Submitted by Mumbakwe (Former O'Neal Fan), Aug 8, 2007 19:17

Jermaine is not that good... He can't even carry Indiana into the Championship round. His most successful season with the Pacers (the one ended by the eventual champions Detroit Pistons) was a result of BIRD"S rebuilding efforts. Bird was responsible for that Championship Contending Pacers Team. He drafted Artest, Jackson, 2 tough guys that made that Powerful Pacers Team a Defensive Behemoth. Unfortunately, those two guys are the same reason why the Pacers went downhill the next season (REMEMBER THE INFAMOUS PLAYER-FAN BRAWL in Detroit).

In reality Artest was the key for that Pacers team. It is the same reason why Bird doesn't want his nasty guy traded, making it months before he finally traded him to Sacramento.

J O'Neal is just an injury prone big man that can perform 15+ pts and 5+ reb a game. He needed the help of Reggie, Jackson and Artest before he can break the 20+pts and 9+rebs barrier.

It was a mistake giving him a lucrative contract in the first place but because Larry is a team building genius (remember the Championship Contending team of Reggie, Smiths, Ratliff, and Marc the team that he coached and lost to the Lakers) he gave this very unloyal player a hefty contract so that it can inspire him to play well because Bird knows that this guy can do more than a 15+ pts and 5+ reb a game performance. And he did perform well, that was until his support began to dismantle.

My point is, a really good big guy can make a team good. Look at Shaq, Wilt, Russel, Kareem. In a very pathethic Eastern Conference, a really good big guy should make a team great. But his performance dwindled since that Potential Championship Contending Season and his team suffered the most. They did make it in the playoffs but failed to rack .60 percentage wins (In a conference were a lowly team like Cleveland dominated?) and failed to make it into the conference championships.

And now he has the guts to complain when the REAL REASON WHY THE PACERS ARE LOSING IS BECAUSE OF HIS UNADMIRABLE PERFORMANCE.

I think Bird should get rid of this ungrateful punk and build around young talents. He is a talented team builder and I am very sure the Pacers will succeed in the future!

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