Andray Blatche: Not good at handling failure, not good at handling success
by Mike Prada on Mar 24, 2010 11:01 AM EDT
in Player Analysis
Email
PrintYou want to know what the saddest part of this whole Andray Blatche "quitting" saga is?
It's not just that Blatche decided he'd rather not play than listen to his coach. Sad as it might seem, things like that happen in this league. It's not just that Blatche himself has relapsed after showing some real improvement in his demeanor this season. It's not just that the Wizards probably would have won this game with him.
No, the saddest part about this is that the deck was stacked in Blatche's favor for the first time in his career. I always had the feeling that Blatche is not one that's particularly good at dealing with personal failure. He's played well when people had confidence and trust in him, something that frankly was lacking for so long. He was stuck behind Antawn Jamison, the face of the franchise within the organization (i.e. the guy everyone respected most), and had to deal with a coach that changed his role, challenged him in a passive-aggressive way and made it clear he didn't trust him one bit.
That is to say that while some of the stuff we saw from Blatche in the first few years of his career was troubling, there were always mitigating factors that could be fixed. A new coach. A new expectation for him. New responsibility. More confidence in his abilities. Ideally, your players shouldn't be difficult, but some that are still go on to be model citizens, team leaders and outstanding players in the right situation. For Blatche, it seemed the right situation was one where he would be thrown into the fire, trusted to get it done and given all the resources he needs to make it happen. In other words, this situation.
But if last night's incident is any indication, Blatche can't handle success either. He had it all (well, except the wins). He had a coach that had confidence in him, a staff that supported, a featured role and, hell, a leadership position on a team of young players. He was in a situation where he couldn't be blamed too much for taking bad shots, as Saunders said last night. And yet, he couldn't handle it.
Clearly, this reaction by Dray was brought on by several incidents, so this is not to say that Flip Saunders deserves no blame for letting the situation get to this point, if only because anytime a player reacts in this manner, it reflects on you in some way. But this isn't about Flip Saunders right now. This is about Andray Blatche, a player who just openly disrespected a coach he once respected. A player who showed he's still not sure how to handle 16 games of success. The eulogy on how Flip Saunders has lost the team will have to wait.
Just think about some of the things Blatche has said about Flip Saunders this season.
"I like Flip a lot ... he makes you want to stay in the gym, always telling you when you're getting better, or what's not good. So that kinda kept me in the gym a lot more.
We have great coaches that are always boosting us up. Each one of the players has a personal relationship with Flip [Saunders]. He texts us, he gives us words of wisdom, he stays in your ear [and] he just gives you that little push you need. I feel that's key for us winning this season."
"This is my first time having a real good relationship with a coach in the NBA."
"Flip is a great coach and we have a great coaching staff. They are bringing the play out of all the guys on the team, making us work hard and play hard. We had many conversations, it was pretty much that he was going to bring the best player out of me that he can, and it's showing. He stuck with me, doing extra drills after practice, all the hard work is paying off that he did with me."
And then last night happened. A terrible, terrible season just got a whole lot worse.
33 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
What will be telling...
is how Blatche responds. We haven’t really heard from him. Will he admit that he was in the wrong? Will he say “my bad…I was way out of line”. That will be where we get a clearer idea of what we have with Blatche.
by Siis on Mar 24, 2010 11:23 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Agreed and Rec'd
"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier
How many more chances are we gonna give this guy
I dont really mind him talking back to the coach and what not. The quitting on team mates is just disgusting though. I have played team sports my whole life. I have been on teams where I am the man and others where I could barely get a sniff of PT. NO matter what though my teammates and I competed gave everything we had for the TEAM.
Blatche though it that one bad apple that is only willing to give what he wants when he wants. Blatche is that guy that ruins the team experience for everyone. I hate that guy.
At least he has shown his true colors for everyone to see. No need to hold out that he will come good ship his selfish a** out the door.
by ccrun1800 on Mar 24, 2010 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
mike prada i have to admit i like that
comment history is included in the activity log… helps for told you so’s and feelings of vindication:
http://www.bulletsforever.com/2010/3/1/1331924/will-the-real-andray-blatche#31572649
plain and simple, blatche is probably a good guy, he just needs to get over this cancerous sense of entitlement that he shows. the fact that he still doesn’t have an NBA, though he has the frame and canvas for it, shows he hasn’t dedicated himself to the hardcore weight training regimen that is well overdue.
part of being a thriving nba player, is growing to be a man, and exemplify accountability, discipline and humility.
an NBA = the NBA big man body
though for all i know the ceiling for his weight training capacity might be lower because of the gunshots to the chest he took
by rzawrecktah on Mar 24, 2010 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions
It's obviously a nice feature, but it also can be annoying to read people saying "I told you so" when something goes bad
Just understand that.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
agreed... apologies on that
just saying that we were so swept away w/ blatche’s amazing stats that we all might have glossed over the fact that he still could use improvements in the intangibles, like attitude
by rzawrecktah on Mar 24, 2010 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions
Well , one good thing came out of this......
It was nice to hear some mature comments from Nick Young… Saying he told Blatche:
“You’re playing well, you don’t want to mess it up. It’s your opportunity to go out there and keep playing. Don’t worry about distrations; you gotta man up some times.”
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
That was indeed the best part
Reading about Nick Young trying to talk some sense into Blatche was definitely not something I expected.
Oh yeah and Rook I am with you on Cousins now I can see the Blatche in him just festering and waiting to bubble to the top.
One of my co-workers dubbed him
Andray Chach
"I say he does have to shoot me now! So shoot me now!" --- Daffy Duck
by George Templeton on Mar 24, 2010 9:35 PM EDT up reply actions
This franchise is a cluster f. Package him and Gilbert for the 1st pick of the draft
Draft Wall or Turner. Sell the team to Leonsis. Change the stupid name of the franchise.
Then use every penny we have to lure Durant in 2011. Build a statue. Name the Verizon Center Michael Durant Center. Change Abe Pollin Way to Durant Way.
it is a cluster
but KD won’t save the franchise and why dis Abe?
I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.
So you're saying I can dodge bullets? No, but you better get back on defense.
So, AB’s comments in the Tomasson article forthepeople quoted raised a lot of eyebrows. I definitely agreed with jones-y’s sentiment; the Wiz gave AB a chance when no one else would. But as Pradamaster said, “I don’t see this as a big deal … yet.”
Who knew ‘yet’ was only five days away? At least Leonsis will be able to turn the Wiz into a reality TV show to make up that 100 million dollar shortfall.
We all want to see AB become a Wizard the same way Scottie Pippen was a Bull. And heaven knows we can’t afford to be reactionary if we choose to part ways…although the ironic side of me is grimly amused at the thought of Saunders being the one to lose a future star from Washington rather than receive to one (or three).
Andray is young and I have to ask the question: can upside be realized in Washington? A paranoid, illogical question…but I’m tired of watching of young talent blossoming after we give them a fair shake (or three). I want to believe we can build this franchise through the youth movement. At the same time, panic button trades like AB for Darren Collison and flotsam start to look attractive (if NO would go for that…which they probably wouldn’t). Or AB for a first rounder (or second rounder…really?). Something to consider. Andray Blatche made more money throwing a tantrum on the bench than I’m going to take home this year. It’s time to grow up. I hate complaining about salaries, but I am so upset…why, why, why, why, why?
We're from the city with the highest murder rate in the country. Why WOULDN'T they call us the Bullets?
by Bullet Nation in Exile on Mar 24, 2010 12:30 PM EDT reply actions
Flip is a visionary
He was right when he said it can always get worse, and as tempted as I am to say this is rock bottom I remember what happened after we traded for Mitch RIchmond and had to follow that team for a while. We were bad then and getting worse, and we are in the same boat here. At least this time we were able to see the badness coming and get rid of some long term money, so at least when we are starting at the bottom everyone in the franchise realizes that. I hope this can be a bit of a wake up call for anyone who thinks this team plus Arenas, Howard and a solid free agent is capable of doing anything. Without Arenas this team has no identity, and since Arenas doesn’t know who he is anymore or where he will fit in, we will continue to go nowhere fast.
It's no news that Blatche is immature
A casual glance at his history in newspaper headline form will tell anybody that.
However, I’m a little baffled by the rush to judgement here on the incident. So far (though it may be accurate), all we have is Saunders’ version of events. And frankly, this is a guy who’s already trashed players like Nick Young and even Randy Foye to the press, as well as claiming he could beat any guy on the team one on one, a challenge his players were presumably not allowed to take up.
At this point, Blatche’s apparent immaturity is only matched by that of his coach. A classy one (and the league is full of them) would have just said that Blatche had been benched for reasons that were “between the two of them”. Period.
What excuse is there to quit on your teammates
and pout on the bench like a spoiled only child?
classy one (and the league is full of them) would have just said that Blatche had been benched for reasons that were "between the two of them". Period.
Why would he do that after Blatche just let the whole team down. I can’t fault Flip at all for hanging Blatche out to dry because the reality is AB hung himself out to dry when he subbed him self out the game.
i disagree with blaming saunders for sharing his frustrations. he and his staff are the only untouchables on this team, imo. we are lucky to have them considering the grinder we put them through. and rock bottom comes when should they decide to leave. i cant even imagine the quality of coaching we could attract given our circus. ted cant take over soon enough!
by les boulez bomber on Mar 24, 2010 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions
These arguments refute none of my contentions.
I saw Blatche in at least one of the huddles. And Saunders, the “untouchable” coach has so far out-coached Tapscott by two whole wins.
Sorry. Until I hear third-party reports on this is Blatche’s word against Saunders’. That makes it a toss-up, according to their past records.
I hear what you're saying
But even Blatche admits that a) he just went and sat down instead of listening to Flip (or at least pretending to listen and then playing ball) and b) he argued with a coach in a meeting the next day.
It’s bad either way.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
Pistons players
did a lot more than just argue with Saunders in the locker room. Eventually, they got rid of him. Billups is pretty much the only one with a good word to say for him now. Fact is, a pattern’s starting to emerge here regarding Saunders’ inability to get along with his players.
No matter how juvenile or insolent Blatche’s attitude may or may not have been, Saunders was the one who went public. He was quick to ask how any of Blatche’s teammates could trust him; how can they now trust a coach who trots his grievances out to the cameras instead of keeping them in the locker room, where they belong?
Blatche is still a young man. Saunders is old enough to know better.
Blatche wanted to hit K Street early
Get the early bird special.
I remember when a young Mike Prada....
….adamantly defended Blatche, almost until he was blue in the face, and how that big ol’ meanie Eddie Jordan treated lil’ ol’ ’Dray so poorly.
Just sayin’ ….
:)
Representing DC with Wizards & Stuff - Truth About It.net and Bullets Forever.
Follow TAI on Twitter, Facebook, or RSS
I mean, he did
That’s still true.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
It is
And Blatche is worth way more to this team than Saunders, whose credibility is not great at this point in the season after his trashing other players.
Look, I'm not a big Saunders fan either
But Dray has a history of immaturity with this team. Years of it. Not that he is destined to be this guy forever or that he hasn’t shown major improvement over the last couple months, but that’s only a couple of months. I don’t remember any of the old Twolves talking shit about Flip. Not even Starbury. And, as far as the Pistons go, it was a veteran team that won a ring. Nobody could tell them anything. And, yet still, the only guys I remember really having anything bad to say about Saunders were the Wallaces. RFip may not speak glowingly of him, but he doesn’t say he a bad coach.
The point is, I don’t think either of them acted properly, but at the end of the day, I tend to side with the coach over what seems to be a spoiled, entitled kid.
Seriously...
This has to be one of the worst seasons in the history of sports for a franchise. Your LONG TIME owner dies, you SEVERELY underachieve early, your franchise player is convicted of a felony, your most respected player is traded to a team that the whole franchise and fans loathe, you trade 3 establish players and as soon as they get traded they go on a 13 game win streak. The one good guy you get after the trades, goes down with a season-ending knee injury after only FOUR games. Then the lone bright spot, your “PF of the future”, who was putting up all star numbers, goes and acts like a DIVA after playing well for 15 games and gets benched. You’re a high-lottery team, in a season where you expected to be a high-playoff team. The only thing that can make this “the worst season in the history of sports” is a Dallas-Cleveland Finals with Cleveland winning the championship
Dude
That WOULD suck….
As a Pistons fan, I heard all the “it’s Flip’s fault!” for a good majority of his stay with Detroit. Trust me, it wasn’t Flip’s fault….
by MaxiellEatsLittleOnes on Mar 24, 2010 7:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Bullets Forever
Related FanShots on Bullets Forever
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sport
- Let’s all hate the Oklahoma City Thunder shirts that take a needless shot at the team’s move from Seattle (PHOTO)
- The Golden State Warriors will likely move to San Francisco in 2017
- Chris Paul goes off the top of the backboard for one last Clipper highlight before losing to Spurs (VIDEO)
- Behind the Box Score, where the Heat grabbed control behind LeBron James’ amazing afternoon
- Behind the Box Score, where the Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the fourth quarter. Again
