Zydrunas Ilgauskas - Game #724 - Cavaliers record

While everyone is speculating here, I'll throw mine in that maybe MB is pissed off at Z for questioning him on his (bordering-on-incompetent) rotations. Z's got one dry sarcastic humor. I can imagine him cutting some good ones about using Larry at PG.

abraxas said:

While everyone is speculating here, I'll throw mine in that maybe MB is pissed off at Z for questioning him on his (bordering-on-incompetent) rotations. Z's got one dry sarcastic humor. I can imagine him cutting some good ones about using Larry at PG.

Click to expand...

So he decided to bench him two seasons later?

Jesus, this is still an issue? Z deserves to have been pissed and I agree Mike Brown screwed up but anyone watching that game realized how unusual it was as the team just clicked with guys like AV and West going off. But come on now: it's not like Mike Brown is an asshole or the organization has screwed with Z. It's not like there is a history here to build on

Luckily, the team is bigger than all this. Mike Brown created a major distraction by not being attentive to all details in the game against Dallas. He slighted Z on a day that he knew was very important to him ...we've covered all that.

Then in the aftermath, his initial responses to Z were basically validating that it was a conscious decsion that he made to bench him on that particular day, irregardless.

When he realized the significance of his oversight, and he was getting wrath from Lebron, the owner, GM etc ... his tune changed and he wanted to talk to Z and admit he made a mistake.

But, just prior to that someone decided, to take some heat off Mike Brown, to float a rumor that Z said he didn't want to play in the 2nd half, which was a lie.

I think Z is pissed off by Mike Brown's initial response to him which was basically I'm the coach and I play who I play when I decide to play them. Then, once Mike Brown realized the extent to which this upset Lebron, the owner, and GM, he began backtracking and saying he was sorry, and it was a mistake.

Then I think the capper was, he feels MB was behind a false rumor that was floated to try and take the heat off the coach, that Z asked out of the game in the 2nd half. That was an outright lie, and that really upset Z.

It's turned into a soap opera, and it needs to die.

The team is far bigger than Mike Brown, and this whole pathetic uncalled for and unnecassary ordeal and distraction.

Luckily, Mike Malone has the offense beginning to click at a higher and more diverse level than we have seen since Mike Brown took over the reigns. The defense has played more consistently as well..

I'll tell you this ...Mike Brown was being scrutinized before all this went down, and the front office and owner aren't at all happy with the recent decisions and communications problems that have been coming from our head coach.

dacoop2 said:

Brown yesterday said he hadn't yet talked to Z. That's simply inexcuseable and flat out disrespectful. It made Brown, quite frankly, look like a prick.

Click to expand...

Initially the communcation from Mike Brown to Z was basically I'm the coach, you play when I call you into the game. Nothing is guaranteed.

Then his tune changed once he started getting heat from Lebron, the owner, and GM.

Then he wanted to reach out to Z and smooth things over. Admit it was a mistake, and that he was sorry.

Z didn't want to hear any of that because he felt he already got the honest answer from Mike Brown after the Dallas game. Anything that he said after that was due to pressure applied by players, gm, and owner ..and would have been seen as bullshit, basically ..to try and save his ass.

I think that best describes the mindsets ...

Thanks W&G. This validated what I've been writing about for a few weeks, from just my observations of MB in-game and also his post-game statements. I generally like MB, but his shortcomings are glaring. From my vantage point, I see a coach that seems stuck, and a team/organization that is increasingly impatient with his shortcomings - after all, it is the most important season in Cavs history.

We know that that Ferry and Gilbert have had several sit downs with MB in the past 6 months, and I'm guessing they decided to act somewhat more hands-on this season in the wake of the disappointing failure in the series against Orlando, which were patterns that existed all season but caught up to us and sank us in the end. Thrusting JJ into the starting lineup this year seems like one clear example.

Maybe all this needed to happen to shift the dynamics between the FO and MB (and the team). We'll see...

camakazee said:

So he decided to bench him two seasons later?

Click to expand...

By the way, this was a joke!

It seems the only one still upset Is Z... I like the Jersey for the choice for his record game. He did play very well tonight and maybe he needed kick in the butt for some motivation. I agree He has a right to mad but to drag It on I do not know. Alot going on here mostly Ferry leaving right after the record was broke. Yet the team and Brown seem happy and fine... So Brown can smile and joke around but Z is still being sad and stuffy? I mean we refused to trade him... or did we? I wounder If there was more before this. So much Drama this season. Anyways everything aside Congrats to Z always been a pleasure to watch and big reason i always been a cavs fan he comes second to mark price In my book.

<object width="388" height="394" classid="clsid27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="ep"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="movie" value="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/swf/1.1/cvp/nba_embed_container.swf?context=cavaliers&videoId=teams/cavaliers/2009/12/02/z091202-1141417" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><embed src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/swf/1.1/cvp/nba_embed_container.swf?context=cavaliers&videoId=teams/cavaliers/2009/12/02/z091202-1141417" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="388" wmode="transparent" height="394"></embed></object>

Wine and Gold said:

I'll tell you this ...Mike Brown was being scrutinized before all this went down, and the front office and owner aren't at all happy with the recent decisions and communications problems that have been coming from our head coach.

Click to expand...

This is probably the most important thing I've read about this whole situation over the past few days ...

Wine and Gold said:

It's turned into a soap opera, and it needs to die.

The team is far bigger than Mike Brown, and this whole pathetic uncalled for and unnecassary ordeal and distraction.

Click to expand...

I'm sure the whole board is with me in saying thanks for all the clarification, W&G.

Soap opera is right. :thumbdown

Glen Infante said:

<object width="388" height="394" classid="clsid27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="ep"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="movie" value="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/swf/1.1/cvp/nba_embed_container.swf?context=cavaliers&videoId=teams/cavaliers/2009/12/02/z091202-1141417" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><embed src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/swf/1.1/cvp/nba_embed_container.swf?context=cavaliers&videoId=teams/cavaliers/2009/12/02/z091202-1141417" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="388" wmode="transparent" height="394"></embed></object>

Click to expand...

http://realcavsfans.com/showthread.php?p=684788#post684788

Cavs.com:

Damn it Mo, I was just about to post that.

Windhorst is right ...although Mike Brown did mess up, it's not like we all haven't dealt with his (MB's) issues in the past. Z;s gotta try and get this cooled down and try and not let this get more personal. Just chalk it up to the coach being lost and confused, more than him taking a personal swipe at you on what you saw as the most improtant day of your career, on a personal accomplishment level.

Obviuously that's gotta be hard to do given the circumstances ...but for the good of the team he has to.

It was, in a way very unlike Mike Brown to make a solid stand like he did. Although dumb and uncalculated ..basically using the wrong person on the team, at the worst time to make a statement about his authority and power as the head coach. It was at least different that he actually utilized some strong authority.

But, then when he started getting heat from Lebron, Ferry, and Gilbert he quickly reverted back to himself, and did and said whatever he thought would put him back in the good graces of his superiors ...

I just wonder if this episode might have harmed him more than any other to date, with them....(Ferry, Gilbert, and his players)?

Wine and Gold said:

Windhorst is right ...although Mike Brown did mess up, it's not like we all haven't dealt with his (MB's) issues in the past. Z;s gotta try and get this cooled down and try and not let this get more personal. Just chalk it up to the coach being lost and confused, more than him taking a personal swipe at you on what you saw as the most improtant day of your career, on a personal accomplishment level.

Obviuously that's gotta be hard to do given the circumstances ...but for the good of the team he has to.

It was, in a way very unlike Mike Brown to make a solid stand like he did. Although dumb and uncalculated ..basically using the wrong person on the team, at the worst time to make a statement about his authority and power as the head coach. It was at least different that he actually utilized some strong authority.

But, then when he started getting heat from Lebron, Ferry, and Gilbert he quickly reverted back to himself, and did and said whatever he thought would put him back in the good graces of his superiors ...

I just wonder if this episode might have harmed him more than any other to date, with them....(Ferry, Gilbert, and his players)?

Click to expand...

I agree that he needs to let it go, and think he will, because he always has the organization's well being in his mind.

However, it has to be tough for the big fella, especially all he's been through, never having complained, just taking everything in stride.

On what he feels was his biggest accomplishment, basically the one thing that has made his career so unique, he was treated as badly as he was, his emotions got the best of him. It (sort of) all came out with the one interview. And I'm sure even Z would admit he probably shouldn't have said anything. But I can vouch for the guy (I'm just like him. Take everything in stride, don't complain, just do what I'm asked) that it's tough sometimes and there are times when you say or do something you shouldn't when you feel like you're being taken advantage of or being slighted. This was Z's career achievement & although he still broke the record, he had it taken away by him.

There's almost no doubt in my mind that Z only said he didn't want it to be acknowledged because it just wouldn't have been the same to him.

I think he will eventually let it die, but it's going to take some time.