Author Topic: What does the word "tanking" mean to you?  (Read 1340 times)

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What does the word "tanking" mean to you?
« on: November 13, 2013, 10:06:07 AM »

Offline BleedGreen1989

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Not sure there has been a word thrown around more this year regarding the Celtics but I still don't quite understand what people are referring to.

Does tanking mean actively trying to lose games? (pulling players from games who are performing well, playing Favarani at PG and demanding him to run P&R?)

Does it mean putting a less talented team on the court and hoping they just lose a bunch of games?

What exactly do people mean when they say "we just need to tank..."? How do you go about this?

I'm of the belief that players and coaches don't tank. No way can you convince me that Brad Stevens is trying to lose games or the players are not trying as hard as they possibly can to win every game.

I'm on the fence about losing games. I understand the need to grab a stud at the top of the draft, but I cannot sit in front of my TV and actively root for a loss. Just can't do it.

Just random thoughts of a Wednesday morning but I'm curious what exactly people are speaking of when saying the "T" word.
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Re: What does the word "tanking" mean to you?
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2013, 10:09:07 AM »

Offline kozlodoev

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Tanking means losing more games than you would if you were putting your best foot forward. All you listed are just methods of tanking that are of varying efficiency.
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Re: What does the word "tanking" mean to you?
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2013, 10:14:46 AM »

Offline Fafnir

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Tanking means losing more games than you would if you were putting your best foot forward. All you listed are just methods of tanking that are of varying efficiency.
Mark Madsen taking a ton of 3 pointers is the best example.

Playing Telfair in crunch time of games when Rondo and other guards have been playing better for a month now. Stuff like that is clearly tanking.

Just rebuilding your roster with young players and future draft picks isn't tanking in my mind.

Re: What does the word "tanking" mean to you?
« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2013, 10:16:41 AM »

Offline Fafnir

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Oh man the Madsen 3 pointer game almost ended with a Brian Cardinal triple double. He was 3 assists short, if it'd been at home I bet he'd have gotten it lol.

Re: What does the word "tanking" mean to you?
« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2013, 10:41:33 AM »

Offline mgent

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Well if you ask Bill Simmons he says there's a distinction between tanking and what he calls "sand bagging." (and claims the Celtics did the latter)  He says tanking is actively losing games, and sand bagging is putting yourself in a position before the season to lose games (or I guess it could also be adding dead-weight to ensure you sink to the bottom).

If you ask me, I don't think owners should be forced to lose money for a non-contender, however they should be doing everything in their power to win every game in the mean time, and put a contender back out there as soon as possible (even though those contradict each other).  This is for the integrity of sports competition.  I also think it's wrong to sit veterans who can help win you games for the sake of making your younger players better.

Simmons is wrong, a GM shouldn't be looked down upon for trading his aging players for draft picks and getting under the luxury tax.  On the other hand, a GM is definitely sand bagging/tanking if they have the second lowest salary in the league and yet are trading Gortat when he has no backup to replace him.
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Re: What does the word "tanking" mean to you?
« Reply #5 on: November 13, 2013, 10:47:32 AM »

Offline Interceptor

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It's ambiguous because if you were specific, you start losing people. If you asked two people what they meant by "we need to tank", you might get two different answers.

My personal definition of tanking is intentionally losing games, and in the NBA that comes down to the players (who will not tank, they are too competitive) and the coach (who is unlikely to, without a mandate and buy-in). I consider what Danny did to be more like "rebuilding". Simmons and "sand bagging" is also an OK way to put it, though it has more of a pejorative flavor.

Re: What does the word "tanking" mean to you?
« Reply #6 on: November 13, 2013, 10:48:29 AM »

Offline D.o.s.

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Tanking means losing more games than you would if you were putting your best foot forward. All you listed are just methods of tanking that are of varying efficiency.

Pretty much.

My favorite is shutting players down because of "injury" when it's clear there's a benefit to losing games. See: Pierce, Paul 2006-2007; Curry, Stephen 2011-12, etc.
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