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I actually wondered if I would ever get around to writing this article. Then I read this poston a fellow Jazz blog. To be fair, it was not the blog master writing, but a "FanPost", so I want it to be clear I'm not taking this out on Basketball John.
A few really quick points I want to make in response to that post.
Myth #1: Boozer is faking the severity of his injury and is trying to miss games.
CB Jack: This is not a myth. Faking is the key word here. I'm not sure anyone has ever accused him of faking. I haven't. True Blue Jazz hasn't. What I have accused him of is "milking" his injury and extending it beyond a reasonable recovery time. Listen to one interview with Kevin O'Connor or Larry H. Miller and you can hear the hesitation in their voices every time this subject comes up. Why won't they come out and just say that they believe he is injury you ask? Because it will only devalue their asset. Remember, that is all he is to this team. An asset. And for being such "incredible athletes" and "in the best physical shape possible" it sure has taken him a long time to recover from this injury. 3 MRI's? If it was as serious as he is playing it out to be, there wouldn't be a need for 3 MRI's. 1 or 2 would suffice.
Myth #3: Boozer cost us the series against the Lakers last season.
CB Jack: Puhleeeze. We all saw it first hand. The guy disappeared. He made Pau Gasol look like an Uber superstar and he helped Lamar Odom realize his potential for 6 games. He was horrible in the series. Just because you're "clutch" in the regular season, does not mean your a clutch player. Do it in the playoffs to award someone that title. Had Carlos played like he did against the Rockets, the Jazz would have won that series in 6. Period. Can a guy have a bad series? Sure, and I can still say "that guy cost us the series".
Myth #4: Boozer is a snake and disloyal to the Utah Jazz.
CB Jack. Not a myth. The opting out of the contract has nothing to do with it. We all knew it was going to happen. It was the timing of the announcement. He is a snake. The Jazz were 11-6 prior to the NJ game and the subsequent Boozergate announcement. They are 9-8 since that game. That is the sign of a cancer. How many times have you heard a Jazz player say "We can't wait to get him back?". Not as many as have said "We just have to move forward and play without him". Say what you want, but he is no longer the captain of this team. No more than President Bush is still leading our country.
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Now on to more reasons I am sick of Boozer and his story.
I am sick and tired of especially the OFFICIAL STATION OF THE UTAH JAZZ defending Carlos (see D. Locke...no too revealing....see David L.). Newsflash: The talking heads on this station get their paychecks from the same guy that Carlos is collecting from. They have a biased opinion and make Jazz fans out to be ignorant and stupid. They go as far as to even say in on Air. So is this station truly "the place for Jazz fans" or is it "the place for LHM Group employees to defend each other". I listen daily and will continue to do so, but please, stop trying to convince Jazz fans that Carlos is innocent and anyone who thinks otherwise isn't in "the know".
The only media member I've heard who sees things the way I do is John Lund of 1280 The Zone. Listen to him and he agrees that there is something just not right about Carlos Boozer. Whether we ever pin point it or not, there is something just not right about him.
"If you were in his shoes, you would sit out and make sure you were 100% healthy too"
What a horrible comment. Why? These are multi-millionaire athletes who get paid for playing a game. Plain and simple. Nobody has the right to tell me, an average Jazz fan sitting in the upper bowl and getting one t-shirt each Christmas, to relate with Carlos Boozer who will be making $11,893,517 this year (the average fan makes 0.0042% of Carlos' annual salary). It is completely unrealistic and it is condescending to ask me to. I don't care if I was in his shoes, I could never imagine being in his shoes. I'm 5'9 and 162 lbs dripping wet out of the shower. I have twin boys and am trying to raise a family on one income from a job straight out of college. Don't you dare try and get me to compare myself to Carlos Boozer. I am a fan of the Jazz, not Boozer. All I want if for my team to win...and do it with players who love the game and appreciate the talents they have been given in this life.
"It's just a business decision. You would do the same thing if you were in the situation"
Business decision? Screw business decisions. Isn't the NBA a game for the fans? Isn't it about a group of men who have a love of the game and want to put their heart on the court every chance they can? Call me naive, call me innocent. I watch the NBA because I love the game and the art that it is. If I want lessons on Business Decisions I will go back to the David Eccles School of Business at the U and get an MBA. Play the game because you love it. Nothing more. If you are playing for business, you best go buy a velvet lavender suit coat and get into real estate. I want basketball players on my team, not entrepreneurs.
"He is watching out for #1. Himself"
That is the truth. And guess what? I am watching out for #1 as well. CB Jack the fan. The same way Carlos is watching out for himself so he doesn't get screwed as a player? I am watching out for my love of the Jazz to make sure I don't get screwed as a fan. And guess what Jazz fans. I think we've been screwed.
|
Carlos Boozer |
CB Jack or Average Fan |
| Annual Salary |
$11,893,517 |
$50,000 (0.0042% of Carlos') |
| Profession |
Playing a game |
Banking/Construction/Sales |
| Hours per Week |
30 |
40-65 |
| Transportation |
Ferrari/Maseratti |
Honda Accord or Ford F-150
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I can boo/hiss/dislike/blog about Carlos Boozer all day long. I'm a Jazz fan, not a Boozer fan. I know my thoughts are random. I've put this post together over a few days so forgive me. I love this topic so I'm open for all comments and rebuttals. I know there are a lot of people out there who don't feel the way I do and I want to hear your side. I probably missed or overlooked something, but I wanted to at least post my thoughts on the man.
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