I know EXACTLY what you mean! Poor Andrei. Sympathy aside, I wonder if AK's breakdown will scare/fighten/make nervous the post-season rookies.
I hope people turn this into chants to STAY in his head. A guy's family is off limits. His own actions at practice are not.
Playing for the Jazz for 6 years would make me flip out, too. Actually, playing for the Jazz for less time than that would make me flip out. Andrei's reaction is natural. I'll be praying for him, but beyond divine intervention, the only treatment is to play for a team with fewer jerks.
And yet, many think that Gundy puts too much pressure on his players, wears them out, etc. Ooops... Yao just had a tity fit.
Somehow I think this is just a ploy to stir up the Jazz Fans' emotions (showing that the guy does care); it is also a ploy to disrupt/distract Rockets' preparations (which AK will show up?); I really can't believe a grown man and an elite athlete will be so poor in controlling his emotions. It is only the first game for God's sake; AK wouldn't get to where he is being a wussy. I don't buy this... Rockets need to watch out for a blinder from AK and be prepared for everything. SS999
I think Sloan's words say it all. His attitude toward AK is cold, like saying about his poor foul shooting "I can't shoot them for him." This is just a culmination of a long time playing for a hard-a$$ ba$tard, plus AK has probably lost some focus due to his marriage and getting a life and all. AK's confidence is shaken under a guy who will only give you tough love to bring that confidence back.
So, is this thread completely exaggerating what happened? Everything I've read just says he teared up while being interviewed. I still haven't seen anything about a nervous breakdown. I'm worried he might have hit rock bottom and will soon bounce back and smack us with one of those tripple doubles where he gets 10 blocks. I'm just saying for karma's sake, we shouldn't be making fun of him.
Unless u hold the champ cup tightly, at that moment, that is OK! Honestly, that's what i am looking forword to seeing, both T-mac&Yao r in tears with the champ cup holding tightly in their chests, and d't argue with me about that, yeah, men in tears...like MJ did
It was him we ran into him out front before the game, he wasnt wearing the red shirt then, someone must have gave him one before he went into the crowd. When the YoYo posts pics of his Houston experience, he has one of him and Sagar out front of the Toybox. as far as the AK situation no big deal. IF we are lucky, he wont have his heart in the game, that can only help the ROckets.
Here is the Utah newspaper's version. It doesn't sound like a nervous breakdown at all. He is just whining and crying over not getting more playtime in the game. http://www.sltrib.com/jazz/ci_5729932 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jazz: A sullen Kirilenko decries his playoff minutes By Michael C. Lewis and Ross Siler The Salt Lake Tribune Article Last Updated: 04/23/2007 06:50:58 AM MDT HOUSTON - Sitting alone at the edge of the court after the Jazz practiced for Game 2 of their first-round playoff series tonight, the team's highest-paid player cried. Forward Andrei Kirilenko used a towel to blot away tears from his red and swollen eyes Sunday while discussing his minimal role in the Jazz's 84-75 loss to the Rockets in Game 1. Kirilenko, who played just 16 minutes, came to the bench with five minutes left in the third quarter and didn't return until the last seven seconds of the fourth, with the game long since decided. He never got the chance to see if he could disrupt Tracy McGrady on defense. "I want to play 48 minutes," said Kirilenko, who earned $12.3 million this season in the second year of a six-year, maximum-salary contract. "I want to play and I want to be on the court. All I can provide is effort, no matter how many minutes I'm going to play. . . . I wouldn't say I did great, but I did something. It's just hard to explain because it's been whole year." Coach Jerry Sloan said Kirilenko was playing poorly - he finished with two points, one rebound, a steal, an assist and a blocked shot - so "I have to try to play somebody who can keep us in the ballgame." Kirilenko also was 0-for-2 from the free-throw line. "I can't shoot it for him," said Sloan. Sloan's assessment was that he couldn't afford not to have Matt Harpring (14 points) in the game, that the Rockets were backing off Kirilenko and daring him to shoot and that nothing has changed in the Jazz's offense or defense to explain why Kirilenko has struggled. "That's just one game," Sloan said. "I'm not trying to hurt anybody's feelings or anything. My job is to win. The way you do that is to have everybody play hard and play well. We can't do it any other way. We need Andrei's play. We need him to come and play." Without Kirilenko on the floor, the Jazz were left to defend McGrady with guards Derek Fisher and Gordan Giricek, and it didn't work. The Rockets took off on a 16-4 run the moment Kirilenko left the game, with McGrady scoring 10 of his 22 second-half points in the final 3:42 of the period. "I know it's very uncomfortable for him," Sloan said. "It's uncomfortable for me. I'm not happy with it, but I don't know exactly how to handle it." Harpring suggested the Jazz might try to use him and Kirilenko at the same time tonight - a strategy they have employed at times earlier this season and that might allow the lanky Russian to disrupt McGrady, who easily shot over Fisher and Giricek. "Ultimately, this is definitely a coach decision," center Mehmet Okur said. "I mean, whatever he say, he's the boss. But we need A.K., that's the bottom line. . . . This is going to be a long series, I believe, and definitely we're going to need him." Carlos Boozer was asked if he would like to see Kirilenko have his shot at McGrady and see if his long arms could make life difficult for the Rockets star. "To be honest, I think it's going to come down to that." Boozer said. "I do think that D-Fish is doing a great job on him. I think Matt's doing a great job on him. I think A.K. could be the X-factor. If he can tip the ball, block some shots, disrupt him a little bit. "If A.K. gets a chance, you're going to look forward to it."
situation makes no sense at all. kirilenko didn't play horribly from what saw, didn't shoot enough for his misses to be a problem, and couldn't possibly be worse for them than gordan giricek guarding tmac. i bet he'll play a lot more tonight. sloan probably playing mind games. if not, he's off his rocker.
I'd be more scared than relieved. Usually when something like this happens to a player, that said player goes out and have a hell of a game the next time around. I'm guessing to the tune of 16/8 with 3 steals and 2 blocks?
yeah when reporters interviewed Fisher they told him that AK was crying in the arena and didnt even go inside the locker room and asked Fisher if he was going to do anything about that and Fisher said if he gets time he will have a one on one chat with AK.
that was completely uncalled for. Corby's post was very respectful and he only repeated what was reported.
Look at the comment seciton at the bottom, fans saying get rid of Sloan he's to inflexible and strict, sound familiar to anybody? In all seriousness though he'll be back it sounds like he was finally overwelmed by the pressure in what has been his crappiest season, in the second year of his max contract. That's a lot of pressure, maybe he needs to talk to Juwan to get some advice about coping with robbing a franchise of millions of dollars.
im sorry, i thought this was a houston rockets board. best wishes for a multimillionaire who cant handle the pressure? - i say HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. in your face dirty jazzhole! i think we should pump the beatles song "cry baby cry" whenever andrea enters the game.
