Re-post: Raja Bell Day Part 2

by TexSUN on Sep 28, 2007 5:01 PM MDT in Player Day Features

[Editor's Note: Ordinarily, I wouldn't recycle a post from just a few days ago, but like a couple of readers have pointed out, our official Raja Bell Day on Wednesday got utterly obliterated by the whole Shawn Marion debacle. And since I'm not in the mood to write yet another Marion piece, and I can't think of anything non-Marion-related to write about either at the moment (other than the upcoming start of training camp, the upcoming public scrimage, and the new look Suns.com), how about we re-run Raja Bell Day again over the weekend. In the meantime, if you are looking for more Marion stories, check out this piece by Steve Weinman at Taking it to the Rack. He has a great writeup about the awesome way some of our guys (including Raja) have come out in support of their wayward teammate this week. Enjoy and have a great weekend!]

Many, many thanks for all the YouTube recommendations posted in the comments for Part 1. In fact, this was the least amount of work I've had to do for one of these so far. We had enough user-suggested YouTubes that I didn't even need to go looking for any of my own! Several users also had some nice things to say about Raja as well. He is obviously a fan favorite around here.

From JSun about the Suns-Clippers Game 5 in the 2006 playoffs, where Raja nailed the buzzer-beating three that sent the game into overtime and an eventual Suns victory:

I was at that game with my brother and that was the straw that broke this camel's back and convinced me to plunk down the dollars for season tickets. I've got him to thank for the best purchase I've ever made.

From PurplePinoy on that same buzzer-beater:

It was one of those sports moments where one was like "Thank God!!!" The Clips were pounding us in the paint and we were in serious danger of losing that game, going to LA. It was so cool to hear the Purple Palace erupt in unison at that shot. The only buzzer beater better than that of this new century was probably Horry's buzzer beater against Sacramento.

From jasonsuns1:

I like that Bell got excited about having a taco bell card, he really is a huge part of this team the last 2-3 years and my wife says he's cute.

Paul Coro at AZCentral joined in on the fun with a Raja Bell-themed article of his own. (OK, that was probably a coincidence). As for me, my favorite Raja moment is one that probably won't ever show up on YouTube or even be remembered by most people. It happened in his first year with the Jazz after the Mavericks had failed to make any real effort to keep him following the 2002-03 season. It was the Mavericks' first game at Utah that season, and Raja had a career night as he led his new team to victory over his former one. It was clear he was absolutely having a blast. At one point, he was literally dancing as he headed off the floor during a timeout. It was one of those "victory is sweet" moments, made even sweeter in light of how hard it was for him to make a place for himself in the NBA.

First up on the YouTubes is the aforementioned buzzer-beater that sent that Suns-Clippers Game 5 into overtime. As someone who follows this team from afar, there are a handful moments every season that stand out as making me really wish I could have been there to see it in person. This one is near the top of the list. Thanks go to JSun for suggesting it and SwingMan for finding the link.

Next up, we have Raja Bell - Heart of a champion. I concur with SwingMan's assessment: AWESOME production on this one.

Lastly, here is that infamous Kobe clothesline you've all been waiting to see. I have to confess, I'm not as much a fan of this play as a lot of people are. While I'll admit it was satisfying to see Kobe (who may be my least favorite basketball player ever) hit the floor, this play could very well have caused serious injury and/or cost the Suns the series. However, I can't deny that it is a favorite among Suns fans, and I would be negligent not to include it on a post featuring YouTubes of Raja. So, here it is - feel free to hit "replay" as many times as you like. And thanks, SwingMan, for posting the link in the Part 1 comments!

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Comments

Not Much Attention

Raja Bell Day is on and everyone's talking about Marion.

I hope he doesn't think he needs more attention. Good thing his mom's still around to give him a hug.

Mmmmm ... Guinness

by JSun on Sep 26, 2007 11:07 AM MDT 0 recs

Yeah, I know...

I tried my best to keep Marion off the front page yesterday. Unfortunately, he managed to get there anyway. I may re-post "Raja Bell Day" if we get some slow time prior to the start of the season.

by TexSUN on Sep 26, 2007 11:17 AM MDT up 0 recs

Positive pleases, negative sells

I'm stupid. I didn't realize while it was playing that the song on number two is the melody of the NBA on ESPN theme. That makes me sick.

And I'll be honest with ya Tex...the clothesline is the reason I love Raja. I don't think it was as dangerous as it may look because Raja planned it. If you notice, he puts his non-clotheslining arm behind Kobe as he spins him, keeping him from falling backwards off his feet.

To me, that was a well-executed play, and a well-deserved one. I blame the officials for it, anyway, for not calling the game evenly. Evidence - a season later, Kobe is suspended twice for elbowing players in the face,

Best play Raja ever made. For the league, I mean.

Yes, I am the smartest pesron in the room.

by Phan X on Sep 27, 2007 2:17 PM MDT 0 recs

on raja bell day

I agree, too bad about all the Marion junk getting in the way of a great Raja Bell day. Nice point about Bell putting his other arm behind Kobe..I saw many plays from g.s. and the spurs that could cause a serious injury also, but I think it's because so many fools love Kobe that it got blown up.

Bell is cool, I like listening to him during interviews, he knows how to handle himself and say some interesting things, and unselfish things. I hope we can keep him around a few more years.

by jasonsuns1 on Sep 27, 2007 10:15 PM MDT up 0 recs

Agree to disagree

We'll have to just agree to disagree on the clothesline play. I realize that it is a lot of people's favorite Raja moment ever, and that's why I would have included it even if nobody had mentioned it in the comments to Part 1. Whether or not Raja took measures to minimize the chance of injury, there was no way a play like that (however deserved it might have been) would not have resulted in a suspension. That could have killed the Suns' season easily, as they were already one game away from elimination. It was only a last-second Tim Thomas shot that kept that from actually happening. Whatever justification he had for doing it, it nearly cost the Suns the season. I read somewhere that Game 6 was the only game all season that the 2005-06 Suns won without Raja. I believe it was something like 1-5. He was that important. So the play was exactly how he described it after it happened, IMO: a mistake.

Don't get me wrong, I am not Raja-bashing here. In fact, now that Shawn Marion has officially lost his mind, Raja is probably a solid #2 on my favorite players list. He does many things well, and other than that one play has been a great team leader, and lived up to his "champion" middle name through and through. I am really proud to have him on the team. I just don't like that one play is all. So shoot me. :)

by TexSUN on Sep 28, 2007 12:14 AM MDT up 0 recs

i agree on..

he should have got suspended, i wasn't trying to say he should not have. And I agree it was a mistake, I just hadn't looked at it in a while and was a little hopeful about his free hand possibly doing a little good as his other arm did bad. :-)

Plus, compared with some of the things I saw during the last playoffs, there are other plays like this, some that even get away w/o a suspension, but should not have.

by jasonsuns1 on Sep 28, 2007 1:49 AM MDT up 0 recs

Symbolisim of the Clothesline

I see it from the view of a turning point in the series. Before game 5, the Lakers were having their way with the Suns (Kwame "Jackass" Brown knocking down Diaw and then standing over him in a suggestive way). They had Kobe slash as Odom pounded away at in the post. Yellow jerseys were running amok wreaking havoc without fear of reprisal.
Bell's clothesline was a defiant gesture that was desperately needed. It voiced the repression of a team in dire straits, and a city that was tired of bowing out, especially to LA. Stratigically it wasn't smart, it was an intrinsic response from an individual who felt he was mistreated, and it lowered our defensive front. But it did serve as a psychological purpose in making the Suns realize they had stones and that the Lakers had to watch out. It symbloized the eruption created because of the repression. Like my past English teacher said once, "Keep on prodding and abusing people or a person and they WILL eventually fight back". The Suns then hung tight in Game 6 and then closed them out mercilessly in Game 7. After game 5 it was a Suns series.

If ya can't jump 'em out, then box 'em out!

by PurplePinoy on Sep 29, 2007 12:00 AM MDT 0 recs

Turning point

Not to keep rehashing this or anything, but I always felt like the turning point happened at the end of Game 4 when Bennett Salvatore turned a blind eye to pleas for a timeout, and Kobe sealed the Laker's 3-1 lead. The Suns were out for revenge from that point on (after all, they already had Game 5 pretty much won when Raja did his thing on Kobe). But who knows, maybe having to play without Raja kept the Suns from having a letdown in Game 6. Whatever the case, that play won't ever be forgotten, regardless of what I or anyone else thinks of it.

by TexSUN on Oct 1, 2007 9:11 AM MDT up 0 recs

Raja Bell

He's my fav Sun. That buzzer beater against the Clippers was one of the most incredible moments ever in my life as a sports fan. Raja will never get the same attention as Marion, Nash and Stoudemire does. But he's the kind of player that every team needs. If Marion and the others played with the same passion this guy does, they would already have 2 rings.

Great stuff, thank you very much. Raja is da bomb.

Walk on, walk on With hope in your heart And you'll never walk alone You'll never walk alone

by Nobs on Sep 29, 2007 9:31 AM MDT 0 recs