What Will it Take for Amare Stoudemire to Be the MVP?

What will it take for Amare Stoudemire to be the MVP? Short answer: It’s going to take a line of 25 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 assists and 1 steal a game.

He has been politicking for MVP votes, but everyone knows he is still too one-dimensional. He’s 6 foot 10 freakin’ inches tall and he cannot grab ten rebounds a game? That’s his major problem. He does not fully commit himself and everyone knows it. He’s the Randy Moss of the NBA.

Remember when your gym teacher told you that he expects more out of those that have more athletic ability? Remember that uncoordinated guy that got an “A” in gym class because he tried really hard but still couldn’t hit a free throw? Yeah, that’s right, Amare doesn’t get the votes because he’s just that lazy.

I hate to use the word “lazy” because he has always been able to improve his game. He’s added a jumper and is shooting about 58%. He’s a good help defender and is getting lost on defense less and less. He’s even better at boxing out smaller forwards now that Shaquille O’Neal is boxing out the centers.

But … he still needs to do more. He needs to raise his game. The public expects more out of him. He’ll never be an MVP until he delivers on his potential.

When Shaq came to town, he said he was in Phoenix to spearhead “The Amare Stoudemire Project” – meaning that he was going to make Amare the best power forward in the game. What he needs to do is to teach Stoudemire how to fight for a rebound. That is what Shaq can add to STAT’s game.

It’s not going to come from a few more points. A couple of nights back against Portland, with less than a minute in the game and the win secured Stoudemire argued an out-of-bounds call so that the Suns could get the ball back. As soon as he got the ball, he shot it to pad his stats. I’d vote against him just for that.

On the other hand, Shaq is showing Stoudemire that the MVP needs to bring energy to the game. Gratuitously flying into the stands helps sometimes. Being the “energy guy” on the team helps, too. Some Suns’ fans think that Shaq is pulling down Shawn Marion-like numbers. I beg to differ in that Matrix never had a five-assist line as Shaq is prone to do.

But I digress. What should Stoudemire do to get that MVP? Stop acting like it’s owed to you. Kind of like the way you need to stop whining when you commit stupid fouls. Suck it up and keep playing. Be more like Rocky than Apollo.

[image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vaguelyartistic/292188935/]