I was a Sully supporter over his first two seasons in the league. He has legitimate NBA skills, and with some dedication he could have solidified his status as a starter or key bench player for many years to come.
Not so much anymore. One of the major turning points for me was this:
http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/12545144/boston-celtics-forward-jared-sullinger-facing-heavy-burden
"People say, 'Hire a nutritionist,' but it's not that simple,'' he explained. "What people don't understand is after a game, you get hungry. I stay up late, I'm not falling asleep and I want to eat. The hardest calories to burn off are those late-night calories.
"And that's what has been getting me this year. I have to work 10 times, 30 times as hard to keep off those extra 400 calories.
What a bunch of nonsense. Yes it's true that there are significant metabolic differences between people. But it's not 10 to 30 times more difficult. It's not even 2 times more difficult. I'm a registered dietitian and have worked with many people with weight management problems. But you don't need any nutrition knowledge to know that what he's saying is completely false. Sure you get hungry after a game. That's why you have a meal plan - a flexible meal plan created by someone who knows what they're doing - and you follow it.
His statements simply demonstrate that he's unwilling to hold himself accountable and that he's fine with living by excuses. And it shows, evidenced by significant weight gain during the past two seasons. Even his dad had dropped from 390 lbs to 270 lbs or so, and he's much older - and was much fatter - than Sully, who is young and is a professional athlete.
Besides his excuses and lack of commitment, he just doesn't fit well with the way the Celtics want to play. The Celtics want players who:
- Are high character, hard workers, and play like they have something to prove.
- Are able to offer defensive versatility (i.e. switch on pick and rolls, cross-match on other players in transition) and can guard multiple positions.
- Can play effectively in transition. With regards to bigs, the Celtics like players who can run the floor.
- Can space the floor (although many of our players don't necessarily do this all that well just yet)
- Commit to a team-first culture.
Sullinger offers none of these things. It's time to move on, even if we do miss some of his on-floor contributions such as rebounding. I'd be sorely disappointed if he's back on the C's next year.
I don't agree with the highlighted points. Surely, Jared is speaking in hyperbole when he says it's 20-30 times more difficult. Sullinger is the norm, not the exception when it comes to weight loss. Statistics show almost all over-weight people regain the weight they lose after dieting.
If keeping at an ideal weight was as simple as having "a flexible meal plan created by someone who knows what they're doing - and you follow it" then the diet industry would go out of business overnight. There are a myriad of factors on why people cannot follow a plan whether it be physical and or psychological.
Even though I don't have a weight problem I've done some research in this area.They say one of the major problems with losing weight has to do with the enteric nervous system which is in the digestive track. There are a huge number of nerves in this system. I heard one researcher describe it as like having a second brain in the body over which you have no control over.
It runs unconsciously in our body. It sends signals to your brain telling it that you are hungry or full. One cannot control this nervous system through sheer willpower. In a matter of speaking, it has a mind of its own. This may be especially true for those who can't lose weight.
This is just one factor that limits dieters success. If one incorporates other factors like; a predisposition to gain weight because of one's biology, plus lifelong psychological and emotional factors, then one can understand this problem much more clearly.
I am not making excuses for Sully. What I'm trying to say is that weight loss for most people is far more complicated than simply following a diet plan.
Yes it's an oversimplification. The simple point was that while he was speaking in hyperbole, really it's just his way of bemoaning his genetics and using it as an excuse rather than taking a proactive approach and keeping himself within an acceptable weight range. And that's why he fails. Hungry after practice or a game? Plan accordingly. With professional resources at hand, he could have tons of meal and snack options, that can help guide him towards his weight management goals. He also has access to psychologists and other professionals should he need them to address the emotional aspect of his habits.
Having actually worked in this area as a career, I'm well aware of the other factors involved in successful weight management. You can debate the psychological, physiological, sociocultural, or environmental aspects of eating all you want. At some point the science needs to meet practicality. Given all the bad information that's out there, it's typically not worth it to argue over with people on the internet. It's too time consuming. But hey, people read a few scientific articles and everyone's an expert these days, even though they don't have an ounce of practical experience in the area. If you want to give Sully some leeway by attributing his weight problems to his psychological state, or his enteric nervous system - or his "2nd mind of it's own" - then by all means, go ahead. His enteric nervous system doesn't choose the food that's on his plate, and furthermore extremely calorie dense meals aren't necessary to trigger satiety. Need emotional support? Seek behavioral therapy, keep a food journal, and do your best to adhere to a good meal plan. More oversimplifications, I suppose.
I'll also say this - many dieters fail because they "diet". Losing weight is the easy part. Keeping it off is the real challenge. Many diets are not sustainable, and hence people fail and regain their weight. Another oversimplification. But the diet industry knows this, and that's why it's such a profitable industry. Dieters' failures are their successes.
Back on topic, if anyone thinks that there are good reasons to actually sign Sully to a long-term deal, I'd like to hear them. Because I can't think of any.
TP Thanks for clarifying. I was concerned some might misconstrue your original message and think that all one needs is a diet plan and to follow it to lose and keep weight off. Couldn't agree more with your following statement.
"Plan accordingly. With professional resources at hand, he could have tons of meal and snack options, that can help guide him towards his weight management goals. He also has access to psychologists and other professionals should he need them to address the emotional aspect of his habits. "
He has the financial means to hire psychologists, professionals and whatnot to be successful. And, $millions of reasons to hire people who can assist him reach his fitness goals. I have two wealthy friends who had weight problems their entire lives. Finally, they changed course and keep weight off by hiring professionals to modify their diet. One has personal chefs prepare all his meals. No reason why Sully can't hire someone to have low calorie, filling and tasteful foods ready for him after games and on a daily basis.
As for signing Sully long term. I agree. I wouldn't give him more than a 2-3 year deal. My concern is not so much for his fitness level. I suspect his back bothers him more than he's letting on. This may have played a bigger role on his decline later in the season than any weight gain. If his back is still bothering him, then it's likely it will be with him throughout his career.
I agree, it's difficult to effectively get points/messages across sometimes on the internet especially in an informal setting like a basketball message board where we're often leaving brief comments. It's also easy to interpret one's statements as being disrespectful, snarky, etc. even though the writer did not intend it this way. It's typically why I avoid highly debatable topics on the internet.
It's really concerning that Sully has faced two career-threatening problems/injuries with his back and his foot fracture but he still has been putting on weight during the season now that he's past that. Huge wake up calls if he's seeking longevity in his NBA career. Not that I have any inside information on him, but it's very reasonable to speculate that the factors behind his weight issues are multiple and complex.
Resources Sully. You got em, so use em. Many people don't have the luxury (can't afford) personal trainers, nutritionists, lifestyle coaches, therapists, personal chefs, etc. And I wish him success... but just not with the Celtics.
Topic: This is why we have to let Sully go (Read 9524 times)