San Antonio, Part 3

Joey Dorsey Is Confident

Joey Dorsey is a confident player. Always has been, always will be. There was a time when this confidence was almost entirely misplaced, when Joey was just as prone to doing something dumb on the court as something productive. That has changed. His confidence level has not. As a result, he opened his mouth today during the media sessions at the Alamodome and controversy of a sort has ensued. There is a column by the generally inflammatory CBS Sportsline columnist Gregg Doyel making waves here in San Antonio. It sums up much of what Joey said.

Before I continue, you should know how the press conference situation works here in San Antonio. There is a session of about 30 minutes with the head coach and five selected "student-athletes" (the NCAA forbids officials from calling them players, lest we forget just how studious most of the student-athletes are), then the players go to individual "breakout rooms", where they meet with the media in more informal settings. It was in one of these breakout rooms where Dorsey made his comments. I heard some of them; some of them were made before I arrived at his room (I was talking with Dozier and Kemp before I talked to Joey). You can hear what I heard in the breakout room on sports56whbq.com.

Here's what Joey said...let's think about each statement.

"I think (scouts) really will be watching this game tomorrow night because it's two great big men going up against each other. I'm an underrated big man and he's a lot overrated as a big man."

I didn't hear this one in person. But it was a remarkably dumb comment at this time. No point whatsoever in calling Greg Oden overrated - he's played half the season with one hand...his bad hand, for crying out loud.

"I outrebounded (Oden) on the season. I'm the No. 6 rebounder in the nation, and I'm trying to move up to No. 1 after this game."

He did outrebound Oden in total rebounds, but Dorsey has played in more games. But he's not the number six rebounder in the nation. This one doesn't really call Oden out, it's just evidence of extreme confidence.

"I'm going to have a 20-rebound night"

He's never done that in his entire career. Inexplicably dumb.

"I'm Goliath. He's the little man."

This doesn't even make sense. Dorsey's wider, but Oden is taller and heavier. Plus, Oden is far more well-known nationally.

"He doesn't want to stay in the paint. He just wants to post up. I watched a couple games. He's not really playing in the paint. He likes to help-side (defend) and block shots. I haven't seen him against a great player play great defense."

Not sure who he considers to be a "great player", but Oden has certainly played great defense throughout the year. This comment is unnecessary.

Doyel didn't mention a few other quotes, including one in which Dorsey said that Oden gets "very tired" during games and tends to jog the court when he isn't involved in the offense (click here to listen to the quote). Dorsey said it was something he had noticed. Dorsey has put himself in a difficult position here. Oden has been playing somewhat tentatively throughout the tournament, and really hasn't broken out yet. Does Dorsey want to be the one responsible for that? Like it or not, he will be given "credit" for that if Oden goes off.

Dorsey has increased the pressure on himself immensely. He simply must perform tomorrow. There's no excuse. I don't think comments like this are smart at all, but if Dorsey can back it up, then more power to him. No sense in waking a sleeping giant, but that's apparently what Joey Dorsey wanted to do. We will find out just how good Joey Dorsey truly is tomorrow.