Frazier, Würzburg fire shots at one another after departure scandal

As if Chester Frazier’s departure right in the middle of the playoffs didn’t cause enough of a distraction for s.Oliver Baskets in their fight against ratiopharm ulm, now a media war of words has broken out between the two sides in the aftermath.

Frazier was blasted in the media in Germany for abandoning his team one day before Game Two of the German semifinal playoffs. Many questioned why he left now for his new job as assistant coach at Kansas State University. And Frazier spoke his mind on his Twitter feed – @bmorepg – on Thursday.

Here is the chain of his tweets – including answering questions from others on Twitter

“I won’t respond to criticism of leaving!! My teammates gave me their blessing and everyone doesn’t know what and how my dec to leave occured”

“I want to thank the fans for everything!! And my teammates!!”

“Not really surprised by the accounts of the story of me “abandoning” my team!! As the guy telling the story has built a career on lies”

“Remember there are many sides to every story- and the motives of all involved! Could you work for someone you can’t look in the eyes?”

“I know man but they are slandering me for pursuing my dream and when they are wrong!! I had my teammates blessings!”

“not saying what I did was right but I did not abandon anyone!! If anyone asks my teammates the story it would be diff!!”

“it’s crazy man I’m not that guy!! The coach and management are covering their behinds!! I didn’t even get paid last month”

“it’s so much to this story man it’s unbelievable!! Ask @gbrown5 (Gilbert Brown) and @Tizzy54 (Mike Tisdale) about those guys in wurzburg!!” – Brown and Tisdale were both released by Würzburg during the season, Tisdale before the season even started.

“I left the job to better myself for my future and my family!! If anyone doesn’t understand coaching is my passion”

“No where’s the story on when they get rid of players and don’t pay them?? I asked to be released!! There’s a diff”

“… Where’s the loyalty for sending @Tizzy54 and @gbrown5 home?”

Gilbert Brown responded by tweeting: “man you made the best decision for you and forwarding your career as coach don’t worry about any of that..” and “you have to take care of your self first because that’s all e was ever going to do…”

And Tisdale answered with “haha yep lol. Hope your doing well …”

Frazier tweeted publicly his former teammates and wished them and thanked them for the support and Ivan Elliott responded with “Got ur back like a car seat” and “like is said I got u shorty!!”

Würzburg forward Jason Boone retweeted Frazier’s thank you to fans and teammates and said: “you’re welcome…best of luck with all…see you this summer”

The response from Würzburg club leaders, on the other hand, was quite different.

After Würzburg lost Game Two to go down 2-0 in the series against Ulm and he was told of Frazier’s comments, s.Oliver head coach John Patrick told the Würzburg Main Post: “I always meant well with Chester. He was one of my best players. He left, now he has to take responsibility for that alone and cannot blame others.”

“(The coaching position with KSU) was his dream, and we did not want to ruin this dream. Neither me nor our general managers Jochen Bähr and Steffen Liebler,” added Patrick.

Patrick said Frazier was trying to protect himself with his comments, adding: “He realizes that his departure was not clean and that he’s close to losing his good reputation – especially in the U.S. He’s trying to divert his wrongdoing with such things.”

Patrick also said he expects Frazier to apologize soon, saying: “In two weeks I will get an email in which he apologizes to us all for his mistakes.”

And regarding the comments about payment, the Main Post said it was in possession of bank documentation that Frazier had been paid until April in full and also received his playoffs premium.

“That leaves the impression that we are bankrupt,” Bähr told the Main Post.

“We have fulfilled our commitments to every single player. Every last cent has been paid. Despite the cost-intensive playoffs, we will even finish the season with a plus. We may have concerns with Chester’s departure, but what we definitely do not have is financial problems.”

The report also said that Frazier breached his contract by leaving before the end of the semifinals series, until which the deal had been reportedly signed. Still Bähr said Frazier would receive his salary for the first game of the semis against Ulm.

“We are fair, that’s our way. Chester will also receive his portion at the end of the month, when we allocate our salaries as always,” said Bähr.

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