Posted by:
gwoelfel on
September 18, 2007 at
11:23PM CST
BY GERY WOELFEL
Journal Times
When I spoke with Charlie Bell last Saturday night, I asked him where he was at.
"I’m at the circus,’’ Bell said.
How fitting. After all, it seems ever since the commencement of NBA free agency on July 1, Bell has been part of the circus surrounding contract talks between his agent, Mark Bartelstein, and the Bucks’ passel of negotiators which, at last check, includes three lawyers.
For more than two months, Bucks negotiators didn’t seem compelled to present Bell with at least a legitimate contract offer or attempt to quickly seal the deal on what should have been a relatively-simplistic contract.
It wasn’t until Bell and his wife recently traveled to Greece and received a two-year, $8 million offer from Olympiacos officials that the Bucks’ negotiating team finally woke up and made Bell a sound offer of three years for $9M.
But by that time, the damage had been done. They had thoroughly alienated Bell, who has been nothing but a model employee the last two seasons.
Unlike his teammates who were in the final year of their contracts last season, Bell almost unfailingly played within the team concept. Unlike those same teammates, he didn’t launch the basketball every time he touched it.
Bell even did the unthinkable: He played defense, something most of his teammates didn’t feel was part of their job descriptions.
The Bucks’ indifference toward Bell miffed him and rightfully so. Instead of quickly resolving his contract situation, the Bucks made him an afterthought while devoting every waking minute trying to concoct ways to make money off their top draft choice, Yi Jianlian of China.
(By the way, with the myriad of problems we have in this state like the frightening inner city violence in Milwaukee, high unemployment, exhorbitant taxes, etc., doesn’t Gov. Jim Doyle have anything better to do than spend time posing with Yi for the paparazzi in China?)
But back to Bell. The Bucks should have embraced his work ethic, his team-oriented attitude and, as mentioned earlier, his defense.
Last season, when I did a story on the Bucks’ considerable woes, some players candidly acknowledged defense wasn’t a priority for them. Why? Because they said the NBA doesn’t reward them monetarily for it. Sadly, as Bell has learned, that is the case.
In hindsight, with the way the Bucks have dealt with him this summer, Bell should have looked out for himself because his dedication and commitment to the organization on and off the court apparently meant nothing to the Bucks,
If it did, the Bucks would have signed Bell a long time ago. And they certainly would have immediately matched the Miami Heat’s offer sheet of five years for $18.5 million.
But they didn’t, leaving one to assume the Bucks' lawyers are on vacation.
Posted by: dumbdumb on September 19, 2007 9:26AM CST
(By the way, with the myriad of problems we have in this state like the frightening inner city violence in Milwaukee, high unemployment, exhorbitant taxes, etc., doesn’t Gov. Jim Doyle have anything better to do than spend time posing with Yi for the paparazzi in China?)
Um dont you think pushing a little chinese investment this way WOULD address those problems?
No fan of Jim Doyle - but if your as dumb and out of the loop as this woeful "writer" is, you really should try to avoid advertising it.
I've never seen a more one sided piece written ever.
First off, Bartelstein has been asking for the full MLE, 5YR/$25M deal all summer. Thats why the Bucks didn't feel "compelled" to overpay for a marginal talent, a 28 year old journeymen who will never be a starter and the deal would have him on the wrong side of 30 for the majority of it. Bell significantly overvalued himself as a RFA and the Bucks were willing to let the market set the value.
The Bucks made a fair contract offer for a backup PG who is 28 in the NBA. Charlie wasn't happy with that and pulled a "Sprewell" smear campaign against the Bucks on his MySpace page. I've never seen a professional athlete whine on an online community like he did. Saying things like "we disrespected him"....for offering him $9 MILLION...what contempt. Then he said if we matched "his heart wouldn't be in it and he wouldn't play hard".....Charlie showed his true side thru these negotiations, another spoiled NBA player who thinks he is worth more than he is.
I didn't see Sasha Pavlovic or Anderson Varejao both superior players on a superior team in a similar contract situation take to the papers and trash their own team.
We saw the true side of Charlie Bell and I think Harris has had enough and is willing to let him walk. He also changed the opinions of many fans within a few short days that many of us are ready to see him walk as well.
One more thing, search some articles Gery. Because you will see directly from the mouth of Charlie Bell that he admitted to "not playing within the team concept" because he was working for a contract.
Present both sides next time, not just what Bartelstein feeds you.
Posted by: MMMRRR on September 19, 2007 2:07PM CST
He was undrafted for a reason. He's replaceable.
I feel bad for Woelfel though. Who on this Bucks squad is going to talk to him?
Just read that the Bucks have already signed Bell's replacement, Royal Ivey. I am sure with the same amount of playing time, Ivey will put up the same numbers as Bell. And, if Woelfel plays his cards write, Ivey will answer his calls.
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