Look, I know what you're saying, but I just don't totally agree with everything. For one thing, can we let up on this Cousins thing. He's been making an obvious effort to not complain this season. And the only place I've seen him sulk is on the bench near the end of losing games. If you don't reward effort, then the effort stops. last season was last season. So far this season, I have very little to complain about with Cousins, other than turnovers and lousy shooting percentage. I do think this team is put together with odd fitting parts, and that could be part of the problem. But the players have looked bad now on this team for the last two years, and it doesn't seem to matter who the players are. The one common denominator is Westphal.
Whats the difference between the 49er's this season and last season? Answer: The head coach! They went from pretender to contender simply by bringing in a coach that knew what he was doing. The truth is, a bad coach can make the players look bad. Not that he's trying to do that, but because he's inept. You have to isolate the main cause of a problem if your going to fix it. To just blame everyone doesn't do the job. The problem isn't Evans, or Cousins, or even Salmons. Its how they're being used. And that falls on Westphal. If he thinks some of the players aren't running the plays he's drawn up, then do something about it. Sit their little butts down when they screw up.
Truth is, its probably too late for that. He's too far down this road to change directions, and I doubt he even knows how. He's running out of answers, and team loyality is running out of gas. I normally don't call for a coaches head this early in the season. But this year is different. Were trying to get a new arena built. The team is trying to rebuild fan support. All the good offseason efforts to rebuild fan support is going to go down the dumper if this kind of play continues. This team needs a shot of fresh air. And while they're at it, how about hiring a big man coach. Please don't tell me that some 6'3" coach is going to show Cousins how to refine his post game.
Whats the difference between the 49er's this season and last season? Answer: The head coach! They went from pretender to contender simply by bringing in a coach that knew what he was doing. The truth is, a bad coach can make the players look bad. Not that he's trying to do that, but because he's inept. You have to isolate the main cause of a problem if your going to fix it. To just blame everyone doesn't do the job. The problem isn't Evans, or Cousins, or even Salmons. Its how they're being used. And that falls on Westphal. If he thinks some of the players aren't running the plays he's drawn up, then do something about it. Sit their little butts down when they screw up.
Truth is, its probably too late for that. He's too far down this road to change directions, and I doubt he even knows how. He's running out of answers, and team loyality is running out of gas. I normally don't call for a coaches head this early in the season. But this year is different. Were trying to get a new arena built. The team is trying to rebuild fan support. All the good offseason efforts to rebuild fan support is going to go down the dumper if this kind of play continues. This team needs a shot of fresh air. And while they're at it, how about hiring a big man coach. Please don't tell me that some 6'3" coach is going to show Cousins how to refine his post game.
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.