Robin "The Enforcer" Lopez Reacts To Upgrade Of Flagrant Foul
by Seth Pollack on Mar 7, 2010 1:13 AM MST
in Commentary
98 comments
In Wednesday's game, with about 2:17 to go, the Suns were down 104-105 when Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko intercepted a Robin Lopez pass and streaked down the court for an easy two points.
It would have been an easy two points, anyway, except Robin chased him down and pushed him with two hands in the middle of his back (as you can clearly see in this photo). Kirilenko went flying into the baseline, crashing into our photographer Max Simbron, nearly kicking him in the teeth and breaking a piece of his equipment.
Andrei, who's had recent back issues, stayed down for awhile before returning to the game to hit one of two free throws. Fortunately for the Suns, on the extra Jazz possession resulting from the Flagrant 1 call, Carlos Boozer moved his hip into Jason Richardson on a screen and the Jazz are called for an offensive foul. The foul ended up costing the Suns 1 point but easily could have been a 4 or 5 point swing at a critical junction in the game.
Coach Gentry called into KTAR radio the next day for a routine interview and said he had talked to Robin about the timing of the play and how it could have hurt the team. The unanswered question is if Gentry talked to Robin about the play itself, which was "dirty" in my opinion.
At the time, the official called a Flagrant 1 which gave the ball back to the Jazz after the free throws. Today, we learned that the league upgraded the call to a Flagrant 2. A Flagrant 2 during a game earns an automatic ejection and review for possible suspension. In this case, no suspension was handed down, although frankly I am not sure why that is.
Robin confirmed that he was informed by Steve Kerr that the league upgraded the call and said that he was never contacted directly by the NBA about the play.
After Saturday's game against the Indiana Pacers, which included its own altercation not involving Robin, Lopez had this to say about the play he made Wednesday, "Just basketball. We were down one at that point. Any enforcer would have made it."
I was a bit stunned that Robin was so blunt about it so I asked him to confirm that he called himself "The Enforcer" and he did. I asked him him if he thought that was his role on the team and he said, "Yeah."
Robin said he likes playing physical and "mixing it up" a bit and the Suns certainly need a guy like that. Especially when he's an athletic 7 footer who relishes defending the paint.
You have to give him points for being honest about it anyway, but I hope he realizes there's a difference between delivering a hard foul when someone's driving in the lane versus pushing a guy with two hands in his back while he's completely exposed. That's not a basketball play.
Suns fans have every right to love Robin and what he brings to the team but there's no question if Kirilenko had pushed Grant Hill like that we'd be clamoring for blood. Fair is fair and Robin's play was dirty. Hopefully, it won't become a trend.
Brush with death (or a mouth full of teeth anyway)
As for our own Max Simbron, he survived the close call - the worst he's had in close to six years of shooting basketball from the baseline. In the TV replay you can clearly see Kirilenko's foot brush just inches from Max's face.
Max described the encounter...
"So AK gets a breakaway off a steal I think and starts running up and Robin caught up to him and pushed him in the back. Next thing I know he's flying right at me. I think we had a moment. He kind of looked at me and I thought he was going to knee me right in the mouth. He stopped right in front of me and kind of dove between me and the other guy and I think he snapped a piece off my lens or something but better that than my face."
And what does Max do with AK47 coming right at him? He shoots a picture of course...
Tell me that Max doesn't deserve a medal for bravery for surviving THAT coming right at him.
0 recs |
98 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
Parity in the votes.
The Charles Barkley 2009/10 Ancestors Count: 11 Grandmothers, 2 Mothers Alltime: Reg. 34-2 Playoffs 7-0
"There were arms coming from everywhere, and I knew they weren’t going for the ball," Miller said. "I was just trying to get [the shot] up before they called some crap like ‘on the ground.’ "
"What do you want me to do?" Wright asked. "Do you want me to Derek Fisher him?"
"Give them some fucking credit, i mean for real." Jackson said.
"I just fell on my face for no reason," Bryant deadpanned. "I'm a klutz."
"Fucking right i'm preachin' it!" Carlisle replied. He later added "We need to not always make hard work out of sex." Take cover whenever he pulls the undoing-card..
"Rough life, isn't it. It's tough all over, isn't it." Smith chuckled.
Sheed for $30k: "They've got to know that he's a [darn] flopper. That's all Turkododo do."
"Ball." Hedo Turkoglu
Charles Barkley on the Eastern Conference race: "Cleveland and Orlando are the two best teams in the East. The Boston Celtics, people keep waiting on them to get healthy. I mean no disrespect, but old people don’t get healthy. They die."
Mutombo, Ewing and Yao at the restaurant...
MUTOMBO: "The chicken is the bomb."
EWING: [Rubbing belly] "I gotta go work out tonight. I'm full. You got a treadmill for me?"
YAO: " Leave your car keys here and run home. I'll give you the keys tomorrow."
Not a Fan.
It was clear RoLo didnt go after the ball. Very unfortunate that this play happened. Stay classy citizens of Phoenixstan.
The Suns - Never fails to disappoint 53% of the time, all the time.
by Larfleeze on Mar 7, 2010 4:03 AM MST reply actions 1 recs
Enforcers are fine
Dirty players are not. If Robin doesn’t know the difference know, he’ll learn soon enough because I’m sure the Suns won’t tolerate it.
+1
Steve Nash, the league's MVP, is a longhaired Canadian who spoke out against the war in Iraq and reads The Communist Manifesto. Quentin Richardson declared after a game-winning shot that it "was like Hamlet. It was a suspense thriller, and I killed them at the end." Amare Stoudemire, when asked to comment on a 22-point third quarter against the Kings, said, "I've got a tendency to jump over some guys' heads and throw it down."
cmon... all the +1's
I’ve seen so many dirty plays nearly every game from all aspects on the court. I give Robin a +1 for owning up to it. Screw the NBA and it’s goofy rules. Shame on you guys I bet if the tides where turned you would be making up excuses as to why he wasnt really trying to push him and how it was accidental.
shesh.
TO THE NBA - " Yeah, you have created a rift within me ; Now there have been ; several complications ; that have left me feeling nothing ; I might say, you were ; wrong to take it from me ; Left me feeling nothing " - Disturbed, "Numb"
We're not giving +1's to that.
We’re saying that yes, being an enforcer is fine. But being a dirty player is absolutely not okay.
I think most of us can agree that it was indeed a dirty play. So we’re not cool with it. We’re cool with Robin possibly being an enforcer down the line. Not defending his dirty play.
Bright Side of the Sun, for all things Phoenix Suns. Twitter: @iamtrevorpaxton
by iamtrevorpaxton on Mar 7, 2010 8:25 PM MST up reply actions
I have to say he isnt being a dirty player.
He owned up to it and is apparently taking full responsibility for it. Now Bruce Bowen on the other hand never once admitted doing anything wrong or taking responsibility for it to my knowledge. That is a dirty player.
TO THE NBA - " Yeah, you have created a rift within me ; Now there have been ; several complications ; that have left me feeling nothing ; I might say, you were ; wrong to take it from me ; Left me feeling nothing " - Disturbed, "Numb"
The reason I didn't like it
Was the time of the game. It really hurt at that point. Do it at the beginning of the game to set the “Enforcer Tone” — not when two shots and the ball makes a huge difference in the outcome.
I’m not sure how everything is defined, but I’m pretty sure that’s a Flagrant 2.
Mmmmm ... Guinness
I'm torn...
Honestly…I hate sitting on top of the fence and smiling at everone on both sides…but it’s just how I feel about this.
A.) Yes, the Suns need an enforcer, and have needed one ever since I can remember…and I’ve been a fan for 32 years! The closest they ever had was Barkley or Xavier McDaniels…But neither of them was as crazy, and crazy looking as Big Rob! I think players are actually scared of him…Not only that, I was laughing at the game last night when the ref called a foul on Lopez…It was his second foul in the first quarter, and Robin MEAN MUGGED the ref as he walked past him…all the way back to the bench! The guy is a straight nut!
B.) I DON’T like dirty players…My absolute HATE for the Spurs has as much to do with Robert Horry’s shove on Nash, and Bowen’s knee to his groin, as it does the bitter rivalry that we have had with them for ages. I pride myself as a Suns fan for having a team who always plays at a higher level, both athletically and sportsmanship wise. I would never want my team to be known as “dirty”.
The best scenario is that Robin continues to be “an enforcer” down low, intimidating players and making them think twice about driving into the paint. But at the same time, plays clean and doesn’t hurt the team.
good post~
"I especially liked the part where I dunked on the McDonalds All-American dude..."
Anonymous high-school player after a Virginia basketball state championship game...
Kudos to our brave photographer...
I would have fled the premises without thinking about it twice :P
by Lorenzo Franceschi Bicchierai on Mar 7, 2010 9:15 AM MST reply actions
Max-I'd
recommend you sue the Jazz and Kirilenko. Clear negligence on their part. Let me know if you need a lawyer.
Blogging Suns Basketball. Twitter: @willcantrellphx
by Wil Cantrell on Mar 7, 2010 10:12 AM MST up reply actions
It could be on the groud sof something like this...
All the years of bruising folks in the paint has has caused Suns players to act unseeminly
"I especially liked the part where I dunked on the McDonalds All-American dude..."
Anonymous high-school player after a Virginia basketball state championship game...
Max is a god among men.
Steve Nash, the league's MVP, is a longhaired Canadian who spoke out against the war in Iraq and reads The Communist Manifesto. Quentin Richardson declared after a game-winning shot that it "was like Hamlet. It was a suspense thriller, and I killed them at the end." Amare Stoudemire, when asked to comment on a 22-point third quarter against the Kings, said, "I've got a tendency to jump over some guys' heads and throw it down."
by rsavaj on Mar 7, 2010 9:16 AM MST reply actions 1 recs
AK was great. I later learned he'd had a bad back.
He easily could have just tried his best to protect himself, regardless of the photographers safety, but he honestly did his best to avoid us. This is common amongst most players. I’ve had a few other incidents, and the players tend to be good about it.
Against the Clippers a few years back, Kaman dove out of bounds and tried to hurl the ball back in to bounce if off someone. He missed badly and it flew right at me. Again, my lens took the hit, but everyone stopped and Kaman looked at me and asked “You ok?”.
2 years back, after the Shaq trade, he flew out of bounds, and the front row seat had a kid in it. Shaq had the presence to try and stop himself by hopping to plant himself early, then leap over the kid. Here are the pictures I have of that, side by side:
And here’s someones video from the courtside perspective that had a video of Shaq diving into the crowd. It’s amazing
AK is a big guy, but nothing will ever put more fear into you than Shaq coming at ya. Even his shadow is heavy.
the only good enforcer is a smart enforcer
Playing physical doesn’t help if it gets your player in trouble.
The enforcer as we know it went extinct
Too many rule changes for them to survive from the 90’s. All the old school enforcers retired and really couldn’t show the newer guys the techniques because they became fouls. Actually, half the rules that now favor offensive players came about because of the 93-94 Knicks, which I had the pleasure of seeing when I was living back home in NY.
Harper had this hand check that was basically a taser to the hip. He could force you right or left with it. Oak had so many fringe moves, he would have gotten a lifetime suspension if he played now. He would pull jerseys, hook people by the neck on rebounds, step on people, upend them after layups, hip check people on the way up. He had a rule: if you got an easy layup on the team, you were gonna land on your neck next time up.
Actually, the last smart enforcer I saw was Kurt Thomas, who played for the Suns a few years back. And where did he learn his tricks? On the Knicks.
by Max Simbron on Mar 7, 2010 11:17 AM MST reply actions 1 recs
That wasn't an enforce move.
I think the difference between an enforcer play and what Robin did was context. A hard foul that includes a play on the ball is yards different from shoving a dude in the back. Had the uniforms been switched, this entire community would have been screaming for a suspension. Plays like that are what earn players “thug” reputations. The last thing the Suns need is for Robin to become one of the Hanson brothers from “Slap Shot.”
Bad play, lucky break that Robin’s not missing any time for this.
Twitter: @MikeLisboa
You're right. Robin's move wasn't too smart
given what he did, the context of the score, etc. AK was getting his regardless. Robin was in no position to stop the bucket or even make a clean foul (like a wrap around to get the ball).
But the Suns do need an enforcer. He just needs to be trained to do it right. Where’s Kurt Thomas when you need him.
Also...
I remember a, um, “few” years back when Danny Fortson (then a Mav) made a similar play on Zarko Cabarkapa that resulted in Zarko landing awkwardly and breaking his wrist.
Would anyone have thought that was the right play if it had resulted in an injury?
More luck for Robin that AK was able to bounce back after that.
Twitter: @MikeLisboa
Man that ruined Zarko's career
Dude was never the same after that
Steve Nash, the league's MVP, is a longhaired Canadian who spoke out against the war in Iraq and reads The Communist Manifesto. Quentin Richardson declared after a game-winning shot that it "was like Hamlet. It was a suspense thriller, and I killed them at the end." Amare Stoudemire, when asked to comment on a 22-point third quarter against the Kings, said, "I've got a tendency to jump over some guys' heads and throw it down."
IIRC he seemed to be putting it together
Steve Nash, the league's MVP, is a longhaired Canadian who spoke out against the war in Iraq and reads The Communist Manifesto. Quentin Richardson declared after a game-winning shot that it "was like Hamlet. It was a suspense thriller, and I killed them at the end." Amare Stoudemire, when asked to comment on a 22-point third quarter against the Kings, said, "I've got a tendency to jump over some guys' heads and throw it down."
I don't know Mike,
I’ve seen this blog be pretty weird about what sides they chose and for what reasons.
TO THE NBA - " Yeah, you have created a rift within me ; Now there have been ; several complications ; that have left me feeling nothing ; I might say, you were ; wrong to take it from me ; Left me feeling nothing " - Disturbed, "Numb"
According to John Feinstein’s book on the Kermit Washington-Rudy Tomjanovich fight, enforcers were originally there to protect their teams’ stars from fights. And I heard that Oakley was “the last enforcer.”
Oh ya Oak was the last one
He didn’t play the role of enforcer, he was born one. Kurt Thomas was molded into an enforcer because he happened to play on the Knicks the last few years before the rules made it difficult. I found this article that explains it nicely. Once Oak left, Kurt filled the void, but he did it as a way to stay in the league.
by Max Simbron on Mar 7, 2010 11:33 AM MST up reply actions 1 recs
Max taking one for the team
and
and here’s the vid
http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/308943/013.AVI
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
Lopez's foul
After closer review I think Ronin had every right to protect himself from getting hit by Kirilenko’s foot. What are those dogs, size 16? They should be registered with law enforcement.
Enforcer
I am surprised no one else was taken aback by Robin calling himself the enforcer…
Maybe you need to listen to it:
http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/308675/Lopez_postgame_030610.mp3
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
Yeah, hearing it makes it a little more real.
And the fact that he repeated himself, even slower and more deliberate. Like, “Hell yeah I’m the enforcer, you didn’t know that?”
Bright Side of the Sun, for all things Phoenix Suns. Twitter: @iamtrevorpaxton
by iamtrevorpaxton on Mar 7, 2010 1:31 PM MST up reply actions
+1 to Seth for sounding like Robin's dad.
“Any, um, I’m sorry, did you say . . .”
=)
It was a cheap shot, but mostly because it didn’t serve much purpose, and didn’t really help. You get physical early on so you can intimidate. You also make sure that players know there’s no easy layups. But this was way late in the game.
lol he sounds like he thinks he's a total pimp
“Mhmm…any enforcer. Yep.”
Steve Nash, the league's MVP, is a longhaired Canadian who spoke out against the war in Iraq and reads The Communist Manifesto. Quentin Richardson declared after a game-winning shot that it "was like Hamlet. It was a suspense thriller, and I killed them at the end." Amare Stoudemire, when asked to comment on a 22-point third quarter against the Kings, said, "I've got a tendency to jump over some guys' heads and throw it down."
I like that he is calling himself an enforcer. However, you never push a guy from behind his back whether he is in the air or not because he can still hit the shot. You go for the arms. He should know this its first grade for crying out loud!
I agree
The Suns do need an enforcer, but this kinda play makes you dirty instead of an enforcer..A hard foul before he got anirborne would have been a lot better…
"I especially liked the part where I dunked on the McDonalds All-American dude..."
Anonymous high-school player after a Virginia basketball state championship game...
He could have tried for the ball at least
and gave a little push with his other arm, but he totally just pushed him in the back.
i like robin
but if he does a few more things like this, I’ll begin to wonder if he’s just a dick! I’m not a fan of utah or AK by any means, but a push to the back is cowardly. I’ll just chalk it up as a dumb mistake and we’ll see if he repeats it
+1 for MAX
Dear Coach Gentry,
Please bring in a picture of a glass door and Kirilenko and make sure that Lopez knows the difference. Do this before every game is needed.
by Gorilla Game on Mar 7, 2010 2:23 PM MST reply actions 1 recs
I LOVE IT!
The foul may have been a little too much.. but I LOVE that he wants to be the enforcer. Can we keep that as his nickname? Our sophomore players are Frosty and The Enforcer.. Oh and props to Max for getting that pic!
The First Rule of Enforcing...
I don’t mind that he thinks of himself this way. I don’t think it’s very bright to call attention to it.
You know, he could/should have said something along the lines of…’it’s just one of those things’ or even said ‘it wasn’t a smart play’
Of course, I suppose I could have just not asked him about it or not published his quote but….
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
i wonder
just for blog day dreaming, but i think lopez is really helping our suns obviously. I’m very happy about this….but I wonder if Lopez was sharp mentally. Like sharp as Grant Hill for example, or Dudley. I wonder if he’d be one of the top 10-20 players in the league?
As it is, I think he is drastically improving things for us. But many of these other teams haven’t played much against Robin. The real trick will be Robin improving over the next year when teams have a strategy based on experience against playing him.
Apparently the young stud
was deeply affected by his ministry under the Shaqtus. Where else do you think he could have contrived the confidence and life mission that is so ingrained in his mysterious mind. He is not only the enforcer… but THE ENFORCER.… He has materialized his personal role on the team from the conceptual comic book that is the brain of Robin Lopez – he is the beast, the monster of his own imaginative creation – hence the confidence.
I don’t mind it one bit – every player gives the dunking/slashing player a little push in the back… the issue here is that THE ENFORCER doesn’t quite know his own strength.
"I get emotional. You guys are workin' so hard, and I'm just so proud of you. You remind me of me, precocious and full of wonderment."
hmmm
the suns need lopez with his attitude and all. I just think he can still be that ENFORCER without doing cheap shit like pushing a player in the back.
But, the flip side, I really like his attitude when rebounding and trying to stop players coming into the paint. He’s aggressive and tough. Amare is aggressive, but not tough. And I don’t want that attitude he has to change, just his awareness about smart moves and dumb moves. The list of smart moves vs dumb moves to make for a big man is pretty short. I think as said above, he was just ticked off about the turnover he made. I’m surprised it didn’t start a fight. I’ve seen many plays that were tougher on the guy getting pushed / etc. But almost always, the defender is still going for the ball or arms.
This was just plain frustration by Lopez.
by be-the-ball on Mar 7, 2010 3:53 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
Pay closer attention below the rim
when you watch players slice to the rim for a dunk or a layup – defenders are ALWAYS bumping or pushing the offensive player in the butt/back/legs to try and throw the shot off.
Robin was just too frustrated as you stated and made it extremely obvious. Bad move – but I don’t mind it. IOW – it doesn’t affect the way I think about RoLo.
"I get emotional. You guys are workin' so hard, and I'm just so proud of you. You remind me of me, precocious and full of wonderment."
that's clearly different
Rarely do you see a BREAK-AWAY where a player does this. I can’t recall the last time a Suns player did something this clearly stupid. Raja Bell’s clothesline of Kobe wasn’t stupid, it was retaliation for being hit in the balls. This wasn’t retaliation, or normal play…this was Lopez slamming the door and breaking it – type of think. My point is this, I doubt anyone else on the Suns would’ve done this.
But, Like you, I don’t have too big a problem with it. I’m just pointing out that it was a cheap move that has no place on the basketball court, unless in retaliation.
you know how lebron gets chalk on his hands before a game and
throws it up in the air….blinding 100’s of fans with chalk poisoning.
Lopez should break glass before each game! Then push one of his teammates down…but push him in the back when he’s not looking…that’d be cool :-)
The Phoenix Suns, we used to be nice…now we want to skull f… you
(probably not the image the nba is looking for)…but it’d be cool to see the ad for this style right after the nba cares ads…I’m sick of those.
The Phoenix Suns are a “Dirty” team according to Granger. I never thought I would live to see the day we would be called a “Dirty” team.
Me neither...
I have always taught of a cream-puff (The gloriousness that was Boris Diaw…) team that was afraid to defend itself…
"I especially liked the part where I dunked on the McDonalds All-American dude..."
Anonymous high-school player after a Virginia basketball state championship game...
why not?
Honestly, if it psyched him up, maybe Lopez should break glass before games. On an NBA salary, he can probably afford to. Bill Russell used to psych himself up before games by going into the bathroom and vomiting. It didn’t waste money, but maybe it ruined his esophagus…
i was mixing sarcasm and points
I do agree, if breaking glass or something gets Lopez psyched up before a game, I’m all for it. Look at KG and some other players that go overboard, but are really effective.
Ugh.
KG is so over the top, and I can’t stand it. I think a lot of other NBA fans are fed up with it too. Once or twice is cool/interesting/amusing. As often as he does it is just straight up annoying.
Bright Side of the Sun, for all things Phoenix Suns. Twitter: @iamtrevorpaxton
by iamtrevorpaxton on Mar 7, 2010 8:33 PM MST up reply actions
A point of correction about Bill Russell
He didn’t vomit before games to psych himself up.. he did it because he was so nervous before important games.
Red Auerbach, being the master of psychology, and more than a little superstitious, famously once pulled the Celtics back into the locker room, before the start of a playoff game, because Bill hadn’t vomited, and only when he had, did Red return the team to the court.
"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".
by Pliny the Elder on Mar 7, 2010 9:04 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
Is anybody accounting
for the fact that with out the push dorko would have nearly hit the photographers anyway? Then you add in the “OMG he touched me I have to dramatically flail my arms and fall so the refs can’t deny something happend”…. frankly you guys are doing the typical media thing and blowing this out of proportion. I come to blogs to read and converse, this is just goofy… “We want a tougher team, but not toooo tough because people might think we are thugs, and by god we can’t have other teams wondering who’s going to give them a little push in the air” .
you guys and your +1 make me sick.
+1 for Robin.
TO THE NBA - " Yeah, you have created a rift within me ; Now there have been ; several complications ; that have left me feeling nothing ; I might say, you were ; wrong to take it from me ; Left me feeling nothing " - Disturbed, "Numb"
If I want to
watch guys hurt each other I turn on MMA not NBA.
There’s a difference between physical play and “hard fouls” and pushing a guy from behind while he’s in the air.
It was one incident and not the end of the world but it was a bad play all around and not just b/c of the timing (which was really bad as well).
If Robin’s pissed at AK he can set a hard screen and knock him on his ass but you do that to the guy’s face, not pushing him from behind. I guess I was brought in in a world where there’s a difference between fighting and fighting dirty
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
I don't know seth.
I just don’t think it was dirty compared to what goes on in every game. Plus the fact that he isn’t making excuses and he isn’t denying anything. I don’t mind a push here and there that doesnt exactly make it the MMA. I don’t think it deserves the label of Dirty especially since this was his first one. Maybe a cheap shot because it wasn’t in his face. But I don’t think Dirty fits the bill. I think people are over reacting and blowning it out of proportion. Plus we all know the NBA isnt affraid to suspend players and 90% of the time this blog agrees with the NBA. So it can’t really be compared to the MMA.
TO THE NBA - " Yeah, you have created a rift within me ; Now there have been ; several complications ; that have left me feeling nothing ; I might say, you were ; wrong to take it from me ; Left me feeling nothing " - Disturbed, "Numb"
And simply put.
After the rules changes and fouls these days. You might as well hurt every player your next too. The foul is goiing to be called either way. So why not make them pay for it.
TO THE NBA - " Yeah, you have created a rift within me ; Now there have been ; several complications ; that have left me feeling nothing ; I might say, you were ; wrong to take it from me ; Left me feeling nothing " - Disturbed, "Numb"
Get over it...
Have you guys ever played sports or just spend all your time writing feminist articles? Of course it was a basketball play!!! He was on a basketball court, with a basketball jersey, and some Russian dude with a basketball in his hands! Dirty? No. Not so smart….? Yep.
I’d knock some dude into the stands to get my point across. I like that. That’s called good hard BASKETBALL!!!!
ok
you get second place. Your just plain dumb. There was no “point to get across” by pushing AK in the back.
There’s a point to playing tough, there was no message of intimidation in this, this was Robin being frustrated that he made a bad pass.
and if you actually could read, you’d know most of us like what Robin is bringing to the team. But with our history of having players ejected over stupid stuff at the absolute worst times, I think Robin’s actions deserve a little blogging.
I think you are missing the point.
This entire blog complains about being soft. I hate to tell you but you don’t turn the tides by saying oh hey Mr Dorko have an easy layup and then laugh at me while you shoot freethrows because the refs called a ticky tack foul. You give the guy a little nudge. Sure maybe the timing was off and what not but cmon you guys are making it out like he stabbed the guy in the back and then kicked him three times and stole his wallet while wearing a ski mask. Get over it, sure talk about it but some of you guys are ready to castrate the man.
TO THE NBA - " Yeah, you have created a rift within me ; Now there have been ; several complications ; that have left me feeling nothing ; I might say, you were ; wrong to take it from me ; Left me feeling nothing " - Disturbed, "Numb"
If you ask me...
It’s only dirty if he doesnt own up to it which is what 90% of the NBA does with everything. He apparently excepts his role and embraces it. The way I see it he is taking one for the team in a classier fashion then we have seen from players on other teams (the Sprus to name one). I’m not really saying nail every player you can. But from time to time a little push here or an extra shoulder there isnt going to turn my opinion of the Suns.
TO THE NBA - " Yeah, you have created a rift within me ; Now there have been ; several complications ; that have left me feeling nothing ; I might say, you were ; wrong to take it from me ; Left me feeling nothing " - Disturbed, "Numb"
the big problem was the breakaway scenario
In the halfcourt game, players get shoved in the back 2-3 times a possession. How many times do you see a player miss a rebound by inexplicably throwing his lower body/entire body out of bounds, while the guy behind him cleanly takes down the ball. And then there’s the alley-oop misses because the oop-ee flies under the basket or flips sideways (remember how many times Shawn Marion would get undercut on those, one time getting a concussion because he landed on his head?).
Of course, Robin made a stupid play. Caused, I’m sure, by the fact that he’d just made a turnover in a critical home game at a critical juncture. Something tells me Robin wasn’t thinking rationally as he chased AK down the court. He might have thought to himself “make him hit the free throws, at least”. But more likely he thought “that #@#$& just stole the ball from me! Must. Stop. Him!” and possibly “no way he jogs back down the court with a smirk on his ugly face after making a two-handed dunk in my building”.
I’m gonna cut Robin some slack. He’s 21. He’s full of testosterone. And he just got made to look like a fool with that turnover. At least he chased AK down, instead of just watching from halfcourt or jogging to inbound the ball. And I’m willing to bet he will remember that play and never shove 2 hands into a guys back again on a breakaway. That’s not to say he won’t make any other stupid plays…
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
see here is a +1
Basically all it was. Nothing to really get all hyped up and start labeling people.
TO THE NBA - " Yeah, you have created a rift within me ; Now there have been ; several complications ; that have left me feeling nothing ; I might say, you were ; wrong to take it from me ; Left me feeling nothing " - Disturbed, "Numb"
I agree
and I don’t want to write much about this.
Everybody gets mad. Everybody does stupid things at one time or another. Robin is 21 and full of rage. He made a poor decision, again, but I’ll never get sick of his fire.
If we’re going to talk about this being a ‘dirty’ play then we should address Channing Frye’s push to the back of the head of CJ Watson. To me if falls in the same category. I think they were dirty plays be these aren’t dirty players we have.
They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
good point on Frye
Frustration often results in stupid plays.
I really the worst ones are non-retaliatory, like intentionally undercutting a guy flying toward the basket or coming down with a rebound.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
rage?
Unless you’re trying to be amusingly hyperbolic, why would Lopez be full of rage? Did he come from a bad environment, like Amare Stoudemire?
Just look deep into his eyes... and his hair
They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
Difference
is that Frye reacted in the moment and while he pushed Watson in the back of the head, that wasn’t anything that was going to cause harm. He didn’t punch Earl in the neck or anything. And he said himself it was the wrong thing to do. I have no problem with the left he threw at Granger btw since Danny came at him.
Robin ran all the way down the court and pushed a guy in the air. Exposed. It’s totally different. And than days later Robin calls it a play that any “Enforcer” makes which shows me he doesn’t get why it was wrong/bad, etc.
He’s 21 and I love him on our team. I’m not worried about this in the long run. It’s a one time thing, etc. But it was wrong and I would hope he would have either a) realized that or b) at least pretended to realize that.
Fortunately, not enough people read this site to know that he said that so the league isn’t going to hold it against him or other players or refs
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Mar 8, 2010 10:15 AM MST up reply actions 1 recs
Good point..
Being 21 gives you a little leeway in the stupid department…especially when you are not well known around the league…Hopefully Gentry gets him focused
"I especially liked the part where I dunked on the McDonalds All-American dude..."
Anonymous high-school player after a Virginia basketball state championship game...
again he's 21
you never did anything stupid, and then refused to admit it was stupid, at that age?
lets leave the pitchforks in the barn for now
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
No pitchforks
but not going to ignore it or pretend it didn’t happen either…
It’s just one thing in a long season/career
Besides, that picture of AK47 coming right at Max was hilarious
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Mar 8, 2010 11:17 AM MST up reply actions
Yea
Thats another +1 for the Enforcer.
TO THE NBA - " Yeah, you have created a rift within me ; Now there have been ; several complications ; that have left me feeling nothing ; I might say, you were ; wrong to take it from me ; Left me feeling nothing " - Disturbed, "Numb"
In the information age..word gets around quickly..
Still, I don’t think it will be held to his charge..for long…Robin has a grat future ahead of him…Just needs to learn what to do and when to do it…
"I especially liked the part where I dunked on the McDonalds All-American dude..."
Anonymous high-school player after a Virginia basketball state championship game...
might as well put pads on them i am all for hard fouls and thought he had a shot at saving a hoop
what is this figure skating come on i don’t get upset if some russian get’s pushed in the back if he put some weight on he might not goin flyin to camera.
I think they were both in the heat of the moment
Unless Lopez himself said it, I don’t know If I believe that he ran the length of the court with the intention of shoving him in the back -
I genuinely believe he sprinted his behind off to try and contest and possibly block from behind Kirilienri;lneko’s shot but when he realized he couldn’t catch up he (in the heat of the moments) shoved the dude forward.
I’m not arguing whether or not it was dirty or wrong – because I agree that it was. But I do think both incidents with Frye and Lopez were done in the heat of the moment.
They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
Again.
If that’s Mehmet Okur doing the shoving and Jared Dudley doing the flying into Max Simbron, no one on this site is arguing anything positive about that play. Discussions of “fire” and “enforcing” don’t happen and everyone wonders how Okur doesn’t get slapped with a giant fine and 3 game suspension.
Robin’s play was not the end of the world, but lacking pretty much any defensible merit.
Twitter: @MikeLisboa
good point
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
of course that kind of thing
HAS happened many times in the past to the Suns players. And yes, we jumped at the TV and complained like crazy. And were told to stop being babies and that we were too soft.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
Exactly.
TO THE NBA - " Yeah, you have created a rift within me ; Now there have been ; several complications ; that have left me feeling nothing ; I might say, you were ; wrong to take it from me ; Left me feeling nothing " - Disturbed, "Numb"
Mike,
I’m not saying Robin shouldnt get the fines or suspensions he absolutely pushed him in the back.
The weird thing is that we all know the NBA isnt shy when it comes to punishing Suns players. why wasnt he suspended? Well because really it was what it was a push in the back. No consequences other then krilinko has to worry about that next time he tries to make a lay up and Lopez is around. (not to mention that push wasnt what caused him to go flying into the camera crews under the hoop. He was more than half way there on his own momentum)
TO THE NBA - " Yeah, you have created a rift within me ; Now there have been ; several complications ; that have left me feeling nothing ; I might say, you were ; wrong to take it from me ; Left me feeling nothing " - Disturbed, "Numb"
if this was the 80-sor early90's it wouldn't be talked about
back then every foul was hard and in hill case i woundn’t be mad because believe itor not i believe in defense and ak47 will think twice before he comes in the paint sorry im old school if your hurt don’t come on the court.just a hard foul now the horry foul in the playoffs now those are things that go too far.a lot of things are just b-ball they are making all the rules for the offense.
Horry Hip Check > Robin's Shove
Horry’s foul occurred when:
1) Nash saw Horry coming
2) Nash was on the ground, not in the air
3) Did not involve a 2-handed shove and was basically a hard pick that Nash sold.
Horry’s play was cleaner than Robin’s. Given that Nash was on the ground at the time, it’s really not even close. Robin’s play was far more dangerous and potentially injurious than the hip check heard round the world.
It’s interesting to note that they both occurred in games where the game was close and potentially winnable for both teams.
Twitter: @MikeLisboa
It was only dangerous..
because they let cameras and people sit less than 3 feet from where extremely large men are going to be running full speed directly at them sometimes jumping in the air.
TO THE NBA - " Yeah, you have created a rift within me ; Now there have been ; several complications ; that have left me feeling nothing ; I might say, you were ; wrong to take it from me ; Left me feeling nothing " - Disturbed, "Numb"
With out those camera guys he probably doesnt have a need to dive over the first 2 or 3 guys and catch’s his balance before anything happens.
So really I don’t know.
A bunch of hoopla in MHO.
TO THE NBA - " Yeah, you have created a rift within me ; Now there have been ; several complications ; that have left me feeling nothing ; I might say, you were ; wrong to take it from me ; Left me feeling nothing " - Disturbed, "Numb"
I think it was his temper more than anything
His pass got picked and he was kinda pissed, so he wasn’t going to let AK score. I think if he could have made a play on the ball he would have.
the replay
looks like he’s going to make a play and then decides not to at the lest split second bringing his hands down and pushing him at the shoulders.
TO THE NBA - " Yeah, you have created a rift within me ; Now there have been ; several complications ; that have left me feeling nothing ; I might say, you were ; wrong to take it from me ; Left me feeling nothing " - Disturbed, "Numb"
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
Related FanPosts on Bright Side Of The Sun
Related FanShots on Bright Side Of The Sun
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
SBNation.com Recent Stories
In Association With
Follow us on Twitter
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
