Initial Portland Trail Blazers Press Conference Quotes
by Dave on Jun 24, 2010 9:15 PM PDT
in News
Email
PrintQuotes via Ben Golliver at the presser:
- "This was an extremely difficult. We wish Kevin well." Larry Miller
- This process was more public and took longer than any of us would have liked but that was indicative of how critical a decision this was. --PA
- Blazers PR distributes release: "trail blazers gm kevin pritchard relieved of his duties."
More to come. Miller, Born and Buchanan to speak. PA and KP not.
- "Kevin was a tremendous leader." -- Born ... "Still discussing options on Gomes." -- Buchanan
- "Kevin was phenomenal... I thought he did an unbelievable job like he always does... [The situation] was obviously difficult." -- Buchanan
1. "It's been a long day, an interesting day." Larry Miller
2. Larry Miller explictly rules out Mark Warkentien as GM candidate.
That would be one word for it...
The Official Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Trail Blazers have relieved general manager Kevin Pritchard of his duties, the team announced today.
"This process was more public and took longer than any of us would have liked, but that was indicative of how critical a decision this was for the franchise," said Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen. "We want to thank and acknowledge Kevin for his solid work in getting us to where we are today. Parting ways with a popular general manager is not something we take lightly. In the end, we decided to make a change."
Pritchard, 42, joined the Trail Blazers as the team's director of player personnel prior to the 2004-05 season and served as the team's interim head coach for the final 27 games of that campaign.
"This was an extremely difficult decision," Trail Blazers President Larry Miller said. "We wish Kevin well, and thank him for his valuable leadership and his many contributions. We remain dedicated to building a team of strong character and talent, as we stay firmly committed to bringing another championship to Portland."
Pritchard, promoted to assistant general manager in 2006, became the franchise's eighth general manager on March 29, 2007.
More quotes:
Miller says a conversation between Pritchard & Allen (and no one else) resulted in decision to relieve KP of his job. Miller was not there.
--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)
208 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
embarrasing day for the trail blazers
OJ Mayo is the Blazers' PG of the Future
by GreatOden'sRaven on Jun 24, 2010 9:16 PM PDT reply actions
screw you, paul allen
now back in sunny portland, oregon
by CleBlazer on Jun 24, 2010 9:20 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Aww
A lot of fans are saying that. I wouldn’t take it that far but I can see where you’re coming from.
I'm just not crazy about player nick names...
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Jun 24, 2010 9:22 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
I agree with the spirit
if not the exact sentiment.
Honor Alaa Abdelnaby.
First in the NBA. At least alphabetically
Stuff like this is embarrassing.
It’s cool to disagree with Allen, but it would be nice if we could all do it in a calm, logical, respectful way.
by Nick Van Excellent on Jun 24, 2010 9:52 PM PDT up reply actions
sure
but “screw you” is exactly what PA said/conveyed to KP when he fired him and made him work in the war room today.
such a disrespectful act by PA does not deserve any respect from me.
now back in sunny portland, oregon
were you there?
you have no idea how it went down, which I think is Nick’s greater point.
"I want to be traded to a contender" is almost always code-speak for "I'm a loser."
-Dave, 2/5/2010: http://www.blazersedge.com/2010/2/5/1297509/no-amore-for-amare
ok
i apologize for being so crass.
i was simply expressing my disdain towards paul allen for making such a ridiculous move to fire a guy that didn’t deserve to be fired. what makes this worse is we (the paying fan base that supports allen don’t know why pritchard was fired.
now back in sunny portland, oregon
and because you don't know why he was fired
you don’t know that he didn’t deserve to be fired.
"Basketball is a business." --everyone involved with the basketball business except Blazers fans
there's more to being a GM than the talent end
"I want to be traded to a contender" is almost always code-speak for "I'm a loser."
-Dave, 2/5/2010: http://www.blazersedge.com/2010/2/5/1297509/no-amore-for-amare
obviously...
but according to those that worked with and under pritchard have incessantly vouched for him
now back in sunny portland, oregon
This is true
many causes can lead to firing, including none if the contract so stipulates.
The moral issue is something worth considering though.
Honor Alaa Abdelnaby.
First in the NBA. At least alphabetically
we're getting into personal opinion here, but
while KP is a top-tier GM, his record isn’t spotless. Failure to convert RLEC into anything of note, for example. Or the questionable drafting of Claver last year.
And then of course there’s his track record that doesn’t involve drafts or trades, which, again, we don’t know enough about to make that judgement.
"Basketball is a business." --everyone involved with the basketball business except Blazers fans
Actually RLEC was used in a way.
If we had used it at the deadline at the time, we would not have had the capspace to sign Miller. The FO had been preaching fiscal responsibility. To criticize for not using RLEC is a matter of opinion not necessarily a mistake.
Somebody step up! - Mike Rice
by We-B-Dunkin on Jun 24, 2010 10:48 PM PDT up reply actions
Allen didn't make him work in the war room.
KP already knew he was fired, he didn’t have to show up.
by Nick Van Excellent on Jun 24, 2010 10:14 PM PDT up reply actions
is this confirmed?
i was late to the press conference?
if so, i recant my statement.
now back in sunny portland, oregon
I think it was reported by a source.
Sounds like Quick is making it sound worse than it is.
by Nick Van Excellent on Jun 24, 2010 10:24 PM PDT up reply actions
People are confusing when the decision was communicated to KP
and when the story broke. Quick let it loose an hour before the draft. KP knew sooner. We don’t know whose decision it was to have him work it for sure but strong suspicion is that KP and Allen agreed that it was something they wanted.
—Dave
All of the reports I heard (mostly 95.5) had him in the war room
For a while, 1080 said he wasn’t there, but then recanted.
Miller said it was Allen's decision to have Pritchard still handle the draft
Obviously while keeping a close watch on him I would assume
It still makes no sense, really.
The lady who cleaned our house ruined the dining room table the other day. Will cost about $120 to fix. I told her we’d split it with her, which meant she’d get paid for about a 1/2 month (she doesn’t come often nor do much). So she simply didn’t show up today. That’s it. I assume she’s gone for good.
That’s how KP and Paul should have left it.
We have an issue. We address it. We part ways.
If the decision was actually made JUST between the two of them, I am even more intrigued as to what the issue was.
I don’t think this is prying.
I think it’s totally logical for a fan to want to know why something like this went down, and why it went down the way it went down.
facebook.com/year5000
So what if whoever steps into KP's shoes messes everything up?
Just sayin’. I mean realistically though the team is built already. Kevin did the work and now we just have to wait for them to grow together. With that said…. firing him was a mistake.
what if the next GM turns out to be a genius?
Is firing KP now a brilliant move?
"Basketball is a business." --everyone involved with the basketball business except Blazers fans
No
then it was simply luck.
"We get to hit arms! Cool!"
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-39-135/On-Playoff-Experience.html
knock on wood
that he stays on the court
Honor Alaa Abdelnaby.
First in the NBA. At least alphabetically
It's a curious choice...
Was this presser planned before the draft or was it last minute in order to deal with the leak of KP’s firing?
I mean, we all saw this coming when KP started sauntering about the back halls at the RG instead of sitting next to PA. It’s still a bit shocking though. How sad.
I'm just not crazy about player nick names...
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Jun 24, 2010 9:25 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
Get answers!
The fans need some real answers as to why this happened!
The inbound to McGinnis, drives, stops, pumps, shoots, short, no good...AND THE GAME IS OVER! ~ Bill Schonely
by SandbergOnSports on Jun 24, 2010 9:27 PM PDT reply actions
tears ... just tears.
So senseless …
So silly …
So seemingly petty and stupid.
facebook.com/year5000
by Y5k on Jun 24, 2010 9:27 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
Rec.....A sad, sad day.
Barrett: You are going to score 35 tonight.
Bayless: Ya think?
MB off by only four, my oh my.
by thenatural007 on Jun 24, 2010 10:16 PM PDT up reply actions
No matter how good our draft picks turn out to be
today was a setback for the Portland Trail Blazers.
by jamon51 on Jun 24, 2010 9:27 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
BEN!
If you have all the players in one room, ASK WHY!
i know they won’t answer, and I know everyone else will be asking the same question, BUT DON’T LET THEM OFF THE HOOK FOR A SECOND.
I’ve gone from sad to mad in two second.
Fry them Ben. FRY THEM!
facebook.com/year5000
by Y5k on Jun 24, 2010 9:28 PM PDT reply actions 7 recs
I agree!
We’re counting on you, Ben! The power of the press!
The inbound to McGinnis, drives, stops, pumps, shoots, short, no good...AND THE GAME IS OVER! ~ Bill Schonely
by SandbergOnSports on Jun 24, 2010 9:29 PM PDT up reply actions
real reporting!
Incisive questions FTW
Honor Alaa Abdelnaby.
First in the NBA. At least alphabetically
We just lost one of the if not the best GM in the NBA...BBBOOOOOOOOOOO!
The Dude: Hey, careful, man, there's a beverage here!
by cavejunctionblazer on Jun 24, 2010 9:29 PM PDT reply actions
The guys on 955 have no idea what they're talking about.
They don’t know about Gomes’s non-guaranteed contract portion.
Disclaimer: everything I know about basketball I learned on Blazersedge.
They might be taking the firing pretty hard
Honor Alaa Abdelnaby.
First in the NBA. At least alphabetically
the blazers just became a little less fun…
Life is about growth. People are not perfect when they're 21 years old. - Bill Walton
by NEP on Jun 24, 2010 9:34 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
so true, and so sad.
facebook.com/year5000
by Y5k on Jun 24, 2010 9:36 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Larry Miller: "The decision was made today to part ways with Kevin Pritchard"
Haha. "Today".
Now talking about “process”. Empty suit.
as sad as it is to see KP go
after all the good things he’s done, I have to say all the statements that losing him mean the future of the franchise competing is in doubt strike me as a bit myopic. KP’s done an excellent job, but Greg Oden and Brandon Roy staying healthy are much more important to our chances of winning a championship or many than any tweaks the GM might make over the next 4-5 years. Ultimately, it’s the players who will win the games, and the players we get behind.
The organization hasn’t done itself any favors by handling this in a pretty crude manner, but it’s not the end of the world either.
I disagree
and argue that focusing on the court is exactly the sort of myopia that Allen is hoping we’ll have. Or, if you are thinking about on-court success, look at the TB performance during Pritchard’s years versus the years preceding.
In the end, both management and players do their part toward long-term success—or failure.
Honor Alaa Abdelnaby.
First in the NBA. At least alphabetically
Larry Miller basically says NOTHING!!
What else is new?
Exactly.
The media CANNOT let them do this. They need to answer to the fans.
The inbound to McGinnis, drives, stops, pumps, shoots, short, no good...AND THE GAME IS OVER! ~ Bill Schonely
by SandbergOnSports on Jun 24, 2010 9:39 PM PDT up reply actions
Totally.
If all three are in the same room, there is no excuse not to get into details.
facebook.com/year5000
Only if the media allow it
they have the power to ask the questions, and keep asking until they get an answer.
The inbound to McGinnis, drives, stops, pumps, shoots, short, no good...AND THE GAME IS OVER! ~ Bill Schonely
by SandbergOnSports on Jun 24, 2010 9:43 PM PDT up reply actions
They can all say "no comment." you can't force them to talk. But you can also badger the zach out of them until they feel like the mud they should
facebook.com/year5000
Exactly. Keep trying. That's all you can do.
The inbound to McGinnis, drives, stops, pumps, shoots, short, no good...AND THE GAME IS OVER! ~ Bill Schonely
by SandbergOnSports on Jun 24, 2010 9:45 PM PDT up reply actions
He kept playing Revenge of the Nerds in his office. Paul Allen doesn’t like passive aggressiveness…
Life is about growth. People are not perfect when they're 21 years old. - Bill Walton
by NEP on Jun 24, 2010 9:39 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
No class
Kp’s firing (on draft day no less!) shows zero class by the Vulcans.
.
what a shady organization the blazers have become
… again.
sad, sad, sad day.
now back in sunny portland, oregon
BROY, LMA, NIC, BAYLESS, RUDY, ODEN,
and a ton of over seas prospects…
Has anyone done more with less the last 4 years?
Then you turn outlaw and blake expiring into camby? Unreal!
If Babbit turns out to be a stud it will only further cement his legacy
More with less?
Yes, all of the teams that reached the conference finals, the finals, and/or won championships did far, far more, with less wealthy and motivated owners, no less. Ainge turned the Celtics from bad to champions with very few assets, for just one example.
by Pooh Richardson on Jun 24, 2010 11:10 PM PDT up reply actions
Why?
Boston was well over the cap and (in hind sight) awful trading pieces when they acquired Allen and Garnett, drafted Rondo, etc.
My point is that the Blazers have not won anything yet. Ultimately that’s how an organization and front office is judged.
by Pooh Richardson on Jun 24, 2010 11:28 PM PDT up reply actions
...
so, you think it was Ainge’s skills as a gm that allowed him to make those acquisitions? If so, then I can see your argument. I, on the other hand, have a different opinion as to the nature of those deals, and so view the situation differently.
Heres the ultimate problem with all of this.
KP is just one guy in this organization. He was a big part of building this team, but now it is built and no matter what anyone says his true talents you could argue are in mostly in the building process and that is done. The truth is the team can afford to lose him. I love the guy and always will and if this current team wins a championship KP should get a big part of the credit, maybe the bulk of it. What is scaring me the most about this whole thing though, is it sure looks like Paul Allen is back in full command and frankly his track record ain’t so great. I believe in this core players that have been assembled in Portland, but PA can screw 3-5 years of progress and turn this team into the Dallas Mavericks over-night, just watch.
Is there any way to contact the organization
Let them know what a massive screw-job this is? And when, if ever, are we going to know WHY this happened?
This question needs to be asked:
“The fans are obviously upset about Pritchard’s firing, don’t you think they are entitled to an answer as to why this move was made?”
The inbound to McGinnis, drives, stops, pumps, shoots, short, no good...AND THE GAME IS OVER! ~ Bill Schonely
by SandbergOnSports on Jun 24, 2010 9:40 PM PDT reply actions
PA does not care about the fans.
What, does he really need our money? Not really, the Blazers are simply an extension of his ego. Trust me he will not lose sleep over this.
They could be a figurehead for an evil Vulcan man
Disclaimer: everything I know about basketball I learned on Blazersedge.
Has that happened before? An organization left in a critical phase of the off-season with no GM, no assistant GM, a president who is emphatically not taking over the reins, and two scouts are given the keys to the car?
No disrespect to B and B— it just seems so unusual.
by HowlinJoeWolf on Jun 24, 2010 9:51 PM PDT up reply actions
Can we stop calling PA "classless" ?
Trail Blazers general manager has been fired by owner Paul Allen, less than an hour before the 2010 NBA Draft was set to begin.
A source close to Pritchard said Allen informed the popular general manager that Thursday would be his last day of work, which will include conducting the Blazers draft.
1. This is a typical J. Quick glorification. My opinion is that Quick finds out that they will relieve KP of his duties tonight an hour before the draft. It’s worded so that it sounds like he told him one hour before the draft then said, “i fired you but come on, lets go to the war room”
2. A source close to Pritchard…hmm who can that be? PA? No Vulcan? No. How about the dbag that is his agent, Warren LeGarie to make sure KP is the victim in all of this.
I’m not saying he’s not but lets not call PA classless based on JQ’s interpretation of how things went down today. We all know where they were leaning towards for months. Reasons NONE (maybe few) of us know. The decision was made public today and privately over two months ago but it’s not like none of us knew the writing on the wall. KP is not dumb. He knew he still had up to the draft day to do what he needed to do. He had a date of his release and it happen to be today. Instead of resigning, he stayed to the end date to get paid, and try to fight another fight.
So did PA make a mistake? Maybe. But is he classless? I don’t think so. Lets not make that a BEdge fact.
PA has done more than ANYONE for this team. If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t even have a team in Portland.
So call his action a mistake, call it whatever, but lets not call him classless. We’ve only heard one side of this matter, and as a private person, lets respect the fact that PA doesn’t want internal matters to be made public.
Whoever is leaking the constant stream of one sided info is the real dbag.
Chad B and Mike Born wouldn’t stay and work for a classless person. Something else went down and we should respect it as such. It was an accumulation of headbutts.
Anyhow, Babbitt FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
fiftytwo
by broyposse on Jun 24, 2010 9:42 PM PDT reply actions 11 recs
Great comment
I agree 100%
The Princess of Blazersedge
Twitter.com/sophiabiabia Follow Me!!!
" It just takes an iron fist to keep the riff raff under control and her princess hand is mad strong" - Idoltime
by BlazerFan1 on Jun 24, 2010 9:51 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Agreed.
I need a whole lot more information before I’m going to call him classless. In fact, I’m going to need a whole lot more SOLID information before I get pissed at him. Yeah, sure, maybe he made a mistake. Time will tell. Who know exactly who the dirt bags are here?
Truth is
we don’t know what happened and we don’t know why. We probably never will. In situations like that it’s easier to find someone to blame and paint it an easy, simple color. Most often there’s cause on both sides and those causes got out of hand in a way too big to deal with.
—Dave
There was a right way and a wrong way to deal with this
Paul Allen chose the wrong way. Thus he has no class.
by jamon51 on Jun 24, 2010 10:03 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Yes, because he chose the wrong way to deal with one single incident he has "no class".
Hopefully the fan base can handle this with some class.
by Nick Van Excellent on Jun 24, 2010 10:11 PM PDT up reply actions
not so far
"I want to be traded to a contender" is almost always code-speak for "I'm a loser."
-Dave, 2/5/2010: http://www.blazersedge.com/2010/2/5/1297509/no-amore-for-amare
not so far for most
better?
"I want to be traded to a contender" is almost always code-speak for "I'm a loser."
-Dave, 2/5/2010: http://www.blazersedge.com/2010/2/5/1297509/no-amore-for-amare
There have been a surprising variety of reactions tonight.
I’m curious what will happen after a night’s sleep.
One single incident?
Where have you been the last almost 20 years? PA has never shown an ability to pick “the right way” to deal with incidents like this. See Miles, media being kicked out of the practice facility, Jailblazers, you name it. A track record is a track record. Paul Allen has no class.
Does that make me classless to say the emperor has no clothes when he in fact has no clothes…?
Adelman
All his assistant coaches
All the front office at the time
Whittsit
Letting that stupid Terry Bradshaw talk over him with stupid jokes about “e-mail” after the Seahawks won the NFC Championship game
Nerd glasses
Gas-hog SUV
Comb-over
What else …
facebook.com/year5000
He has made some silly business decisions.
I certainly don’t agree with everything Allen has done, but that doesn’t make him devoid of class. (which is a pretty hilarious overstatement by the way.)
by Nick Van Excellent on Jun 25, 2010 12:57 AM PDT up reply actions
But,
3 months before the draft, telling someone they are going to be canned the day of…. Is just asking for trouble, how can this possibly end well for PA and the Blazers?
I would agree with this
Though I do reserve the right to criticize his business acumen and handling of internal and external communications. From experience.
Me too
I think the timing was lousy and probably not a smart choice. But I don’t know if they were forced into that choice or were trying their hardest to do something different and just ended up having to make the choice when they did. Those are possibilities. You can certainly say the timing was bad. Nobody can say that they wouldn’t have ended up in that position without knowing what led up to the position in the first place. To me that’s where the line is drawn. “This was bad” is accurate. “Other choices seem to make more sense” is accurate. “You are a completely incompetent, classless fool and KP should still be GM” and “I wouldn’t ever, ever do what you did” are statements we can’t make without walking in PA’s shoes.
—Dave
what is likely is that KP and Allen agreed to disagree
if we can put any stock in Miller’s comment that the final decision came down to the face-to-face. Otherwise, KP would not have stuck around to finish off the draft deals that had been set up.
In that regard, extreme anti-PA sentiment is most likely an overreaction.
by blacknoiseNW on Jun 24, 2010 10:39 PM PDT up reply actions
True, but ...
the Penn firing seems just as irrational, thus we now have a pattern of odd behavior.
facebook.com/year5000
I'll wait and see who the next GM is, if it anyone they interviewed, for instance
and how long it takes to install that person, before I’ll decide how much thought and notice went into today’s decision. If we don’t have a GM July 1… that would show a lack of vision on the part of the team. A serious problem
"its tough to play with one eye, unless you're a pirate." Delonte West
"una canasta a Pau en la cara" Rudy
by Honka Playboy on Jun 24, 2010 10:38 PM PDT up reply actions
Great, great comment.
Which is more likely:
-The Blazers decided to fire KP on the spot, today, to spite him, despite the ensuing PR nightmare.
or
-KP was told a while back that the draft would be his last day (as in, he would be fired today, but was not told that for the first time just today). A “source” close to KP, namely, his dirtbag agent, leaked it on drft day to make sure his client came off as a victim?
Quick will apparently report as “fact” any leak, as long as it goes on OLive and doesn’t have to go through his editors, so LeGarie would know EXACTLY who to go to on the second scenario. There’s a reason Quick was the one who leaked it.
by Pooh Richardson on Jun 24, 2010 11:17 PM PDT up reply actions
Why do you have to come up with other possible, rational scenarios?
Don’t you know that PA is evil and KP is perfect? The world is awesome in absolutes.
/s
Sorry.
Still on the Rex bandwagon.
by dan_the_man on Jun 24, 2010 11:56 PM PDT up reply actions
Hey, Let's Piss Off...
the Portland fans and hope they sour on the team so I can move it to Seattle.
OR
KP bedded the wrong lady friend that somebody else (hint, hint) had designs on
OR
Mr. Allen is just another rich (something that rhymes with trick)
Mark Warkentein will not be a candidate for the job
Larry Miller at press conference
if PA fired a guy who took this team from the doldrums to a championship contender,
what do you think he would do to you?
hmmm ... I suppose I'd rather not wind up in a shallow grave outside Seattle.
Give the job to some other BEdger.
facebook.com/year5000
in a shallow grave
with diskettes of Windows 95 placed into your mouth?
Honor Alaa Abdelnaby.
First in the NBA. At least alphabetically
Larry Miller specifically says no Mark Warkentien
If that doesn’t say Warkentien is suspected to be the anonymous leak working yahoo sports AWoj, I don’t know what does.
Keep Portland Weird.
We will find out soon enough...
If PA lands a top notch GM, we will know that PA had probably cause for dismissal. The reason we can make that assumption is that the incoming GM will ask why KP got fired and PA will explain the events under full non-disclosure. If incoming GM is cool with it, he will take the job.
If we end up with Chris Wallace as GM, then we know KP’s dismissal was for something dumb since no one wants to touch the job with a 12 foot Oden.
fiftytwo
by broyposse on Jun 24, 2010 9:49 PM PDT reply actions 7 recs
Baha
Exactly
The Princess of Blazersedge
Twitter.com/sophiabiabia Follow Me!!!
" It just takes an iron fist to keep the riff raff under control and her princess hand is mad strong" - Idoltime
by BlazerFan1 on Jun 24, 2010 9:52 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
don't you mean a 12 inch.....
oh I see what you did there.
It could just as likely mean that Allen offered him $$$
Logical descriptions of complex worlds contain within themselves the seeds of their own limitation. A world that was simple enough to be fully known would be too simple to contain conscious observers who might know it.
by Sexual Tyrannosaurus on Jun 24, 2010 10:07 PM PDT up reply actions
Money talks;
big piles of money SING like the Sirens.
Getting somebody to take that vacant NBA GM position for a winning team with a wealthy and spending NBA junkie owner has nothing to do with why KP was fired.
KP’s getting fired probably has more to do with KP working for a wealthy and spending NBA junkie owner than any rumors that KP did anything “wrong”. I just smell a petulant super-rich guy getting angry because Tom Penn told a joke about The Turkey That Got Away and Allen got pissed at KP for laughing.
I still think it would be very funny if somebody would do a Poll of a collection of the rumors, jokes and made-up stories…
If they won’t tell us let’s just create our own scenarios, and put them to a vote.
We shall create our own reality.
I'm not talking about KP
Logical descriptions of complex worlds contain within themselves the seeds of their own limitation. A world that was simple enough to be fully known would be too simple to contain conscious observers who might know it.
by Sexual Tyrannosaurus on Jun 25, 2010 12:36 AM PDT up reply actions
I had the same thoughts above
I’ll be interested to see if anyone is at the helm come FA signings or if we are drifting. Someone BETTER have already been considering trade strategies by now
"its tough to play with one eye, unless you're a pirate." Delonte West
"una canasta a Pau en la cara" Rudy
by Honka Playboy on Jun 24, 2010 10:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Since the team gives us nothing I will make up my own story
My thought is that KP wanted to have a guarantee on a future with the organization, and PA wasn’t willing to give it to him. KP told him “give me security or let me go,” and PA said “okay, bye bye.”
i like that theroy
or steve patterson said he was trying to get the president job and was whiling to snake his way into it
Larry Miller's job is selling more Blazers jerseys internationally
Larry Miller has an accountant degree, and an MBA. He’s done nothing but sell Nike Sportware his whole life. Larry Miller was hired to start bringing in more international sales of Blazers jerseys, tee shirts, hats, etc.
Do you really think KP wanted to more of the “selling more Blazers jersey in China” crud Larry Miller does?
Keep Portland Weird.
I think Paul said "If you haven't that agent of yours by now, you're gone" last night
Then KP texted LaGarie and Warren contacted Quick, A-Woj etc. The ownership was livid that the story broke today, no doubt they wanted to wait until tomorrow afternoon to minimize media reaction heading into the weekend
This all goes back to a power play last offseason. KP and Tom Penn’s agent tried to use Penn’s interview with the ‘Wolves as leverage to get KP and TP more-prominent roles and more money (that’s what agents do) and it backfired. The Blazers paid Penn to stay at first, but then word probably got back to Paul that Penn’s Minnesota overture had been crafted by LaGarie to elevate KP and TP
Then, when Penn was fired last March LaGarie told A-Woj and Canzano that it was a “drive-by” on KP and Kevin didn’t have PA’s back. I suspect he was given a choice, either hire a new agent or your days with Portland are numbered. KP chose LaGarie over the Blazer job, and today was the culmination of that decision.
Though all of this, the Blazers ownership (Allen and Miller) have been made to look like villians by the media. I suspect that there’s culpability on both sides of this sad turn of events, and most of the facts will never come out because of corporate policies to protect the organization from litigation. I doubt the Blazers will be hiring any of LaGarie’s clients while Paul is the owner, so that should remove Kiki Vandeweghe’s name from consideration
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
KP was doing something that negated his contract. I bet there were terms for him he had to keep his mouth shut and they weren’t letting him go till tonight so he couldn’t hurt them with the info and or value of players. and the firing of Tom Penn
If that was true
he’d have been fired for cause and the Blazers would not owe him money. That’s not the case here.
Paul Allen ...
obviously didn’t become a Billionaire due to his people management skills. What a friggin’ fiasco. A guy that takes you from jailblazers to the current team hung out to dry like a cheap suit. Thanks a lot Paul, once again Portland looks bush league.
i wonder how many texts Tom Penn and KP exchanged this evening…
Life is about growth. People are not perfect when they're 21 years old. - Bill Walton
All Paul has to do is hire Sam Presti and I can get over this pretty quickley. If he hires a puppet
then I will continue to hate his guts
Why would Presti leave OKC?
He has a great thing going for him there an wouldn’t have to work for a scumbag like PA. Just a scumbag like Clay Bennett. Better to work with the evil you know than the one you don’t.
I went to OKC once
Those 5 days were the longest month of my life. Utterly craptastic.
Duct tape makes you smart.
cash money
"Basketball is a business." --everyone involved with the basketball business except Blazers fans
since Allen was so generous with Pritchard
why wouldn’t he throw money at Presti, who has used similar strategies in building a team?
"its tough to play with one eye, unless you're a pirate." Delonte West
"una canasta a Pau en la cara" Rudy
by Honka Playboy on Jun 24, 2010 10:44 PM PDT up reply actions
If not for this "scumbag" building the Rose Garden
do you think the Blazers would still be in Portland? When you throw around ad hominems like “scumbag” when you know absolutely nothing of what might be the real story, you look childish… at best.
ignacio
Portland taxpayers paid as much, not even counting the property that was gifted to PA
and the infrastructure (light rail, etc) designated for it. I’m sick of this fiction.
"its tough to play with one eye, unless you're a pirate." Delonte West
"una canasta a Pau en la cara" Rudy
by Honka Playboy on Jun 24, 2010 10:47 PM PDT up reply actions
Not really.
The eastside light rail was there long before the RG. The major contributions were the land and two parking garages, which pay for their own debt through revenue. The infrastructure was mostly there. The RG cost in excess of $120MM. By that metric, every real estate project is subsidized, which is of course literally true in some sense. But Ignacio’s point remains literally true…if Allen hadn’t ponied up what he did for the RG, the team would very likely be gone.
by Pooh Richardson on Jun 24, 2010 11:23 PM PDT up reply actions
If you think the city/county/state could've ever financed the RG without Paul
then I’ve got a Delta Dome and a AAA ballpark that I could let you have, real cheap
There is governmental hostility in the state legislature (and among a very vocal minority of taxpayers) towards financing pro sports that is appalling. It’s a minor miracle that Harry Glickman ever got the TB franchise into the NBA in the first place
And Blazer fans should thank their lucky stars that Allen purchased the team in the late ‘80s, instead of someone like Howard Schulz. If the Blazers ever leave PDX, there isn’t going to be another major pro team coming to this market. The business climate is too prohibitive. There’s probably a better chance of Vancouver Washington becoming the home of a future major-league team
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
OKC might be flattened by an F5 tornado before dawn.
Oklahoma City gets flattened by F5 tornados a few times every year. They don’t even build permanent buildings there anymore. Everything is build out of fake styrofoam bricks and duct tape.
Keep Portland Weird.
Danny Ferry is another of the Spurs GM school candidates
Ferry is now out of a job. Ferry would continue the same system Pritchard learned.
Keep Portland Weird.
Hmmm
Like many, I do not like this or the timing. I keep wondering what we do not know.
Probably grasping at straws here, but when Tom Penn was on ESPN tonight, I was suprised to see that he was previously legal council and assisant GM to the Grizz. That made me wonder what Tom’s role was in the whole Miles disaster. I have always assumed that Larry Miller was the main force behind the way that was handled, but with Tom’s connections to the Grizz, and his legal background, maybe not.
In any case, Thank you KP and I wish you well.
Unless Risk is insinuating Penn was a mole or sleepercell
Which is a sweet plot line, but unlikely
facebook.com/year5000
Talking more about the letter that went out
It was threatening litigation, which would be up Tom’s alley. Also, since Tom had worked w/ the Griz for quite some time, he may have had input on how they would react to such a letter.
more likely that KP and Penn opposed the letter.
That letter signaled the first apparent rift among upper management – and may have been the snowball that started the avalanche.
by blacknoiseNW on Jun 24, 2010 10:10 PM PDT up reply actions
why is this more likely?
I’m assuming you can link me to a sourced report.
"Basketball is a business." --everyone involved with the basketball business except Blazers fans
KP referred the hard questions on that letter to Miller
http://videos.oregonlive.com/oregonlive/2009/01/kevin_pritchard_on_the_darius.html
Interestingly, a Canzano article may have been the writing on the wall, well over a year ago. KP may have been to blame for the letter – but not likely given his close association with an attorney (and the legal community had a field day with the letter). Regardless, KP loses either way: 1) he caused the problem; 2) he failed to share in the blame for the problem.
Mostly – KP clearly started to become a lightning rod for negativity toward Blazer management – an issue illustrated by Canzano’s article.
by blacknoiseNW on Jun 24, 2010 10:26 PM PDT up reply actions
2) he failed to share in the blame for the problem
I recall him saying many times that “it was a team decision.” He never sidestepped responsibility, although between the lines you could tell he wasn’t happy about it.
If you take any stock in Canzano's source for anti-KP sentiment
then it could have been fatal flaw in the KP character: ‘a tendency for “I told you so”….’
by blacknoiseNW on Jun 24, 2010 10:33 PM PDT up reply actions
Vampires are immortal
Maybe Paul Allen can do that. Just one bite on the neck.
Honor Alaa Abdelnaby.
First in the NBA. At least alphabetically
If Jackson can bring Gasol with him
he looked pretty mortal in days without Jordan in Chicago and between Snaq and Gasol in LA
"its tough to play with one eye, unless you're a pirate." Delonte West
"una canasta a Pau en la cara" Rudy
by Honka Playboy on Jun 24, 2010 10:50 PM PDT up reply actions
All of the hyperbole...
is starting to get annoying. The fact of the matter is none of us have any idea what really happened, and we probably never will. How is it sensible in anyway to spew venom and animosity towards someone who cares deeply enough about our franchise to pour millions upon millions of dollars into it without knowing the facts behind their motivations? Pritchard was a great GM, we can all agree on that. However, was he fired for no reason? I seriously, seriously doubt it. Everyone is hyperventilating and having panic attacks without knowing anything about anything. Take a step back and realize the Blazers are still the Blazers. We still have Brandon and Greg and LA and Nic. We are still a very good, young team that is on the verge of becoming a very great, young team. KP built this, but would he have been responsible (or even capable) for us making that jump? Who knows, but I’m willing to bet whoever our next GM is will have just as good of a shot at it as KP would have.
Step off from that ledge, Blazer fans.
by powellandpressmurder on Jun 24, 2010 10:06 PM PDT reply actions 3 recs
Point is not ...
whether PA is within his rights to fire his GM. Point is HOW he did it. A complete public humiliation of a GM. How in the world is a credible GM going to want the Portland job now? Embarrassing.
what was public about it?
Allen and the Vulcans clearly wanted to keep things quiet. Those leaks to the press from Penn’s firing onward didn’t come from PA’s camp.
"Basketball is a business." --everyone involved with the basketball business except Blazers fans
Who was at fault for making it so public?
So far all of the evidence points towards KP and his team.
by powellandpressmurder on Jun 24, 2010 10:17 PM PDT up reply actions
I agree, but my point is
That it is absolutely absurd to place 100% of the blame on Allen and spew such ridiculous hatred towards him without knowing literally anything about the situation. A lot of people are throwing the word “embarrassment” around tonight. I couldn’t agree more, but it ain’t coming from Paul Allen.
by powellandpressmurder on Jun 24, 2010 10:24 PM PDT up reply actions
My point is that when one person argues it's Allen, and another person says it's probably KP's fault,
it just turns into an argument where everyone loses the original point (which was that it wasn’t a single cause). Makes sense, right?
Absolutely
I was trying to convey with my original post that it’s silly to be trying to blame ANYONE in this circumstance. I understand the frustration over a lack of explanation, but this is generally how these things work. Does anyone have a single example of a time when a hire-up was fired from a sports organization, and the fans/media were promptly provided with a bullet-point document explaining the nuts and bolts of the decision? I don’t think so. These things tend to be fairly shrouded in secrecy all of the time. Of course the thing that makes this particular situation so strange is that judging by exterior glances, KP was fairly successful at his job. However, that is exactly all we have – exterior glances. And this is NOT outside of the norm.
by powellandpressmurder on Jun 24, 2010 10:31 PM PDT up reply actions
And I want to reiterate
That when you boil it all down, the Blazers will wake up largely the same tomorrow. The next GM will have just as good of a chance at getting us over the hump as KP would have. As far as we know, we got the best part of KP (rebuilding). No it’s up to someone else to finish it off.
by powellandpressmurder on Jun 24, 2010 10:35 PM PDT up reply actions
Totally agree
myspace.com/marktwainindians
by mark twain on Jun 24, 2010 10:14 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Reasonable Guess: KP unwilling to take a Danny Ferry role
The only basis for this is the Miller comment that a face to face preceded the headman’s axe…
For those that think this is somehow unique – look no further than Cleveland.
But Danny Ferry is not as affable and friendly as Pritchard
so your analogy is completely baseless.
/s
Honor Alaa Abdelnaby.
First in the NBA. At least alphabetically
serious reply?
do you not know that Ferry was hamstrung as a GM by a meddling owner, and will not return to Cleveland because of it?
by blacknoiseNW on Jun 24, 2010 10:28 PM PDT up reply actions
Ferry was told that the owner would stay out of the BB side of the franchise
then when the owner reneged and started to become more hands-on, Danny resigned
I don’t think that Ferry would do very well reporting directly to Paul Allen
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
funny how everyone acts like they can judge KP and PAs character as if they knew them personally
reminds me of how Tiger Woods was a perfect angel not long ago.
"There was a time when this blog was for intelligent BASKETBALL fans. It has unfortunately become O-Live 2…" ~Ilikeemall
"Did they really expect me to bow down to Jesus?!?" ~Sophia
"At first glance, I saw a fairly unremarkable penis." ~Sophia on Greg Oden
you're learning!
although I wasn’t sarcastic that time.
/s
Honor Alaa Abdelnaby.
First in the NBA. At least alphabetically
Ruben Patterson was a pretty good B-baller, but I wouldn't let my daughter babysit his kids.
Shawn Kemp was a pretty good B-baller, but I wouldn’t want him dating my sister.
Kermit Washington is a nice guy who slugged a dude on the court and ruined the guy’s career and his own reputation.
My point?
What you do in your private time says a lot about your character. What you do on the job does too, but in a different way, or under a different light.
Judging by professional history, which is the only way I know these two people, I’d say Allen has a short fuse and often fires people he doesn’t know that well (Adelman) and keeps too long those who are his buddies (Trader Bob).
KP, seems like a gifted executive that would do anything he could to help his employer … OK, almost anything.
Judge their character, no, you are right, we cannot. But we can look at their deeds and see patterns.
facebook.com/year5000
by Y5k on Jun 24, 2010 11:21 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
well people are acting as if PA is sabotaging his team
many forget that the Blazers are probably PAs biggest love, if not among the top. There has been no reason to question his love for the team except for the darkest moments of the Jail Blazers. I dont know what happened behind the scenes, but at the same time I’m not going to judge any of them bc I do not know them. Both PA and KP are probably rational people…and I’m sure that there is a reasonable explanation for it. One thing I don’t question is that PA is trying to do what he thinks is best for the team.
"There was a time when this blog was for intelligent BASKETBALL fans. It has unfortunately become O-Live 2…" ~Ilikeemall
"Did they really expect me to bow down to Jesus?!?" ~Sophia
"At first glance, I saw a fairly unremarkable penis." ~Sophia on Greg Oden
by Philthyanimal on Jun 25, 2010 8:22 AM PDT up reply actions
One thing that might have helped KP keep the job
Finding a new agent after the Penn firing.
Vinny del Negro is looking for a job, just saying.
"Boozer's dumb ass jumped. So I dunked on his ass."-Joakim Noah
Vinny was head of scouting or some stupid crap in Phoenix, he's more suited to front office work.
Then when you make a great trade you can say “DelSlapped!”
"Boozer's dumb ass jumped. So I dunked on his ass."-Joakim Noah
by Ozzie Montana on Jun 24, 2010 10:27 PM PDT up reply actions
There's an assistant coaching vacancy
He can carry Nate’s clipboard and put the red cones on the floor in the practice facility
Have never cursed the franchise....
When I signed on to this site, it was as a fan of a young player and a young GM. That young player has experienced some unfortunate luck. That young GM has continued to do very well.
My only remaining alliegance is to Mr. Oden. May Paul Allen and the trailblazers achieve the basketball future he deserves. Mediocrity.
Here’s to losing touch.
Q: Is Greg favoring his knee?
Frye: He favors dunking on your head, that's what he favors.
by KP Corleone on Jun 25, 2010 12:05 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
In case that as unclear....
Down with the blazers. I respect you all and may continue to comment here. I no longer respect the franchise.
At. All.
This organization is a joke.
Best of luck Portland. You have money. You deserve more.
Q: Is Greg favoring his knee?
Frye: He favors dunking on your head, that's what he favors.
by KP Corleone on Jun 25, 2010 12:08 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Some of us were born fans.
For others it is an acquired taste.
You might be surprised to know this has happened before in Portland, and many many other cities.
Those of use who are born-fans know the ropes. So it goes.
facebook.com/year5000
Al Davis anyone?
Logical descriptions of complex worlds contain within themselves the seeds of their own limitation. A world that was simple enough to be fully known would be too simple to contain conscious observers who might know it.
by Sexual Tyrannosaurus on Jun 25, 2010 12:39 AM PDT up reply actions
Seriously???
Paul Allen is a jerk, a joke, and a complete embarrassment! And the fact that the shadow agency is called “Vulcan” says it all…at this point my anger and frustration is hard to contain! I will watch my Blazers from afar but I am done attending the Rose Garden or buying any further merchandise until Paul Allen sells the team….I rarely used the word hate, but I hate Paul Allen. KP was great and had vision! Good Luck KP! I will root for you…and I will give PA the bird anytime I see his disgusting face!
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recommended FanShots
Recent FanShots
In Association With
Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sport
- Days of NBA Lives: Wherein Roy Hibbert tap-dances to Maine
- Grizzlies Valentine’s Day cards are the key to love
- Kevin Love would like the NBA to take the MLB’s approach on All-Star games
- Kobe Bryant fires a few hilarious salvos at Jeremy Lin
- Brandon Jennings states the obvious regarding his 2014 free agency, everyone goes nuts
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
