Are the Nets an NBA Team?

Posted by Zach Lowe on Dec 27, 2009 50483 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F2009%2F12%2F27%2Fare-the-nets-an-nba-team%2FAre+the+Nets+an+NBA+Team%3F2009-12-27+18%3A12%3A28Zach+Lowehttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F%3Fp%3D5048

Update: So apparently this is fake, and I’m a moron. Kudos to Mike for fooling me and for possessing an amazing word-for-word knowledge of Jim Mora’s famous rant. Again, proof that I’m an idiot.

Mike Prada at Bullets Forever has transcribed Flip Saunders’ opening remarks from last night’s post-game press conference after the T’Wolves beat the Wiz in Minny by 12: 

A usually subdued Flip Saunders walks into the post-game press conference angrier than ever.  

Flip Saunders: Let me start out saying this: Do NOT blame that game on Gilbert, OK?  I don’t care who you play, whether it’s Bishop O’Connell, the New Jersey Nets, the University of Maryland, much less an NBA team, when you give up 19 offensive rebounds, you ain’t gonna beat anybody.

The New Jersey Nets: Now officially being compared to high school and college teams and explicitly being labeled “not an NBA team.” Awesome. 

In all seriousness, you have to wonder whether this works for or against LeBron James (and others) going to a team like the Nets or the Clippers. Does the fact that the franchise has been a joke for 90 percent of its existence make it A) more appealing (“I can prove I can win anywhere”) or B) less appealing (“I demean myself simply by putting on their uniform”)?

I think the answer is probably C) “It doesn’t matter as long as they throw me a ton of money and sign some talent.”

But it’s still fun to think about, and it’s fun to read Flip going into Jim Mora diddly-poo mode. (PLAYOFFS???)