NetsDaily Mailbag #1

First, let's get this out of the way.

How many pillows are on your bed?

- Vincent (onlynetsfanleft)

Garwood, NJ

Glad you asked this, Vincent.  I feel very strongly about this issue and I feel good that I can pass this information along.

The answer is three.

One is a latex pillow I got online about 10 years ago.  It's one of the best things I've ever bought.  This is the linchpin of the operation.  It's the only pillow that my head goes on.  It's firm, not spongy, and it has retained its firmness over all these years.  It has three washable covers on it not including the pillowcase.  It's amazing.

The second pillow is a big, thick sucker.  I put it between my knees and lie on my side and it puts my spine in just the right position.  Ahhhh.  Such bliss.

The third pillow I hug because I am lonely and it makes me feel loved.

Please take note that I have a similar physique to a pregnant woman (which is probably one of the top demographics in terms of visiting this site) and I have never had any back problems.  You're welcome, preggos.

If you had to play one-on-one against any Nets player who would it be?

- HappyCamper

Let me get back to you at the end of the mailbag.  If it goes well, I'm thinking about calling out KG.

Should we care about the potential selling of the team?

- Thomas Duffy

I care about it!  I care a lot.

First, does the NBA like it when someone buys a team with the express purpose of moving it, waits six years, runs out of money, sells a majority share to someone from a foreign country so the move can be completed, then that owner decides his investment is already mature and wants to cash out?  Heck, I don't know.  I guess they're happy the team is in a new arena in a more populated location.  I guess emergency situations sometimes call for less-than-ideal solutions.  I also guess they're happy the value of NBA franchises is higher than they likely thought.  I realize this is a very specific and unique set of circumstances, but I do not like the precedent of an owner coming in, milking a franchise for all its worth as a short-term investment and turning it over immediately.  The NBA shouldn't like it either.

As for Nets fans, it's not great to lose an owner who was willing to outspend any other owner (yes, including Cuban) and authorized any expenditure to make everything - from the arena to the team facilities to the amazing, endearing, kid-friendly mascot - world class.

However, that money did more damage than good on the court (as it turns out) and before any of us can tell what the next phase would have been he is selling. And that is misery for fans who have been through over a decade of instability and an atmosphere where building a winning team took a back seat to selling the team, not spending any money waiting to move the team, and - once the team finally moved -  trying to acquire fans in an area where every fan rooted for another team a few miles away.  And now winning will take a back seat to selling the team once again.

We can only hope that after the dust clears, the new owner will hire someone creative and savvy enough to overcome the damage done to the franchise by the shortsighted actions of the current group and finally make winning the first and only priority.

That is going to be a long time from now.  This is depressing.  There has to be a less depressing question here somewhere.

I really like Brook as a person.  I think he's funny, cool, chill and quirky.

I really like Deron as a person.  Married his high school sweetheart, adopted a child, donates to autism charity, speaks his mind and has a dry sense of humor.

Why the hell to I despise both of them when they are on the court?  Every time I see Brook flail his arms and whine to the ref  I feel shame for my fandom.  Or when I see Deron dribble off his foot during a critical possession I want to vomit.

Do I like these 2 Nets or hate them? Or both?

Thanks

Leroy

Matawan, NJ

My name is Steven, I am from Pittsburgh and ever since the Jason Kidd era I've been an avid Nets fan. Despite all of our hopes and dreams it appears the our team is still a long way from contention and with the majority of the core roster past their primes with the only notable exceptions being Mason Plumlee and Brook Lopez (when healthy). I was curious as to how long that it would be until the Nets are able to reach the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference and who you think should be traded, signed, or drafted to help propel the team in the right direction.

Thanks,
Steven

Okay I have a question.  If no moves are made before the trade deadline and the Nets don't make the playoffs, shouldn't most of the blame go to Billy King?

- Al

What is it with this nets team? No heart, no brain, no hustle. Is it because the leaders are primadonnas?

-Jayson

Ugh.  Those are NOT less depressing!  Jeez.  Man, are we staring into the long, black abyss or what?

I feel like we are past all of this now.  Why keep talking about this same depressing failed team?  Discussing this stuff is akin to picking through ruins after a complete disaster.  There's nothing left here to salvage.  I want to love the Nets again!  That means getting lean, recouping as much for the future as possible (which, sadly won't be nearly enough), losing badly until the team gets sold and praying the next guys in charge do a lot better than the outgoing ones.  At least give those folks as much of a clean slate as possible.  Please.

How much would it cost to get you to tattoo the Knicks logo on your chest like the Superman symbol?

- Starbeck's Pack

Houston, TX

I actually hate the Celtics and Heat more than the Knicks.  I'm also broke so it wouldn't take much.  Plus, when am I taking my shirt off?  Who am I, Chris Pratt?

Choosing any player that has been a part of the Nets, what would your ultimate all-time lineup be?  (not considering injuries)

-SteelNets

Reno, NV

This answer is always the same and it will never change.

C - Jason Collins

F - Jason Collins

F - Jason Collins

G - Jason Collins

G - Jason Collins

Nothing but high BBIQ, set shots, boxing out and solid screens as far as the eye can see.  It's basketball heaven.

How'd you get involved with the Netsdaily team?

- SteelNets

Reno, NV

Back in the early to mid 2000s, Net Income used to post all day on the NJ.com Nets message board.  I thought it was fascinating.  It was basically a running discussion between him and people trying to push his buttons.  I was never sure if there were lots of different people posting or just Net Income with 100 different accounts.

Anyway, I finally got up enough nerve to start posting, even though I had never been on a message board before.  I learned some lessons and figured some things out and soon I was pretty confident I could successfully interact with other Nets fans, which in real life I personally knew about three - and one was my dad.  (BTW, if you are someone who lurks because you aren't confident about posting,  you should try it!  Everyone starts out that way.)

I eventually made a few friends on there and I remember impressing NI by predicting the Nets would draft Christian Drejer (which I assure you they did).

Next I migrated over to the BasketballBoards Nets forum, which was another adjustment because it was a true vBulletin format which I had never experienced.  There was a great group of regular posters there and one of them was a dude named Schubee who had also posted at NJ.com and was a moderator at BBB.  He contacted me and asked if I would like to be a mod, and I was so flattered!  That place would turn into BasketballForums and soon a lot of folks left to form a new site called SportsTwo.  I posted there for a while, then migrated over to NetsDaily (though I always checked it out and even contributed a few articles before then) which was more of a news blog and less of a community at that time.  I tried to make a traditional forum work, and SBNation even let us have it for a while, but alas, people didn't want to use it and it couldn't be maintained, so now we have to repeat ourselves in every new thread.  Sigh.

I met a lot of great people over the years and I have made some really good friends.  I am grateful that I found that weird NJ.com board all those years ago.  If any of you were part of that journey, I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

If you had to play one-on-one against any Nets player who would it be?

- HappyCamper

Uhhhhh.  Not yet.

Pretend the Nets signed Josh Smith to the veterans min after being released by the Pistons.

What's the reaction of Nets fans?
Are the Nets a better team?
Do the Nets win the NBA Championship this year?

- Matt

1. Mostly thrilled they now have a new scapegoat to complain about.

2. Not until...

3. Yes!  Because releasing Josh Smith is the fastest way to become an elite NBA team.  Faster than signing LeBron.  Faster than tanking for Tim Duncan.  Faster than not drafting Sam Bowie or Greg Oden.  It's the best way, really.  And you can only cut him if you sign him first.

Is Joe Johnson's contract tradeable? Is tradeable a word?

- Thomas Duffy

Not on its own and yes.  Anything I consider a word is a word.  I hope that's snorf with everyone.

Other than me, who is your favorite poster and why?

- Starbeck's Pack

Houston, TX

The Barbi Twins from 1987.

What is your adult beverage of choice to numb the pain during this wretched stretch?

- Starbeck's Pack

Houston, TX

Chocolate milk.  As I've often pointed out, it's impossible to be in a bad mood while drinking chocolate milk.

If you had to play one-on-one against any Nets player who would it be?

- HappyCamper

KG.  My strategy is to get him thrown out of the game.

What the hell is wrong with Kevin Garnett?

- Thomas Duffy

I'm going to tell him during our game of one-on-one.

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