Idle the Jet Please

I don't watch a lot of TNT and while Charles Barkley has been on his forced leave of absence I have watched even less. I saw some of the pregame before the Cavs played at Los Angeles and New York. And this weekend I have watched some of the All Star festivities.

And what I have taken from these experiences is that I really dislike Kenny "The Jet" Smith. Granted I don't watch him much but is Smith ever correct? Last night he basically declared Phoenix the winner in the Shooting Stars- they lost, he told Kevin Durant to go home when he got to C in horse- Durant won, he said that Daequan Cook had no chance in the 3 point shoot- Cook won and at the start of the dunk contest he basically eliminated Nate Robinson- who of course won.

But being wrong isn't my biggest problem with Smith, he is just an annoying idiot. TNT showed a special about dunks and many of the classics were ruined by Smith screaming and making it about himself rather than the dunk itself. Before the Cavs-Lakers game, he said the biggest thing about the game is LeBron had to put it on his shoulders and prove he was the better player. He didn't talk about winning the game but out-shining Kobe. I was dumbfounded. It should be about winning. Smith trumped this before the Knicks game. He again talked about LeBron having to send a message and do something special. I honestly thought then LeBron would do the opposite and maybe get 20 assists. Yet in the first quarter LeBron took every shot. Eventually he evened out and almost (or did) get a triple-double. But that first quarter made me nervous. The Cavs are not as good when LeBron looks to score rather than play his game.

Friday night I only watched the Rookie game because LeBron was on the mike. But Smith was so annoying that I couldn't take it and gave up rather quick. Smith basically insulted LeBron and hinted he would never be the man like Jordan unless he was in the dunk contest. That thinking is hogwash. First LeBron should not worry about Jordan. He should just be his own man. Second, he should not care what Smith or any announcer or ex-player thinks. LeBron should just be about winning. If he wins then all the praise in the world will take care of itself.

But apparently LeBron does care what Smith and his ilk think. He allow himself to be badgered into announcing he was joining the dunk contest in 2010. Now I don't care one way or the other but I don't like the trend. Smith is all about perception and not actual worth. If Smith has his way LeBron will be a Knick. Smith wants LeBron to be like Jordan and try to win everything at all costs. Which is ironic because while Smith likes to talk about how he won two championships- he only did it because Jordan took time off to play baseball. Otherwise he would be at home yelling at his TV rather than being on TV.

Come back soon Charles. Say what you want about the round mound of rebound but he doesn't take himself too seriously. He makes me laugh rather than puke.