Nate thanks Portland...

[magnifier661]

I just read in o-live that Nate took out a ad in the Oregonian that thanks us fans for making him feel warm. He was praising the fans, Oregon and the city of Portland.

Pretty classy move, even though I wanted him gone.

 

[SheedSoNasty]

It was definitely never his character that came into question, that's for sure. Classy guy and I wish that things would have worked out for him here.

 

[THE HCP]

The morning we were leaving Chicago on the last trip as I was walking out I heard,"Hey!" turned around and it was Nate. Took a couple minutes to say goodbye. Absolute classy man....... I told him to holler if he needed an assistant next season and he laughed!

 

[Boob-No-More]

Unfortunately good guy <> good coach. Whether winning or losing, Nate's always been a class act.

A lot of really great coaches are total assholes. They're super competitive jerks who will stop at nothing to win. You hate them when they coach against you, but would gladly tolerate their flaws if they were coaching your team.

BNM

 

[SlyPokerDog]

 

[Wheels]

ditto on all the class act posts. Never was in question. Def class.

 

[HailBlazers]

Very Cool farewell. Thanks Nate, you're a true role model.

 

[Voodoo]

That's a really nice ad, but something I noticed is that he said 44 games a season? Aren't there only 41 games played at home during the season?

 

[BoomChakaLaka]

That's a really nice ad, but something I noticed is that he said 44 games a season? Aren't there only 41 games played at home during the season?

Early playoff exits!


He's probably referring to pre-season games was my guess.

 

[Tince]

That's a really nice ad, but something I noticed is that he said 44 games a season? Aren't there only 41 games played at home during the season?

A normal season has 3 home preseason games. I always thought the same thing until I became a season ticket holder, then you notice that you get charged full price for 44 games not 41.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Best of luck to him wherever he lands ...

 

[Voodoo]

I see, thanks Tince, I hadn't thought of the preseason games.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Overall a pretty classy ad, but that bit at the end where he says "but Mediocre Man can kiss my ass!" kind of spoiled it.

 

[alex42083]

Very classy on his part. It's no surprise why he is one of the more well-respected coaches in the league.

 

[XXPrimusXX]

Breaking up is hard to do.

I hate you Nate!

But I love you man...

 

[jlprk]

It was definitely never his character that came into question, that's for sure. Classy guy and I wish that things would have worked out for him here.

Things did work out. He lasted 6 1/2 years, which is much much longer than average.

 

[KingSpeed]

It's a little much... Plus, the big picture of him? Awkward...

 

[HailBlazers]

Breaking up is hard to do.

I hate you Nate!

But I love you man...

Lol, true dat.

It's a little much... Plus, the big picture of him? Awkward...

It's only awkward if you make it KS

 

[DaLincolnJones]

"Paved paradise, to put up a parking lot"

Its is a sad thing to see Nate go. He was a great coach in a lot of ways, and a great man in all ways. I have to blame the fact that that the problem was allowed to fester for as long as it did. That should have never have happened. Perhaps if a basketball guy was at the helm, rather than a shoe guy, things could have happened way before the break down of the team. Any one who has ever spoken to Nate knows that he had to have had many conversations with "management" about how things were progressing, and had to ask for trades a while back.

I wish Nate the best of luck, and I would love to see him Coach a team in Seattle again.

 

[barfo]

Nate says that now that he's retired he plans to "slow it down a little bit".

barfo

 

[Boob-No-More]

I wish Nate the best of luck, and I would love to see him Coach a team in Seattle again.

That would be cool - as long as it's not the Blazers!

BNM

 

[MickZagger]

Any one who has ever spoken to Nate knows that he had to have had many conversations with "management" about how things were progressing, and had to ask for trades a while back.

So you spoke to Nate and he told you he wanted trades?

 

[DaLincolnJones]

So you spoke to Nate and he told you he wanted trades?

Yes, I have spoken with Nate before, but not about trades, he would never discuss those types of things out of school.

My point way that anyone that had ever had a conversation with the guy knows right up front that he is a no bullshit guy, not afraid to express his opinion.

Being that type of person, with the tenure he had, and the knowledge of what was going on in the locker room, I have to believe he had many conversations with managemant.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

I'm not sad for Nate. Things worked out quite well for him in Ptd, in spite of this crazy season. As pointed out, he was with the Blazers for longer than the average stint, he built a good reputation as a displine coach who gets his players to play hard, and he is respected by most players out there. If he wants another coaching job, he will have that opportunity.

During his time with the Blazers, Nate gave his life blood to the organization and Paul Allen made Nate a very wealthy man. It was a win win for both for 6 years . . . don't know if you can ask for more than that from a coach in the NBA before you start talking about the great ones.

 

[MARIS61]

Unfortunately good guy <> good coach. Whether winning or losing, Nate's always been a class act.

A lot of really great coaches are total assholes. They're super competitive jerks who will stop at nothing to win. You hate them when they coach against you, but would gladly tolerate their flaws if they were coaching your team.

BNM

I hate assholes, no matter which side they're on. No place for them in sports, IMO.

But I guess some fans will sell their soul for a win.

 

[MARIS61]

So you spoke to Nate and he told you he wanted trades?

It has been well documented by the O writers that from Day One Nate would prefer an all veteran team and has always preferred to play his more experienced players in games whenever possible. He played to win the present game, with the best tools at hand, no exceptions. A coach's coach.

Fans want a touchy-feely coach to coddle the younger guys and gift them with PT when better players have earned it.

Nate will be wearing a new ring long before PA does.

 

[MickZagger]

It has been well documented by the O writers that from Day One Nate would prefer an all veteran team and has always preferred to play his more experienced players in games whenever possible. He played to win the present game, with the best tools at hand, no exceptions. A coach's coach.

Fans want a touchy-feely coach to coddle the younger guys and gift them with PT when better players have earned it.

Nate will be wearing a new ring long before PA does.

It was also well documented that Nate couldn't stand that scrubby Spanish PG by the name of Sergio Rodriguez.

 

[crandc]

Nate will be wearing a new ring long before PA does.

Is Nate getting married again?

(couldn't resist)

Yes, Nate is a class act, so was Maurice Cheeks. But I still think it's possible to be a class act & a great coach - or have I been spending too much time watching the NCAA? I mean, Summitt, Vanderveer, Mulkey et al. And a class act does not have to baby players. Part of being a class act is expecting the same from the team. Which can certainly include winning. With grace.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Yes, Nate is a class act, so was Maurice Cheeks. But I still think it's possible to be a class act & a great coach - or have I been spending too much time watching the NCAA?

WHAT?

I mean, Summitt, Vanderveer, Mulkey et al. And a class act does not have to baby players. Part of being a class act is expecting the same from the team. Which can certainly include winning. With grace.

Oh, okay. You mean the NCAA WOMEN coaches. For a moment there I thought you were insane throwing words like "classy" around in the context of college coaches.

 

[crandc]

Why, are NCAA men's coaches all assholes? I honestly don't follow their games.