Behind The Scoreboard - Claude Vinson


Thursday, February 15, 2007
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Behind The Scoreboard
By Claude Vinson

Grizzlies not worst team

Can the Memphis Grizzlies be fixed? Tony, Jerry, you want to field this one? Just kidding.

That question is being asked on a daily basis this season.

The Grizz were looking to continue their “budding” this season but it is obvious that things have gone all too wrong. Since the termination of their head coach (Mike Fratello), the Memphis team has been on a virtual see-saw.

However, it is really odd that a team can have spurts of play where they turn in big numbers in a game and then fail to sustain a string of wins. The trades of the off-season were supposed to have annihilated all of their deficiencies. In actuality, some of these deals incensed the loyal fan base and the period of forgiveness has not materialized.

Some are still finding it hard to forget the shuttling off of Shane Battier. Would his retention have given the Grizz a better grip on the season? That is an unknown, but his popularity helped to fill seats at the FedEx Forum.

And now, the all-star player of the franchise, Pau Gasol, is begging for a ticket out of town. Believe it or not, the head shed of the Grizz is considering it. But don’t expect any immediate action on the request, Pau is looked upon as a huge package and it will take a huge package to move him.

At least the Grizzlies no longer have one negative distinction – they are no longer the worst team in the league. That mark is now stamped on the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Atlantic. And if one takes a close look at the division itself, one will see that only one team in the division is playing above .500.

And would you believe that team is the Toronto Raptors? It seems that all of their off-season deals worked.

Can the Grizzlies be fixed? Perhaps, but it is going to take a hard-nosed coach supported by a hard-nosed management team to do it.

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