Tomato hater, Sports lover

原文網址　－ http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/62807/why-is-andre-iguodala-so-defensive

Andre Iguodala is going gray. That’s the first thing I noticed at the Warriors practice facility in downtown Oakland on Wednesday. Breaking news, you heard it here first. Slightly famous athlete suffers from apoptosis of the follicle. It’s just that the white hairs are a bit shocking on a guy whose physique looks like Batman’s armor. 

Andre Iguodala冒出白頭髮了！我星期三在勇士隊奧克蘭市中心的練習球場時第一件注意到的事。這可是來自我這的最新消息！小有名氣的運動員開始受到毛囊細胞壞死的摧殘。對於這位身體看起來像是蝙蝠俠的盔甲的人長了白頭髮，還真的有點驚訝。

I’m casting science aside and blaming the Philadelphia media for Iguodala’s premature “Just for Men” status. “Iggy” (Iguodala hates that media-given nickname, by the way) mastered the subtle art of defense while the local sports pundits not so subtly bellowed that he wasn’t worth the contract. Philly’s a famously angry market, and from what I could tell, its fixation was more on what Iguodala couldn’t do rather than what he could. 

對於Iguodala提早發生的男人問題，我不管科學原因，而把責任歸咎於費城媒體。雖然「Iggy」（話說，Iguodala討厭這個媒體給的綽號）精通精巧藝術般的防守，費城運動權威卻大力批評他不值這份薪水。費城市場是有名的兇惡，而就我看到的是費城只關注Iguodala不能做的而非他能做的。

Then the Sixers traded him to Denver for the concept of Andrew Bynum. Despite losing Arron Afflalo in the deal, the Nuggets went from a 47-win lockout pace to a franchise record 57 wins. The Sixers trudged to the lottery, trampling Doug Collins’ soul in the process. 

然後，七六人為了換來Andrew Bynum將他交易到丹佛。儘管在交易中失去Arron Afflalo，金塊隊勝場從47勝（將封館的場數換算成完整球季場數）上升至隊史紀錄的57勝。七六人隊則跌跌撞撞邁向觀念魂，途中順便踐踏了Doug Collins（譯按：前七六人隊教練。）的靈魂。

Denver was 20th in defensive efficiency before Iguodala arrived and 11th when he left. Philadelphia was third in defensive efficiency in Iguodala’s last season there. Last season, they sunk to 15th. 

在Iguadala來之前丹佛金塊隊防守效率是聯盟第二十名，而在他離開時進步到聯盟第十一名。另一方面，費城七六人隊在Iguodala在時防守效率是聯盟第三。上一季，七六人的防守效率掉到聯盟第十五。

So where was the widespread credit? Even if George Karl had kept his job, I doubt the public would have embraced Iguodala’s defensive impact as a storyline. 

對於這件事，哪裡有聽到大家的掌聲呢？即使George Karl（譯按：前金塊教練）保住他的飯碗，我也懷疑大眾會把Iguodala的防守影響力當個話題對待。

We don’t care about defense. It’s about creating the absence of something, which sounds more like preventative maintenance than the action fans crave from sports. Tune in folks, watch Iguodala perform the NBA equivalent of sealing a wood deck. 

大家不重視防守。防守在創造看不見的價值，這聽起來像是預防措施，而非球迷渴望運動帶來的震撼。各位觀眾照子該放亮了，仔細欣賞Iguadala在NBA球場上表演密不透風的防守吧。

A lot goes into Iguodala tilting the odds against action, but it will be ignored for the most part. His defense is as public as it is obscure. Maybe that’s why he sounds a bit annoyed when discussing his game and how it’s regarded. Iguodala is quite literally soft-spoken, but he seemed downright brash on Wednesday on the topic of his D and its impact (bolded emphasis mine). 

很多時候Iguodala作的就是在球場上打預防針，但這些動作往往被人們忽略。他的防守實力大家都知道，但同時也諱莫如深。這也是為何他在人們討論他的比賽內容時會如此煩躁。Iguadala著實是個講話溫文儒雅的人，但星期三主題談到他的防守和影響力時口氣卻顯得十足的自大（不斷的強調自己）。

You think you have another level you can go to individually? 

問題：你覺得你自己能更上一層樓嗎？

Yeah, definitely. I don’t think I’ve gotten enough credit for what I bring to certain teams, especially last year with the record we had, breaking the franchise record for wins and how we kind of kept everything together and pulled off a great season. 

當時是的。我覺得我對於一些球隊的幫助沒有受到重視，尤其是上一季我們戰績輝煌，不但打破了隊史紀錄而且我們保持一切並完成一個美好的球季。

How much credit do you deserve for the defensive leap that Denver took last season? 

對於上一季丹佛金塊隊的防守進步，你覺得你值多少功勞？

I would say I had a lot to do with it, because I had a lot of responsibility, especially in the pick-and-roll coverage on the weak side and having to guard two guys, the diver and the 3-point shooter. Which is ... it’s damned near impossible. I see a lot of teams lose games off that.

我會說很大一部份是我的功勞，因為我負責很多。尤其是在防守弱邊檔拆時必須同時防守切入禁區的人和三分射手。這……是幾乎他媽的不可能。我看過很多球隊因為守不住這個而輸球。

This could be the season that Mr. "Damned Near Impossible" finds his recognition. He joins a team whose fanbase has long pleaded for better defense. The last season in which Golden State was better than 10th in defensive efficiency happened 35 years ago. 

這個球季可能是「幾乎他媽的不可能」先生獲得認同的一季。他加入的球隊的球迷長期盼望更好的防守。金洲勇士隊的防守效率在聯盟前十名已經是三十五年前的事了。

Good defense is damned near impossible to notice. Unless it’s a total change of pace from what you’re used to. Warriors fans were beside themselves over the flashes of defensive might bequeathed by Andrew Bogut, Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes. If Iguodala vaults this unit to an elite level, Oracle Arena might levitate. 

好的防守是幾乎他媽的不可能被注意到。除非，球隊有個全新的比賽步調。勇士球迷有Andrew Bogut、Klay Thompson和Harrison Barnes留下來的防守印象可以比較。如果Iguodala能將這個陣容的防守提升至精英等級，那Orcale球館（譯按：勇士隊主場）可能會爽到升天。

For now, Memphis has the market cornered on fan-friendly defense with their “Grit n’ Grind” branding, energetic crowd, and charismatic spokesman in Tony Allen. Iguodala could be GSW’s Allen -- a reason and symbol for a popular team’s cultural shift. In his 10th season, the often dismissed and maligned Iguodala could finally get his due. 

目前，曼菲斯灰熊隊壟斷了支持防守的球迷市場，他們有「Grit n’ Grind」的加油口號、充滿活力的球迷和魅力十足的防守代言人－Tony Allen。Iguodala可以成為金洲勇士隊的Allen，一個球隊轉變的動機和象徵。在這十個球季裡，常常被忽略和中傷的Iguodala終於可以得到他應得的。

Oh, who am I kidding? If the Warriors go deep in the playoffs we’re going to focus on Steph Curry’s 3-point shooting and little else.

喔，我在跟誰開玩笑啊！如果勇士隊在季後賽走更遠，被大家關注的只會是Steph Curry的三分球啦。