Suns trade Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale for Miles Bridges

[virtual9mm]

Sorry, I'm going to call BS on your perspective. It's one thing to cheat on your wife like Jordan. It's another thing to beat her to a pulp and send her to the hospital. And then violate parole by throwing billiard balls at her. All of this is documented.

I don't see how calling BS on this is hypocritical. I want to stay a fan and like just about everything else about the team. But I am experiencing cognitive dissonance based on my desire to not support someone who fractured his wife's neck IIRC.

If you and like-minded folks want people like me to go away, why don't you say it. You can have a little echo chamber where character doesn't matter as long as you perform. Yes, there's a degree that we'll all tolerate, life is about shades of gray. But what Miles Bridges did is so far beyond shades of gray that I just can't buy into it.

[virtual9mm]

TBH, what I am seeing is more than a bit disappointing. Just a lot more tolerance of beating the ever loving shit out of a woman than I expected. Expecting folks to be forgiving without any real evidence of contrition. It violates my values and challenges the deep emotional investment I have put into being a Suns fan over four decades now. And yes, we didn't really know about KJ until we did, and then we kind of all collectively turned on him. Maybe we had the blinders on until we saw that New Republic article. Score one for the free media.

This is just how I feel. Disappointed.

[Carno]

\I don't see how calling BS on this is hypocritical. I want to stay a fan and like just about everything else about the team. But I am experiencing cognitive dissonance based on my desire to not support someone who fractured his wife's neck IIRC.

I do not support Miles Bridges, his behavior, nor the Suns trading for him, but can we please stop making stuff up? I have not seen any reports that say he "fractured his wife's neck." If I am missed that report, please point me to it.

[Split T]

No fractured neck, just the following:

Fractured nose and fractured wrist
Torn eardrum
Torn neck muscles from being choked until losing consciousness
Severe brain concussion
Bruises and contusions across her face, hands, arms, ribs, and legs

[Shabazz]

Sports teams operate like a public trust, inexorably linked to the people, and often the vibe and mood of an entire city. Choosing to trade for a POS automatically associates that POS as part of the fabric of the community at large.

People can say “it’s just basketball” and disassociate individually, but the fact that a large portion of the fan base doesn’t operate that way puts an unfair burden on the collective. The choices you have are either 1. defending the move (which was also a terrible basketball trade) by saying I only care about what happens between the lines, which unfairly feels like minimizing the brutal beating of a woman, 2. Saying I think Bridges and his actions are reprehensible, but I love the Suns more than I hate what he did, which unfairly makes you seem like your priorities are out of whack or 3. renouncing your fandom because of Bridges’ action, which for most long-time fans is a miserable thing to have to do.

It’s totally reasonable to want to root for players who visit children’s hospitals and sign autographs after games and generally seem like good dudes (think about how much we resent some recent Suns for nothing more than being aloof) and by the same token it’s natural to not want to have to root for POSs. The extreme here is the Jail Blazers. I wonder how many fans still said “who cares? They’re good hoopers” after the 5th player got arrested for whatever. That team still stains the city of Portland and they had to spend years washing the stink off.

People can feel how they want. It’s unfair of the team to put their fans in this position - especially after the Sarver nonsense and all the bluster about culture.

[Ring_Wanted]

Choose: an abhorrent Jordan, or an Angelic Scalabrine??

Holy false dichotomy Batman!

[virtual9mm]

9

\I don't see how calling BS on this is hypocritical. I want to stay a fan and like just about everything else about the team. But I am experiencing cognitive dissonance based on my desire to not support someone who fractured his wife's neck IIRC.

I do not support Miles Bridges, his behavior, nor the Suns trading for him, but can we please stop making stuff up? I have not seen any reports that say he "fractured his wife's neck." If I am missed that report, please point me to it.

My apologies, I misremembered torn neck muscles as a fractured neck. Details can matter in situations like this.

Appreciate everyone's thoughts here.

[TOO]

All of this for me has shown me how much less I care about sports nowadays tbh, the players don't care, the ownership doesn't care, so why would I? At least we can bet on them legally though. Woohoo.

[Bucktastic365]

I'm sorry y'all.
I'm not a person to go out on a rant, but CLEARLY this has brought it out in me.

I just despise hearing all the rhetoric on Bridges.
I don't know him, or his situation personally, and he doesn't personally affect my life; other than me watching him on a screen.

I'm going to refrain from speaking, as I'm doing nothing but adding to the situation.

[Superbone]

This is still America. Plus we have our wonderful fans outside of America. Everyone is allowed to feel however they feel and we shouldn't judge one another. We all agree to a person that what he did was reprehensible. And that makes the situation very messy especially when this Suns regime has pushed character as a prime value for a Suns player. And for the most part, they are all great guys and then we bring in this guy.

And then there's the question of retribution versus second chances. None of us are perfect but also hopefully none of us has done something as reprehensible. I'm not into cancel culture. I'm willing to give people a chance to turn their lives around. Who knows, maybe this is the best environment for him to turn his life around outside of basketball.

What I love about this site is the people and our conversations about basketball and beyond. I appreciate you all and I enjoy processing this regarding basketball and outside of basketball. I selfishly don't want to see anybody leave over this.

[The Bobster]

This is still America. Plus we have our wonderful fans outside of America. Everyone is allowed to feel however they feel and we shouldn't judge one another. We all agree to a person that what he did was reprehensible. And that makes the situation very messy especially when this Suns regime has pushed character as a prime value for a Suns player. And for the most part, they are all great guys and then we bring in this guy.

And then there's the question of retribution versus second chances. None of us are perfect but also hopefully none of us has done something as reprehensible. I'm not into cancel culture. I'm willing to give people a chance to turn their lives around. Who knows, maybe this is the best environment for him to turn his life around outside of basketball.

What I love about this site is the people and our conversations about basketball and beyond. I appreciate you all and I enjoy processing this regarding basketball and outside of basketball. I selfishly don't want to see anybody leave over this.

As it stands right now he's fulfilled the terms of his punishment with the legal system and the league. And although many of us probably would have preferred that punishment to be more punitive, missing a year and a great deal of money. Do we have to forgive him? No, but it should be considered if there is any other similar behavior.

[SunsRIt]

This is still America. Plus we have our wonderful fans outside of America. Everyone is allowed to feel however they feel and we shouldn't judge one another. We all agree to a person that what he did was reprehensible. And that makes the situation very messy especially when this Suns regime has pushed character as a prime value for a Suns player. And for the most part, they are all great guys and then we bring in this guy.

And then there's the question of retribution versus second chances. None of us are perfect but also hopefully none of us has done something as reprehensible. I'm not into cancel culture. I'm willing to give people a chance to turn their lives around. Who knows, maybe this is the best environment for him to turn his life around outside of basketball.

What I love about this site is the people and our conversations about basketball and beyond. I appreciate you all and I enjoy processing this regarding basketball and outside of basketball. I selfishly don't want to see anybody leave over this.

Do they though? They got Greyson Allen who did not have a stellar reputation before coming to the Suns. They also got Dillon Brooks who still does not have a good reputation around the league. In fact, if he didn’t play for the Suns, I still don’t think most of us would like him. Granted, none of those were legal issues, but they were not exactly considered high character guys before coming to the Suns.

[specialsauce]

You guys are STILL whining about this, damn

[TOO]

You guys are STILL whining about this, damn

Perpetual unhappiness.

[Superbone]

You guys are STILL whining about this, damn

Perpetual unhappiness.

We love you guys too.

[AmareIsGod]

You guys are STILL whining about this, damn

It's the off-season.

[The Bobster]

You guys are STILL whining about this, damn

This is the group that has 281 pages on Ayton. Don't underestimate us!

[O_Gardino]

Sports teams operate like a public trust, inexorably linked to the people, and often the vibe and mood of an entire city. Choosing to trade for a POS automatically associates that POS as part of the fabric of the community at large.

People can say “it’s just basketball” and disassociate individually, but the fact that a large portion of the fan base doesn’t operate that way puts an unfair burden on the collective. The choices you have are either 1. defending the move (which was also a terrible basketball trade) by saying I only care about what happens between the lines, which unfairly feels like minimizing the brutal beating of a woman, 2. Saying I think Bridges and his actions are reprehensible, but I love the Suns more than I hate what he did, which unfairly makes you seem like your priorities are out of whack or 3. renouncing your fandom because of Bridges’ action, which for most long-time fans is a miserable thing to have to do.

It’s totally reasonable to want to root for players who visit children’s hospitals and sign autographs after games and generally seem like good dudes (think about how much we resent some recent Suns for nothing more than being aloof) and by the same token it’s natural to not want to have to root for POSs. The extreme here is the Jail Blazers. I wonder how many fans still said “who cares? They’re good hoopers” after the 5th player got arrested for whatever. That team still stains the city of Portland and they had to spend years washing the stink off.

People can feel how they want. It’s unfair of the team to put their fans in this position - especially after the Sarver nonsense and all the bluster about culture.

or 4. Stay in the fandom and hold the team accountable by demanding change. Let's not get caught in the falsely equating criticism with being an outsider.

[specialsauce]

You guys are STILL whining about this, damn

This is the group that has 281 pages on Ayton. Don't underestimate us!

Fair lol

[Split T]

We gonna need a Mostly things Miles thread before he even plays a game