Suns Coach Mike D'Antoni Hating on Phoenix Phans

by Atma Brother ONE on Nov 15, 2007 8:44 PM PST in NBA

I'm pretty surprised this isn't getting all that much attention. When was the last time you saw a head coach criticize their own hometown fans? Well Phoenix Suns Coach Mike D'Antoni ain't feeling Suns fans right now [East Valley Tribune]:

D'Antoni said he also wasn't happy when the fans booed his team in the home opener when they were blitzed 119-98 by the Lakers.

"(I vented about the fans) because the fans deserved it," said D'Antoni, a day after describing Tuesday's crowd as "deader than we are" when his team struggled to put away the short-handed Knicks. "If they're going to boo us, hell, what's the difference, I can boo them.

"(Tuesday), they didn't come ready. You have to come every game, you have to bring it ... and they didn't bring it. There was no atmosphere. Everybody -- us, them -- was just kind of down and blah and there's not reason to be."

You don't know who you're booing with.
(Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)

You know I have to side with Coach D'Antoni on this one. Fans boo their home team's players and coaches all the time in the sports world when they aren't bringing it. What's wrong with players and coaches doing the same? I mean when the Warriors are stinking up the joint even We Believers will resort to booing and loud unmentionables (by the way memo to Warriors fans at the Roaracle: when our fellas are shooting free throws SHUSH), so what's wrong with Nellie and the Warrior players booing the fans when they aren't helping them out? (Not that that's happened in years.) And back when Mike Dunleavy was a Warrior and fans weren't booing him loud enough, what would've been wrong with Dun booing the fans for not booing him loudly enough? It works both ways.

Also see: Mike D'Antoni Calls Out the Fans [Bright Side of the Sun]

If the Warriors were a perennial championship contender like the Phoenix Suns do you think the Roaracle would just be the Oracle during the relatively meaningless regular season?

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Comments

shame on D'Antoni

part of a coach's job is to motivate his team, and there are easy games to motivate - such as the home opener ... if the Suns didn't bring it for the opener maybe coach needs to look in the mirror

fans pay for the right to cheer, or boo

shame on this coach for blaming the fans who pay his and the players way ...

by hardcore on Nov 15, 2007 9:26 PM PST reply actions

Agree ^

Fans pay hard earned $$$ to watch their favorite team perform. If they're stinking it up then my ticket feels that much more expensive. Fans have the right to boo... that has always been my position. When the fans were booing Dunleavy i remember being part of the minority on this board that thought that they had a right to do so. If i don't like the product, i don't get a refund, so the next best thing is to boo.

As for D'Antoni putting his own fans on blast... I think it's plain ridiculous. Fans don't boo out of sheer whim. If you play well you'll get the cheers. If not, you get the boos. Black and white. Accept it and play better.

I pray i never have to use a gun again.

by ssmokinjoe on Nov 15, 2007 10:05 PM PST reply actions

true

coach have to take booing as a part of hes job

As a fan, I M killed. dead.. and give me back my bottle...

by Lat We N Trash on Nov 15, 2007 11:38 PM PST up reply actions

Lol...

I hope it doesn't come to me making a "Booooo!" Sign (Unless it's Halloween)... The Detroit Game was Hurt...

by Tony.psd on Nov 16, 2007 1:56 AM PST reply actions

OH MY GOD!!!!

That picture makes D'Antoni look like my 8th Grade German II teacher!!!! Take it away, make it stop!!!!

Tony.psd = Da Man

http://adonalobsessed.blogspot.com/

by Zorgon on Nov 16, 2007 4:51 AM PST reply actions

Make your free throws... PLEASE!!!

Agreed, some people just need to shut up during the Warriors free throws. Especially Captian Oblivious in section 109 and his game long, whack ass commentary. Maybe we'll have to bitch slap this drunk into place. Why bitch slap him... cause this OAKLAND!!!

by mcwalter44 on Nov 16, 2007 8:57 AM PST reply actions

Free Throws

If dead silence had any effect it would make them more likely to miss, not less. I say they should practice shooting it off the rim to one of our offensive rebounders.

by SpreeForThree on Nov 16, 2007 12:57 PM PST reply actions

21st century backboard pass?

I kid you not, last time Nelson was here he experimented with a backboard pass - the missed FT is not all that radical as an end of the game strategy, but I wouldn't even put it past him to do at other times - still a low level play particularly for a poor rebounding team ...

by hardcore on Nov 16, 2007 2:58 PM PST up reply actions