11. Sports Column - Joe Israel - Dunk You
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Let me just come right out with it: There’s no shame in geing dunked on in the game of bas- ketball. Geing dunked on keeps us all honest, in the same concept that you have to have any dirt on you for anyone to trust you. The internet has been going haywire due to the rim-shaering dunk de- livered by L.A. Clippers forward DeAndre Jordan during the Clippers-Pis- tons game March 10. Detroit Pistons guard Brandon Knight was the lone defender in front of Jorda n and the bask et. Jorda n receiv ed the lob from Chris Paul, and then … POW! Jord an procee ded to jam the alle y-oop with such authority that Knight didn’t even have a chance to land right, as he hit the oor hard while contesting the dunk. Twier was set ablaze, as was most of social me- dia. Other sports writers made him a subject of rid- icule on TV and in print. As a former athlete and former baller myself, I’ve had many discussions with friends regarding this pivotal play in the game. Current GVSU men’s bask etbal l coach Steve Ernst told me at an Aim High basketball camp back in 1995 , “If you get dunked on, it’s because the other four guys are loang on defense. No shame in it.” I still sing that tune in perfect pitch and vibrato. One can’t help but re- member Blake Grin’s dunk on Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins. As a center, Perkins is bigger and stronger, which makes Grin’s dunk more tenacious. It would be even more im- pressive if there was more to Grin’s game. There isn’t more, unfortunately. Which brings me to my next point: Jordan made a hell of a play. He’s an- other player with a $40 million plus contract with no oensive repertoire or any ability to score out- side the paint. Sounds like someone I just men- tioned. Yes, he can leap and dunk over guys smaller than him. If Jordan can el - evate like that, shouldn’t he be grabbing more re- boun ds than he does? At $11 million a year, one would think so. Players like Knight should be commended, but the re is no stat in the books for gei ng yoked on. You’re just going to have to return to practice, take your lumps and con- tinue to play hard every night. There is no shame in geing dunked on. It keeps us all honest. March 18 - 31, 2013 www.lcc.edu/lookout 7 SPORTS Dunk you very much —Israel’s Takeo ver — Register at these events to win an iPad Mini! Tuesday, March 19, Wednesday, March 20, and Thursday, March 21 10-3pm each day Gannon Building 2nd floor lobby Thursday, March 28 2:30-6:30pm LCC W est Campus 5708 Cornerstone Drive Lansing, MI 48917 5708 Cornerstone Dr. Lansing, MI 48917 I TRANSFERRED SEAMLESSLY. I AM TRUEMU. IAN FROMM • COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRANSFER STUDENT Transfer Scholarships/Financial Aid Available • 200+ Academic Programs • emich.edu
Transcript of 11. Sports Column - Joe Israel - Dunk You
Let me just come rightout with it: There’s noshame in geing dunkedon in the game of bas-ketball. Geing dunkedon keeps us all honest, inthe same concept that youhave to have any dirt onyou for anyone to trustyou.
The internet has beengoing haywire due to therim-shaering dunk de-livered by L.A. Clippersforward DeAndre Jordanduring the Clippers-Pis-tons game March 10.
Detroit Pistons guardBrandon Knight was thelone defender in front of Jordan and the basket. Jordan received the lobfrom Chris Paul, and then… POW! Jordan proceeded to
jam the alley-oop withsuch authority thatKnight didn’t even havea chance to land right, ashe hit the oor hard whilecontesting the dunk.
Twier was set ablaze,as was most of social me-dia. Other sports writersmade him a subject of rid-icule on TV and in print.
As a former athlete andformer baller myself, I’vehad many discussionswith friends regardingthis pivotal play in thegame.
Current GVSU men’s basketball coach SteveErnst told me at an AimHigh basketball camp back in 1995, “If you getdunked on, it’s becausethe other four guys areloang on defense.
No shame in it.” I stillsing that tune in perfectpitch and vibrato.
One can’t help but re-member Blake Grin’sdunk on Oklahoma CityThunder center KendrickPerkins.
As a center, Perkinsis bigger and stronger,
which makes Grin’sdunk more tenacious. Itwould be even more im-pressive if there was moreto Grin’s game. Thereisn’t more, unfortunately.
Which brings me to mynext point: Jordan madea hell of a play. He’s an-other player with a $40million plus contract withno oensive repertoire orany ability to score out-side the paint. Soundslike someone I just men-tioned.
Yes, he can leap anddunk over guys smallerthan him. If Jordan can el-evate like that, shouldn’the be grabbing more re- bounds than he does? At$11 million a year, onewould think so.
Players like Knightshould be commended, but there is no stat in the books for geing yokedon. You’re just going tohave to return to practice,take your lumps and con-tinue to play hard everynight.
There is no shame ingeing dunked on. Itkeeps us all honest.
March 18 - 31, 2013
www.lcc.edu/lookout
7 SPORTS
Dunk you very much—Israel’s Takeover —
Register at these events
to win an iPad Mini!
Tuesday,March 19,Wednesday,March 20, andThursday, March 21
10-3pm each dayGannon Building2nd floor lobby
Thursday,March 28
2:30-6:30pmLCC West Campus5708 Cornerstone DriveLansing, MI 48917
5708 Cornerstone Dr.Lansing, MI 48917
I TRANSFERRED
SEAMLESSLY.I AM TRUEMU.IAN FROMM • COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRANSFER STUDENT
Transfer Scholarships/Financial Aid Available •200+ Academic Programs • emich.edu
lcc.edu/getinthegame
