Just like the popular MDG commercial where MDG comes in a clear bottle and has nothing to hide, Hedo Turkoglu arrived in Toronto to start the 2009-10 season and stepped into the role of “Gary” who calls in to work tired.
Just in case you missed the infamous MDG commercial. MDG announces their beer comes in a clear bottle and has nothing to hide, how about Gary? Then Gary proceeds to call into work tired. He’d met up with his college roommate (girlfriend) the night before and things got a little crazy.
So Gary tells his boss that’s they both know he’d be useless today and he’s taking the day off. But he’ll come in full-bore tomorrow and rock the proposal on Friday.
His exasperated Boss says, “but its Wednesday, Gary”. Frustrated, the boss gives in with a see you tomorrow and hangs up.
Hedo Turkuglo pulled a “Gary” this season.
Hedo Turkoglu’s girlfriend is the Turkish National team. The team Turkoglu decided was more important than his new employer who had just signed him to a $10 million per season contract.
So when Turkoglu arrived for the Raptors training camp this past fall, the word from Turkoglu to his new bosses was, “I’m tired.”
He’d met his old National team buddies, gone to two-a-day practices for a month, and participated in an international tournament. After the tough previous NBA season, Turkoglu was worn down.
But the word was, don’t worry. Turkolgu will show up when it matters and he’ll rock the place in the playoffs.
Neither happened.
Hedo Turkoglu managed a regular season stat line of 11.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. A huge decline from his 16.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists that he has put up the season before in Orlando.
And Turkoglu’s performance actually declined as the season progressed.
In November and December, Hedo Turkoglu was averaging around 13.5 points per game. But when it really mattered in March and April, that had plummeted to about 8 points a game.
Maybe he really was worn down by playing ball all summer?
Some of Hedo Turkoglu’s problems were not his fault. The broken orbital bone, a broken nose, and the health concerns with his parents back in Turkey all had an adverse effect on Turkoglu’s performance this past season.
But by pulling an MDG “Gary” at the start of the season, Hedo Turkoglu created the lack of chemistry with his teammates that was evident all season. Anyone who has attended a training camp would sympathize with Turkoglu’s teammates on this one.
Hedo Turkoglu skipped out on one of the most unpleasant parts of any teams schedule and in doing so skipped out on the team bonding that comes from going through adversity together. Worse, by setting himself up as someone special, he had to have created some hard feelings with the guys sweating their butts off in that University gym as he watched.
That’s a mistake the Raptors management and coaches have said will not happen again.
Later, the “Gary” Hedo pulled was only re-inforced by the Pizza Pizza commercial with Turkoglu saying repeatedly saying “Yes Boss” to Jay Triano asking him if he was preparing for the next game.
A nice reward for the guy who skipped training camp and was under-performing on the season. Don’t think for a moment that Hedo’s commercial didn’t adversely effect the team.
Thanks a lot Turk, we hope it was worth it!
In the closing interviews, a somewhat remorseful Turkoglu told the assembled media that he accepted (some of the) blame for the Raptors season. That he understood that, as the big free agent signed at the start of the season, a lot was expected of him.
But Hedo Turkoglu also said that this would be a big summer for him with his National team.
One has to wonder if Turkoglu has learned anything from this past season. Or perhaps his loyalties just lie beyond the guys signing his paychecks!
When Andrea Bargnani gave his end-of-season interview, he announced his intention to play for his National team this summer.
But Andrea also said that his first priorities are to the Toronto Raptors. Bargnani will only play for Italy if a deal can be worked out with regards to practice time and his role on the team.
As Andrea Bargnani noted, the players in Europe typically only play a 35 game schedule and can handle a two-a-day training camp, but he has been through an 82 game schedule and needs consideration given to meet the Raptors off-season expectations of him.
If no deal can be worked out with his National team, Andrea Bargnani will not be joining them.
The Raptors cannot stop Hedo Turkoglu from participating with his National team. The NBA has agreements in place that prevent this.
But Hedo Turkoglu should honor his paying employers wishes and meet his obligations to his team.
One can (painfully) overlook last summer as a mistake from a player who had never experienced coming into training camp worn down before. In reality, most professional sports figures are living the “Peter Pan” syndrome and have never grown up. But Hedo Turkoglu has no such excuse this time.
Hedo Turkoglu has an obligation to the Raptors organization, his teammates, and the fans to show up this fall in shape and ready to participate from day one.
The Raptors management should announce that they do not want Hedo to play for the national team this coming summer. Such an announcement would only help Hedo strongly. No doubt Hedo would desire to rest and then participate in next year’s preparations with Raptors instead of spending the summer in the long world championship tournament. He would only need an excuse. Last summer Hedo has played in the national European championship, where he got an injury too; the other Turkish NBA player Mehmet Okur refused to play in that tournament. And there the examples of so many significant names like LeBron and Wade who already said they will not play for the national team next summer. The Raptors should help Hedo in this situaiton. It will be the end of discusssion if Raptors make an announcement.
I believe that the NBA has agreements in place with the European leagues that prevent such a statement.
It has to be done more along the lines of what Bargnani was saying. I want to play – but – I need concessions to met the needs of my club team.
At Turk’s age – it’s time for him to have the common sense to say he can’t do it anymore. It’s a bad sign that we haven’t seen any signs of this from him. I am sure the Raptors have pointed this out to him.
When you said NBA’s agreements with European leagues you meant the national teams I guess, since the matter does not relate to the Turkish league.
I have no doubt that Hedo would prefer not to play in the national tournament. I understand that the Raptors can not say “we will not send him”, but is it against the agreements for them to say something like “he is a critical player for the team and his missing the preseason for the second year would not be helpful to the team and to him…” If somebody close to team said that, unofficially… Or if the Toronto media said that. Those would help Hedo in front of the Turkish media and public, I think.
I believe the agreement is with FIBA – but I was too lazy to look it up and confirm the organization.
They can ask Turkoglu to respect the needs of the Raptors and work on the aspects of his game and conditioning as set down by the Raptors coaches and trainers.
And just like they’ve done with Bargnani, that his time spent with his National team should meet both the Raptors and the National team needs – but if a deal can’t be worked out, it’s the National team that suffers his loss.
I expect they have done that privately – at least I’d hope so. No need to go public.
There is no reason Turkoglu shouldn’t play for his National team under the right conditions. He has to stay/get in shape like everyone else.
Nice read.
But, we dont really know whether Gary (unlike Turk) did in fact go “full bore” on Thurs. and then “rocked the proposal” on Fri.
In my view Turk was not in shape and just this aspect would allowed him to play at the talent level all agree he possesses and much would have been forgiven (eg the excuse moi @ training camp).
Got to give him some slack re the World’s this year. It is being held in Turkey after all. This is a very big deal especially in countries like Turkey (the pride thing etc). Not playing is not an option. After all apart from being locally deified as their MJ he and his family’s abodes would have been likely stoned (I kid not) and he forever ostracized as a traitorous sort with a manhood deficiency. Eg. Nash’s recent refusals to play for Canada is like comparing vinegar to a fine cabernet. We are just not a terribly nationalistic sort…and I am (and Nash I think as well) thankful for that.
Gary just promised – we are left to guess if he delivered.
If that was my Gary, on Monday he’d be fired.
I’ll give Turk as much slack as he wants provided he shows up to camp in shape and ready to go!
are you really making things up???”When Andrea Bargnani gave his end-of-season interview, he announced his intention to play for his National team this summer.
But Andrea also said that his first priorities are to the Toronto Raptors. Bargnani will only play for Italy if a deal can be worked out with regards to practice time and his role on the … See Moreteam” italy is not competing this summer whats the point of comparing bargs with hedo. one is gonna lay low during the tournament the others gonna lead his team as the captain.
PS. turkish bb league is a member of european leagues cuz teams compete in uleb cup and euroleague . same thing goes for soccer volleyball and every other sport.
Re: Bargnani – you are repeating what is written in the article – but thanks for noticing.
If Hedo comes back after the summer worn down to start the NBA season – he’s a bum! National team captain or not – they don’t pay his salary. His first obligation is to his employer – not to his recreational game.
“If Hedo comes back after the summer worn down to start the NBA season – he’s a bum! … they don’t pay his salary.”
I hope some body gives the message to Hedo as clear as that…
Mehmet Okur has missed the last two national tournaments. He is likely to miss this one as well as he has recently torn his tendon. I believe Hedo also can miss one tournament. It does not have to be due to injury…