Hayden is Cowboy's Matt Bonner

[Biggems]

Matt Bonner is a F/C for the San Antonio Spurs. He gets ripped to shreds by the Spurs fan base. Many have come to question exactly what he has on Pop in order to keep his roster spot. I personally like having Bonner on the team as our 6th Big. He works hard, hustles, has a high IQ, and is great from a chemistry standpoint with the rest of the team.

From what I read in the forums, Hayden gets the same type of treatment. Many question what he has on Marinelli and Garrett to allow him to keep his job. Now, one difference between he and Bonner is, he is a starter, while Bonner is a bench player. I like that Hayden hustles, gives max effort, and is a great presence in the locker room. I do wish he brought more from a skill standpoint, but I will never complain about him dogging it out there. He definitely brings everything he has on every play. I strongly believe that if he were our 4th or 5th man in the DT rotation, he wouldn't be getting all the hostility he receives as a starter.

One thing is clear, just as the Spurs fans have shown little appreciation for Bonner, the Cowboys fans have done the same with Hayden.

 

[RS12]

Somebody has to be the guy you are always looking to upgrade.

 

[The Natural]

you forgot to include the part about Bonner being a career 41% shooter from 3..make no mistake about it, he wouldn't be in the league without that ability. What tangible skill does Hayden have that compares with that?

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

At least with Bonner, he actually hit threes at a very high rate in the regular season. He folded under better defensive closeouts in the playoffs but there was at least something you could point to that made sense. He spread the floor and was a good post defender.

When I heard Marinelli say that he was like another LB in pursuit, I wanted to cry.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Yea I don't see the connection. I think Bonner is a solid player. He's money from 3. I could see if Pop gave him 40 minutes a night but he was like their 4th or 5th big off the bench.

Hayden does nothing as well as Bonner hits 3's.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Oh and I don't think that I know more than Marinelli. Cognitive dissonance just sucks.

 

[pugilist]

golden cock = red mamba

does not compute

 

[PoundTheRock]

Please don't compare a model franchise like the Spurs to a joke like Dallas.

 

[Biggems]

it is more of a comparison as to how the fan bases treat both players..........it is like neither can buy any love.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

it is more of a comparison as to how the fan bases treat both players..........it is like neither can buy any love.

I don't know about that but I actually like the comparison. When the Spurs replaced Bonner with Splitter and Diaw, they started going back to the finals and winning championships.

I didn't participate in the Bonner bashing beyond to a recognition of what was going to happen in the playoffs. Popovich's overall judgment is apparent in how he replaced him. I try not to bash Hayden but is 'Hayden is easily single blocked on running plays' really unfair?

 

[Blake]

Please don't compare a model franchise like the Spurs to a joke like Dallas.

Yeah, and the Spurs prior to 1999 were just the class of the NBA... Tell everyone how you really feel.

 

[8FOR!3]

Like people said, Matt Bonner in his prime (well really up until this past year) has been an elite three point shooter. He's also an underrated defender in that he's always in the right place on defense, he's just really limited athletically. I think most Spurs fans appreciate Bonner as a 5th big off the bench, they just don't want to see him getting rotation minutes on a team that's trying to compete for a title.

 

[PoundTheRock]

Yeah, and the Spurs prior to 1999 were just the class of the NBA... Tell everyone how you really feel.

The Spurs have only missed the playoffs twice since they've been in the NBA.

 

[casmith07]

The Spurs have only missed the playoffs twice since they've been in the NBA.

That is not true at all.

 

[Blake]

The Spurs have only missed the playoffs twice since they've been in the NBA.

Fair enough, but 5 championships in the NFL is the very example of a model franchise, so your point is moot; would hardly consider that a >> joke <<.

 

[PoundTheRock]

That is not true at all.

You're right. I just wiki'd it and it's 4 times.

4 whole years of not making the playoffs. The Spurs are terrible.

 

[PoundTheRock]

Fair enough, but 5 championships in the NFL is the very example of a model franchise, so your point is moot; would hardly consider that a >> joke <<.

They haven't won a title since 1995. Haven't even gotten past the divisional round. They're a joke.

 

[Blake]

They haven't won a title since 1995. Haven't even gotten past the divisional round. They're a joke.

And the Spurs have never won back-to-back titles, some would consider that a joke as far as NBA standards are concerned for championship caliber teams.

 

[PoundTheRock]

And the Spurs have never won back-to-back titles, some would consider that a joke as far as NBA standards are concerned for championship caliber teams.

LMAO okay.

 

[Bullflop]

it is more of a comparison as to how the fan bases treat both players..........it is like neither can buy any love.

I think you've given the best description of Bonner's usefulness to the Spurs that I've ever heard. I would agree that he has all of the attributes that you've described so accurately. He's but one of those high character guys that the Spurs seek to attract like a magnet. More often than not, great character and giving 100% effort is contagious. It really seems to me it's something that Garrett has successfully managed to instill within the Cowboys organization. Be proud of it. There's never shame in being an over-achiever. Every team needs that element to be successful.