<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">No one has told center Michael Sweetney to ''shape up or ship out!'' But Sweetney is well aware that the team is taking something of a weight-and-see approach with him. Coach Scott Skiles expects his players to be in condition from the start of training camp. Sweetney's shape was an issue last season, his first with the Bulls after arriving as part of the trade that sent Eddy Curry to the New York Knicks. Sweetney, who looks larger than the 270 pounds assigned him on the training-camp roster, missed one practice last week after becoming dehydrated to the point of needing an intravenous injection of fluids. ''I'm a big guy and when I sweat, I lose a lot of fluids,'' Sweetney said. ''I've been drinking a lot of low-calorie drinks before and during practice.'' The fact that Sweetney is entering the final guaranteed year of his contract, which will pay him $2,696,956 this season, is added weight on his shoulders. ''I've got a lot going on, but it's part of the business,'' he said Monday. ''I've been [battling weight issues] all my career, even high school. It's something I have to work on; I have to keep plugging away every day. It's good that I have people who care about me and stay on top of me to keep on working.'' Sweetney, who averaged 8.1 points and 5.3 rebounds and had 56 blocks in 66 games last season, said he spent much of his summer at the Berto Center. ''I came here in July and was working with strength coach Erik Helland and other coaches doing shooting drills,'' he said. ''It was a different type workout for me. They had a lot of football-type workouts and track workouts for me.'' Asked if the team's staff has given him a target weight to reach, Sweetney said no. ''I don't think they're concerned about weight,'' he said. ''I think they worry about me getting up and down the court and being able to last the whole game.''</div> Source
That's not good if he looks bigger.. I hope he gets back in shape during pre-season. It shouldn't be hard to lose some weight when you have can have professionals and people that tell you what to eat and make it, etc.
