Can PA and Miller redeem themselves this week?

[maxiep]

Who do you think it's gonna be Maxiep?

Not a clue. It's been played close to the vest. I do think it will be someone who currently has a job with another team, however. I don't buy the Danny Ferry news. Of course, I've been wrong before.

 

[jlprk]

I've never seen it. Then again, I work in an industry where trust is paramount. Once that trust is violated, you're shown the door. Believe me, I've seen it done to my peers and I've terminated people on the spot. The organization is always bigger than the individual. I understand why they kept him, because they were afraid of losing his draft intelligence, but that's the price you pay. You have to find a way to make it up. It's not like this is a one-off blunder by PA; I've never seen an owner so tone-deaf and I'm a Redskins' fan.

This isn't financial analysis. This is outdoing the other team, many times per year. Pure competition, the opposite of making the other guy feel comfortable and secure.

If you want Allen to be like other owners, then an average owner will create an average team. We drop to .500 and we drop attendance. If the Portland economy is like Seattle's, and it is, the average owner makes no profit and has to sell the team to an outsider.

The only thing preventing a move is Allen's generosity (you guys would call it incompetence) in signing a contract binding him to Portland with heavy financial penalties. No other owner (remember, you want an average owner) has signed on to anything remotely close. They are all in this for profit, unlike Allen. Even Cuban wouldn't be willing to touch the contract we have.

Thank you, Paul. Just hire another inexperienced scrub like Pritchard was and with your $3M injections the team will work fine. But get someone this time who isn't a shill of the Oregonian. I like to see them pissed off.

 

[BGrantFan]

Don't kid yourself; we identified our choices for GM before Pritchard was fired.

I'm just going by what Larry said Thursday night. The search begins today!

Also, the company that is doing the search has already hired one former Blazer GM. His name?

Steve Patterson

 

[oldmangrouch]

Paragraph 1: What law is there again requiring Allen to fire him on the spot? The places I've worked didn't know about this law. If Allen felt it was less risk to keep him than to let him consult with another team, what's it to you?

I don't get your 2nd paragraph. You say Blazer employees couldn't have known the reason, so...I don't see the conclusion. Who cares if they didn't/don't know?

You said that through his silence, PA was protecting KP. The obvious implication, is that KP was fired over some kind of misconduct/wrongdoing, rather than job performance. If that were the case, it wouldn't be a secret in the Blazer front office.(and somebody would have leaked it) Furthermore, once PA became aware that KP was engaged in something "bad" - be it sexual harasment or whatever - keeping him around would open the company up to all sorts of additional legal liability.

If they were truly terrified he would take his knowledge and go elsewhere, they would have kept him under contract, but relieved him of his duties. In the alternative, they would have forced him into a severance package that included a "no compete" clause.

Now, if you believe he was fired over job performance, or the dread "philosophical differences", then the timeline makes sense - but the secrecy does not.

Now do you see what I am getting at?

 

[maxiep]

This isn't financial analysis. This is outdoing the other team, many times per year. Pure competion, the opposite of making the other guy feel comfortable and secure.

If you want Allen to be like other owners, then an average owner will create an average team. We drop to .500 and we drop attendance. If the Portland economy is like Seattle's, and it is, the average owner makes no profit and has to sell the team to an outsider.

The only thing preventing a move is Allen's generosity (you guys would call it incompetence) in signing a contract binding him to Portland with heavy financial penalties. No other owner (remember, you want an average owner) has signed on to anything remotely close. They are all in this for profit, unlike Allen. Even Cuban wouldn't be willing to touch the contract we have.

Thank you, Paul. Just hire another inexperienced scrub like Pritchard was and with your $3M injections the team will work fine. But get someone this time who isn't a shill of the Oregonian. I like to see them pissed off.

It's unlikely that our analysis in March would have been of massive value to another team. If PA would have followed the strategy of cutting people that fell out of line, however, we would be viewed as a disciplined outfit that has our shit together, not Dysfunction Junction. At that point, we would have been in play for every top GM candidate available.

 

[maxiep]

I'm just going by what Larry said Thursday night. The search begins today!

Also, the company that is doing the search has already hired one former Blazer GM. His name?

Steve Patterson

Taking Larry Miller at his word is never a good idea. He would look you in the eye and assure you that on opening night the musical act will not be a 70's era washed up R&B group.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Allen sure looks classy for not telling the world what Pritchard did. The Oregonian looks smothered in selfish profit motive, demanding to be in on the secret. Instead of reacting emotionally and firing Pritchard immediately as a moron boss would do, Allen intellectually waited until Pritchard couldn't take his research to consult with another team. Also Allen isn't going to contest paying Pritchard for another year, trying to use some morals clause or disloyalty clause in the contract. Allen looks classy and intelligent all the way, and the Oregonian looks petty and vindictive against him for not giving them the scoop and ruining Pritchard.

Of course, this is 100% pure speculation. But to let him go the way he did was the very definition of classlessness. And that isn't speculation.

 

[jlprk]

You said that through his silence, PA was protecting KP. The obvious implication, is that KP was fired over some kind of misconduct/wrongdoing, rather than job performance. If that were the case, it wouldn't be a secret in the Blazer front office.(and somebody would have leaked it) Furthermore, once PA became aware that KP was engaged in something "bad" - be it sexual harasment or whatever - keeping him around would open the company up to all sorts of additional legal liability. If they were truly terrified he would take his knowledge and go elsewhere, they would have kept him under contract, but relieved him of his duties. In the alternative, they would have forced him into a severance package that included a "no compete" clause. Now, if you believe he was fired over job performance, or the dread "philosophical differences", then the timeline makes sense - but the secrecy does not. Now do you see what I am getting at?

You assume the offense was illegal. What if the offense was against Allen himself, so that Allen need not worry about anyone complaining? We know that Pritchard has a big mouth. What if he yapped about what goes on on the yacht? More likely, what if Pritchard and Penn complained to other teams about Allen's personal habits or how much he pays them, giving away secrets? I would have handled it just like Allen did. You guys have never seen a firing delayed? Man, thousands happen every day across this country.

 

[jlprk]

Why don't you guys admit it. What bothers you is that your hero was fired. You can't contest Allen's right to do that, so you're nitpicking about the timing. And admit that if the Oregonian didn't have a 15-year war going with Allen, and had just reported this firing as routine like any other daily would, you wouldn't have fallen in love with your easily replaced hero and wouldn't have to fall out now.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

One way of redemption:

Package a lot of the players/prospects KP and Co. collected over the years for an All-star caliber PG.

 

[oldmangrouch]

You assume the offense was illegal. What if the offense was against Allen himself, so that Allen need not worry about anyone complaining? We know that Pritchard has a big mouth. What if he yapped about what goes on on the yacht? More likely, what if Pritchard and Penn complained to other teams about Allen's personal habits or how much he pays them, giving away secrets? I would have handled it just like Allen did. You guys have never seen a firing delayed? Man, thousands happen every day across this country.

As I said, if this was about job performance, or something mundane like KP wanting to fire Nate, then the delay wouldn't be unusual. It is the combination of delay and secrecy that seems weird.

Now, if this was strictly personal - then the pieces start to fit. It doesn't reflect well on either party, but that's life.

 

[oldmangrouch]

Why don't you guys admit it. What bothers you is that your hero was fired. You can't contest Allen's right to do that, so you're nitpicking about the timing. And admit that if the Oregonian didn't have a 15-year war going with Allen, and had just reported this firing as routine like any other daily would, you wouldn't have fallen in love with your easily replaced hero and wouldn't have to fall out now.

There are some people here that had an inflated sense of KP's worth. If you've been following my posts for any amount of time, you know I'm not one of them.

I don't consider the timing or circumstances to be "nit-picking." I believe they are hurting the team's chances of finding a good replacement.

This isn't about KP, who I am sure will survive. My concern is for the team. On some level, this smacks of PA/Vulcan creating an excuse to lower expectations.

 

[jlprk]

One way of redemption: Package a lot of the players/prospects KP and Co. collected over the years for an All-star caliber PG.

Yes. Build the team through consolidation trades. Pritchard went for quantity over quality, continually adding without combining. We'll never have room for the stashed Euros until we consolidate.

In yesterday's Brian Berger program, Berger said that one of Allen's dissatisfactions is that there has been no big trade as planned. I forgot to include that in my summary in that thread.

It's how Pritchard could have redeemed himself to Allen and the fans.

 

[maxiep]

Why don't you guys admit it. What bothers you is that your hero was fired. You can't contest Allen's right to do that, so you're nitpicking about the timing. And admit that if the Oregonian didn't have a 15-year war going with Allen, and had just reported this firing as routine like any other daily would, you wouldn't have fallen in love with your easily replaced hero and wouldn't have to fall out now.

You keep on building that strawman.

 

[BGrantFan]

Berger said that one of Allen's dissatisfactions is that there has been no big trade as planned.

If true, our owner is a bigger fool than I thought. The time to make a big trade is in the summer, or even the fall, because more players are tradeable due to FA status, which opens up a sign and trade that isn't allowed at the draft.

What's the biggest Blazer trade in the past 20 years for a star player? For me, it was when we landed Scottie Pippen.

Date of that trade??? October 2, 1999.

 

[BGrantFan]

Why don't you guys admit it. What bothers you is that your hero was fired. You can't contest Allen's right to do that, so you're nitpicking about the timing. And admit that if the Oregonian didn't have a 15-year war going with Allen, and had just reported this firing as routine like any other daily would, you wouldn't have fallen in love with your easily replaced hero and wouldn't have to fall out now.

Ummm, OK. And ... scene!

 

[Nikolokolus]

One way of redemption:

Package a lot of the players/prospects KP and Co. collected over the years for an All-star caliber PG.

This. If they make the team better, more balanced and more competitive then I don't really give a damn about the team repairing its image. Paul Allen will still be a reactionary, blunderer tomorrow and the next day and he'll still have Bert Kolde trying to throw his weight around regardless of whatever PR damage control they do or whom they hire. I just hope they catch lightning in a bottle and the team wins big. That's all I want ... for real.

 

[RoyToy]

Btw, Miller is going to be on Courtside tonight

Following a busy and emotional week, the hope is that things will begin to calm down as the Trail Blazers concentrate on looking ahead. That's exactly what we will be doing tonight on our weekly TV/radio show, Trail Blazers Courtside.

Rather than sit and speculate on everything, we requested that Blazers president Larry Miller come into our studio and help us address some of the questions that are floating around. He agreed, and will be with us for at least two full segments, starting early in the show.

We'll ask him some of the pressing questions, find out where the team is in the search for a new general manager, who is being considered for the assistant coaching vacancies, and recap the draft.

 

[maxiep]

Some of Barrett's hard hitting questions:

"Larry, do you ever sit back and wonder if things could get much better for you or the Blazers?"

"Larry, which washed up R&B group of yesteryear will highlight opening night?"

"Larry, if you could be any flavor of ice cream, which would it be and why?"

 

[BGrantFan]

Btw, Miller is going to be on Courtside tonight

 

[maxiep]

For the record, Kevin Pritchard should hire Mike Barrett for sucking up lessons.

 

[SnakeOiler]

You guys have never seen a firing delayed? Man, thousands happen every day across this country.

I have fired many people long after the decision was made. Most recent, I fired a developer June 1 and the decision was made January 1. I almost always fire someone long after the decision is made. The reason is almost always one of two things: a) I feel bad for the person and give them a chance to find another job or: b) I need something from the person and will fire them when it is delivered. Only once have I fired someone on the spot, she told me to fuck myself.

All you guys saying Allen or KP are is a jackass because of this or that are just plain silly. Nobody here knows the real story and you are just being emotional. Like a 6th grade girl (or boy).

 

[barfo]

Taking Larry Miller at his word is never a good idea. He would look you in the eye and assure you that on opening night the musical act will not be a 70's era washed up R&B group.

Sure, because he doesn't consider 70's R&B groups washed up.

barfo

 

[jlprk]

All you guys saying Allen or KP are is a jackass because of this or that are just plain silly.

Thanks, Snake, and it should be obvious. I understand people in their early 20s saying that Allen had some moral duty to time the firing to the offender's (Pritchard's) benefit. But I don't understand anyone older thinking that, unless they have had only one cushy big company employer all their life, full of perks and benefits. Even then, it's no different. Boeing plans mass layoffs and doesn't tell people till necessary.

These people must all be overpaid government employees. Notice that they post at work.

Things were tough in my day. Overpaid government employees had to do crossword puzzles all day and eat doughnuts. Only the computer programmers in the air conditioned rooms could play games all day and eat doughnuts.

 

[BlazerBenner]

Can PA and Miller redeem themselves this week?

NO!

 

[SnakeOiler]

Only the computer programmers in the air conditioned rooms could play games all day and eat doughnuts.

That is one of the biggest reason I let them go. Seriously. Some young programmers think they can screw around all day and produce nothing. I am always amazed at the entitlement attitude.

 

[barfo]

Can PA and Miller redeem themselves this week?

NO!

Bring me my CP3, and all will be forgiven.

barfo

 

[Minstrel]

Bring me my CP3, and all will be forgiven.

I'm even easier to please. They can just give me one million dollars and that'll redeem anything they do to the franchise. Even burning it or moving it to Anaheim.

 

[BGrantFan]

That is one of the biggest reason I let them go. Seriously. Some young programmers think they can screw around all day and produce nothing. I am always amazed at the entitlement attitude.

So, if I'm reading this correctly, Pritchard was fired for screwing around all day and doing nothing?

Also, why would you (literally, you, since you talked about firing people) keep on an unproductive worker who is basically stealing money from you? That would make me question your management acumen if I was a worker actually doing my job, and Jackoff Jake is next to me playing World of Warcraft all day long.

 

[SnakeOiler]

So, if I'm reading this correctly, Pritchard was fired for screwing around all day and doing nothing?

Also, why would you (literally, you, since you talked about firing people) keep on an unproductive worker who is basically stealing money from you? That would make me question your management acumen if I was a worker actually doing my job, and Jackoff Jake is next to me playing World of Warcraft all day long.

No, you didn't read it correctly. Those have been typical reasons I have let someone go. I don't have any idea why he was let go, and it doesn't really matter because hes gone. You and almost everyone else have no idea either.

Question my management all you want, I'm sure you aren't the first. Sometimes its better to have an employee getting you closer to the end result than not at all. Someone screwing around all day can still contribute. When a replacement is available, the job is complete, or their contract is up - its easier to cut bait.