More from Scoop and Nash

by TexSUN on Apr 16, 2007 12:21 PM MDT Comment 11 comments

Editor's Note: We spoke about Scoop's article awhile back. Here's a follow up that TexSUN alerted us to.

Slightly buried on ESPN.com today is a followup interview Scoop Jackson did with Steve Nash following the article Scoop wrote last week about Nash and the whole Wilt/Bird/Russell debate. A couple of things stood out...

Steve apparently initiated the call (presumably at Scoop's request), even knowing the interview was going to be about a subject he's no doubt uncomfortable talking about (not just the MVP itself, but all the controversy surrounding it). I wonder if this is normal that the interviewee calls the interviewer when he's ready to begin?
Sounds like Steve would really like to win the MVP himself a lot more than it usually comes off during interviews with him on the subject. (Although he still says he'd be perfectly fine with it and really happy for his friend if Dirk won it instead).
Maybe some of the earlier suspicions that Steve might be saving himself for the playoffs a little were true. He mentions playing "at a more efficient pace" as one of the ways he feels he has improved this year

He also talks a lot about what he thinks it would be like to win a championship, and what that might do to his (and the team's) motivation once they finally accomplish that feat. He makes some excellent points about how a team can't just talk about being hungry for a championship, it has to go out and earn it every day.

All in all, an interesting interview (probably more interesting than the original article even). :)

Poll

How would winning a championship affect the team's motivation in future seasons?

It would help - winning one would make them hungry for another.

8 votes

It would hurt - no championship will ever be as sweet as the first one.

0 votes

8 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 11 comments

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Comments

... thanks for the link!

Great article. I'm actually happy to see Nash appearing at least a little interested in winning that MV3.

As a side note, it's a fact in basketball these days that the older players just don't give all they have during the first two thirds of the regular season including Nash. I mean, give Dallas all the credit in the world for their incredible season but it's the old Spurs who have the best record as of late (as far as wins go) and that's not a coincidence... I'm confident Nash and our guys can take it up another notch as well.

by Travis on Apr 16, 2007 12:32 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Thanks

I have not read the article (have to wait until I go home tonight), but based on the tidbits you provided, here are my thoughts.

Nash is human and a competitor. There is no way he would be completely disinterested in winning MV3 and becoming a part of history. He has worked hard to get better, and an individual reward would be almost as sweet as the team reward (winning the title).

I have seen him take his game up a few notches in recent games- that shows that he is still interested in proving himself.

When SA was losing earlier in the season, Dantoni kept saying that come playoff time they will be ready. That's how some of the championship teams operate (Miami last year and again this year- although partly due to injuries- is case in point). Some teams like Utah, NOK gave it all in the first half of the season and may be running out of gas now. It is a long season, and it is not surprising that some teams are pacing themselves. I am glad to see the Suns gaining momentum.

I can't wait to read the article, but I have to wait about 9 hours.

by Vash01 on Apr 16, 2007 1:40 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

texsun article

Great article, thanks

I really like Nash, what great comments. Good thoughts about pacing themselves, etc. After watching Dallas play the Spurs, Dallas just didn't look nearly as good as the first half of the season,
I really think the momentum is slipping away from the Mavs and the Suns are building it!

by jasonsuns1 on Apr 16, 2007 4:01 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

An informal poll shows Dirk ahead... by a few

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=590986

An informal poll of 18 regular "media members" who regularly cover the league (whoever that is, I don't know) says that Dirk is winning the MVP race by four points.

When comparing potential MVPs on the elite teams I'd have to go with (in my very unbiased opinion which means absolutely nothing):

Nash
Duncan
Dirk

If enough media voters put Dirk in third (not that many will) That should make it an even tighter race.

by Travis on Apr 16, 2007 5:45 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Media are promoting Dirk

I get the distinct feeling that the media- TV, NBA site, newspapers, announcers are promoting Dirk as the chosen one this year. Exceptions are there of course- like a Paul Coro article in the arizona republic this morning. He thinks Nash has a slight edge, but I think that's just his preference.

It is disappointing that the informal poll shows Dirk winning. The Mavs don't need Dirk to win. The Suns need Nash and the Spurs need Duncan (as we witnessed yesterday).

I seriously doubt that any media member will put Dirk in 3rd place. He is afterall the only star on the winningest team this season.

Why did this informal vote get out? To influence others?

by Vash01 on Apr 16, 2007 10:46 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Well..

There were all sorts of informal polls around this time last year. Most of them were (correctly, as it turns out) predicting a win for Nash. I doubt many Suns fans were complaining about them then. I certainly wasn't. :)

Look, we can't do anything about the MVP vote at this point. Distressing over it isn't going to help. I say worry about the things that matter at this point. Like getting the Suns past the Spurs in the second round (yes, I'm doing what the Suns should not do, and assuming they're going to get past whoever they play in the first). Honestly, I'm tired of thinking about, worrying about, talking about, or even caring about who wins MVP at this point.

by TexSUN on Apr 16, 2007 11:40 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

LOL

I guess I have "points" on the mind tonight. I used the phrase "at this point" three times in that paragraph. It's late. I'm tired. Didn't mean to be a grump. Goodnight!

by TexSUN on Apr 16, 2007 11:41 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Great article

Thanks texSun. That was a great read. Nash just keeps amazing me by how humble yet confident he is. I think someone with such desire to win the championship will win it someday. I don't know if it will happen this year or next year or the next, but he and Amare are some of the most goal oriented individuals. The Suns are lucky for having two such players on their team.

I like the fact that Nash would like his friend Dirk to experience what he experienced. I respect him for that, but I really believe that Nash is more deserving of that trophy this year too.

by Vash01 on Apr 16, 2007 11:41 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Hey, Vash

Did you read my comment in the other thread about the phone call I got tonight? Amazing how Nash managed to be playing in Houston and calling me from New York at the same time. LOL. (It's in the Paola Bovin thread in case you missed it).

by TexSUN on Apr 16, 2007 11:43 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I saw it

Yes, it was very funny. :)

by Vash01 on Apr 16, 2007 11:46 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm also tired

of talking about the MVP. At this point (that's a shout-out to you TexSUN! :-D ), I think it is a foregone conclusion that Dirk will get it. And as someone pointed out earlier, that may be a good thing because maybe the Mavs will let up a little bit. If Steve wins again, the team will just be that much more fired up to prove that Dirk is the true MVP.

by Dan on Apr 17, 2007 1:10 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs