Shane Battier to sign with the Heat

[arydolphin]

Shane just announced this on his Twitter account: http://twitter.com/#!/ShaneBattier

[camion]

Now I'm really conflicted.

[BattierD12]

[UrinalCake]

Best of luck to him, he deserves to play for a winner. Maybe we'll be able to put to rest the whole "Duke does not produce NBA players who win champhionships" line.

[Son of Mojo]

It's hard to argue with a visionary leader like Michael Scott....I would've preferred if he had waited to see a little longer if the Lakers moves develop, but you can't deny he helps this team out and gives them things they were really needing a year ago. Not a James or Bosh fan, but this does make them look a lot better in regards to how their season may end. Now if they could pull a few more Devils down there to get a ring.....

[elvis14]

Is it OK if I root for LBJ to get injured and then for the Heat to win a championship?

Add me to the conflicted list. And before anybody starts to think I'm actually the Devil, I am just kidding about LBJ getting hurt.

[sagegrouse]

I rejoiced in Miami's loss last year to the Mavs, but once was enough for me. The loss gave King James his comeuppance for the circus around his announcement. Nevertheless, he is the best player in the league (or, at least the player you would pick if you were starting a franchise). I look forward to having another Duke player added to our short list of NBA champions (Mullins and Ferry).

The departure from Cleveland? What did you expect? What did Lebron owe the Cavs -- except a somewhat more polite refusal to re-sign? Of course he was going elsewhere. In fact, I hear the entire population of Akron Ohio also wanted to move to Miami.

sage

[COYS]

I rejoiced in Miami's loss last year to the Mavs, but once was enough for me. The loss gave King James his comeuppance for the circus around his announcement. Nevertheless, he is the best player in the league (or, at least the player you would pick if you were starting a franchise). I look forward to having another Duke player added to our short list of NBA champions (Mullins and Ferry).

The departure from Cleveland? What did you expect? What did Lebron owe the Cavs -- except a somewhat more polite refusal to re-sign? Of course he was going elsewhere. In fact, I hear the entire population of Akron Ohio also wanted to move to Miami.

sage

I feel pretty much the same way you do, sage. Lebron is frustrating to me because I think he's only 75% as good as he could be if he worked to refine his game a bit more (the back up dribble to half court is WAAAYYY too common of a move for him), not that I'm a Heat fan. That being said, I love that Battier is in a position to join a real contender like the Heat. The team will only benefit from his locker room presence, his focus, his relentlessness, and his defensive ability.

[MChambers]

I feel pretty much the same way you do, sage. Lebron is frustrating to me because I think he's only 75% as good as he could be if he worked to refine his game a bit more (the back up dribble to half court is WAAAYYY too common of a move for him), not that I'm a Heat fan. That being said, I love that Battier is in a position to join a real contender like the Heat. The team will only benefit from his locker room presence, his focus, his relentlessness, and his defensive ability.

So far, Coach K is the only coach who's been able to win a championship with Lebron. Maybe having Battier as a teammate will have a similar effect.

[DukeFanSince1990]

Best of luck to him, he deserves to play for a winner. Maybe we'll be able to put to rest the whole "Duke does not produce NBA players who win champhionships" line.

Amen, brother. More power to Shane.

[Jderf]

I rejoiced in Miami's loss last year to the Mavs, but once was enough for me. The loss gave King James his comeuppance for the circus around his announcement. Nevertheless, he is the best player in the league (or, at least the player you would pick if you were starting a franchise). I look forward to having another Duke player added to our short list of NBA champions (Mullins and Ferry).

The departure from Cleveland? What did you expect? What did Lebron owe the Cavs -- except a somewhat more polite refusal to re-sign? Of course he was going elsewhere. In fact, I hear the entire population of Akron Ohio also wanted to move to Miami.

sage

Have to agree. Great move for Shane. Great move for the Heat.

I also cheered against the Heat in the finals last year, but only because I'm originally from Dallas. If it had been any other team (with a few exceptions), I probably would have pulled for the Heat -- just because they get some much unjustified vitriol from the general public that it actually pushes me in the opposite direction.

[CDu]

Have to agree. Great move for Shane. Great move for the Heat.

I also cheered against the Heat in the finals last year, but only because I'm originally from Dallas. If it had been any other team (with a few exceptions), I probably would have pulled for the Heat -- just because they get some much unjustified vitriol from the general public that it actually pushes me in the opposite direction.

To be fair, I don't think the angst is unjustified. They started counting their coming championships before they actually did anything. You're gonna catch a lot of grief for that. Sort of like what the Eagles got early this year for the Vince Young "dream team" comment, only on a bigger scale (because what they did was on a bigger scale). And then they've followed it up by repeatedly playing the victim card last year. Then, they had the embarrassing incident making fun of Nowitzki playing sick.

When you repeatedly present yourself as the unlikable villain in an entertainment business, it shouldn't be a surprise that the general public treats you as such.

Eventually, folks will move on, but only when the Heat stop giving them ammunition. Folks have moved on from the Eagles - largely because the Eagles have stunk, but also because they have repeated since said the "dream team" comment was stupid and wrong.

[SmartDevil]

I'm a bit surprised and disappointed too. But perhaps elements of Shane can rub on his new teammates and he'll help them mature and grow as people.

In any case, I hope Shane, a former Devil, thrives in the Heat !

[hq2]

Well, it'll make it less easy to hate them now. Battier is exactly the glue player they need; does
everything to help his teammates win, and can shoot good open look jumpers (should get plenty
of those now). I'd say their title chances just went up a lot.

[Indoor66]

I get all the Heat games on local TV so this pleases me. I will get to see a lot of Shane and enjoy his play. This should make the Heat better. He may be the missing piece.

[NSDukeFan]

Just as I am (at least for now) a Sixer, Sun, Magic, Pacer, (whatever team Shelden is on), Bobcat and Bulls fan, I am now also at least somewhat of a Heat, Cav and Blazer fan. Go Shane! Hopefully, next year I will also be a Piston fan. For now, go Real Madrid!

[CDu]

Just as I am (at least for now) a Sixer, Sun, Magic, Pacer, (whatever team Shelden is on), Bobcat and Bulls fan, I am now also at least somewhat of a Heat, Cav and Blazer fan. Go Shane! Hopefully, next year I will also be a Piston fan. For now, go Real Madrid!

Pretty soon you'll just have to be an NBA fan in general.

[LSanders]

Well ... Considering it's Shane (CONGRATS, btw) ... I guess I'll have to root for them -- But, I don't have to like it!

The best outcome would be that his defense and IQ make them gel, which turns them into a champion.

[NSDukeFan]

Pretty soon you'll just have to be an NBA fan in general.

And with awhom11's help a Euro Basket fan as well, even with no Trajan. Hopefully, I'll have to start cheering for Lance's, Jon's, Kyle's, Miles', Mason's, Austin's, Ryan's, Andre's and Seth's teams in the next couple of years, all while Grant continues to play like he is still in his late twenties- early thirties.

[CDu]

Well ... Considering it's Shane (CONGRATS, btw) ... I guess I'll have to root for them -- But, I don't have to like it!

The best outcome would be that his defense and IQ make them gel, which turns them into a champion.

Well, to be fair, they were pretty close to winning a championship without Battier. And next year, they'll have a healthier Haslem and another year of chemistry. So there's a very real chance they were going to win without Battier. Signing Battier helps improve their chances even further, but I don't think he'll be the primary difference in them winning a championship.

The one positive I can take from this is that there's a good chance Battier can be a contributing role player on a championship team. Unfortunately for me - as a Bulls fan - it means I'll have to actively cheer against his team. When he was in the West, his team's success had very little implication on my team's success.