Napear v. Martin (merged)

[bajaden]

Man, how do you criticize a player for being soft when he needs screws surgically inserted into his wrist? I'm sorry but does anyone remember last season? Martin twisted his ankle after a few games. Trying to be the leader and shed the soft label he played on it and it became a severe sprain keeping him out for what 21 games? How much good did that do us and him? I'd prefer we give him time to get healthy and take care of this the right way. Our "dynasty" lol isn't competing for a championship and it's only 5 games into the season. Garcia in my opinion is a crucial part of this team and he's already out. We might as well use this time to develop out youngins. Give Martin a break I feel bad for him I doubt Napear knows what it's like to play with a fractured wrist (and I sure as hell don't think he'd put up 29 and 11.)
In conclusion **** Napear.

PS. Nicely done VF!

I didn't hear the show, and perhaps someone that did will correct me if I'm wrong. But from what I read in the Bee, Grant qualified his criticism by saying he had no problem with a player sitting down if he has a broken bone. Some of the orginal comments were from his fans and he said he would reserve judgement because he heard that Martin might play in tonights game. He didn't however back down from his criticism of Martin last year.

Personaly I think Grant's wrong in his assessment of when a player should play or not. No one can get into the head of the player and know exactly what he's feeling. Plus everyone's pain threshold is different. And while I may not agree with him, it certainly doesn't raise my blood pressure. He hasn't said anything that hasn't been said on this fourm. I suspect this has more to do with whether you like Grant or not. In some cases, whether you hate Grant or not.

 

[VF21]

From the Bee comments:

"I bet all the people dissing Grant and defending Kevin are the same people who've never been to another arena and still argue Arco is "fine." Grant is abrasive but honest. Marin keeps proving he's not tough enough for pro sports. He's like a guy who can throw a football for a perfect 50 yard pass but one sack and he's out for the year. Kevin Martin has great skill and zero toughness."

Have to agree

Um, I fail to see how Arco Arena has anything to do with the topic at hand.

The point is that this isn't the first time Napear has kissed someone's arse during a TV broadcast and then turned around and skewered him on the radio show.

The point IMHO is that Grant is two-faced, he's willing to change his tune depending on his surroundings and he's willing to throw players under the bus (and has done so before) just to get more callers to his show. He's rarely held accountable for his comments and acts as though he is being cutting edge and objective when he's actually just trying to puff his stats.

That's what irritates me the most. Be the tough guy Jim Rome wannabe OR be the gushing TV commentator who wants the players to give him interviews before and after the game, but be consistent. Have the courage and the cajones to back up your words, Napear. Either that, or give up the Kings gig and spend all your time talking about NY teams on the radio.

I'd rather deal with a diehard Laker fan who is at least consistent in his digs on the Kings than with someone like Napear who doesn't ever say these things to the players themselves and chooses the relative safety of his radio program upon which to spew his vitriol. I'd like to see the players rally around Martin and simply refuse to talk to Napear.

 

[Kingster]

"If he doesn't play tonight (Wednesday), then go ahead and call up tomorrow and kill him and I have no problem with that."

I heard that conversation. I think Grant was saying to a caller and other potential callers that he didn't want to have callers call in to criticize Martin's toughness or lack thereof until everybody knew whether he actually was going to play or not. The cart before the horse. He wasn't saying that callers should call up and kill him if he didn't play, he was saying that he would take calls when the situation wasn't just a hypothetical one.

That said, I've been troubled for a long time about his dual role - the one on KHTK and the one as an announcer for the Kings. Anybody is going to have difficulty in navigating that dual role while still retaining their integrity and their honesty. As an announcer, he's fine. He may give opinions, but they are mild and by and large politically correct. Just what you would expect from an announcer. But from a commentator on the radio you also want somebody who gives it to you straight, at least gives their unadulterated opinion with no influence from the Kings organization. You also don't want somebody to use that commentator position as a propaganda tool for the Kings. That line is impossible to navigate when your compensation comes primarily from the Kings organization.

Unfortunately, that blurry line could come back to haunt the Kings one of these days. You can't have it both ways. Either he is independent, or he's not. And if he's not independent then these comments can be construed by players as indirect messages coming from management and ownership. At best, it's poor management. At worst, it's underhanded and cynical. That dual role should be severed.

 

[VF21]

"If he doesn't play tonight (Wednesday), then go ahead and call up tomorrow and kill him and I have no problem with that."

I heard that conversation. I think Grant was saying to a caller and other potential callers that he didn't want to have callers call in to criticize Martin's toughness or lack thereof until everybody knew whether he actually was going to play or not. The cart before the horse. He wasn't saying that callers should call up and kill him if he didn't play, he was saying that he would take calls when the situation wasn't just a hypothetical one.

That said, I've been troubled for a long time about his dual role - the one on KHTK and the one as an announcer for the Kings. Anybody is going to have difficulty in navigating that dual role while still retaining their integrity and their honesty. As an announcer, he's fine. He may give opinions, but they are mild and by and large politically correct. Just what you would expect from an announcer. But from a commentator on the radio you also want somebody who gives it to you straight, at least gives their unadulterated opinion with no influence from the Kings organization. You also don't want somebody to use that commentator position as a propaganda tool for the Kings. That line is impossible to navigate when your compensation comes primarily from the Kings organization.

Unfortunately, that blurry line could come back to haunt the Kings one of these days. You can't have it both ways. Either he is independent, or he's not. And if he's not independent then these comments can be construed by players as indirect messages coming from management and ownership. At best, it's poor management. At worst, it's underhanded and cynical. That dual role should be severed.

Very nice assessment, and probably much more fair than mine was but I grew tired of the whole Jim Rome wannabe act a very long time ago...and I can't even listen to KHTK on a regular basis.

The bottom line for a lot of people, I think, is that he can continue in one role or the other and probably be successful. It's trying to juggle both that has come to a crossroads. I don't think he'll be able to keep trading off hats much longer.

 

[oaklandking]

Yea lets fire him for not being a homer

 

[VF21]

Yea lets fire him for not being a homer

Reading comprehension is fundamental to being a successful poster on an active message board. If you had bothered to read the comments BEFORE posting yours, you might see it's not about him "not being a homer."

But of course, then you wouldn't have been able to use the rolling eyes emoticon.

 

[jcassio]

Grant's dual role is a problem for me. It's dishonest, plain and simple. And it's been going on for so many years that people (probably including the Maloofs and Grant himself) have become desensitized to it. I actually think he's good in both positions, but that doesn't excuse the dishonesty. If I had to choose one role for him, I'd keep him as the PBP guy.

I'd also like to knock the heads of ANYone who automatically thinks players are soft because they don't play when injured. Whether it's Grant or people on this board, it's just stupid to think you know the extent of someone's injury and how it affects them (and I don't give a flying ___ if you had that same injury when you were 6). I wonder how many players' careers have been cut short because they played when injured? Or how many extra games were missed because they came back too soon? Or how many games were lost because they were playing injured and were not affective?

 

[Rockmeister]

Reading comprehension is fundamental to being a successful poster on an active message board.

Ouch!

 

[bajaden]

"If he doesn't play tonight (Wednesday), then go ahead and call up tomorrow and kill him and I have no problem with that."

I heard that conversation. I think Grant was saying to a caller and other potential callers that he didn't want to have callers call in to criticize Martin's toughness or lack thereof until everybody knew whether he actually was going to play or not. The cart before the horse. He wasn't saying that callers should call up and kill him if he didn't play, he was saying that he would take calls when the situation wasn't just a hypothetical one.

That said, I've been troubled for a long time about his dual role - the one on KHTK and the one as an announcer for the Kings. Anybody is going to have difficulty in navigating that dual role while still retaining their integrity and their honesty. As an announcer, he's fine. He may give opinions, but they are mild and by and large politically correct. Just what you would expect from an announcer. But from a commentator on the radio you also want somebody who gives it to you straight, at least gives their unadulterated opinion with no influence from the Kings organization. You also don't want somebody to use that commentator position as a propaganda tool for the Kings. That line is impossible to navigate when your compensation comes primarily from the Kings organization.

Unfortunately, that blurry line could come back to haunt the Kings one of these days. You can't have it both ways. Either he is independent, or he's not. And if he's not independent then these comments can be construed by players as indirect messages coming from management and ownership. At best, it's poor management. At worst, it's underhanded and cynical. That dual role should be severed.

I think this is well said. And fair! Grant does walk a fine line trying to wear two different hats. Obviously he wouldn't last long dissing the players on the team while doing the broadcasts. But I do think, compared to a lot of the other announcing teams around the league, he does his best to not wear the homer hat. Listen to a Laker broadcast sometime and you'll think Grant has no allegence to the Kings at all by comparison.

He's managed to wear both hats so far. But from what I'm reading on this thread, maybe not so well.. If left with the choice, I think it would be a hard one for him. I know he loves his afternoon gig. But he's stated often that many don't get the chance to be a play by play announcer for a major team. Its a gig most would give their right arm for. I think it would be a tough choice for him..

 

[bajaden]

Grant's dual role is a problem for me. It's dishonest, plain and simple. And it's been going on for so many years that people (probably including the Maloofs and Grant himself) have become desensitized to it. I actually think he's good in both positions, but that doesn't excuse the dishonesty. If I had to choose one role for him, I'd keep him as the PBP guy.

I'd also like to knock the heads of ANYone who automatically thinks players are soft because they don't play when injured. Whether it's Grant or people on this board, it's just stupid to think you know the extent of someone's injury and how it affects them (and I don't give a flying ___ if you had that same injury when you were 6). I wonder how many players' careers have been cut short because they played when injured? Or how many extra games were missed because they came back too soon? Or how many games were lost because they were playing injured and were not affective?

All good points..

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I don't have a problem with Grant, maybe its because I'm not in the area and don't listen to his radio show. But maybe its because I'm not in the area that I think what he has to say is nothing compared to what you get in an East Coast town or even LA when times are hard. He might be a little harsher than the radio guys in Portland but to be honest I don't listen to em.

 

[VF21]

I don't have a problem with Grant, maybe its because I'm not in the area and don't listen to his radio show. But maybe its because I'm not in the area that I think what he has to say is nothing compared to what you get in an East Coast town or even LA when times are hard. He might be a little harsher than the radio guys in Portland but to be honest I don't listen to em.

It's not so much what he says as the fact that he says DIFFERENT things about the same situation depending upon whether he's on the TV broadcast or on KHTK. That's the main problem. He acts all friendly with the members of the team, even traveling with them on the plane to away games as part of the Kings broadcast team. Then, when he gets home, he turns on them at the drop of a hat when he's being the KHTK radio commentator.

He's being paid to do one thing by the Maloofs and being paid to do a sometimes opposite thing by KHTK.

One or the other? No problem. Both and once again he can't keep from stepping over the line.

He's alienated several members of the team past and present over this crap. You'd think he'd learn or at least be more honest with them in person.

 

[Sluggah]

i'd prefer kozimor. grant is an ***.

 

[stevetaebo]

Reading comprehension is fundamental to being a successful poster on an active message board.

No need to be so personal. I don't see how he's a propaganda tool for Kings in this case? Carmichael Dave said it was the Kings who wanted Martin to get the surgery. I doubt anyone on the Kings would agree with Grant at all.

 

[BMiller52]

Its actually an interesting article on freedom and objectivity of the press vs. responsibility in commentary.

1) On the one hand, this is the same fool that questioned Bobby Jackson's heart right? If I were Kevin I wouldn't lose any sleep over it as regards the wrist.

2) On the other hand after reading that article, which I thought Amick was hinting at yesterday, by far the most offensive statement in the whole thing came from Bobby Jackson, who suggested that Grant should be muzzled in his dual roles and turned into a cheerleader because part of the time he gets paid by the Kings. I remember when the Knicks did that with Marv Albert. It was the ultimate sign of their internal corruption. Unable to field a winning team, they decided to simply try to shutup anybody willing to point out they hadn't and fired their long term world famous play by play guy and hired a bunch of bootlickers as mouthpieces.

3) I am on the fence about the article, since it juxtaposes two sets I have no use for 1) Grant; and 2) apologists, of whom Amick is now clearly aligning himself (perhaps ironic itself given that he has caught flak in the past for being too sensationalistic -- can't help but wonder if he too isn't being muzzled a bit and tryign to get into the good graces of the team by kissing a little butt)

4) Whining about the ankle coverage is still weak. You just never know, but it didn't take Grant Napear to point out that sprained ankles don't normally cause even a fraction of that much problem.

I don't care whether Grant is a cheer leader or not. He can be critical if he wants to, I don't care, but don't play both sides of the fence. Do I think he should be muzzled? No. I think he should be fired because he says one thing here, and then turns around and says the exact opposite. I believe that the voice of the Sacramento Kings, the PBP guy, should be respectful to the fans and not throw a fit when someone calls and disagrees with him. I've heard him whine about stuff on his show waaaaaay too much over little things he disagrees with, he sounds like a know it all little kid that gets mad when people don't agree with him. I mean I feel like he's poisoning the fan base, and he's backstabbing our players. It's one thing to say something to them and raise a question and give them a chance to answer, but the way he raises questions, without giving them a chance to answer first, is gutless. The guy is a punk IMO.

Don't get me wrong, he can have his radio show. And my issue is more with him being so rude to callers and playing both sides of the fence than his opinion in general. I don't like him at all and it has nothing to do with his opinion. I disagree with people here and people on a 49ers website all the time. But that doesn't mean I don't think they deserve a freedom of speach. But I don't want to hear him say one thing on the TV, than say the opposite on his radio, than someone calls him up and asks him about it and he's a jerk to them, and then a player finds out about what he said and gets pissed because he was friendly to their face and than didn't give them a chance to respond to what he was going to say because he went behind their back and put it on his radio show. Typical Grant behavior and it's gotten REAL old IMO. He's a jerk and I definitely think a lot of people may be turned off that our PBP guy who is supposed to represent the team just as a player should be goes out of his way to blow things out of proportion and rip callers, who may be fans, apart on the air. I would be pissed if he did that to me. He's a 2 faced SOB who should be let go because he does a poor job.

 

[VF21]

No need to be so personal.

Look again. The guy came here, posted a fly-by sarcastic comment and left. He pretty much insulted everyone who has actually made a cogent comment in the thread. Sorry, but I'm gonna sift out the chaff from the grain any chance I can.

 

[IDidntDoDat]

Napear is very good at play-by-play. I love him for his enthusiasm and emotion during the game. So no, I do not think he should be fired

 

[carmichaeldave]

I want sooo badly to get in on this thread. I think something weird has happened to me.

Age, maturity, and common sense have somehow kicked in. Maybe its having two kids in two years.

BTW, I voted no.

 

[VF21]

Erm, you work for KHTK. I think that, much like entering contests, etc. that makes you ineligible to vote.

 

[carmichaeldave]

Erm, you work for KHTK. I think that, much like entering contests, etc. that makes you ineligible to vote.

Awww, cmon. I would tell the truth, regardless. Its actually physically impossible for me to not be honest about this stuff. But yes, I'll leave the analysis to you.

 

[Showtime]

Awww, cmon. I would tell the truth, regardless. Its actually physically impossible for me to not be honest about this stuff. But yes, I'll leave the analysis to you.

If being honest was a physical action, you would be in better shape.

 

[KingsFan54]

should Grant be fired

I beleive that when Grant said that Kevin was not tough was before anyone knew that he had a fractured wrist. Personally, I enjoy Gant's show. Sometimes callers are idiots and need to be told that they are. Grant didn't insult Kevin, bring in to play his race. He just expressed an opinion. I happen to agree that Kevin is not tough, but with that said, I would not expect anyone to play with a fractured wrist. I'm sure Grant doesn't either.

 

[Rookie]

I enjoy Grant's show. He stated IF it doesn't make it worst, play on it. I agreed...and I'm one of the few who don't think KMart is a soft player. You just don't drive like he does when you're soft. If KMart didn't play, I wouldn't take anything away from him, unlike Grant who would called him soft. But like KF54(who has a different view of KMart), I have no problem with what Grant stated as well.

So I voted No.

 

[Citizen Able]

Freedom of choice...we have the power

It's very simple. If you don't like him.....change the dial.

How hard is that?

The last thing I want is a political correctness requirement extended to basketball commentators, of all things. We are not Constitutionally imbued with the right to hear only that which is pleasing to our ears. That's where choice comes in.

It's already sad enough that we have to be vocally shackled with respect to political issues, but now we have to be PC when talking sports too?

Give me a break.

BTW, I hope I haven't stepped over the line here...

 

[Heuge]

While I do not agree with some of the things that Grant says, or the way that he says them, I do not think he should be fired. He is fine at what he does. To ask that he be fired over this is way overbored, IMO. Relax, so he is overly harsh and makes a few statements that frustrate our sensative milllionair players.

Oh, and if anyone should be fired, it is Jerry. He may be the worst color announcer in all of basketball. Not to mention, he sucked as a coach and player personel guy. He has the track record to lose his job, not Grant.

 

[bdouble013]

Reading comprehension is fundamental to being a successful poster on an active message board.

I'm going to have to disagree there. I've successfully posted here for YEARS!!!

The problem with Grant, as many have said, is not that his comments are unwarranted. They are the type of comments you hear from a radio talking head. But when that talking head is also your team broadcaster, it gets a little weird. It would be like your judge also serving as the DA in the case (you decide whether talking head = DA or judge. ). While this situation is not as serious, it certainly creates a conflict.

 

[SCKingsfan]

If you think Grant is annoying and an ***, and want him canned on those grounds, that makes sense to me. You want someone better than him, that's fine. if you want him fired from his radio show primarily because he says some bad things about kings players, even if you don't agree, makes less sense to me. I don't like to see people fired for exercising their freedom of speech, unless its a true form of hate speech. Call to fire the guy because you don't like him, okay, not because his statements disagree with what you believe to be true about kings players. /rant over

 

[SCKingsfan]

Oh, and if anyone should be fired, it is Jerry. He may be the worst color announcer in all of basketball. Not to mention, he sucked as a coach and player personel guy. He has the track record to lose his job, not Grant.

Oh, you're killing me! The Brockness Monster? The Casspian Three? it just wouldn't be as entertaining without the nerdiness, imho.

 

[VF21]

If you think Grant is annoying and an ***, and want him canned on those grounds, that makes sense to me. You want someone better than him, that's fine. if you want him fired from his radio show primarily because he says some bad things about kings players, even if you don't agree, makes less sense to me. I don't like to see people fired for exercising their freedom of speech, unless its a true form of hate speech. Call to fire the guy because you don't like him, okay, not because his statements disagree with what you believe to be true about kings players. /rant over

I just love when people bring freedom of speech into the debate.

It's not about freedom of speech. It's about duplicity and being two-faced as he performs two totally different jobs for the same audience. THAT'S the main beef a lot of us have. I couldn't care less about his rants on the radio if he said the same thing on TV. It's the incongruity that irritates the crap out of me. He drags these guys over the coals in one breath and then, when he's actually sitting down with them in Arco, he puts a microphone in their faces and expects them to talk all nicey-nicey with him because he's wearing a different hat.

Bulldooty. He's responsible for what he says regardless of where he says it.

I didn't particularly agree with the sparse options available in the poll because I think it should have included a provision for those who think he should have to choose one job or the other.

 

[fnordius]

if you want him fired from his radio show primarily because he says some bad things about kings players, even if you don't agree, makes less sense to me.

I don't have a hard time with his being critical of Kings players, but I expect him to do at least some slight, cursory fact checking. One phone call, one question, and he would have known that Kevin wanted to play, but that the team doctors only offered him the choices between surgery and a cast. And then he wouldn't have shot his mouth off without knowing WTH he was talking about.

He can call Kevin the wussiest player to have ever donned a uniform if he wants, and I won't care, because that's just an opinion. But getting reckless with facts is pathetic journalism.