[Grades] Grades v. Bulls 2/3/2016 (with actual grades included)

[IfAt1st]

There's another possibility:

Cousins missed the FT so badly deliberately - because he didn't want to win, to continue sending the message to management that the players don't want to play for this coach with this style of play.

Seriously, how can people discount this possibility, after inexplicable deliberate fouls by all the big three players (Rudy, Cuz, AND Rondo) in the past 5 games?
Think about it - the moment it's a close contest (start of the game, then again whenever they get within three points) they play like high schoolers.

Some of their turnovers have been of the clearly-deliberate kind, yet noone wants to accept the possibility that they are not trying their hardest to win out there.
It's not like these players haven't already led a blatant player-revolt to send a message to ownership... oh, I don't know... just last year!

 

[New Era]

There's another possibility:

Cousins missed the FT so badly deliberately - because he didn't want to win, to continue sending the message to management that the players don't want to play for this coach with this style of play.

Seriously, how can people discount this possibility, after inexplicable deliberate fouls by all the big three players (Rudy, Cuz, AND Rondo) in the past 5 games?
Think about it - the moment it's a close contest (start of the game, then again whenever they get within three points) they play like high schoolers.

Some of their turnovers have been of the clearly-deliberate kind, yet noone wants to accept the possibility that they are not trying their hardest to win out there.
It's not like these players haven't already led a blatant player-revolt to send a message to ownership... oh, I don't know... just last year!

This is ridiculous

 

[IfAt1st]

This is ridiculous

Is it ridiculous now, after the postgame comments tonight?

 

[hrdboild]

There's another possibility:

Cousins missed the FT so badly deliberately - because he didn't want to win, to continue sending the message to management that the players don't want to play for this coach with this style of play.

Seriously, how can people discount this possibility, after inexplicable deliberate fouls by all the big three players (Rudy, Cuz, AND Rondo) in the past 5 games?
Think about it - the moment it's a close contest (start of the game, then again whenever they get within three points) they play like high schoolers.

Some of their turnovers have been of the clearly-deliberate kind, yet noone wants to accept the possibility that they are not trying their hardest to win out there.
It's not like these players haven't already led a blatant player-revolt to send a message to ownership... oh, I don't know... just last year!

There's some truth to this, I think. Deliberately throwing games to send a message? I wouldn't go that far, but not trying their hardest to win -- we can all see that happening. If you're being asked to do something that you don't agree with, you're probably not going to put 100% effort into it's execution. That's just human nature. And that's who we are this year. A team without strong leadership characterized by a lingering feeling of distrust between players and head coach. Occasionally it blows up into full-on revolt, but the majority of the time professionalism reigns and the players at least try to act like they want to play this style even when it's obvious that they don't.

 

[VF21]

Is it ridiculous now, after the postgame comments tonight?

The postgame comments said NOTHING about the players (or even just DMC) throwing the game.

 

[IfAt1st]

The postgame comments said NOTHING about the players (or even just DMC) throwing the game.

Do you really think they would come out and say they aren't trying hard to win?

Do you expect to catch a soundbyte or a reporter spilling all the beans, telling you word-for-word "Yes, we don't like the coaching or the style of play, so we aren't trying hard to win so we send a message and apply pressure to the organization to make a change."?

Do you have to have something blatantly told to you, when it is apparent on the court what is going on?
When did you realize it was a player revolt against management last year? What did it take to convince you then?

 

[Bricklayer]

Do you really think they would come out and say they aren't trying hard to win?

Do you expect to catch a soundbyte or a reporter spilling all the beans, telling you word-for-word "Yes, we don't like the coaching or the style of play, so we aren't trying hard to win so we send a message and apply pressure to the organization to make a change."?

Do you have to have something blatantly told to you, when it is apparent on the court what is going on?
When did you realize it was a player revolt against management last year? What did it take to convince you then?

I think part of your conspiracytheorydom is just largely a shaky feel for human nature.

Unhappy, confused people underperform without every launching conspiracies. They get out of rhythm, frustrated, depressed, their dedication wavers, they try to overcompensate, everything falls apart without anybody intending anything. That's just human nature. And managing it is a big part of sports. You put together the 400 best at a particular thing in the entire world and divy them up into teams, many times what separates one team from the next is simply going to be who is happiest and most comfortable.

 

[IfAt1st]

I think part of your conspiracytheorydom is just largely a shaky feel for human nature.

Unhappy, confused people underperform without every launching conspiracies. They get out of rhythm, frustrated, depressed, their dedication wavers, they try to overcompensate, everything false apart without anybody intending anything. That's just human nature. And managing it is a big part of sports. You put together the 400 best at a particular thing in the entire world and divy them up into teams, many times what separates one team from the next is simply going to be who is happiest and most comfortable.

I totally agree with the thought that athletes underperform without conspiracies being required.

Having said that, the stuff that's happened on this team the past two years defies believability of normal, standard wavering dedication.

I believe that anyone's denial of conspiracy with this team is just a naive view of the NBA.

 

[Glenn]

I totally agree with the thought that athletes underperform without conspiracies being required.

Having said that, the stuff that's happened on this team the past two years defies believability of normal, standard wavering dedication.

I believe that anyone's denial of conspiracy with this team is just a naive view of the NBA.

I hope you can admit that you are more inclined to see a conspiracy than some of us.