bigdog17k Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 http://sports.cbsimg.net/u/photos/basketball/nba/img13997295.jpgJoking aside, Magic's Howard returning with new, necessary 'tudeNEW YORK -- It all started out innocently enough, with Dwight Howard doing what he does best. Not dunking or blocking shots or searching far and wide for his killer instinct. Instead, Howard was holding court at the NBA Store Wednesday, bringing the house down with his smile and his personality. But after he was done modeling the NBA's new, lighter, sweat-proof, revolutionary adidas uniforms -- available for only $350 at your local retailer -- Howard spoke with the kind of edge and tenacity you long to see him play with on a nightly basis. After he was finished delighting the crowd with Frank Caliendo-like impressions of Stan Van Gundy and Charles Barkley, Howard turned his attention toward the two enormous challenges in his path with training camp about to open: Avenging the Magic's embarrassing loss to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals, and proving that the Heat didn't win the NBA title with a few free-agent signings in July. "We heard it all summer: 'The Miami Heat are going to win. They're going to do this and do that,'" Howard said. "In our minds we're like, 'Hey, they haven't played a game yet so what makes them champions?'" And so there you have it -- but only part of it. Is Howard, trying to shake the label of being the guy who puts the gentle in giant, aggravated by all the attention being showered upon division rival Miami? Damn right he is. Is that all? Nope. What has stung Howard all summer -- from the weight room to the practice court, where he's been known to shoot 1,000 jumpers a day -- is the humiliation he experienced at the hands of the Celtics at the end of May. That, more than anything, had Howard vowing Wednesday that his days of playing Mr. Nice Guy are over. "Losing the way we did to Boston, I think it kind of pissed me off to the point that I didn't want our team to be looked at as the team that lost to Boston the way we did," Howard said. "[it was] the way we were viewed by the media, the way I was viewed.Full Article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Check my Stats Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 It is easy to talk with swagger, hopefully he brings it to the court. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AboveLegit Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 Wasn't the same thing reported around this time last year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.