30 July 2013

Lauren Jackson walks away from the Capitals for the upcoming season

| johnboy
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I’ve long been of the opinion that the “Lauren Jackson Show” is not in the best interests of the Capitals.

It’s nothing against her, she seems like a great player and person, it’s just the corrosive effect of a prima donna in any team environment, especially in such a small pond as the Canberra Capitals when compared to a global star like Jackson.

Today the Canberra Times has a very strange story about the dashing of plans to see her play this season to make up for last season’s hamstring induced no-show.

Basketball superstar Lauren Jackson has terminated talks with Canberra and will not play in the Women’s National Basketball League this summer after the Capitals failed to meet a contract deadline imposed by her management.

Jackson insisted the breakdown in talks would not harm her ongoing relationship with the Capitals. The 32-year-old confirmed she would still honour a deal to return to Canberra in late-2014 and play another two seasons.

But Jackson admitted she was disappointed the Capitals had not been able to finalise an extended deal with for the 2013-14 season, and she will now explore opportunities overseas.

One has to wonder if the changing of the guard at ActewAGL has had anything to do with it.

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I read this yesterday in the CT. My reading was that Basketball ACT missed the deadline after they were given all the support possible to make it happen.

This doesn’t surprise me given that Basketball ACT probably couldn’t organise a beer in a pub.

End rant.

Ghettosmurf8712:56 pm 31 Jul 13

Madam Cholet said :

If I was a hard working Canberra Cap, I would find it pretty galling that one member of the team is welcomed with open arms whenever they want and walks away whenever they want. Most if not all of the remaining players hold down jobs to play their chosen sport and this giant prima Donna just strolls around the globe picking and choosing based on who will pay the most. Phooey to you LJ. Canberra does not need your expense.

Yes, I too would hate to be a developing player in a local competition who has the chance to work with the best player in the world and greatest women’s basketballer in Australian history. I would totally resent the fact that she was being paid big bucks for some reason and I was not…..

Oh wait, no I wouldn’t, I’d be encouraging the club to do all it could to get her across so that not only is my team better, but I get the chance to train with, learn from and play with the best and possibly improve my game to the level where I can play the sport entirely professionally myself….

Do we resent the Australian soccer player who goes over seas to both improve his game and earn bigger dollars while furthering his career, but then chooses to come back to Australia late in his career for significantly less dollars?

The fact of the matter is Jackson could earn significantly more in the WNBA off-season by playing in Russia while also being treated far better by the owner than she ever could by playing for the Caps. So the fact that she even entertains the idea of playing here is rather sentimental of her, especially when she doesn’t shop herself round to the other WNBL teams for the best offer. I’m sure her management imposed the deadline because if they waited longer then they would also miss out on the chance to sign elsewhere (such as Russia) if the Caps couldn’t finalise the contract here.

She’s a professional athlete with a history of injury, her career is limited and her earning potential, especially in Australia, after her career is over is not guaranteed. Why begrudge her the opportunity to set herself up financially for the long-term. I’d be pretty chuffed that she’d sacrifice some of that for the Caps at all.

Madam Cholet said :

If I was a hard working Canberra Cap, I would find it pretty galling that one member of the team is welcomed with open arms whenever they want and walks away whenever they want. Most if not all of the remaining players hold down jobs to play their chosen sport and this giant prima Donna just strolls around the globe picking and choosing based on who will pay the most. Phooey to you LJ. Canberra does not need your expense.

Did you read the article?

Madam Cholet10:01 am 31 Jul 13

If I was a hard working Canberra Cap, I would find it pretty galling that one member of the team is welcomed with open arms whenever they want and walks away whenever they want. Most if not all of the remaining players hold down jobs to play their chosen sport and this giant prima Donna just strolls around the globe picking and choosing based on who will pay the most. Phooey to you LJ. Canberra does not need your expense.

I’m with Jackson on this one. She is nearing the end of her career and needs certainty, which they failed to provide.

PS I now see from the CT link that she is still on for the next two seasons – at this stage…

Umm -what happened to the three years out of five Caps deal she signed a couple of years ago?

Lauren Jackson walks away from the capitals ay…so she can walk again can she?

Surely after last year she can give them one for nothing. Hell, action can probably wheel out a bus they prepared earlier.

Speaking of Lauren and deals, I would be interested to know whether any ACTEW related folk were involved in that hideous development in Woden that Lauren Jackson was promoting a few years ago …

dungfungus said :

It appears the two parties were unable to transact an acceptable deal.

They had their wires crossed..

It appears the two parties were unable to transact an acceptable deal.

I’m not much for sport, but women’s basketball is the exception, watching the Opals in the Olympics last year was awesome. I hope Lozza does come back in 2014, but it’s a bit sad that I only got into b-ball at the tail end of her career.

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