I'm sure I've heard Worrell say he's taken votes for it before. Made me think... Which Broadcasters / Sportswriters submit votes this year? How many votes take place? List? We should make a great Harden Video presentation and tweet / facebook some of these voters.
You shouldn't get to vote if you haven't watched every single game tbh. Excluding the lakers of course
I'm more worried about the things the Rockets can control directly, such as winning games and making a deep playoff run. The MVP award is a popularity contest and it's been that way for quite some time now. Finals MVP is what Harden should be setting his sights on because if he wins that it means we won the ship and he was the best player in the playoffs. Nobody is going to remember Harden winning the MVP award 10 years from now, especially if the Rockets get bumped in the first round. People will remember the Rockets winning the championship and Harden being the key reason for it.
There is some merit to winning MVP regardless if u win a ring or not. Even if 10 years past, if u search it up u will see harden name attached to this season's mvp. Granted finals mvp and a ring is a lot better to make a mark in history, but i feel harden should at least win mvp once.
This is who voted 2014-2015 Harden's MVP* season. https://ak-static.cms.nba.com/wp-co.../04/Kia-2014-15-MVP-Voting-Ballot-Results.pdf I couldn't find the 2015-2016 one to see if the same-ish people vote. A lot of the people that say Harden should be MVP don't have votes. The people that have been trumpeting Westbrook (and now Kawhi) have votes. time to concede.
He will win it at some point. I mean, Hakeem only won it once despite how great he was. Kobe and Dirk played 20 seasons and only managed to win it a single time. It's just not that big of a deal, imo. Greatness will always be defined by what you do in the playoffs and not in the regular season. Hakeem proved this to us.
Don't know how much the voters change from year to year but list of last years voters/results. Spoiler Again, these are LAST years voters. Some have moved on to new jobs & different networks(some having nothing to do with the NBA) ESPN: Brian Windhorst ESPN.com (National/Cavs beat) Dave McMenamin ESPN.com (Cavs beat) Doris Burke ESPN Hubie Brown ESPN Israel Guttierez ESPN.com JA Adande ESPN.com (LA based) Jon Barry ESPN Radio Kevin Arnovitz ESPN.com Kevin Calabro ESPN Radio (Now Blazers PxP) Marc Spears The Undefeated (Bay Area based) Marc Stein ESPN.com (Dallas based) Michael Wilbon ESPN (Chicago based) Mike Breen ABC Sports Mike Tirico ESPN (Now at NBC) Nick Friedell ESPNChicago.com (Chicago based) Ramona Shelburne ESPN.com (LA based) Sage Steele ABC Sports Zach Lowe ESPN.com FOX Sports: Chris Broussard ESPN (Now at FOX) CBS Sports: Bill Reiter CBSSports.com Ethan Skolnick Miami Herald(Now at CBS; Miami based) Turner Sports: David Aldridge TNT (Washington based) Ernie Johnson TNT Marv Albert TNT Matt Winer NBA TV Mike Fratello TNT NBA.com: Fran Blinebury NBA.com (Houston based) John Denton OrlandoMagic.com(Orlando based) Lang Whitaker NBA.com (NYC/Atlanta based) NBA Fan Component NBA.com/Twitter/Google Sam Smith Bulls.com (Chicago based) Steve Aschburner NBA.com (Chicago based) USA Today: Jeff Zillgitt USA Today Sam Amick USA Today(Sacramento based) National-OTHER: Chris Sheridan Sheridanhoops.com Howard Beck Bleacher Report Ric Bucher Bleacher Report Sean Deveney The Sporting News Arizona: Eddie Johnson Fox Sports Arizona(Suns color) Paul Coro The Arizona Republic(Now ???) Tim Kempton KTAR Radio(Suns radio) California: Anthony Slater The Oklahoman(Now Warriors beat) Bob Fitzgerald Comcast SportsNet Bay Area(Warriors PxP) Tim Roye KNBR Radio(Warriors radio) Rusty Simmons San Francisco Chronicle(Now University of Cal beat) Bill Oram Orange County Register(Lakers beat) Mark Medina LA Daily News(Lakers beat) Brian Sieman The Beast 980(Clippers radio PxP) Michael Smith Prime Ticket(Clippers color) Ralph Lawler Prime Ticket(Clippers PxP) Gary Gerould Comcast SportsNet-CA(Kings radio PxP) Grant Napear Comcast SportsNet-CA(Kings PxP) Jason Jones Sacramento Bee(Kings beat) Colorado: Chris Dempsey Denver Post(Nuggets beat; Now at Altitude Sports & Entertainment) Chris Marlowe Altitude Sports & Entertainment(Nuggets PxP) Scott Hastings Altitude Sports & Entertainment(Nuggets color) DC: Candace Buckner Indianapolis Star(Now Wizards beat) Glenn Consor 106.7 The Fan(Wizards radio) Phil Chenier Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic(Wizards color) Steve Buckhantz Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic(Wizards PxP) Florida: Dante Marchitelli Fox Sports Florida(Magic sideline) David Steele Fox Sports Florida(Magic PxP) Jason Lieser Palm Beach Post(Now NFL writer) Tim Reynolds Associated Press(Miami AP) Tony Fiorentino Fox Sports Sun(HEAT color) Georgia: Andre Aldridge Fox Sports South(Hawks host/reporter) Bob Rathbun Fox Sports South(Hawks PxP) Steve Holman Hawks Radio Network(Hawks PxP) Illinois: Joe Cowley Chicago Sun-Times(Bulls beat) K.C. Johnson Chicago Tribune(Bulls beat) Indiana: Chris Denari Fox Sports Indiana(Pacers PxP) Mark Boyle 107.5/1070 The Fan(Pacers radio PxP) Louisiana: David Wesley Fox Sports New Orleans(Pelicans color) Joel Meyers Fox Sports New Orleans(Pelicans PxP) Sean Kelley WRNO 99.5 FM(Pelicans radio PxP) Massachusetts: Adam Himmelsbach Boston Globe(Celtics beat) Bill Simmons Bill Simmons Podcast/HBO Cedric Maxwell 98.5 The Sports Hub(Celtics radio) Gary Washburn Boston Globe(National NBA) Sean Grande 98.5 The Sports Hub(Celtics radio PxP) Michigan: David Mayo Mlive Media Group(former Pistons beat; Now Sports Columnist) Vince Ellis Detroit Free Press(Pistons beat) George Blaha WMGC / Fox Sports Detroit(Pistons PxP) Minnesota: Alan Horton WCCO 830-AM(Wolves PxP) Jerry Zgoda Minneapolis Star Tribune(Wolves beat) Jim Petersen Fox Sports North(Wolves TV analyst) John Krawczynski Associated Press(AP Minnesota) New York: Al Iannazzone Newsday(Knicks beat) Andy Vasquez Bergen Record(Now NFL writer) Brendan Brown MSG Network Brian Lewis New York Post(Nets beat) Tim Capstraw WFAN (660)(Nets radio) Brian Mahoney Associated Press(AP New York) Frank Isola Sirius Radio/New York Daily News(Knicks beat) Stefan Bondy New York Daily News(Knicks beat) North Carolina: Rick Bonnell Charlotte Observer(Hornets beat) Stephanie Ready Fox Sports Carolinas/SportSouth(Hornets color) Steve Martin Fox Sports Carolinas/SportSouth(Hornets PxP) Ohio: Fred McLeod Fox Sports Ohio(Cavs PxP) Jason Lloyd Akron Beacon Journal(Now at The Athletic Cleveland; Cavs beat) Ken Berger CBSSports.com(Now at The Athletic Cleveland) Oklahoma: Brian Davis Fox Sports Oklahoma(Thunder PxP) Matt Pinto WWLS / 98.1(Thunder radio PxP) Oregon: Antonio Harvey Fox Sports Radio/620AM(Now ???) Joe Freeman The Oregonian(Blazers beat) Mike Rice Comcast SportsNet NW(Now ???) Pennsylvania: Keith Pompey Philadelphia Inquirer(Sixers beat) Marc Zumoff Sixers TV(Sixers PxP) Tom McGinnis Sixers Radio(Sixers radio) Tennessee: Eric Hasseltine 92.9 FM ESPN/680 AM ESPN(Grizzlies radio PxP) Pete Pranica Fox Sports Southeast(Grizzlies PxP) Ron Tillery Memphis Commercial Appeal(Grizzlies beat) Texas: Adrian Chavarria KEYH 850 AM(Rockets Spanish PxP) Bill Worrell Root Sports Southwest(Rockets PxP) Jonathan Feigen Houston Chronicle(Rockets beat) Bill Land Fox Sports Southwest(Spurs PxP) Bill Schoening WOAI Radio(Spurs radio PxP) Jeff McDonald San Antonio Express-News(Spurs beat) Mike Monroe The Rivard Report(Spurs beat) Chuck Cooperstein ESPN 103.3(Mavs radio PxP) Eddie Sefko Dallas Morning News(Mavs beat) Mark Followill TXA-21/Fox Sports Net(Mavs PxP) Utah: Aaron Falk Salt Lake Tribune(Jazz beat) Jody Genessy Deseret News(Jazz beat) Ron Boone ROOT Sports(Jazz color) Wisconsin: Charles Gardner Milwaukee Journal Sentinel(Bucks beat) Jim Paschke Fox Sports Wisconsin(Bucks PxP) Ted Davis WTMJ Radio(Bucks radio PxP) Canada: Doug Smith The Toronto Star(Raptors beat) Eric Smith TSN 1050/Sportsnet 590 The Fan(Raptors radio PxP) Sherman Hamilton NBA TV Canada(Raptors analyst)
I say if he has the chance to win mvp now, go for it. He already got screwed once. After he gets his MVP, can focus on more important matters. Kobe and Dirk are unique, they stayed with their franchise for years. Not knocking on their careers, I just believe if Harden has the best chance to get MVP this season, push for it hard. Get what u can cause the champ ring this year will be hard to get.
That will always be the case, though. The NBA championship will never come easy. I just want my star player to prioritize team goals over individual ones. Having both would be nice, but I'm not greedy. TBH, individual goals don't really excite me very much. If MDA doesn't win coach of the year then im fine with it, if Lou and Gordon don't win 6th man of the year then I'm fine with it, if Harden doesn't win MVP im fine with that, the only thing I care about is what we do in the playoffs. I hope James Harden cares more about that too, because it will pay dividends for him if he does. Also, your points about Dirk and Kobe don't make much sense. Both of those dudes played in heavy media markets and the fact that they only won 2 MVP's combined in 20 years should tell you just how hard it is to win an MVP award. Harden will get one, though. It may or may not come this year but it will come eventually I have no doubts.
Then at the end he said his vote will go to Lebron, so how can he say Harden is the MVP even if his vote goes to Lebron
Agree that championships are remembered. But so too are MVP's. Go get it. Players want to play with MVP's. This is all good. Expend the energy and do what it takes. It doesn't look like there is a bias in the voting against Harden as he has mostly 2nd place votes. He can win this. Only 2 women vote. That is crazy. I'm fine with it. But what it does mean is that someone needs to either identify women experts, or someone needs to get more woman involved.
I wish only ClutchFans members were voters. That and Screamin A Smith I don't give a F about the rest.
I beg to differ. MVP carries great remembering power and is an absolute barometer of overall success as a player. For instance, do you remember when Derrick Rose won MVP over LeBron? Of course you do. Conversely, no player in the history of the NBA has won the MVP and not made the hall of fame. Derrick Rose is set up for some difficult decision for hof votees based on this criteria. So winning the MVP absolutely helps Harden put his mark on history, as a part of the Houston rockets organization. And of course I would rather he win finals MVP and a ship. Absolutely would prefer both. But would be ecstatic if he won MVP because he deserves the recognition for the commitment to excellence he has shown.
Here are the voters that participated in the 2015-2016 MVP voting. http://official.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2016/04/2015-16-Most-Valuable-Player.pdf cc @KlutchQT
Honestly seeing the way it's broken down makes me feel better about Harden's chances. I feel like he'll get no worse than 2nd on everyone's list. There will be voters that literally don't give a damn about Triple Doubles and care about W's and that's it. Those folks will not put Westbrook 2nd. They'll put him 3rd or 4th. Yes a select few will be enamored by the Trip Dubs and put him first, but they'll likely have Harden second. Those who have Harden 1st will likely have Westbrook 3rd or 4th with Lebron and Kawhi ahead of him.
^this post should be stickied; hell nail it to the front of the locker room. i'm tired of the team tirelessly campaigning for james to win this individual accolade. the spurs aren't actively campaigning for kawhi. winning is the priority for them. i wish we could emulate that mentality. it seems like this season is a success for james if he wins the mvp, but we're rockets fans for life. we want championships.
