All Star, NBA / Jan 8, 2010 / 9:00 am

T-Mac is the new Magic Johnson

Tracy McGrady (photo. Marc Morrison)

Sometimes I have to laugh when sportswriters and fans get all indignant over stuff that doesn’t really matter. Example 1A: All-Star selections.

Don’t get me wrong, I used to be right there. But having attended a few All-Star Weekends and interacting with the players, I realized something: Most of them don’t care about All-Star NEARLY as much as everybody else does. Whether it’s Rasheed Wallace complaining about being chosen and then treating the game with all the seriousness of Wii Double Dribble, or David West walking around the entire weekend with a look of sleepy disinterest on his face, it’s a fact: NBA players just aren’t that into All-Star.

Yes, it can equal a bonus on your salary, but more than anything it’s a status symbol that only means something to the most competitive players. Deron Williams is annoyed right now that he hasn’t been recognized as an All-Star yet, but just wait; once he goes 3-4 times, he’ll be looking for reasons to skip it, just like Shaq.

And now the latest All-Star “controversy” centers around T-Mac and Allen Iverson. The latest batch of fan voting came in yesterday, and both Mac and A.I. appear to have starting spots on lock: McGrady is getting more votes than Steve Nash, Brandon Roy and Chris Paul, among others, while Iverson is ahead of Rajon Rondo, Joe Johnson and Brandon Jennings.

Predictably, this kicked off a riot that threatened to burn down the Internet. Depending on who you ask, it’s a joke, a travesty, a shame, an injustice, a crime, or a flat-out crock of sh*t. Blame is being placed on Chinese fans (for T-Mac) and nostalgic fans (for Iverson) who apparently haven’t been watching the NBA this season.

What is the real problem, though? If seeing T-Mac and A.I. is what the voting majority wants, that’s what they should get. I don’t recall too many people complaining and writing petitions when Magic Johnson was voted into the ‘92 All-Star Game after he’d already retired and hadn’t played a single game that season. People clamored for Michael Jordan to start in his final All-Star Game in ‘03, even though he wasn’t voted in as a starter legitimately. And yet both times, the will of the fans was answered; Magic played and produced one of the All-Star Game’s great memories, and Vince Carter stepped aside to let MJ have his starting spot. (Funny how the same people who slam A.I. today for not wanting to accept a role coming off the bench thought it was a tragedy Jordan would have to come off the bench for one game that didn’t count.)

Obviously, we know where a decent chunk of McGrady’s votes are coming from; the same place where Aaron Brooks, Trevor Ariza and Luis Scola are racking up votes. Some people don’t like it, but where was it written that “fans” should only refer to fans in the U.S. who have League Pass? The NBA wants to expand its reach to China, South America, Australia, Great Britain and everywhere else — they’d play an exhibition game in the lost city of Atlantis if the citizens had deep pockets — so as long as fans around the world can vote for All-Stars, every country is part of the overall voting pool, too, and their opinions don’t deserve any less weight.

In the end, it really doesn’t matter. McGrady has already said he doesn’t want to play in the ASG without earning it, and had long ago hit the point in his career where he’d take a pass on All-Star if he had even a nagging injury. So McGrady will back out if he’s voted in, Nash will get the starting spot next to Kobe, Deron will get his backup spot, and everybody’s happy. On the other side, it’s not like Iverson has no business being in the game itself — I’ve already been over the lack of guard depth in the East — and he’s always been a fan favorite.

All-Star picks and Hall of Fame selections are good for giving us media types and the people who read and listen to us constant topics to argue about, but let’s look at the big picture for once. So many of us complain about pro sports having lost touch with its fan base — given the rising ticket and merchandise prices, the attitudes of some of the athletes, and so on — and yet here is one area (All-Star voting) where it’s undeniably all about what the fans want. Even if you hate T-Mac and Iverson, you can’t hate on that concept.

42 Responses to “T-Mac is the new Magic Johnson”

  1. Orange says:

    i forgot who i voted for for the west but my votes for the east.

    Devin Harris, Iverson, Trenton Hassel(i think), forgot(PF), Brooks

    i would of voted for nothing but nets players but they didn’t all of them. <,<

  2. ToAn says:

    i agree…i never had problems with the fan voting, the all star game is shown in maybe 100, 200 countries so let the fans around the W-O-R-L-D have their fun with the voting. the game itself is just pure entertainment, i would even welcome a USA-Europe game for the fun of it even if it cost a lot of deserving players their all-star spots. when some players feel sorry for themselves ’cause they are definitely better than player X who made it to the all.star game then they should prove it on the biggest stage, and that is the playoffs.

  3. Celts Fan says:

    I agree, BUT, when we’re arguing whether some guys should make the Hall a few years down the line and you get someone saying, “Well he only made ___ All Star teams,” and that guy’s a snub while someone undeserving plays, then it’s BS that keeps perpetuating itself over the years (think Goose Gossage or Jim Rice in baseball.)

    Also, the fan voting IS a joke. We need to let the fans have a say, but it should be an even split 3 ways. 1/3 voting comes from the fans, 1/3 from coaches/front office types, and 1/3 from the players themselves. This way, the fans have a say and can sway the vote, but you don’t end up with travesties like TMac and AI starting the ASG. Yes, it’s about the fans and the players don’t care as much as you’d like to think, but let’s improve this a bit. If one of these guys plays, that means a deserving guy is going to get snubbed of the honor.

  4. vince says:

    Orange, great reply! Thanks for sharing!

  5. Orange says:

    i’m being serious.

    the only reason i voted for hassel is because of the record, if the nets were .500 i wouldn’t of voted for hassel at all. but i would vote for harris and brooks regardless.

  6. fallinup says:

    All in all, it’s an exhibition. And the older I get, the less interested I get about All Star weekend. Now if Dime wants to hook a brother up with some tickets… maybe I can reconsider. :winks: …. :uses hand in a d. sucking motion: … :winks again:

    Just joking haha! :hides head under table:… uses hand in d. sucking motion: … :winks:

  7. Showtime says:

    Exactly, T-Mac and AI deserve it. I mean what has Magic or that Jordan dude done for the game … FOOL! Did you just compare the situation of two career loosers to Magic and MJ receiving their last honour ???

  8. marcus the great says:

    their last honor would actually be their induction into the hall, but i digress…

  9. Chicagorilla says:

    @Austin

    Seriously, don’t compare Iverson being a jackass and not wanting to come off a bench in games that count, to Jordan in 2k2 ASG. Jordan for one said he didn’t want Vinces starting spot. VC came to Jordan before tip-off and told him to take his spot. In which Jordan hit the game winner (til some dumbass ref called a foul on Oneal while Kobe was shooting) and played a classic game (although he missed his first 6 shots).

    I know you were trying to make your point and do your job, but lets not get carried away.

  10. Dagomar says:

    Tmac and Iverson are no Magic and Jordan. There was a sense that the latter had given so much to the game that, as they faded from their careers, they deserved to be honoured in a special way at the all-star game. Iverson and McGrady obviously aren’t in the same category; they’re shadows of their former selves who are only primed to be in the all-star game because many fans don’t follow basketball consistently. Whether you think that’s a problem is another matter, although personally I’m comfortable with the answer of “well, some players don’t give a shit about the all-star game anyway.” I’d like to think that we as basketball fans should care about the year’s only showcase of the world’s best players – or about the knowledge of the average NBA fan.

  11. Prof. TX says:

    The last stage of voting is rigged anyway. When McGrady was a lock for starter and said he wouldn’t play, there was a miraculous last-minute surge of votes for someone else. The same thing will happen this year, Nash (or someone else) will get exactly enough mystery votes in the last five minutes somehow so that the game has one less controversy.

  12. Chicagorilla says:

    What would happen if Gilbert Arenas is voted in instead of AI? Would they let Gilbert Play? I mean, the “Fans” want to see him. I’m going to start my voting for Gilbert now.

    @Austin, How come no mention of Derrick Rose, but you mentioned Brandon Jennings? The Bulls play them tonight, should be a good game.

  13. Shakers says:

    I agree with Celts Fan voting system. Also, they should just implement a games played rule. If you haven’t played 20 games before the AS Break, you can’t play in the AS Game. Simple.

  14. Heckler says:

    i really dont see a problem with the fan voting. its a meaningless game that is for the fans anyway. if the fans dont vote—then who is? Media?…I dont think so. writers barely follow the game (writers in Atl have no idea whats happening in GS. writers in Tx dont know anything about whats going on in Phila..etc)and are waaaaay more biased than fans.

    The fans usually get the voting correct. I mean, sheeit, 8 out 10 starters are usually accurate. would any of you disagree?

    Furthermore, the fans only select 10 players, the coaches select 14. the coaches have a greater responsibility to get the voting correct and select deserving players.

    In addition……
    don’t blame the fans for selections like Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson. Blame the NBA itself. this is a league about its stars (more than any other of the major team sports). and the NBA showcases its stars too often. it slams it stars players down your throat too often. all you ever get to see (barring those who pay for league pass) are the iversons, mcgradys, kobes, wades, lebrons, shaqs, duncans, garnetts, etc.

    the NBA does a piss-poor job of showcasing all if teams and players. every sunday, its the same damn teams with the same damn players. hence, what do yoou expect from fans?!!?

  15. eyes says:

    @Showtime Wow seriously that’s how you feel
    2 words to describe A.I. & T.Mac career losers. Must be judging their whole tenure on the tail end. To say that either people are hating,bitter, or just don’t know basketball. Do you know what it means to have H.O.F. talent. TMac & Shaq could have easily been Kobe & Shaq. I’m pretty sure it would have been a dynasty. No snitching or crying. Give A.I. Duncan or KG who knows what would have happen. I’m also guessing MJ didn’t have Pippen,Phil,Rodman,Kukoc etc etc. Magic Johnson didn’t have arguably the best & most talented ever of all the legends from 1-7. They literally had 2 starting 5’s back then. It was all Magic. Kareem may have been the most dominant player ever with or w/o Magic. If you have a unstoppable move that’s pretty much cheating or not fair.LOL. Is Lebron a winner? Is KG a winner?

    Who is the average N.B.A. fan. @Chi you are pro D.Rose like I’m Brandon Jennings. I’m not mad

  16. fallinup says:

    @ Heckler

    I agree whole heartedly. I turn on ESPN and TNT and all I see are Laker games. Such a waste when you have so many days out of the week on regular cable devoted to the League.

  17. Chicagorilla says:

    @eyes,

    Its not that people are saying T-Mac and AI have never been good. They are saying they ain’t $h!t now. Which is true. They are avg players at best. 7min a game for Tmac should automatically take him off any awards list. Magic practically saved the NBA in the 80’s (along with Larry and Isiah) so in 1992 (the year after Magic took his team to the NBA Finals) he pretty much deserved to be an all-star. That was an era where they used to give respect to older players. Unlike now.
    MJ on the other hand was a living legend who came back to a team and was keeping them hovering around the playoffs (they didn’t make it)even though they sucked and was still putting up 20ppg 5reb 5asst or something like that. AI has sucked a$$ this year, he hasn’t made his team better, he’s not a legend who is about to retire, he is not the all-time PPG scorer with multiple MVP’s and the ultimate Champion in the game… MJ and AI’s situation is completly different.

  18. eyes says:

    @14
    That’s very true. Good point. Seriously. Brain wash MEDIA. They want you see & favor what they want. It’s not about the fans. It’s about the dollar. Most people are bias anyone for good or worse. You shouldn’t but hey. We all fear what we don’t know or understand generally speaking. The League as a whole can’t & don’t understand it’s players & why should they. LOL. Just play the damn game & shut up.

    How many T.V. games did Bron get in comparison to Melo(R.O.Y.) and Wade rookie year. Who decided that he was the one see. The Fans didn’t & couldn’t have made the decision. I like our lil Fan night one day out the week. Also you guys do know Rick Kamla is a fantasy guy. It’s some people that listen to him as if he were a basketball player or knew the game like no other. Guys like him run the league & are scouts,assistant coaches. Nothing wrong with but I could see where we could run into some problems. I actually like the guy to.

  19. sh!tfaced says:

    What the hell. I’m going with Chigagorilla and vote for Hibachi all the way from now on and see what happens…

  20. Craig says:

    Sad that I saw this headline on Twitter and thought that he had aids…

  21. Showtime says:

    @eyes

    That’s not the point. Of course Magic had maybe the best team ever and Jordan’s Bulls (96-98 with Rodman and Harper) basically were the best defensive team in NBA history but those two are LEGENDS who were the face of the league. On the other hand we have T-Mac who still hasn’t been out of the first round and Iverson whose last stints have proven he doesn’t give a damn about winning as long as he’s allowed to start.

  22. Claw says:

    I like Celts idea but just have it fans get half and players get half, since the coaches pick out the reserves. Writers can be too bitchy and might not pick a guy because he won’t do an interview.

    Hate the comparison, Magic and MJ to AI and TMac, shouldn’t even be in the same sentence totally different situations.

    I’ve been in a few All Star games in Phx and Cleveland, and to say a player doesn’t care is ridiculous. Guys want the accollades, there is the parties, rappers, rock stars, movie stars they are all hanging out and that is why players that don’t even make the All Star squads are there.

    The one in Cleveland was for the 50th anniversary so the 50 greatest players were in town, you don’t think guys didn’t want to be at that one?

    They might not want to actually play in the game but they sure as hell want to party that weekend (Love how Barkley’s voice is gone after the first night on TNT from partying every year).

  23. Chicagorilla says:

    @eyes,

    Rick Kamla is just weird. He should not be allowed to “analyze” games or even be part of the discussion when the former players are doing their analysis. He ruins it with stupid lines like “This guy has a sexy game.” or “This rookie is a future hall of famer is not?”. The thing that irritates me the most is when he starts talking about stats and using that to define how good a player is. So guys like Luc Richard is useless to him because he doesn’t put up outstanding numbers. Then he also gives waaaaayyy too much credit to guys who put up great stats, but don’t really have a profound affect on the game. Basically, the guy is a tool. Like a math geek who only cares about numbers. He should od fantasy basketball but thats where it ends. On that same note, Dennis Scott should NEVER do fantasy because he has no idea what fantasy basketball is about.

    All-star teams, MVP’s, Rookie of the Years, and all the other awards should be voted by coaching staffs only. The players don’t watch every game, the fans don’t, the media sure as hell doesn’t, but scouting staffs and assistants do. Thats who should pick allstar teams. If they insist on using the fans, their vote should only count for 20% of the votes.

  24. BiG ShoT BoB says:

    No matter what anybody says there is no fucking way Iverson or McGrady should be in the allstar game this year. Plain and simple they don’t deserve it. If the game is for the fans then that’s more reason why this kind of shit shouldn’t be happening. I’m a fan and it’s ruining the game for me. It’s ruining the game for whatever player that put his blood sweat and tears into his game and deserves to go but will get snubbed because some dumb ass that doesn’t watch basketball. I’m someone that payed hundreds of dollars to attend games, buy jersey’s, spend hours of my life watching and your saying that my vote isn’t worth more than someone who when filling out their ballot could only think of the name T-Mac.

  25. lee says:

    I’m sure Agent 0 will be off the voting form before he could be voted in.

  26. POPPI GEE says:

    @ Craigh lol (smh)

    I for one want to see T-Mac and Iverson playing.

    Course I am bias lol.

  27. eyes says:

    @Show
    No I actually get your point. I don’t think you get mine. It’s cool. I’m not trying to convince you. Who’s right you or me? Why again were they legends? Would you like to compare rosters,coaches,etc,media,refs.

    Was Mcgrady ever the face of the league? Did they ever promote him as well as his talent warranted? When he was better than Vince in Toronto did it do anything for him or the league? Did you even know he was one of the better players if not best & came of the bench. Do you see the teams he & A.I. was taking to the playoffs/FINALS when the league was much harder. It took K.G. teaming up with a great team to break the winner argument? Could Webber have won a ring and not be labeled soft? Can Wade actually be better than Lebron? Are you equating all of that. Did MJ get prefential treatment for the league. He had to be the best just like Lebron has to be the best that does it know. They’re pushing for him know. I’ts his turn. Says Stern or powers that be. I just hope he doesn’t urinate in public or skip a line at Great Adventures & TMZ is around.

    Kobe wouldn’t have got that other ring w/o Pau. Even now with this full roster he still has trouble on nights winning. With all the assistance in the world from the League/refs. Do you see how disrespectful he is to the refs. He slams the ball & curses them out with out getting fined a rarely teched every play that doesn’t go his way. He cannot and I’ll repeat cannot foul out of a game. He may be worse than Rasheed but you couldn’t tell They’d be an uproar & Stern would be impeached. LOL.

    With all that help I still don’t see them winning this yr and they would have lost to the Nuggets if they could inbound the damn ball. The Magic could have won had they not cheated & called the hold on Kobe on Courtney Lee’s lay up attempt & the Goal tend on Pau Game 1. Hey fair is fair or Stern is Stern. Also if Carmelo would stop reverting to that 1 man against the world mentality you can’t do it by yourself. Everyone needs help. Who did Mike thank 1st on that H.O.F. Also does anyone remember Mike telling Media to not make it all about him while they’re were other great inductees to talk about. You wouldn’t because the league want’s Jordan to be known in the light he’s held in now. Sure he was the greatest but we have a new Pet & that’s Lebron James.

    I could word a comment to re inforce or influence whatever point I’m trying to make. I could tell a lie & make you believe it. I could tell the truth & it could be interpreted as a lie. Thin line. It’s always crossed at one’s convenience. Read in between the lines sometimes. It’s more than just comments or just a movie. That is the real purpose. We all have opinions to everyday happenings. True Life isn’t fair for most but it also is very sweet for others. Why is that?????

    I still say we could & it should be considered that Jordan’s logo be the N.B.A. logo. It would never happen not even Lebron. Anybody know why?

  28. ProphetGK says:

    The fan voting isn’t bad, it should just be combined with voting of the leagues officials, and management, etc. In order to make sure the people who really deserve to be there, are there.. no matter how boring they might be…

  29. QQ says:

    I guess what irks us is that these ‘fans’ that votes this assholes are the casual types who still thinks AI and T-Mac are 30 ppg players because well, they’re AI and T-Mac, the NAMES alone prove they are still allstars. See? These are the fans that does not follow the game. That’s what irks us.

  30. James says:

    the fans are idiots- shouldnt be allowed to vote anymore- only the playrers, coaches,and league execs. and people form outside America shouldnt be allowed to vote

  31. bola says:

    @james: then you must be an idiot yourself, bitch!

    and what made you think that only american fans will vote only those who truly deserve to be an all-star? let me rephrase your statement for you.. only smart and true basketball fans should be allowed to vote.. ignorant fools like you should stay out.. you shouldn’t even be allowed to vote for your country’s president, american faggot!

  32. Austin Burton says:

    @bola, @James — First off, it’s not THAT serious. Second, both you guys are displaying what I’m talking about above. Why should it be limited to “smart and true” fans or just American fans? And what are you gonna do, give each fan a quick NBA quiz before they’re allowed to vote? Anybody who spends any money on the NBA or likes watching basketball is a fan, whether you agree with their opinion or not.

    And say what you want about T-Mac, but obviously he has hundreds of thousands of fans out there, and therefore he’s clearly been good for the NBA. But he’s supposedly less deserving of a All-Star “tribute” than Magic? Why exactly? I’m not saying Mac is as good as Magic, but why was it OK for Magic to get voted in based on ZERO games but such a travesty for T-Mac to get voted in based on his handful of games?

  33. QQ says:

    I have to pipe in, AB. I’ll do my best to throw away my T-Mac haterade to see your argument rationale. But damn man, you’re making it TOO hard man…

    Magic Johnson was voted to the All-Star Game because he and Larry Bird was basically THE NBA in the 80’s. They were THE game. Their contribution to 80s NBA, to the increase in fans, increase in attendance, increase in overall interest to the sport, all of those were insurmountable in the 80’s. The magnitude of who they are to 80’s basketball are undeniable.

    Magic Johnson’s career was, sort of, cut off prematurely by the AIDS announcement and his retirement. People in the 90’s felt the need to honor one of the GREATEST players of all time, and arguably the Greatest in the 80’s (the decade before) because of his contribution to the game.

    About T-Mac:

    T-Mac is a great basketball player. Even haters like me can’t deny that. You just can’t take that away from the dude.

    Then you said this: ‘I don’t recall too many people complaining and writing petitions when Magic Johnson was voted into the ‘92 All-Star Game after he’d already retired and hadn’t played a single game that season.’

    But in what way does T-Mac’s accomplishments mirror Magic’s contribution to an entire decade of basketball? In what way should T-Mac deserve the ‘free pass’ Magic received in the ‘92 ASG? In what way would you parallel that people’s ‘tribute’ to a player who shaped and defined a decade to T-Mac being voted in the ASG?

    Damn, G. Lotsa questions needs lotsa answers.

  34. QQ says:

    ‘I’m not saying Mac is as good as Magic, but why was it OK for Magic to get voted in based on ZERO games but such a travesty for T-Mac to get voted in based on his handful of games?’

    Damn… See argument above.

  35. Austin Burton says:

    @QQ — The thing is, you’re assuming that everybody who voted for Magic in ‘92 collectively decided that this would be a good way to honor him for all he’d done for the game.

    Remember, Magic retired on November 7, early into the season. His name was already on the All-Star ballot by then, which is made right before the season. So for all we know, most of the people who voted for Magic were the same “dumb” fans who just vote for who they’ve heard of, the same “dumb” fans who vote for T-Mac or Vince or Grant Hill when they’re injured and haven’t played all season.

    The ‘92 All-Star game played out like a tribute to Magic, but there’s a very good chance it was just a positive result of the same lazy/uninformed fan voting that we complain about today with McGrady and Iverson.

  36. bola says:

    @AB: i made that “smart and true bball fans” statement coz i was mocking james who just made a “stupid, ignorant and racist” comment like only americans should be eligible to vote and calling all fans “bitches” when i think he is a bball fan himself.. and his statement were quite offensive (and dumb) if you are a non-american basketball fan.

  37. bola says:

    i mean calling fans “idiots”

  38. QQ says:

    I see that argument AB. But you’re missing the whole AIDS announcement/retirement point. The world was SHOCKED when that made the news. It turned the whole sports world upside down. People had a reason to say ‘he might not have played any game yet, but why wouldn’t we honor one of the greatest ever now that this enormous issue had surfaced and announced’. Everyone has a reason to vote Ervin ‘Magic’ Johnson in the ASG. If there was a time to give him a tribute, that was it.

    What story of that magnitude had T-Mac experienced lately? Get stuck in the first round? Not play because of injuries?

  39. Pet Society Help says:

    Can’t put the blame on T-Mac for being voted in, everyone has to realize that the world isn’t just LA to NYC. There’s a lot of untapped resources out there and NBA fans in China have just as much right to vote as fans in Harlem.

  40. Mark says:

    I felt really bad for the media grilling Vince Carter about his reluctance to step aside for Michael Jordan. Regardless of fairness/nostalgia, Jordan didn’t deserve a starting spot because he wasn’t voted in. The media acted as fickle little children by denouncing Carter, but like Dime said in ish 21, that should be expected by now.

    That said, while T-Mac doesn’t deserve playing in the game, rules are rules, and until the NBA decides that globalization may not be the best thing regarding the All Star Game, this will happen every time. I think Aaron Brooks is starting above Deron Williams, so it’s a pretty obvious correlation on what’s going on.

  41. ThaKing253 says:

    I thought this story was gonna be about t mac havin aids lol

  42. vita says:

    qe padre de estos tenis encerio son lindos en poner esto bye los qiero te extraño gil recomiendenme por favor algo para dejar de pensar en gil el se eemberco y no se cuando regrese el dice qe si l einporto pero el tiene novia io solo tengoo 16 i el tiene 25 años qe ago hay tiene mi cooreo por fa lo necesito encerio no tengo a nadie qe me apolle por favor algo se lama gil y lo extarño lo amo……..””¿¿¿¿

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