Nate speaks for first time

[alex42083]

The ship ran aground and he was the captain. As a result, he will take the blame.

"I mean, we were playing some bad basketball. Something was going to happen, you just knew it," McMillan said Tuesday in his first interview since his firing. "To sit here and think that I wasn't going to be looked at ... I wasn't sitting here thinking I was untouchable. They made a tough decision, but they made it, and I respect that."

Publicly, he will say the NBA lockout was the biggest factor in the demise of his team. If ever there were a time he needed the normal September getting-acquainted period and an October training camp, it was this season, when the Blazers were introducing a new point guard and a reshaped roster that featured five new players. Instead, there was a hastily assembled training camp in December, which on Day 1 began in ominous fashion with a trifecta of bad news: the retirement of Brandon Roy, another medical setback for Greg Oden and a heart ailment for LaMarcus Aldridge.

McMillan was already coming into the season with heightened anxiety. Entering his seventh season in Portland, and coming off three consecutive one-and-done playoff appearances, he said he felt he needed to get out of the first round to keep his job.

"If there was a year I needed the preseason, it was this year," McMillan said. "But I get it. Regardless of what you have done in the past, in pro sports you've got to win."

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i...es.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

[BoomChakaLaka]

He FINALLY spoke?

All those years standing on the sidelines with his tight lips and crossed arms! Glad he finally spoke.

 

[RoyToy]

McMillan fired -----> Roy makes first appearance in 11 months

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

 

[barfo]

Did he mention "scrappy"?

barfo

 

[C_note]

*deleted

 

[Natebishop3]

"But I get it. Regardless of what you have done in the past, in pro sports you've got to win."

What he had done? Did we win a championship that I'm unaware of?

 

[Sinobas]

Have a hard time buying that excuse, because the Blazers played their best ball, by far, right out of the gate.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Have a hard time buying that excuse, because the Blazers played their best ball, by far, right out of the gate.

I agree. Many of the players quit on Nate. When that happens the coach gets canned.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Anyone know if his arms were crossed during the interview?

 

[HailBlazers]

You guys are heartless bastards. Like to see you all be so pleasant after getting fired.

Very respectful interview by Nate and absolutely agree on the lockout.

"There's a lot of mixed emotions," McMillan said. "It's been hard. I don't want to look at the games, but I have. I found myself yelling at the TV the other night. But to look at the team, I feel like we are on the battlefield and I was removed, but my team is still in that battle, still at war. That's hard. Because I know they are going through some tough times."

Peace Out Sarge.

 

[Mediocre Man]

People could mock me for being fired if I still had 6 million coming to me next year

 

[MARIS61]

I agree. Many of the players quit on Nate. When that happens the coach gets canned...

...and the fans are stuck with spineless players who will never be winners.

By firing the coach who is working his ass off rather than firing the mutinous players who are cheating the fans and owner out of millions of dollars, you "accomplish" 2 things:

1. You destroy whatever trade value those players previously had by labeling them as quitters and cancers.

2. You announce to the world that management is cowed by the players to the point of impotence.

We couldn't even convince an aging, eroding, former almost-star named Hedo to come here when we still had Roy and Oden in the picture. Nobody of value is going to come here now.