Time to Hang It Up?

The other day I read a story in the Salt Lake Tribune about Matt Harpring's slow decline. The story detailed how Matt suffered an infection that nearly ended his career and how he hasn't been right since. Considering his age I have to admit the end may be near for Harpring. I hope not. I want to think that he can get back into the player that earned his reputation.

My wife doesn't like Matt because she claims isn't nice to nurses. I don't know about that. I wasn't there. What I like about him is the way he scraps. Jerry Sloan refers to players who don't like to mix it up as 'playing in tuxedos'. Matt is not that kind of guy. If there is a scrum on the floor, he's in the middle of it. He's been in a lot of skirmishes in his career, most recently taking a fish from Nowitzki. I feel that there are too many prima donnas in the league nowadays who wouldn't be nearly as effective without protection from the officials. Don't get me wrong. Guys like Kobe, LeBron, Wade and Iverson are special talents. But I don't see any of those guys as being particularly tough. When I hear of announcers talking of players having a big heart, I laugh. It doesn't take a big heart to score 83 points in a game. It takes selfishness and 60 field goal attempts. You want heart? Dive into the stands after a loose ball. Go to the floor and sacrifice the body for the team.

I hope that this isn't the end of the line for Harpring, because I think he's one of the last tough guys who plays the game hard and the right way. Too many pansies in the league.