The Phoenix Suns Should Keep Amar’e Stoudemire Even if It Hurts
The Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA) have one of the premier players in the league in Amar’e Stoudemire. They may lose him to free agency this off-season though, if they cannot come up with an offer that competes with what another team may give him. Even though they have an advantage over the other teams because Amar’e appears to want to stay here, they will still have to pay him close to a maximum contract to keep him. If the Suns lose Amar’e to free agency, they will lose more than just points scored and other statistics from the basketball player nicknamed STAT, they will lose a commodity that brings people to the games, increases excitement for their fans, puts a national spotlight on the organization and money in their pockets. If Robert Sarver, majority owner of the Suns, fails to re-sign Amar’e he automatically diminishes his product in a way that can’t easily be fixed anytime soon by just adding any other player they manage to sign in the off-season. It will affect the interest level of even lifelong Suns fans like me and hit the franchise in the pocketbook. They must re-sign Amar’e Stoudemire even if they have to give him a maximum contract and pay him more than they think he is worth.
It is likely that other teams will offer Amar’e a maximum contract or very near to add one of the games most exciting and dominant inside players. He is one of the best scorers in the game and can take over a game especially on the offensive end. He would be a valuable addition to any team that needs an inside game. If another team offers Amar’e a maximum contract and the Suns do not come up with a comparable offer, he will most likely leave and he has stated as much.
Amar’e has suggested recently that he helped bring excitement for the NBA to the valley and he implies if he leaves the NBA buzz will be gone as well. I always have been a Suns fan and I have managed to watch most of the games over the last 20 years. I remember going to Suns games at the old arena nicknamed the Mad House on McDowell with my father. My interest was at an all-time high with Sir Charles Barkley, Kevin Johnson, Tom Chambers and the rest of the high-scoring Suns during the early Nineties. When I first saw Amar’e Stoudemire play in his rookie year and throw down powerful and athletic dunks over other bigger and more established players, he immediately became my favorite Suns player. I still marvel at the skills of the other players. I am still awed by Steve Nash’s shooting and passing abilities, but Amar’e Stoudemire making a move in the lane and powering past another NBA player for an in-your-face slam dunk is one of the most exciting plays to see in sports. If the Suns lose Amar’e to free agency, the fans lose those dunks and that excitation only he brings.
The Phoenix Suns style of basketball and offensive firepower does bring its own passion to their games as well. The Suns had the highest team scoring average of any team in the league at 110 points per game and had the best three point shooting percentage at 41.2% according to NBA.com. The three point shot in basketball is one of the more thrilling plays and the Suns are incredibly fun to watch especially when they are playing hard on the defensive end. Plenty of NBA fever will be left in the Phoenix Suns arena even if Amar’e goes. Opponents to overpaying Stoudemire would point out that he is not the only reason for excitement about the Suns. I would agree. Amar’e is not the only component to an entertaining basketball team, but he does have that star quality and ferocity to his game on the court that makes him a very valuable part of that emotion. If he leaves, a big part of that fanaticism for the team leaves as well.
Amar’e is a unique talent in the league . His game has intangible qualities that go beyond his obvious athletic talent and skills, to make him almost irreplaceable. Other players exist in the league with jaw-dropping, explosive leaping ability. Other players have his outside shooting touch (he is one of the best shooting big men in the NBA) and ability to score. Few players have all those skills and even fewer come in the package that Amar’e presents at 6’10” and 249 pounds. There are not many of them, but there are others, with that special quality that just makes fans pay attention. The problem is that to acquire one of these players like Amar’e, a team has to get lucky. The Suns were lucky to acquire him at the ninth spot in the NBA draft. If they lose him this year, they will have to get lucky to replace him.
Robert Sarver and the Suns may be reluctant to give Amar’e the maximum contract that they are allowed to because the Suns believe that Amar’e is not always a maximum effort player. He has shown considerable strides in this last regular season with his effort on the defensive end and rebounding, two very key areas in which he seemed to lack effort. However, in the post-season this year, he again disappeared or was inconsistent in those areas. He may have lost some of his bargaining chips because of that. Other teams may not be as interested. The Miami Heat’s Pat Riley has already indicated that he would prefer Chris Bosh or Carlos Boozer over Amar’e and Miami was one of the more plausible destinations just before the trade deadline this last season. That could be good for the Suns looking to keep him at less than maximum. However, even if they have to pay him the maximum allowed money, they should because they would be losing revenue on the other end if they don’t. As I said before Amar’e is not all the excitement, but he is a big part of it. He is not all the revenue, but he is a big part of it. People will come to the Suns games if they are winning. More people will come to the Suns games if they are winning and have gravitating and exciting star players. The NBA is the most star driven sports league there is. All the focus is on the star players and Amar’e is one of those star players.
The Suns and Amar’e have tough decisions to make this summer. It is potentially the biggest off-season ever in terms of the amount of big named free agents. Amar’e will first test the waters and then will have to make his decision on where to go. The Suns will have a chance to lock him up before he gets very far if they offer him the maximum contract that he wants upfront. They probably won’t do that, but they should come back to him after he has received other offers and lock him up at that point with whatever amount it takes. Losing Amar’e Stoudemire this off-season would go a long way to crushing the great momentum and enthusiasm that they built with the outstanding regular season and post-season performance that they turned in. The fans of the Phoenix Suns need to hope that Amar’e is back for next year and if he isn’t back fans will all be at least a little disappointed in the team that shows up.
Topics: Uncategorized | 89 Comments »
Athletes on Twitter
OK. I know that my last posts have been basically Suns…
It just happens to be on my mind right now, with the Suns making their playoff run(after missing the playoffs last year…ugh)
Naturally when I am on twitter, Suns tweets and sports related tweets in general are going to catch my eye. It’s a big part of my life. I really enjoy my sports. In fact if it weren’t for sports I probably wouldn’t waste my money or time on TV at all except for the History channel(love history).
Anyways, an essential than for me on twitter is not only connecting with fans of my teams, but now with the proliferation of twitter in sports, whether you like it or not, you might as well follow the athletes on twitter. Some may not have anything really interesting to say in their every day tweets, but you may just find that nugget of truth or indiscretion pop up now again in your favorite athletes tweets.
It adds to the fan experience and anything that adds to the fan experience is a plus. Of course there are down sides to the Twitterizing of sports and some Leagues, owners, coaches, or franchises may take their shots at minimizing the risks of new forums like twitter. It’s also important for these sports entities to embrace and maximize the rewards of social media. I think its great that the Phoenix Suns are one franchise that has done so.
They have a facebook page… http://www.facebook.com/#!/phoenixsuns
A Twitter account … @PhoenixSuns
They run promotions on facebook and their they have several players and their coach tweeting.
- @amareisreal
- @the_real_nash
- @JaredDudley619 …probably the best tweeter among athletes
- @jrich23
- @RealGranthill33
- @eegabeeva88
- @AlvinGentry …Robin Lopez
They also have a lot of members of the Suns organization tweeting. Here a few…
I also found a great site to help you follow all your favorite athletes.
It’s called Sports in 140 (140 referring to the 140 character limit on tweets). It’s basically a directory of all the athletes in all major sports that have a twitter account. Check it out…It’ll save you some time finding and following your favorite athletes…
Well that’s it for now…
But before I leave, I just want to pose a question.
What do you think of athletes twittering? Good or Bad? What context should they stick to with their tweets.
Topics: Sports on twitter | 93 Comments »
Jared Dudley’s(JMZ) locker room interview with STAT
Here is another great video shot after the Suns series winning game in Portland in the Locker Room with Amare…
JMZ AKA Jared Dudley AKA @JaredDudley619 is the best. As Jared Points out Amare has, as always, expanded his game even more. Not only is he giving out all effort on the offensive side, his defensive mindset has totally changed. Stat is now taking charges, blocking shots, playing solid man-to-man defense, and as he recently was heard saying, he is now enjoying playing that team defense.
Also on the offensive end he has really begun to take over games night in and night out starting with his back to the basket isolating, but passing out of double and triple teams and taking the ball to the hole with extreme aggressiveness. He’s become that max player…
Hopefully the suns get it done and get Amare locked up.
Enjoy the video…
Don’t forget to follow @amareisreal, @jareddudley619, the rest of the suns…and of course myself @jepok on twitter.
Topics: phoenix suns, video | 116 Comments »
Jared Dudley Press Conference videos
A couple of new videos from Jared Dudley appearing on his TwitVid site…Press conferences from JRich and Channing Frye…
Dudley works a couple of laughs and uses the actual press conference set. Nice touch…
Check em out.
A couple of chuckles out of Channing make it work…
Now if he could just get some good impersonations of the sports journalists…
You can follow Jared Dudley on Twitter at @JaredDudley619
For more Suns and Amare Stoudemire pics, video and news check out Amare Dunks.com
Topics: phoenix suns, video | 105 Comments »
Amar`e is Real
OK…
Just had to post something about what is probably the best dunk of his career and there have been many.
If you don’t know who “he” is then well this is him…Amar’e Stoudemire of the Phoenix suns…Playing the best basketball of his career and the best currently right now in the NBA!
Ok without further introduction….
The Dunk…Amar`e kills Tolliver…
That is Amar`e…
You can follow him on Twitter @amareisreal
or check out his site…AmareStoudemire.com
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Topics: video | 61 Comments »
Is Google taking over the World?…New ISP Experiment the next step…
With Google announcing their plans for ultra-fast high speed(gig/sec) Internet connection experiment, I can’t help but wonder what’s next on their list to conquer. (see video below(nice friendly blue shirt guy))
1. Internet search and advertising.
2. Smart phones.
3. ISP
4. World?…
They’ve already Got 1 down. They are THE search engine with a ginormous advertising network. They’ve managed to implant themselves into everyday lingo and life. Have you googled yourself lately.
At last look, google android phones are all over the place now with each of the major cell phone networks sporting one or two new phones with the OS in the last few months and popularity in the devices increasing rapidly. (I have a G1 and it’s a great phone). So number 2 is on it’s way.
Now if they can get this ultra high speed Internet thing going(number 3)…who wouldn’t want to be able to use the kind of applications possible with that kind of speed. And who would control this kind of technology, but the people who develop and perfect it.
They should be on there way to what(number 4)…
Ok maybe not, but it kind of reminds me of the first part of one of those action/thriller movies where the seemingly good intentioned company climbs onto the scene and starts to take over everyday life with a series of well placed and well timed moves until the general public is finally aware how much we depend upon them and by that time it’s all too late(for us at least).
Ok, Google’s not the Antichrist…Like I said the I have a G1 and the operating system is great…I love it, but news like this especially coupled with their competition with Facebook and other social media sites, see recent releases about google buzz, give them that trying to take over the world look to me.
I’m sure it’s all very innocent. I mean, what are they supposed to do, just go out and be happy with what they have and not try and grow. It just looks a little scary…good for them.
Just an update to this blog…
Just found this interesting post on twitter…thanks Tech Crunch for adding to the mounting evidence that supports my theory that google is…
PLANNING TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD!!!
Check out the post at the link below.
http://techcrunch.com/2010/03/31/exclusive-google-to-go-nuclear/
Topics: google, video | 97 Comments »
Lightening video
I always enjoy a good lightning display. Check this out…
TDFC9MF4V2HQ
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Topics: Uncategorized, video | 132 Comments »
President Obama calls Kanye West a jackass
As everybody has heard by now. President Obama called Kanye West a jackass in off-the-record pre-interview comments to ABC’s Terry Moran.
Yeah he’s the President, but he’s a real person with an opinion that a lot of people including myself share. Things like this seem to really help Obama.
CNN aired a little more of the audio from that incident that shows the conversation leading up to the “jackass” comment and further endears the President to a lot of the American public…
P.S. To Kanye’s credit, He apologized for the incident and was open about it. I like Kanye’s music and think overall he’s a good guy, but needs an ego check and to show a little more thoughtfulness and respect towards other people. We all make mistakes.
Either way he gave Obama a chance to connect with more people.
Topics: Uncategorized | 118 Comments »
Senator Grahams ‘not’ clap
I love this video. I can’t help but laugh every time I see it. It does bring to mind though how much BS there is in politics. Just do what you believe in already and start there…that would go a long way towards a better America.
Ok that’s enough “I hate partisan politics” for now. Here’s the video. Laugh away.
Topics: video | 5 Comments »
Hello world!
This is the first post at my new blog. Thanks for Checking it out.
There are many things to be found on Twitter. It’s becoming quite the place to search for all kinds of topics people are talking about. You’ll find some interesting things to tweet about here and you can also find me on twitter as Jepok.
You can follow all my tweets and find your own things on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jepok. Check back soon for some more Things I Found On Twitter
By the way this is me to the right.
Topics: Uncategorized | 67 Comments »
