Submitted by Barry Popik, Oct 10, 2007 14:42

I'm a longtime Nets fan (since Dr. J) and a contributor to Nets Daily, and we're fed up with Hollinger's anti-Nets screeds. The Nets won a playoff series last season and are coming back healthy (their starting center is back, plus there are draft pick and free agent additions)--why shouldn't they be considered contenders in the weak Eastern Conference?

"Everyone treats them as contenders, and acts as though they'll continue to be contenders. So pardon me if I'm the guy to rain on the parade here, but I was just wondering: When, exactly, was the last time the Nets did anything to back that up?" WHEN THE NETS BEAT TORONTO IN LAST YEAR'S PLAYOFFS. WHEN THE NETS WENT TO THE NBA FINALS TWICE IN THE JASON KIDD ERA. WHEN JASON KIDD HELPED A TEAM OF USA ALL-STARS PLAY UNDEFEATED BALL IN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION THIS SUMMER.

"Last year was their best shot, helped along by a first-round matchup against a limping Toronto team that had outclassed them in the regular season." THE NETS BEAT TORONTO, BUT HOLLINGER MAKES "LIMPING" EXCUSES FOR THE RAPTORS ONLY. THE NETS WERE PLAYING WITHOUT STARTING CENTER NENAD KRISTIC, WHO IS BACK HEALTHY THIS YEAR.

"Consider that, just like the Heat, the Nets weren't even as good as their record last season." THE OLD SPORTS CLICHE IS THAT YOU'RE AS GOOD AS YOUR RECORD SAYS YOU ARE. THIS IS AN ENTIRE SEASON RECORD OF 82 GAMES, NOT A GAME OR TWO. BUT HOLLINGER KNOWS THEY REALLY WERE SECRETLY MUCH WORSE.

"The Nets are acting like and being treated like contenders, but it's been a long time since we've seen any evidence that they really are contenders." ANY EVIDENCE? IT'S NOT THAT LONG SINCE THE NETS BEAT TORONTO IN LAST SEASON'S PLAYOFFS. WHY IS TORONTO A HOLLINGER "CONTENDER" AND NOT THE NETS? WHY IS DETROIT (AN AGING CLUB WHO DID WORSE AGAINST THE CAVS) A HOLLINGER CONTENDER AND NOT THE NETS? WHY MUST A LOCAL WRITER SHOW SUCH BIAS AGAINST A LOCAL TEAM?

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