My Tribute to Kris Humphries

I think I did a tribute last year, but I feel compelled to write another.

Think for a second what the Hump means to this team. Then think for a second what he has overcome to effectively become the captain of our defensive unit and our most valuable frontcourt player. It's crazy.

Last year management was hoping that he wouldn't pick up his option because they wanted to save that money for the Lebron sweepstakes (how did that turn out). So the Hump comes to camp for the 2010-2011 season as the FOURTH PF on the roster. Troy Moiso Murphy was suppose to be the "moose" we had longed for - then he was injured and out of shape. We started Joe Moiso Smith on opening night. We featured a deer-caught-in-the-headlight Derrick Favors until the Deron trade. All three of those guys were ahead of the Hump in the rotation. Hump could have sulked. He could have been a whiner. He could have played half-Outlawed. Instead, he busted his "Hump" everytime he took the floor. By the end of the season he was putting up 14 and 14 and playing like a dude possessed.

So how is Hump rewarded? On the heels of last year's Lebron sweepstakes, and then the "Melo-Drama", the start of this season marked the beginning of "the Dwightmare." Instead of focusing on bringing back the Hump, the front office looks to improve by targeting Chandler and Nene. Meanwhile, Net fans on this site are debating the merits of obtaining other PFs. Nice way to say thanks for the memories Hump. So Hump sits back, hoping for a lucrative contract that never materializes. The Nets play coy, having placed all their eggs in the Dwight basket, and only thanks to the thick-headedness of Otis Smith and the Magic management are the Nets compelled to offer Hump a one-year contract for $8m. Days before the start of the season at that.

So with only several days before the season starts, just when it looked like the PF position would be turned over to Sheldon Williams, Johan Petro or the dehydrated Jordan "Jenny Craig" Williams, Hump gets inserted into the starting lineup, despite a summer experience that would have served as a distraction for the ordinary person. Enduring the taunts of idiotic Knick fans and other assorted Haters, how does Hump respond? He flat out BEASTS!! How he's in shape for the minutes he played against the Wiz is remarkable.

I don't care about the Haters. I don't care about the Armenian with the large bottom. Hump deserves the loudest of ovations from Nets fans. Hump has found his niche and deserves credit for putting his heart and effort into every possession in a Nets uniform. If you can't root for a guy like the Hump, then you're not a fan of the game.

Peace, out,