Don't Forget Rasheed

with the media desperately seeing the next his airness, and pinning these hopes on anyone with the slightest bit of elevation and scoring ability, many extremely talented individuals are overlooked. others are simply dismissed by the media because of a lack of marketability. in some cases, both omissions apply to one individual. rasheed wallace is the perfect example of an nba career that has gone unappreciated largely because of the media's inability to be objective about TALENT...rather than obsess about the flavor of the week. yes, his antics can be a bit of a distraction at times, but that is rasheed being rasheed. he may let his temper get the best of him at times, but at least it shows he is passionate about the game. unlike other players who are simply all about getting a fat check at the end of the day. so you may ask,"why should i respect rasheed wallace?" i'll tell you why.

rasheed came into the game (1995) at a time when players were required to prove their talent before being worthy of hype of the media and adoration of countless fans. now, all you have to do is have the potential to be good, and you can bet on seeing your face on ESPN and being offered a shoe deal before you even get drafted...al la sebastian telfair. look what he has turned out to be. hell, ballers from his rookie class and the following class are still dominating the league today. i'm sure you've heard of a few of them. you know, allen iverson, steve nash, oh and this really bratty kid from philly named kobe bryant.

although the record books aren't filled with his name, he has managed remain consistent throughout his career having a presence on both ends of the court. what seven footer do you know that can take it strong to the hole and shoot the 3? let me help you out - no one, except rasheed of course.

i believe it is time for us to show our appreciation for one of the most underrated players in the league. no, he doesn't have fifty endorsement deals or travel with a huge entourage, but he is in my book worthy of all of the above.

a little trivia for the day.
i found it interesting that rasheed's 7 game suspension for threatening a referee happened to be the one and only tim donaghy who was recently implicated in an FBI investigation for betting on games.