Coming Soon: The Brooklyn Nets

[VC15]

By Chris Broussard

One of the best point guards of all time couldn’t do it. An air show full of no-look passes and alley-oop dunks couldn’t either. Back-to-back trips to the NBA Finals? Nada.

The New Jersey Nets, even when Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin were leading them to Eastern Conference titles, were still the LA Clippers East. And when Kidd and Martin, and later Vince Carter left the building -- that cold, impersonal, swamp-surrounded eyesore known as the IZOD Center -- it got even worse.

That’s why LeBron James and Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony spurned the Nets. They listened to New Jersey’s pitches out of respect for Jay-Z, but all along, they never saw themselves playing in Jersey, not in East Rutherford and not in Newark.

But as I stood beneath my umbrella Wednesday afternoon in the pouring rain, not far from where hip-hop mogul Jay-Z grew up, staring into the guts of what will soon be the Barclays Center of Brooklyn, I couldn’t help but think that those days have ended. The team that plays here, I thought, won’t be a joke, a laughingstock, second rate.

For all those still wondering whether the Nets will ever move to Brooklyn -- stop wondering. It’s a done deal. After one more season in purgatory -- sorry, Newark -- the Nets will open the 2012-2013 season in what will certainly be the league’s finest arena.

The shell of the place is up. You can see where the lower-level seats will be, where the first row of suites will be. You can see that the stands will be intimately close to the court, which should lead to a raucous, uproarious, college-like atmosphere.

You can see that the Nets -- with Deron Williams hinting he may stay long term, and the cap room to add other stars (Dwight Howard?), and a vibrant, basketball-crazy borough as their new home -- could actually become something special.

“For the first time in quite some time, there is clarity, there is vision, there’s a plan in place that we think will help define success for us,’’ Nets CEO Brett Yormark said.

I looked to my left and saw a billboard featuring Williams -- "Game Recognizes Game," it said -- and my first thought was not, "Who are they fooling? Dude’s outta here." Instead, it was, "This might get him to stay -- being the face of all this." After toiling for years in near anonymity in Utah, the prospects of what the biggest borough in the biggest city can bring have to be enticing to D-Will.

If it’s enticing to Howard as well, the Nets could become immediate contenders.

Who knows what Howard will do? Maybe he’ll stay in Orlando. Maybe he’ll force a trade to the Lakers. Maybe he’ll want to join one of the world’s top playmakers to start a legacy all their own in Brooklyn.

Whatever the case, after eying the construction, and peeping the bustling scene of eclectic restaurants and hang-outs surrounding the site, one thing is clear: The Nets definitely will no longer be the Clippers East.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/28578/coming-soon-the-brooklyn-nets

 

[cruzg24]

College like atmosphere hopefully wont lead to a college like level of play. I dont what all this big brother little brother bullshit is. As long as the Nets win thats all that matters, I dont get why fans care so much about their teams image nationwide. I really wouldnt give a crap either way what people think.

 

[Mexi]

Clippers play in the same house as the Lakers
so what

Nets will still be under the shadow of the Knicks no matter what
at least for now and in the not so far away future

 

[VC15]

Clippers play in the same house as the Lakers
so what

Nets will still be under the shadow of the Knicks no matter what
at least for now and in the not so far away future

You clearly weren't around for the early 2000's, when we were the media's favorite in NY.

The team that has the better on-court performance will be tops.

College like atmosphere hopefully wont lead to a college like level of play

You mean like what we saw from the Knicks after the Melo trade?

 

[cruzg24]

You mean like what we saw from the Knicks after the Melo trade?

If thats what we were, what did that make the Nets for the entire season?

 

[.infamous]

If thats what we were, what did that make the Nets for the entire season?

Middle School like play imo

 

[footballplaya52]

typical dwill response

Brooklame Nets

 

[VC15]

I see the haters are out in full force, given that eight users negative repped the topic.

People are scared of us, and they have every reason to be.

 

[cruzg24]

Ill be scared when I see Deron paired up with Dwight.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

I'll be scared when the Nets actually compete.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

I see the haters are out in full force, given that eight users negative repped the topic.

People are scared of us, and they have every reason to be.

Reason? What exactly would that reasoning be?

 

[CameronCrazy06]

I see the haters are out in full force, given that eight users negative repped the topic.

People are scared of us, and they have every reason to be.

As for this comment, no. No one is scared of the Nets. Whether they're on the rise or not, no one neg-repped your post because they are "scared of the Nets". They neg-repped you because everyone is tired about you posting topics about the Nets, a team nobody cares about, all the time. They're tired, more specifically, of hearing YOU talk about how good you think they will be.

Stop.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

Come on CC, don't be so hard on the guy. There is noway you can tell me that Brook Lopez, Anthony Morrow, Kris Humphries, Sasha Vujacic, and Travis Outlaw don't keep you up at night, in fear... :lol:

 

[VC15]

As for this comment, no. No one is scared of the Nets. Whether they're on the rise or not, no one neg-repped your post because they are "scared of the Nets". They neg-repped you because everyone is tired about you posting topics about the Nets, a team nobody cares about, all the time. They're tired, more specifically, of hearing YOU talk about how good you think they will be.

Stop.

I don't care how "tired" they are. If eight people cared enough to negative rep this, and post in this topic, they obviously care.

Now go back to scrubbing urinals at Popeyes with nolafan.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

I think most people just click on your topics to see what dumb thing you have to say this time around.

And me and CC scrub toilets at a high class restuarant, Arbys, ass... :emo:

 

[jonathanlambert33]

Oh, and this thread has become the blatant rep whoring thread, for everyone but DWill lol

If you want your rep to go up 2 or 3 points, post in this thread.

 

[youngguru]

As for this comment, no. No one is scared of the Nets. Whether they're on the rise or not, no one neg-repped your post because they are "scared of the Nets". They neg-repped you because everyone is tired about you posting topics about the Nets, a team nobody cares about, all the time. They're tired, more specifically, of hearing YOU talk about how good you think they will be.

Stop.

So people negged him for posting a relative topic in a relative section of the board? HAHAHAHAHA

That is fucking retarded. Go ahead "neg" me. It will be fun! Fuckin faggots. LMFAO.

 

[footballplaya52]

GO LEAFS GO!

 

[Mexi]

lmao this thread is hilarious
becoming an all-timer

 

[CameronCrazy06]

GO BLUE DEVILS!