Fire Stotts Eventually (1 Viewer)

[Hoopguru]

Im not for changing coaches yet as I think we can still weather the storm and acquire some help via trade. But if a coaching change is made now Id go with Moran and see how players respond.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Im not for changing coaches yet as I think we can still weather the storm and acquire some help via trade. But if a coaching change is made now Id go with Moran and see how players respond.

Do we get to trade Stotts?

 

[Reep]

I think he is a good coach too, but I don't think he has lost the team. Dame is his subordinate and the team is Dame's subordinate. He doesn't lose the team unless he loses Dame.

However, I think this team is ready for a great coach. Not a good one. We need a two way coach, or a coach that understands he needs help to coach both sides of the court.

When I say "lost the team" I don't mean like the players are rebelling, but that Stotts is unable to motivate them to do what he is asking them and play hard. The team likes Stotts, but they don't seem to want to play hard for him, or specifically do what he asks.

 

[Orion Bailey]

When I say "lost the team" I don't mean like the players are rebelling, but that Stotts is unable to motivate them to do what he is asking them and play hard. The team likes Stotts, but they don't seem to want to play hard for him, or specifically do what he asks.

Gotcha. Not being on the inside we are all somewhat speculating, but to me it seems they play hard, but are too often out of position or not matched up favorably. I think this is on his schemes and not about player effort for him.

 

[illmatic99]

When I say "lost the team" I don't mean like the players are rebelling, but that Stotts is unable to motivate them to do what he is asking them and play hard. The team likes Stotts, but they don't seem to want to play hard for him, or specifically do what he asks.

I'm not seeing what you're seeing. Especially last night, they were working very hard to win the game last night on both ends. Dame especially. They just didn't get enough guys making shots.

I'm not Stotts stan and think he can go if there's a better guy out there, but our problems stem largely from the lack of talent Neil put together.

 

[bradk8605]

Here are the five options we have:

Option A: Fire Stotts, Assistant takes over for the rest of the year, and team responds well.
Option B: Fire Stotts, Assistant takes over for the rest of the year, and team responds poorly, then at end of season hire college coach. (I say go after Mark Few)
Option C: Fire Neil
Option D: Neil makes a needle moving trade
Option E: Make minor moves and stay in mediocrity

 

[Hobbesarable]

Here are the five options we have:

Option A: Fire Stotts, Assistant takes over for the rest of the year, and team responds well.
Option B: Fire Stotts, Assistant takes over for the rest of the year, and team responds poorly, then at end of season hire college coach. (I say go after Mark Few)
Option C: Fire Neil
Option D: Neil makes a needle moving trade
Option E: Make minor moves and stay in mediocrity

Option F: Do nothing until new owner purchases the team.

IMO, that's the likely option.

 

[Orion Bailey]

I'm not seeing what you're seeing. Especially last night, they were working very hard to win the game last night on both ends. Dame especially. They just didn't get enough guys making shots.

I'm not Stotts stan and think he can go if there's a better guy out there, but our problems stem largely from the lack of talent Neil put together.

Not sure I'm buying that anymore either. Yes we could use better talent, but so can most teams.

The reason i'm no longer buying it is because if this were the case then we wouldn't be getting ahead of these good teams at the beginning. If we were playing from behind from the start most of the time, Id believe this, but we aren't. we are playing great in the first quarters for the most part, which means our talent can contend with the opponents.

 

[tester551]

He has not lost the team. At all.

When a coach loses a team, it is obvious. Like when we got spanked by 40 in NYC the day Gerald Wallace and Marcus Camby (and Felton) led a mutiny. This team fought and clawed its way to try to win two nights in a row. It's not indicative of a roster that is ignoring its coach.

Stotts has not lost the team, but they have taken on his personality. They are SOFT and have been for many years now.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Stotts has not lost the team, but they have taken on his personality. They are SOFT and have been for many years now.

Seems fairly accurate. We try to act/play tough ( finger wagging last year fro Nurk, etc), but in reality we have good natured guys on the team and its all a feather fluff in the locker room i'm thinking. Lets see this team get pissed and start barking at each other for better performance... since our coach doesn't......

This team seems complacent. I think thats it in a nutshell. They play hard but accept the outcome regardless.

 

[hoopsjock]

Time to bring Messina and Billups and a completely new culture to this Franchise. Billups is a Champion and knows how to build a Team that can win a Championship, and Messina, well he's from Popovich school, You can not go wrong with someone like that

Really, what championship team has Billups built? You can't say he knows how to build a championship team when he's never even held a job in a front office.

 

[THE HCP]

Time to bring Messina and Billups and a completely new culture to this Franchise. Billups is a Champion and knows how to build a Team that can win a Championship, and Messina, well he's from Popovich school, You can not go wrong with someone like that

No thanks.....I don’t need people with no experience building their resume with my team.
Billups knows how to build a Champion? LINK?

 

[illmatic99]

Really, what championship team has Billups built? You can't say he knows how to build a championship team when he's never even held a job in a front office.

I like Billups but agree that we need someone with more experience. I don't want a rookie GM handling Dame's future.

David Griffin is another name that's prolly looking to get back into it but he's OK. Had some blunders in Phoenix.

My eye is on Pop in the Jerry West sorta role. Maybe hire a newbie as GM but keep him in check with Pop as consultant. He does have wineries in OR. Maybe he'd consider moving. Here are some candidates. Mike Zarren is someone you hear of a lot.

 

[Scalma]

I'm not seeing what you're seeing. Especially last night, they were working very hard to win the game last night on both ends. Dame especially. They just didn't get enough guys making shots.

I'm not Stotts stan and think he can go if there's a better guy out there, but our problems stem largely from the lack of talent Neil put together.

Both. It’s both.

 

[Scalma]

I’d go with Billups. Someone will give him a chance and my gut tells me he will be successful. At this stage, there’s nothing else to go on. He’s also tight with Lillard and I like the idea of having a “players GM,” especially in a city free agents aren’t drawn to.

 

[e_blazer]

So many of you are looking for quick changes, but I seriously doubt that the Blazers are thinking about making GM/Coach changes at this juncture. Everyone knows that the team will likely be sold within the next year or so and, when that happens, the new ownership is going to want to make its own decisions on these positions. If Stotts were to be fired, Vulcan isn't going to get into a major head coach search and no decent coaching prospect is going to want to come in with ownership up in the air. We'd be looking at one of the assistants running things for a year or so with the infamous "interim" attached to his title. That's not likely to make things better. I'd say a trade is a much more likely event.

 

[oldmangrouch]

We are past the point of arguing Team-Neil-V-Team-Terry. They both need to go.

 

[Orion Bailey]

So many of you are looking for quick changes, but I seriously doubt that the Blazers are thinking about making GM/Coach changes at this juncture. Everyone knows that the team will likely be sold within the next year or so and, when that happens, the new ownership is going to want to make its own decisions on these positions. If Stotts were to be fired, Vulcan isn't going to get into a major head coach search and no decent coaching prospect is going to want to come in with ownership up in the air. We'd be looking at one of the assistants running things for a year or so with the infamous "interim" attached to his title. That's not likely to make things better. I'd say a trade is a much more likely event.

This is valid, sure. But Paul's Daughter has made recent comments about not selling the team, so maybe this narrative is shifting.

 

[Orion Bailey]

We are past the point of arguing Team-Neil-V-Team-Terry. They both need to go.

not sure if I agree, but great post regardless. Team Niel vs Team Terry. LO(L

 

[PtldPlatypus]

This is valid, sure. But Paul's Daughter has made recent comments about not selling the team, so maybe this narrative is shifting.

Sister. Jody is his sister. Paul had no kids.

 

[e_blazer]

Sister. Jody is his sister. Paul had no kids.

I tried to get him to adopt me, but it didn't work.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Sister. Jody is his sister. Paul had no kids.

Sorry. That's what I meant. Thanks,

 

[e_blazer]

“Nothing is for sale right now,” said Chris McGowan. “We are operating business as usual and Neil and I are collaborating regularly with her on all major organizational decisions.”

Not exactly a statement of long term intent to continue ownership as it is.

 

[Orion Bailey]

“Nothing is for sale right now,” said Chris McGowan. “We are operating business as usual and Neil and I are collaborating regularly with her on all major organizational decisions.”

Not exactly a statement of long term intent to continue ownership as it is.

I would counter with:

Not exactly a statement with intent to sell eventually either.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Question. Does anyone have an accurate grasp on the gross vs net operations for the last decade?

Is there a chance Jodi was initially for selling, but then dove into the numbers and details and is realizing this is a pretty successful franchise and maybe wants to keep it now as a continued investment? Or are the Blazers losing money every year and there is no potential profitable opportunities for her in the future?

 

[hoopsjock]

I like Billups but agree that we need someone with more experience. I don't want a rookie GM handling Dame's future.

David Griffin is another name that's prolly looking to get back into it but he's OK. Had some blunders in Phoenix.

My eye is on Pop in the Jerry West sorta role. Maybe hire a newbie as GM but keep him in check with Pop as consultant. He does have wineries in OR. Maybe he'd consider moving. Here are some candidates. Mike Zarren is someone you hear of a lot.

I’d go with Billups. Someone will give him a chance and my gut tells me he will be successful. At this stage, there’s nothing else to go on. He’s also tight with Lillard and I like the idea of having a “players GM,” especially in a city free agents aren’t drawn to.

I wasn't saying that Billups couldn't end up being great but no one can definitively say he'd be great right now.

As for the "Players GM" thing, couldn't one argue that Dame liking certain people and players is part of the problem as to why things are staying status quo? He has backed Stotts every time this comes up. His friendship with CJ likely is the reason he hasn't been traded. He went to Allen last year and asked him not to trade Ed Davis who we could've gotten something for and let walk for nothing anyway. Trading him would've allowed us to keep Vonleh too.

I'm not blaming Dame necessarily but I'm not sure someone who is going to be friends with him is the best strategy for getting changes. I do think Billups could have some pull with free agents. I was for bringing in Billups until this past summer league where he announced a lot of games and every player seemed to be "really good" and deserving of a spot in the NBA. I just wasn't impressed with some of his player evaluations.

 

[blue9]

Question. Does anyone have an accurate grasp on the gross vs net operations for the last decade?

Is there a chance Jodi was initially for selling, but then dove into the numbers and details and is realizing this is a pretty successful franchise and maybe wants to keep it now as a continued investment? Or are the Blazers losing money every year and there is no potential profitable opportunities for her in the future?

I don't have any actual info. But I believe that they've been turning a profit for a while. I also believe that, with the continued mediocrity of Olshey/Stotts decimating fan interest coupled with the amount of money invested in the roster, the team is going to start losing money fairly quickly unless something is done to reignite fan interest. Next summer will make or break the next 5-10 years.

 

[Orion Bailey]

I don't have any actual info. But I believe that they've been turning a profit for a while. I also believe that, with the continued mediocrity of Olshey/Stotts decimating fan interest coupled with the amount of money invested in the roster, the team is going to start losing money fairly quickly unless something is done to reignite fan interest. Next summer will make or break the next 5-10 years.

Thanks for that. Kinda what I am thinking regarding the past, but that is great insight for the future as well...and very plausible. With that said, when I go to sell tickets to games I cant make, I'm still turning a profit on them, so currently the fan base is still wanting to see the team, but I totally get the turn off aspect.

I'm sure Jodi is surrounding herself with NBA financial advisers on this, which scares me. If its all bout the dollars and cents, a sports franchise is too unstable and she will sell. If it has anything to do with sentimentality (highly doubtful) then she will probably hang onto the team if she isn't seeing numbers deep in the red.

 

[Labinot41]

I wasn't saying that Billups couldn't end up being great but no one can definitively say he'd be great right now.

As for the "Players GM" thing, couldn't one argue that Dame liking certain people and players is part of the problem as to why things are staying status quo? He has backed Stotts every time this comes up. His friendship with CJ likely is the reason he hasn't been traded. He went to Allen last year and asked him not to trade Ed Davis who we could've gotten something for and let walk for nothing anyway. Trading him would've allowed us to keep Vonleh too.

I'm not blaming Dame necessarily but I'm not sure someone who is going to be friends with him is the best strategy for getting changes. I do think Billups could have some pull with free agents. I was for bringing in Billups until this past summer league where he announced a lot of games and every player seemed to be "really good" and deserving of a spot in the NBA. I just wasn't impressed with some of his player evaluations.

Look man, he played on a Championship Team and has the experience, He knows which player you need to be succesful, i bet he knows more about roster construction than 90% of the GM's in this League. Like scalma said someone will give him a chance in the future and this team should be the Blazers

 

[hoopsjock]

Look man, he played on a Championship Team and has the experience, He knows which player you need to be succesful, i bet he knows more about roster construction than 90% of the GM's in this League. Like scalma said someone will give him a chance in the future and this team should be the Blazers

Playing on a championship team doesn't mean shit when it comes to being a GM. He could be really good or really bad. The point is no one in this forum can possibly know that.