Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: Grant Hill

  1. #1

    Grant Hill

    Man, I really disliked this article. Maybe I'm just tired or something right now but the guy sounds like he's happy to see Hill's struggles.

    As for Hill never getting out of the first round, maybe if he hadn't ruined his ankle playing for a team and city when any rational Doctor would have forbidden him from doing so, he would have had some more years of dominant basketball.

    But yea, I guess even though Hill sacraficed his body and unfortunately, in many ways, the best years of his career for his team, we should still attack him for what he has not accomplished.

    http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sport...3646113.column

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Deeetroit City
    Quote Originally Posted by jma4life View Post
    Man, I really disliked this article. Maybe I'm just tired or something right now but the guy sounds like he's happy to see Hill's struggles.

    As for Hill never getting out of the first round, maybe if he hadn't ruined his ankle playing for a team and city when any rational Doctor would have forbidden him from doing so, he would have had some more years of dominant basketball.

    But yea, I guess even though Hill sacraficed his body and unfortunately, in many ways, the best years of his career for his team, we should still attack him for what he has not accomplished.

    http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sport...3646113.column
    Grant is like that one girlfriend (or boyfriend) you never really get over. Fans fall in love with him, he is intelligent, wellspoken and engaging in interviews, he participates in the community, and on the court is a blend of the perfect team player and a Sports Center highlight reel. Then he leaves.

    In neither instance did he leave for more money - he left for "a better situation." In both cities that was interpreted to mean "your team isn't good enough for me."

    In Detroit it was so poorly received because Joe Dumars had just taken over and it was thought that he and Grant were close (they lived just several houses apart) and Grant didn't give Joe a chance. Without even getting an offer from the Pistons, Grant secretly flew down to Orlando and returned with an offer he had accepted. To Grant's credit, he allowed the Pistons to negotiate a sign and trade to get Grant more money, which netted the Pistons Ben Wallace. Much bitterness ensued.

    Frankly, when a player plays the system and jumps to supposedly better teams, it is fair for the jilted team to compare relative subsequent success. While the injuries should never happen to such a nice person, it is also fair to note Grant has had way more than his share. I believe it is a testament to Grant's toughness that he keeps coming back. Any other player with that much sitting in the bank would say to hell with the level of rehab required and just retire.

    As for the accusation that the Pistons ruined his ankle with a misdiagnosis, that noise subsided after the second or third round of operations in Orlando. The doctor that made the claim about the Piston's diagnosis misdiagnosed the problem as well. It turned out the injury was more of an alignment issue which required reshaping the bones in the ankle. Even Grant has exonerated the Pistons; he even strongly entertained the idea of returning to the Pistons, but chose the Suns instead. The bitterness in Detroit faded with Grant's medical problems, he would have been welcomed back.

  3. #3

    Conflicted

    Quote Originally Posted by jma4life View Post
    Man, I really disliked this article. Maybe I'm just tired or something right now but the guy sounds like he's happy to see Hill's struggles.

    As for Hill never getting out of the first round, maybe if he hadn't ruined his ankle playing for a team and city when any rational Doctor would have forbidden him from doing so, he would have had some more years of dominant basketball.

    But yea, I guess even though Hill sacraficed his body and unfortunately, in many ways, the best years of his career for his team, we should still attack him for what he has not accomplished.

    http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sport...3646113.column

    Being a Duke fan since long before Grant, I moved to central Florida the year Orlando went to the NBA finals - 1995. Grant coming to the Magic was a great thing, but the way things turned out left me very, very conflicted. As a Magic fan I was really disappointed when Grant did not stay for the veteran minimum but wished him well. However, being this close to the situation I can really understand the bitterness. And that's what it is... bitterness over the bad luck (Grant), management (a hockey GM?), drafts (Vasquez is STILL in Europe) and coaching (Doc/Donovan) over the past 12 years. The best thing during Grant's stay (no criticism of Grant... maybe the other star that will remain unnamed... not Grant) in Orlando was the first pick that got us Dwight. It's just bitterness that nothing but a win over the Pistons will cure.

    Just wait until we trade JJ for next to nothing and he starts lighting it up somewhere else. I wonder how bitter this guy will be then.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by BD80 View Post
    ....he even strongly entertained the idea of returning to the Pistons, but chose the Suns instead. The bitterness in Detroit faded with Grant's medical problems, he would have been welcomed back.
    Absolutely true. Grant was worshiped in the D. He married a Windsor girl and was elevated to royalty, for heaven's sake. Of course it stung when he left but fans were giddy at the prospect of a possible return. I wish we had gotten him instead of Gary Sheffield (sigh, one expensive train wreck taking place in Comerica right now...)

    And watching JJ disappearing on the Orlando bench is sad. Putting him on Rip Hamilton was cringe-making.

  5. #5

    injury

    Alright, I hadn't heard about the misdiagnosis.

    Nonetheless, having had my fair share of injuries in the last two years, I have become particularly sensitive when it comes to calling that have gone through the stuff Hill has endured.

    For clarification, was Grant leaving Detroit analogous though not as bad to Lebron basically negotiating with New York w/o informing Cleveland and then letting them go to NY as a sign and trade?

    Either way, the article struck me as having a "laugh last" attitude and for a guy who is as high character as Hill and who has had the misfortunes that Hill had, I didn't like it.

    And regardless of the diagnosis, the guy still sacrificed his body for the team. Even if they thought it was an injury that couldn't be worsened, he still had to play through pretty significant pain.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Deeetroit City
    Quote Originally Posted by jma4life View Post
    For clarification, was Grant leaving Detroit analogous though not as bad to Lebron basically negotiating with New York w/o informing Cleveland and then letting them go to NY as a sign and trade?
    Grant was the consummate professional here in Detroit. He would never have courted another team the way Lebron has played footsie with New York. Grant was 100% Pistons while he was a Piston.

    Either way, the article struck me as having a "laugh last" attitude and for a guy who is as high character as Hill and who has had the misfortunes that Hill had, I didn't like it.

    And regardless of the diagnosis, the guy still sacrificed his body for the team. Even if they thought it was an injury that couldn't be worsened, he still had to play through pretty significant pain.
    I don't like the article either, I was just saying that it isn't totally unfair. Grant is still my all-time favorite player. He may be even more well-spoken than Shane. One can only imagine what his career would have been like if he hadn't been repeatedly sidelined with injuries. I imagine Kobe without the shooting range, but a better team player.

  7. #7

    Nothing wrong with article

    I'm a big Grant Hill fan going back to his days at South Lakes and I didn't find the article unfair at all.
    He was one of the most talented players to hit the NBA in the 1990s and hasn't won a single playoff series. Facts are facts.
    It didn't seem to me that Bianchi was celebrating it. He sounded kind of sympathetic to me. Good person or not, you don't get it done in the pros, you deserve the heat.

  8. #8

    Heat

    You deserve heat for having your career ruined by ankle injuries?

    We may as well say Jason Williams or Bobby Hurley were failures for not leading their teams out of the first round of the playoffs.

    You can certainly criticize him for his first few years I guess but after the injuries kick in, it was a different Grant Hill. It was not the Hill that was a perennial all star, wasn't the Hill that Jordan said had the best chance of being the next Jordan, etc.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by IStillHateJimBain View Post
    He was one of the most talented players to hit the NBA in the 1990s and hasn't won a single playoff series. Facts are facts.
    It is a fact, but a meaningless one. Individuals don't win games; teams do.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by IStillHateJimBain View Post
    Ggood person or not, you don't get it done in the pros, you deserve the heat.

    That is an awfully harsh statement there, Nobody deserves being on the Miami Heat.

    Correct me if I'm wrong; didn't the Pistons offer Hill several contracts during the season that were turned down? Hill finally got fed up with the process and decided he wasn't going to negotiate anymore with the Pistons. The contracts Grant was being offered were ridiculous. The last contract offer he got from the Pistons was 20 mil under what the Magic offered him in the end. How many people in there right minds are going to leave 20 mil on the table?

    I don't know why the people in Orlando are so upset. Both Grant and the Magic feel as though they got what they wanted. Grant was told that he was welcomed back playing for a minimum salary and he would be playing behind Rashard Lewis no matter what. Grant told the Magic if he didn't have a chance to start in Orlando he would like to shop for other teams that would give him that shot at a starting position. The magic gave Grant their blessings to do so. Grant signed for the minimum in Phoenix which proves it wasn't for money but for the chance to play.

    Orlando fans seem to think Grant left for money, they felt cheated for all the money they had paid Grant when he was injured. The fans thought Grant owed them by playing for the minimum salary. They thought this would help in Grant repaying the Orlando area and team for their generosity while he was injured.

    What the Orlando fans don't realize is they got a player who gave it is all everyday of the week no matter if he was injured or not. Any other player would have taken the money and never made a comeback attempt. After one of his 5 operations on his ankle Grant almost lost his life after coming down with a severe staph infection. Grant Hill should be included as a definition in the dictionary for two words, perseverance and inspiration.

Similar Threads

  1. Grant Hill got a T
    By BD80 in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 03-15-2008, 03:16 AM
  2. GRANT HILL forever
    By dukemomLA in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 12-28-2007, 08:40 PM
  3. Great article about Grant Hill
    By BCGroup in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 12-20-2007, 04:29 PM
  4. Grant Hill - 17 years later
    By BobbyFan in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 12-07-2007, 08:55 AM
  5. Grant Hill to Phoenix
    By thebur in forum Elizabeth King Forum
    Replies: 43
    Last Post: 09-28-2007, 02:19 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •