The Esquire Grill downtown has become the place to be for all things Kings these days. First, Kevin Martin celebrates his five-year extension with a press conference at the eatery. Then Monday night, Reggie Theus gathered his squad together for a team dinner that - unfortunately - wasn't filmed for public consumption.
As I report in today's paper, Theus' season-starting message included a notice that a road curfew would be in order. What's more, no cell phones are to be used on the team bus. And what I would've given to see the looks on some players' faces when that news came down.
But while some guys may not like it (and for the record, no players publicly expressed anything but support for the idea) here's the thing: I'm on board. Given the current climate, the backdrop of a 33-win campaign and the fact that there is so much at stake both individually and collectively for this bunch, why not start things off with a little order in the house after what was a chaotic last season on and off the court?
Without even delving into the reality that the NBA's awful run of negative PR makes this a good time to pull such a move, Kings wins would go a long way toward helping the waning fan support in terms of tickets (yes, the sellout streak that dates to Nov. 23, 1999 is in jeopardy) and arena support. Even if this Cal Expo plan transpires and no public money is needed, this current lull in the purple passion is one the Kings could do without and the fans - judging by the early returns on our poll - seem to like the idea that their team is taking things seriously.
Several Kings players are badly in need of a resurgence in their respective careers, Kings hoops prez Geoff Petrie doesn't want to be affiliated with a losing squad for too much longer, and Theus is looking to show his coaching merits with this bold move.
Truth be told, Theus paid no attention to how bold it was. He was following his instinct and looking to ease his mind of some of the worry that can come with distractions on the road. Will it prompt some folks in the league to accuse him of using college tactics (a la New Mexico State) on pros? Absolutely. But the inspiration seems to be all NBA, a la Jerry Sloan (whose coaching career began in Chicago with Theus as his star).
From Theus' declarations that status or years served won't dictate playing time to his early talk of defense and this latest tactic, the similarities in style are many. And even apart from that connection, a coach who is new to this level must have some freedom to run the ship the way he'd like to. Sink or sail.
Maybe it doesn't hold up, gets vetoed by the player's association, rethought by Theus or even sparks mutiny in the locker room. Maybe it sticks, has the desired effect and - chances are - gets lifted once Theus feels he can trust his new squad. But it's tough to argue with the meaning behind the message.
The Kings went 13-28 on the road last season, tied for the fifth worst road record in the league. Maybe this isn't such a bad idea. - Sam Amick
News, observations and reader questions about the Sacramento Kings and the NBA.
October 2, 2007
What You Should Know About Comments on Sacbee.com
Sacbee.com is happy to provide a forum for reader interaction, discussion, feedback and reaction to our stories. However, we reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments or ban users who can't play nice. (See our full terms of service here.)
Here are some rules of the road:
• Keep your comments civil. Don't insult one another or the subjects of our articles. If you think a comment violates our guidelines click the "report abuse" button to notify the moderators. Responding to the comment will only encourage bad behavior.
• Don't use profanities, vulgarities or hate speech. This is a general interest news site. Sometimes, there are children present. Don't say anything in a way you wouldn't want your own child to hear.
• Do not attack other users; focus your comments on issues, not individuals.
• Stay on topic. Only post comments relevant to the article at hand. If you want to discuss an issue with a specific user, click on his profile name and send him a direct message.
• Do not copy and paste outside material into the comment box.
• Don't repeat the same comment over and over. We heard you the first time.
• Do not use the commenting system for advertising. That's spam and it isn't allowed.
• Don't use all capital letters. That's akin to yelling and not appreciated by the audience.
You should also know that The Sacramento Bee does not screen comments before they are posted. You are more likely to see inappropriate comments before our staff does, so we ask that you click the "report abuse" button to submit those comments for moderator review. You also may notify us via email at feedback@sacbee.com. Note the headline on which the comment is made and tell us the profile name of the user who made the comment. Remember, comment moderation is subjective. You may find some material objectionable that we won't and vice versa.
If you submit a comment, the user name of your account will appear along with it. Users cannot remove their own comments once they have submitted them, but you may ask our staff to retract one of your comments by sending an email to feedback@sacbee.com. Again, make sure you note the headline on which the comment is made and tell us your profile name.
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.