Posted by BigSm00th:
what does that mean "the fans won't tolerate it." could you explain that, nalod? if the fans won't tolerate it they just won't show up. if isiah came in and DAY ONE said "this is the situation, this is my plan, i'm going to clear cap space, accumulate draft picks, and in 3 years we will be moving in the right direction" why would fans have said NO YOU CANT DO THAT. that just makes no sense to me, and if people didnt' like it, the garden would be empty but does that mean you can't rebuild? no.
you also said you can rebuild on the fly which i disagree with, you need a set-in-stone plan. look at the blazers over the last few years. they've gotten rid of all the scumbags and long-term contracts, now have the youngest team in the NBA which is also in playoff contention in the west, they have last years number 1 pick OUT FOR THE YEAR yet they are still contending, they have more cap space coming up AND more draft picks and players stashed over seas. that is rebuilding, and the fans are SHOWING UP and the results are there.
By the way, I am always on the hope and its my preference to blow it up.
But GM's do make errors and providing you get a true blue chip in the top 3, your open to alot of ridicule which gets blown up when the losing starts.
Example, Darko and Kwame were out right busts. You think if you tank and pick them up you'll get over it at the box office so fast??? You think that you take a carmello and as a rookie lay the franchise on his shoulders he might have done worse under the pressure of NY? The guy was a young bone head but being in denver helped, as did AI to deflect much pressure. Carmello was on a bad track, and look, it still took a few years for him to mature.
Kobe did not blossom until his 3rd season. Im not just talking stats.
I really think most of UK type fans can handle it, but not at the box office and not the causual fan. Given the bad rep the team has corp. sponsers might also pull out. So when I say "intolerant" and not talking about most intense fans. Actually, I don't think there are all that many season ticket holders on the board. be interesting to see what season tix holders only think about going into a two year blow up just so year 3 your getting some cap room and some hope of a young team. Maybe its 5 years?
Portland is settling back down into reality but look at that market, its the only game in town and the team has some serious upside. In NY, you will be competing with another NBA team, 3 hockey teams, two football NFL franchises, two Major league baseball franchises, a few minor league baseball teams, MLS soccer, those arena football and lacrosse leagues, as well as broadway, amusement parks, horse racing and other entertainment dollars to compete with.
If im a season ticket holder, I don't know if I want to go through a rebuild like we have to. The Lakers still had Kobe, still had Phil Jax, and some other nice parts post Shaq to keep them going. The Bulls are up and down and if you ask me perhaps have rebuilt too many times. They are going on the third rebuild if you are trying to infuse Ty and Noah. The Wallace thing was a good idea that failed. they thought hey were getting a warrior but they instead got a guy that was playing for a contract.
As a non ticket holder, Im not watching games anymore that much so for me to want a blow up is interesting and would actually bring me back into the fold, but thats me.
2/19/2008 9:47 AM