By George: Indiana Pacers Sensation Familiar With Press Overlooking Him

Paul George should be accustomed to voters shunning him after seeing Russell Westbrook repeat as NBA All-Star Game MVP despite George falling one basket shy of breaking legendary Wilt Chamberlain's All-Star scoring record of 42 points set in 1962.

Mr. Versatility for Fresno State in 2009-10 was overlooked by inept All-American voters before promptly blossoming into an All-Star with the Indiana Pacers. George, flourishing despite incurring a gruesome broken leg a couple of years ago, is the latest textbook example of the chronic problem exhibited by low-information A-A voters and their shoddy treatment of mid-major standouts. Is the mess media spending too much time reading a contrived-narrative slanted story in "Rolling to Get Stoned"?

Jeff Foxworthy, breaking the gruesome mental-midget fever, should host a show Are You Smarter Than a Fifth-Rate Press Pundit? Questioning the qualifications of misguided media members quickly comes to mind when assessing their longstanding track record failing to acknowledge stellar mid-level players as All-Americans. The majority of the mess media look as if they are swallowing their own vomit trying to accept and describe Donald Trump's political prowess. Despite superb collegiate careers, including player of the year acclaim in a mid-major conference, a striking number of individuals didn't generate sufficient national recognition to be chosen as an All-American. For instance, Louisiana Tech's Paul Millsap led the nation in rebounding three straight seasons from 2003-04 through 2005-06 but wasn't accorded All-American status.

Incredibly, the overlooked features two prominent floor generals who went on to lead the NBA in assists a total of 14 times - John Stockton (nine) and two-time MVP Steve Nash (five) - plus Tim Hardaway, who averaged 8.2 apg during his 13-year pro career; Joe Dumars, a six-time NBA All-Star guard and 1989 NBA Finals MVP, and Derek Fisher, who received five championship rings with the Los Angeles Lakers in the first decade of the 21st Century. Among shunned frontcourters, two-time conference MVPs Chris Gatling, Brian Grant, Popeye Jones and Rik Smits each played at least 11 seasons in the NBA.

Whether they are coaches who need to come out of the film-watching closet or members of the lame-stream media, many incompetent voters should be deep-sixed for overdosing on the premier leagues while condescendingly looking upon mid-level players such as Georgia State's R.J. Hunter last season. Hunter, a two-time MVP in the Sun Belt Conference, and NBA Most Improved Player C.J. McCollum (Lehigh) could eventually be among the following alphabetical list of Division I conference MVPs left behind in regard to securing All-American status before they enjoyed NBA/ABA careers of at least six seasons: