Ben Wallace regrets signing with Chicago

[G-Money]

I know you guys know this but its an intersting read.

Ben Wallace is many things – proud, tough, unyielding. But he’s not stupid. It might have been coincidence that he decided to challenge Scott Skiles’ authority in Madison Square Garden – the mecca of basketball, in the heart of the world’s media center – but there’s no getting around the fact that it was an act of defiance.
A few hours after Big Ben put his name to the four-year, $60 million contract that delivered him from Detroit to Chicago this summer, he went to dinner with Skiles and Bulls GM John Paxson. Skiles leaned over to Wallace and told him then that he should leave his headbands back in Detroit.

As Wallace told that story to a member of the Pistons organization, he listened and responded like this: “Ben, for $60 million, you can probably learn to live without the headbands.” To which Wallace replied, “I know. I just wonder what else they haven’t told me.”

That’s a lousy way to start a very serious relationship. What else they didn’t tell him was that he couldn’t blare his music in the locker room and that he would have to tape his ankles for every game and practice, which he didn’t do with the Pistons because he said it caused pain and limited movement.

Chauncey Billups talks to his former teammate and Pistons co-captain on almost a daily basis. He’s seen this coming for a long time.

“It’s tough,” Billups said after Monday’s Pistons practice. “I feel for him. I talk to him all the time and I know he’s frustrated. I know he’s highly frustrated. I know how Ben is. When he’s frustrated, things like (the headband incident) are going to happen. But for the most part, he don’t bother nobody. He do what he do, just mosey along, don’t say nothing. But when he finally does say something, then you know he’s got to the boiling point.”

I asked if he believed what Wallace did was done to bring the situation to a head and force a confrontation.

“I don’t know, man,” Billups said behind a sheepish smile. “You’ve got to ask him. I know, but I ain’t saying. You’ve got to ask him.”

Ben Wallace built himself into a commodity valuable enough that at least one NBA team thought he was worth $15 million a year. That he managed to do so despite being a legitimate 6-foot-7 with no discernible ball skills speaks to the incredible fire that burns within him. He is completely and wholly a self-made basketball player.

Which is where the trouble starts. It’s compounded by the fact that he’s incredibly sensitive. With Big Ben, things that don’t even rise to the level of constructive criticism are taken as great affront. Everything is viewed as a threat to the manhood of an incredibly proud man who believes all the hard work he put in to make himself the four-time Defensive Player of the Year, an All-Star and an NBA champion ought to translate into unchallenged acceptance of his beliefs on basketball and beyond.

But he didn’t accomplish any of those things on the Bulls’ dime, so he’s got no equity in Chicago. And they’re killing him in the papers and on talk radio. Saturday’s win at New York snapped a six-game losing streak for the 4-9 Bulls, whose team defense has been significantly weaker than a year ago.

The night before the Wallace insurrection, the Bulls were hammered at Philadelphia. Skiles yanked Wallace less than three minutes into a game in which he would play not quite 20 minutes and finish with a triple-zero – points, rebounds and blocked shots. When Skiles noticed the headband two minutes into Saturday’s game, he yanked him again. A series of assistant coaches walked to the end of the bench to get Wallace to relent on wearing his headband, which he finally did. But when he put it on again before the Bulls took the court for the third quarter, Skiles immediately sent Malik Allen into the game for Wallace. Skiles then closed the locker room doors for 25 minutes after the game, 10 longer than allowed under NBA rules.

“The Bulls at least need to fine Wallace, if not suspend him, for an egregious act that is way beyond a simple stunt of dissent or petulance,” Chicago Tribune NBA columnist Sam Smith wrote. “Some who know Wallace say he has gotten caught up in his image, the hairstyle and the Big Ben thing, and Skiles is taking that away from him with the sweatband issue and other team rules. So if Ben can’t be Ben, he’s not going to play like Ben. That will show them! We love to make excuses for the 19-year-olds, but he’s 32.”

And Skiles is 42, but every bit as stubborn – and every bit as much a self-made basketball player – as Ben Wallace. A few weeks after the Bulls hired him, Skiles made a defiant pronouncement of his own when he found a recalcitrant player on his roster, Eddie Robinson. “I’ve never lost a battle of wills in my life,” he said, “and I don’t plan on doing it now.”

Is there much chance of a compromised resolution between two men whose success has always been grounded in uncompromising adherence to their own beliefs? Wallace is signed through 2010, Skiles through 2009. If the Bulls decide they have to swallow one contract, guess who wins?

Wrote Smith, “Pistons players say Wallace has burned up the cell-phone satellites in recent weeks complaining about the Bulls, Skiles and signing in Chicago. My guess is the Bulls would gladly take the money and send him back.”

The Bulls all but admitted they overspent on Wallace back in July, but chose to emphasize the fact that adding a dominant player to a team that gave Miami a scare in last spring’s playoffs called for a bold move. Around the league, the sentiment seemed to be similar. It was acknowledged that there would come a point over his four-year contract when the Bulls would want to shed themselves of the burden. No one ever guessed it would happen this soon.


got that from Pistons.com

[DarkReign]

Re: Ben Wallace regrets signing with Chicago

Im sure he regrets it everyday except payday.

[Ballcox]

^See, I don't get that. At one point the article talks about Ben being a self-made man/basketball player, but then at the same time he's ultra sensitive. So, this article is telling me that Ben didn't have to put up with constant doubts about his ability and criticism as he was trying to come up through the league? You know he did have to do that, so why is he so suddenly this 'sensitive' basketball player who can't handle not wearing his head band? Doesn't make sense to me. Look, Ben signed a 60 freakin' million dollar contract, nobody held a gun to his head and told him to do it. He got greedy and wanted the money, ok, fine. Now, be a man and a professional and play your ass off for your current team, period. You can't wear your head band? You can't listen to your loud ass music in the locker room? Boo fucking Hoo, grow up and play the game that made you an all-star my man, that's it.

[dknights411]

It's too late for regrets, now. All Ben can do is just tae it on the chin and play on.

[JamStone]

Ben Wallace has always been sensitive. It doesn't mean he's not a self-made man. But, certain things really tend to embarrass him. His free throw shooting being one of them. When teams intentionally fouled him in close games, you could tell his frustration and embarassment. He's sensitive about it. He hasn't been sensitive about his rebounding or defense because he's always proved people wrong about that. Now, that he doesn't have the athletic ability and jumping he did just a few years ago, he can't go prove people wrong. And, now he's stuck with justifying his contract with words instead of his play on the court. He's very sensitive when people criticize him and he can't prove them wrong. In fact, from 2003-05, Larry Brown used to set up the first play of the game to give the ball to Ben Wallace in the post. It wasn't because it was the best option or it guaranteed 2 points. It was because Ben was sensitive about the topic of him not being able to score. Larry Brown knew how to deal with Ben's ego.

Ben is definitely a sensitive person. He is still a self-made basketball player with no discernible skill but to rely on his athleticism and reaction time to make a difference on the court. And, now that those things are eroding, his sensitivity will be challenged even more.

[StylisticS]

You can't make 60 million and be sensitive.

Why not?

[ALVAREZ6]

I don't understand why Skiles won't let him wear a headband.

Nocioni wears a long black sleeve, Ben Gordon has tattoos...

[ChumpDumper]

I don't understand why Ben can't stop wearing a headband for $60 million.

[nkdlunch]

sounds like the Bulls paid 60 mil for a negro.

[2centsworth]

Big Ben would look nice in the Silver & Black

[Bruno]

Jazz have the same rule than Bulls concerning headbands.

If Spurs can find a way to turn Peter Holt into Mark Cuban, they should try to do a trade for Wallace. :spin

[Chris Childs]

BENGAY has a problem!

[ChumpDumper]

If this guy is dogging it because of a headband, there's no telling why else he would dog it.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

you can't be serious!! The dude is unhappy because they won't let him wear the head band?? A 32 YEAR OLD ASS MAN BITCHING ABOUT THEM NOT LETTING HIM WEAR A HEADBAND!?? Shit, my high school coach wouldn't put up with that kind of shit from a 15 year old teenager and people are actually wondering why Skiles doesn't just let him wear the band... un-fucking-believable!...

Not only is this jackass 32, but he's getting paid 15 million dollars a year, and STILL he's acting like a fucking prima donna. I say fuck the band, and fuck Ben Wallace.

[PM5K]

You know, some people say "why doesn't Skiles just allow Ben to wear a headband", and my answer is that if anyone should give in it should be Ben, what kind of message does that send to the team if Skiles bends to the pressure of Ben Wallace, and what kind of respect is he going to get from his young team for doing that?

Ben Wallace needs to be a man, accept the rules that were there before he got there, and take off the headband, this team is doing badly enough as it is, they don't need these silly distractions..

[dimsah]

Didn't the Bulls start out horribly last year to? They seemed to do ok by the end of the season. Losing brings the worst out in people, and Ben is probably accustomed to winning a bit more now than he was earlier in his career.
Kind of a childish way to deal with it, but everyone has a character flaw.

[PM5K]

Bulls are 4-9, last year they were 7-6 after thirteen games, certainly people expected more, and what Ben Wallace is doing isn't helping things at all...

[ChumpDumper]

Ben Wallace just dropped to the Marbury/Carter level of douchiocity.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Lol. A bunch of kids asking for Ben's autograph were all wearing red headbands.

[BeerIsGood!]

It's not just about a headband. It's about being misled into the stipulations before sigining the contract. Both parties are at fault here - Ben should have gotten his facts straight before signing, and Skiles should realize that a true leader isn't some unyielding, stubborn, tyrant of a person who alienates the people he leads. A leader learns his team and knows how to compromise to help them be successful. Skiles is a very insecure person and as such will never be a good leader. A good leader has to be confident enough to know how to compromise. He is losing this team and will be fired within the next season or two. As much as I dislike Phil Jackson's coaching from an x's and o's standpoint - he is the imbodiment of a true leader. He knows how to lead a team of various personalities to achieve more than they ever could otherwise.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

It's not just about a headband. It's about being misled into the stipulations before sigining the contract. Both parties are at fault here - Ben should have gotten his facts straight before signing, and Skiles should realize that a true leader isn't some unyielding, stubborn, tyrant of a person who alienates the people he leads. A leader learns his team and knows how to compromise to help them be successful. Skiles is a very insecure person and as such will never be a good leader. A good leader has to be confident enough to know how to compromise. He is losing this team and will be fired within the next season or two. As much as I dislike Phil Jackson's coaching from an x's and o's standpoint - he is the imbodiment of a true leader. He knows how to lead a team of various personalities to achieve more than they ever could otherwise.
pleeeeaaase! compromise? why?? because one of your starting players is throwing a tantrum because he can't use a freaking headband? You're right about one thing though, the band isn't the issue here, Wallace is. Personally, I don't give a fuck if a player wears a headband or not, but Skiles is the coach, if the coach tells you not to wear a headband, then simply don't wear one! why is that so hard?? Its not like the dude is getting his minutes taken away from him. We're not talking about a huge injustice that is being done on Wallace. The dude should just grow the fuck up.

[PM5K]

It's not just about a headband. It's about being misled into the stipulations before sigining the contract. Both parties are at fault here - Ben should have gotten his facts straight before signing, and Skiles should realize that a true leader isn't some unyielding, stubborn, tyrant of a person who alienates the people he leads. A leader learns his team and knows how to compromise to help them be successful. Skiles is a very insecure person and as such will never be a good leader. A good leader has to be confident enough to know how to compromise. He is losing this team and will be fired within the next season or two. As much as I dislike Phil Jackson's coaching from an x's and o's standpoint - he is the imbodiment of a true leader. He knows how to lead a team of various personalities to achieve more than they ever could otherwise.

I don't agree with that at all, the stipulations of his contract were not that he couldn't wear a headband, rather they were that his job was to play basketball and as a player he answers directly to his coach, Skiles or anyone else.

That's a stupid argument because what if Skiles didn't ban headbands but the next coach did? Again his job is to answer directly to his coach and follow whatever rules he is given to follow.

Jerry Sloan does the same thing, and he's a great coach, so if Skiles isn't a good coach is has nothing to do with if he allows headbands or not, and the bottom line is that Ben Wallace shouldn't be wearing one, and he shouldn't be ignoring the rules his coach has set...

[SequSpur]

headbands keep sweat out of your eyes.

I would file a discrimination complaint against the Bulls. He probably would win.

[Shaolin-Style]

Headbands aren't fashion statements.

Bulls shooting themselves in the foot. Who the hell is going to want to sign with them in the future with these terrible rules? They'll have to fork over a good hunk of money from now on for anyone with options.

[ChumpDumper]

:lmao

NOBODY can wear a headband.

More than likely the players allowed Stern to be the final arbiter on these things, so he's boned.

Headbands are more important to him than the game. Way to go, Vince.

[Sigh]

Skiles is an idiot.

You don't scuttle the whole team's chemistry over some B.S. team rrule straight out of grade school. Who the hell cares if he wears a bleeping headband? Not one fan, not one guy in that locker room I guarantee you. Just one coach. One coach likely to be an ex-coach if his supposedly contending team wins 30 games this year because he's an idiot.

[jochhejaam]

Skiles is an idiot.

You don't scuttle the whole team's chemistry over some B.S. team rrule straight out of grade school. Who the hell cares if he wears a bleeping headband? Not one fan, not one guy in that locker room I guarantee you. Just one coach. One coach likely to be an ex-coach if his supposedly contending team wins 30 games this year because he's an idiot.
It's Skile's boss, Paxson, that made the rule and it's his job to enforce the rule. How does that make Skiles an idiot?

Regardless, an employee doesn't make the rules, he follows his employers rules (or not).

[Bruno]

Sloan has the same rule than Skiles and when Devin played fot utah, he has just stopped to wear a headband without complaining. Wallace just need to STFU, even more than he isn't producing enough given his salary.

[ATX Spur]

Headbands aren't fashion statements.

Bulls shooting themselves in the foot. Who the hell is going to want to sign with them in the future with these terrible rules? They'll have to fork over a good hunk of money from now on for anyone with options.

Are you kidding? The problems the Bulls will have signing free agents is because they just added a giant albatross of a contract for a 32-year old, not because they won't find a marquee player who will want to be the missing link on a deep Bulls roster in the third-largest NBA market out of 30.

[ATX Spur]

Skiles is an idiot.

You don't scuttle the whole team's chemistry over some B.S. team rrule straight out of grade school. Who the hell cares if he wears a bleeping headband? Not one fan, not one guy in that locker room I guarantee you. Just one coach. One coach likely to be an ex-coach if his supposedly contending team wins 30 games this year because he's an idiot.

It's the organization's rule. Wallace isn't above it. And there are 60 million reasons why he shouldn't publicly whine about it.

[Gerryatrics]

What exactly is the problem a lot of GMs and Coaches seem to have with players wearing headbands? When I play serious ball I usually wear one because it keeps sweat and my hair out of my eyes. It's not really much of a fashion statement and it's not like players are going out on the court with bands covered with Swarovski crystals or gang symbols, they're NBA licensed. I honestly don't understand the big problem with headbands.

[ducks]

would anyone want him on the spurs?

[thispego]

headbands keep sweat out of your eyes.

I would file a discrimination complaint against the Bulls. He probably would win.
no shit, no headbands is a stupid rule of Skiles, some players sweat more than others and basketball jerseys dont exactly have sleeves to wipe your brow.

Headbands and wristbands should never be banned on a team, it just doesnt make any sense

[Kermit]

no shit, no headbands is a stupid rule of Skiles, some players sweat more than others and basketball jerseys dont exactly have sleeves to wipe your brow.

Headbands and wristbands should never be banned on a team, it just doesnt make any sense

actually, it's a stupid rule of paxson's. he's the general manager.

[nkdlunch]

would anyone want him on the spurs?

hell yeah I would. Not for 60 mil though. But if he played next to Duncan, we'd be seriously scary

[Obstructed_View]

Ben Wallace is the poster child for the crybaby spoiled athlete. At least now he has an excuse to dog it. Oh by the way, he'll still deposit his paychecks. Fucking pussy.

[Crookshanks]

Ben Wallace is being so immature about this. Shouldn't he (or his agent) have learned as much about the team, the coach, and the organization BEFORE he signed? You know, if you don't want to play defense, don't come to the Spurs or the Rockets; if you don't want a prick for an owner, don't sign with the Mavs; and if you absolutely MUST wear a headband - don't sign with the Bulls!

Almost every company has some sort of dress code. USAA and Valero have very strict ones - if you don't want to wear suits and ties, don't seek employment there. If you work for a company, you must follow their rules - it's as simple as that - whether you make minimum wage or $60 million a year!

[thispego]

actually, it's a stupid rule of paxson's. he's the general manager.
yeah yeah yeah, like it really matters

[StylisticS]

There are 60 million reasons. Pick one

Oh please. Just because you have money does not mean you are happy or suppose to be happy. There are many situations in this world that money cannot solve.

[Ariel]

We all have to endure crap to get our paychecks, I only wish it came down to being unable to wear a headband, while getting paid the mere sum of 60 million dollars for doing what I love most.

I love Ben Wallace the player, but this whole circus makes it seem like he has the emotional maturity of a 5 year old.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Going from being known as the biggest overachiever in the league to being known as $60 mil star free agent for a young team to being known as an overpaid bust is going to wreak havoc on any players head. He wouldn't be the first guy to not handle the pressure of a monster contract very well.

As far as the headband issue goes, its no different than the Army giving everyone the same haircut. Cohesion through conformity. It's also a useful sort of thing to pick out drama queens pretty quickly, as you can see here. The idea behind it is, "If you can't sacrifice a headband for your team what else won't you give?"

[JamStone]

Oh please. Just because you have money does not mean you are happy or suppose to be happy. There are many situations in this world that money cannot solve.

Not being able to wear a headband should not be one of those situations.

[boutons_]

"emotional maturity of a 5 year old."

yep, he seems to have an adolescent chip on his shoulder,
ain't gittn no respek fum da man.

[ALVAREZ6]

What exactly is the problem a lot of GMs and Coaches seem to have with players wearing headbands? When I play serious ball I usually wear one because it keeps sweat and my hair out of my eyes. It's not really much of a fashion statement and it's not like players are going out on the court with bands covered with Swarovski crystals or gang symbols, they're NBA licensed. I honestly don't understand the big problem with headbands.
That's what I was wondering.

I can see a coach telling a player he can't wear stockings like Dwayne Wade, but I don't see any benefit of taking away a headband. Did Big Ben know about this before he signed? If he did, he's an idiot, and if they just told this to him after signing, the Bulls management is a piece of shit.

[Kermit]

anyone calling ben wallace a "poster child for the crybaby spoiled athlete" is a fucking dumbass. that guy is everything that is right with the nba. not unlike bruce, he has kicked and clawed his way to the top of his profession and earned that contract. so he made a mistake. he'll come to his senses and this whole debacle will be water over ted kennedy's car. perhaps, the bulls will wake up, see that it's not the 1950's and allow their players to wear headbands. it's the stupidest rule imaginable.

[sprrs]

The point isn't whether or not the rule is a stupid one. The rule is there, whether he likes it or not, and he's not following it. Timmy hates the new dress code, but he's following it. You people need to stop defending Ben for being an incompetent employee in that sense.

[Obstructed_View]

anyone calling ben wallace a "poster child for the crybaby spoiled athlete" is a fucking dumbass. that guy is everything that is right with the nba. not unlike bruce, he has kicked and clawed his way to the top of his profession and earned that contract. so he made a mistake. he'll come to his senses and this whole debacle will be water over ted kennedy's car. perhaps, the bulls will wake up, see that it's not the 1950's and allow their players to wear headbands. it's the stupidest rule imaginable.
Anybody defending a guy making 60 million guaranteed dollars and pouting over a really simple rule is a complete fucking retard. There are millions upon millions of people having to eat any piece of shit their manager throws their way every single day just to keep their jobs, and they don't make nearly as much money and their jobs aren't remotely as enjoyable. Ben Wallace has never had a real job in his entire fucking life and it shows. Those of you that work for a living shouldn't waste your time tonguing his choad; it's beneath even those of you that don't have the guts to post up as yourselves.

Ben Wallace is everything that's right with the NBA? The motherfucker can't get along with his coaches, bounces from team to team, can't hit a free throw to save his life and thinks his headband or his afro is more important than his team's losing streak 12 games into the season. You should be ashamed of yourself for even implying that.

[ponky]

Dear Ben, learn from Derek Fisher and stop acting like a five year old brat:

quote from SA Express article -

Fisher has had to make one change since joining the Jazz.

He's no longer wearing the headband he sported during his days with the Lakers. Utah coach Jerry Sloan, like Chicago general manager John Paxson, doesn't allow his players to wear one.

Bulls center Ben Wallace was benched in a game last week for wearing his headband even though he knew it was against the rules. Fisher has no plans to test Sloan.

"If you work for a company and they have rules and a code of conduct, you're pretty much at the bottom," Fisher said. "As long as you're an employee, you have to follow the rules.

"There's not much debate about it until you're an employer. Then you can have a little more say-so about it."

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

What's dumber, the archaic rule or the decision not to follow it?

IMO, it's a push and really, really stupid on the part of both parties.

[ponky]

What's dumber, the archaic rule or the decision not to follow it?

IMO, it's a push and really, really stupid on the part of both parties.

I agree, both stupid.

[FlipMavFan]

Ben Wallace is overrated.

[mqywaaah]

And Dirk is underrated.

[PM5K]

What's dumber, the archaic rule or the decision not to follow it?

IMO, it's a push and really, really stupid on the part of both parties.

But the dumbest move of all would be for the Bulls management to bend on that rule for Ben Wallace, and if he's going to cry about this, whose to say he wouldn't cry about something else if that rule were not in place?

And I'll say it again: IT DOESNT MATTER IF HE KNEW ABOUT THE RULE BEFORE SIGNING OR NOT.

His job is to follow the rules set out by the organization and his head coach, Scott Skiles could be fired tomorrow, and by some peoples logic he wouldn't have to listen to any of the rules set out by his new head coach because they weren't in place when he signed his contract, and that idea is utter bullshit...

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

And Dirk is underrated.


That's almost as stupid as the headband rule.

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

But the dumbest move of all would be for the Bulls management to bend on that rule for Ben Wallace, and if he's going to cry about this, whose to say he wouldn't cry about something else if that rule were not in place?

And I'll say it again: IT DOESNT MATTER IF HE KNEW ABOUT THE RULE BEFORE SIGNING OR NOT.

His job is to follow the rules set out by the organization and his head coach, Scott Skiles could be fired tomorrow, and by some peoples logic he wouldn't have to listen to any of the rules set out by his new head coach because they weren't in place when he signed his contract, and that idea is utter bullshit...


The best part of all this is that in their home opener, the promotion was Big Ben Afro night, complete with headband. I love you, hypocrisy.

[Kermit]

Anybody defending a guy making 60 million guaranteed dollars and pouting over a really simple rule is a complete fucking retard. There are millions upon millions of people having to eat any piece of shit their manager throws their way every single day just to keep their jobs, and they don't make nearly as much money and their jobs aren't remotely as enjoyable. Ben Wallace has never had a real job in his entire fucking life and it shows. Those of you that work for a living shouldn't waste your time tonguing his choad; it's beneath even those of you that don't have the guts to post up as yourselves.

Ben Wallace is everything that's right with the NBA? The motherfucker can't get along with his coaches, bounces from team to team, can't hit a free throw to save his life and thinks his headband or his afro is more important than his team's losing streak 12 games into the season. You should be ashamed of yourself for even implying that.

why shouldn't i defend him. the guy made a mistake. it's a fucking basketball game, not life or death. and don't give me this "millions of people having to eat any piece of shit their manager throws their way" crap. fucking quit if you don't like your job. people who cry about ball players salaries are whiny bitches. worry about your own salary. who cares if he's never had a real job in his entire life, and how the fuck do you know that is the truth? you're talking out your ass. you want to call out fans for not posting as themselves, hypocrite? your name is obstructed view. now lick my frog balls.

why has he bounced from team to team? i'll give you a hint, it's not because of his attitude. and what does it matter if he can't hit a free-throw to save his life? last i checked they didn't sign him to hit free-throws. and neither can tim, but no one is calling him out on it (and neither can dirk, when it matters. he chokes on balls). i don't think he has ever said that the headband was more important than winning a game. that's something you've made up, yet again. the headband shouldn't be an issue and he's wrong but does it make him a horrible teamate and player like some of you retards have suggested? no. we as spurs fans would love to have him on our team (sans the contract) as would any bitch-ass maverick fan.

[sprrs]

why shouldn't i defend him. the guy made a mistake. it's a fucking basketball game, not life or death. and don't give me this "millions of people having to eat any piece of shit their manager throws their way" crap. fucking quit if you don't like your job. people who cry about ball players salaries are whiny bitches. worry about your own salary. who cares if he's never had a real job in his entire life, and how the fuck do you know that is the truth? you're talking out your ass. you want to call out fans for not posting as themselves, hypocrite? your name is obstructed view. now lick my frog balls.

why has he bounced from team to team? i'll give you a hint, it's not because of his attitude. and what does it matter if he can't hit a free-throw to save his life? last i checked they didn't sign him to hit free-throws. and neither can tim, but no one is calling him out on it (and neither can dirk, when it matters. he chokes on balls). i don't think he has ever said that the headband was more important than winning a game. that's something you've made up, yet again. the headband shouldn't be an issue and he's wrong but does it make him a horrible teamate and player like some of you retards have suggested? no. we as spurs fans would love to have him on our team (sans the contract) as would any bitch-ass maverick fan.

For 60 millon dollars, I would play in a ballerina outfit if it was a rule my employer enforced, he shouldn't be crying about a damn headband.

They didn't sign him to complain about headbands, and disrupt the team chemistry which is causing them to lose games, either. Apparently, him wearing a headband is more important than winning, if he knows it's a rule and he still wears it, causing him to be removed from the game.

[Dirk41MVP]

The funniest thing is Chandler is currently outplaying him... :lol

[Pistons < Spurs]

Ben tonight vs Chandler:

Ben:
32 minutes 1pt 4rbs 2asts 1blk

Chandler:
31 minutes 2pt 17rbs 1ast 3blk



Even Chris Paul had 11 rbs (to go along w/ 18assists 25points 5steals &7to's) :wow :wow :wow

[BeerIsGood!]

I don't agree with that at all, the stipulations of his contract were not that he couldn't wear a headband, rather they were that his job was to play basketball and as a player he answers directly to his coach, Skiles or anyone else.

That's a stupid argument because what if Skiles didn't ban headbands but the next coach did? Again his job is to answer directly to his coach and follow whatever rules he is given to follow.

Jerry Sloan does the same thing, and he's a great coach, so if Skiles isn't a good coach is has nothing to do with if he allows headbands or not, and the bottom line is that Ben Wallace shouldn't be wearing one, and he shouldn't be ignoring the rules his coach has set...

I'm guessing that you either aren't in a supervisory position or were not successful in one. You obviously don't know how to lead. It's not about you or your ego - it's about the success of the people who depend on you. You obviously don't "get it"

[Vinnie_Johnson]

sounds like the Bulls paid 60 mil for a negro.

WTF? Ban this bitch. :depressed

[mqywaaah]

Michael Richards? That you?

[PM5K]

I'm guessing that you either aren't in a supervisory position or were not successful in one. You obviously don't know how to lead. It's not about you or your ego - it's about the success of the people who depend on you. You obviously don't "get it"

Why don't you make a real argument instead of making assumptions about me and attacking me...

Things seem to be working pretty well for Jerry Sloan even with his no head band rule, I don't hear Derrick Fisher crying about their 14-4 record, and I'd argue that a good leader is someone who will stand by his convictions, what's the point of having rules if you are going to let a spoiled super star get away with not following them?

[ajh18]

I'm guessing that you either aren't in a supervisory position or were not successful in one. You obviously don't know how to lead. It's not about you or your ego - it's about the success of the people who depend on you. You obviously don't "get it"

It is about the succes of the people who depend on you... all of them, not just the "superstar." In this case, as was stated by someone earlier, it is completely reasonable to suggest that willingness to conform to team dress codes creates an atmosphere that puts the team ahead of personal preferences, ultimately leading to more positive outcomes for the team as a whole.

Whether or not that will result in this situation is yet to be seen, but it is not an outlandish policy if considered within that light. So please, don't attack other posters on their leadership ability when an argument can be made that enforcing a dress code uniformly could result in higher levels of "success of the people that depend on you."

[BeerIsGood!]

... can be made that enforcing a dress code uniformly could result in higher levels of "success of the people that depend on you."

Just how is that? And the thing you said about the whole team and not the superstar? How is alienating the superstar over nothing NOT messing up the entire team? It's about Paxon and Skiles' ego here - don't think it's not.

[BeerIsGood!]

That's a stupid argument...

Who was attacking who first? I made a legitimate argument - just because your ass doesn't agree with it doesn't mean it's not legitimate. Your point of view could be wrong. It is possible. Arrogant Ass.