earthmansurfer wrote:Melo does come across as a bit of a low key thug. He isn't outright a bully but there is just something about his demeanor and character that doesn't feel right with me. Melo also doesn't seem to be the smartest cat, but perhaps now that he is on the Knicks with his buddy, he will start to study the game more and raise his BBIQ (really quite simple, just pass the ball and if you decide to shoot then don't hold it for 10 seconds first.) Even though Stat is the alpha male he is not at all like Melo. My hope is that Stat keeps Melo in line.

I don't think he's a 'bit of a low key' thug. He's just a thug. Period.

He embraces this thug culture, it's the culture of the underclass in this country. It's base. It doesn't aspire to beauty but glorifies everything that's ugly in the world. It's not life affirming, it's negative, it's a culture of death. This has nothing to do with race. People of any race can choose to seek the beautiful, the positive. He doesn't.

I don't like that, I don't like him because of it, and that's why I miss our old players, especially Gallinari, who is rooted in a more traditional value system that I can relate to.

That's how it is. No one can come in and tell me how to feel. I'm less of a fan now because I can relate less to this roster as a whole.

At the end, I'm a basketball fan because I play the game and enjoy watching it at its highest level. I hope the Knicks do well. But my heart is not in it as it was before.

earthmansurfer wrote:

Michael6835 wrote:

earthmansurfer wrote:Melo does come across as a bit of a low key thug. He isn't outright a bully but there is just something about his demeanor and character that doesn't feel right with me. Melo also doesn't seem to be the smartest cat, but perhaps now that he is on the Knicks with his buddy, he will start to study the game more and raise his BBIQ (really quite simple, just pass the ball and if you decide to shoot then don't hold it for 10 seconds first.) Even though Stat is the alpha male he is not at all like Melo. My hope is that Stat keeps Melo in line.

What makes him come across as a low key thug? I'd be interested in knowing what those parameters are, as this is a stereo type always associated with the NBA. Is it the tattoos? or the high presence of Hip Hop in the game? Is it the money? Is it the race? or is it a combo of all?

When I look at Melo, I don't think low key thug. Since I follow the game, I look at Melo and see top flight talent who can score. Not coming down on you, as I've heard this from other people. However, since you posted it, I'll challenge you to define thug and see how it applies to other players in the nba as well as other sports.

Regarding low key thug - First, none of those things you mentioned crossed my mind. It's the looks or smirks he gives. Sort of like this lack of respect or "me first" attitude. It's a hard thing to put in a box the look I'm talking about. Call it an intuition if you will. But this being a forum mean we have to choose our words carefully. Perhaps my description is more apt than the word I used. Small note as you and others seem to be making this about appearance, race, etc. I grew up in Brooklyn and saw and experienced too much violence, hate and the like. I stuck up for (and to a point still do - albeit differently) people who were discriminated against.

Misterearl - I loved Mason, Oakley and all of those old school cats, but they all had respect out there for their teamates. I may be off on that one, but Melo didn't seem to be very liked by his teamates. There has been as much written.

You guys ever meet someone that you just had a bad feeling about? Wasn't due to their color, tatoos, walk, money, music listened to, etc. There was just something that didn't feel right. Well, all I got is a picture to go by and I get a bit of that feeling from Melo. I hope I'm wrong, I'm now going to root for the cat where as before I thought he was just a very very selfish player with incredible offense and no defense.

misterearl wrote:"He embraces this thug culture,.."

orangeblobman - by doing what exactly?

Is the answer not obvious?

orangeblobman wrote:

misterearl wrote:"He embraces this thug culture,.."

orangeblobman - by doing what exactly?

Is the answer not obvious?

No. It is not obvious. What are you specifically referring to?

orangeblobman - "Anthony gave the perfect response Friday after the Knicks lost to Cleveland and he was asked about taking time off for his injured elbow to heal. “Right now, I don’t have any time for testing,” he said. “It’s time for me to play basketball and go out there and get some wins.”

“For us, it should be a statement game to come out here and want to beat this team,” Stoudemire said of the Heat. “Just make a statement right now going down the stretch.”

Damn, it feels good to be a gangsta...

orangeblobman wrote:

earthmansurfer wrote:Melo does come across as a bit of a low key thug. He isn't outright a bully but there is just something about his demeanor and character that doesn't feel right with me. Melo also doesn't seem to be the smartest cat, but perhaps now that he is on the Knicks with his buddy, he will start to study the game more and raise his BBIQ (really quite simple, just pass the ball and if you decide to shoot then don't hold it for 10 seconds first.) Even though Stat is the alpha male he is not at all like Melo. My hope is that Stat keeps Melo in line.

I don't think he's a 'bit of a low key' thug. He's just a thug. Period.

He embraces this thug culture, it's the culture of the underclass in this country. It's base. It doesn't aspire to beauty but glorifies everything that's ugly in the world. It's not life affirming, it's negative, it's a culture of death. This has nothing to do with race. People of any race can choose to seek the beautiful, the positive. He doesn't.

I don't like that, I don't like him because of it, and that's why I miss our old players, especially Gallinari, who is rooted in a more traditional value system that I can relate to.

That's how it is. No one can come in and tell me how to feel. I'm less of a fan now because I can relate less to this roster as a whole.

At the end, I'm a basketball fan because I play the game and enjoy watching it at its highest level. I hope the Knicks do well. But my heart is not in it as it was before.

coo coo coo coo

Silver lining for me is now I have 2 teams I like. I never watched any NBA team but the Knicks before this trade. Now, I see myself looking forward for Knick and Knugget games.

But honestly, how can you not be filled with real man-LOVE watching that ankle breaking spin move on LePhon? Over and over. Made the King look like some old fart trying to play with the college kids in the park.

Wait, that's what I look like

I'm having trouble stomaching him and remaining a Knicks fan after 40 years. Let's face it, he wanted his money and extension so badly, he forced the Knicks to give away a ton of youth and upside to get him. Compare that to supposed villains like Wade, James and Bosh who admittedly handled the situation terribly but at least put winning WAY AHEAD of personal financial gain to play together by taking less. Melo got the max, got the extension, got a reality TV and all the financial upside of playing in NY and we lost Gallo, Chandler, Felton, and Mozgov. The only thing that doesn't have him vomiting over this deal is that Billups is an underrated player and high quality guy as opposed to Melo who is overrated and suspect based on his behavior in this deal.