By George: Playoff Paul Accustomed to Media Overlooking His Hoop Prowess

Paul George should be accustomed to basketball not-so-savvy voters shunning him despite him again carrying the Indiana Pacers to the NBA playoffs. Whatever happens in opening round matchup against LeBron James of defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers, George deserves plaudits after scoring at least 20 points in the Pacers' last 12 regular-season outings, including 30.8 ppg, 8 rpg and 3.6 apg in their final five contests.

Mr. Versatility for Fresno State in 2009-10 was overlooked by inept All-American voters before promptly blossoming into an All-Star with the Pacers. George, flourishing despite incurring a gruesome broken leg several 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 #MessMedia spending too much time reading a contrived-narrative slanted story in "Rolling to Get Stoned" or fiction novel by former Obama security guru?

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 predictably pathetic press appear as if they are swallowing their own vomit trying to accept and describe Donald Trump's non-traditional 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 ex-Lehigh luminary C.J. McCollum, who has averaged more than 20 ppg each of the last two pro campaigns and will 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: