If you're management, you have to be VERY careful about issuing a zero tolerance edict. I actually like Voisin's suggestion. Either way, we aren't going to make the decision. The guys who have about a bazillion reasons to get this right will be the ones deciding what to do about Demarcus. I just pray for all concerned it is the right thing - both for the Sacramento Kings and for Demarcus Cousins.
NBA suspends, fines Cousins
- Thread starter PurpleHaze
- Start date
K
It's been 4 years of the same thing and not once have they tried a zero tolerance policy either management, I look at it like this if I'm paying you I expect you to play basketball enough of this other garbage, you are doing something you love to do and getting paid millions (60+million) if you can't control yourself to remain under 16 techs you shouldn't be playing for us.
If you really care about the Kings TEAM than you will do what it takes to make us win which is you staying on the floor and playing hard.
If you really care about the Kings TEAM than you will do what it takes to make us win which is you staying on the floor and playing hard.
What will a zero tolerance accomplish? Do people think that when he is out of control that he can be in control? He will need to be paid anyway. I doubt if management is going to want to pay $15mil and lose because they got tough. This isn't Monopoly money. What is lost if he gets fined, gets techs, and gets suspended? That's minor compared to what he contributes. Thus team is not going to win without him on the floor. Why do the Kings have to be tougher than the league?
I didn't have time to type up my rebuttal before as it is lengthy.
Bricklayer's scenario paints Boogie in the best possible light while minimizing his own actions and leaving out a very questionable pattern of behavior. It also assumes so many things that would be so out of the ordinary that they just really aren't plausible.
Think of it this way. Every single player in the NBA that plays significant minutes gets screwed by the refs, gets disrespected by the other players and coaches and even broadcasters. Every single one. They all get fouled and nothing called on one end and then do less than what was done to them and get called for a foul, every single player will tell you that refs are inconsistent and that they have been screwed or mistreated and guess what? They are all correct. Every player gets screwed and yet every player doesn't act anything close to what Cousins does. They don't hold grudges over minor things for weeks, they don't cheap shot players over those grudges, they don't whine to the refs to the point of getting 15 techs in 3/4 of a season and they pout half the time they are on the floor. This is a Demarcus Cousins issue and the way Brick laid it out assumed so many things that make it out to be someone else fault that it was kind of ridiculous.
Since you for my rebuttle here goes.
Cuz rolls ankle, Beverely hits him in face weeks ago
This assumes that Beverely intentionally hit him in the face and knew he was hurt when he stood over him. Even if those assumptions are true, which I doubt) Cuz carring that with him into a game weeks later is just absurd.
Cuz comes out with little pop to Beverely in this game in retaliation
First of all it wasn't just a little pop, it was a pretty good punch from a big strong guy to guy running toward him. He was trying to hurt him and it was a cheap shot. I realize that Cuz isn't the first guy in the league to cheap shot someone but let's at least call it what it was. Second it was in retaliation of a game weeks ago. Hanging on to anger over a game that was weeks is a Cuz problem and should be addressed as such. Of course it might not have been about the game weeks ago. It could just be that he didn't like the way he was cutting through the lane and though he could get away with it so he punched him.
In retaliation for that?? Harden tells Cuz going to foul him hard and does so...potentially even refs look the other way because they saw the Beverley thing? Might have been more going on than we initially realized.
So in your version of a completely "plausible" scenario Harden, who is considerable smaller than Cuz decides that he is going to foul Cuz hard and is bold enough to tell him that. This of course (and rightfully so I might add) pisses off Cousins and his anger festers. While his anger is festering he forgets that Harden is going to foul him hard and gets thrown to the ground. He would have had to forget because there really is no way that Harden could throw Cousins to the ground if Cousins was expecting it. Of course the refs decide to look the other way through all of this because you know, they are out to get Cousins and realized this would anger him. Of course they saw Cousins punch beverely and thought that Harden should have a chance to retaliate. Not sure why they would do this but it does paint Cousins in the most positive light possible and makes his melt down seem reasonable.
I didn't see Harden throw Cuz to the ground and that is why I asked for the replay. Now let me be clear, I did see Cuz on the ground during a play and I did see him look at the ref and complain. I wondered how he got on the ground but I was watching the ball and missed it. What I think happened was this, Harden was trying to get around a screen set by DMC. He grabbed Demarcus by the shoulder becasue he was going to use Demarcus as leverage to get around the screen. This happens several times every game and Demarcus is a big boy so there would be pretty good leverage. Harden caught Cuz just a little off balance and he went to the floor. That is a foul and Harden and should have been called. You aren't allowed to grab another player really ever, even if you are trying to get around a screen but I think my scenario is much more likely than Brick's. This also explains why the league reviewed the game and didn't suspend Harden. He wan't trying to hurt Demarcus he was playing physical. Of course it help perpetuate the storyline to say that the refs are out to get Cousins and they just let Harden get away with it because they hate him.
throw in Cuz trying to lead us back, refs calling a couple of little weak fouls on him (perhaps because they saw the extracurricular stuff?) thus being denied a chance to beat/compete with a team of guys he has now been feuding with, and he melts down
Again, every player on every team gets weak fouls called on them. Demarcus just has not learned to keep his hands to himself and gets a couple cheapies a game. Let's just pretend that these calls were exceptionally cheap it is highly doubtful it was because the refs were reacting to stuff that took place in the 1st quarter.
It would also be nice to think that Boogie was angry because the refs took away his chance to compete and all he wanted was to beat the infidel Rockets and that was the cause of his anger. It wasn't, when he melted down it wasn't because he was trying to be a team player. He lost it because he has a hard time getting beat and he doesn't like when things don't go his way. In short, he is still immature.
maybe
Maybe
Cousins is a going to be a great player, I think he is a good teammate and a pretty good dude in general. He was so far wrong in this case that an attempt to make this all seem like he wasn't that far out of line seemed ludicrous to me. I am on record as saying that I think Cuz should have been an all star this year and have said several times that I think he will be a great player. I realize that I don't have an emotional connection to the Kings or Demarcus and that gives me a different perspective on him and his situation. I would never try to intentionally troll the board but I realize that my perspective on the situation may make it feel that way to Kings fans.
Bricklayer's scenario paints Boogie in the best possible light while minimizing his own actions and leaving out a very questionable pattern of behavior. It also assumes so many things that would be so out of the ordinary that they just really aren't plausible.
Think of it this way. Every single player in the NBA that plays significant minutes gets screwed by the refs, gets disrespected by the other players and coaches and even broadcasters. Every single one. They all get fouled and nothing called on one end and then do less than what was done to them and get called for a foul, every single player will tell you that refs are inconsistent and that they have been screwed or mistreated and guess what? They are all correct. Every player gets screwed and yet every player doesn't act anything close to what Cousins does. They don't hold grudges over minor things for weeks, they don't cheap shot players over those grudges, they don't whine to the refs to the point of getting 15 techs in 3/4 of a season and they pout half the time they are on the floor. This is a Demarcus Cousins issue and the way Brick laid it out assumed so many things that make it out to be someone else fault that it was kind of ridiculous.
Since you for my rebuttle here goes.
Cuz rolls ankle, Beverely hits him in face weeks ago
This assumes that Beverely intentionally hit him in the face and knew he was hurt when he stood over him. Even if those assumptions are true, which I doubt) Cuz carring that with him into a game weeks later is just absurd.
Cuz comes out with little pop to Beverely in this game in retaliation
First of all it wasn't just a little pop, it was a pretty good punch from a big strong guy to guy running toward him. He was trying to hurt him and it was a cheap shot. I realize that Cuz isn't the first guy in the league to cheap shot someone but let's at least call it what it was. Second it was in retaliation of a game weeks ago. Hanging on to anger over a game that was weeks is a Cuz problem and should be addressed as such. Of course it might not have been about the game weeks ago. It could just be that he didn't like the way he was cutting through the lane and though he could get away with it so he punched him.
In retaliation for that?? Harden tells Cuz going to foul him hard and does so...potentially even refs look the other way because they saw the Beverley thing? Might have been more going on than we initially realized.
So in your version of a completely "plausible" scenario Harden, who is considerable smaller than Cuz decides that he is going to foul Cuz hard and is bold enough to tell him that. This of course (and rightfully so I might add) pisses off Cousins and his anger festers. While his anger is festering he forgets that Harden is going to foul him hard and gets thrown to the ground. He would have had to forget because there really is no way that Harden could throw Cousins to the ground if Cousins was expecting it. Of course the refs decide to look the other way through all of this because you know, they are out to get Cousins and realized this would anger him. Of course they saw Cousins punch beverely and thought that Harden should have a chance to retaliate. Not sure why they would do this but it does paint Cousins in the most positive light possible and makes his melt down seem reasonable.
I didn't see Harden throw Cuz to the ground and that is why I asked for the replay. Now let me be clear, I did see Cuz on the ground during a play and I did see him look at the ref and complain. I wondered how he got on the ground but I was watching the ball and missed it. What I think happened was this, Harden was trying to get around a screen set by DMC. He grabbed Demarcus by the shoulder becasue he was going to use Demarcus as leverage to get around the screen. This happens several times every game and Demarcus is a big boy so there would be pretty good leverage. Harden caught Cuz just a little off balance and he went to the floor. That is a foul and Harden and should have been called. You aren't allowed to grab another player really ever, even if you are trying to get around a screen but I think my scenario is much more likely than Brick's. This also explains why the league reviewed the game and didn't suspend Harden. He wan't trying to hurt Demarcus he was playing physical. Of course it help perpetuate the storyline to say that the refs are out to get Cousins and they just let Harden get away with it because they hate him.
throw in Cuz trying to lead us back, refs calling a couple of little weak fouls on him (perhaps because they saw the extracurricular stuff?) thus being denied a chance to beat/compete with a team of guys he has now been feuding with, and he melts down
Again, every player on every team gets weak fouls called on them. Demarcus just has not learned to keep his hands to himself and gets a couple cheapies a game. Let's just pretend that these calls were exceptionally cheap it is highly doubtful it was because the refs were reacting to stuff that took place in the 1st quarter.
It would also be nice to think that Boogie was angry because the refs took away his chance to compete and all he wanted was to beat the infidel Rockets and that was the cause of his anger. It wasn't, when he melted down it wasn't because he was trying to be a team player. He lost it because he has a hard time getting beat and he doesn't like when things don't go his way. In short, he is still immature.
maybe
Maybe
Cousins is a going to be a great player, I think he is a good teammate and a pretty good dude in general. He was so far wrong in this case that an attempt to make this all seem like he wasn't that far out of line seemed ludicrous to me. I am on record as saying that I think Cuz should have been an all star this year and have said several times that I think he will be a great player. I realize that I don't have an emotional connection to the Kings or Demarcus and that gives me a different perspective on him and his situation. I would never try to intentionally troll the board but I realize that my perspective on the situation may make it feel that way to Kings fans.
Thank y0u. I may not agree with what you've said but I truly appreciate that you took the time to respond in-depth.
I suspect the truth is out there somewhere about DMC. I highlighted a portion of your response as I feel it is possible, but I still think it's possible that Brick's scenario has more truth than fiction to it...and it worries me more than I'd like to admit. I do believe this is all fixable, however. I don't have a problem with what the league did and I don't have a problem with whatever Vivek, PDA and Malone come up with to try and get him back on track.
Demarcus must get control of his emotions. He's letting a few players have space in his head rent free. Once he can figure out that he's beating himself when he allows that to happen, I think he'll quit doing it. As Rudy Gay said, sooner or later DMC is gonna figure out that the fire is hot.
I suspect the truth is out there somewhere about DMC. I highlighted a portion of your response as I feel it is possible, but I still think it's possible that Brick's scenario has more truth than fiction to it...and it worries me more than I'd like to admit. I do believe this is all fixable, however. I don't have a problem with what the league did and I don't have a problem with whatever Vivek, PDA and Malone come up with to try and get him back on track.
Demarcus must get control of his emotions. He's letting a few players have space in his head rent free. Once he can figure out that he's beating himself when he allows that to happen, I think he'll quit doing it. As Rudy Gay said, sooner or later DMC is gonna figure out that the fire is hot.
He's gotten nasty with Humphries, Bogut and Pek.
I can't really comment on the Cousins thing because I missed the game. He can't be getting thrown out or suspended though. The issue itself goes beyond Cousins and has to do with how the NBA likes to do things. I often feel that if their was a rival pro league that started up, Cousins is the type of young talent that would switch leagues to eschew the whole NBA fiasco. Cuz is a ornery low-post player in a wing dominant, robotic league. He does plenty of stupid crap and he doesn't give full effort in transition or on defense, but this side of things has a lot to do with the world of "professionalism" and the fact that Cousins is not the type of personality that follows that sort of thing.
Also, Grant Napear makes me vomit.
I can't really comment on the Cousins thing because I missed the game. He can't be getting thrown out or suspended though. The issue itself goes beyond Cousins and has to do with how the NBA likes to do things. I often feel that if their was a rival pro league that started up, Cousins is the type of young talent that would switch leagues to eschew the whole NBA fiasco. Cuz is a ornery low-post player in a wing dominant, robotic league. He does plenty of stupid crap and he doesn't give full effort in transition or on defense, but this side of things has a lot to do with the world of "professionalism" and the fact that Cousins is not the type of personality that follows that sort of thing.
Also, Grant Napear makes me vomit.
yes, you would make a wonderful and intelligent leader for the organization. I too would tell my young franchise player just go away, because I am quite sure that would have no repercussions whatsoever and wouldn't directly lead to him forcing his way out of town while my franchise wallowed in its sewage for another 5 years.
Am I the only one that doesn't think the technical fouls are a big deal? Not of a the sky is falling, trade him away, kind of importance.
Getting ejected, etc. big deal. The cheap shots? Not good. Getting so wrapped up in another player like humphries you're more focused on getting a shot on him than the game itself? That's a problem. It's losing focus that worries me.
The Ts in general though? Blake gets Ts. Howard gets Ts. They're worth one point and we move on. What do Blake and Howard have in common? They get beat up as much as he does. More cheap shots are directed at Howard cuz and griffin that anyone else. Not an excuse, just reality. They complain to officials just they can't punch every guy that annoys them. Durant too. Notice he's ticked up in the T standings lately?
Lost in cousin's public pouting, whining, whatever, is the fact he DOES get Ts other players wouldn't get. But if you think he's playing the final 25 games without a T, or that's even a focus, that's a bit delusional. Another suspension is coming. Oh well. This will probably be standard throughout his career.
Getting ejected, etc. big deal. The cheap shots? Not good. Getting so wrapped up in another player like humphries you're more focused on getting a shot on him than the game itself? That's a problem. It's losing focus that worries me.
The Ts in general though? Blake gets Ts. Howard gets Ts. They're worth one point and we move on. What do Blake and Howard have in common? They get beat up as much as he does. More cheap shots are directed at Howard cuz and griffin that anyone else. Not an excuse, just reality. They complain to officials just they can't punch every guy that annoys them. Durant too. Notice he's ticked up in the T standings lately?
Lost in cousin's public pouting, whining, whatever, is the fact he DOES get Ts other players wouldn't get. But if you think he's playing the final 25 games without a T, or that's even a focus, that's a bit delusional. Another suspension is coming. Oh well. This will probably be standard throughout his career.
What concerns me about Cousins is that he's in this downward spiral. It's a negative feedback loop that doesn't look like it's going to be broken anytime soon: Cousins antics ==> Ref Bad Blood ==> More Questionable Calls Than the Average Player ==> Cousins Persecution Complex ==> More Cousins Antics ==> Even More Bad Ref Calls, etc....
And here's another negative feedback loop: Cousins Antics ==> TOs/Suspensions/Unfavorable Publicity ==> Cousins Being Snubbed by Future All Star Game or other Accolades ==> More Persecution Complex ==> Terrible Play and/or More Cousins Incidents ==> Even More TOs/Suspensions/Unfavorable Publicity ==> etc....
The Kings management must be asking the question: What happens next year if Cousins doesn't make the All Star team? What kind of reaction are we going to see? With this current incident, it's likely he's not going to make the All Star team.
And here's another negative feedback loop: Cousins Antics ==> TOs/Suspensions/Unfavorable Publicity ==> Cousins Being Snubbed by Future All Star Game or other Accolades ==> More Persecution Complex ==> Terrible Play and/or More Cousins Incidents ==> Even More TOs/Suspensions/Unfavorable Publicity ==> etc....
The Kings management must be asking the question: What happens next year if Cousins doesn't make the All Star team? What kind of reaction are we going to see? With this current incident, it's likely he's not going to make the All Star team.
Well then I am glad you are not running the team. DMC has made improvements, he is a work in progress. He recognized he blew it and owned up to it. It's not like he is telling the press "I did nothing wrong and this is my game". I personally amgratefull that all these poor sensitive children crying about the big scary man did not have to watch the NBA when guys like Moses Malone, Bill Lambeir or Kurt Rambus roamed the paint.
Great post. Until Cuz's adopts this mentality on the floor, he'll never be the player we hope him to be. His current mentality will always hold him back until he learns to channel it against the other team. That's why Kobe, KG, Webb, Shaq, MJ became legendary players. They never let off the gas and they made sure to pound you into the ground.
FYI, I wrote about the Harden throw-down, just to put the facts out there, not to excuse Cousins behavior, or to try to figure out the intricate motivations of Cousins. Sometimes I just like to point out the facts and let others know what happened. They can then come to their own conclusions.
As far as your description of the Cousins throw-down by Harden, let me corrected the record. First, Cousins doesn't have to be off-balance for Harden to throw him down. Harden was running hard after McLemore. If you're running at his speed and weigh 225+ lbs of muscle you can easily take a standing 285 lb guy's jersey from behind and throw him down. That is what happened. Second, I can't *know* whether Harden wanted to hurt Cousins, but given that Harden is a truly fantastic athlete with an excellent awareness of his own body and the game and what is going on around him, I don't find it plausible that Harden just made a mistake and grabbed Cousins from behind and Cousins ended up slamming to the floor. Harden is too bright for that. From someone who actually watched the film, I think Harden knew what he was doing when he grabbed Cousins and threw him down. Lastly, the ref, even though he was within 2 feet of the play, didn't see the play. The ref was clearly watching the ball, which was not in line with the Cousins slam-down. I don't think the ref ignored what happened; he just didn't see what happened. The ref looked down on the floor and saw Cousins there because of the thud of Cousins hitting the floor.
All that said, Cousins is going to have to grin and bear it. He's probably going to be experiencing a lot more situations like this in the future. The book is in on Cousins. Teams know what they need to do. Unless Cousins just goes into his "give-up" mode like he did after the All Star snub, he's going to have to combine self-discipline with playing hard, something so far he hasn't been able to consistently do.
As far as your description of the Cousins throw-down by Harden, let me corrected the record. First, Cousins doesn't have to be off-balance for Harden to throw him down. Harden was running hard after McLemore. If you're running at his speed and weigh 225+ lbs of muscle you can easily take a standing 285 lb guy's jersey from behind and throw him down. That is what happened. Second, I can't *know* whether Harden wanted to hurt Cousins, but given that Harden is a truly fantastic athlete with an excellent awareness of his own body and the game and what is going on around him, I don't find it plausible that Harden just made a mistake and grabbed Cousins from behind and Cousins ended up slamming to the floor. Harden is too bright for that. From someone who actually watched the film, I think Harden knew what he was doing when he grabbed Cousins and threw him down. Lastly, the ref, even though he was within 2 feet of the play, didn't see the play. The ref was clearly watching the ball, which was not in line with the Cousins slam-down. I don't think the ref ignored what happened; he just didn't see what happened. The ref looked down on the floor and saw Cousins there because of the thud of Cousins hitting the floor.
All that said, Cousins is going to have to grin and bear it. He's probably going to be experiencing a lot more situations like this in the future. The book is in on Cousins. Teams know what they need to do. Unless Cousins just goes into his "give-up" mode like he did after the All Star snub, he's going to have to combine self-discipline with playing hard, something so far he hasn't been able to consistently do.
My fear is that if this his reaction when he is on the court, what is going on in the locker room ? What is going on at practice? He really needs to find his maturity. He is acting like a childish, privileged punk. He hasn't DONE anything to act like he has arrived. And he now has a solid reputation as a malcontent. He has probably pissed off every ref in the league. If he were to start today to just act like an adult and not have the outbursts and body language of a spoiled child, he might start losing the bad rep in 2 + seasons. This is a major problem that is not going away anytime soon.
Malone needs to take a tougher stance. Ownership/GM/Coach need to sit down with Cousins and his agent and let him know it will not be tolerated any longer.No more interaction with the Ref's P E R I O D ! He needs to play basketball and act like an adult. No jawing with other players, no more theatrics, nothing. Any interactions with refs or negative behavior needs to be met with benching. Sure it hurts the team, but they aint going anywhere this season anyway. They gotta do SOMETHING !
I know Cuz dont get any calls. But that is a situation mostly of his own creation. He has pissed off every ref. And he compounds the problem every time he gets on the court. He needs to learn that sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all. He will NEVER get the calls if he doesn't learn to respect the Refs, other players in the league, and his own teammates.
Malone needs to take a tougher stance. Ownership/GM/Coach need to sit down with Cousins and his agent and let him know it will not be tolerated any longer.No more interaction with the Ref's P E R I O D ! He needs to play basketball and act like an adult. No jawing with other players, no more theatrics, nothing. Any interactions with refs or negative behavior needs to be met with benching. Sure it hurts the team, but they aint going anywhere this season anyway. They gotta do SOMETHING !
I know Cuz dont get any calls. But that is a situation mostly of his own creation. He has pissed off every ref. And he compounds the problem every time he gets on the court. He needs to learn that sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all. He will NEVER get the calls if he doesn't learn to respect the Refs, other players in the league, and his own teammates.
OK, I had my rant, or my emotional tantrum. Probably wouldn't have happened if Cousins hadn't shown signs of moving past the histrionics. It's like watching your son leading a race, tripping, and falling down 5 feet from the finish line. Mary Decker springs to mind. So close, but now its back to, "wait till next year". To that point, I don't think its fair to say that he's in a downward spiral. Nope, not at all. Since the all star break? Yep, on that I agree. As to the cause, I have no idea. Well, I do have some ideas, but they're all just speculation. They go from logical to conspiracy theory, and any could be correct. All I know, is that there was a dramatic change, not only in his on court personality (suddenly bordering on mild Bi-Polar) but also to game results. He's gone from expected double/double's, to almost average numbers.
However, just because he seems to be incapable of emotional control, and logical thought at times, it doesn't mean we have to respond in kind. Understanding is what's required. Oh no, not on our part, but on his part. Light bulbs go on, when a person truely understands. I honestly don't think you bring a person to the table by doing exactly what he expects. Cousins feels he's a victum. The world is out to screw him. Now it doesn't matter if that's true or not, that's his perception. He's a very defensive person, and it takes a lot to gain his trust. How he got that way is imp0rtant, but immaterial to this discussion. If a person feels he's being persecuted, your not going to get through to him by persecuting him.
I hate to bring it to this level, and please don't misunderstand. But I used to train hunting dogs. If you have a dog that's been imprinted by owners that used to beat that dog for bad behavior, you first have to earn that dog's trust, and then teach it that there's another way for it to get what it wants. How long that takes depends on how badly the dog has been imprinted. But regardless, it takes patience, and the ability to remember, that its about the dog, and not about us. Now Cousins isn't a dog, and to be honest, it makes it that much more difficult. I understand the tough love concept, but it's not applicable to everyone. I do believe that you punish bad behavior and reward good behavior. But both need to be explained to the recipient. You need guide lines and or rules. And what the results will be if those rules are broken. But you can't suddenly invoke unknown consequences. When you do that, you're breaking the rules.
One thing we can't do, is lose sight of the fact that Cousins is one of the best players in the NBA, contrary to some that live in a fantasy world. He's on the short list of the best centers in the world. In the entire history of the sacramento Kings, he's the best overall center we've ever had, and that fact alone should tell you how difficult it is to find someone like him. I'm a firm believer in respect. And I think Cousins is as well. He wants respect. But more importantly, he wants respect from those that he respects. Few though they may be. If Cousins feels he's losing the respect of someone that he respects, that can be used as an incentive toward good behavior. I have some experience in this area. The thought of being beaten or punished didn't scare me. But the thought of losing the respect of my grandmother, which she said I'd never get back if I lost it, would have made me try and swim across the ocean if necessary. This is not the time to beat the dog!
However, just because he seems to be incapable of emotional control, and logical thought at times, it doesn't mean we have to respond in kind. Understanding is what's required. Oh no, not on our part, but on his part. Light bulbs go on, when a person truely understands. I honestly don't think you bring a person to the table by doing exactly what he expects. Cousins feels he's a victum. The world is out to screw him. Now it doesn't matter if that's true or not, that's his perception. He's a very defensive person, and it takes a lot to gain his trust. How he got that way is imp0rtant, but immaterial to this discussion. If a person feels he's being persecuted, your not going to get through to him by persecuting him.
I hate to bring it to this level, and please don't misunderstand. But I used to train hunting dogs. If you have a dog that's been imprinted by owners that used to beat that dog for bad behavior, you first have to earn that dog's trust, and then teach it that there's another way for it to get what it wants. How long that takes depends on how badly the dog has been imprinted. But regardless, it takes patience, and the ability to remember, that its about the dog, and not about us. Now Cousins isn't a dog, and to be honest, it makes it that much more difficult. I understand the tough love concept, but it's not applicable to everyone. I do believe that you punish bad behavior and reward good behavior. But both need to be explained to the recipient. You need guide lines and or rules. And what the results will be if those rules are broken. But you can't suddenly invoke unknown consequences. When you do that, you're breaking the rules.
One thing we can't do, is lose sight of the fact that Cousins is one of the best players in the NBA, contrary to some that live in a fantasy world. He's on the short list of the best centers in the world. In the entire history of the sacramento Kings, he's the best overall center we've ever had, and that fact alone should tell you how difficult it is to find someone like him. I'm a firm believer in respect. And I think Cousins is as well. He wants respect. But more importantly, he wants respect from those that he respects. Few though they may be. If Cousins feels he's losing the respect of someone that he respects, that can be used as an incentive toward good behavior. I have some experience in this area. The thought of being beaten or punished didn't scare me. But the thought of losing the respect of my grandmother, which she said I'd never get back if I lost it, would have made me try and swim across the ocean if necessary. This is not the time to beat the dog!
this is a tremendously unrealistic view of the situation. demarcus cousins is a fiery competitor who hasn't yet figured out how to consistently control his emotions when things aren't going his way. the kings should feel comfortable punishing demarcus when it is warranted, and they need to maintain an ongoing dialogue with demarcus regarding his behavior, but attempting to police his every action will only further alienate him from the team, and that's not a terribly useful strategy during a full-scale rebuild with DMC at the center...
it's in everyone's best interests--ownership, management, coaching, player personnel, the fans--to see that this team is on the path to winning sooner rather than later. the rest of this season is gonna be rough, but when healthy and motivated, cousins and rudy gay are proving to be a tandem that can yield at least .500 basketball. begin to build around them properly, and a season filled with a greater share of wins will likely begin to correct some of these frustrations that demarcus has been lashing out at...
it's in everyone's best interests--ownership, management, coaching, player personnel, the fans--to see that this team is on the path to winning sooner rather than later. the rest of this season is gonna be rough, but when healthy and motivated, cousins and rudy gay are proving to be a tandem that can yield at least .500 basketball. begin to build around them properly, and a season filled with a greater share of wins will likely begin to correct some of these frustrations that demarcus has been lashing out at...
This is my general attitude. He IS being punished. He was fined and suspended. I don't understand the hysteria. He didn't rape your sister. Why does his behavior HAVE to stop. And if it doesn't, what? When Boogie gets into a funk it ruins the game for me. There is almost nothing else to watch on this team and I know we cannot win without a focused Boogie. An unfocused Boogie is better than one that is on the bench. Yes, if he is benched it hurts the team. It also hurts the fans.
Do not punish irrational, impulsive, BS with impulsive, irrational, BS.
Whatever was helping Boogie at the beginning of the year and I dare anyone to say he hadn't changes, needs to be returned to. I don't have a clue how. Anyone who thinks they know what to do, including Jack Lemmon, are kidding themselves. Calm down. Tell me, who was surprised?
Winning cures all evils. Rudy, IT, and Boogie equals .500 ball. Better matching parts is better.
Walter Matthau
Do not punish irrational, impulsive, BS with impulsive, irrational, BS.
Whatever was helping Boogie at the beginning of the year and I dare anyone to say he hadn't changes, needs to be returned to. I don't have a clue how. Anyone who thinks they know what to do, including Jack Lemmon, are kidding themselves. Calm down. Tell me, who was surprised?
Winning cures all evils. Rudy, IT, and Boogie equals .500 ball. Better matching parts is better.
Walter Matthau
I agree, and to further expand on what your saying, you can't on one hand ask someone to be the leader of the team, and on the other hand, have a public flogging of that same player. How can you expect players to follow someone your making a public example of. That's not to say that you can't discipline him. You just don't do it publicly. Maintaining public support and confidence in him is important if you really want him to be the leader of the team. Supporting him and supporting his actions are two entirely different things. He needs to have the appearance of a man that made a mistake, and not the appearance of a child throwing a tantrum. One can still be a leader, while the other looks like he needs a pacifier. Not an easy task for the Kings, but a very important one if your placing the future in Cousins hands.