook sucks at shooting 3’s and has not won a championship as one of the best players in the league.
Holy guacamole! You would have thought Steven A. Smith had shot his dog. The internet out rage from these tweener - everyone gets a fucking trophy dorks.. Since when did stacking stats on a bad team become something to celebrate? Didn’t we commend the big 3 for taking steps back to win in Boston? Wasn’t the entire narrative in Brady vs Manning stats vs championships? Don’t all the greatest athletes get accolades for winning? Quick when I say Charles Barkley you say - fat, loud, crazy golf swing, tossed a guy threw a bar window, hates Shaq, never won.
I’m not going to lump in Russ’ wife with these internet softies because as a partner you take things more personally when your wife or husband is attacked and I’m sure she felt like she needed to say something. Again, I don’t know why. I’m sorry Mrs. Westbrook, but your husband does suck at 3’s. If he was better at them his team’s may have won more. I digress. Here are her comments
From Westbrook’s perspective I can understand he has to turn on a certain mind set to deal with the pressures of a highly scrutinizes athlete. Here are his comments
This is where I have to get off the boat. Steven A Smith didn’t say shit about you as a man, human, your struggles, nothing like that. His critique was on your game. Specifically your 3 point shooting. And the Westbrook’s turned it into a sermon about generational wealth and being Champion of life. It’s like every NBA player was put on earth to spread the gospel, make $200 Million (Yup, that’s the contract Russ signed), and force their way out of situations they are sick out. Do you think Oklahoma City or Houston fans give a shit that Russell Westbrook considers himself a champion? Maybe a little right? How about management? How about the ownership groups shelling out the 9 figure deals? The game is still about winning. Your career is still about winning. You will and should be judged on winning. That’s the gig. And it’s a pretty good gig.
I’m just tired of the narrative that when these players underachieve professionally they fall back on “It’s bigger than basketball” No shit Sherlock, but with out Basketball would you be a champion at life? With out the NBA would you be blessed? Even if that answer is yes this is the path you chose so own it. A championship doesn’t change your life, but it changes your legacy and career accolades.
You think the likes of Brady, Kobe, Jordan considered themselves champions of life? I mean sure on a personal level. I don’t they classify it like that because that’s really gaudy and cheesy. Maybe Brady thinks like that, he’s turned into a tool. That’s besides the point. You professional life can and should be judged separately. It’s literally part of what makes you that successful. With out media and fans you are not a champion of shit. How do these players constantly forget that? I swear the damn internet era and it’s entitlement complex could turn Abraham Lincoln into a hipster dressing douche.
So, when you’re 17 -29 championships don’t mean shit and anyone who tells you they do is just being a negative hater? Pretty convenient. I could go on, but Mr. Smith’s retort is pretty spot on.
Lesson learned. We should all send a congratulations to Mr. Westbrook on his life championship and stay from that stat lines that read “sucks and blows”.