<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Drew Gooden has been burdened with many labels since he came into the NBA four years ago, most of them with a tinge of negativity. Now a veteran and nearly 25 years old, Gooden thinks he has earned a new tag, and he has a new contract to prove it. ``There's been a lot of perceptions and things said about me, but I worked very hard to become a good pro, and I think I've put myself in a great position to have a great career,'' Gooden said Thursday in his first interview since his new contract with the Cavaliers became official. ``I think now people honestly say when you play against Drew Gooden you're going to have to work.'' The term workhorse fits Gooden well. It's the best way to describe his play since he came to the Cavs in a trade two summers ago. He often does the grunt work of rebounding and providing scoring when the offense breaks down. Rarely has he drawn praise; more often he'll get criticism for his shortcomings. At times he has been a sounding board for frustrated teammates, who take advantage of his propensity to listen instead of speak in games. Above all, Gooden has proven to be a quality big man (6-foot-10, 242 pounds) who possesses youth, athleticism and a history of good health. In the NBA, those traits have extreme value. And just as important on the Cavs' priority list, he is solid in the locker room. ``I've been through it all, I can list about 10 different head coaches. I've seen GMs change in the middle of the season. I've seen ownership change in the middle of the season,'' Gooden said. ``This summer, I really got to understand the business side of the game, and all of it has been a learning process for me, and I think all of it has helped me mature.''</div> Source
