(Fort Collins-CO) The Denver Nuggets and Kenyon Martin have officially taken off the gloves and are now in a verbal slug fest in the local media. Martin has now given his side of the story as to what happened over a tremendously frustrating season that concluded with his suspension and termination as a Nugget for the 2005-06 season. The quotes in this story are taken from http://www.hoopshype.com/ and The Denver Post. Personally, if this doesn’t mean the end of the Kenyon Martin saga, maybe nothing will.
First, lets take a look at what Martin says was a surprise benching by Karl in the series against the Los Angeles Clippers. Martin states, "George never told me I was not going to play." He goes on elaborating about how it all played itself out by saying, “I was shocked. He put me in the last of the first quarter. He put me in late in the second quarter. Both times for just small minutes. I'm sitting there thinking any minute I'm going back in the game. We were getting down further and further. I was (upset). I went to the locker room at halftime. I had made up my mind. I couldn't take it anymore. I had had all I could take. Here this was happening in the biggest moment of the season. I told George he didn't have to play me. I went off. Maybe I handled the situation wrong. But look what led to that."
Look what led to that? Does someone need to remind Kenyon Martin that George Karl is the coach and that he doesn’t have to be consulted in regards to any playing time decisions? But, the beauty of it all is there is more to the story.
Martin goes onto further explain that his anger wasn’t just with Karl, but also with certain teammates. "The thing happened with George in the hallway," Martin said. "The coaches were in the hallway talking about the game. It was not an exchange. It was me talking and the coaches listening. I had my say to George. Then I went into the locker room and had my say with the players. Yes, it was full of cuss words both times.”
First, lets take a look at what Martin says was a surprise benching by Karl in the series against the Los Angeles Clippers. Martin states, "George never told me I was not going to play." He goes on elaborating about how it all played itself out by saying, “I was shocked. He put me in the last of the first quarter. He put me in late in the second quarter. Both times for just small minutes. I'm sitting there thinking any minute I'm going back in the game. We were getting down further and further. I was (upset). I went to the locker room at halftime. I had made up my mind. I couldn't take it anymore. I had had all I could take. Here this was happening in the biggest moment of the season. I told George he didn't have to play me. I went off. Maybe I handled the situation wrong. But look what led to that."
Look what led to that? Does someone need to remind Kenyon Martin that George Karl is the coach and that he doesn’t have to be consulted in regards to any playing time decisions? But, the beauty of it all is there is more to the story.
Martin goes onto further explain that his anger wasn’t just with Karl, but also with certain teammates. "The thing happened with George in the hallway," Martin said. "The coaches were in the hallway talking about the game. It was not an exchange. It was me talking and the coaches listening. I had my say to George. Then I went into the locker room and had my say with the players. Yes, it was full of cuss words both times.”
So now not only do coaching decisions have to be run by Kenyon before hand, but he is also some kind of player-coach capable of negatively evaluating his supporting cast. Evidently, I missed that portion of his contract because I had no idea he was such a multi-faceted individual. I just thought he was signed to play basketball.
Just when you would of thought that it would have been a totally coup against Kenyon Martin after the aforementioned tirades. Kenyon then illustrates what happened as the halftime period ended and an unlikely supporter surfaced. Kenyon Martin said, “Coach Grgurich stayed with me in the locker room, I understand team play. I am not a quitter by any means. He said: 'Don't do this to the team. Guys need you. Guys need you. And if you don't go out there, I'm not going, either. I'm going to stay right here with you.' I had taken off my jersey, tape, socks, shoes. This man picked them all up for me and gave them to me. It hurt real bad. I appreciated what he did.”
Obviously, Coach Grgurich wasn’t one of the coaches that was subject to the profanity rich altercation in the hallway to the locker room. Now if that isn’t enough drama for your liking toss these two statements regarding Kenyon Martin into the mix. Bret Bearup, a confidant and adviser of Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke's, offered this about Martin and Karl: "You've got two people with two different views. Who is to say who is right and who is wrong? I think there is enough blame to go around." One of Martin's teammates offered this harsh analysis of the Nuggets' highest-paid player: "Kenyon was not playing a lot but was in the locker room encouraging guys to 'get tough, get ready.' We were listening and thinking of a guy who was out partying last night, on his feet, but does not practice and play. There is the perception that Kenyon does not want to be a professional. Are you really hurt? Kenyon is obnoxious, ignorant, boisterous."
Sounds to me like total dissent for Kenyon Martin, but Martin also comments about not being very popular with his teammates. Even around the holidays. There was a Christmas party he threw where only a handful of players showed up and Martin supposedly was upset. Martin said he threw the party for guys who did not have families in town and needed a place to go. I could go on and on and on, but the bottom line analysis is this; Kenyon Martin needs to be traded immediately. The Nugget faithful deserve much better than this circus of affairs surrounding a single player. The saga has gone far enough, and it is time to regretfully move on to rebuilding from this mistake of management for the sake of the future. Finding a realistic trade is going to be the hardest part, because at this point, I don’t see many teams looking to adopt a problem like Kenyon Martin.
Just when you would of thought that it would have been a totally coup against Kenyon Martin after the aforementioned tirades. Kenyon then illustrates what happened as the halftime period ended and an unlikely supporter surfaced. Kenyon Martin said, “Coach Grgurich stayed with me in the locker room, I understand team play. I am not a quitter by any means. He said: 'Don't do this to the team. Guys need you. Guys need you. And if you don't go out there, I'm not going, either. I'm going to stay right here with you.' I had taken off my jersey, tape, socks, shoes. This man picked them all up for me and gave them to me. It hurt real bad. I appreciated what he did.”
Obviously, Coach Grgurich wasn’t one of the coaches that was subject to the profanity rich altercation in the hallway to the locker room. Now if that isn’t enough drama for your liking toss these two statements regarding Kenyon Martin into the mix. Bret Bearup, a confidant and adviser of Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke's, offered this about Martin and Karl: "You've got two people with two different views. Who is to say who is right and who is wrong? I think there is enough blame to go around." One of Martin's teammates offered this harsh analysis of the Nuggets' highest-paid player: "Kenyon was not playing a lot but was in the locker room encouraging guys to 'get tough, get ready.' We were listening and thinking of a guy who was out partying last night, on his feet, but does not practice and play. There is the perception that Kenyon does not want to be a professional. Are you really hurt? Kenyon is obnoxious, ignorant, boisterous."
Sounds to me like total dissent for Kenyon Martin, but Martin also comments about not being very popular with his teammates. Even around the holidays. There was a Christmas party he threw where only a handful of players showed up and Martin supposedly was upset. Martin said he threw the party for guys who did not have families in town and needed a place to go. I could go on and on and on, but the bottom line analysis is this; Kenyon Martin needs to be traded immediately. The Nugget faithful deserve much better than this circus of affairs surrounding a single player. The saga has gone far enough, and it is time to regretfully move on to rebuilding from this mistake of management for the sake of the future. Finding a realistic trade is going to be the hardest part, because at this point, I don’t see many teams looking to adopt a problem like Kenyon Martin.
1 comment:
Pizza,
As I search for a violin small enough to play while your sob story is read aloud. My tears gently slide down my cheeks. Could Kenyon Martin have been the victim of the Nuggets grinchy ways? The world may never know!
The Nugg Doctor
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