Allen
09-06-2008, 04:36 PM
SFGate
3-Dot Lounge
Bruce Jenkins, San Francisco Chronicle
Saturday, September 6, 2008
(09-05) 17:48 PDT -- It was never going to be Monta Ellis' team, not
in a million years, and now that is abundantly clear, through his
silence.
A wiser man would have spoken up by now. A leader would have led. If
the Warriors' worst fears are confirmed - that Ellis lied about his
injury - then the issue isn't so much about punishment. It's about the
fact that without Stephen Jackson, the Warriors would have no
leadership at all.
Deep down, the Warriors had to know that Ellis bears no spiritual
resemblance to Baron Davis. He looks and acts young, asking not to
craft the culture of a team, only to blossom into a 30-point scorer
with his blinding speed and dazzling creativity. That was all so easy
with Davis around. Jackson fed off Davis, as well, the two of them
making the Warriors a dangerous proposition for any opponent, any
night.
When Jackson joined the Warriors, you wouldn't have wanted him in
charge of the laundry, let alone the team. Hell, with his history, he
was lucky to be in the league. But the man comes from good stock, and
he proved that with his stone-faced authority, locker-room command and
thirst for the big shot. Just to look at Jackson, you recoil in
respect - while Ellis strikes you as someone's little brother.
If the latest reports are true, about the cuts and abrasions and a
torn deltoid ligament that doesn't remind anyone of a basketball
injury, then Ellis has a severe credibility problem. Everyone wants to
know how the Warriors would respond - fines, suspension, contract
termination, whatever - but they really wouldn't have to do anything.
Ellis will have exposed a character weakness, and because he's a good-
hearted soul, his teammates will forgive.
On the court, the Warriors have a reasonably strong blend of
experience and youth, but only Jackson has even the potential to be a
Western Conference power broker along the lines of Steve Nash, Tim
Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Deron Williams, Jason Kidd and Davis himself,
with the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Warriors can't ask Jackson for more scoring, a sudden passion for
the boards or anything beyond his capability. They simply need his
presence. They need him to control his temper, as he did last season
for perhaps the longest stretch of his life. They need him to say the
right words during that crucial timeout with three seconds left. He
can do this, and he'd better be prepared. Otherwise, the Warriors
won't be a team at all.
Too chatty
Traditionally, tennis is the only sport that prevents any conversation
with a coach. It's one of the game's great qualities. Now the women's
tour has decided to allow on-court coaching in 2009 (Grand Slams
excepted, thank goodness), and it's strictly for the benefit of
television. Players can consult with a coach during changeovers or an
opponent's medical timeout, but only if that person wears a microphone
so the chat can be aired to the public. Just one reason why it's
wrong: most "miked-up" coaches will sense the intrusion and, perhaps,
not be as forthright as they'd like ... Outfield catch of the year:
Tampa Bay's B.J. Upton against the Yankees on Tuesday. At point-blank
range to the center-field wall, he committed to a leaping over-the-
shoulder catch, gently cradling the ball while still managing to
lessen the impact ... Here's asking Cal and Stanford football for a
little stability today: A sharp performance by Kevin Riley, ending all
debates about the Bears' quarterback job, and another rampaging effort
from Toby Gerhart (nice to see Stanford playing on the road, so we
don't have to digest the sight of a half-empty stadium). Neither team
had much of an identity by season's end last year, but that could
change ... Local pro forecast, Dead Wrong in Public version: J.T.
O'Sullivan is a bust by week four, and the JaMarcus Russell-Darren
McFadden combination makes the Raiders exciting and relevant all
year ... Stay tuned for the NFL's latest joke foray into Europe:
Saints and Chargers in London on Oct. 26. It takes some pretty screwy
thinking to take a home game out of New Orleans ... Scene we'd like to
see: Chad Johnson, having recently changed his name to Chad Ocho
Cinco, gets traded to the Rams, who have retired 85 in honor of Jack
Youngblood. Then we can call him Ocho Pathetico.
E-mail Bruce Jenkins at bjenkins@sfchronicle.com.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/06/SPTD12OU9K.DTL
This article appeared on page D - 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle
3-Dot Lounge
Bruce Jenkins, San Francisco Chronicle
Saturday, September 6, 2008
(09-05) 17:48 PDT -- It was never going to be Monta Ellis' team, not
in a million years, and now that is abundantly clear, through his
silence.
A wiser man would have spoken up by now. A leader would have led. If
the Warriors' worst fears are confirmed - that Ellis lied about his
injury - then the issue isn't so much about punishment. It's about the
fact that without Stephen Jackson, the Warriors would have no
leadership at all.
Deep down, the Warriors had to know that Ellis bears no spiritual
resemblance to Baron Davis. He looks and acts young, asking not to
craft the culture of a team, only to blossom into a 30-point scorer
with his blinding speed and dazzling creativity. That was all so easy
with Davis around. Jackson fed off Davis, as well, the two of them
making the Warriors a dangerous proposition for any opponent, any
night.
When Jackson joined the Warriors, you wouldn't have wanted him in
charge of the laundry, let alone the team. Hell, with his history, he
was lucky to be in the league. But the man comes from good stock, and
he proved that with his stone-faced authority, locker-room command and
thirst for the big shot. Just to look at Jackson, you recoil in
respect - while Ellis strikes you as someone's little brother.
If the latest reports are true, about the cuts and abrasions and a
torn deltoid ligament that doesn't remind anyone of a basketball
injury, then Ellis has a severe credibility problem. Everyone wants to
know how the Warriors would respond - fines, suspension, contract
termination, whatever - but they really wouldn't have to do anything.
Ellis will have exposed a character weakness, and because he's a good-
hearted soul, his teammates will forgive.
On the court, the Warriors have a reasonably strong blend of
experience and youth, but only Jackson has even the potential to be a
Western Conference power broker along the lines of Steve Nash, Tim
Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Deron Williams, Jason Kidd and Davis himself,
with the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Warriors can't ask Jackson for more scoring, a sudden passion for
the boards or anything beyond his capability. They simply need his
presence. They need him to control his temper, as he did last season
for perhaps the longest stretch of his life. They need him to say the
right words during that crucial timeout with three seconds left. He
can do this, and he'd better be prepared. Otherwise, the Warriors
won't be a team at all.
Too chatty
Traditionally, tennis is the only sport that prevents any conversation
with a coach. It's one of the game's great qualities. Now the women's
tour has decided to allow on-court coaching in 2009 (Grand Slams
excepted, thank goodness), and it's strictly for the benefit of
television. Players can consult with a coach during changeovers or an
opponent's medical timeout, but only if that person wears a microphone
so the chat can be aired to the public. Just one reason why it's
wrong: most "miked-up" coaches will sense the intrusion and, perhaps,
not be as forthright as they'd like ... Outfield catch of the year:
Tampa Bay's B.J. Upton against the Yankees on Tuesday. At point-blank
range to the center-field wall, he committed to a leaping over-the-
shoulder catch, gently cradling the ball while still managing to
lessen the impact ... Here's asking Cal and Stanford football for a
little stability today: A sharp performance by Kevin Riley, ending all
debates about the Bears' quarterback job, and another rampaging effort
from Toby Gerhart (nice to see Stanford playing on the road, so we
don't have to digest the sight of a half-empty stadium). Neither team
had much of an identity by season's end last year, but that could
change ... Local pro forecast, Dead Wrong in Public version: J.T.
O'Sullivan is a bust by week four, and the JaMarcus Russell-Darren
McFadden combination makes the Raiders exciting and relevant all
year ... Stay tuned for the NFL's latest joke foray into Europe:
Saints and Chargers in London on Oct. 26. It takes some pretty screwy
thinking to take a home game out of New Orleans ... Scene we'd like to
see: Chad Johnson, having recently changed his name to Chad Ocho
Cinco, gets traded to the Rams, who have retired 85 in honor of Jack
Youngblood. Then we can call him Ocho Pathetico.
E-mail Bruce Jenkins at bjenkins@sfchronicle.com.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/06/SPTD12OU9K.DTL
This article appeared on page D - 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle