Cousins to rejoin team in OKC
- Thread starter Rockmeister
- Start date
Cousins fined (Greene not) rejoining team in OKC.
http://blogs.sacbee.com/sports/kings/archives/2011/02/kings-fine-cous.html
http://blogs.sacbee.com/sports/kings/archives/2011/02/kings-fine-cous.html
Here's Cousins statement:
"I wish to apologize to my teammates, the Kings organization and Kings' fans for my role in an unfortunate altercation between teammates," Cousins said. "I accept full responsibility for my actions and know that I must keep raising my standard of professionalism to be my best and a great player in the NBA."
"I wish to apologize to my teammates, the Kings organization and Kings' fans for my role in an unfortunate altercation between teammates," Cousins said. "I accept full responsibility for my actions and know that I must keep raising my standard of professionalism to be my best and a great player in the NBA."
Absolutely, but that sort of personal apology that really matters is going to come from behind closed doors, if it comes at all. These official boilerplate things never mean anything. Thery are just rote no matter what you are apologizing for -- fighting with a teammate, drunk driving, dog fighting, cheating on your wife, its all just copy paste.
I will bet a huge pile of money that the guys on the team are very forgiving of Cousins. He is a nice guy. He seems genuinely bothered by his lack of control, etc. Then there is the obvious improvement in his control and his team's reaction to these flurries of tantrums speaks volumes. They come out playing hard. That is not a sign that he is a cancer.
I genuinely like the guy and I suspect that is the way his team mates feel. Maybe even Donte won't hold a grudge. I'll bet he saw his life pass in front of him when that giant came at him. I don't know if blows were struck and I think that makes a difference. Donte is still alive so I suspect Cuz missed.
Petrie must be convinced the problem can be dispensed with and I think it is a good thing to get Cuz back with the team and not leave him alone in Sacto to worry about what people think of him.
I genuinely like the guy and I suspect that is the way his team mates feel. Maybe even Donte won't hold a grudge. I'll bet he saw his life pass in front of him when that giant came at him. I don't know if blows were struck and I think that makes a difference. Donte is still alive so I suspect Cuz missed.
Petrie must be convinced the problem can be dispensed with and I think it is a good thing to get Cuz back with the team and not leave him alone in Sacto to worry about what people think of him.
I don't mind the coming off the bench for two games. It should (hopefully) do him some damn good. He can't keep getting away with things, I don't care if you yell at your strength & conditioning coach, I even don't care much for disagreeing with the coach, but....to take a swing or attempt to at your teammate, I mean something needs to happen here, he can't think in his head it's ok to keep acting up like this.
The best analogy I can come up with is doing something dumb at school and getting in trouble for it, then having your teacher call home and having your parents punish you as well. Your actions have consequences in more than one area. I'm not condoning or disagreeing with the result (as it pertains to Cousins), just giving a possible explanation.
Donte has already publicly said that its in the past and all's well.
The public apology is written out, because you really don't want to ad lib and then realize you said things in the wrong way. This is for those of us outside of the Kings organization. What really matters for this team is what got said behind closed doors. BTW, I heard that both BJax and Shareef were at that meeting. Two classy, great-character guys, that know what they are talking about. Hoepfully they both made and continue to make an impression on Cousins that will move him in the right direction.
The public apology is written out, because you really don't want to ad lib and then realize you said things in the wrong way. This is for those of us outside of the Kings organization. What really matters for this team is what got said behind closed doors. BTW, I heard that both BJax and Shareef were at that meeting. Two classy, great-character guys, that know what they are talking about. Hoepfully they both made and continue to make an impression on Cousins that will move him in the right direction.
Well, Cousins has already served his time. Westy says this has nothing to do with the incident. I'll take him at his word.
So, if we get off to a horrible start on the offensive end, and the lack of a post presence hurts us, I'm putting the blame on squarely on Westy, for messing with the starting lineup yet again, because Dally had a good game, and sitting our 2nd best player. If it doesn't work, the punishment of Cousins is no longer an excuse, since Westy said the decision to bench him isn't related.
So, if we get off to a horrible start on the offensive end, and the lack of a post presence hurts us, I'm putting the blame on squarely on Westy, for messing with the starting lineup yet again, because Dally had a good game, and sitting our 2nd best player. If it doesn't work, the punishment of Cousins is no longer an excuse, since Westy said the decision to bench him isn't related.
Well when Westy publicly comes out and says it's not related, he's effectively stating Cousins has served his time. So, I'm taking the incident out of this equation, and judging it as a lineup change which will either work, or won't work, based on Sammy have a good game. Too late in the season to mess with the lineup, and a lineup which has been playing well.
If you disagree, you disagree.
If you disagree, you disagree.
I had to think about having Cousins coming off the bench because it looked like piling on. I would hope that after a $40,000 fine and a little public humiliation, that would be enough punishment.
I'll take Westphal at his word that it is not related to the incident. Perhaps it is more of a reward for Dalembert for having a monster game. I can understand that. I don't think he or we know exactly what Dalembaert can do despite his years in the league. Dally may actually have an offensive upside. He claims he has an offensive game but has never used it because no coach wanted that from him (or something to that effect). Well, now we'll see if he has more of an offensive game and that's fine with me.
There may be another part of the agenda (my opinion only) that it is also a way of ensuring Dalembert's loyalty to the Kings when it comes time to negotiate contracts. The reward shouldn't go unnoticed by Dally. The coach likes him.
Just a bunch of speculation. I'm not sure PW is that clever.
I'll take Westphal at his word that it is not related to the incident. Perhaps it is more of a reward for Dalembert for having a monster game. I can understand that. I don't think he or we know exactly what Dalembaert can do despite his years in the league. Dally may actually have an offensive upside. He claims he has an offensive game but has never used it because no coach wanted that from him (or something to that effect). Well, now we'll see if he has more of an offensive game and that's fine with me.
There may be another part of the agenda (my opinion only) that it is also a way of ensuring Dalembert's loyalty to the Kings when it comes time to negotiate contracts. The reward shouldn't go unnoticed by Dally. The coach likes him.
Just a bunch of speculation. I'm not sure PW is that clever.