Big E’s Blog

By Eric Edwards

While Checking my email, someone forwarded me an encrypted email sent to Yi Jianlian…I struggled with posting it, but then I thought what the hell...

Hey Yi,

Its ya boy Steve Francis aka The Franchise.. I’ve been in your shoes homie… Trust me. When I was drafted 2nd overall by the Vancouver Grizzlies back in 1999 man, a tear ran down my cheek. I didn't know anybody in Canada... I didn’t speak Canadian. Who knows how many Black folk were in Vancouver at the time let alone the Northwest? All I knew was that place just wasn't for me. Man, do what you gotta do... Don’t worry eventually all your begging and pleading will get you traded. I literally did a back flip when I got sent to Houston. I had a smile from ear to ear. I instantly became a success, and the team slowly got built around me.

Then something happened. I looked up and the next thing I knew, we drafted another person high in the lottery, and they glossed him the next big thing as well… You may know him, Yao Ming?? Anyway that cat needed the ball all the time, and that took away from me. I tried to ask management to put guys around ME that will make ME better, but there response, trade me...

So I get traded to the Orlando Magic... Another place where I believe I can flourish with my abilities… They lose as well, and what do they go and do the following year. Draft a big man. Ownership assumes I can’t work with him either, and once again I get traded,

this time to the Knicks. From day one I get off to the wrong foot there. (Not to mention that me and the guy pictured have no idea what passing the ball means)Me and ownership fail to see eye to eye, and eventually I get packaged and traded again, this time to Portland Oregon, which is in the Northwest, some 300 miles south of Vancouver BC… (a 4 to 5 hr drive at most)

So you see, in the end these things are cyclical. You could request to be traded, and they could trade you…But in the end you'll end up either right back where you started, or somewhere very close…

I made a chart for you to reference.

Let’s say you get traded to Golden State. High Asian population and they like to run. Well Nellie only has 3 yrs of Good Coaching left in him. He retires, along with his offensive scheme, and if your skills haven't flourished by that time, ownership’s gonna want you gone. They'll trade you to a team in desperate need of a big man. Let’s just throw, I dunno, Dallas out there. Fairly decent Asian Market, but the owner is the grand prize there. Cuban will love you at first, but Avery, HE'LL DESPISE YOU. Nellie never taught you how to play D., thus making you useless to him. In the end, after about 2 to 3 yrs of holding Dirk’s jock, you'll get packaged in a deal that will send you and someone’s expiring contract to New Orleans. No Asian market there. This will place you right at your 10year mark.   And b/c of the lack of interest, and the fact that your PPG's has declined you’ll go from hot upstart, to maybe a role player at best. By that time, a team like Cleveland is literally one piece away. Sr. Backcourt, Solid veteran who is on his last big playoff push and then there’s you. Given your ability, you’ll be used as the guy who extends the offense beyond the 15 ft range. Essentially you’ll open the paint for LeBron and Boobie to drive, and that’s it.

By the way Cleveland isn’t known for its Asian population either. Here’s the kicker, its only 430 miles away from Milwaukee... (Another 5 to 6hr drive at most.)…

Sound Familiar?

Take Care and Prosper…

Stevie

PS...Eli Manning told me to tell you to ride it out fwiw...

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