sunday wrapup: Stay Off The Bandwagon!!!

by Guichard Cadet


For the New Jersey Nets to surpass my pre-season expectations of 30 or so wins, I need to stay off the bandwagon.

The Nets cannot be categorized as a franchise that makes bad trades, except that of Julius “Dr. J” Erving. When it came to transactions, the team had become a haven for top draft picks, veteran underachievers, or established NBA talent whose image has recently been tarnished, in some fashion.

Until Rod Thorn took over the front office, at best, the Nets were a franchise beset by a string of bad luck injuries and tragedy, maximized by the death of Drazen Petrovic.

At the start of the 2001-2002 season, the franchise gained stability via the acquisition of Jason Kidd, the healing of previously-injured players (Kenyon Martin, Kerry Kittles, and Keith Van Horn), and obtaining rookies Richard Jefferson and Jason Collins.

With this core, for two seasons, the team ran roughshod over other Eastern Conference opponents. Their fortune had changed, and confirmed, like yeast, success raises dough.

Everyone had their hands out for a bigger payday, including the former owners.

Kidd got max money to keep the franchise’s viability.

During this year, there were rumors of player grumblings about the coach. Then, Byron Scott was fired. I raised my right foot to prepare for the jump off the bandwagon. After his firing, the team’s early success hinted anyone could do their X and O’s. The only thing that could stop the Nets in the new century would be what always stopped them – injuries and tragedy.

Tragedy came in the form of a new ownership bent on dismantling the team, so it would be easier to pack for a move to Brooklyn.

Martin wanted his piece of the pie. He had played the last year of his contract with his usual tenacity, garnering a nod as an All-Star. Yet the new owners opted to send him off in a sign and trade to the Denver Nuggets.

Off the bandwagon, if you can call it that, for us fans who had suffered through decades of losing. The bandwagon is actually what ownership realized it owed its fans by trading for Vince Carter.

It is up to Nets fans to withhold their satisfaction until ownership realizes we only pay and cheer for teams whose owners want to win, at all cost.

The cynics amongst us thought they made the trade to simply lure us back, and soften the blow when they eventually trade Jason Kidd.

A funny thing happened! During a televised interview with TNT's coach John Thompson, Carter purged his soul by confessing he didn’t give his all playing for the Raptors. Though he had admitted the unspeakable, I understood why he had not maximized his effort, while toiling in an unstable, regressing work environment, in which he played for 4 different coaches in 7 seasons.

Some surmised Carter would now do well, not having to carry the public relations load in New Jersey.

On paper, it’s a great theory; but to win in the NBA, you either need a well-balanced team, or amazing one-two punch. When Carter had these options, the Raptors advanced to the playoffs.

Beset by injuries, the Nets are a hybrid of the two forms. On any given night, JKidd and Vinsanity present credence for their monikers. While Kidd schools his opponents, Carter amazes them with his acrobatic moves, perimeter shooting and team-oriented game.

Then there are the nights when Collins, Nene Kristic, Rodney Buford, and the other players excel, to make the Nets nearly unbeatable. The Nets have won 7 out the last 10 games.

Yesterday, they demolished the Detroit Pistons, the reigning champions who beat them in the playoffs last season.

The Nets are still under .500 for the season, yet in contention for the Atlantic Division lead. The speculation has been that only one team from the division will make the playoffs. Seeded number 3, this team will play the conference’s 6th place seed; and possibly without home court advantage.

Except for the Miami Heat, I cannot think of an Eastern Conference team that is a hands-down favorite to beat this revived New Jersey Nets team.

Am I on the bandwagon? No!!!

Have I been a fan through the bad and the good? Always will be!