I find it very interesting that everyone is talking about how the Chris Paul / Eric Gordon trade has now made the Los Angeles Clippers “relevant” again in the city of angels. What most people do not realize in the glitz and glamour of landing Chris Paul, that the Clippers have made one of the worst decisions in the history of their cursed franchise by trading away #10 Eric Gordon.
Early in the pre-season 2010 there was a lot of buzz around the NBA about Blake Griffin. I love the guy–he can dunk, he can rebound, and he brings electricity to the game not seen since the early Supersonic days of Shawn Kemp. I got sucked in right away. I watched Los Angeles Clippers games all season long. And, yes Blake Griffin impressed the hell out of me game after game, BUT it was another player on the court who made a bigger impression on me. And I kept telling myself and anyone else who would listen, “why the hell isn’t anyone talking about Eric Gordon?“
GARY OLDMAN
Many people don’t realize this , but Eric Gordon’s nickname is “The Commissioner”. Get it? Eric “Commissioner” Gordon.
It is taken from the Batman comic books and movies as the stalwart police chief who is the behind the scenes muscle helping keep Gotham afloat. Gary Oldman plays Commissioner Gordon in The Dark Knight and the upcoming Dark Knight Rises.
The Batman and Commissioner Gordon parallel is strikingly similar to the relationship between neo-superstar Blake Griffin and everyday hero Eric Gordon.
Eric spent the entire 2010-2011 season in the shadow the league’s brightest young superstar, whose high-flying exploits garnered him highlight reel after highlight reel, sponsorship deals, and pop culture status as a man who dunks over cars and humans. He is the NBA’s new Batman.
Yet lost in all this is that Eric Gordon spent the season averaging 22 points per game, while ferociously guarding any player opponent in the league. And he was the LA Clipper who had the ball in his hands when it came down the crunch time. He was the Commissioner Gordon doing all the little things necessary to keep the streets clean. Shunning praise, just getting the job done.
If you look at Gary Oldman’s acting career you could say the same thing about him.
Oldman has spent the last three decades giving stellar, yet subtle performances in a wide variety of films from JFK, Sid & Nancy, True Romance, The Professional, and now Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy. The man has always been a chameleon constantly perfecting his craft year after year. And shockingly, Gary Oldman has NEVER been nominated for an Academy Award. It baffles my mind.
And now Oldman (who is starting to become an old man) finally has his day in the sun, starring in British cold war spy movie, that looks to be the culmination of a eclectic, hard-working career. He will win the Oscar. Now is his time. I have no doubts about that. It’s a strong year where Ryan Gosling, Michael Fassbender, George Clooney, and Brad Pitt will likely be his competition. But the Oscar is his for the taking.
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All of this brings us back to Eric Gordon, who albeit earlier in his career than Gary Oldman, finally has the spotlight far away from the red neon glow of Blake Griffin and Tinsletown. Gordon will bring a blue-collar, lunch pail attitude to New Orleans, a city living in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. This is a city that could use a Commissioner Gordon.
And Eric Gordon is only 23 years old in a league full of aging, aching 2 guards. He is a high commodity to say the least. I would characterize him as a power shooting guard. A guy who has a great jump shot as well as an ability to slash and drive to basket and create his own shot one on one and in the open court. He is aggressive, creative, and a natural leader. Plus he has the killer instinct at the end of the game that many like LeBron James never will have. Its born not taught. And this kid has it.
Gordon has a tenacity on the court like a pit bull. He will drive on anyone, and he takes defense as a personal challenge, willing to scrap with the likes of Dwayne Wade and Kobe Bryant night after night. He is mentally tough, poised, and sound fundamentally. These are rare qualities in such a young player.
I personally compare Gordon to Joe Dumars, a hall of fame shooting guard for the Detroit Pistons who had a similar mental toughness, and knack for carrying his team at both ends of the floor. Joe could score on anybody and even Michael Jordan admits, the Joe was the toughest defender to ever take him on. ”The Commissioner” has a bit more muscle than Dumars, but their games are very similar. And Gordon has wisely decided to add a post up game to his arsenal this summer. Once he puts everything together, he will quite simply be…scary.
PISTOL PETE
So now Mr. Gordon is headed down to the French Quarter to start the next stage of his career. He goes to a team that had less nationally televised games last season than the Cleveland Cavaliers and a team that currently has only 6 players under contract. It’s a train wreck. But its a city healing from old wounds, and a city that rallies around its sports stars. We’ve all seen what Drew Brees and the NFL’s Saints have done Louisiana, and of course they have a rich history of basketball icons down there as well.
Native son, Pistol Pete Maravich broke every record in college basketball at LSU. He was possibly the greatest scorer to ever pick a basketball. And an innovator in the 1970s, light years ahead of the game in his passing ability and creativity on the court. Maravich graced the French Quarter with pizzazz, showmanship, and flair during the whirly derby 1970s. Back when the Jazz was an NBA franchise in New Orleans, not the snowy mountains of Utah.
Pistol Pete played the game like no other, and Louisiana had the priviledge of seeing him play for many a moon. Likewise the region has been blessed with the likes of Karl Malone, Joe Dumars (yes Joe Dumars is from Louisiana), Chris Jackson, Shaquille O’Neal and Chris Paul play in their neck of the woods throughout the years.
That torch is now passed to Eric Gordon. Not an easy burden to bear. But New Orleans and its survivor spirit will love Eric Gordon for his game and his competitiveness. He will thrive in that city. I can’t wait to buy a jersey.
This season Commissioner Gordon will have to carry much of the load himself, no more Batman to help him out. Resultantly he will average 25 to 30 points per game–because he will have to keep the team afloat. And then hopefully the GM will bring in a supporting cast with trades and this Minnesota draft pick they got along with him. Hopefully they build a team around him, find good chemistry, and bring some hardwood jazz back to the city.
KNEE JERK TRANSACTION
On the other side of the fence, there of course is Chris Paul. He is in his own right an NBA superstar, classy guy, and the top point guard in the league. One problem though: the guy only has one good knee. Paul is 26 yet has been lugging around a giant knee brace for two seasons already, and is starting to show major wear and tear very early in his career.
I worry about knee injuries. Here in Montreal our most talented hockey player, Andrei Markov, is suffering from three years worth of knee surgeries and may never be the same player again. Likewise, our patron saint of UFC, Georges St-Pierre, just went under the knife and won’t be back in the steel cage until the leaves turn orange again. And if you look to basketball, the saddening news this week that perennial all-star Brandon Roy has to retire at the tender age of 27 because of ongoing knee degeneration. Such things have cursed many ball players through the years. Just ask guys like Bill Walton, Bernard King, and Pistol Pete himself, if he were still around.
I must say though, that I do look forward Chris Paul throwing alley oops to guys like Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan like its nobodies business, it will showtime while it lasts. But frankly, I don’t think Chris Paul has many good years left in that knee. Time will tell, of course.
Another important note is that Paul is one of the classier guys in the NBA. A poster boy if you will for charity and good will. And I do not see him melding well with Clippers owner Donald Sterling who is known to be at the other end of the class spectrum. Not a marriage made in heaven there.
But Eric Gordon now has an opportunity to shine on a smaller market team in a city with its bat signal up in the air hoping for a new hero. I believe they have found one. And I really do believe that Eric Gordon has Hall of Fame potential. And if you don’t believe me, I will leave you with one statistic. Last year, the NBA the league leaders for points in the 4th quarter, when the game matters most:
1) Kobe Bryant, 2) Paul Pierce, and 3) Eric Gordon. Need I say more?
These next few months will be fascinating both on the hardwood and in the film world.
Commissioner Gordon will finally get the respect that he deserves.
