Olshey press confernce

[Titan]

Ive long maintained the harden thing was a leverage play by harden and his camp tobfor BK or Philly to ante up

Correct. When a player makes a list of teams, always one of them is a pawn.

 

[Scalma]

By the way, firing Terry was absolutely the last trump card Neil had for keeping his job. Part of me wonders if that's why he kept him for so long given his deficiencies. He can always hide behind "coaching" as a reason for why his roster underperforms. Who can say he's wrong?

hes got two seasons to prove himself right. I don’t think he’ll be fired after next season unless there’s a major collapse. New coach will need time, I don’t expect us to just be firing on all cylinders immediately.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

OK, so he is answering questions. He just needs to be nicer? Who cares. Ive seen a ton more players, coaches, GMs, etc., dodge questions a whole lot more than Neil. It isnt easy sitting there with people firing off questions at you that we all know are putting you on the spot. Its his job, and he does it, but doesnt mean he shoudl love doing it or kiss their asses.

I don't really care about nicer. I care about a firm hand on the rudder. Not sure if he has that. You can't be a GM without making mistakes. It's part of the job. If you're not making mistakes you're not trying. IMO Olshey dances too much. This weird word play, "That's not how the league works" "We look at opportunities" All just vague. Not looking for a behind the curtain peak at his plans but I want something more definitive.

"Lillard and the fans deserve a more competitive team and roster. I'm going to do whatever it takes to make that happen."

It's just that simple.

 

[B-Roy]

Ive long maintained the harden thing was a leverage play by harden and his camp tobfor BK or Philly to ante up

Doubt it. Unless Harden specifically blocked a trade to Portland we could have offered more than what Brooklyn ante'd up.

He essentially said CJ is on the table today. First time ever but finally.

What was the specific quote?

 

[B-Roy]

hes got two seasons to prove himself right. I don’t think he’ll be fired after next season unless there’s a major collapse. New coach will need time, I don’t expect us to just be firing on all cylinders immediately.

If we miss the playoffs he definitely will.

 

[Scalma]

He essentially said CJ is on the table today. First time ever but finally.

yeah he said he’s not opposed to anything, a pretty generic statement. All his other answers tells me he’s not really looking to trade him.

 

[wizenheimer]

he just said they need to look for upgrades whether it is in the starting lineup or bench, depth, all of it.

I do not care what he says, and he always says stuff like that. He said the same fucking thing before he traded for Whiteside & Bazemore and signed Hezonja & Toliver

I care what he does, and I'm about 90% sure I can predict the scope of what he does

 

[Scalma]

The whole vibe of this press conference was “Stotts sucked, a new coach will improve the defense, we will make moves around the margins, and we will win with our current core”

We’ll see.

 

[riverman]

When it comes to trades Woj has said about Neil that he'll never show his cards until the last second...in my view that's smart...I do find it hilarious that folks who think Neil used Stotts as a scapegoat have now made Neil their own scapegoat now that Terry is gone. Neil basically said he wanted Terry to get a jump on the empty coaching positions knowing they were moving on. That's something a GM who doesn't give a shit would ignore.

 

[TBpup]

my question is: what is it about Stotts that became clear against Denver, that wasn't clear before?

Was thinking exactly the same thing during the presser. The Portland media is so incredibly soft.

Also, where was the question/reference back to his '5-year Dame/CJ time-line' he spoke of years back? Unbelievable that no one asked it.

 

[Natebishop3]

why in the world would Neil or the front office bend over backwards for the fans? whats in it for them? i dont get it. portland fans take everything so personally.

Because....... we are the ones who give them money?

 

[ABM]

I still can't find him in the IMDB. It's almost like he made that up.

I did find this, FWIW...

http://www.eyeonsportsmedia.com/2009/12/career-choicessoap-opera-actor-or-nba.html

He (Olshey) appeared in several television commercials, print ads and had roles on All My Children, One Life to Live, and Loving. Eventually, he made his way to Los Angeles, where he tested for a lead role on the popular soap opera General Hospital.

“I didn’t get the role, but it was 80 degrees in March and I quickly realized that if I was going to be an out-of-work actor it would be better to be one on the beach in Los Angeles,” he recalled. He stayed out west and continued to have success doing commercials.

 

[B-Roy]

I don't really care about nicer. I care about a firm hand on the rudder. Not sure if he has that. You can't be a GM without making mistakes. It's part of the job. If you're not making mistakes you're not trying. IMO Olshey dances too much. This weird word play, "That's not how the league works" "We look at opportunities" All just vague. Not looking for a behind the curtain peak at his plans but I want something more definitive.

"Lillard and the fans deserve a more competitive team and roster. I'm going to do whatever it takes to make that happen."

It's just that simple.

He doesn't have to be nice. He just doesn't have to be a dick. It's pretty simple actually. When he goes out of his way to embarrass people it makes me wonder how he treats people that actually have an impact on his job performance (ie. other teams/GMs). If a GM called and made a lowball offer for Dame, does Neil laugh him off the phone? Does he give some sort of proper but somewhat condescending answer that makes the other person less likely to deal with him in the future? Reports are that some teams did not like dealing with Ainge towards the end because of Ainge's personality. I think the people aspect definitely plays a part in your job performance, and I'm questioning that part for Neil.

Also, how hard is it to just not be a dick? He does this twice a year, it's really not asking that much. Nobody is telling him to be buddy buddy and be a gentleman. Just don't go out of your way to act like an ass. I swear, if some people acted like this at your job/workplace, would you have a good impression of them as people? Would you like working with them? Maybe if that person was a genius or his work was AMAZING, but let's be honest here, Olshey has been very mediocre in terms of results.

 

[riverman]

I don't really care about nicer.

I've seen your science threads....you know you care about nice science threads!

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I'm a chip and a chair guy. As long as you have a chip and a seat at the table you have a chance. Shit happens. And when the Blazers are in the playoffs I'm always hoping they can win the championship. When you're in the game you have to believe you can win.

And now that it's over it's time to take an honest look at things.

There is not a coach alive or dead that could have gotten us a championship with this roster.

This was not a championship roster.

Us losing in the first or second round was inevitable.

Yes, we need a different coach but if the focus is to keep the same 5 starters and get some new bench players that's not going to win us a championship.

 

[Scalma]

He doesn't have to be nice. He just doesn't have to be a dick. It's pretty simple actually. When he goes out of his way to embarrass people it makes me wonder how he treats people that actually have an impact on his job performance (ie. other teams/GMs). If a GM called and made a lowball offer for Dame, does Neil laugh him off the phone? Does he give some sort of proper but somewhat condescending answer that makes the other person less likely to deal with him in the future? Reports are that some teams did not like dealing with Ainge towards the end because of Ainge's personality. I think the people aspect definitely plays a part in your job performance, and I'm questioning that part for Neil.

Also, how hard is it to just not be a dick? He does this twice a year, it's really not asking that much. Nobody is telling him to be buddy buddy and be a gentleman. Just don't go out of your way to act like an ass. I swear, if some people acted like this in your jobs, would you have a good impression of them as people?

who did he try and embarrass? I never really got that vibe from him. I think his sarcasm/dry humor can come off that way, but he even said it himself at one point that he’s just messing around.

 

[blazerkor]

yeah he said he’s not opposed to anything, a pretty generic statement. All his other answers tells me he’s not really looking to trade him.

The most telling thing to me about CJ was that when asked about trading Dame Neil said he wasn't even going to answer that. When asked about CJ he said he's not opposed to anything but first of all the team has never tipped their hand and second he respects the players that he could trade and would never say their name. I thought it was a huge move away from the narrative that he's pushed in the past that CJ is just as untouchable as Dame.

At the same time he did say he thought the foundation of our roster could compete for a championship and spent much of the time he was giving direct answers talking about bench players. So I think today he would be more open to a CJ trade than in the past but I don't think he is motivated enough to go out and find one and he's still very likely overvaluing CJ monumentally both of which are huge problems.

 

[Scalma]

anyways it’s gonna be Billups and when people ask about the lack of experience he’ll point to his days with the pistons and the defensive squads they had and the championships they won. If one thing olshey is its predictable.

 

[B-Roy]

who did he try and embarrass? I never really got that vibe from him. I think his sarcasm/dry humor can come off that way, but he even said it himself at one point that he’s just messing around.

You really think he was being sarcastic with Fentress? Every question Neil went out of his way to be a jackass.

And yes, Fentress worded his questions in a really terrible way. But this is not the first (or last) person that Neil has been a dick to.

Example:

Fentress asked Olshey whether he may consider trading Dame in the future. It's very easy to just say "We are committed to Dame, he's the franchise. We are not trading Dame."

Instead he spends 15 seconds staring at the camera with his stupid condescending facial expressions and says "I'm not answering that question." As if the guy kicked his dog on something. He doesn't even get hardball questions from the media. Imagine if Olshey worked for the New York Knicks. I'd like to see him handle that situation.

 

[Chris Craig]

my question is: what is it about Stotts that became clear against Denver, that wasn't clear before?

What changed is that Neil realized he couldn't keep Stotts around anymore as a shield

 

[wizenheimer]

At the same time he did say he thought the foundation of our roster could compete for a championship and spent much of the time he was giving direct answers talking about bench players. So I think today he would be more open to a CJ trade than in the past but I don't think he is motivated enough to go out and find one and he's still very likely overvaluing CJ monumentally both of which are huge problems.

to me, that's the biggest problem, and it's so fucking obvious

the number of players in chairs 3-15 that Olshey has cycled thru since he went all in on the Dame/CJ team is a couple of dozen. He's always rearranging the deck chairs in the 2nd and 3rd rows. And it doesn't make one goddam bit of difference. Same treadmill, year after year

and it's just about guaranteed he's going to try the same shit again. mess around and bring in a couple of different role players. And I would not be surprised at all if he brings back Melo. Portland problems aren't who is sitting in the chairs in that 2nd row. Portland's problem starts with who is sitting in the chair next to Dame's, and how the cost of that chair, in dollars and opportunities, restricts what happens every where else

 

[JoshuaHall]

Also, it certainly sounds like Powell is not re-signing, or it's not a priority. Keeps mentioning having 80% of the starting lineup under contract. Still seems attached as all hell to CJ.

He literally said they made the trade hoping to keep Powell long term.

And it’s a factual statement that no matter what happens, 80% of the starting lineup is under contract.

He also kept mentioning how he was their second best defensive player.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Am I alone in thinking he was spot-on that this roster underachieved, especially defensively? And that we had a ton of pieces to have more depth in the playoffs than the 7 man rotation Stotts was using. Keeping Jones/Little parked on the bench while our lineups got destroyed on the boards while getting carved up defensively was infuriating.

Agreed FAMS!

 

[Scalma]

You really think he was being sarcastic with Fentress? Every question Neil went out of his way to be a jackass.
.

Don’t make me like Olshey. Fentress is easily the worst “reporter” in Portland.

But seriously, no, I don’t. He’s just a typical New Yorker. I don’t think he’s singling out Fentress, he just happens to be the guy asking the most stupid questions.

 

[calvin natt]

I'm a chip and a chair guy. As long as you have a chip and a seat at the table you have a chance. Shit happens. And when the Blazers are in the playoffs I'm always hoping they can win the championship. When you're in the game you have to believe you can win.

And now that it's over it's to take an honest look at things.

There is not a coach alive or dead that could have gotten us a championship with this roster.

This was not a championship roster.

Us losing in the first or second round was inevitable.

Yes, we need a different coach but if the focus is to keep the same 5 starters and get some new bench players that's not going to win us a championship.

He literally said he wants to upgrade though. Starters or bench.

 

[wizenheimer]

if Olshey stays in his job one more year, he will drive Dame into asking for a trade

 

[TBpup]

Neil spoke a lot about 'accountability'.....yet didn't seem to apply much of that to himself with the ~'it's not the roster' reference.

 

[illmatic99]

This was not a championship roster.

Us losing in the first or second round was inevitable.

Yes, we need a different coach but if the focus is to keep the same 5 starters and get some new bench players that's not going to win us a championship.

Losing in the first round to a team missing 2 of its top 5 players was absolutely NOT inevitable, especially when we had essentially a full roster.

 

[HailBlazers]

Instead he spends 15 seconds staring at the camera with his stupid condescending facial expressions and says "I'm not answering that question." As if the guy kicked his dog on something. He doesn't even get hardball questions from the media. Imagine if Olshey worked for the New York Knicks. I'd like to see him handle that situation.

More like 5 seconds and yes - asking about trading the best Blazer ever is like kicking my dog.

 

[blazerkor]

You really think he was being sarcastic with Fentress? Every question Neil went out of his way to be a jackass.

And yes, Fentress worded his questions in a really terrible way. But this is not the first (or last) person that Neil has been a dick to.

Example:

Fentress asked Olshey whether he may consider trading Dame in the future. It's very easy to just say "We are committed to Dame, he's the franchise. We are not trading Dame."

Instead he spends 15 seconds staring at the camera with his stupid condescending facial expressions and says "I'm not answering that question." As if the guy kicked his dog on something. He doesn't even get hardball questions from the media. Imagine if Olshey worked for the New York Knicks. I'd like to see him handle that situation.

Yeah, Neil is abrasive and doesn't answer hardly any questions straight. Some of us have hated that about him for a long time. He's a used car salesman that rarely comes across as a basketball guy and that's probably because he's not. It wasn't his first career choice he didn't get into it until his early thirties and it's been his crafty salesmanship that's got him this far, so it's what he's going to stick with. It's not like the guy can match basketball resumes with his contemporaries.

This is who we have to deal with for now as our GM. That's all there is too it. There was nothing surprising today in a negative way about what we heard from Olshey. I was happy to hear him say when asked about CJ that he wouldn't discuss any player specifically out of respect to them and he wouldn't tip his hand but that everyone was on the table. When asked about Dame he became a real dick and refused to answer that question which to me says that Dame is not considered part of everyone that is on the table.

It gave us some info and it confirmed that after nine years we know what we're getting with Neil Olshey.