I was thinking about the babies in sports. They decide not to report, and they have the nerve to actually request a trade after being drafted. The whole purpose of the drafts in sports is for struggling teams to get better with some top notch prospects. Looking in recent years, we have Kobe Bryant and Steve Francis. These two were great lottery picks and did not disappoint and became great players, but why were they on the teams? Kobe was supposed to be taken higher in the draft however, teams backed off when the news came out he wouldn?t go to a non-high market team. And Steve Francis when he got drafted, he said ?As soon as I get a chance to take it off [Grizzlies hat], I will.? Steve Francis doesn?t know how fortunate he is. Literally thousands of people wish they had the opportunity to get into the NBA! So instead of being grateful, and thanking God for such an opportunity, he acted like this. Now how is a team supposed to get any better when the players they draft don?t want to be there. Let?s say LeBron James was born and raised in Hawaii. If the Cavaliers drafted him and he didn?t want to come, where would they be right now? Even moving over to the NFL draft last year and?Eli Maning. To me, that?s very disrespectful and people like those shouldn?t even be in sports. Even people who are actually in the league and don?t report like Mourning and Jim Jackson. They either force a trade or get brought out. That?s not fair for the other teams. I think that not just the NBA, but all sports should do something about the emergence of the babies.
MRJ18, I couldn't agree with you more. I think it's disgusting what some of these players are doing these days. I think the NBA needs to look into some way of making these guys go to the team the they have been traded to or are drafted by. I think for the guys complaining about where they have been traded to what should happen is they have 5 days to report to the team or they are suspended for the rest of the year without pay. And if they don't report the next year they are done for life in the league. I realize that everyone wants to win, but lets face it not everyone can win it all every year. As for the punks coming out of college or HS who don't want to go to where they are drafted, they should just be dropped from the league. Let them find a real job for a while and see what the rest of us go through. Seeing as most of them won't have any employable skills, other than flipping burgers, they would quickly realize that they are being payed to play a game for a living and it doesn't matter where you end up. In the end, everyone can be traded, so all they would have to do is wait for a few years. I know I sound pretty cruel, but I'm sick of these guys bitching so much about making millions to play a game. Is this something to do with the ME generation, hard to say. Hopefully we see and end of it soon, but I won't hold my breath.
Great post, mrj18. I agree with what you said. This has been a pet peeve as a sports fan for quite some time and I am tired of it. As a Twins fan, I would have loved to see Mark Prior lead a starting rotation trio with Brad Radke and Johan Santana, but Prior told the Twins he wanted no part of them and if they draft him, he would refuse to pitch. I am glad Prior is getting his with the Cubs with his arm being stiffened up. Those athletes should be thankful that they are drafted and that they are getting an opportunity to play professional sports. That's a dream and an exciting opportunity. Wouldn't it be nice for their resume if they were the guys that made a difference for a team that has stunk forever? Unfortunately, that's not their thinking. If they hate their situation, they can always be a free agent once their rookie contract is out.
haha, I watched that clip, how funny- and sad. If it was me I would've jumped out of the roof!!! I agree with what everyone has said, but the NBA would never implement such actions as banning cause that would mean less revenue for them. I mean, they knew the potential Kobe had and he knew this as well, so he had leverage.
Wow I never knew Franchise reacted like that when he was drafted. I mean that may be a thought to players when entering the draft thinking "Man I hope I get on the team I want." but instead get a put on a squad with a not-so-good record. You should be happy whatever team you get on because you then put that city on your shoulders and go out for a ring. But hey if a baby comes along on a team like mrj18 said in ANY sport, they should receive some kind of conciquence.
babies great post mrj18......no suprise <div class="quote_poster">Quoting mj18:</div><div class="quote_post">Even moving over to the NFL draft last year and?Eli Maning</div> but it was so worth his cry babbyness.....his face was priceless <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Let?s say LeBron James was born and raised in Hawaii. If the Cavaliers drafted him and he didn?t want to come</div> Thats whats great about LBJ prior to the lottery he said he would happily report to whichever team drafted him.
I was personally pissed for the same reason that has been posted about Steve Francis specifically. Was Steve the last player to threaten to retire if he wasn't traded.....before he came into the league and made a name for himself? Right now (at draft time) what are you.....your nothing. Your potential without result. Get in there, put in some work, and then start to make yourself more comfortable. GEEZ! Why wouldn't you want to come in and "Be The Man" if that's your attitude?
Francis has his reasons. The Grizzlies already had Mike Bibby at the point at the time, and let's face it, who would want to go to Canada? This is just like any player griping about the lack of burn and demanding trades. It was almost a guarantee that Steve would be either forced to play the two, or sit on the bench. Neither of those options were wanted at the time. At least he made sure Vancouver got something in place of him. Danny Ferry in 1989 was drafted second and straight out refused to play for the Clippers, playing in Italy that season. Is that a good show of sportsmanship? Why are you guys picking on Francis alone when there were many that set precedents and gave these youngsters the feeling that it was alright to do so?
Trip: Steve Francis was cited as an example. I think most posters in general hate anyone that dictates what team he wants to be drafted. Francis is just a list of example that fans want to say about who dictated their rights to which team he wants to be drafted. Who would want to go to Canada? I think Canada is a great country and Vancouver and Toronto are two of the most beautiful cities in Canada. The fans in Canada are very passionate about their sports teams. Playing for a NBA team should be a privilege period considering the perks and the amount of money that the player receives. I would go play for Canada anytime.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post">Why are you guys picking on Francis alone when there were many that set precedents and gave these youngsters the feeling that it was alright to do so?</div> The thread is about PLAYERS who do these kind of things. It just so happens that someone had video footage of Francis. I didn't know about Ferry and he's not a big-time player so he shouldn't refuse anything. I felt that way about Francis specifically because I felt it was distasteful and didn't think anyone else had the audacity to do this.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Francis has his reasons. The Grizzlies already had Mike Bibby at the point at the time, and let's face it, who would want to go to Canada? This is just like any player griping about the lack of burn and demanding trades. It was almost a guarantee that Steve would be either forced to play the two, or sit on the bench.</div> Exepct that Francis has been shown to be a whiner as his career has progressed also, look at when he was first traded to Orlando, look at stuff he does at times, Francis isn't close to being the most professional guy around. I don't understand what's the problem with him playing the 2 since it's basically what he's played his whole career, he's just been a 2 taking the spot of a PG for his career anyways.
He's never wanted to play the two, although it is evident that he's more suited there. I admit that he still has lots of maturing to do, but that doesn't mean everyone should just make him the new poster boy for "babies". Is Wesley Person a baby for not wanting to go on the IL?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Timberwolf:</div><div class="quote_post">Who would want to go to Canada? I think Canada is a great country and Vancouver and Toronto are two of the most beautiful cities in Canada. The fans in Canada are very passionate about their sports teams. Playing for a NBA team should be a privilege period considering the perks and the amount of money that the player receives. I would go play for Canada anytime.</div> Thank you. I'm so sick of people thinking that Canada is just some garbage country who wants to be American. The truth is, and you know it's true, is that Americans make fun of Canada for trying to be American. And when we do finally branch out from Americans (ie. hockey), they still make fun of us. I've heard of players on the TO roster that at first didn't want to play for Canada (ex. Jalen Rose), but now they love it here.
yeah, guys like Francis and Manning should get smacked around for being that way. It just shows how ungrateful a lot of pro athletes are. It also shows a lot of athletes aren't willing to try and improve a crappy team, instead they want to go to an established team, where they can get away with not having a lot of responsibility.
You are right about everything. The players deserve to be kicked out of the NBA. If I was drafted by the worst team, I would still be happy to have a chance to play in the NBA. Some of the players you mentioned are complete <font color="Red">******</font>. <font color="Red">Watch the swearing, Voodoo Child</font>
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post">He's never wanted to play the two, although it is evident that he's more suited there. I admit that he still has lots of maturing to do, but that doesn't mean everyone should just make him the new poster boy for "babies". Is Wesley Person a baby for not wanting to go on the IL?</div> Trip, in my opinion anyone who gets drafted and acts like that is a baby. Take a look...there are millions of people world wide that have some NBA aspirations including some posters in this site. Many people would jump at the opportunity playing anywhere. I mean think about this...you're making millions of dollars playing a game and you have a problem? Whether he didn't want to play for Canada or not, it doesn't matter. Say someone like Vince Carter, or Pau Gasol or any other rookie didn't want to play for the Grizzlies or Raptors because it was in Canada, imagine where they would be. They would suck forever. The whole point of the draft is for rookies to help a struggling team and if they don't want to help the team, how in the world are they supposed to get off of their feet? Whether or not Bibby was the PG or not, when you're drafted and act like that, you are a baby. Francis was really immature in doing that. Bringing Danny Ferry's situation doesn't make Steve's actions any better. He's just walking on the immature path that someone else walked on. If Yao didn't want to play for the Rockets, or Amare the Suns, or Dwight the Magic, and LeBron the Cavs, where would they be?
I agree with this too, these players should be grateful to play sports for big bucks. There's so much people without jobs or in bad situations and these kids are rich, no excuse for the way they act at all. The thing sad about Eli Manning is he had that baby fit just a week after the whole Pat Tillman thing. That was just disgraceful.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting mrj18:</div><div class="quote_post">Trip, in my opinion anyone who gets drafted and acts like that is a baby. Take a look...there are millions of people world wide that have some NBA aspirations including some posters in this site. Many people would jump at the opportunity playing anywhere. I mean think about this...you're making millions of dollars playing a game and you have a problem? Whether he didn't want to play for Canada or not, it doesn't matter. Say someone like Vince Carter, or Pau Gasol or any other rookie didn't want to play for the Grizzlies or Raptors because it was in Canada, imagine where they would be. They would suck forever. The whole point of the draft is for rookies to help a struggling team and if they don't want to help the team, how in the world are they supposed to get off of their feet? Whether or not Bibby was the PG or not, when you're drafted and act like that, you are a baby. Francis was really immature in doing that. Bringing Danny Ferry's situation doesn't make Steve's actions any better. He's just walking on the immature path that someone else walked on. If Yao didn't want to play for the Rockets, or Amare the Suns, or Dwight the Magic, and LeBron the Cavs, where would they be?</div> Of course anyone here would jump at any chance of making the NBA. However, who has really been to the level that you actually have a chance? You're just saying this right now, but who can guarantee you'll still act the same if you actually have Francis's talent and just got drafted by Vancouver? The whole nation of Canada thing is just a sidenote; what really matters is playing time for Francis at the time. At the time, he was a PG, period, so no one really got why Stu Jackson made the decision to draft him when Mike Bibby, the number two pick from just a year ago, was already putting up good numbers and was the default starter. This is a big time college player who's used to playing big minutes, and whose skill level already merits at least a starter position for him at the pro level. That's why he didn't want to go to Vancouver. The whole notion of a new country and temperatures unheard of where Francis comes from leads him to a whole new level of unwillingness to be a Grizzly. The fact that Vancouver was losing had nothing to do with this as well, because Francis didn't know where he would end up if Vancouver did trade him. He could've been on the Warriors! That video you posted doesn't tell the whole story as well. He reacted with disappointment when he got drafted, but he still did the post-podium interview and calmly answered all questions. He didn't just go F this, I'm not going to shake Stern's hand. And also, Pau Gasol never even landed in Vancouver; he was traded right to Memphis in their inaugural season after relocating.
If HS players or College players doesn't want to go to a bad team, then don't be a great player! The lottery is there for a reason. In the clip, everyone was excited except Franchise! hehehe
