Mavs Moneyball: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Around SBN: Has Kentucky Improved Since the Non-Conference Season?

Mavs Moneyball Blog Off


Next is Zack Kulesz a.k.a. ZKMAVZ and his player profile of J.J. Barea

Star-divide

J.J. Barea

 

Let me start off by saying that I know exactly what we are all thinking when the name Jose Barea Jose Juan Barea J.J. Barea comes up... I really hope he is a good driver, because I don't want the Dallas police pulling him over. (Note to reader: You better click that link before continuing... You better click all of the links... Do it!)

Now that we've got the elephant in the room out of the way, let's get serious. And by serious, I am obviously talking about Barea's height. J.J. is listed at 6'0"! Hilarious! My wife is 5'11" and she would dunk all over J.J. That is of course if the goal was 6 feet tall.... She has no hops. But that is beside the point. The point is that J.J. is short. He is no taller than 5'8", and I am being generous. Now plenty of short guys have succeeded in the NBA... Muggsy Bogues, Dallas's own Spud Webb, Earl Boykins to name a few (I said "to name a few" because I ran out of names to say... but it's a great way to end a sentence to sound like you actually know what you are talking about.) Now where was I? Oh that's right... Barea's short man complex. I really am getting at something here... I promise... so stick with me!

J.J. Barea being diminutive is a major problem! J.J. Barea being diminutive provides a great asset to this team! Wait a second... I can't seem to make up my mind. Let's start with the negative.

Six Flags is only 30 minutes from downtown Dallas! Most of the rides at Six Flags require you to be a certain height. What is J.J. going to do when he is only allowed to ride the mini mine train and play in Looney Tunes land? Heck, they probably wouldn't even let J.J. shoot on the 10-foot goals that cost $10 to try and win a rubber basketball. They would direct him over to the ring toss game in the carnival area, but that would present an even bigger problem. If J.J. is as accurate on the ring toss as he is at free throws (75.2%... See, I actually included real stats!), then he would win a stuffed animal that was bigger than him! This is a huge deal... Who will carry the stuffed animal for J.J when no one wants to go to Six Flags with him because they want to ride the big boy rides and not Yosemite Sam's Texas Tea Cups all day?

How ‘bout some positives to being a little champion!  OH MY A PREVIEW FOR THE NEW SEASON OF 24 IS ON TV!!!!!!! STARTS IN JANUARY! Anyway... Have you ever been to a Texas Rangers (or your baseball team of choice) game and the free giveaway is a souvenir bat or a backpack that looks like a catcher's chest protector... The problem is they only give these to kids that are 13 and under. I may be 26, but that definitely doesn't mean I don't want a bat or a sweet backpack to take to sleepovers work. With J.J. your problem is solved! Not only will Barea be given the souvenirs meant for children, but he is also small enough to steal them from. Becoming friends with J.J. and getting him to go to a Rangers game with you is your problem though.

Do you know what else J.J. is good at other than helping you nab kid toys at baseball games? Getting to the rim... that's what! His size, or lack thereof, and quickness enable him to create his own shot... a problem that his position counterparts (Kidd/Terry) seem to have. The ability to take a possession that seems to be doomed for failure and get to the rim for a layup is a welcome sight as everyone else is launching jumpers or bricking from inside 6 feet (looking at you Gooden).

However, at the other end of the court J.J. is not going to be part of the solution in stopping penetration and allowing wide-open shots. I have a feeling we could be complaining about that a few more times this season...

One thing I have learned about J.J. Barea is to not doubt him. I was in attendance at the game that the picture above was taken at. Numerous times at that game I said to my friends, the people sitting next to me that didn't care and my Mom, who I called because my friends and everyone else was sick of listening to me, that J.J. needed to go. I wanted him gone so bad that I was screaming for Mark Cuban to work a deal for Stephon Marbury. Needless to say, I was happy to eat my words when J.J. displayed amazing clutchness (Microsoft Word says clutchness is not a word... I disagree) in an unreal comeback vs. the Clippers. I'm willing to bet that some of the grittiness and toughness that Barea shows every time he steps onto the court came from people who gave him a hard time about his size.

OK, that's enough real basketball talk... I feel like Will Ferrell in Old School when he takes on James Carville in a debate... that was weird.

What is this again? A player profile? PERFIL DE JUGADOR!

Poll
How would you rate ZKMAVZ article?
1 = Poor
10 votes
2 = Needs work
8 votes
3 = Average
7 votes
4 = Better than Phillip but not as good as Wes
15 votes
5 = The best article ever
32 votes

72 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs  |  Comment 3 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

Thank you!

I knew I wasn’t the only that wants kid souvenirs at the ballpark. I wish I could stop time and just take the stuff. Having the ability to stop time would also be convenient in many ways, see.
I feel sorry for JJ, the mental image of him just walking around six flags lugging a huge ass teddy bear is sad. Though that’s what he gets for not being taller.

by bruce182 on Oct 29, 2009 12:13 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

to those who voted poor

you hate smiling, happiness, lollipops, sunshine and fun…

go mavs, go colts, go rangers, go baylor

by zkmavz on Oct 29, 2009 7:42 PM CDT via mobile reply actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to the SB Nation blog about the Dallas Mavericks.
Start posting about the Mavericks »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recent FanPosts

Yu-1946_small
Time for rebuilding soon?
Zooeydeschanel_011_small
AHHHHHHHHH!!!!1! (THE NEW SEASON OF LOST Thread)
Zandl_small
FEDERER VS MURRAY OPEN THREAD
2588723972_e12bd4c403_small
trade to really improve the Mavs
Small
Australian Open finals thread
Comunist_small
Dallas Snails
Comunist_small
Mavs at Knicks GameThread
Blinklogo_small
Mavs/76'ers gamethread
N1533160639_3437_small
OK, I'm finding something else to do during the All-Star Game
Zandl_small
nash overtakes tmac in all star voting

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

Ad

SPONSORS


Manager

436_small Wes Cox

Dallas_mavericks_logo11_small Phillip Baggett

Edtiors

Small zdgmans

Authors

Tiger_small Brown@TheBigandTheBrown

Hippo_small big@thebigandthebrown