Blazers: "discombobulated" & Larry Miller: MIA

[B-Roy]

You're so witty

Aren't you though? How can you be sure anything you're defending is the actual truth?

 

[Idog1976]

And this right here is a big part of the problem. You don't have to drink the kool-aid to admit that KP and Penn were at least reasonably competent basketball people.....and they lost a power struggle with the bean-counters. For the fans, that is never a good situation. For FAs with options, it is not exactly an incentive to sign here.

No matter how low your opinion of KP, he is better qualified for this job than Larry "sweat-shop-shoes" Miller.

This isn't directed at you oldmangrouch more just picked you as one of many who are saying how things are when I'm not sure how they are/were.

Lost the battle with Bean counters? Uh, are you talking about RLEC? That's the ONLY thing I know of where he might of lost. I suppose D Miles fiasco/letter might qualify. Neither of those is why KP was fired, nor why I believe there was an attempted coup. If you are saying KP was underpaid, that could be true. However, what we DO know of Penn's BS negotiating sounds like the Bean Counters were on the right side of shady.

Really there is so much that has gone down the last 3 years that we only have scraps of info about its hard for me to come to a clear picture. The KP/Penn coup thing seems to hold the most weight given the insiders on this forum and elsewhere who talk about Legarie, KP's likability in the organization and other things that point towards that version.

That said we REALLY don't know and I think speculation is fine, but there is an AWFUL lot of certainty about what happened when we have only an interrupted shadow play to interpret here in Plato's Cave.

That's why I have a wait and see approach. If Ferry or Pfund takes over and lands CP3 I have a feeling this forum will be filled with a lot of flip flopping and of course shutting the fuck up.

 

[Idog1976]

Look at you deliberately ignoring the moves Pritchard made last off-season and trade deadline. You are one delusional person.

Had enough of the cesspool that is the thread. Some people will only believe what they want to.

What moves did KP make last offseason? Miller, the toxic offer to Millsap (best move by far) and the whiff on Turkeyglue? Well thank fucking god he couldn't get it done on #3. The Camby trade was great, but that's pretty much what he can hang his hat on FA and trade wise.

Andre Miller was PURE LUCK that he failed on Turkoglu or else he would have been fired by the All-Star break for a colossal blunder of extra-ordinary magnitude:

Name that photographic reference!

I think KP did a great job for the record and wish he had been a tad more aggressive in trades without as much low balling. I also wish he hadn't listened to Legarie.

 

[barfo]

This isn't directed at you oldmangrouch more just picked you as one of many who are saying how things are when I'm not sure how they are/were.

Lost the battle with Bean counters? Uh, are you talking about RLEC? That's the ONLY thing I know of where he might of lost. I suppose D Miles fiasco/letter might qualify. Neither of those is why KP was fired, nor why I believe there was an attempted coup. If you are saying KP was underpaid, that could be true. However, what we DO know of Penn's BS negotiating sounds like the Bean Counters were on the right side of shady.

By lost a power struggle with the bean counters I'm pretty sure he meant "got fired".

barfo

 

[Idog1976]

By lost a power struggle with the bean counters I'm pretty sure he meant "got fired".

barfo

LOL, so anytime someone is fired its due to bean counters and not breaking company policy? That's convenient.

 

[RoyToy]

What moves did KP make last offseason? Miller, the toxic offer to Millsap (best move by far) and the whiff on Turkeyglue? Well thank fucking god he couldn't get it done on #3. The Camby trade was great, but that's pretty much what he can hang his hat on FA and trade wise.

Andre Miller was PURE LUCK that he failed on Turkoglu or else he would have been fired by the All-Star break for a colossal blunder of extra-ordinary magnitude:

If your posts are going to be this skewed I can't take you seriously.

Why do we need KPee, he doesn't make trades or sign FA!!
I show that he does make trades and sign FA, particularly last off-season and trade deadline
Um...Um..they were teh lucky!

 

[RoyToy]

That's why I have a wait and see approach. If Ferry or Pfund takes over and lands CP3 I have a feeling this forum will be filled with a lot of flip flopping and of course shutting the fuck up.

Why? Pritchard has set up half the deal so far. It actually sounds like he may have had one if it wasn't for NO pulling out of the deal.

 

[Idog1976]

If your posts are going to be this skewed I can't take you seriously.

Why do we need KPee, he doesn't make trades or sign FA!!
I show that he does make trades and sign FA, particularly last off-season and trade deadline
Um...Um..they were teh lucky!

This skewed? Uh, have you SEEN the numbers Turkoglu put up this year? I said IF KP signed Turkoglu he would have been fucked as Hedo hung up his career the minute that ink started to dry. Are you honestly saying KP would have been better off if he landed Hedo? I was suggesting a Hedo signing would have been a blunder are you disagreeing with that REALLY?!!?!??!

Show me everything KP has done that isn't draft related.

Here I'll help you.

Andre Miller
Marcus Camby....

and that's it.

 

[gatorpops]

DISASTER.




There better be a pretty major deal in that contingency plan KP came up with before he was fired, because this operation looks like its run by a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off.

And Larry Miller visiting family out of town instead of steadfastly looking for GM replacements... SMH. PA, you fired the wrong executive.

Just what kind of operation is this operation? We don't know, seems hard to criticize it to me.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Why? Pritchard has set up half the deal so far. It actually sounds like he may have had one if it wasn't for NO pulling out of the deal.

And if my uncle was a woman he'd be my aunt. Bottom line? KP didn't get a deal done, and I seriously doubt this thing was as close to happening as you make it sound.

 

[The Sebastian Express]

I know it may be hard to contemplate, but maybe, just maybe, Larry Miller and company were able to take vacations this weekend because their candidates were also, gasp, on vacation with their own families and not available for interviews.

I hear it is a pretty big weekend here in the United States.

 

[maxiep]

The message I think is that we're staying out of the free agent frenzy and we're going to let the stupid money overpay for guys. We'll focus on trades and later in the offseason when there are fewer dollars chasing players, we'll make a ho-hum acquisition (like Mason or Matthews or Farmar).

As for Larry Miller taking a break, I'm a little disappointed that this GM search isn't further along than it is, because they knew they were going to fire Pritchard. They could have had Stuart Spencer doing the pre-interviews and vetting candidates already. But if all we're focusing on is trades right now, I don't really see how it makes a difference.

 

[Mediocre Man]

The message I think is that we're staying out of the free agent frenzy and we're going to let the stupid money overpay for guys. We'll focus on trades and later in the offseason when there are fewer dollars chasing players, we'll make a ho-hum acquisition (like Mason or Matthews or Farmar).

As for Larry Miller taking a break, I'm a little disappointed that this GM search isn't further along than it is, because they knew they were going to fire Pritchard. They could have had Stuart Spencer doing the pre-interviews and vetting candidates already. But if all we're focusing on is trades right now, I don't really see how it makes a difference.

I would add a couple of things to that. I'm not sure how many good candidates would have interviewed with a GM already in place. Most of these guys have some sort of code of conduct with each other. The other thing I might add is that while most everyone in the free world believes PA was going to fire KP all along, maybe that's not the case?

 

[KingSpeed]

DISASTER.


There better be a pretty major deal in that contingency plan KP came up with before he was fired, because this operation looks like its run by a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off.

And Larry Miller visiting family out of town instead of steadfastly looking for GM replacements... SMH. PA, you fired the wrong executive.

Please. You expect Larry Miller to spend 24/7 on his job? Have you ever done that? I have no problem with him visiting his family. I'm sure he has meetings scheduled and is not the only person in the Blazers organization working on this.

 

[maxiep]

Please. You expect Larry Miller to spend 24/7 on his job? Have you ever done that? I have no problem with him visiting his family. I'm sure he has meetings scheduled and is not the only person in the Blazers organization working on this.

I spent as close to 24/7 on my job for more than a decade as is possible. It sucks, but 'dems the breaks. Whether he likes it or not, Larry's the head of this organization; he sets the tone.

 

[oldmangrouch]

This isn't directed at you oldmangrouch more just picked you as one of many who are saying how things are when I'm not sure how they are/were.

OK, let me expand my comment.

We know TBob was without conscience when it came to spending PA's money. We know that Patterson made deep cuts in the front office, but was unable/unwilling to restrain Nash from some foolish spending on players. Post Nash, the team went through a period of being more cost conscious on the court as well. At the time, this was a reasonable move.

There are also some things we don't "know", but can reasonably believe. KP was among the lowest paid GMs, and didn't like it. Penn used another team to leverage the Blazers into giving him a raise. The team wasn't happy with the Roy negotiations, so they must have been livid with the LMA deal.

Of all the theories floating around, the only one that doesn't make *somebody* look like a complete villian, is the idea of a power/philosophical struggle between Miller and KP. My suspicion, and that's all it is, is that there was such a struggle, and that spending was at the heart of it. KP wanted more freedom to run the team without interference from the business side.

Can I prove it? No....but it is the only explanation that doesn't assume that somebody was evil, an idiot, or both.

 

[KingSpeed]

I spent as close to 24/7 on my job for more than a decade as is possible. It sucks, but 'dems the breaks. Whether he likes it or not, Larry's the head of this organization; he sets the tone.

No sleep? No eating? No visiting a parent or a friend? No spending time with your child if you had one? Sorry. I don't believe it. And as one said, the candidates are probably spending time with their families.

 

[ripcity67]

If something earth shattering happens I am sure he will be available. Todays technology is pretty impressive. Web cams/conference calls are easy to set-up and with PA's money I am sure they have unlimited minutes and unlimited texts.

 

[maxiep]

No sleep? No eating? No visiting a parent or a friend? No spending time with your child if you had one? Sorry. I don't believe it. And as one said, the candidates are probably spending time with their families.

You live in New York. Talk to an investment banker (not a trader) and see how many hours they work a week. 12-16 hours a day M-F, 10-12 on Saturday and at least 8 on Sunday. You catch a few hours of sleep at home, eat at your desk, chat with your parents or friends on the phone at work and time with your child waits. Seriously, it's like selling your life, and that's in an average week. If you have a deal to close, then all bets are off.

 

[Ed O]

If something earth shattering happens I am sure he will be available. Todays technology is pretty impressive. Web cams/conference calls are easy to set-up and with PA's money I am sure they have unlimited minutes and unlimited texts.

KP was the one who had set up the calling plan, though, and with him gone who's going to handle it?

Ed O.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

It's VERY possible that the team is "discombobulated" but it sounds more like sour grapes from an agent that wants his guy to get a big early payday.

That the team is focused on making trades rather than scrambling to sign the names associated with the team in free agency so far actually gives me hope that the front office team DOES know what it's doing.

Ed O.

Ed, has anyone ever told you this avitar makes you look like Mike Meyers?

 

[maxiep]

BTW, I'm not advocating that Miller live at the office. I'm just saying that showing up at lunch time on draft day or taking the weekend off to visit out of town family (presumably in the Philly area) doesn't send the best message.

 

[Nikolokolus]

BTW, I'm not advocating that Miller live at the office. I'm just saying that showing up at lunch time on draft day or taking the weekend off to visit out of town family (presumably in the Philly area) doesn't send the best message.

Hell, maybe he's meeting Randy Pfund half way or is taking a little unannounced side trip to chat with him in South Beach? I tend to agree that I'd like to see a little more urgency from Miller in terms of what he's telling the world, but I have a feeling that just because we aren't being told everything it doesn't mean he's completely off the clock.

Granted I may be giving the front office too much credit for competence.

 

[Ed O]

Ed, has anyone ever told you this avitar makes you look like Mike Meyers?

I look odd in this picture. My friend looks good enough to make up for that, though

Ed O.

 

[maxiep]

Hell, maybe he's meeting Randy Pfund half way or is taking a little unannounced side trip to chat with him in South Beach? I tend to agree that I'd like to see a little more urgency from Miller in terms of what he's telling the world, but I have a feeling that just because we aren't being told everything it doesn't mean he's completely off the clock.

Granted I may be giving the front office too much credit for competence.

Alternately, he could have made a trip to OKC or SA for a couple of other clandestine meetings. :fingerscrossed:

That's a good thought Nik. The smokescreen didn't occur to me.

 

[ripcity67]

KP was the one who had set up the calling plan, though, and with him gone who's going to handle it?

Ed O.

You are right, there is no way to reach him, we are doomed. I can hear the story already, the NO GM says he tried to give us Paul for Rudy and JP but could not get ahold of anybody with the Blazers.

 

[MARIS61]

If Larry Miller thinks Roger Mason, Wesley Matthews and Jordan Farmar have any worth at all to the Blazers, he needs to disappear in a permanent way.

 

[oldmangrouch]

You are right, there is no way to reach him, we are doomed. I can hear the story already, the NO GM says he tried to give us Paul for Rudy and JP but could not get ahold of anybody with the Blazers.

Don't laugh.

I have been saying that I believe that the team's best chance of improvement this summer, is to wait for the feeding frenzy to die down, and then target someone who falls through the cracks.

I'm sure B&B have the skills to find that kind of hidden gem - but do they have the authority to act on it? I have visions of them spending 3 days playing telephone tag with Miller and the Vulcans, while the guy they wants signs somewhere else.

 

[crandc]

You don't cite a source of the quote, unless I'm missing something. Is it someone reliable, or some blog, or Stephen A Smith? I mean, how accurate is this?

 

[Nikolokolus]

You don't cite a source of the quote, unless I'm missing something. Is it someone reliable, or some blog, or Stephen A Smith? I mean, how accurate is this?

???

Are you referring to the OP? If so then the source for the quote you're looking for is Jason Quick in a story at oregonlive.com ... as to who his source is, I'd hazard a guess that it's Warren Lagarrie