From: jjonsson@alexandria.lib.utah.edu
Subject: Re: Olympic jerk
Organization: Marriott Library, University of Utah
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 00:02:03 GMT

In article <1992Jul29.212438.3127@ichips.intel.com> harryk@omews58.intel.com (Harry Koehnemann) writes:

>In article <jjonsson.40@alexandria.lib.utah.edu> jjonsson@alexandria.lib.utah.edu writes:
>>What I'm saying is, that no one is passing Karl the ball. He's awfully 
>>good at putting it in the hole when he has it.

>Malone is a great post player.  However, the US isn't playing a post
>game - Malone/Robinson/Ewing are out of it offensively since they
>can't keep up with the motion game.  Barkley has the handling skills
>to play this open type of game, apparently Malone doesn't.  Even if
>the US played a post game, Malone still might not be a huge factor.
>Malone does well in the NBA because refs don't call the offensive
>foul when he mows over someone on his way to the basket in a post move.
>That's been a peeve of mine for years.  I was hoping he would try it
>here in the Olympics andI could see if they would call the O foul, but
>the style of ball the US has played (and the zone defense) hasn't
>gotten him the ball down low very often.

Malone is a GREAT post player, although I personally believe he isn't as 
good as he once was. A few years ago he got many, many more three point 
plays than he does now. I think his years of protection from the refs, and 
his league leading # of trips to the foul line have jaded him. Honestly, 
what George Karl of Seattle said about him during the playoffs was just 
about right. The Mailman's gotten complacent, and isn't improving his game, 
he's just improving his numbers by drawing more and more fouls. Maybe it's 
just because opponents are having to foul him harder, but the ball just 
doesn't find the hole as often as it used to when he gets fouled on the shot.
Oh, and Barkley's type of open court move is to rumble down the floor, 
intimidating everyone into getting out of his way for a two handed jam. Big 
man like him's bound to get tired doing that a lot. . .

>>I guess they'll be surprised when The Jazz kick Phoenix' a** 
>>all over the western conference next year. Oh, and Stockton could make *any* 
>>player better, even Barkley.

>I think you're popping off just a bit too early.  Barkley is showing
>us some rather impressive open court skills - something the Suns haven't
>had from a big guy in a long time (Andrew "what are these things at the
>end of my arms for" Lang).  They also haven't had the leadership he'll
>bring, which IMO was their biggest weekness (notice the "was").

Charles Barkley showing leadership?!?!? You've got to be f-ing kidding! Do 
you think his teammates on the DT see him as a floor leader? I think right 
about now they're seeing him as more of an annoyance than anything. The 
managemnent in Philly didn't destroy that team, Charles did; with his 
constant griping, and bad-mouthing the other players, he drove any sense of 
team unity right out the door. Do you think his teammates in Philly liked 
the fact that he told them they were no-talent losers? Do you think the 
management was happy that Charles was such a malcontent? The leaders of the 
Phoenix team right now are KJ and Dan Majerle, and I don't see that 
changing. Barkley may score 20 ppg, and grab 12 rbs, but don't be surprised 
when the LOUD mound of rebound begins to cause trouble in Phoenix too.

Jeff Jonsson
Marriott Library System Support, University of Utah.
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