| | |  | | NBA Finals? Plenty of money? Why isn't this enough to motivate Reggie Miller? |
INDIANAPOLIS -- I watched intently as Indiana Pacers guard Reggie Miller
went 1-for-16 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Anybody can have an off-night, I thought, even the best of shooters in the
world, which, I have no doubt, Miller is.
But the next day, I altogether changed my forgiving, understanding self.
Because that day, Miller was asked if he had an off-game because he did
not have enough bile built up, did not have a Spike Lee to taunt, a New York
crowd to incite, a nemesis, an enemy.
And much to my dismay, Miller admitted that was the case.
"I don't have any bad feelings about L.A.," said Miller, who happens to
be from the City of Angels. "But you know, you need that extra motivation,
you need that extra ... something to get you ticked off.
"I think I created that myself by going one for 16 of my first-ever NBA
Finals. So, I'm more upset with myself now. Now I've got to contend with
myself, which is kind of scary, if you can believe that."
I heard Miller say this, and I had one immediate thought:
WHAT?
Are you kidding me? You need extra motivation?
I cannot stress enough how insulting that is, both to myself, a fan of
basketball, as well as Miller's teammates, fans, and perhaps especially the
Pacers owners.
You need extra motivation?
So let me get this straight. Miller makes, what, $10 million a year. That
is not motivation enough?
Miller never has won a championship, never even been in an NBA Finals. And
that's not motivation enough?
Miller's playing on the world's stage, in front of hundreds of millions
of people, and that is not motivation enough?
My flabber is completely ghasted.
If I was Larry Bird, I'd say: Here, you want some motivation? Go sit on
the end of the bench.
Hey, he'd be just as effective. After all, after getting angry at himself
-- and really, who can ever be that angry at themselves, for we all are
narcissistic to a degree, particularly NBA players -- he failed to score a
basket in the final 15 minutes.
Apparently, he did not have motivation enough to score.
Unbelievable.
So as I gawk in wonderment at Miller's lack of desire, I have tried to
find other things, both at the Finals and around the league, to entertain me.
Like when I was walking into practice at the Staples Center the other day,
and there, in the parking lot, is none other than Jack Haley, who is doing
analysis for Fox Sports -- I think; who knows with Haley.
Anyway, he has the trunk to his mini van open, and in the back are a mountain of clothes. He pulls a tie from somewhere in the stack -- who knows if it
matched -- and starts putting it on.
At the same time, former Warriors coach P.J. Carlesimo, doing work for
ESPN Radio, walks by, and yells out, "Hey, Jack, you want to use my room?"
Ouch! Jack's getting the same respect as a broadcaster he got as a player.
Later that day, I hear Kobe Bryant is engaged.
That's nice, I say. Who is she?
An 18-year-old high school senior.
What? And I thought all along Kobe was smart.
So let me get this straight: Kobe is 20 years old, he is the ultimate
golden child of a city where there are many golden children, he has an $87
million contract, he is good looking as sin, he can do anything he wants, and
he is marrying an 18-year-old high school senior.
What am I missing here?
This is not to say that I think Kobe should go out and Kempify himself,
having umpteen children with umpteen different women, but good God, live life
a little, would ya, Kob? You're 20. I realize you've seen the world, done
things many of us will never do, but c'mon, this may sound cynical, but I'm
thinking this is putting some restrictions on yourself.
God bless you, I hope you and your teenage bride make it, but jeez, I'm
stunned.
Almost as stunned as when I found out the Washington Wizards are trying to
hire Leonard Hamilton as their head coach.
Leonard Hamilton? I wonder if he's related to Alexander Hamilton -- who,
if you recall, got killed by some colonial cat named Burr in a duel. Do you
see the parallel?
What's even more beautiful about this is the University of Miami is trying
to milk the situation for $1 million.
That, after the Golden State Warriors tried to milk the Wizards for their
first-round draft pick when they tried to hire away Rod Higgins.
And on the heels of that, the Wizards bungled hiring Mike Jarvis.
Hey Mikey, this basketball administration stuff is not as easy as it first
sounded, is it? Perhaps you can forgive Crumbs Krause a little.
The only reason I can think that Washington would want to hire Leonard
Hamilton -- a guy who has a losing record in 10 years at Miami -- is that
they are signing a pawn who they can easily fire once things get, hopefully,
turned around.
"Leonard, I'd like to introduce you to Rod Strickland. Rod doesn't like
to show up for practice, but that's OK, he'll be gone in two years. Lenny,
this is Juwan Howard. He has the most overblown contract in the history of
the NBA. He won't be here in the future, either. And Len, this is Mitch
Richmond. You've got him for one year. Oh, by the way, Leonardo, when these
guys are gone, so are you. That's when we'll go after somebody people have
actually heard of."
Which brings me to the Indiana coaching vacancy.
Perhaps if Donnie Walsh hires Spike Lee to coach the Pacers next season,
Reggie will always have that extra motivation.
And finally, I wonder if the first thing that Stu Jackson now that he's in the NBA office is
fine Dick Versace an undisclosed amount. After all, Versace did fire Jackson and
take his job.
Frank Hughes covers the NBA for the Tacoma (Wash.) News-Tribune. He is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.
| |
ALSO SEE
Indiana at Los Angeles
Miller fails to produce in fourth quarter
 Hughes: Winning at a new level
|
