Amare Stoudemire really isn't very likeable

There are certain things you don't really find out about other players in the league when you live more than half a country away.  At first with Amare Stoudemire... you saw "S.T.A.T."  You looked at him as Phoenix's franchise player. 

Then you started to notice that for a big guy, he's not really grabbing as many rebounds as you might expect... or playing the kind of defense you might think a guy of that physical ability could play.

And then he starts talking... starting with something like this:

"This might be my farewell tour, huh?" Stoudemire said. "If so, I'm going out with a bang, baby."

And following it up with:

"They call me 'Sun Tzu,' " Stoudemire said. "That's what they call me nowadays. The methods I use from the ancient general, Sun Tzu, is the leadership method. I feel like using that will help my leadership and help us to get over the hump. I'm going to apply those tactics and those rules to how we're going to approach battle and win."

By "they", Amare means "I".  He's calling himself Sun Tzu nowadays... because he read "The Art of War" and he was inspired by it.  I read it too... and it is inspiring.  And if you really get the message, you know that it's not all about you.  Sun Tzu didn't go around giving himself nicknames.  He provided a blueprint for how to be a leader and win battles.  What has Stoudemire lead Phoenix to?  Nothing.  And he won't.   

Stoudemire has been making an ass of himself this whole offseason.  It's really disappointing.  And now because he can't get the simple message behind a timeless work, he's going to make a bigger ass of himself.