OT: Article on Jamal Crawford by Seattle Times

[BrianFromWA]

http://seattletimes.com/html/jerrybrewer/2022180988_brewer03xml.html

...Crawford says he doesn’t feel like a 14-year veteran in the twilight of his career. He enters this season feeling healthier than he has in his career.

He doesn’t smoke. He doesn’t drink. Candy is his only vice. Throughout his home, you can find the evidence — in a drawer downstairs, in his gym bag, everywhere.

As a player, he is sensitive to two criticisms: that he’s a poor defender (he’ll admit he can improve his defensive intensity), and that he’s selfish.

He can’t stand the selfish label.

“It’s the worst thing anyone has ever said to me,” Crawford said. “If you know me, then you know I’m a people pleaser. Early in my career, when someone would say I was selfish, I wouldn’t shoot the next game. It would get in my head.”

Now, though, he understands who he is. He’s a scorer who has the quickness and athleticism to get off his shot whenever he wants.

“It’s a gift and a curse,” he says.

A gift because Crawford can score at will. A curse because, whenever he exhibits poor shot selection, he receives the nastiest label he can imagine.

Crawford, selfish?

You’ll never be able to cram him into that box.

“He’s one of the trailblazers of the current era of Seattle basketball,” Conroy said. “No question about it. Because you can reach out and touch him, because he lets you reach out and touch him, he made it believable to all of us that we could make it. Everybody looks at him like, ‘That’s Jamal.’ He’s the big brother. Everybody embraces him for that.”

Big brother now has an answer to that question he hadn’t considered.

“Why did I make it?” Crawford says. “I think God knew, if He put me in this position, I would give back and help other people. Life isn’t just basketball. I’m not special because of what I do on the court. To me, I owe Seattle everything. It helped raise me. I always want to fill a void and do stuff that Seattle can be proud about.”

 

[dviss1]

He was a selfish lil' bitch when he was in town and I will never respect him for his tenure here.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Fuck that cvnt

 

[THE HCP]

Love his game! You guys who don't watch any other teams but the Blazers will soon find out that Mo is a 6'2" version of Jamal. IDENTICAL games.

And I know you guys crack on me for saying this kind of stuff, but he is probably one of the nicest people you'll ever meet.


Hate the Clips, but hope he has a great season!

 

[HailBlazers]

Mo is a 6'2" version of Jamal. IDENTICAL games.

Haha, good joke. Suggest you look at their ASSIST numbers and get back to me. Similar maybe I'll give you that.

 

[THE HCP]

Haha, good joke. Suggest you look at their ASSIST numbers and get back to me. Similar maybe I'll give you that.

Shoot first......crazy shot selection.......can catch fire at anytime.

 

[barfo]

“He’s one of the trailblazers of the current era of Seattle basketball,”

That's kind of a funny line.

barfo

 

[THE HCP]

Haha, good joke. Suggest you look at their ASSIST numbers and get back to me. Similar maybe I'll give you that.

Are you questioning my opinion?!?!?

 

[Strenuus]

He frustrated me, but I never had a beef with him.

And I agree, HCP (Can I do that with less than 400 posts?) He does seem very nice.

 

[THE HCP]

He frustrated me, but I never had a beef with him.

And I agree, HCP (Can I do that with less than 400 posts?) He does seem very nice.

I'd respond to you question, but I just realized how few post you have. You don't register yet.

 

[BrianFromWA]

In my Seattle days, I would play poker with a couple of the AAU coaches and stringers from the SEA area (that's how I got to see Wroten, for instance)--and Jamal (and Krypto-Nate, for that matter) are much more visible and liked than Roy.

That's not to say they hate Brandon, it's just that Jamal and Nate are really respected as both people and basketball ambassadors.

 

[KingSpeed]

I like Crawford but he's just not that great of a player. The year he was here, we went to him everytime in the clutch and he never delivered. In the playoffs with Atlanta and the Clippers, he was awful.

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

Crawchuck always seems so sincere but I rarely think he is. He seems like a nice guy tell-you-what-you-want-to-hear bullshit artist to me, and a sandbagger.

 

[Strenuus]

I'd respond to you question, but I just realized how few post you have. You don't register yet.

But, in a way you just answered it.

I'm confused. Does this post not exist, then?

 

[HailBlazers]

Are you questioning my opinion?!?!?

[video=youtube;ERz_sfwl0-U]

 

[THE HCP]

But, in a way you just answered it.

I'm confused. Does this post not exist, then?

Wait.....now I'M confused!

 

[magnifier661]

I think Crawful is the most "un-clutch" performer in the game. Everytime I watch us play him in the 4th, I smile when he checks in.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

If a team either had zero bench or a bench full of defenders and needed someone to just come in and shoot (with the understanding he will shoot you out of a game more than in one), then he's the player. He also is not a 'money' pressure shooter. He's just a gunner.

 

[BBert]

He doesn’t smoke. He doesn’t drink. Candy is his only vice. Throughout his home, you can find the evidence — in a drawer downstairs, in his gym bag, everywhere.

WTF? Did the guy burglarize his house before writing the article?

 

[Strenuus]

Wait.....now I'M confused!

I win!

 

[barfo]

WTF? Did the guy burglarize his house before writing the article?

Like any good journalist, he was hunting for cigarettes and booze.

barfo