I guess its on? Players vs. Westphal

MassachusettsKingsFan · Jan 1, 2012

I'm not trying to make it seem like I'm just going after Demarcus, but he IS the most noticably negative person on the team. He's just the easiest example. And while you are absolutely right by saying it is getting better, its still bad. That's all I'm saying. I even think Evans handled it better in his post game interview last night... I came away from that really impressed by Evans considering how 'dull' he seems in most of his interviews. He usually seems like he doesn't have much to say, but I like how he handled himself here. I'm sure you saw it, but if you haven't I suggest looking it up. He's much more accountable. JT was much more accountable too.

I just cannot really touch the 49ers point. Football is just so different because you have way more players who each have to do one thing. Some players play defense, some players play offense. In basketball it really only takes one or two guys to ruin a situation (Including the coach!!). I'm not saying Cousins is that one guy, but he has more of an impact on the Kings 14 man locker room than any 1 football player (Unless you are someone like Aaron Rodgers/Tom Brady/Ray Lewis.

Every piece on a basketball team is so damn important. You can cover up a few bad football players or bad attitudes in on a football team because there are 50+ other guys making sure they do what they are supposed to do.

And I'll agree with one of the other posters who said that Cousins and Evans ARE more important than everyone else. You are right, they are. But you cannot make it so obvious to everyone. You cannot fill there heads with that. Not when they are this young. Kobe can feel that way because he's been in the league for so long and has won multiple titles. Cousins and Evans, while incredibly important to our team .. haven't really done anything in this league yet.

Someone else also said that I am doing too much speculating. You are right, I am. But I don't think my speculations are crazy. I think they are entirely possible, and that's all I'm really trying to say. Maybe I'm wrong .. I don't think I am, but I might be. And I'll be the first to admit it if I am.

bajaden · Jan 1, 2012

MassachusettsKingsFan said:

I guess I just don't see what you see in relationship to Cousins. I haven't seen any thing thats negative. I've seen frustration, but not any more so than others. I will agree that he wears his emotions on his sleeve, and as a result its harder to hide them. But he's not complaining to the refs. Yes, he looks surprised at times when a foul isn't called, or when it goes the opposite way he thought it would. But my god man, have you watched Gasol or Kobe? I could go around the league and find players on every team, stars on every team that are more demonstrative than Cousins is right now. Have you ever seen Dirk after a foul is called on him? Sometimes I think people just see what they want to see.

Cousins isn't the problem with this team. Neither is Evans. They're the future of this team. One or both may end up being the savior of this team, but the problem is Westphal. If you think Cousins and Evans feel that they're entitled, then who made them feel that way? Who started Casspi, then after a game or two, replaced him with Greene, and then replaced him with Casspi, and then replaced him with Greene? Who jerked Jason Thompson around to where he doesn't know what his role is. Who decided that Landry could play SF? Who took 2/3'rds of a season to finally play Dalembert and Cousins together? Something we figured out before the season began.

I don't see any growth, or damm little of it beyond getting in shape with some of our core players. And yet I see young players on other teams getting significantly better. Am I to believe that were the only team that drafts players that have already, either reached their potential, or they're incapable of improving? Something is seriously wrong with this franchise. Yes, football is a different sport, but I wasn't talking about the players, I was talking about the coach, and that premise stands on its own. Basketball and Football are two sports where coaching makes a big difference. Baseball, not so much. That was my sport, and baseball is a group of individuals playing as individuals in a whats considered a team sport. Not so in football or basketball, at least if you want to be a winner.

A good coach can't work miracles, but he'll get the best out of the talent he has. On the other hand, a bad coach can screw up a team with a lot of talent and cause it to underperform.

One last thing. If I'm a coach, I'd rather bolster a players ego, and along with that, his confidence. I've never once met a great athlete in any sport that didn't have a big ego. The two go hand in hand. That doesn't mean the result will be that the player won't take responsibility for his part in winning and losing. As a player I hated to lose, and I knew when I made a mistake. And I didn't need to get hit over the head with it. Most of the frustration you see coming from Cousins and Evans is from their own personal failure. And perhaps the failure of some of their teammates to participate in a team game. Anyway, I'll let this rest for a while. I think I've gotten out most of my frustration.

UK_King · Jan 1, 2012

I thought Cousins has been much more "mature" so far this season; no so much stomping to the bench after fouls, not so many after foul tantrums.

I'd rather he was annoyed by fouls than laughing and joking about them.

rainingbuckets · Jan 1, 2012

https://twitter.com/#!/DBlank_Kings/status/153616717648642048
@DBlank_Kings: Demarcus Cousins will not play tonight for Sacramento against NO in the best interests of team, according to Head Coach Paul Westphal

Looks like Westphal doesn't approve.... SMH

-edit- Uh oh...

SACRAMENTO, CALIF., Jan. 1, 2012 -- “Whenever a new season begins, in any sport, there is great hope that everything will progress in only a steady, upward direction. As we all know, it seldom happens like that in this life!

As coaches, we can only ask that our players do everything they can to improve themselves as individuals and teammates. If they do this with all their hearts, we live with the results.

Everything that happens on a team does not become known to the public. This is how it should be. However, when a player continually, aggressively, lets it be known that he is unwilling/unable to embrace traveling in the same direction as his team, it cannot be ignored indefinitely.

DeMarcus Cousins has demanded to be traded. In the best interest of our team as we go forward, he has been directed by me, with the support of management, to stay home from the New Orleans game tonight.”

About Maloof Sports & Entertainment (MS&E):
Maloof Sports & Entertainment includes the Sacramento Kings and Power Balance Pavilion. Owned by the Maloof family with long-term, local partners, the organization is committed to being a contributing member of the Sacramento community. Teaming up with local leaders and non-profit organizations to give back to those in need throughout the region, MS&E has donated millions of dollars to charity in 12 years of Maloof family ownership. For more information about Maloof Sports & Entertainment, please visit Kings.com, PowerBalancePavilion.com or call 916-928-0000.

http://www.nba.com/kings/news/westphal_statement_2012_01_01.html

-edit- From DMC's agent:

Cousins' agent, John Greig, tells SI.com: "DeMarcus never demanded a trade. I'm surprised the Kings, if they believe the player wanted..."
Source: https://twitter.com/#!/sam_amick/status/153619215637676032

Glenn · Jan 1, 2012

I'm going to come out swinging at your statement that Cousins is the most noticeably negative person on the team. As you inserted "noticeably" I presume you are covered from my all out attack but just the same .....

Cousins is emotional and highly competitive. He shows it all and that includes the good along with the bad. When he is pumped up, he is about as inspiring as anyone can be. If you are saying he is negative because of his sour faces, I just think that is way too superficial to be very meaningful. I just think a person's facial expression has too little to do with a person's overall character to be used in a major way. In a minor way, perhaps.

All interviews I have seen of Cuz have shown a very likeable and fairly intelligent person. To ME he seems to have leadership potential. Great leaders need to have the verbal skills and an encouraging attitude AND be great athletes themselves. To explain this further, Cisco could be a great leader but he doesn't have the athletic skills to gain the respect of his team mates.

Cousins is young so I'll throw my "what more can you expect" line at you.

He doesn't put down team mates and even said he would do what the coach says despite the obvious problem that he sems to have a problem with what the coach says. He doesn't show up his team mates when they are on the court. What I mean is that he doesn't direct his sour face or anything else for that matter when there is a screw up. He isn't aggravating his team mates.

His temper: we have not seen it on the court this year nor have we heard of it off the court. Pre-draft people would not believe that he has come this far. And by "people" I mean the rest of the NBA who saw him as a problem child. He has flares of temper just as many KF posters do. I have flares of temper. These flares pass and I have not heard that he carries grudges. This is far more mature than many KF posters, for example. In any case, he has not lost his temper this year.

I like his competitiveness. Nothing wrong with that. I like his determination. pre-draft it was said he was unmotivated. On the contrary evidence is that he worked out very hard this last summer and I think his agility, hops, and overall agility have improved quite a bit. In short, he was criticized for a few things last year and this summer he tried to rectify the problems and did a darn fine job. This is not negativity.

I would rather have his attitude than what appears to be Greene's. Greene doesn't have a sour face yet doesn't appear to apply himself and become the star that I think he could become.

I don't think Cuz is negative at all except in flashes. I think those flashes will gradually disappear over the years (how old is he now?) and so far it seems to be true. Inthe last three hideous games, he kept it together.

Glenn · Jan 1, 2012

rainingbuckets said:

https://twitter.com/#!/DBlank_Kings/status/153616717648642048
@DBlank_Kings: Demarcus Cousins will not play tonight for Sacramento against NO in the best interests of team, according to Head Coach Paul Westphal

Looks like Westphal doesn't approve.... SMH

-edit- Uh oh...

SACRAMENTO, CALIF., Jan. 1, 2012 -- “Whenever a new season begins, in any sport, there is great hope that everything will progress in only a steady, upward direction. As we all know, it seldom happens like that in this life!

As coaches, we can only ask that our players do everything they can to improve themselves as individuals and teammates. If they do this with all their hearts, we live with the results.

Everything that happens on a team does not become known to the public. This is how it should be. However, when a player continually, aggressively, lets it be known that he is unwilling/unable to embrace traveling in the same direction as his team, it cannot be ignored indefinitely.

DeMarcus Cousins has demanded to be traded. In the best interest of our team as we go forward, he has been directed by me, with the support of management, to stay home from the New Orleans game tonight.”

About Maloof Sports & Entertainment (MS&E):
Maloof Sports & Entertainment includes the Sacramento Kings and Power Balance Pavilion. Owned by the Maloof family with long-term, local partners, the organization is committed to being a contributing member of the Sacramento community. Teaming up with local leaders and non-profit organizations to give back to those in need throughout the region, MS&E has donated millions of dollars to charity in 12 years of Maloof family ownership. For more information about Maloof Sports & Entertainment, please visit Kings.com, PowerBalancePavilion.com or call 916-928-0000.

http://www.nba.com/kings/news/westphal_statement_2012_01_01.html

Never tell the emperor he is not wearing any clothes. I may have to modify what i just wrote because Cuz broke the cardinal rule of sports and that is not to criticize your coach in public. If it comes down to a choice between Cuz and PW, I'll take Cuz. I WILL guess that Cuz is just saying what other players are thinking. Bad move on his part but it may speed along the process of PW's firing a little more quickly.

MassachusettsKingsFan · Jan 1, 2012

Well, **** has officially just hit the fan.

UK_King · Jan 1, 2012

I can't believe i just said he was more mature lol Jokes on me i guess!

rainingbuckets · Jan 1, 2012

Glenn said:

Either way, something's going on, DMC's agent denied that he asked for a trade.....
"DeMarcus never demanded a trade. I'm surprised the Kings, if they believe the player wanted..."
"...a trade, wouldn't have made a phone call to his representative. Maybe Westphal is just feeling the heat early this season."

https://twitter.com/#!/sam_amick/status/153619215637676032
https://twitter.com/#!/sam_amick/status/153619390867324929

LWP777 · Jan 1, 2012

Capt. Factorial said:

I'm not quite sure how you read (paraphrased) "Coach has been emphasizing that we are not running his offense. We have to go out there and do what he says" as "our coach is a moron". If you listen to what he says, rather than what you want him to say, DeMarcus is saying that the team is not following the coach's game plan.

I'll admit this team looks uncoached. Maybe it's because the coach sucks. But maybe it's because the team is not doing what the coach is asking them to do. And the latter is what Cousins said. Why assume he means the exact opposite?

http://twitter.com/sam_amick

Now do you see what he meant by his comments last night?

RookieOfTheDay · Jan 1, 2012

Well that does it for me. Westphal has to go. He has a history of clashing/feuding with players going all the way back to Spencer Hawes. I don't want to see Cousins traded because he's on Westphal's **** list. Mediocre coaches are a dime a dozen. Big men with Cousins' skills are rare.

Bricklayer · Jan 1, 2012

The Maloofs are not going to be amused after picking up his option year to have to fire him and pay him after only a week, or two, or however long it takes them to make the call.

LWP777 · Jan 1, 2012

Bricklayer said:

What does it really matter? The salary now is a sunk cost. If they let Keith Smart take over and maybe add another cheap assistant coach it doesn't really cost them anything more than it would if they kept PW.

kingsnation · Jan 1, 2012

RookieOfTheDay said:

Any time a reference includes Hawes, it immediately loses credibility

In all seriousness, I agree with you. We can't lose a franchise player for a coach like Westphal.

RookieOfTheDay · Jan 2, 2012

I wonder what the 2002 Kings would have looked like if Westphal had been the coach?

starting lineup

C - Hedo
PF - Scott Pollard
SF - Lawrence Funderburke
PG - Doug Christie
SG - Gerald Wallace

Reserves

Bobby Jackson
Vlade Divac

Suspended for question the coach

Chris Webber

Traded for not playing defense

Peja
Bibby

TehSwimGuy · Jan 2, 2012

RookieOfTheDay said:

For the WIN, sir. Sadly, I feel like that would be exactly the lineup.

I guess its on? Players vs. Westphal

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