Some days I just want to punch someone in the face. Like really stop and knock them out cold. And this past weekend, I really wish I could have.
If you have been following pro basketball recently, two local college standouts were in the news. The most amazing one came from the fact that Weber State alumni Damian Lillard had the game of his life on Feb. 19.
In what was the first game back from the all-star break, Lillard led his team against the reigning NBA champions, Golden State, and set a career record 51 points in the team’s 137-105 victory.
That win for Lillard was crucial simply due to the fact that their victory caused the fifth loss the Warriors have suffered this season. For a team such as his to dominate such a prolific team—it is staggering.
The other big college news? BYU alumni Jimmer Fredette signed a 10-day contract with the New York Knicks.
The other news, in comparison to the first story mentioned, would be a back page afterthought in any other state. Yet, the major media sources of this state have a funny way of proving me wrong in that aspect.
The past two weeks have shown that the masses of Utah are, in some part, clinging on to the madness known as “Jimmer time.” Because of the infectious way that this madness hits people, it causes a blindness to the real facts in the career of Jimmer.
Look, Jimmer is not the golden boy that the media wants you to believe. The only success he has had was in the D-league all-star game, where he scored the most points. In the days since his signing to the Knicks, he has been regaled to the bench. Why, you may ask? His fatal flaw.
“We had a tough, aggressive defensive practice [Tuesday],’’ interim head coach Kurt Rambis said of the Knicks during an interview with the New York Post. “So looking at different guys and what they were doing defensively, some parts [Fredette] got pushed around a little bit. Guys were active defensively as a result of the defense. So right now it’s probably still going to be the same rotation as it was before.’’
Though he scored all those points in the D-league, he has no place in the big leagues simply because he doesn’t play defense. Even among his teammates on the Knicks, he is an afterthought.
“To be honest with you, I haven’t seen Jimmy play in a long time,” Carmelo Anthony told the New York Post.
Anthony doesn’t even get the name of his teammate right, and if that is not an indication of how insignificant he is, then I don’t know what is.
Honestly, we should have hometown pride in someone who is actively making a difference in the NBA. Not some hack, one-trick pony that will fizzle out like he has in times past. Honestly, I hope we can move past it as both members of the media and fans of basketball. And like Carmelo Anthony, hopefully we will be able to say that we “…haven’t seen Jimmy play in a long time.”
Jimmer who? I’ve already chosen my easy chair and popcorn to watch the amazing things that Ogden’s hometown hero Damian Lillard will do. Because honestly, he’s more of a hero than Jimmy boy ever will be.
Jimmy Fredette • Mar 2, 2016 at 6:24 pm
I’m just kidding, I agree with you lol
Jimmy Fredette • Mar 2, 2016 at 6:05 pm
Stop being an biased loser. Why can’t you rejoice in two people having a good day. My gosh, you are sad.