I am late for work all the time. In fact, every day. I am completely sick of hearing "headline news" that slams a basketball player for being late for a practice. The press seem to think that you have to be a thug or irresponsible jerk to be late once in a while. I would rather have a player that showed up an hour late and left two hour late than somebody who was on time every day and left as soon as they could.
hey doc (and you really might be one, i don't know), but if you were making, oh, 5-7 million dollars per annum (with the possibility of increasing your salary), would you be late? or would you show up early and leave late?
Hey Doctor, Just a question. Do you think that human nature might take over after a while? In other words, if the team permits the players to be late for practice or meetings, what's to stop them from assuming that it's okay if they show up late for the games? How would you like to see half the Rockets show up about an hour after the game started? With all people, if there are no rules or discipline, there is chaos. Before I went into business for myself, I had the very same attitude that you described & when the boss called me into his office, I'd try to justify it with the same argument about staying late versus leaving right on time. For some reason, he never bought that argument. I guess some people can't take a joke. Wait a minute! Are you really talking about me? I do agree that the press shouldn't make such a big deal out of it. It's an internal issue. ------------------
If you have a job that allows you to work your own hours then there it's generally no big deal if you are late. Most sports teams have structured practices. If one person is late, then it affects the whole team. It is also an aspect of discipline. If you cannot count on someone showing up when they're supposed to, how can you count on them for anything. ------------------
I don't find that the league OR media makes as big a deal out of being late as you make it sound, Doc. There are certain players who are chronically late and who also miss practive completely (Rider, Rodman). These players certainly are painted in a bad picture, but I feel if you consistently miss practice or are late, then you deserve whatever bad PR you might get. ------------------ "Of course, everything looks bad if you remember it!" Homer Simpson
I don't think it's money, I think it's organization. Not all places let you be late. If I were late at where I worked I would lose some pay. And when I went to college, for a LOT of my classes, if I were late they wouldn't even LET me come into the class! I don't think that the players are thugs, or punks or anything like people like to say they are, just that the ones who are late have to be more responsible. They could miss some important drills, and it would be a waste of time to go over the same drills again just to help one player. ------------------ No sleep and no trade info make RocksMillenium something, something! [This message has been edited by RocksMillenium (edited January 29, 2001).]
Good question. The true issue of punctuality has more to do with discipline and cohesiveness than merely "being at your desk at so and so time". There's also the matter of traveling, where considering how much they travel and the effect of all the traveling on the body, effeciency is the key. ------------------ "ON-BEE-TAH-BULL!!", Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon, alumnus, University of Houston
It shows total disrespect for the rest of the team and coaches. I fail to see how an attitude of, they can wait on ME, is something that should be tolerated. Especially, when you are making millions of dollars. ------------------
Imagine a doctor not worried about being late and making others wait Honestly it is disrespectul to have 11 guys ready to practice and then to have the 12 come in 45 minutes late. Some people in general are very time consious, and others are not. But in team sports the team comes before your beliefs.
