KP Appreciation Thread

They were fun to watch and root for again, thanks to you Kevin Pritchard!!!

You brought this team back from the basement during a time of struggle. You turned a team full of misfits into a team of hard working, strong, good character men. You’re the man, and may you have all the success in the world wherever you go!

Now please don’t kill us from elsewhere just to spite Paul Allen, ok?

And we love you.

For many years the Trailblazers were not a team that represented the city of Portland. The team that takes the court now has our support not just because they win, but because they respect the character of our community. It took a special person to understand that and turn our hopes into a reality, not to mention craft a team that can really win games.

Paul Allen might write the checks, but he doesn’t understand what makes Portland special.

I’ve never been a fan of a GM before. I’m going follow whatever team you go to next.

Thanks for coming to Portland to help clean up the mess that was known as the Jail Blazers. It was a difficult task, but you did it well and did it with class. You made me believe in the team again, not Paul Allen.

You showed us that we could have a team that was both good and deserving of respect. You brought in players that are leaders and good citizens, and got rid of the ones that were an embarrassment to the community.

When problems arose, you addressed them quickly and forthrightly (and that’s a lesson that PA just doesn’t seem to get)

You helped generate a sense of excitement about Blazer basketball that had been missing for far too long.

You wore your emotions on your sleeve, just like most fans and helped us feel invested in the team. You came across as normal, in a pretty abnormal world.

Thanks KP. You deserve much better than what Paul Allen could ever provide. I wish you continued success. You deserve it.

The writing is on the wall. What really drove it home for me was when this Libby guy cancelled his rally because someone told him it would be more harm than good.

KP was fired because he did such a great job everyone loved him and that made Paul Allen mad. Therefore, if someone came in here who was actually good enough to build a championship team they will be fired. Therefore, we will never win a championship untill we get an owner who can leave his own ego at the curb.

Until today I have always been a huge PA supporter and thought we were incredibly lucky to have an owner with passion and deep pockets. We were all stabbed in the back today, folks. Paul Allen confirmed today that his own ego is more important to him than winning a championship -whether he realizes it or not.

What might have been.
Great job and good luck KP. Can’t take Nate with you, though?

KP, you will be missed; and not only because of your brilliance as a GM. You were a class act for the duration of your time here. Some other team will be very happy when they add you to their FO. Suck it, Paul Allen.

if P.A. doesn’t have a great plan. And if things don’t work out well, this may be the end of NBA in Portland, because I think many peoples trust in the organization will be gone.

who gets the next ring? KP or The Blazers?

unfortunately I’d put my money on the guy with out a job.

You won’t be out of a job for long

Margorp —→ Turn the program around. Safe to say KP Margorp’d all over the blazers. Missed already.

This is YOUR team, KP.
Well done.

I’m going to miss draft day as such an exciting and hopeful event without you here. Wherever you end up I know you will be successful, and that team will also have a new fan.

but it seems on this topic both Woj. and Canzano got it right.

But saying thank you for all you’ve done here

Really, really appreciate, for making me a Blazers fan.

You brought us back to respectability. You’ll always have a place in my Blazer heart.

now with the team that KP built, it just won’t seem complete, eh? It wasn’t right how they did ya KP. Best of luck wherever you may go.

Learn from your mistakes, don’t repeat them, and you’ll do just fine. Much love, brother.

We’ll miss you here in Blazerland and wish you all the best.

Thanks for building us a great team; all the fans appreciate it.

Thanks for putting in all the hard work in making my team better

good job kp if only for the minn trade. i would have rather drafted 5 centers but im ok with batum and dante next year and hey we still have rudy! way to go out with integrity.

All it does is prove a point to the man: Paul Allen’s the boss.

Pretty ignorant move by ownership. Oden hasn’t panned out, but the Blazers are an excellent and feared team throughout the league- and the fans love this franchise.

I appreciate the hard work Mr. Pritchard put in. Portland is a fantastic place and deserves a fantastic team. Thanks Bruce.

until he provides an explanation.

for your hard work in helping to lead the Blazers over the past few years.

On a personal note, thanks for replying to the two emails that I sent you during your tenure as GM.

I wish you all the best in whatever opportunities you have in the future.

Just a baffling move. We were the big drama for the draft, way to go!!!!!

HOpe you do great in future GM jobs

I feel like I’m in Sterling world.

What reason did the team give for firing a highly successful GM? None.

Here’s one: “My name is Paul Allen, and I have my head up my rear.”

Anyway, thanks KP, you did a great job, having the team cut you loose saddens me.

He was a very nice guy, he introduced himself as Kevin Pritchard, with a handshake and was very professional and humble, I really think he is going to come back and build a team that will dominate the west….The Blazers F’d up….Again…

KP rides in for the last battle knowing all along death is the only outcome.
Thanks, KP
We will never forget you.

You did an outstanding job here and I wish you luck in the future. Sure gonna miss your sincerity and confidence around here.

I’m not that kind of a person. I want to work hard and be in the background.

I feel like I’m one of the luckiest guys in the world because I work with great people, I work in an environment where basketball is very important [to everyone] like it is to me. As I took over the organization a couple of years ago I remember saying that I’m not going to get outworked. My organization, our organization, will not be outworked. We are going to do it. We are going to do it with good people.

We are going to continue to do that, we are going to have some challenging times, there’s no doubt about it, but for me I kind of like the challenging times because it tells you who you are and who you want to be with.

http://www.blazersedge.com/2009/4/2/819759/kevin-pritchard-the-interview

Me with KP at the glass palace vs. the Suns. Couldn’t have been a nicer guy..

Really really appreciate what he did here in such a short amount of time.