I'm Speechless

[bench_blob]

I really think after what happened in the pre-season with the DUI...it's having an effect on Muss and his coaching style...he's more buddy-buddy with these guys, not wanting to be a disciplinarian, very casual, very lax, very resigned attitude on the bench...like he's trying to live down his reputation as a hard-a**.

Where's the passion, where's the competitive spirit, where's the occassional tongue lashing, where's the intentional "T" to rile up his squad?

I am not just talking about tonight's embarassment, I am talking about most of season to date. (And this applies not just to Muss, but the rest of his fraternity buddies seated next to him.)

It's like "OK you guys had my back when I was in a bad place, showed me support and all, stood behind me on the podium when I was humbled, so who I am I to lash into you?" even when it may be called for...I think he feels remorseful over the DUI, and subconsciously he doesn't feel he deserves to be critical of any of his players, after his public indiscretion.

He also knows players may not be too receptive to a good tongue-lashing, after all, how committed was he to his job the night he got behind the wheel boozed to the tilt?

Is this the mindset of a coach who will help a team maximize their talent, over-achieve, or accomplish much of anything but go through the motions on the path to the lottery?

Adelman showed more fire than this guy; I would welcome a little whining, and berating of the official at this point; his focus on defense in pre-season and signs on the walls of the training facility look laughable right about now, considering: (1) the Kings' defense sucks, and (2) our offense is even worse.

Adelman was known for reviving guys' careers due to his free-wheeling offensive sets...Muss is the anti-Adelman at this point.

I am still willing to give the guy a chance, hopefully he will learn with each passing game, but we are going absolutley nowhere this year. The talent is not there, not on the court, nor in the suits.

 

[atxrocker]

He got a lot of the bench guys minutes against their starters and did some experimenting against a likely first round match up.

who said anything about making the first round?

 

[kingsfan916]

Its not fun accepting and being ok with defeat

lol but we can win

 

[SacTownKid]

I think I lost You here

Statement time. Crush or be crushed.

This is when we find out what kind of team this is. Somehow I think this team may react well when taking things personally. As well as Geoff Petrie. And the Maloofs. And Musselman.

 

[atxrocker]

Statement time. Crush or be crushed.

This is when we find out what kind of team this is. Somehow I think this team may react well when taking things personally. As well as Geoff Petrie. And the Maloofs. And Musselman.

i wish i shared your optimism.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

He also knows players may not be too receptive to a good tongue-lashing, after all, how committed was he to his job the night he got behind the wheel boozed to the tilt?

He blew just over the legal limit, I'm not excusing him for what he did but "boozed to the tilt" is a complete miscategorization. I think your entire theory is off base, but this takes the cake.

The fact of the matter is that this is not a good team right now and things wouldn't be different with just about any coach. Our three "core" players have all had significant injury problems in the early part of the season forcing the team to be carried by Kevin Martin and whoever can put together a good night.

 

[hey_gripboy]

kings suck but i still love them.. go kings, beat the heat!!!

 

[KingKong]

I agree that it felt different. I don't even know if I can describe it.

When I saw the starting line-up, I thought, "are you kidding me." I think it just went downhill from there.

I LOVE MY KINGS! It was, however, an ugly loss, partly for the reason you mentioned, nbrans. They just are not looking like a team that is enjoying playing together. Of course, the fact that they never know who they'll be on the court with, cannot possible help.

I shudder to ask, but what was the starting line-up?

 

[6th]

I shudder to ask, but what was the starting line-up?

Don't gag!

It was Bibby, Price, Martin, Salmons and Thomas.

 

[mr. moustache]

Oh. That's not so bad. I was afraid Corlis started at center. Still, by the time I tuned in they were down 15, so it obviously didn't work.

This team has no confidence. It's like everyone turned into the evil brad miller.

Don't gag!

It was Bibby, Price, Martin, Salmons and Thomas.

 

[SacTownKid]

i wish i shared your optimism.

Not being optimistic. All teams starting over with new pieces and a new identity have to face the music eventually. It's how they react to it that determines the course they take from there on.

 

[KingKong]

Don't gag!

It was Bibby, Price, Martin, Salmons and Thomas.

Yikes!!! Sorry that's all I can say.

 

[6th]

Yikes!!! Sorry that's all I can say.

Yeah! Frightening isn't it?

 

[fnordius]

Statement time. Crush or be crushed.

This is when we find out what kind of team this is. Somehow I think this team may react well when taking things personally. As well as Geoff Petrie. And the Maloofs. And Musselman.

Most of them seem to play their best when they have a lot of confidence in themselves, their teammates and their management. We saw that in the old Kings, who could only make those amazing plays because they knew that they were the best team in the world; we saw that again when Ron came along last year, insisted that they were going to the playoffs, and got them all to believe in the Kings for a few more months.

Now, I am thinking that is over. I don't see how they could believe in Muss at the moment, and they've got to be wondering a little about the owners that picked him. They don't seem to trust in each other to play well, or even like each other very much at this point. If Muss ever does figure out what he needs to do with this team, I am wondering whether they won't have the morale of Portland by then, making his solution impossible.

So I think this team is reacting badly, and will continue to, because there's really nothing that the players can do. The roster is messed up, the coaching is often shabby to bizarre, and all they can do is to suffer through it. I don't really expect much improvement this season, and I wouldn't be surprised if things got worse. But I do agree that maybe nothing better could happen, because I think that management has screwed up pretty severely over the last few years, and I don't think anything less than repeated, hard slaps in the face will ever get them to come to grips with that, and to start fixing things (to the extent that it's still possible to do).

I don't mind the losses -- if it weren't for the fact that it would make our players feel bad, I'd be fine with a 25-win season this year. At least the draft would give everyone hope. And I don't know about the rest of you, but hope is something I'm kind of short on right now.

 

[SacTownKid]

If this is team has the makeup of one that folds under the pressure, gets down on itself, and wallows in it's sorrow then a lot of heads will roll. In fairness they have to be given time and a chance to be 100% healthy and Muss is clearly just trying out different things as evidenced at the start of this game (hopefully! ) . If losing a few now means the true colors of this team are shown or that this team can grow is a positive way then I am all for it. It sucks but it has to be done.

One thing is true about this team. It has a lot of proven talent on it and some they didn't even know they had. Is it the right talent for what they want to do? Time will tell.

 

[Padrino]

expect ron artest to kick some *** when he gets back.

 

[bibbinator]

If we were losing night after night to bottom of the barrel teams I'd be upset.

This was the worst 5 days of the schedule. Let's see what happens now.

 

[GoGoGadget]

Don't gag!

It was Bibby, Price, Martin, Salmons and Thomas.

If you really didn't want people to gag, you'd have lied.

 

[GoGoGadget]

Now that I've read the whole thread...

I take it my decision to join everyone else in watching the brand spankin' new DVD of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest was a smart one?

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Well was it any good? I'm a little bummed that I didn't spend the time on a video game or something, but I eventually turned it off midway through the fourth to watch Friday Night Lights.

 

[GoGoGadget]

Well was it any good?

It was, actually.

There's a big part of me that wants to hate the franchise simply for being a trilogy based on an amusement park ride, but I just can't.

 

[PFFFT!!]

Is it just me or has this party gone downhill since Miller's return. So glad my Chargers have made this year interesting in sports. Thats about it.

 

[Bricklayer]

Is it just me or has this party gone downhill since Miller's return. So glad my Chargers have made this year interesting in sports. Thats about it.

Nah...think its mostly gone downhill since we started playing real teams. Ron's injury also hasn't helped.

There is a danger point here -- we are still only 1 game under .500 and can right this ship and wobble on into the playoffs without too many heroics, for whatever that's worth. Of course it will juat be so we can recieve our now traditional annual first round spanking, but we can still make it. But not if things fall apart internally between the players and new coach. We can still right ourselves, but I think any extended period of struggle leaving us 15-20 or some such could really strain the already shaky chemistry of this squad to the breaking point. What we really need is for Ron to come back 100% healthy and reassert his will on this team. We look directionless, rudderless without that.

 

[bibbysac]

i concur