Theus sets road curfew, bans cell phone use on bus

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Theus sets road curfew, bans cell phone use on bus
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer

Last Updated 5:09 am PDT Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C7

http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/411963.html

After his first official day on the job, new Kings coach Reggie Theus gathered his team for dinner at the downtown Esquire Grill on Monday night and shared his vision of the season ahead.

He spoke of trust, an important element in what he hopes is a much-improved defense. He talked of passion and pride, saying he expected nothing less than maximum effort from his players. But the most revealing part of his message stressed discipline, as Theus informed his squad of what could be dubbed the Reggie Rules.

Theus will enforce a midnight curfew on nights before games on the road. There also will be no cell phone use while riding on the team bus.

"Discipline is a large part of what you've got to do," Theus said Tuesday after the team's first practice. "I'm not trying to take anything away from them; I'm trying to help them win games on the road. ... If this was a team that policed itself and did the right things last year, I wouldn't have come in here with that attitude."

The book on NBA curfews is a thin one, at least curfews that are enforced. In fact, Theus might be the only coach in the NBA with a curfew.

Utah coach Jerry Sloan, Theus' mentor of sorts, implemented a curfew after four Jazz players were accused of raping a woman in a Portland hotel last October. Those charges eventually were dropped, and Sloan has since lifted the restriction.

Ex-Kings coaches Rick Adelman and Eric Musselman did not use a curfew.

Theus' influences seem clear. He played under Sloan early in his 13-year career and entered his new job praising Sloan's teachings. What's more, Theus' first hire to his coaching staff was assistant and longtime Sloan sidekick Kenny Natt.

Sloan isn't the only Theus mentor of sorts to employ the practice, either. Before becoming Louisville's head coach and hiring Theus as an assistant in 2002, Rick Pitino adopted a road curfew during his three-plus seasons as Boston's head coach (1997-2000) in a move that wasn't received well.

As for the Kings, numerous players were surprised by the announcement but said they are prepared to abide.

"It just shows that it's about basketball and you can always have fun later," small forward Ron Artest said. "It's reasonable, very reasonable."

Artest said there was no dissension when the change was announced.

"I'm sure he'll be flexible, but it shows commitment," he said. "And for the veterans not to argue, not to really debate it, was a good sign."

Forward Kenny Thomas said he has never had a curfew in his eight seasons with three teams, but the threat of punishment is plenty of motivation to obey.

Theus has not specified to the players how much a fine would be or if suspension also is possible.

"You just have to go with it," Thomas said. "If not, everyone knows you get fined, and I'm not trying to lose money."

Longtime agent Keith Glass said he wouldn't be surprised if the National Basketball Players Association filed a grievance, but he applauded Theus' move. Glass, the author of "Taking Shots: Tall Tales, Bizarre Battles, and the Incredible Truth about the NBA," has had more than 100 clients.

"It sounds to me like he's trying to rein in some potential problems," said Glass, the former agent for Kings guard Quincy Douby. "It's a double-edged sword, because the players say 'You've got to treat us like men,' but they don't always act like men. Reggie probably feels like he wants to send a message."

Aaron Goodwin, one of the NBA's most prominent agents who represents Kings Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Francisco Garcia, concurs.

"That's big of Reggie to do that," Goodwin said. "I think more teams should do that."

Theus said his decision was intended as a precursor to success, a way to ensure focus entering a season that begins with a road trip and without a star player. Artest will miss the first seven games because of an NBA suspension.

"Whether we win or not, we need to come out with a certain type of game and a certain type of persona that's going to help us down the road," Theus said. "I'm not somebody who has a need to (use a curfew). That's not who I am, but I'm willing to put that out there and enforce it because I know that's what we have to have."

Asked if the curfew would be tough to enforce, he laughed.

"There's always ways around everything," he said, "but the consequences are pretty great."

About the writer:

* The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@sacbee.com
 
Three big D's from da man Coach Reggie: Discipline, Determination and Defense. Hopefully, the team buys into it for the long-term as it sounds like everyone's on the same page so far.
 
I think the team will buy in short term.

But when you start losing and things don't go as planned is when you find out if stuff like this is going to work long term.

Will be interesting to see, and hey, it's a different approach, sometimes that works.
 
I think the team will buy in short term.

But when you start losing and things don't go as planned is when you find out if stuff like this is going to work long term.

Will be interesting to see, and hey, it's a different approach, sometimes that works.
What will be telling is how the team handles the no cell phone thing. Will they be team players and live with it or try to text on the sly there by displaying a "me first" attitude. I compleetly understand WHAT New Coach Guy is trying to acomplish and if I were coaching HS of College ball I might do the same thing... but I'm not sure that adult men, making big bucks, with big egos etc will buy into the forced bonding. I hope it works.
 
Does sound a bit juvenile but apparently there's a good reason based on past late-night and unprofessional antics. Maybe he's testing to see who follows the rules and who doesn't early on. Those that don't will probably be spending more time on the bench or sent packing to another team.
 
What will be telling is how the team handles the no cell phone thing. Will they be team players and live with it or try to text on the sly there by displaying a "me first" attitude. I compleetly understand WHAT New Coach Guy is trying to acomplish and if I were coaching HS of College ball I might do the same thing... but I'm not sure that adult men, making big bucks, with big egos etc will buy into the forced bonding. I hope it works.

This is the issue, and one of the things you have to worry about with a Reggie Theus with no experience coaching anybody over 21. You can bully kids. You have to seek alliance with adult multimillionaires.

He's going to have to go real easy on the punsihments to avoid revolt. Ironic/stupid that his own mentor tried the same thing in Boston, to disastrous results. Think if I were going to try such a maneuver I might even make the punishments a group decision. i.e. set the rule, and then if somebody broke it, bring it up to the team, offer some choices, and maybe have a secret ballot or some such on different options. Fine, benched, suspended, whatever. That way tactically (and I am always thinking tactics) you can soften the treat you like a kid aspect and make it at least feel more like a group decision amongst equals. Harder to get mad at coach and revolt if its technically your peers handing down the punishment.
 
This is the issue, and one of the things you have to worry about with a Reggie Theus with no experience coaching anybody over 21. You can bully kids. You have to seek alliance with adult multimillionaires.

He's going to have to go real easy on the punsihments to avoid revolt. Ironic/stupid that his own mentor tried the same thing in Boston, to disastrous results. Think if I were going to try such a maneuver I might even make the punishments a group decision. i.e. set the rule, and then if somebody broke it, bring it up to the team, offer some choices, and maybe have a secret ballot or some such on different options. Fine, benched, suspended, whatever. That way tactically (and I am always thinking tactics) you can soften the treat you like a kid aspect and make it at least feel more like a group decision amongst equals. Harder to get mad at coach and revolt if its technically your peers handing down the punishment.

I agree with your strategy. But I'm glad he's starting off tough. (Wow, it's tough to be a multimillionare playing basketball and having no cell phones in the bus and a 12 o'clock bedtime...:rolleyes:). If Theus doesn't start off fairly tough with this team, he's going to have hell to pay later on. I just want to see what happens when someone doesn't follow the rules, or goes against the coach. It could be interesting.
 
Reggie's player penalties for violating new team rules include:

Three days with Jackie Christie.
No "Halo 3."
A weekend of "Andy Griffith" reruns at Jerry Reynolds' house.
Hotel wake-up calls from Rosie O'Donnell
In-flight card games restricted to "Go Fish."
Violaters must share training room whirlpool with live lobsters.
"Hit the showers" now means "Drop and give me 50."
iPod listening restricted to Barry Manilow and Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Must collect Mike Bibby's fingernail clippings after games.
 
I think some players were so disenchanted with Muss that they are at least willing to listen for now. The team wants to win, but do they have the heart to win? If they have the heart, they can overcome a lot and be productive. If they start losing and Theus loses his credibility like Muss did (if he had any to begin with), forget about it.
 
What's the big deal about cell phones on the bus?
The issue is team unity. When you have all the guys together in the buss etc you have an opertuniy to encourage bonding. On the other ahnd when you have 12 guys all yammering on their phones they are at best isolating. But if for example Bibby's conversation is very loud then Bon will have to talk louder on his and prety soon what you have are guys on the same team compeeting against eachother. This probably seems like no big deal espcially to young people but it's the details that really do matter. You cant expect 12 individuals to suddenly become a team when they step on the court. There are lots of ways to encourage bonding that are probably more effective than restricting the use of electronic life line ( or leash if you prefer) and I suspect that again what seems like a small deal might actually start a BIG problem.
 
What's the big deal about cell phones on the bus?

It's annoying for one, if you're sitting next to someone and you overhear all the nonsense constantly - maybe even their entire life story. A bit of peace and quiet on the bus is not asking much. I was at a movie theater recently and at least half dozen people (I mean mostly a-hole juveniles) were on their rude cell phones right and left, or I heard some latest tune chime in instead of having the play thing off or at least on vibrator.

Theus will no doubt have a fine$ structure in place for this and other behavior he considers detrimental to THE TEAM. I'm sure if it escalates he'll up the dollar amount or impose other penalties - like minutes on the court.

Yes, it's relatively small potatoes, but still important LEADERSHIP from the top. Coach Reggie gets an A+ for showing that at least he's determined to try and right a ship that was taking on water to say the least before he took the helm.
 
the Cell phone thing won't work. maybe a 'for emergencies only' thing is better, but thats probably what it is.
 
The issue is team unity. When you have all the guys together in the buss etc you have an opertuniy to encourage bonding. On the other ahnd when you have 12 guys all yammering on their phones they are at best isolating. But if for example Bibby's conversation is very loud then Bon will have to talk louder on his and prety soon what you have are guys on the same team compeeting against eachother. This probably seems like no big deal espcially to young people but it's the details that really do matter. You cant expect 12 individuals to suddenly become a team when they step on the court. There are lots of ways to encourage bonding that are probably more effective than restricting the use of electronic life line ( or leash if you prefer) and I suspect that again what seems like a small deal might actually start a BIG problem.

If the point is to make them bond then you might as well ban books or headphones and any other thing that isn't talking with your teammates.
 
It's annoying for one, if you're sitting next to someone and you overhear all the nonsense constantly - maybe even their entire life story. A bit of peace and quiet on the bus is not asking much. I was at a movie theater recently and at least half dozen people (I mean mostly a-hole juveniles) were on their rude cell phones right and left, or I heard some latest tune chime in instead of having the play thing off or at least on vibrator.

Theus will no doubt have a fine$ structure in place for this and other behavior he considers detrimental to THE TEAM. I'm sure if it escalates he'll up the dollar amount or impose other penalties - like minutes on the court.

Yes, it's relatively small potatoes, but still important LEADERSHIP from the top. Coach Reggie gets an A+ for showing that at least he's determined to try and right a ship that was taking on water to say the least before he took the helm.

Well, actual conversations can be just as loud and interuptive as cell phone conversations. Not saying they always are, but they can be.

I think Theus is already becoming overrated just because he's new and he's blowing a lot of preseason smoke. I'm not giving him any kind of props until he impresses me with actual on court play, if he can't do that then everything else is meaningless.
 
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If the point is to make them bond then you might as well ban books or headphones and any other thing that isn't talking with your teammates.
Again all I did was explain the rationale behind the rule. In my original post I said I suspected it probaly will not work, was not the best way to deal with professional players and could evne backfire. I immagine the following situation:
Bibby: (wispering in to phone in back of bus) "Yo boo, you got me strait trippin...."
Miller: (texting gomer back in Indy from behind the seat)
Kenny: (On phone with agent) "What do you mean you cant find any takers?"
New Coach Guy: "Thats it Kenny you owe me 2 large for violating the cell ban!
Kenny: Yo man your buggin! look at Brad and Mike they usin phones too man... why you got to pick on me? I ain't paying you nothing!
NCG: Ok Brad Mike you too guys!
Brad & Mike: (in unison) Kenny you rat!

See not just inneffective but could actually be devisive.
 
So am I the only one that thinks the cell phone thing is no big deal but the curfew thing is the huge one? I mean if the bus trips are over 2 hours its a little ridiculous, but on short trips I don't have a huge problem with it. But curfews for grown adults? Is he going to implement bed checks?
 
Once again, I think these are reasonable, not off the wall draconian rules. Lots and lots of NBA teams have the same ones as well as so do other professional sports teams. Should there be no new rules of the road for this Kings floundering road kill franchise? Is it okay for Mike Bibby and his posy to be out hanging til 3 am at the local strip club or where ever - or should he be setting a team leadership example by being back in the hotel and in bed by midnight before the next days game... It's past midnight now and I'm now crashed...
 
Other teams have much stricter and IMO way sillier requirements for the players.

What was that silly headband thing in Chicago that Big Ben got penalized for?

Getting the players to beds at midnight is only reasonable. If they don't get to do that by themselves, rules need to be established. And if they do, well, no one's getting hurt?
 
No actually few teams do have stricter rules...OFF the court. On the court, the headbands, Riley's fat% whatever -- there are oddities. Off the court though, this stuff is rare beyond college. It was Stern for instance who legislated dress codes and taking off the pregame headphones, not individual teams who have to compete for players against other more lenient franchises.

This stuff is always popular with frustrated fans and always has a chance to work for a few months. But people get tired of it, and at the first sign of adversity it becomes a rallying point. Especially for a rookie nobody coach. Players openly chafe at Riley's rules, but he's got the stature (and the GM job) to hold things together in a way a rookie never can. In college all the power/money/experience is in the coach's hands. In the NBA, the relationship is largely reversed and a coach's grip on power/authority is always tenuous. Muss found that out last year (for the second time in his career).

Its not about right and wrong, its about the practicalities and power relationships of the situation. And even if we did want to talk right and wrong, imagine if you will your own boss setting a curfew in your office (or wherever) because he wanted everybody bright eyed and bushy tailed the next morning. Home by 11, them's the rules! Few adult employees appreciate being treated like children, even the ones who normally wouldn't be doing anything anyway. From personal experience I can imagine the chuckle that would inspire at a major law firm, but I doubt it would go over any better at Billy Bob's Bait 'n Tackle.
 
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A midnight curfew on the road the night before games is NOT unreasonable. If I'm traveling on the company's money and have an important conference the next day, I would not object to them saying I shouldn't be out partying and drinking the night before.

This is much ado about nothing, IMHO. Theus has put down some guidelines to make a point. He wants the focus to be on playing basketball, not all the other stuff.
 
Few adult employees appreciate being treated like children, even the ones who normally wouldn't be doing anything anyway.
I wouldn't want a curfew from my boss. It would make me feel my boss doesn't trust me no matter what time it is. Setting a curfew is for kids not adults.
 
Except that a number of professional basketball players ARE either kids or act like kids. And this isn't treating people like children unless the players take it that way. I think they'll actually be relieved to have someone actually care enough to set some rules.

We've all heard tales of what happens late at night on the road. If Reggie's Rules can keep the guys from getting their names into the headlines for the wrong reasons, I'm all for it.

Am I the only one who remembers more than once watching an early road game and thinking at least half the team looked lethargic and maybe even hung over?
 
I wouldn't want a curfew from my boss. It would make me feel my boss doesn't trust me no matter what time it is. Setting a curfew is for kids not adults.

Probably 50-year-old Reggie Theus considers 19-year-old Spencer Hawes a kid. After all, the head coach has an 18-year-old daughter just starting her first year of college. Maybe he doesn't want that new kid on the block (who would be a soph this year in college) to get influenced by any bad behavior from some others on the team that unfortunately act from time-to-time like kids. Again, all this seems reasonable - extremely reasonable.
 
Maybe he sets these rules so steep that playing defense as a rule doesn't seem so bad. I think a coach like this will be great for the young guys like Martin, Douby, Garcia, Williams and Hawes. Which is what we really want anyway (A coach good for the rebuild.)
 
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