Rockets agree to let Royce White be bussed to some games, pending league approval

White's fear of flying was well known before the draft. I'm not blaming White for his fear nor the Rockets for their selection (although I personally would have not risked the pick on him). However, by playing only in Texas (home games, Spurs games and Mavericks games) both sides have an equitable solution, assuming White is paid only for the games for which he is available.

 

Oh, I agree that 91 flights is about right. What I dont agree with is that a bus will enable him to miss many of them.

 

Dont know why they didnt think of this...Put Royce on a RV...tell him to go to sleep...then put the RV on a cargo plane...and move him around......Go Rockets

Here's to hoping that Royce gets all this put behind him...because I really do think the guy has real talent...

 

1) There's something called a return flight. If he doesn't fly to San Antonio, that's 2 flights knocked off right there.

2) I count a minimum of 64 flights the team will take during the season. Of those, I see about 15 flights that could be taken via bus (division opponents + road trip games between small distances)

If you can remove 25% of the flights from his schedule, that's 25% less stress on him. Less chance for a panic attack, anxiety flare up, mental breakdown, or what have you. If you were the one struggling with this, you would probably be desperate to save yourself any amount of struggle you could.

 

Many away trips have multiple cities within bus range (after the initial flight). It's not like Portland flies to Houston, flies back, then flies to Dallas and flies back.

Portland might actually have a similar amount of bus trip possibilities.

Further, if Houston has an advantage because of geography for busing, they also have an advantage over Portland / Seattle regarding flying. The don't handicap teams because of flying advantages, so I would guess they also won't consider this regarding player addendums to contracts, either.. It's likely more about fairness within actual CBA rules (salary cap, benefits, insurance, etc).

 

He's being criticized because he never attempted to negotiate this situation before this critical juncture. That's poor form. If you need something, waiting until it becomes a problem is not the way to handle it. White admitted so himself. He said his anxiety issues kept him from bringing this up to the Rockets before camp, and that he was sorry he didn't do it sooner because it has affected his obligation to the team.

 

There is this virus called 'sarcasm' going around.

I have it too.

 

We play Dallas and SA twice each on the road. So White will play in 45 games?

The solution you are quoting may be equitable. But I am having a hard time envisioning a rotation spot, much less a roster spot for a guy who is going to miss 37 games.

Of course White's fear of flying was well known. Whats the point of stating the obvious? I dont blame White for his fears or anxiety either. But one has to look at the ramifications and consequences of developments as they occur.

 

Perhaps your numbers are right. But I have a feeling that presenting White with the idea of making 75% of the flights isnt going to ease his mind much.

 

Dont know why they didnt think of this...Put Royce on a RV...tell him to go to sleep...then put the RV on a cargo plane...and move him around......Go Rockets

Here's to hoping that Royce gets all this put behind him...because I really do think the guy has real talent...

All this reminds me of BA and the A Team...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaJOeLuUD94

 

+1

This is exactly my criticism.

 

I'm glad the Rockets were reasonable.

I would hope that Royce can eventually get over his fear of flying. Many thousands of people have.

Perhaps he needs better treatment.

 

I keep hearing this. Can you show the quote? I seriously cannot find it or hear him say this in any video. He says they have been meeting for four or five days now, but that doesn't mean he didn't already express the need to negotiate this and thought the ball was in mgmt's court all along.

If he did wait to bring it up, I wish he wouldn't have. It does show poor form. And certainly if he did it for tactical leverage. I'm not sure the leverage angle would be a safe bet to work, so I can't see an anxiety ridden, OCD person taking a risk like that and purposely waiting to the last second. I would think his heart would be racing and he'd freak out wondering if the Rockets would react negatively and dump him. So, the Leverage Tactic does not fit the profile here -- would you agree with that?

 

this dude better be the next player for yrs to come....I'm talking kids are going to say I'm going to be the next Royce White

 

Besides games nearby Houston, many road trips are multiple games with bus possibilites between them. A Wash, Phil, NY and Bos roadtrip would only be 2 flights -- to Wash and back from BOS. The NBA does schedule roadtrips to save on flight costs and travel time, afterall. MIA and ORL...only two flight. LA/LA and possibly GS, only two flights. etc.

I'm guessing he could cut over 50% of his flights, but we would need to look at the schedule.

 

My feeling is that your right in that he didnt preconceive this on draft day or otherwise orchestrate it to come out this way for his own best personal advantage. He may have, but I feel he didnt.

So my guess is that with training camp a good bit away at the time of the draft, he probably thought that much he could handle. But as the days approached and his thoughts began to focus on not just training camp, but the pre-season and all those regular season road games, his anxiety built up and climaxed. He then found himself barely able to think about the matter, or think about basketball until he could sooth his thoughts somehow. The bus thing is such an attempt.

I know enough about anxiety to know that when and to what extent its impact will happen at some future point is not predictable. But, even knowing this, past experience tells you what the triggers are and when the likely possibilities of problems will be. Heading into your first NBA season had to be on his radar as a potential situation that may cause problems. He surely could have approached the Rockets at an earlier time suggesting such a thing as the bus as a backup plan. He didnt have to wait until training camp was already in progress to decide he needed some help in the matter.

 

Why is it "bussed", why not a nice Towncar or something? Is he going to be in a bus all by himself? Public transport?

 

Bus it.

Signed,
Young MC.

 

I think the only way this idea has ANY merit is if someone else is the driver and its a situation where he is comfortable enough where he can sleep for hours at a time.

 

Knock him out, put him on plane.