Problem is that there are a lot of bad Drs. and different kinds of doctors out there. It would not be hard to go out and find a doc that will say that White needs a personal bus, while 9 out of 10 other docs would say that he should not do that. I agree that the team should show him unconditional support, but that doesn't mean that they should let him make his own special rules to enable his avoidance behaviors. I don't think people should underestimate the difficulty of this situation for the Rockets- it's not cut or dry by any means.
Well disabilities are called that for a reason right? Would you be saying that if White had sickle cell and couldn't play games in Denver?
It just seems like he's overblowing it in his head. Can't he just pop a xanex and call it a day? Maybe I'm ignorant about the severity of his condition. It just sounds so silly to me.
Wow. Surprised to hear such a callus response from you. Mental Heath is not IBS or Allergies that you can just pop a pill or "suck it up" and deal with. I would never wish a panic attack on my worst enemy.
Royce really needs to just shut up. Just shut the hell up. If things need to be worked out between him and the team about travel, do it behind closed doors. He implies that he's missing a huge chunk of camp over travel arrangements? I don't want to read about that, Royce. I want to read about how you're doing in training camp. You obviously have a problem and you have my sympathy, but get the hell out of the media and get your arse to camp. I don't care if you have to ride a camel to get there. Just get there. You really, really need to if you want to be successful starting the season, and you really, really need to stay the **** out of the media about this. Please.
I would assume step 1, if they could not come to an agreement, would be pro-rating his salary for the days that he is missing from mandatory events negotiated in his original contract signed after he was drafted. -If I was his agent, I would probably be trying to convince him that the team charter plane is more likely to be a place of normality than renting a charter bus for every extended road trip, unless the issue is getting alone time away from the other players. This is what he might be thinking would make him snap eventually. It sounds like both parties are working pretty aggressively to come to some sort of compromise quick, so thats positive. I doubt his representation wants him to miss paychecks, and I doubt the Rockets want to be put in a situation where this gets in front of the NBPA and NBA. If they can handle it in house, thats whats best for everyone.
I deal with a lot of mental issues myself, and I can tell you that everything gets overblown in your head on a daily basis. Your mind is in overdrive. You over-analyze everything to death, your mind is racing 100 MPH. Thoughts, songs, movie quotes, images, just flooding into your mind nonstop. You wake up at 2 in the morning and some song or word passage or whatever is just on repeat in your head and won't stop. It isn't something that is easy to deal with, especially on professional level like this. Medication alleviates some symptoms, but a lot of these issues will be life-long battles that can only be worked through with extensive treatment. I urge some of you to give Royce a little leeway here, he's obviously doing a smart thing here by trying to come to an agreement with the team before this becomes an issue in the middle of the season. I stand by Royce White, I believe in Royce White. #AnxietyTroopers
But he doesn't have sickle cell, does he? That's the difference- what he is asking to do is actually counter-therapeutic, meaning that if he gets all of these special requests granted, his condition is actually likely to get worse.
On a separate note, I would also advise Royce to STOP giving reports out to the media. He's not helping his position in negotiations by giving out specifics.
I think we all have to deal with anxiety issues at some point. I've had an anxiety attack. I was watching a movie at Studio Movie Grill when I started to feel funny. I walked out the theater and convinced myself that I was having a heart attack at 27. My knees buckled. I collapsed to the floor. I picked myself up and proceeded to the nearest exit. Fresh air is what I needed. I also work in a high-pressure environment where anxiety is a norm. You gotta do what you gotta do for your family. He shouldn't have entered the draft if his mental state was this weak. That's my thinking.
This is what a lot of people have to deal with. I've woken up with this feeling countless times since I was a kid. Fortunately, that stopped for me. It's also the exact thing that happened when I collapsed in the event that I described in my previous post.
Look, I'm not going to question your credibility because frankly I don't care but until I hear it from Royce's Dr I'm not going to just take your word.
This is what is pissing me off. He may not be able to control his disorder but he sure as **** can control this. This is becoming a national story and it will disrupt camp because the press will act more and more questions about a ROOKIE who isn't even there.
These are some pretty bold demands for him to be making on his own, unadvised. I suspect his doctor urged him to negotiate for this.
You can always find a Dr. who will say anything. I'm sure White can find one who says that he needs his own private plane or a helicopter or whatever. I have an anxiety disorder myself- OCD. There is all kinds of stuff at work that stresses me out but I know I can't change it. And it's a good thing that I can't because that wouldn't be good for me. I have seen different therapists and the only one (my current therapist) that has really helped is the one that insisted that I do whatever it is that scares me.
i'm glad we wasted a first round pick on a guy that may show up but may not, that may play 25 games, but may play all of them.. glad we are flipping a coin on him.. i think it's funny all of you that say it's no big deal that he hasn't showed up, can you call into work today and say "hey my anxiety kicked up again, i'm not coming in today BUT maybe next week or maybe even tomorrow just not sure yet".. Uhh no you will get fired, yet as a athlete you are allowed to do whatever you want.. I guarantee Morey patience will wear thin if this crap continues all season. you think les wants to write checks to guy that is here half the time? no way..
Dude wants a private bus to take him on games... WTF? That's just not logistically feasible. He would miss practices left and right. If this was going to be such an issue (which loads of people assured us it wasn't going to be), I don't think the Rockets would have taken him. General consensus was he doesn't like flying but he's generally fine with it and won't have a problem with it when the season starts. Now he's saying he needs a bus? Come on... All the sympathies in the world for this kid. But there's a line for what's reasonable and what's not.
Here's the part I'm not understanding.......maybe it's in there and I missed it somewhere..... He knew training camp was coming, right? That date has been on the calendar for quite a while. He could have found any number of ways to get to training camp and media day on time other than flying. Right? Come on a bus...drive a car...take a train... But instead he decides to not show up at all and then goes public with his plan for how he's going to deal with this going forward? In the last 48 hours or so this issue has been public...could he not have found an alternative way to get to camp? I'm sympathetic to the condition...and I will admit it's not one I fully understand....but a little planning here would have shown some respect and courtesy to the organization that took a chance on him...as would not running to the media to talk about his alternative travel plans before working those out with the Houston Rockets. He's using his absence at camp as a negotiating ploy at this point...to get something he wants or feels he needs. I just think there were about 3 months full of better days to deal with this than now.
Imagine if Tyler Zeller had been our pick. We would have 3 legit 7 footers. DMo would be back-up 4, TJones back-up 3, and Tyler back-up 5 with no positional ambiguity. Sigh...
You could sue you're employer so fast It wouldn't be funny. White disclosed his diagnosed condition before being drafted. The Rockets knew the risks and now have to deal with them.
