Honest Question

[MissKitty]

I was just reading the thread about Patrick Sparks and many of you wrote about how you didn't like him because of how he acts on the court? 

Would you tell me exactly what type behavior you're talking about?  I'm seriously confused here.

[Coachjy]

Sparks shows emotion when he's playing, something not allowed on the Razorback basketball team.

[hogman64]

I was just reading the thread about Patrick Sparks and many of you wrote about how you didn't like him because of how he acts on the court? 

Would you tell me exactly what type behavior you're talking about?  I'm seriously confused here.

Well dang Miss Kitty he just comes in shootin' up the place and acting so dadgummed high and mighty  just think he needs to be taken down a peg or too....with Mathew out of town and all just afraid he is going to  try to cause some trouble..............

[MissKitty]

I don't think he really shows that much emotion.  One game he did, but that was like when the team was coming out of that slump they were in.

[MissKitty]

LMAO @ hogman

[hogtheball]

He's cocky, good, and looks like most of the guys posting did when they were in college. We just wonder how in the world he is getting to have all that fun on the court when none of us could. It's kind of reverse descrimination --- same reason why a lot of fans hate Bobby Hurley, Steve Nash, Danny Ainge, Larry Bird. 

[MissKitty]

Well now, I'm being serious here.  What is it you all dislike about Patrick?  I know I'm probably not exactly unbiased, but I love the kid.  I'd say his court vision and passing ability is what I enjoy most about watching Patrick play.

Thanks for the reply hogtheball. 

Myself, I didn't like Matt Walsh because he was soft, and was always whinning about something.  I don't see Patrick doing that type stuff.

[hogtheball]

He made our point guard look like a junior high player.

[hogsrock]

Well now, I'm being serious here.  What is it you all dislike about Patrick?  I know I'm probably not exactly unbiased, but I love the kid.  I'd say his court vision and passing ability is what I enjoy most about watching Patrick play.

Thanks for the reply hogtheball. 

Myself, I didn't like Matt Walsh because he was soft, and was always whinning about something.  I don't see Patrick doing that type stuff.

I'll answer it.  If he was black no one would say a damn thing about him.  These trolls picked him out because he's white and good and that's it.

[pfrg999]

He made our point guard look like a junior high player.

Uhhh like that is hard....

[pfrg999]

Well now, I'm being serious here.  What is it you all dislike about Patrick?  I know I'm probably not exactly unbiased, but I love the kid.  I'd say his court vision and passing ability is what I enjoy most about watching Patrick play.

Thanks for the reply hogtheball. 

Myself, I didn't like Matt Walsh because he was soft, and was always whinning about something.  I don't see Patrick doing that type stuff.

I'll answer it.  If he was black no one would say a damn thing about him.  These trolls picked him out because he's white and good and that's it.

That is the Stupidest post that I have seen all day... and there have been some Really stupid ones also... White Black orange gray or freaking purple... Has no bearing on it... DA

[HogHeathen]

Well now, I'm being serious here.  What is it you all dislike about Patrick?  I know I'm probably not exactly unbiased, but I love the kid.  I'd say his court vision and passing ability is what I enjoy most about watching Patrick play.

Thanks for the reply hogtheball. 

Myself, I didn't like Matt Walsh because he was soft, and was always whinning about something.  I don't see Patrick doing that type stuff.

I'll answer it.  If he was black no one would say a damn thing about him.  These trolls picked him out because he's white and good and that's it.

That is the Stupidest post that I have seen all day... and there have been some Really stupid ones also... White Black orange gray or freaking purple... Has no bearing on it... DA

I dito that pfgr...

[hogsanity]

He plays for KY.  Same as Fb players who play for TX, hog fans just dont like them.

[wishyjoshy]

He's like a Duke player.  They all seem to think that they know more about the game than anyone around them, including the referees.  The arrogant smirks he throws at the refs every time a call doesn't go his way and the flopping (yes, it's heady) is enough to make me a little nauseated. 
But, I hated John Stockton, too. 

[PiggoBitttys]

I dont like him because he took some flops during the game when he was hounding Jefferson at the point. Sparks would be leaning on him practically, then Dontell would swing his arms around to get him off of him, and Patrick would suddenly fly back as if he was knocked out. He did it twice, and neither time should there have been a foul on Jefferson.

I realize players flop and play the refs all the time, and if they call it, then you should take advantage, its just kind of a cheesy thing to do.

[wishyjoshy]

He does look like a big spray can of Easy Cheese out there.  I mean, come on!!! Is there anything else this guy could do to make himself look MORE whitebread.  I'm surprised he doesn't have on a long sleeve T-Shirt and White Sweat Pants underneath his uniform.

[hogtheball]

Quick, JFen, think of all the Duke players you hate!     Now, count how many of them are black and how many are white. Tell me it's not racial. People always hate white basketball players - I don't understand it, but it sure seems to be the case. 

Even John Stockton gets crap - and how could anyone hate John Stockton?  If your son grew up to be John Stockton you'd be the proudest guy around, but people hated him.   

Rajon Rondo whines and flops just as much as Sparks, but nobody on this board singled him out as a hatable Kentucky player. 

[hogsanity]

I dont think it is INTENTIONALLY racial, but............. it is the way white pG's usually act.  THey basically climb inside guys shirts playing d and get this terribly confused look when a foul is called on them.  They take a "charge" and it knocks them 35 ft accross the floor under the basket and into the presss taking pictures.  They go in for a layup, get swatted by some 7 footer and cant believe no foul was called.  It is like they are trying to convince people that they are something other than a good white ball player.  I dont care what color they are, if they can play they can play, they dont need all the acting. 

[othermac]

because he was using that lame ass flop to get a foul called and cause a turnover, it was total bs, and when he didnt get the call he did go whinning to the ref. he was crowding jefferson, and when jefferson would turn he would flop, a total bogus foul, and he would put his hands on our guards to check them, i though that was suppose to be a foul, but it wasnt called sunday.

[pfrg999]

Quick, JFen, think of all the Duke players you hate!     Now, count how many of them are black and how many are white. Tell me it's not racial. People always hate white basketball players - I don't understand it, but it sure seems to be the case. 

Even John Stockton gets crap - and how could anyone hate John Stockton?  If your son grew up to be John Stockton you'd be the proudest guy around, but people hated him.   

Rajon Rondo whines and flops just as much as Sparks, but nobody on this board singled him out as a hatable Kentucky player. 

I hate ALL Duke players... Grant Hill, Trajon Langdon.. all of them...Black white... It's Not racial man It's duke..Same as Texass Black or White...Red or brown... Hate em all

[dmhog v2.0]

I was just reading the thread about Patrick Sparks and many of you wrote about how you didn't like him because of how he acts on the court? 

Would you tell me exactly what type behavior you're talking about?  I'm seriously confused here.

He's white.

[LordStanleysHog]

he's a cheap player, he got away with several elbows and push offs... it has nothing to do with his race, are you joking?  I hated Ron Slay at Tenn. because he was dirty.  Basically, he's cocky, arrogant, etc...  You don't see it becuase he's your player, honestly the only way we wouldn't bring it up is if we had won the game.  It's just venting, we are transfering our aggression onto someone else, someone who had a hand in the cause for our aggression and he stands out because of his play (good and bad).  Nothing personal, obviously because none of us knows him personally.

[Biggus Piggus]

Sparks is a savvy player.  I don't like or dislike him, but I laughed at the CBS guys praising him for his "brilliant" timeouts when he got trapped and didn't have the skill to get out of it.  Brilliant to burn up all your team's timeouts when you can't handle the ball against pressure.

[HOGLUVIN]

put the race cards away. they are unnecessary. there are too many others reasons to hate someone from UhK

[hogtheball]

I respect somebody that hates all Duke players.  Most guys name Laettner, Hurley, Wojo, Ferry, Cherokee Parks, and never list Thomas Hill, Grant Hill, Trajan Langdon, J. Williams, Boozer, etc.   I still say I have the Kentucky game on tape and Rondo wines more than Sparks.

That being said, nobody deserves our hatred more than Laettner (black, white, whatever). 

[hogtheball]

I'm just saying, when it comes to hatred of other players, I think we should be more color-blind. Is that irony or what.

[HOGLUVIN]

scott padgett.... and that pope guy. ..... those two went to uhk for like 15 years or something.

I think rupp recruited them.

ps. tony delk, buy a neck.

[wishyjoshy]

pfrg999 beat me to it.  I hate all Duke players.  As good as Coach K is, why is it that out of all of these McDonald's All Americans he gets every year, only a SMALL handful of them actually make it big on the next level.  Grant Hill has had moderate success due to injuries and Elton Brand is now coming on strong and will probably make it to an All Star game.  But as far as Duke goes, the most hated would be Boozer, Hurley, Wojo, and Sheldon Williams.  I'll jump off the soap box now.
I have been a hog fan as long as I can remember.  I found another team that I loved when I was 12 years old in UNC. (Yes, that explains a lot about my hate for Duke.)  In the last few years, primarily starting with Dan Dickau, I fell in love with Gonzaga basketball.  Dickau, Stepp, Morrison, Raivio, etc.  WHITE GUYS.  One of the most exciting teams to watch in recent years!!  Few took what Billy Donovan started at Florida by finding these blue chip white guys (Jason Williams, Walsh, Lee) and has perfected it. 
The reason I hate Stockton is because of the stuff he pulled when he was playing against Williams in the Western Conference finals when JWill was at Sacramento.  Ask anyone who played in the league and they will tell you that Stockton is the dirtiest player - ever, period. 
I'm a white guy.  I played college basketball.  There is a certain style of ball that I love more than others. (UNC and Gonzaga are perfect examples of that style.)  When I was a sophomore, the coach called me into his office and asked what I though about the season.  I told him that I wasn't use to losing 12 games a year.  In three years in high school our record was 91-15.  I went on to tell him that I didn't like the way the team worked (or didn't work) together.  To make this story short, I told him I thought I might be done playing ball and he said that was "probably for the best because I played too much like a black guy."
So as far as my thoughts on Sparks being racist, I think that is pretty much crap.  Team mates are team mates and athletes are athletes.  If there is a black guy who plays the same way Sparks does (ie. Jayson Williams from Duke) I will hate that style of ball as well, not the person.

[hogsrock]

Well now, I'm being serious here.  What is it you all dislike about Patrick?  I know I'm probably not exactly unbiased, but I love the kid.  I'd say his court vision and passing ability is what I enjoy most about watching Patrick play.

Thanks for the reply hogtheball. 

Myself, I didn't like Matt Walsh because he was soft, and was always whinning about something.  I don't see Patrick doing that type stuff.

I'll answer it.  If he was black no one would say a damn thing about him.  These trolls picked him out because he's white and good and that's it.

That is the Stupidest post that I have seen all day... and there have been some Really stupid ones also... White Black orange gray or freaking purple... Has no bearing on it... DA

You might want to go back and read some of the dump you've posted before you call someone stupid you troll.

[hogsrock]

Quick, JFen, think of all the Duke players you hate!     Now, count how many of them are black and how many are white. Tell me it's not racial. People always hate white basketball players - I don't understand it, but it sure seems to be the case. 

Even John Stockton gets crap - and how could anyone hate John Stockton?  If your son grew up to be John Stockton you'd be the proudest guy around, but people hated him.  

Rajon Rondo whines and flops just as much as Sparks, but nobody on this board singled him out as a hatable Kentucky player. 

Thank you.  That was exactly my point earlier.

[hogtheball]

I heard Charles Barkley last year talking about Stockton. He said the guy wasn't dirty, just real good.  He said the other guards around the league called John dirty because they didn't like being humiliated by a 40-yr.-old white guy.  he also said Stockton was the only guard in the leauge who could actually set a screen on Barkley.  Say what you want about Stockton, but you can't compare Jason Williams NBA play to Stockton's. 

Anyway, I agree with almost all of what you said.  But as a white player (I was a white tailback in college and you know how few of those are around) you know there are those fans who universally hate white guards. That was all I was saying.  Bring up Duke in a crowd of basketball fans and they'll name all the white players they hate (usually). Same thing with Kansas. Indiana. Arizona (wait, Walton was like the only white ARizona guy ever).   One weird thing, though.  Nobody seems to hate on the white europeans as much.  I swear if Peja was from Indiana, he'd be the most hated guy in the NBA. 

[hogsanity]

FOr me, it is about HOW you play them game.  If you can shoot, stick the shot then go play D.  If you are a good defender, shut down yur man, and go play offense. 

As for Sparks in particular, if he played for just about any other school, you would RARELY hear about him.  He would score 15 or so a night, have the occassional 20+game, graduate and never be heard from in BB again.  But he plays for KY, so he is on TV CONSTANTLY and just like in FB with ND, if you were that KY jersey you must be a BB god.  This KY is so weak compared to their teams of the last 20 yrs it is almost sad. 

[hogtheball]

If Sparks played for the Hogs, we'd have three more wins than we have now and everybody here would love him - flops and all.

[Patch]

BECAUSE PATRICK SPARKS IS THE UGLIEST MF'er ON THE PLANET !!!

...nothing racial. He's just really ugly, and I don't like ugly people 

[hogtheball]

You sure wouldn't want your daughter to bring him home.

[CorningHog]

I like Ashley Judd though aka Miss Kitty!

Thanks for posting on Hogville!  Maybe you can adopt the Razorbacks as your next favorite team!

[pfrg999]

If Sparks played for the Hogs, we'd have three more wins than we have now and everybody here would love him - flops and all.

Yes... Hog players are Loved... Other teams players are Hated the way of the world

[HogsRule]

Bring up Duke in a crowd of basketball fans and they'll name all the white players they hate (usually).  

to be fair they've had a lot of whiney white players that are easy to hate. I actually like JJ Reddick (sp?) and dunleavy, but Hurley and Laetner, man I can't stand them.

[LordStanleysHog]

Something Billy D in Fla. started?  You need to check when Roy Williams was at Kansas...

[hogtheball]

Hurley was awesome.

[three]

Well now, I'm being serious here.  What is it you all dislike about Patrick?  I know I'm probably not exactly unbiased, but I love the kid.  I'd say his court vision and passing ability is what I enjoy most about watching Patrick play.

Thanks for the reply hogtheball. 

Myself, I didn't like Matt Walsh because he was soft, and was always whinning about something.  I don't see Patrick doing that type stuff.

I wouldn't say Sparks has good court vision, if he did he would be the primary ball handler rather than Rondo.  If you want to talk about Kentucky guards with great court vision (and I'd rather you didn't)  Travis Ford was one of the best.  Watching Ford vs. Beck was one of the great PG match-ups I've ever seen!

He made our point guard look like a junior high player.

Our "PG" isn't good enough to play on most of the Junior High teams I played on/against!

[hogtheball]

Travis Ford got the SEC tournament MVP that year.  Didn't he have like 31 points against Beck when they beat us. As I recall, Nolan put Thurman on Ford in the second half and Scotty kept giving him two or three steps. Sparks is certainly no Travis Ford. 

By the way, Ford is the head coach at UMASS this year - hired after a great year at Eastern Kentucky. He's having a mediocre season, at best, but wasn't expected to do much with current talent. I hope he's on our list for the future.

[MissKitty]

I like Ashley Judd though aka Miss Kitty!

Thanks for posting on Hogville!  Maybe you can adopt the Razorbacks as your next favorite team!

FWIW, the Hogs are my 2nd favorite SEC team. 

As far as Patrick goes, I think he does those things because he's a coaches son, much like Travis Ford was a Coaches son.  Both these guys have a lot in common. 
1) Both from Western KY
2) Both short white kids that can't jump.
3) Both fantastic 3 point shooters
4) Both have Dads who are coaches.  Travis's Mother was a high school coach as well.
5) Both are a little crafty when the game is on the line. LOL

I just hope Patrick gets the opportunities Travis has been blessed with after he leaves UK.

To be honest, I probably don't see a lot of things you folks see that would irritate the crap out of me if Pat was playing against UK and wasn't a kid from my area.

Tiz really been an enjoyable thread for me, thanks for all the replies.

[wishyjoshy]

Something Billy D in Fla. started?  You need to check when Roy Williams was at Kansas...

Roy has always gone after the clean cut white bread boys.  Billy Donovan started going after the white boys with a little "flair."  There is a huge difference in the style of play between Jason Williams, David Lee, Matt Walsh and Kurt Hinrich, Raef LaFrentz, and Dwayne Boshie (Hell, I think that was his name!)  
As far as the Duke guys, it seems like most of their white guys come from the Upper Upper Class.  They act like everything is owed to them.  That is my problem with them.  Very rarely have you seen a guy from UNC act like that.

[hogtheball]

Dunleavy was upper upper class - as for the other white Duke guys, you might be a little surprised at their backgrounds.  You just assume they are rich white guys because you don't like Duke.  do a little research about Hurley, Wojo, Laettner, Ferry and the rest...you might be surprised. 

And how can you like Kansas and not Duke.  Put Heinrich and LaFrentz in Duke uniforms and you'd never know the difference.  In fact, I think coach K recruited both of those guys pretty heavily.