Olshey Accelerated Rebuild Due To Portland's Intense Devotion To Blazers

[Boise Blazer]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wireta...-Due-To-Portlands-Intense-Devotion-To-Blazers

The seriousness of how Portland treats the Trail Blazers forced Neil Olshey to accelerate his approach in rebuilding the roster.

The Blazers are now 16-3 with the best record in the Western Conference.

"It caught me off guard," Olshey said. "Listen, I had been in this building as a front-office executive, a coach, and I knew how much it meant inside this building with the fans. But how much the identity of this city is wrapped up in the Blazers. It's so important that this team performs well – and does it with the right kind of guys. It's not just winning, but how we win, how we lose, how guys play, how guys treat the fans.

"And you know, that's what accelerated it for me. It would be great to come in with a three-to-five-year plan, slowly rebuild, but about five minutes after I got here, I realized: We're going to have to pick the pace up on this."

Olshey came from the Los Angeles Clippers, where he worked in the shadow of the Los Angeles Lakers and the ubiquitous entertainment industry.

"You could live and work in anonymity in L.A.," Olshey told Yahoo Sports, "but it's different here. At one point, the Dalai Lama was here and our president, Chris McGowan, and I presented him with a Blazers jersey. I wouldn't have even been on the list to be in the arena with him in L.A."

LaMarcus Aldridge has been one of the NBA's best players just months after he doubted if he may be better off going to a team ready to contend.

"Neil has done great job," Aldridge told Yahoo Sports. "I mean, he's done … great."

Via Adrian Wojnarowski/Yahoo! Sports

 

[Boise Blazer]

And ...

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/rip-city-revival--how-the-blazers-returned-to-prominence-171512423.html

Rip City Revival: How the Blazers returned to prominence

 

[HailBlazers]

"It caught me off guard," Olshey said. "Listen, I had been in this building as a front-office executive, a coach, and I knew how much it meant inside this building with the fans. But how much the identity of this city is wrapped up in the Blazers. It's so important that this team performs well – and does it with the right kind of guys. It's not just winning, but how we win, how we lose, how guys play, how guys treat the fans."

Love it, Mad Respect Neil.

 

[e_blazer]

I was going to start a thread this morning in appreciation of what Olshey has done here, but this one will do. The thread title I was going to use was:

Neil Olshey: Chemistry Professor

He kept the core pieces together and melded just the right accessory ingredients to the mix to create a compound much stronger and more powerful than the individual components. If the Blazers can stay healthy, he should be a shoo-in for GM of the Year.

 

[BlazerBeav]

The suffering of the last decade has made this all the sweeter - love it!

 

[Natebishop3]

I think he's one of the top GM's in the league. I really hope Paul locks him up long term.

 

[Boise Blazer]

FYI

Brian Wheeler @blazerwheels
We talk Blazers' resurgence with 1 ot the NBA's best national writers @WojYahooNBA at 3:00 PM on #WheelsAtWork on #FoxSportsPDX

 

[Mediocre Man]

Olshey made us average on purpose?

 

[Boob-No-More]

Olshey made us average on purpose?

16-3 is average? You need to check your math.

BNM

 

[magnifier661]

Olshey made us average on purpose?

Average? How you figure?

 

[magnifier661]

Neil is one of the biggest assets we have on this team. He just gets it. He understands what this team is for the community. He understands that we truly bleed Scarlet and Black. Olshey is PIMP

 

[PtldPlatypus]

So what he's saying is, he scrapped a plan he thought would be the most effective way to build a long-term title contender, and instead went for short-term-gain-long-term-loss quick fixes because the Blazers' soccer-mom fans don't have the patience to do things the right way?

 

[blazerboy30]

Olshey made us average on purpose?

Your amount of trolling is positively correlated to the Blazers winning percentage. Why is that?

 

[Mediocre Man]

Your amount of trolling is positively correlated to the Blazers winning percentage. Why is that?

I am not trolling.

I am stating a belief I have had since the summer, that we will be neither good enough to do any real damage in the playoffs nor bad enough to rebuild with more talent. Until the all-star break, my opinion won't change.

 

[magnifier661]

I am not trolling.

I am stating a belief I have had since the summer, that we will be neither good enough to do any real damage in the playoffs now bad enough to rebuild with more talent. Until the all-star break, my opinion won't change.

And when we prove you wrong? What then? Because you are basing that "mediocre" comment on opinions without facts backing it up. Basically giving us a "hunch feeling" of your opinion.

 

[Blazinaway]

I am not trolling.

I am stating a belief I have had since the summer, that we will be neither good enough to do any real damage in the playoffs nor bad enough to rebuild with more talent. Until the all-star break, my opinion won't change.

then you need to open your eyes, if you can't see how good this team is then you have a rather sizeable blindspot, Barring injuries they are a serious WCF contender. Yeah it's an opinion but yours sucks IMO

 

[blazerboy30]

I am not trolling.

I am stating a belief I have had since the summer, that we will be neither good enough to do any real damage in the playoffs nor bad enough to rebuild with more talent. Until the all-star break, my opinion won't change.

There is absolutely no case you can make that we are average. So you either haven't been paying attention, or you're trolling.

 

[Blazinaway]

16-3 is average? You need to check your math.

BNM

what's well "below average" is MM's cognitive ability, unreal, but then again the sig implies mediocrity

 

[Mediocre Man]

And when we prove you wrong? What then? Because you are basing that "mediocre" comment on opinions without facts backing it up. Basically giving us a "hunch feeling" of your opinion.

I get that you are a homer, mags, but literally less than a handful of national "experts" thought we would do anything but MAYBE sneak into the playoffs. They probably based that on the same things I did. Performance last year. Lopez having a history on injury issues. Being extremely inexperienced on the front line with our reserves. Those reserves performance last year. So that is why I thought what I thought, and said a couple of weeks ago when asked that I would either stay with or change my opinion after the all-star break because that would really be a true test, instead of 19 games, a fairly easy until the last couple of games SOS, and an EXTREMELY easy road schedule so far.

You root blindly for the team you love, which is great. I love them as much as you, just more reserved with a wait and see attitude

 

[BigGameDamian]

I could be wrong but I thought it also might have something to do with Paul's health? The whole city of Portland knows there is nothing that Paul Allen wants more than a Blazers championship.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I could be wrong but I thought it also might have something to do with Paul's health? The whole city of Portland knows there is nothing that Paul Allen wants more than a Blazers championship.

Yeah. I think this article plays up a nice sentiment, but really Olshey's boss sets the tone and expectations. Paul had no interest in a lengthy rebuild again and Olshey accommodated him.

 

[e_blazer]

I am not trolling.

I am stating a belief I have had since the summer, that we will be neither good enough to do any real damage in the playoffs nor bad enough to rebuild with more talent. Until the all-star break, my opinion won't change.

I'll give you credit for being consistent in your opinion. That's quite an accomplishment given the amount of winning the Blazers are doing. A quick count says there are 34 games on the Blazers' schedule between now and the All-Star break. If they cool off and just play .500 ball during that period, they'd still be at 33-20 (.622) at the break, which would seem to be better than the middling credit you're willing to give them. But keep those "realist" glasses on.

 

[Mediocre Man]

There is absolutely no case you can make that we are average. So you either haven't been paying attention, or you're trolling.

Average as in how they will end up.

Certainly not average now

 

[KingSpeed]

I get that you are a homer, mags, but literally less than a handful of national "experts" thought we would do anything but MAYBE sneak into the playoffs. They probably based that on the same things I did. Performance last year. Lopez having a history on injury issues. Being extremely inexperienced on the front line with our reserves. Those reserves performance last year. So that is why I thought what I thought, and said a couple of weeks ago when asked that I would either stay with or change my opinion after the all-star break because that would really be a true test, instead of 19 games, a fairly easy until the last couple of games SOS, and an EXTREMELY easy road schedule so far.

You root blindly for the team you love, which is great. I love them as much as you, just more reserved with a wait and see attitude

Coaches and scouts and GMs are saying we're a contender. They know better than national journalists. All the real experts are saying you can tell after 20 games. At worst we 'll be 16-4. We're for real. Also- remember it's not just about this year. We'll have the same team and be more seasoned next year. So even if we bomb in playoffs, we'll have next year to try again. Much better than tanking for a player that might take a few years to even make the playoffs.

You're wrong, MM. Sorry.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

So what he's saying is, he scrapped a plan he thought would be the most effective way to build a long-term title contender, and instead went for short-term-gain-long-term-loss quick fixes because the Blazers' soccer-mom fans don't have the patience to do things the right way?

LOL. It is kinda funny, though. We are still quite a young team. If this team really is legit, aside from a few moving pieces around the core, there is potentially a 3-5 year window that we'd have.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I love that I try to talk basketball as so many of you seem to pine for and get ridiculed for not believing the same thing you believe.

If you want to talk basketball accept my opinion (agree with it or not) if not, then we get flame wars and people complaining about that. Make up your fucking minds people

 

[Pinwheel1]

MM is not trolling. Like e_blazer says MM is consistent. He does not want to be around average because he does not think we can improve when we are in "purgatory". Nothing wrong with this opinion.

But personally I think we can as I remember the summer of 1989 very well. Lot of similarities. (i.e wanting to trade Clyde for crap)

But a trade for a defensive player and the addition of a couple good 2nd round picks, and we turned the corner.

Not saying it will happen with the same results, but the blue print is as good as any other that we discuss for a small market team.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

I get that you are a homer, mags, but literally less than a handful of national "experts" thought we would do anything but MAYBE sneak into the playoffs. They probably based that on the same things I did. Performance last year. Lopez having a history on injury issues. Being extremely inexperienced on the front line with our reserves. Those reserves performance last year. So that is why I thought what I thought, and said a couple of weeks ago when asked that I would either stay with or change my opinion after the all-star break because that would really be a true test, instead of 19 games, a fairly easy until the last couple of games SOS, and an EXTREMELY easy road schedule so far.

You root blindly for the team you love, which is great. I love them as much as you, just more reserved with a wait and see attitude

This.

But those same "experts" are at least giving Portland credit where credit is due. We're all entitled to our opinions, so I respect yours and I'm not going to accuse you of trolling. I am cautiously optimistic about things.

I guess that I just think if you were a fan, after the start they've had, you'd give them more credit and respect. Calling them "average" is not that.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Coaches and scouts and GMs are saying we're a contender. They know better than national journalists. All the real experts are saying you can tell after 20 games. At worst we 'll be 16-4. We're for real. Also- remember it's not just about this year. We'll have the same team and be more seasoned next year. So even if we bomb in playoffs, we'll have next year to try again. Much better than tanking for a player that might take a few years to even make the playoffs.

You're wrong, MM. Sorry.

It's the fucking stupidest thing to say someone is wrong about how they feel the team will end the season of 82 games after 19 games.

Everyone happy. Talking basketball was much more fun.

Mods, please edit this as well as all the posts calling me a troll and calling me stupid.

Yep, this is way more fun than talking basketball. congrats guys.....insert vicitim post in 3...2...

 

[e_blazer]

I love that I try to talk basketball as so many of you seem to pine for and get ridiculed for not believing the same thing you believe.

If you want to talk basketball accept my opinion (agree with it or not) if not, then we get flame wars and people complaining about that. Make up your fucking minds people

I've got no problem with you having a different opinion, but you tend to put your opinion out there as being the only realistic one and paint those who have more optimistic views as blind sheep homers. With each passing win by the Blazers, it would seem to be harder and harder to take your view as the "realistic" one.

And, BTW, if you object to people calling you a troll, you might want to consider a different avatar. I miss the Sergeant Schultz one.