Now you see, I knew the reaction my post would elicit is exactly the one I am getting, the Malone haters on this board would not tolerate less, and I am totally cool with that. Malone has done plenty to deserve the reputation and dislike people have for him. but his work ethic, skills, determination, and team play cannot be ignored, nor IMO downplayed.
WOW, I am not drunk, I don't get drunk, and yes, as a lifelong Laker fan I well know Malone as a Jazz and a Laker player with regard to his antics on court, I've always thought he was a dirty player, not denying it all. But people here act like he wrote the book on it, he wouldn't even have been in the top 2-3 at Detroit for dirty players and in today's NBA he is not too different from plenty of players so how about a little perspective here? Malone gets away with what he can like everybody does, his size and strength merely add to the hurt he can put on you, Peeler's inexcusable, hard, deliberate, angry elbows at BOTH ends of the floor couldn't even drop Garnett, at least the second and worse of the 2, couldn't, had Malone thrown that shot, Garnett would still be on the floor, so his size makes it worse, but it doesn't change the fact that other players will do it in a minute if they can get away with it.
JoMal, give me a just a small break on the heat of the game nonsense! It occured DIRECTLY beacuse of what PEELER DID EARLIER, he instigated it and his intent was to knock Garnett on his butt, like he had done earlier down the court, he was fortunate he didn't connect on Garnett's throat, or the topic here would be should he be thrown out of the league. And since when did Malone keep his mouth shut when he was WITH the Jazz about his teammates, let alone wait until he leaves? He has always said what is on his mind, regardless of the situation, regardless of camera's rolling or not, the only NBA player that shoots off his mouth more is Shaq, but at least Malone is more self-effacing and takes responsibility for losses as well as wins.
X3, so what he likes country music and drives a semi when he can? While I can't fathom for the life of me why anyone in their right mind would like country music, or actually LIKE driving a tractor trailer, I still prefer someone like that to these gangsta rap listenin', pot smoking, shove their wives out of house with no clothes doin', adultery committin', gun totin', the world owes me a livin' thinkin', spoiled little pukes that populate the NBA these days. Dirty play aside, Malone and his ilk, you know, the ones that stay out of trouble off the court, like Tim Duncan as another example, may not be glamourous, or have the street cred, but I personally think, having survived the whole gangbangin, in and out of jail desire for "street cred" in my youth while my friends were winding up dead or in prison, that that is a good thing, we could use more like 'em. The thug punks have taken over and the influence on today's kids is in small measure what's wrong with society today.
