Rick Fox

[Kim Malo <kmalo19@idt.net>]

Just to interject some thoughts into the debates over what kind of player
Rick Fox is and whether we should keep him.
First, Fox was diagnosed with ADD (attention deficit disorder) about 2 years
ago, which he believes (and no, he did not offer this in a 'make excuses for
poor little me' manner) is behind a lot of his lapses in concentration.
Since diagnosis and attempts to control the ADD, the amount of
boneheadedness has been cut way back. Anyone who doubts this, take a look at
his first couple years. On the one hand, there is some valid reason for his
problems, and real signs of improvement from his attempts to deal with it.
On the other hand, there is not a cure, so the potential is always there.
Rick's stats compare well with all but the very top small forwards, and he
is the one guy on this team that does not know how to quit. On the other
hand, stats aren't the entire picture -Rick can well be a 20 point a night
average scorer, but of the sort that will have a bunch of 10 point nights
offset by 30 pointers rather than someone who can be relied on to hit about
their average every night.
Set against this is the intangible that Rick is a willing and likeable
clubhouse leader, which can be an important thing to have when you are
trying to rebuild with a lot of new players and a lot of young players -he's
willing to speak up when it needs doing, low enough egoed not to abuse this,
and the other won't resent or hate him for doing so.
If all that was wrong with the Cs was being a player away from a
championship then I'd probably be more willing to say the bad isn't worth
the good with Rick and open up his slot for that player. However, I think
his intangibles -mainly the hard work, hustle, unwillingness to ever quit,
and general leadership- make him a keeper while the Cs are trying to rebuild
with younger, inexperienced players under clueless management.
- -Kim
Kim Malo
kmalo19@idt.net