Hamilton is officially the most annoying player I have ever watched

[crownsy]

That "strained elbow" makes me laugh. Hamilton was trying to steal a time out when the Pistons didn't have one.

i actually doubt that very much. if your going to pull that play, you'd have a big not named sheed do it.

rip is many things, stupid is not one of them. if he was faking, which i don't belive for a second, he would have to know that;

A) the timeout aint coming, and even if it does, i belive (roy will know for sure) that your not allowed to sub off an injury timeout for anyone other than the player injured. what does that gain the pistons?

they needed offense, why would thier best offensive player be the one to fake the injury and get pulled out of the game?

B) you can say many things about rip, flops, gets away with murder on the offensive end, but one thing i'll never say about him is that he's a quiter. You can't tell me he faked an injury and risked not getting back in the game when his team despratly needed his offense. i don't buy it.

[CoachBo]

His entire defensive game is built around faking. He grabs, holds, pushes, tugs and then flops. If that's not faking, I don't know what it is.

He is not hurt. I guarantee it.

[CT34]

He's a dirty player of you ask me. He worst then Bruce Bowen

[crownsy]

explain to me his logic then for faking an injury to the point that he left the floor while his team had no timeouts to get him back in with the gam eon the line.

what exactly was his motivation?

i know we all love to hate rip, i think he's a flopper to, but there was zero reason for him to get himself yanked from a game when his team has no way of putting him back in.

doesn't mean it's a catstopic injury, but he was hurt, no qestion.

[CDawg834]

Evantime34, FYI it's Mike Breen. And I agree wholeheartedly. Awful announcer. Do play by play, not color Mike.

I gotta say I thoroughly enjoyed JVG just laying into Breen for 5 minutes straight when Breen said he agreed with the flagrant 1 call on PJ Brown in the first half.  Van Gundy was disgusted with the call, and Breen, at that moment.

It is actually kinda refreshing to see commentators that have actual opinions, though.

[timpiker]

I 100% completely agree. I flat out hate this man's style of play and all my buddies who get my text messages during the game can attest to my hatred of this guy's style. He's dirty, he's cheap, he's a flopper, and what's worse is the refs let him get away with it. We need to send Scal in to deliver a Horry style body check into the scorers table!

Which makes me bring up the fact that Scal was actually suited up for game 5. Huh?

His name is Mike Breen and he is ruining the playoffs for me.  I cannot stand him.  I keep muting the sound.  I just want to hear the crowd and not the announcers -

[half manbot]

I love to hate Rip as much as most of you, but I find Manu Ginobli far more hateable.  He is solely responsible for the uberflopping in the NBA these days and from a comedy standpoint bald spot > mask.

[painter33]

It was just deserts that he hurt his elbow just after holding Ray Allen in a bear hug and then putting both hands around Ray's neck.  If anyone in Detroit saw this too, they wouldn't feel sorry for the guy.  It was a dirty, disgusting play and typical of the way he approaches the game. 

[Edgar]

last time I check Horford
then Bron
then Rip
soon to be Kobe

The more the best.

[Shiz1111]

My favorite Rip-trick this series is when he grabbed Garnet's arm but his grip slipped and he fell backward, and he got the foul called against him... 

I think it was almost official for me when he did that, but that half-time segment put it in the bag. I just can NOT stand this guy! He's ridiculous, and he's got to be the sneakiest player right now. Just outta control.

[speedster]

last time I check Horford
then Bron
then Rip
soon to be Kobe

The more the best.

Good list.  I could not stand LeBron's act.  One moment he'll grimace and curl up as if he's suffered a career-ending injury, then two minutes later he'll be laughing and dunking on someone.  If I were a ref, I'd be insulted.  Hamilton is worse though.  He clutches and grabs as much as anyone, and then flails like he's been shot when he takes any contact.  Both are great players, but I lose respect when they act that way.

[PointGaurd]

This being the way of the league...I like it when PP sways the ball back and forth, and waits for the defender to reach...and out of a sudden he pulls up for the jumpers and intentionally creates the contact...and gets the foul everytime.   I thinks Paul actually learned this from Antoine Walker...but it kind of evens things out and doesn't let a defender get too aggressive on him!!

[Rich]

i can't stand Hamilton either, and Rasheed talking about flopping, etc...Hello?  Hamilton is one of the kings of flopping, faking, acting...And he gets away with way too much on offense pushing off, etc. and on defense reaching in...it's annoying

[Rondoholic]

Whoever is hating on the team of Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, and Jeff Van Gundy are just plain wrong.  Sure, I was annoyed about Breen thinking every hard foul could be a flagrant but Van Gundy and Jackson give him hell for it, plus that threesome is hilarious to listen to when they are interacting especially Van Gundy.  I hope he doesn't go back to coaching.

Now for Hamilton, I don't think there is any way he has always been like this, but I can't stand the guy anymore.  The most annoying thing he does and it might drive Ray Allen to punch him in the face fairly soon, is on offense, he grabs and scratches and yanks the defender's arms into his chest so it looks like the defender is holding him when he comes off screens.  And I don't understand how the refs are ALWAYS fooled by this move.  It's not real basketball.

On another note, I understand the whole notion of fouling when you are up 3 to ensure that the other team cannot tie but why the heck did we foul with 9 seconds left and prolong the game when the Pistons were out of timeouts and Hamilton was hurt at the other end??  We could have guarded 5 on 4 on the perimeter that entire possession and the game would have been over.

[Hrvoje]

2004 NBA Playoffs - The Pistons eliminate the Pacers in what is Reggie Miller's last NBA game.  Reggie Miller meets Hamilton after the game and asks Rip to carry on his tradition of annoying play.

Now in the year 2008, Hamilton has made the leap.  He has matched Miller's annoying level and even found new innovative ways to be hated.  And they said it couldn't be done.

He has fully matched Reggie's flopping on defense and offense.  He literally commits about 72 fouls a game with all his clutching and hand fighting.  Scratching and tripping is fair game too.  If Rip played pick-up ball, he'd get punched in the face (or the mask).  On D, he gets you with 10 little fouls instead of 1 big one to evade detection just like Bruce Bowen, another all-annoying teammate.

He has Reggie's whiny face every time he commits a turnover or actually gets whistled for one of his many fouls.

He DOESN'T talk trash like Reggie. This actually made Reggie somewhat likable as a competitor (especially against the Knicks). 

He developed soccer-level flopping and injury-faking skills.  Reggie never learned this.  Notice Hamilton's teammates don't even check on him as he rolls on the floor and screams in pain.  They know he's faking and are embarrassed.  When is he actually hurt?  No one knows.

He wears a mask.  Brilliant annoying strategy.  Now whenever he wants to complain to the ref, he points out how his mask is slightly ajar.  For extra annoyance, he spends 2 minutes fixing his mask before free throws.  He even had Antonio McDyess wearing one every 3rd game.  Tonight, ESPN had a half-time segment, "Behind the Mask".  I couldn't watch as I would have kicked my TV in pure annoyance.  I have limits to what I can handle.  Next season he will probably wear a helmet.  In 2010 he will play basketball in a plastic bubble.

  TP

I want to give you about 20 TPs but I can't (can I?)