As November approaches, our state remains divided.
From Broomfield to Castle Rock, the opinions vary, but all are fervent. Indeed, we all want change.
But what kind of change? Some believe the hype; others believe it will just be the same old, same old.
Yes, the Carmelo Anthony debate continues. (What else could we be talking about?)
In interviews with 20-plus fans who were asked their opinion of Denver’s star forward, results were astonishingly split.
Some fans love him, some fans hate him.Some think he is the answer to the Nuggets’ problems, some think he is the problem. Some think he’s a role model, some think he needs a role model.
It’s fascinating that one player — a 24-year-old Olympian and all-star, at that — can spark such contrasting responses.
Such is the fascination with Melo, who enters his sixth season with the Nuggets, a Denverite for better or worse.
“I take pride in being here, representing Denver,” Anthony said. “Throughout my career here, I’ve been through a lot, but more good than bad.”
Since the wide-eyed 19-year-old with the wide grin landed at DIA in 2003, he has Pied Piper-ed the Nuggets to the playoffs every season, but never out of the first round.
He has averaged 24.4 points per game in his career and made the past two Western Conference all-star teams, but he’s never been linked to conversation for the all-defensive team. He helped make a punch-line franchise a playoff team, but he also sucker-punched an opponent and was suspended for 15 games. He has been arrested for a DUI, but he’s now doing community service to promote smart driving. He had an embarrassing, immature role on the 2004 bronze-medal Olympic team, but he had an enlightening, mature role on the 2008 gold-medal Olympic team.
And this season, Anthony is campaigning that fans will see “a different me.”
“He’s got to understand that it’s his team now,” said fan Josh Thassee, 34, who lives in Capitol Hill. “He’s 24, a father, engaged, starting to make mature decisions — not going out every night. He’s taking care of business. Now, it’s the team. In the next couple years, people are going to start to say, you’re either going to do this or not.”
“The most frustrating player”
Raised in Denver, Angelo Martinez was a die-hard Chicago fan.
He’s 25 now, so that means when he was young, the Chicago Bulls had Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen — and the Nuggets had Johnny Newman and George McCloud.
“The Nuggets were always my home team,” Martinez said, “but when Melo came along, they became my favorite team. He is putting us on the map.”
Martinez wears Anthony’s Nike shoes, as does his 5-year-old son, Fabian. They go to the Pepsi Center and cheer for him, and wonder why fans aren’t all behind him.
Other fans see a different Melo.
“He’s too cocky. He’s living off his name, and you need to back it up with your skills.” — Lakeshia Johnson, 19, Aurora
“I wish he’d grow up quicker.” — Greg Taylor, 48, Castle Rock
“Arrogance, that’s the correct word.” — Ashley Schmidt, 22, Littleton
Shanyn Davis, 23, has heard stories about Anthony “blowing people off” — she’s seen it — and said, “He’s a good ballplayer, but his character needs improvement. His whole thing with his (Stop Snitchin’) video, and then his drunk driving, that’s not good when you have a lot of little kids looking up to you. Nobody’s perfect, but you want to do the best that you can.”
Anthony has apologized for his mistakes and said he adores Denver fans: “They’re what make us go.” He also said he cares about being a role model: “To the kids, I’m like Big Bird or SpongeBob.”
Each summer he’s been in Denver, fans talk about Anthony maturing. This summer, after Anthony’s Olympic experience, they finally have some proof he is growing up.
“I give him props for being a good teammate,” Castle Rock’s Taylor said.
Denver native Oren Lomena is one of Anthony’s more vocal critics, one of the “Night Guys” on 104.3 FM “The Fan.”
“Melo is probably the most frustrating player to watch, because I don’t think he’s got a full understanding of his game,” Lomena said. “Or, he understands his game and refuses to do what’s most effective.
“I think that (the Nuggets) play the wrong way, and they’re able to get some results out of it, and it just encourages them to do the same stuff. And I think Melo is the embodiment of that philosophy.”
Some fans have faith. Others have a short memory, forgetting the near-decade of futility in the era “B.C.” (Before Carmelo).
This summer, Lomena grappled with the audacity of his hope — that Denver would trade Carmelo Anthony.
“I know, it’s bananas,” Lomena said, “but while I’d love to see him blossom into the player that I think he’s capable of being, I just don’t see it happening.”
“As a leader . . .”
The judge’s bench is sticky from spilled Coors.
Thassee is perched behind the bar at LoDo’s Sports Column, where he hears the arguments from both sides, 82 trials a year. Between pours, the bartender watches games with the Nuggets’ faithful, and this is what he hears about Anthony: “He doesn’t play defense, he’s selfish, he doesn’t hustle a lot,” Thassee said. “But you know what? People take plays off, no matter where you are.”
Thassee, admittedly, is a little biased. He attended Syracuse and just happened to be a senior the year Anthony was a freshman and led his team to the NCAA championship. But even Thassee is getting antsy.
“Denver fans did expect in the beginning for him to be the savior,” he said. “And when he didn’t pan out that way (like Le-Bron James or Dwyane Wade), people started to look down on him. But you’re telling a 20-year-old to be a savior. . . .
“I’d like to see the Nuggets pick it up this year — the whole team playing as a team, defense thing.”
Ah, yes, the defense.
Everyone has an opinion on Anthony’s defense — or lack thereof. When coach George Karl met presidential candidate Barack Obama, Karl said the senator asked a few Nuggets questions, including one about Anthony’s defensive intensity.
In the Melo debate, defense is like the economy to Obama-McCain.
“I don’t really like him — I think he’s a stoner thug who doesn’t play any defense,” said Henry Sydnor, an 18-year-old from Centennial. “I like the Nuggets, but when he doesn’t play defense, it’s frustrating, because he’s a good defensive player — who just doesn’t play defense. He’ll take his time (on defense) because he makes a lot of money. It’s guaranteed.”
With the passion of a fourth-quarter fan, Thornton’s Jessica Mondragon thundered: “I think he needs to respect George Karl more. The Nuggets need to humble themselves and listen.”
Anthony has admitted he must play better defense for a playoff run. He saw how defensive intensity fueled Team USA’s offense en route to the gold medal in Beijing.
Anthony has said the Nuggets, who finished last season in eighth place in the Western Conference at 50-32, should have won eight more games, but he also admitted that in the course of an 82-game season, fatigue is prevalent.
“You’ve got to boost yourself up, play mind games when you play against lower-seed teams,” Anthony said. “You don’t want to take it easy and go though the motions — you want to attack that game.
“I understand that (importance of defense). And if my team sees me going out there, attacking the game as if we really need that game, then they will follow. And If I’m just going through the motions, that’s what they will do. As a leader, I’ve got to attack those games a little bit more.”
“Not a bionic man”
We live in a sports world of instant gratification. We all want to win yesterday. And tomorrow. These days, it seems, players are just “supposed” to develop faster.
When it comes to Melo, some fans are indeed impatient, while others are enjoying the ride. There have been plenty of smiles, notably from Anthony, who has a smile that launched a thousand sponsorships.
“He’s always smiling, he’s always happy,” said Jason Delmendo of Littleton. “He always brings positive energy.”
Anthony is refreshing. He is a human corporation, but often he’s more human than corporation. After the DUI, Anthony was ashamed and fans were irate, but Martinez, the Bulls-turned-Nuggets fan, said, “People go through things like that — he’s not a bionic man, a superhero.”
But how did Martinez explain Anthony’s costly and dangerous mistake to his son?
“My son didn’t find out,” he said. “I told him he was racing his car and got pulled over by the cops.”
Anthony can occasionally pepper his postgame quotes with cliches or the cop-out, “We shall see,” but his responses are often raw and relatable. Like, “We quit” after a playoff loss to the Lakers last spring.
Those two words, like everything he says, sparked a debate. Many said he was the problem. But Anthony was really saying “we” were the problem — the entire team and the coaching staff.
“With a good supporting cast, Melo can easily take them to the next round of the playoffs, maybe even go to the Finals,” said Thassee, the bartender. “But you’ve got to start at the core. That’s Melo.”
Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com
