Bereavement?

So I just wonder where that is in all of this.
I don't know if she lives with him in Portland, or if she's still in Marion, and they
spend off-seasons together, and (of course) she would've been in town for that shooting.

What I'm wondering, specifically, is, if she's in Portland,
did they need some time together, just the two of them,
to process the violent death of a troubled man to whom they were both close?
If THEY were at Exotica ($102 would be a tidy food-and-drinks for two,
a retreat for the night before they get swept up in the bigger circle of their Marion people),
that's a whole lot different than him throwing that down for himself on game night.

Anyway.
I hope THEY were at Exotica, not HIM.
And first and foremost, dude's gonna have to answer to his team more than
he's ever gonna need to get in the good graces of the fans and media on this one.
That's not how I feel about his other things (lying to the police about his brother,
the hotel ho-swapping and alleged rape, the drag racing up Broadway),
but on this one, if he jerked around anyone, it's his team as well as us.
There'd better be a solid discussion waiting for him when he meets them in Minnesota.

First of all, the article is completely unsubstantiated. The story in the Tribune is relayed to Eggers by a strip club bartender who wasn't even working during the alleged incident.

That said, it probably is true. It may not be, but because that's the assumption, I'll roll with it.

We all grieve in different ways. Anyone who has ever lost someone close to them can relate to that. Unfortunately, I'm sure too many of us can. No one is arguing that he didn't lose somebody close to him, and he's just playing hooky from work. Are they?

Just because Z-Bo is capable of patronizing a strip club, it does not mean he was capable of remaining with the team and playing basketball at a high level.

He had been granted a leave by the team, he should be allowed to do whatever it is he needs to do to get his head in order, so he can be 100% committed to the team when he rejoins the team.

Bereavement leave was given to him for dealing with grief and emotional stress.  Not because he had to leave and attend a funeral.  Who are we to judge him for how to deal with HIS grief.

Just because you can be entertained in a seat doesn't mean you can focus on performing at a high level on a basketball court.  Just look at the Seattle game, you can just tell Zach wasn't himself.  

Portland media prematurely jumping the gun and casting judgment once again.

Granted, he should have been with the team at the game and not the strip club, but I have to ask this: The strip club was near the airport... When was Zach at the club and what time did his flight leave?

ROTUNDITYDOTNET

What's the big deal?

I have a good friend, former co-worker, who once bartended at Exotica.
Another friend of his, a mutual co-worker, was a manager there for a while.

Exotica is not just a strip club.
Gang and prostitution activity is harbored there.
Remember how his friend Otis died: with a warrant out for his arrest
for attempted murder, going into the Black Dragons Motorcycle Club
at quarter to six in the morning, looking to shoot someone.
Bars with ties to organized crime DEFINITELY is an issue.
I'm disturbed about Zach being there, not because it's a strip club,
but because it's THAT strip club--Exotica.

Dude shoulda just gone to Magic Gardens.
I have no problem with that.

And yeah: maybe all I have in the way of "Exotica is a front for crimina activity"
is hearsay and rumor--but there is such a thing as word on the street being true, reliable.
Word from the street, truth.
Respect it, ignore it--but don't deny it.

And since Eggers is involved, it must be a vast, right wing conspiracy, as well.

Remember when Steve Patterson was at a game and wasn't paying attention, how it affected the fans?

1.know that you are supposed to be working but were on bereavement leave.

2.know that you are a public figure and under constant scrutiny.

3.have had incidents in the past where the public thought you objectified women excessively.

4.are on a team whose primary goal is to sell a team with positive character attributes.

then you should realize that someone is going to see you, and that you may not be representing the team the way the team wants represented.  That, to me, is the problem with Zach being at a strip club in Portland on game day.  Even if he had gone to a strip club in Indiana, or hell even Vegas it would have shown more respect for the team and the image it is trying to present.  Better yet would have been to grieve in Indiana at more reputable social hangouts.

"We have made tremendous strides this season in developing a culture that values character, both on and off the court.

"We think we've made significant progress in that regard as a team and an organization and our fans have responded with renewed enthusiasm and support.

"At the end of the season we'll sit down with each one of our players and review their performance, including their standing in the community. Character will be a key measuring tool for whether each of our players continues to be a part of the ongoing effort to build toward a championship caliber club.

"When players make mistakes off the court, they are often private matters between the team and the player. We know our fans respect the need to handle certain matters internally. We will continue to hold our players to a very high standard and take appropriate action when necessary."

---

Now apparently Zach made a mistake off the court.

ROTUNDITYDOTNET

Do I want Z-bo babysitting my little sister? Not so much.

Do I want Z-bo on my basketball team? Yes, please.

That said, the guy is grieving.  I don't know how many of you have been in a situation where someone you know and love has been murdered, but my guess is it's not that many.

Don't !@#$ judge someone for what they do when they're grieving.  People are not rational and frankly you don't always know WHAT to do with yourself.  Strip clubs serve alcohol and they have women.  Comfort is something people seek out when they're alone or in pain.

Just because he went to the club doesn't mean he received joy out of it.  I actually prefer that he's away from the team.  He's grieving.  That's negative energy, even on the bench, that he'd be bringing.

I never took time off when i was in a MUCH worse situtation and four years later i'm finally recovering.  

Don't begrudge a person their own personal time off to grieve in whatever legal manner they need to grieve.  I don't care if he was there to get drunk, watch girls, or listen to a juke box.  He's allowed to do what he needs to do and just because we don't understand it, doesn't make it any less helpful for him.

If you're every ina situation like that, you'll find that you don't know what to do either.  You're completely helpless to change something that has caused so much pain to so many people you know and love.

Why isn't Zach there instead of here?  Some people need to avoid.  Some people can't phase terrible things like that head on and so they procrastinate.

He's on his own time.  He's grieving.  He's allowed to do anything legal he wants.  Opinion to the contrary is BS.

How would you feel if a loved one died and you were accused of grieving in a manner that wasn't "right"?  How would you feel if you were told your time off wouldn't count because of it and so you weren't going to be paid?  You're upset and irrational and I bet most of you would lose it and go off.

Let's not do that to Zach.  It's his time.  Give it to him.