Howard Refuses to Play for SVG (Report)

[Interceptor]

He's having surgery for his back and is done till next year.

Sources tell me that Dwight refuses to have the surgery until SVG is fired.

Of course, source is my magic 8-ball, but it's been pretty solid, so far only been wrong about Von Wafer.

[LarBrd33]

Too bad we can't play Orlando in the 1st round.

Anyhow, I went into detail why I thought Dwight was going to be traded this offseason and was pretty much laughed at:  http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=54922.msg1175965 ... I stand by it.  All of this nonsense just fuels my belief.  I made that prediction before this Dwight/Van Gundy drama took center stage.

[gar]

Like how Howard got back at Van Gundy for going public with his comments to ownership. Basically took a parting shot at him knowing that he would not be back this year. Too bad they kind of deserve each other.

[Celtics4ever]

I would not touch Dwight with a ten foot pole now.  Back issues are bad for a player sometimes they are never the same again.

[Moranis]

Okay, let's review:

In 2009, after losing a game to the Celtics in the playoffs, Howard called out his coach for his substitution patterns.

In 2010, before the season started, Howard asked for Van Gundy to tone down the negativity in his coaching.

In 2011, Van Gundy questioned Howard's focus and leadership after Howard led the league in technicals the year before and after yet another display of immaturity.

In 2012, Howard gives management a list of teams he would like to be traded to, says he is not opting out of his contract then changes his mind then changes it again and doesn't opt out, asks management to fire Van Gundy then hugs Van Gundy in front of cameras during an interview with Van Gundy that he disrupts, half asses his way through a game in New York, goes out injured and then states he doesn't want to play for Van Gundy again and then denies stating he said that.

Is anyone really defending Howard? The guy is an immature brat of a professional basketball player that cares more about wearing Superman capes, signing shoe deals, starring in Hollywood and hanging with other idiot NBA players like Gilbert Arenas and Big Baby Davis than winning basketball championships.

Van Gundy's shelf life isn't long because Orlando management has decided to hook their wagon to a loser. They deserve everything that happens to them as a team from this point forward for doing so, IMHO.

You act like Van Gundy isn't at fault here.  Why not mention the February 2008 public call out of Howard by Van Gundy after benching him down the stretch of a close game.  

   “His focus isn’t where it needs to be. I don’t think, right now, we’re on the same page to be quite honest,” Van Gundy fumed. “I think his priorities need to be defense and rebounding. We’re 22-2 when he blocks three shots or more, and he’s got five blocks in the last six games so he’s not focusing on coming to help.

    “He had 23 15-plus rebounds in the first 41 games, and he has one in the past 12 games. He didn’t even have a double-figure rebounding game (on Monday). It’s a matter of focus, and his focus is on the offensive end, and he gets discouraged when he doesn’t get the ball. I don’t think, I know, that the numbers prove that what we need him to focus on to win is defense and rebounding. But that’s not what he wants to do right now, so we have a little bit of a conflict.”

A coach should never ever do that.  And that precedes any incident you posted about Dwight.  

Stan Van Gundy has always been the problem in that relationship and frankly it isn't like he is a HOF coach.  He is average at best, or as Shaq says the "master of panic".   


That presser you indicate where Howard hugged Van Gundy, isn't that the same one where Van Gundy brought to light the private conversations and essentially asked to be fired.  Van Gundy should have been fired on the spot.  No questions asked.  Private team things should remain private team things.  

And can you really blame Dwight for not wanting to play for Van Gundy?  Van Gundy sells him out every chance he gets and has personally brought into the open private conversations.  It is a terrible franchise.


Whoever leaked the information about Dwight's call to Vos, should also be fired on the spot.  Period.  No questions asked.  Frankly, Orlando needs to get rid of everyone in management, it is just a horribly run franchise at the moment.

[guava_wrench]

IF its true, wow
I've had some coaches I out & out hated but I would never give up on my teammates.  IF its true I wouldn't want howard on the celtics at all

Who is quitting on their team? Howard is out with a legitimate injury.

The question is, could/can he play through it if he wanted to?

You are assuming that he can't play on it, he wouldn't be the first player to milk an injury for a coach he hates.

Other people are assuming that he is quitting on his team and than going on rants against him.

You are making as big of an assumption as anyone else in this thread, unless you're actually Dwight's doctor.

So much for assumptions.

[nickagneta]

Okay, let's review:

In 2009, after losing a game to the Celtics in the playoffs, Howard called out his coach for his substitution patterns.

In 2010, before the season started, Howard asked for Van Gundy to tone down the negativity in his coaching.

In 2011, Van Gundy questioned Howard's focus and leadership after Howard led the league in technicals the year before and after yet another display of immaturity.

In 2012, Howard gives management a list of teams he would like to be traded to, says he is not opting out of his contract then changes his mind then changes it again and doesn't opt out, asks management to fire Van Gundy then hugs Van Gundy in front of cameras during an interview with Van Gundy that he disrupts, half asses his way through a game in New York, goes out injured and then states he doesn't want to play for Van Gundy again and then denies stating he said that.

Is anyone really defending Howard? The guy is an immature brat of a professional basketball player that cares more about wearing Superman capes, signing shoe deals, starring in Hollywood and hanging with other idiot NBA players like Gilbert Arenas and Big Baby Davis than winning basketball championships.

Van Gundy's shelf life isn't long because Orlando management has decided to hook their wagon to a loser. They deserve everything that happens to them as a team from this point forward for doing so, IMHO.

You act like Van Gundy isn't at fault here.  Why not mention the February 2008 public call out of Howard by Van Gundy after benching him down the stretch of a close game.  

   “His focus isn’t where it needs to be. I don’t think, right now, we’re on the same page to be quite honest,” Van Gundy fumed. “I think his priorities need to be defense and rebounding. We’re 22-2 when he blocks three shots or more, and he’s got five blocks in the last six games so he’s not focusing on coming to help.

    “He had 23 15-plus rebounds in the first 41 games, and he has one in the past 12 games. He didn’t even have a double-figure rebounding game (on Monday). It’s a matter of focus, and his focus is on the offensive end, and he gets discouraged when he doesn’t get the ball. I don’t think, I know, that the numbers prove that what we need him to focus on to win is defense and rebounding. But that’s not what he wants to do right now, so we have a little bit of a conflict.”

A coach should never ever do that.  And that precedes any incident you posted about Dwight.  

Stan Van Gundy has always been the problem in that relationship and frankly it isn't like he is a HOF coach.  He is average at best, or as Shaq says the "master of panic".   


That presser you indicate where Howard hugged Van Gundy, isn't that the same one where Van Gundy brought to light the private conversations and essentially asked to be fired.  Van Gundy should have been fired on the spot.  No questions asked.  Private team things should remain private team things.  

And can you really blame Dwight for not wanting to play for Van Gundy?  Van Gundy sells him out every chance he gets and has personally brought into the open private conversations.  It is a terrible franchise.


Whoever leaked the information about Dwight's call to Vos, should also be fired on the spot.  Period.  No questions asked.  Frankly, Orlando needs to get rid of everyone in management, it is just a horribly run franchise at the moment.

When a player is as immature, unfocused and undedicated to being the absolute best they can be and as a coach you attempt everything you possibly can behind the scenes and the player is still immature, unfocused and undedicated, you go public.

Do you think Doc hasn't gone public on his players? He's called out players in public. Big Baby comes to mind. He blasted the whole team's effort publicly in after a recent game. Going public with stuff when its not working in private is a tool just about every coach in every professional sport uses.

I don't like Van Gundy and I don't think he is 100% innocent in this, but I see Howard's lack of professionalism, lack of dedication to his craft, immaturity and pathetic displays of wanton attention seeking as the true problems here.

[angryguy77]

Okay, let's review:

In 2009, after losing a game to the Celtics in the playoffs, Howard called out his coach for his substitution patterns.

In 2010, before the season started, Howard asked for Van Gundy to tone down the negativity in his coaching.

In 2011, Van Gundy questioned Howard's focus and leadership after Howard led the league in technicals the year before and after yet another display of immaturity.

In 2012, Howard gives management a list of teams he would like to be traded to, says he is not opting out of his contract then changes his mind then changes it again and doesn't opt out, asks management to fire Van Gundy then hugs Van Gundy in front of cameras during an interview with Van Gundy that he disrupts, half asses his way through a game in New York, goes out injured and then states he doesn't want to play for Van Gundy again and then denies stating he said that.

Is anyone really defending Howard? The guy is an immature brat of a professional basketball player that cares more about wearing Superman capes, signing shoe deals, starring in Hollywood and hanging with other idiot NBA players like Gilbert Arenas and Big Baby Davis than winning basketball championships.

Van Gundy's shelf life isn't long because Orlando management has decided to hook their wagon to a loser. They deserve everything that happens to them as a team from this point forward for doing so, IMHO.

You act like Van Gundy isn't at fault here.  Why not mention the February 2008 public call out of Howard by Van Gundy after benching him down the stretch of a close game.  

   “His focus isn’t where it needs to be. I don’t think, right now, we’re on the same page to be quite honest,” Van Gundy fumed. “I think his priorities need to be defense and rebounding. We’re 22-2 when he blocks three shots or more, and he’s got five blocks in the last six games so he’s not focusing on coming to help.

    “He had 23 15-plus rebounds in the first 41 games, and he has one in the past 12 games. He didn’t even have a double-figure rebounding game (on Monday). It’s a matter of focus, and his focus is on the offensive end, and he gets discouraged when he doesn’t get the ball. I don’t think, I know, that the numbers prove that what we need him to focus on to win is defense and rebounding. But that’s not what he wants to do right now, so we have a little bit of a conflict.”

A coach should never ever do that.  And that precedes any incident you posted about Dwight.  

Stan Van Gundy has always been the problem in that relationship and frankly it isn't like he is a HOF coach.  He is average at best, or as Shaq says the "master of panic".   


That presser you indicate where Howard hugged Van Gundy, isn't that the same one where Van Gundy brought to light the private conversations and essentially asked to be fired.  Van Gundy should have been fired on the spot.  No questions asked.  Private team things should remain private team things.  

And can you really blame Dwight for not wanting to play for Van Gundy?  Van Gundy sells him out every chance he gets and has personally brought into the open private conversations.  It is a terrible franchise.


Whoever leaked the information about Dwight's call to Vos, should also be fired on the spot.  Period.  No questions asked.  Frankly, Orlando needs to get rid of everyone in management, it is just a horribly run franchise at the moment.

When a player is as immature, unfocused and undedicated to being the absolute best they can be and as a coach you attempt everything you possibly can behind the scenes and the player is still immature, unfocused and undedicated, you go public.

Do you think Doc hasn't gone public on his players? He's called out players in public. Big Baby comes to mind. He blasted the whole team's effort publicly in after a recent game. Going public with stuff when its not working in private is a tool just about every coach in every professional sport uses.

I don't like Van Gundy and I don't think he is 100% innocent in this, but I see Howard's lack of professionalism, lack of dedication to his craft, immaturity and pathetic displays of wanton attention seeking as the true problems here.

Nick is spot on with this.

However, I think SVG should have taken a cue from Micheal Scott and made DH do his laundry and wash his car once he found out he was trying to get him fired.

[guava_wrench]

He's having surgery for his back and is done till next year.

Curiouser and curiouser.  I can't imagine this is the first the Magic heard about this - I wonder if this leak today was preemptive damage control against angry fans. 

Paint Howard as a quitter, and imply he doesn't really need the surgery (which they might actually believe), so fans and the media don't blame management.

Without knowing who the leak is, it isn't fair to assume that management planned anything. It could all be from one secretary who has no role in decision-making, but overhears conversations. Or some of the stories could be fabricated.

All I know is that Howard didn't go public with business. He spoke to management about coaching issues as he should.

Now I kinda wish Howard had been traded to the Lakers so that he could be out injured with a large extension paid for by Laker money.

[Moranis]

Okay, let's review:

In 2009, after losing a game to the Celtics in the playoffs, Howard called out his coach for his substitution patterns.

In 2010, before the season started, Howard asked for Van Gundy to tone down the negativity in his coaching.

In 2011, Van Gundy questioned Howard's focus and leadership after Howard led the league in technicals the year before and after yet another display of immaturity.

In 2012, Howard gives management a list of teams he would like to be traded to, says he is not opting out of his contract then changes his mind then changes it again and doesn't opt out, asks management to fire Van Gundy then hugs Van Gundy in front of cameras during an interview with Van Gundy that he disrupts, half asses his way through a game in New York, goes out injured and then states he doesn't want to play for Van Gundy again and then denies stating he said that.

Is anyone really defending Howard? The guy is an immature brat of a professional basketball player that cares more about wearing Superman capes, signing shoe deals, starring in Hollywood and hanging with other idiot NBA players like Gilbert Arenas and Big Baby Davis than winning basketball championships.

Van Gundy's shelf life isn't long because Orlando management has decided to hook their wagon to a loser. They deserve everything that happens to them as a team from this point forward for doing so, IMHO.

You act like Van Gundy isn't at fault here.  Why not mention the February 2008 public call out of Howard by Van Gundy after benching him down the stretch of a close game.  

   “His focus isn’t where it needs to be. I don’t think, right now, we’re on the same page to be quite honest,” Van Gundy fumed. “I think his priorities need to be defense and rebounding. We’re 22-2 when he blocks three shots or more, and he’s got five blocks in the last six games so he’s not focusing on coming to help.

    “He had 23 15-plus rebounds in the first 41 games, and he has one in the past 12 games. He didn’t even have a double-figure rebounding game (on Monday). It’s a matter of focus, and his focus is on the offensive end, and he gets discouraged when he doesn’t get the ball. I don’t think, I know, that the numbers prove that what we need him to focus on to win is defense and rebounding. But that’s not what he wants to do right now, so we have a little bit of a conflict.”

A coach should never ever do that.  And that precedes any incident you posted about Dwight.  

Stan Van Gundy has always been the problem in that relationship and frankly it isn't like he is a HOF coach.  He is average at best, or as Shaq says the "master of panic".   


That presser you indicate where Howard hugged Van Gundy, isn't that the same one where Van Gundy brought to light the private conversations and essentially asked to be fired.  Van Gundy should have been fired on the spot.  No questions asked.  Private team things should remain private team things.  

And can you really blame Dwight for not wanting to play for Van Gundy?  Van Gundy sells him out every chance he gets and has personally brought into the open private conversations.  It is a terrible franchise.


Whoever leaked the information about Dwight's call to Vos, should also be fired on the spot.  Period.  No questions asked.  Frankly, Orlando needs to get rid of everyone in management, it is just a horribly run franchise at the moment.

When a player is as immature, unfocused and undedicated to being the absolute best they can be and as a coach you attempt everything you possibly can behind the scenes and the player is still immature, unfocused and undedicated, you go public.

Do you think Doc hasn't gone public on his players? He's called out players in public. Big Baby comes to mind. He blasted the whole team's effort publicly in after a recent game. Going public with stuff when its not working in private is a tool just about every coach in every professional sport uses.

I don't like Van Gundy and I don't think he is 100% innocent in this, but I see Howard's lack of professionalism, lack of dedication to his craft, immaturity and pathetic displays of wanton attention seeking as the true problems here.

The thing is the first 41 games, the Magic were 24-17 (58.5% win rate).  The last 12 games, the Magic were 8-4 (66.7% win rate).  In other words, this perceived lack of focus by Dwight increased the win percentage of the Magic and made them a better team.  In other words, Stan Van Gundy was criticizing his star player for play that led to a better win percentage. 

Stan Van Gundy is and always has been clueless.  He doesn't know what he is doing and he does actually panic.  He didn't even realize that defense and rebounding is nice, but the Magic are better when the offense runs through Dwight.  Dwight knew this, but Van Gundy didn't. 

[Finkelskyhook]

Well, apparently Howard is refusing to play for Mike Krzyzewski also.

[Celtics18]

Okay, let's review:

In 2009, after losing a game to the Celtics in the playoffs, Howard called out his coach for his substitution patterns.

In 2010, before the season started, Howard asked for Van Gundy to tone down the negativity in his coaching.

In 2011, Van Gundy questioned Howard's focus and leadership after Howard led the league in technicals the year before and after yet another display of immaturity.

In 2012, Howard gives management a list of teams he would like to be traded to, says he is not opting out of his contract then changes his mind then changes it again and doesn't opt out, asks management to fire Van Gundy then hugs Van Gundy in front of cameras during an interview with Van Gundy that he disrupts, half asses his way through a game in New York, goes out injured and then states he doesn't want to play for Van Gundy again and then denies stating he said that.

Is anyone really defending Howard? The guy is an immature brat of a professional basketball player that cares more about wearing Superman capes, signing shoe deals, starring in Hollywood and hanging with other idiot NBA players like Gilbert Arenas and Big Baby Davis than winning basketball championships.

Van Gundy's shelf life isn't long because Orlando management has decided to hook their wagon to a loser. They deserve everything that happens to them as a team from this point forward for doing so, IMHO.

I'm not defending Dwight Howard, but I do thin that Stan Van Gundy is  as much of a moron as Howard, if not even stupider. 

It's Van Gundy's job to manage this team and he's done a crappy job of it.  Going to the media with a rumor that he heard from the lying snakes who manage that team was absurdly misguided.

That press conference where the head coach was throwing his own pity party was pathetic.  Dwight came out to stick up for his coach and yell at the media for being a bunch of ravishing hyenas.  Embarrassingly, though, his coach had already thrown him right under the wheels.

The whole thing is a joke, but I don't think Van Gundy should get off with any less ridicule directed at him than Howard should. 

[More Banners]

Looks pretty simple to me.  Suspend him without pay until he decides to come to work.

They're screwed either way, even if they appease him.

[wdleehi]

Looks pretty simple to me.  Suspend him without pay until he decides to come to work.

They're screwed either way, even if they appease him.

He is out because of a back surgery.