There are those that haven't liked Cousins from the beginning, and I don't expect those people to have an once of understanding or objectivity when it comes to this subject. And possibly I'm biased in favor of Cousins to some extent. But to be clear, I don't endorse a lot of his behavior. What I try to do, is relate to him as if he were my own son. And thats not unique to him. I try to approach all young players that way. And so I ask myself, if I were Paul Westphal, and Cousins were my son, would I have handled this situation the same way? Because in a sense, Westphal is being paid to be the parent of all these players. And each and everyone of them is valuable, and more importantly, different!
One size fits all, might have to work to some extent when it comes to the product you put on the floor, but it doesn't when you deal with each player as an individual. You can't approach Cousins, who is immature, passionate, hates to lose, and wears his feelings on his sleeve, the same way you approach Evans, who may be immature as well, but is very laid back and reserved. Both players may have the same feelings about how the team is playing, but one is a lot easier to deal with than the other.
So its easy for Westphal to embrace Evans, and throw Cousins under the bus. Strangely, Westphal seems to have problems with big men. Maybe he simply can't identify with their point of view. Don't know, and don't care. Was Cousins at fault? Not really sure! He requested to talk to Westphal in his office. Apparently it didn't go well. Don't know why, and I haven't heard Cousins side of the story, and probably never will, unless he leaves this orginization. The only quote I have on paper that was reported by Sam Amick was from, once again an anonymous teammate, who said he heard Cousins say as he was leaving, ""If you think I'm such a cancer to this team, then trade me now".
Personally, that doesn't seem like a serious request to be traded. It seems more like the kind of response you make when angry. I can't tell you how many times in my life I've made similar, in the heat of the moment remarks. Not sure why I should hold a young immature man to a higher standard than I had touble adhering to myself. But then thats me. I'm sure your perfect and have never lost your temper. I can just tell from this post that your a gentle, kind, and understanding person, who is loved by everyone. And your certaiinly not judgemental.
I don't mean to be critical. But its damm easy to sit at home at the computer and pass judgement based on heresay and he said/he said. Except, we haven't heard Cousins side. And therein lies part of the problem. Westphal has the bullypulpit, and Cousins is stuck sitting at home, knowing that if he says anything, it will only make his situation worse. So at the moment, he's in a lose/lose situation. When you throw in that Cousins has trust issues, this doesn't help endear him to the Kings. Now you may not care, but I do. He may be the most talented player on the team, and thats a player I want playing on the team, and not on the Laker's or the Knicks. There's too much at stake here to let petty crap interfere with the future of this team. When a player requests a closed door meeting with the coach, then everything should stay in that room. Period!!!!!! If there's a situation that can't be resolved, then the two of them should take it to Petrie.
In closing, I'd like to know what your definition of a bad guy is? Is a guy that spent a lot of the lockout going to childrens hospitals to visit kids, a bad guy. Is the guy that walked into Macy's and saw a poor kid yearning for an X Box, and then went and bought it for the kid, a bad guy? Cousins is a guy with a big heart who loves kids and people. No, that doesn't excuse his behavior, but his behavior doesn't warrant calling him a bad person. It warrants calling him a very large manchild who is very immature when it comes to controling his feelings. Thats it! Thats what you have to deal with if your the coach of this team, and if you can't, then maybe you don't deserve to be the head coach of this team.
I found it interesting that the players on the team that stood up for Cousins to some extent weren't anonymous, and those that didn't were! Anonymous is just another word for coward. If you don't have the courage to put your name next to your quote, then shut the hell up!! None of this should have happened. None of this should have been aired. It should have been kept in house. Westphal did this exact same thing in Seattle, where he tried to turn the entire town against Gary Payton. Who, by the way questioned Westphal's rotations and offense, or lack thereof. Payton could get away with it, Cousins can't.
Cousins is like the little kid that doesn't know that fire is hot. Its Westphals job to keep his hand out of the fire, not hold it over the flame.
One size fits all, might have to work to some extent when it comes to the product you put on the floor, but it doesn't when you deal with each player as an individual. You can't approach Cousins, who is immature, passionate, hates to lose, and wears his feelings on his sleeve, the same way you approach Evans, who may be immature as well, but is very laid back and reserved. Both players may have the same feelings about how the team is playing, but one is a lot easier to deal with than the other.
So its easy for Westphal to embrace Evans, and throw Cousins under the bus. Strangely, Westphal seems to have problems with big men. Maybe he simply can't identify with their point of view. Don't know, and don't care. Was Cousins at fault? Not really sure! He requested to talk to Westphal in his office. Apparently it didn't go well. Don't know why, and I haven't heard Cousins side of the story, and probably never will, unless he leaves this orginization. The only quote I have on paper that was reported by Sam Amick was from, once again an anonymous teammate, who said he heard Cousins say as he was leaving, ""If you think I'm such a cancer to this team, then trade me now".
Personally, that doesn't seem like a serious request to be traded. It seems more like the kind of response you make when angry. I can't tell you how many times in my life I've made similar, in the heat of the moment remarks. Not sure why I should hold a young immature man to a higher standard than I had touble adhering to myself. But then thats me. I'm sure your perfect and have never lost your temper. I can just tell from this post that your a gentle, kind, and understanding person, who is loved by everyone. And your certaiinly not judgemental.
I don't mean to be critical. But its damm easy to sit at home at the computer and pass judgement based on heresay and he said/he said. Except, we haven't heard Cousins side. And therein lies part of the problem. Westphal has the bullypulpit, and Cousins is stuck sitting at home, knowing that if he says anything, it will only make his situation worse. So at the moment, he's in a lose/lose situation. When you throw in that Cousins has trust issues, this doesn't help endear him to the Kings. Now you may not care, but I do. He may be the most talented player on the team, and thats a player I want playing on the team, and not on the Laker's or the Knicks. There's too much at stake here to let petty crap interfere with the future of this team. When a player requests a closed door meeting with the coach, then everything should stay in that room. Period!!!!!! If there's a situation that can't be resolved, then the two of them should take it to Petrie.
In closing, I'd like to know what your definition of a bad guy is? Is a guy that spent a lot of the lockout going to childrens hospitals to visit kids, a bad guy. Is the guy that walked into Macy's and saw a poor kid yearning for an X Box, and then went and bought it for the kid, a bad guy? Cousins is a guy with a big heart who loves kids and people. No, that doesn't excuse his behavior, but his behavior doesn't warrant calling him a bad person. It warrants calling him a very large manchild who is very immature when it comes to controling his feelings. Thats it! Thats what you have to deal with if your the coach of this team, and if you can't, then maybe you don't deserve to be the head coach of this team.
I found it interesting that the players on the team that stood up for Cousins to some extent weren't anonymous, and those that didn't were! Anonymous is just another word for coward. If you don't have the courage to put your name next to your quote, then shut the hell up!! None of this should have happened. None of this should have been aired. It should have been kept in house. Westphal did this exact same thing in Seattle, where he tried to turn the entire town against Gary Payton. Who, by the way questioned Westphal's rotations and offense, or lack thereof. Payton could get away with it, Cousins can't.
Cousins is like the little kid that doesn't know that fire is hot. Its Westphals job to keep his hand out of the fire, not hold it over the flame.
Hopefully the 'develops into a beastly 20pt per game PF and propels the Kings into a better team' reality sets in.
