And Another Past His Prime NBA Talent Wants to Come Back?

by Stan, Ghosts of Wayne Fontes

Go figure, it's the only sport where seemingly used tampons and washed up veterans think they can make a difference. Um, I should say...they actually don't give a shit if they can make a difference, they just want to latch onto the trendy or sexy contender and go along for the ride; in hopes that they get a ring out of the deal. Yeah, real fulfilling considering this hardly ever works.

Technically speaking, we could argue that Clyde Drexler was the first "veteran" to do the whole, "OK, I'll take less money to win an NBA Title." This suddenly became the trendy new wave, as if NBA players had suddenly found moral ground and we should now have a deeper respect for them willing to cast aside millions of dollars for the purpose of a team. What a joke, it was never about the team ... it was always about the individual.

Gary Payton and Karl Malone were a couple to follow the suit by joining a dying Lakers team and watching their chance at a title be squelched by a younger and hungrier Detroit Piston team. Karma is a bitch ain't it? Needless to say, Gary Payton and some of the crew loaded up for another run with Miami a few years back and the whole concept paid off. They got to seemingly ride D-Wade and Shaq for a ring. Congrats...you did nothing.

So, that brings me back to whole concept of the comeback. Michael Jordan set the trend...obviously. And he succeeded once (while in his prime) and failed pretty miserably in his 2nd attempt (well past his prime). Yet, here we are in 2007 and there are a handful of washed up veterans "proclaiming" they can make a difference, that they still have gas left in the tank.

Um, how about wording it that they still have a yearning or pressing void that they need in order to fulfill their personal lives. Because, let's face it...they aren't going to help anybody win an NBA Championship. However, at least they will get some face time and can pretend that everyone on the team won it for them. Yup, it was all for the 45 year old who came off the golf course to give us 2 minutes and 2 missed buckets a night.

The current list of retired veterans or veterans that should retire keeps growing this off-season, more so than ever. And the latest name to throw his hat into the party is none other than Doug Christie. A savvy veteran at the ripe age of 37 years old, who hasn't played a full season since 2003 and has been domestically abused for years. Shit, talk about a commodity. He joins the esteemed list of ponderers like Reggie Miller, Charles Oakley, Penny Hardaway, Chris Webber and P.J Brown.

It should come as no surprise that most of the names on that list have a select few choices of who they will attempt to play for; Dallas, Phoenix, San Antonio, Miami, Detroit, etc. What a shock? "Look, I'm old, but can I just ride the bench and maybe come in for a few minutes during the NBA Finals so I make the Sports Illustrated book?"

To me, the whole thing is just baffling. What a waste of money for any owner to honestly think these guys can make a difference. Most surprising in all of this is that a guy like Charles Barkley hasn't lapped up the idea and joined the parade. I mean, shit...if Oakley is on board, why not Sir Charles?

Well, best of luck to the veterans...I'm sure many will applaud their "un-selfishness" for taking less money to play for their dreams. However, really step back and ask yourself: "are these guys really un-selfish?" My definitive answer is of course not. They are stealing money from owners and the economy for that matter to ride along on somebody else's dream. And for that, they should be called out, not praised.

Hope it's worth it for them. Because, most of us can see through the bullsh*t a mile away.