Teammates Calling Out Teammates & Coaches Calling Out Players In The Media

[Mitch Henessey]

A little while ago, Derrick Rose vented his frustrations for a lack of communication and teamwork with the Chicago Bulls in a post-game interview.

Rose calling out his teammates is nothing new, because we see it throughout the year in the NBA, the NFL, MLB, and other sports. Coaches calling out players, or players calling out each other is a routine occurrence, so when a player or coach decides to point fingers in a televised or a written Q & A interview, is it a big deal or not?

More often than not, ESPN and other sports channels play a big part in blowing things out of proportion. I'm not saying the coaches and athletes are innocent (especially in certain cases with over the top tirades), but televised shows and sports websites have a bad habit of taking an excerpt from an interview, and over-analyzing said athlete's words to snowball everything into a controversy.

Of course, athletes and coaches play a part in stirring the pot, with direct shots or vague comments. In testosterone driven sports like football and basketball, you have to believe in bruised egos, and a refusal to back down.

Personally, I don't think it's a big deal, when teammates or coaches decide to call each other out. You can make the argument for players and coaches deserving their fair share of blame, but at the same time, ESPN, other sports shows, and sports websites play a big part in dissecting and picking apart quotes to spark the controversy.

Do you see a problem with athletes and coaches playing the blame game during media interviews?

 

[Khalifa]

I do yes. As a player of many sports I find more evidence each day that you just can't be 100% for 100% of the time. What I mean by that is no one is perfect. Players make mistakes and no matter how much money you earn you are always going to make a mistake. As a captain for my basketball team and AFL team for the last 5 years I've learnt that players respond better to positiveness rather than negativeness.

You have a go at someone for missing a wide open shot or having 1 second lapse in concentration on the defensive end how is that going to improve anyone or anything. You say "next play dude, don't worry about it you got it" and you not only make them feel better about stuffing up but it is now in his mind that when he gets the ball next he doesn't need to worry because the whole team has confidence in what you can do and that will generally lead to a better play. Show me someone who never takes a millasecond of or makes a mistake and I will show you a fake.

As for calling out the coach that is just not something you should do in my opinion.I don't care who you are if someone is older than you and they have a view on how the game should be played then you try your best to make that happen. Never question the coach unless it just gets out of control, but still team chemistry is the most important thing for a team and if the coach doesn't care anymore or the players are afraid to be themselves then you will never succeed.

 

[Mustang Sally]

To an extent, it's not bad to see them "challenging" one another outside the playing field. Just got to know when to put a cap on it.

Still, as careful as they have to be with this sort of thing, it's refreshing to see some calling out after listening to people like Bill Belichick at the Super Bowl. They try to ask him about "Deflate-gate" and/or to get him to say something remotely interesting, and all they get is: "We have a good team" and "I think we played well."

Fine, so the media annoys Belichick....and he comes off as a counterpart to Marshawn Lynch.....but after that underwhelming interview, the entertainment value of a player or coach who speaks his mind a bit more is welcome, imo.

 

[Stone Cold Tea]

The media, especially over here in England will jump on absolutely any little quote and blow the shit out of it to have a big 'story', creating a soap opera and to sell their papers. Especially when it comes to football (soccer).

Now when athletes actually do call eachother out in public i think they should be fined instantly. For a team to be successful you need to create a feel good factor and bond between the players.

The other night for example, Steven Gerrard, who is Liverpools captain normally, was a pundit for the Liverpool match and he criticised his teammate, Mario Balotelli, for taking the ball off the stand in captain Jordan Henderson. He said Marios actions were disrespectful. Now I could maybe see his point yes, but to mention it on a worldwide stage, when you're meant to be the leader of the team, is not the way to go about it in my eyes, and it can only have a detrimental effect on morale.

Any issue players have with eachother should be aired behind closed doors away from the publics eye.

 

[tdmoon]

I believe that for the most part players shouldn't call out their teammates to the media. Keep it in the locker room. But I at least credit them for voicing an opinion and standing by it. What really grinds my gears is the anonymous leaks. If you have something to say, don't hide from it. This was a big issue with the NY media and the Yankees, particularly in the early eighties when Steinbrenner was at his worst. Between him leaking things, the GM leaking things, and players leaking things with none of them being attributed by name, it became a cesspool of finger pointing and you were never sure what was legit, whether there were ulterior motives and what was just sour grapes.

On the flip side, I would like to see more athletes actually saying something. Players have been coached to be as banal and generic as possible and the vast majority of interviews are about as entertaining as watching paint dry. I miss when some players actually showed a little personality.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Personally, although I find it entertaining to read I don't think it's good when players criticise their team mates, or managers slag off their players to the media. It's never good for team morale, and humiliating a colleague in public is only going to cause problems.

A team needs to be united, with a public face of "we are together, we are fighting for each other", and managers laying into their players after a game just shows that everything is not rosy at a team. Do whatever needs to be done behind closed doors, air out any frustrations and beliefs that team mates are not pulling their weight....but don't do it in the press or in interviews. That shows there is a weakness at that team, which is not something you want other rivals to know.

 

[SSJPhenom]

I can't really say whether it's good or bad. Personally, I think it depends on the mindset of the person or persons that are being called out. Take me for example, I'm an avid basketball player and fan. I'm the team captain of one of my gyms summer and winter league teams. I play PG. If I miss a wide open teammate or over dribble or fail a defensive assignment, I do better with a swift kick in the ass rather than a nice, "you'll get 'em next time". My teammates are mostly the same. We hold each other accountable and I think if that's what the idea behind publicly calling out your teammates is then its fine. If you're just doing it to be an asshole or to stroke your own ego then no.

Take Larry Bird and his 1980's Celtics for example. In the '84 Finals the Lakers were trouncing the Celtics. After one such trouncing, Larry Bird in a press conference said his team was playing like a bunch of sissies. He said a lot more than that but that was the general message. After that, the Celtics didn't lose another game and ended up beating the Lakers in that Finals. So, I think that sometimes it is warranted and maybe even necessary.

 

[Mustang Sally]

After one such trouncing, Larry Bird in a press conference said his team was playing like a bunch of sissies. He said a lot more than that but that was the general message.

There's a big difference in criticizing the entire team's play in a specific game or series......or even the effectiveness of one or two players in that game or series, but if he starts dissing the abilities of teammates, it's a whole different thing.

I remember reading an account of baseball's Dave Winfield of the San Diego Padres telling the press that he was '....the only person on the team worthy of playing in the major leagues.' He was their captain at the time and a subsequent quote in the papers said: "Winfield's teammates approach him with caution, if at all."

Honesty isn't always the best policy when issuing quotes. Often, it's better to say nothing......or do like Eli Manning and speak in mindless generalities that aren't entertaining to viewers but at least don't call into question the abilities of other players on his team.

After all, you gotta live with these guys.

 

[SSJPhenom]

There's a big difference in criticizing the entire team's play in a specific game or series......or even the effectiveness of one or two players in that game or series, but if he starts dissing the abilities of teammates, it's a whole different thing.

I remember reading an account of baseball's Dave Winfield of the San Diego Padres telling the press that he was '....the only person on the team worthy of playing in the major leagues.' He was their captain at the time and a subsequent quote in the papers said: "Winfield's teammates approach him with caution, if at all."

Honesty isn't always the best policy when issuing quotes. Often, it's better to say nothing......or do like Eli Manning and speak in mindless generalities that aren't entertaining to viewers but at least don't call into question the abilities of other players on his team.

After all, you gotta live with these guys.

But that's exactly what we're talking about is it not? Publicly calling out one's team or teammates? Larry Bird didn't use specific names, however, he was publicly calling out his team and saying that they could do better. I honestly think that Professional Sports could use more of that if we're being honest. Basketball, for example, has changed so much from when I first started watching around 1994. It used to be a tough, full contact sport. Now, if you so much as touch the ball handler its a foul. Players are hugging each other before games and hanging out or going out to eat with each other before games and stuff like that. My point is, sports in general, not just the NBA, are becoming softer. So calling out a teammate publicly or something like that is something that I'd love to see more of. Teammates should hold one another accountable. Take the Finals last season. 2 of Lebron's all star starters were injured and the Cavs ultimately lost. When asked how he thought his teammates played, he said that he felt everyone did their best and blah blah blah. Excuse my language but fuck that. The Cavs had JR Smith doing nothing for the entire Finals except pulling up from 3 and being a spot up shooter. I'm sorry, but JR Smith is much more athletic and skilled than that and James should've said something about it. Maybe he did behind closed doors or something but I wouldn't have seen a problem with it if James would've said it publicly. Hell, if I was Chris Paul of the Clippers or Blake Griffin, I'd call out Deandre Jordan every chance I got about his free throws because literally that's what's holding the team and Jordan himself back from taking that next step. Sometimes a point just needs to be drivin home.

That's my opinion anyway.

 

[Khalifa]

But that's exactly what we're talking about is it not? Publicly calling out one's team or teammates? Larry Bird didn't use specific names, however, he was publicly calling out his team and saying that they could do better. I honestly think that Professional Sports could use more of that if we're being honest. Basketball, for example, has changed so much from when I first started watching around 1994. It used to be a tough, full contact sport. Now, if you so much as touch the ball handler its a foul. Players are hugging each other before games and hanging out or going out to eat with each other before games and stuff like that. My point is, sports in general, not just the NBA, are becoming softer. So calling out a teammate publicly or something like that is something that I'd love to see more of. Teammates should hold one another accountable. Take the Finals last season. 2 of Lebron's all star starters were injured and the Cavs ultimately lost. When asked how he thought his teammates played, he said that he felt everyone did their best and blah blah blah. Excuse my language but fuck that. The Cavs had JR Smith doing nothing for the entire Finals except pulling up from 3 and being a spot up shooter. I'm sorry, but JR Smith is much more athletic and skilled than that and James should've said something about it. Maybe he did behind closed doors or something but I wouldn't have seen a problem with it if James would've said it publicly. Hell, if I was Chris Paul of the Clippers or Blake Griffin, I'd call out Deandre Jordan every chance I got about his free throws because literally that's what's holding the team and Jordan himself back from taking that next step. Sometimes a point just needs to be drivin home.

That's my opinion anyway.

Sorry for the late reply but I was really intrigued by this and would like to learn why you think this way? Its always good to get two sides of the story.

1st quote in bald: I honestly think he did the right thing. Lets say he came out and said JR Smith may as well shouldn't be there or that if his team mates step up next year they might win it, wouldn't some of those players (Mosgov, Smith etc) think get stuffed, I'll sign elsewhere and see how good you do with other guys. I think that's what I would think.

If you were thinking maybe he wouldn't say that and something more in the lines of "JR just needs to be a different player. Step up on D, not just spot up" then maybe that's a bit more acceptable but still it would be best off as a private conversation and I think you would get the best response by saying something like " Look dude I cant even think about what happened last year in the finals. This off season lets really work hard on defense and our driving to the basket." That way you aren't singling him out. Like you said though people do respond differently to different things.

2nd quote in bold: What would calling Dj out on his free throws solve. You don't think he knows he is horrible at free throws. You don't think he wants to hit those free throws or doesn't practice to hit those free throws. Of course he does and he would have Doc making sure he is working on them. Another example I can is maybe a turnover you or I have committed or a lay up we have missed and a team mate calls you out, whats the point. Give us 100 more times at doing that thing and the result would be different but we just made a mistake on this one possession. Everybody makes mistakes and sure you don't want to make any, but Michael Jordan did and who is calling him out. There is no need to build a fire in a happy place.

Now a situation where in my opinion you could call someone out to fire them up is if they have just received a big contract and have regressed a lot since the previous season because they are happy about the money they got. I hope I didn't come off as a prick because I truly have always wondered why some people thought the way you do compared to me.

 

[NSL]

There's a big difference in criticizing the entire team's play in a specific game or series......or even the effectiveness of one or two players in that game or series, but if he starts dissing the abilities of teammates, it's a whole different thing.

This is basically my opinion on the entire matter. When a team is on a losing streak, you expect to hear things like "We need to execute better. We need to work together more as a team. We need to find ways to win." When it turns into "The coach isn't using me properly" (DeMarco Murray), then you are hurting the team, and it becomes cancerous. It opens the floor for another guy to say "Well, I haven't been getting much time either", or for another to say "The coach is calling the wrong plays" and on and on.

I am not advocating they stop doing that at all though. Just keep it behind closed doors. In a private, controlled environment, where they can say what needs to be said and blow off steam, I think it helps way more than it hurts. But as soon as a third party knows about it, it gets blown up and twisted by the words of millions of people who aren't stepping on the field.

 

[SSJPhenom]

Sorry for the late reply but I was really intrigued by this and would like to learn why you think this way? Its always good to get two sides of the story.

1st quote in bald: I honestly think he did the right thing. Lets say he came out and said JR Smith may as well shouldn't be there or that if his team mates step up next year they might win it, wouldn't some of those players (Mosgov, Smith etc) think get stuffed, I'll sign elsewhere and see how good you do with other guys. I think that's what I would think.

If you were thinking maybe he wouldn't say that and something more in the lines of "JR just needs to be a different player. Step up on D, not just spot up" then maybe that's a bit more acceptable but still it would be best off as a private conversation and I think you would get the best response by saying something like " Look dude I cant even think about what happened last year in the finals. This off season lets really work hard on defense and our driving to the basket." That way you aren't singling him out. Like you said though people do respond differently to different things.

2nd quote in bold: What would calling Dj out on his free throws solve. You don't think he knows he is horrible at free throws. You don't think he wants to hit those free throws or doesn't practice to hit those free throws. Of course he does and he would have Doc making sure he is working on them. Another example I can is maybe a turnover you or I have committed or a lay up we have missed and a team mate calls you out, whats the point. Give us 100 more times at doing that thing and the result would be different but we just made a mistake on this one possession. Everybody makes mistakes and sure you don't want to make any, but Michael Jordan did and who is calling him out. There is no need to build a fire in a happy place.

Now a situation where in my opinion you could call someone out to fire them up is if they have just received a big contract and have regressed a lot since the previous season because they are happy about the money they got. I hope I didn't come off as a prick because I truly have always wondered why some people thought the way you do compared to me.

No problem, I'm happy to explain.

The point I was trying to make about J.R. Smith is that, Lebron was in the Finals playing for another NBA Championship. Smith was playing for his first. When J.R. Smith is totally engaged in the game, he can be one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA. His play in the NBA Finals, however, would indicate that he wasn't engaged, like, at all. I can see him having a bad game or two, but the Cavs literally had a chance to win that series and all Lebron needed was a little help. So, with my mindset, I would take every single opprotunity I had to remind each and every guy on my team exactly what we're playing for and how we can ultimately achieve this goal. I wouldn't put on a show and say how happy and pleased I am with my teams play if we're losing. Some points just need to be driven home. I'm not talking about calling somebody out on every single mistake they make. That's ridiculous, however, I am talking about telling calling someone out on their effort, mindset, and things like that. If J.R. didn't want to give it his all, then he shouldn't have played and Lebron should've been a leader and man enough to say that.

Again, that's my opinion anyways.