Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle doesn’t like to lose. When it happens he gets angry. Last week he lashed out at the Mavs’ big new acquisition, forward Chandler Parsons. Parsons is, in Carlisle’s own words, “a really good player.” But Carlisle, in a fit of frustration, questioned Parsons’ fitness coming into the Mavericks camp. Parsons responded with an Instagram shot of himself looking pretty damn fit, and making a face that showed good humor about the situation. Yesterday Carlisle took his medicine and spoke eloquently about why he shouldn’t have criticized Parsons the way he did. In his statement Carlisle gives some clues about how winning organizations operate.
“It was unfair and inappropriate to single out Chandler Parsons after the game,” Carlisle said. “I have apologized to him and the entire team for this error in judgment. Not only is Chandler Parsons one of our best players, he is also one of our hardest-working players and the kind of high-character person we strive to bring to our city and franchise… I also made it clear to our players and staff this morning that this type of bad example is not acceptable and beneath the dignity of a championship organization like the Dallas Mavericks.” Parsons’ response? “It just shows what kind of guy he is,” Parsons said. And the Mavs move on.
