Gary Vitti Will Leave Lakers After Next Season (LA Times Article)

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by Battle Tested20, Jul 26, 2015.

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  1. Battle Tested20

    Battle Tested20 Moderator Staff Member

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    Trainer Gary Vitti, who's cared for Lakers legends, nears end of watch

    [​IMG]


    http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-vitti-kobe-20150727-story.html#page=1
     
    Battle Tested20, Jul 26, 2015
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  2. trodgers

    trodgers Administrator Staff Member

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    I'm thankful for his service; he really seems to be part of the Lakers family, but it is time to see him go. We seem to be lagging behind other teams in terms of training theory.
     
    trodgers, Jul 26, 2015
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  3. Battle Tested20

    Battle Tested20 Moderator Staff Member

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    The part that sticks out the most to me in the article was this quote:

    So much has happened the last few years, so little of it positive. Vitti even called it "a nightmare." Few would disagree, the Lakers continually losing Bryant and Steve Nash to injury, along with a slew of games.


     
    Battle Tested20, Jul 26, 2015
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  4. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

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    This. All Day Long. We should be on the cutting edge of these things; training, nutrition, conditioning, and everything pertaining to these things. I'm grateful for Vitti, but you're exactly right, Trodgers; time for a change...
     
    LaVarBallsDad, Jul 26, 2015
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  5. gcclaker

    gcclaker Moderator Staff Member

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    Riley...West...Hearn...Dr. Buss...Bertka...Vitti. The constituents of the 1980's Showtime crew other than the players have left. All I have are my memories of that glorious era that I will take with me. Thank you Vitti. You will always be a Laker to me.
     
    gcclaker, Jul 26, 2015
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  6. JLaker17

    JLaker17 - Lakers Starter -

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    Really grateful for everything he has done, but I definitely think this is best for both sides. Time to go in another direction.
     
    JLaker17, Jul 26, 2015
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  7. John3:16

    John3:16 Moderator Staff Member

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    Medicine, like technology is growing and improving daily, at a rate that is hard to keep up with if you're not in the thick of it, doing it daily. Vitti was probably at the top of his game (sports medicine) in the early 80s. So much has happened since then. I'm sure he's tried his best to keep up, but their is no substitute for experience. Almost sacrilegious to say, but I agree with @trodgers It's time. Was probably time in the early 00s.

    Wish him nothing but the best!

    Now, let's go get the best to replace him.
     
    John3:16, Jul 26, 2015
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  8. trodgers

    trodgers Administrator Staff Member

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    The thing that has long stuck with me is the way Vitti speaks of learning of Magic's diagnosis.

    "We go into our locker room (at the Great Western Forum), and Earvin comes in and he tells the players. I cannot tell you how emotional that was. Every one of us, we're all thinking, Earvin's going to be dead in two years. He's going to wither away. Here's this guy we love, and you're just thinking the worst. Tears were just flowing. And then he goes upstairs and gives this press conference, and he's like, 'Ah, I'm going to beat this thing.' "
    http://www.nba.com/2011/news/featur...7/remembering-magic-johnson-hiv-announcement/

    Another good article, in which he cries in the interview despite it being more than a decade later, remembering the diagnosis.
    http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/110715_november_7_1991.html
     
    trodgers, Jul 26, 2015
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  9. bonk

    bonk - Rookie -

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    I'd like to think it's because of "theory" or lack of being current but looking at how this group has acted in the past I'd venture a guess that it's because he's getting a veteran salary and they can find someone cheaper.
     
    bonk, Jul 26, 2015
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  10. John3:16

    John3:16 Moderator Staff Member

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    I remember Magic had a cut during a game and Vitti treated the cut without gloves. The California Medical Board came down on him pretty hard. However, they had no jurisdiction over him because

    He's not a doctor.:SmushFail:

    He has a MS in Sports Medicine, from way back in 1976.

    Explains a lot.
     
    John3:16, Jul 26, 2015
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  11. gcclaker

    gcclaker Moderator Staff Member

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    1984...Hearn's passing...2008...Dr. Buss' passing... Along with 11/7/91...all were low points as a Laker fan.
     
    gcclaker, Jul 26, 2015
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  12. sirronstuff

    sirronstuff - Lakers Legend -

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    wish he could have saved his magic touch for players like Smush
     
    sirronstuff, Jul 26, 2015
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  13. trodgers

    trodgers Administrator Staff Member

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    No.
     
    trodgers, Jul 27, 2015
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  14. sirronstuff

    sirronstuff - Lakers Legend -

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    that was sarcasm. Dammit :SmushFail:
     
    sirronstuff, Jul 27, 2015
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  15. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    I like Vitti immensely. He's been here for a long time and he's a knowledgeable guy... but he's so far behind in terms of modern science and modern medicine... I know the guy has tenure so it's difficult to just outright tell him do anything, but this is definitely overdue.

    We said a while ago: when do you look at our injury history over the last few years and blame our staff? They say they're on top of things, but why are all our players getting hurt? Someone somewhere is making a mistake. Is it the doctors we use? The training staff? The medical staff? I don't know much about Seto, but Kobe swears by her. I know the head trainer here D'Francesco is a really knowledgeable trainer. That leaves Gary. I think the times have just passed him by at this point...

    All that said, he's certainly part of the Laker family just like Chick was. He's been an institution and I'll never forget the way he treated Magic's cut without gloves at a time when people were terrified of HIV spreading. That's something you do for someone you really care about and no one can ever question how much passion and love he put into this franchise.
     
    therealdeal, Jul 27, 2015
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  16. sirronstuff

    sirronstuff - Lakers Legend -

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    I think he's always kept up on the latest and greatest info and practices as much as possible, and he's a member of the family. There will always come a point in time where it's logical that you can't keep up with all of the change, and that it's logical to bring someone who was trained with an updated foundation of knowledge. That person won't have many of the skills we take for granted someone of Vitti's experience level would have, but they will eventually get there. Hopefully the Lakers will take on a person who is a great combination of youngish/experienced/overly qualified and cutting edge to not only just help us keep up, but exceed what others have available to them.

    It's what Vitti wants for us too.
     
    sirronstuff, Jul 27, 2015
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  17. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

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    Julius Randle feared his leg was going to break.

    A small bump had developed on his right leg a few months after the Los Angeles Lakers selected him seventh overall in the 2014 NBA draft, one he said caused an "achy, sharp pain."

    "'Man, this ain't right,'" Randle said he told himself at the time. "If I don't figure out what this is, I'm going to break my leg.'"

    He was right. In his first NBA game, Randle drove to the basket midway through the fourth quarter and prepared to launch his 6-foot-9, 250-pound frame off his right foot.

    Then his foot buckled.

    Randle collapsed, but he didn't writhe in pain or scream or cry. He just sat there -- his tibia fractured, his season over after 14 minutes of playing time, his face empty of emotion.

    "I wasn't in any initial shock or anything," he said. "I knew exactly what happened."

    http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/13218900/julius-randle-rookie-season-bump-road
     
    LaVarBallsDad, Jul 27, 2015
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  18. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

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    As others have said, injuries have been occurring more frequently the last few years; all of that isn't on Vitti; but the Randle injury really did it for me...
     
    LaVarBallsDad, Jul 27, 2015
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  19. 432J

    432J - Lakers All Star -

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    it'll be a sad day and very weird when gary vitti isn't seen on the lakers bench

    he's the last remaining link to the showtime era still on the frontlines. he's been an incredibly huge part of this team for so long but it's safe to say that its time the lakers medical staff starts working in 2015 and not the old era it seems they've been stuck in. and that's not all on vitti, he's an old school guy and it's pretty clear he and the rest of the staff have tried their best to keep up with all the new technology and methods that seem to pop up everyday. these past few seasons have definitely been a nightmare in that category but props to gary for doing his best.

    we've all given him and the medical staff tons of crap over the years for not being the suns medical staff but i'd say he's done one hell of a job in recent years with all that's been handed to him
     
    432J, Jul 27, 2015
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  20. lakerjones

    lakerjones Moderator Staff Member

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    End of an era. But as many said, it's time. Vitti has been there for the Lakers but it's time to move forward.
     
    lakerjones, Jul 27, 2015
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