Cousins vs. the Bee

[Sac.Kings]

Yelling at a jerk he has a longstanding feud with is the final straw? Really? This didn't just come out of the blue. Cuz got himself in a situation in New York (thx Matt!), an old enemy took the opportunity to doubtless say all kinds of nasties, demand that the bad guy get traded, and apparently involve Boogie's little brother in it too. Now we get the response. On, and the Bee making sure to publicize it as much as possible. The whole saga sucks, but its easy to follow along. A lot of problems with the media is exactly the idea of the "bully pulpit". Its so named for a reason. And it means that basically this small set of people get to take shots at you, or in this case even your family, in a very public way, and you are never allowed to respond. That would get old in a hurry for me, and I pride myself on having an elephant hide and the ability to fight back. If I were thin-skinned and lacked the rhetorical ability to strike back, and indeed was restricted from doing so by contract... But hey, I always root for some movie star to just go ham and beat the living hell out of the paparazzi too. I'd represent them free in court if they did.

BTW, you have your team that gives it their all every game. And they are not half bad. Fans continuing to not get behind maybe the hardest working bunch in a decade or more is beginning to get old. This is the group that is finally together behind a tough minded coach. They are bringing it consistently. They are a threat to become only the 3rd non-Adelman team to ever make the playoffs. They deserve a lot more respect than they are getting.

Brick, I get it. Yes, they are more respectable than any other team we have had in close to a decade. I do understand every bit of that. Yes, I know all about the NY incident (I live in NY state, I read all about it) and I chose to ignore it, just like the situation with Cousins and his brother before. I ignore a lot of things Cousins does because I know he's great and if pointed in the right direction, can be an absolute monster. Do I believe he can lead us to the playoffs? Yes, I do, but the issue is that it's not that simple because Cousins makes it far more complicated than he has to. He really is the definition of being his own worst enemy.

A player simply cannot corner a reporter/journalist, threaten and swear at him/her and then get away clean. Not in this day and age. Ignoring a reporter or issuing a public statement would have been far better approaches. Also, an organization needs to have pride, standards, and beliefs that should not be and cannot be crossed. He has done that so many times I have lost count, and each time I took it in stride and said one day it will be worth it. He will make the growing pains worth it one day. 7 seasons in, I am still waiting for the "worth it" part. Stats are great, and he has great stats, but the results continue to look the same, on and off the court. Not all of that blame is his (most isn't) but he has been here and he has been the best player we have had the last 7 seasons, so a part of that blame definitely resides with him, warranted or not.

The media can be good for your team, or bad for your team. They have, IMO, too much power, especially now that you can find out what you need to know to pee someone off in seconds thanks to the internet. I understand the Bee has been after Cousins since day 1, but I would expect a better response from Cousins just because he's been in this battle with them for so long. Right or wrong, Cousins will come out of this with yet another ding to his reputation, along with the Kings, by mere association. Not everything in life is fair and very seldom is it black and white. Yes, the Bee went too far, but Cousins went further still.

The Bee won this battle because Cousins got emotional and did exactly what they hoped he would do. Cousins should not stoop to their petty level and should hold himself to a much higher standard.

 

[Bricklayer]

The Bee won this battle because Cousins got emotional and did exactly what they hoped they would do. Cousins should not stoop to their petty level and should hold himself to a much higher standard.

Coming from the school of if you let someone upset you its a sign of weakness, I don't disagree in principle. You can describe to me exactly all the ways you and my mom were doing it last night and how much she liked it, and I'll just ask you how much she charged.

But on the other hand I won't forget nor forgive, and if I have a chance to hurt you at some point in the future, I will do so. I am absolutely simpatico with Cousins' resentment in this case, just not its expression. But that is who he is. Everything is always on his sleeve.

I am dead serious when I say if I were the Kings, and I had this $15mil asset that might become a $30mil asset, I would easily spring for some $60k a year media gladhandler to follow him around and mediate.

 

[bajaden]

And that's your prerogative. I do not feel that it's my responsibility to keep spending my money on a publication that doesn't represent my values or beliefs, just because the editor's administrative assistant, and the head of IT and the mail clerk aren't jerks.

Alternatively, if enough people make it clear that they are going to cancel their subscriptions because of their feelings about a particular columnist, the paper can always elect to release that columnist.

I don't have an argument with you. Many people feel exactly the same way you do, and that's fine. Sometimes free speech is talking with your check book.

 

[bajaden]

Not in any defense of Mark Cuban, but that team sucks. I wouldn't go seem them play either.

LOL, good point!

 

[pshn80]

Yelling at a jerk he has a longstanding feud with is the final straw? Really? This didn't just come out of the blue. Cuz got himself in a situation in New York (thx Matt!), an old enemy took the opportunity to doubtless say all kinds of nasties, demand that the bad guy get traded, and apparently involve Boogie's little brother in it too. Now we get the response. Oh, and the Bee making sure to publicize it as much as possible. Great friend of the franchise that they are. The whole saga sucks, but its easy to follow along.

A lot of problems with the media stem from exactly the idea of the "bully pulpit". And it means that basically this small set of people get to take shots at you, or in this case even your family, in a very public way, and you are never allowed to respond. That would get old in a hurry for me, and I pride myself on having an elephant hide and the ability to fight back. If I were thin-skinned and lacked the rhetorical ability to strike back, and indeed was restricted from doing so by contract... But hey, I always root for some movie star to just go ham and beat the living hell out of the paparazzi too. I'd represent them free in court if they did.

BTW, you have your team that gives it their all every game. And they are not half bad. Fans continuing to not get behind maybe the hardest working bunch in a decade or more is beginning to get old. This is the group that is finally together behind a tough minded coach. They are bringing it consistently. They are a threat to become only the 3rd non-Adelman team to ever make the playoffs. They deserve a lot more respect than they are getting.

You make a compelling argument for understanding Cuz's reaction to Furrillo. The only fly in the ointment Is Cuz himself.

 

[New Era]

This video is just spliced together propaganda. Sure Cousins can handle stuff in other ways but I'm more pissed at the Sac Bee than Cousins. Furillo and Voison are terrible. They go beyond reporting. It's pre planned hit pieces....and now there is a spliced up video that may lead to a suspension. Not a good look for the Sac Bee but of course, the national media could care less about the Sac Bee and its once again open season on the Kings.

lol...propaganda. Right. Did you miss the part where he was bullying some senior citizen? Whether you like the Bee or not, there is absolutely NO reason to ever act like that.

 

[Sac.Kings]

Coming from the school of if you let someone upset you its a sign of weakness, I don't disagree in principle. You can describe to me exactly all the ways you and my mom were doing it last night and how much she liked it, and I'll just ask you how much she charged.

But on the other hand I won't forget nor forgive, and if I have a chance to hurt you at some point in the future, I will do so. I am absolutely simpatico with Cousins' resentment in this case, just not its expression. But that is who he is. Everything is always on his sleeve.

I am dead serious when I say if I were the Kings, and I had this $15mil asset that might become a $30mil asset, I would easily spring for some $60k a year media gladhandler to follow him around and mediate.

Definitely not a terrible idea, but I think they tried this approach to some extent by hiring a former coach/familiar person. Don't really recall how it worked out though.

 

[dude12]

lol...propaganda. Right. Did you miss the part where he was bullying some senior citizen? Whether you like the Bee or not, there is absolutely NO reason to ever act like that.

The 2 sport writers in question have been a-holes, why would the Sac Bee release something like this? For craps and giggles? Yeah, Cuz could do things differently for sure. But you don't have any issue with the Sac Bee?

 

[bajaden]

The thing is, here is where I'm at right now: I agree with every word of your post, and I still think that the Bee was in the wrong.

I don't disagree. Furillo's article which was about an actual incident, was also full of half truths or innuendo's with the intent to further his agenda. Which to my mind is despicable. I only care about one thing. The team! How Cousins responded, hurts his image, and the image of the team. The day that Cousins realizes that everything is about the team, and not him, he'll become the great player he aspires to be. What he does, and says reflects back on the team, and indirectly, his teammates. Both the Bee, and Cousins are in the wrong here. But the only one I care about is Cousins. I don't watch the Bee on television, or root for any of it's writers. Sorry Jason!

 

[Hoovtrain]

Who was recording he video? Where is the unedited version? The bee only showed what they wanted.

So they superimposed cousins threatening Furillo? I guess the bee is working with a bigger budget than I thought

 

[Section 101]

So they superimposed cousins threatening Furillo? I guess the bee is working with a bigger budget than I thought

We don't know what happened before hand. Maybe Cuz asked him to leave and he kept pushing it. Just like in the video where he said he wouldn't talk with the guy in the room.

 

[Hoovtrain]

Yelling at a jerk he has a longstanding feud with is the final straw? Really? This didn't just come out of the blue. Cuz got himself in a situation in New York (thx Matt!), an old enemy took the opportunity to doubtless say all kinds of nasties, demand that the bad guy get traded, and apparently involve Boogie's little brother in it too. Now we get the response. Oh, and the Bee making sure to publicize it as much as possible. Great friend of the franchise that they are. The whole saga sucks, but its easy to follow along.

A lot of problems with the media stem from exactly the idea of the "bully pulpit". And it means that basically this small set of people get to take shots at you, or in this case even your family, in a very public way, and you are never allowed to respond. That would get old in a hurry for me, and I pride myself on having an elephant hide and the ability to fight back. If I were thin-skinned and lacked the rhetorical ability to strike back, and indeed was restricted from doing so by contract... But hey, I always root for some movie star to just go ham and beat the living hell out of the paparazzi too. I'd represent them free in court if they did.

BTW, you have your team that gives it their all every game. And they are not half bad. Fans continuing to not get behind maybe the hardest working bunch in a decade or more is beginning to get old. This is the group that is finally together behind a tough minded coach. They are bringing it consistently. They are a threat to become only the 3rd non-Adelman team to ever make the playoffs. They deserve a lot more respect than they are getting.

I disagree. This team is 10-16....I think that alone constitutes that they are bad.

 

[bajaden]

The 2 sport writers in question have been a-holes, why would the Sac Bee release something like this? For poopoos and giggles? Yeah, Cuz could do things differently for sure. But you don't have any issue with the Sac Bee?

Well the reason the Bee released what they did was because they thought it would sell clicks or papers. All about money, and whatever agenda they might have. Cousins giving away gifts to poor underprivileged kids doesn't make for good headlines. But him standing over an old balding midget with fists clenched, sells. It's that simple. I mean what are we talking about today? Yes, I have an issue with the Bee. But Cuz is not without responsibility here. He's the one I tune in to watch. He's the one I care about. So I'm not going to excuse or ignore that responsibility when he does something stupid. If he doesn't react the way he did, then there is no story today other than the Kings upset a very good basketball team. We might be talking about Garrett Temple instead of this.

 

[New Era]

The 2 sport writers in question have been a-holes, why would the Sac Bee release something like this? For poopoos and giggles? Yeah, Cuz could do things differently for sure. But you don't have any issue with the Sac Bee?

Are you serious? Why would they release this? Because it's news and that's what they sell -- news. You realize they didn't have some Boogie double come in and act that scene, right? That was really him, up in some old dude's face, physically intimating him and bullying him. There is NO excuse for that. We can argue until we are blue in the face about the Bee and how bad they are. That's fine. It still doesn't excuse what he did.

Also, regardless of how you may not care, this hurts our franchise. It's an embarrassment. It probably diminishes DMC's trade value even further should we choose to go down that road. There is never a time that his behavior would be acceptable. How can you not see that?

 

[Blastoff]

I was worried for a half second until i found out it was Furillo. Meh.

 

[dude12]

Are you serious? Why would they release this? Because it's news and that's what they sell -- news. You realize they didn't have some Boogie double come in and act that scene, right? That was really him, up in some old dude's face, physically intimating him and bullying him. There is NO excuse for that. We can argue until we are blue in the face about the Bee and how bad they are. That's fine. It still doesn't excuse what he did.

Also, regardless of how you may not care, this hurts our franchise. It's an embarrassment. It probably diminishes DMC's trade value even further should we choose to go down that road. There is never a time that his behavior would be acceptable. How can you not see that?

That old dude is Furillo. He's a piece of crap.

 

[Bricklayer]

lol...propaganda. Right. Did you miss the part where he was bullying some senior citizen? Whether you like the Bee or not, there is absolutely NO reason to ever act like that.

As with the Barnes situation, you apparently don't know enough senior citizens.

Some are strait butthead s.

That said, the general point here would be very much that those two Bee writers have been bullying Cousins just as much as he has ever "bullied" them. He can only bully them when he sees them. They can slash and burn his reputation at any time from any place. Its a bit like somebody getting bullied online who confronts the bullier in person. Bad optic? Sure. But now who really started the beef?

 

[Bricklayer]

I disagree. This team is 10-16....I think that alone constitutes that they are bad.

How wonderfully old school.

But we have a lot deeper ways of looking at things today. W/L is how we keep score, but its a very crude way of figuring out power, with all of 26 data points right now, and maybe half a dozen of those completely determining if we are a good team or bad.

Meanwhile things like +/- are working with thousands of datapoints over the same time period.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

How wonderfully old school.

But we have a lot deeper ways of looking at things today. W/L is how we keep score, but its a very crude way of figuring out power, with all of 26 data points right now, and maybe half a dozen of those completely determining if we are a good team or bad.

Meanwhile things like +/- are working with thousands of datapoints over the same time period.

I'm not prepared to say that I'm particularly convinced by your datapoint argument, but I do have to say that it amuses me how many of the same people who will embrace analytics when the analytics say that Cousins is inefficient, that you can't build a winning team around a big man anymore, that you need three-point shooters, etc., will quickly eschew analytics when the analytics say that a 10-16 team isn't as bad as its record indicates.

 

[TheJewishKing]

I do not know the reporter, nor do I know what did he say to DeMarcus Cousins before the video was filmed, it might be a tendentious video, it might be, I really don't know if to be frank. but where I come from you don't yell and talk that way to an adult which also look like an elder, just seems very disrespectful, it is fair for Cousins to disagree to talk about his family and specifically his brother, but he shouldn't have been talking the way he did, this attitude is hurting him, it is really his achilles heel.

 

[bajaden]

I'm not prepared to say that I'm particularly convinced by your datapoint argument, but I do have to say that it amuses me how many of the same people who will embrace analytics when the analytics say that Cousins is inefficient, that you can't build a winning team around a big man anymore, that you need three-point shooters, etc., will quickly eschew analytics when the analytics say that a 10-16 team isn't as bad as its record indicates.

Oh yeah, well I don't like analytics. Except of course when they agree with me....

 

[King Baller]

Well, there were a couple of fans on this very forum that stated that they had cancelled their subscriptions because of this story. I've been around a long time, and for you to think that there aren't consequences for what people say is naive. I'm not saying its right or wrong, but it does happen, and it happens every day. Mark Cuban made some political comments and suddenly people were cancelling their season tickets. Did anyone notice how empty the arena was when the Kings played there? It wasn't because it was raining outside.

I canceled the delivery of the hard copy long ago. Today I deleted the link I had saved to the electronic version.

lol...propaganda. Right. Did you miss the part where he was bullying some senior citizen? Whether you like the Bee or not, there is absolutely NO reason to ever act like that.

SENIOR CITIZEN!!!! You mean the smug little reporter standing there with the satisfied look on his face thinking, "I can't believe what a scoop the large human is giving me. My good friend Scoop Junior is getting it all on his iphone. I will be famous!"

 

[King Baller]

Boogie is bad yet D'Angelo Russel can tell a Fan $%^& my $#@! and the Fan is in the wrong:

http://www.totalprosports.com/2016/...acebook&utm_medium=fbtpspages&utm_campaign=fb

 

[ParniValjak]

Read the article some time ago, but I don't recall him promoting the idea of trading Cousins, but asking the question of whether it would be in the best interests of the team long term to trade Cousins. Actually thought it was a dumb article at the time. My problem with him, and I called him out on twitter, is that he seldom takes a stand on anything, but writes every article as a question. That can work as a starter on occasion, but at some point in time, a reporter who is editorializing has to give his own point of view. He seldom does.

Are we talking about Leo? I think it might be the podcast with him and Matt George. I listened about 20 minutes in and had enough, deleted it, unsubscribed and unfollowed on twitter. It sounded something like you would read from Voision.

I am not a huge James Ham fan but he is a pro's pro compared to these guys. They talk about ethics and what not but they sure the hell have their own agenda. Never broken a story, never had any inside knowledge, just ill informed opinions based on their own agendas.

 

[kingjatt]

The bee is whatever, basically irrelevant. But for cuz to let some nobodies bait him like that is beyond dumb and with his history I have no clue how incident after incident people continue to give Cuz the benefit of the doubt as if its some isolated thing and that Cuz is always the victim. He should know that they want these dumb reactions!b That video is pretty daming and thats just what they have on video who knows what else Cuz says or does. He is mentally weak and everyone preys on that, including scrubs on other teams. As cuz aged we hoped that he would stop giving the idiots (grant,bee, refs, scrubs on other teams etc) any attention but it just keeps getting worse and worse, cuz is really just a loose cannon and it puts a strain on the entire organization.

The problem is that he is a great great player on a team that desperately needs him and in some ways that is enabling this behavior. Can anyone who defends cuz ferociously say with all honesty that he would still be here if he averaged 13 and 8 on this or any other team with all of the crap he has pulled since being here? I guess Vlade and Vivek have decided that he is worth the headache but as a team first kings fan Im a little scared of having him be our best asset and the key to a rebuild(weather he stays or goes) and acting like this. All it takes is one swing on a nobody baiting him and boom there goes that one asset we have. And he will swing he is not all talk.

Cuz needs to stop being stupid plain and simple but at 26 it might too late, i feel like there are too many enablers around him.

All the dude did was bring up Jaleels arrest and Cuz dam near beat him up, I cant even comprehend that level of stupidity.
Ive seen people point blank from the first second row yell very vulgar things about Lebrons mother and family, KD recently getting alot of mean things said to him, Melo getting honey nut cherrios chanted at him and all just smile and play basketball because all those idiots want is attention but mature professional basketball players will never give it to them.

You get paid millions to play a kids game Cuz its not that serious! Just give the dumb press some cliche anwsers like everyone else and go home, that will hurt them way more(cant sell cliches like you can sell a player flipping out) than cussing them out and losing your mind, they want you to react like this.

 

[Hoovtrain]

How wonderfully old school.

But we have a lot deeper ways of looking at things today. W/L is how we keep score, but its a very crude way of figuring out power, with all of 26 data points right now, and maybe half a dozen of those completely determining if we are a good team or bad.

Meanwhile things like +/- are working with thousands of datapoints over the same time period.

That's cool....they are still 10-16

 

[mac]

That's cool....they are still 10-16

Ah but you're forgetting about our moral victory W/L that also comes into consideration for playoff seeding.

 

[andjel]

I was expecting some punches, at least WWW move after reading posts here.
What a disappointment, just yelling... and showing you dislike someone by ignoring him... what the heck.
Not smart move, but what is the big deal about this?
Since when is yelling not a free speech? How does his yelling affects Kings?
Will he and team play worse? Will players that play against him for years now have their eyes open and decide because of this not to come here?

What I see affecting this team is that Voison and Andy have been spewing garbage and undermining team for years, bad mouthing various players, making things up and keeping focus on any kind of sensationalistic news they could get their hands on. They were used many times by the national writers as a sources of "news" about Kings.
That is much more important for any kind of revenue and respect Kings can get than anything in that two minute mix.

 

[Hoovtrain]

Ah but you're forgetting about our moral victory W/L that also comes into consideration for playoff seeding.

Championship!

 

[Tetsujin]

Once again while Boogie clearly handled that situation in almost the worst way possible, can we not overlook the fact that the Bee has spent the last twenty years firing all its good reporters while somehow overlooking the fact that Voison has been fabricating stories and quotes for years and keeping her on payroll?