"There is zero room for Taroof in sports. What you want, you have to go out and get, and you have to be almost relentless on the floor in pursuing your goals. If anything, the competitive, "against all odds" vibes of professional sports are the opposite of politeness or humility. There are exceptions, of course, and there are plenty of graceful and humble athletes, but between those lines, the game is simple: go out and win."
"My natural, Iranian instinct was to Taroof about the Defensive Player of the Year award. But Scottie Barnes blocked the 7-foot-1 Chet Holmgren on a jump shot in the clutch to help the Raptors beat the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder last night, and it knocked me right out of my Persian trance. Barnes will almost certainly be named an NBA All-Star this week."
Taroof describes a Persian etiquette of polite refusal, but competitive sports tolerate no such courtesy. Athletic success requires aggression, relentlessness, and an uncompromising pursuit of goals. Awards voting often centers on undermining others rather than acknowledging multiple merits. Scottie Barnes produced a clutch defensive play blocking 7-foot-1 Chet Holmgren to help the Raptors beat the defending champion Thunder, an act that shifted perceptions. Barnes is likely to become an NBA All-Star, is trending toward All-Defense and possibly All-NBA, and his Defensive Player of the Year case is gaining momentum amid changes in odds and injuries.
Read at Raptors Republic
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