Dallas Mavericks’ point guard Rajon Rondo returned to the lineup last night after serving a one-game suspension after an argument with coach Rick Carlisle during a game on Tuesday against the Toronto Raptors. Rondo said he considered “everything back to normal” after meeting with Carlisle and other coaches multiple times since the incident occurred.
The problem started when Rondo ignored a play-call from Carlisle after which the coach walked on the court and called a timeout before yelling at Rondo across the court. As Rondo arrived at the bench, he and Carlisle continued to shout obscenities at each other that lasted throughout the majority of the timeout. Assistant coach Jamahl Mosley needed to step in front of Rondo to prevent him from getting in Carlisle’s face as they argued
Carlisle benched Rondo for the final 20:10, as the Mavs came back from being down by nine to win by seven.
Reportedly, the argument between Rondo and Carlisle continued in the locker room prompting the Mavericks to suspend him for the game that night against the Atlanta Hawks which resulted in a Mavericks’ loss.
This is not the first run in with a coach for Rondo and most likely will not be the last for the fiery point guard. He often had disagreements with Celtics coach Doc Rivers during his tenure with the Boston Celtics. Yet, Rondo still led the Celtics to the NBA Championship in his first year as a starting point guard during the 2007-2008 season.
It is no secret that Rondo has become frustrated with having to run plays signaled from the bench by Carlisle. His strength as a player is his intelligence on the court and knowing when to drive to the hole and try to score or dish to a teammate for an open look. Having to constantly run Carlisle’s plays takes away Rondo’s creativity and ability to maximize his potential as evidenced by his average of 9 points, 6.2 assists and 4.5 rebounds in 25 games since being traded to the Mavericks on December 18, 2014.
Regardless of Rondo’s frustration, you cannot openly ignore a coach’s instructions during a game. He should talk to Carlisle privately about plays he feels could maximize his talents. Rondo should not have had a heated exchange with his coach in front of fans and cameras that, of course, shared this scene all over different media outlets.
Rondo and other athletes need to understand their actions are constantly being viewed by young children and teenagers. If they see their idols acting this way, these individuals will think its ok to question their own coaches, teachers, play directors, bosses, etc.
Think the opposite of the old Charles Barkley Nike commercial where he says “I am not a role model. My job is to entertain you. My job is not to tell you what to think. That is up to you, and it is a parent’s job not mine.”
I love Sir Charles, but this is not the ’80’s. Most kids respected parents, teachers, and other adults back then. Unfortunately, the world has changed and many kids feel it is their right to do and say anything they want. Hence, the importance of positive role models in their lives is needed.
Well, athletes are role models. Individuals, young and old, look up to them and wish they could be them. So memo to all athletes, as hard as it may be, you are in the public eye and must carry yourself in a positive manner and make good choices. By doing so, you are working with teachers and parents to shape our future generations. Your help is much appreciated.
And that’s…as I See It!
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As I See It 