http://insidebayarea.com/sports/ci_3722390

Richardson shows his fan appreciation

By Geoff Lepper, STAFF WRITER
Inside Bay Area

OAKLAND — Jason Richardson received $8.9million in salary from the Warriors this season. Monday, he gave some $50,000 or more back in a show of appreciation to Golden State's fan base.
Richardson shouldered half the cost of a series of full-page advertisements in Monday's Bay Area papers, including this one, thanking Warriors fans for their unstinting passion and apologizing for not bringing the club's streak of playoff-less seasons to an end.

"Regrettably, we just didn't get it done for you," read the ad copy. "We are committed to doing whatever it takes this summer to make the 2006-07 season one that you can be proud of."

The ads — which bore the signed first names of all 14 current Warriors — came about after Richardson and team president Robert Rowell talked last week about what they could do as a sign of appreciation to the record-setting numbers of fans who came out this season. With 18,723 on hand for Monday's home finale, the Warriors set a season record of 749,185, smashing the previous high of 670,368 set last season.

"We were just talking about how great our fans have been, not only this year but throughout the years I've been here in my career," Richardson said. "I just wanted to let them know that we'd keep working hard to get there, especially next year. Our fans deserve it. We have the most loyal fans in the NBA. I just wanted to show them some appreciation."

Rowell wouldn't specify exactly how much the ads cost, although he did say it was "over $100,000," split between Richardson and the team.

"I think it was important that it was from the players, because they truly appreciate the fan support," Rowell said.

Several of the Warriors didn't know anything about the ad they had signed, but Rowell thought that was by Richardson's design.

"That's kind of Jason's style," Rowell said. "As a captain of the team, he's representing all his guys. That's what a good leader does, pulls everyone up with them, and that's Jason. That's been Jason ever since he's been in a Warrior uniform."

Marbury gonna give us his on Friday.

Posted by Nalod:

Marbury gonna give us his on Friday.

Yeah, I'm sure we'll hear alot from them on Thursday and Friday.

Maybe Steph and Larry Brown will share the bill for the newspaper ads.

Posted by BasketballJones:

There's no apology because this franchise doesn't understand why things are so bad. They think it's just bad luck; they don't recognize that this franchise sucks.

They don't need to know why things are so bad in order to apologize to the fan base because things have gone so bad. If they think it's bad luck like you said, let them apologize for that.

Posted by islesfan:

You can't apologize until you take responsibility for what you're apologizing for and Isiah and Marbury have never done that. It was the CBA''s fault, it was the Toronto Raptors owners fault, it was Larry Bird's fault, it was KG's fault, it was because he was "All Alone", it was D'Antoni's system's fault and now it's LB's fault.

Come to think of it, LB is the one who keeps saying that it's his fault and he needs to coach better. Thanks LB for being the only standup person in this organization.

Yeah but he kept saying it all year and yet continuing to do it.

There are only 3 players on this team who are dissappointed in this season:

Jamal Crawford
Quentin Richardson
David Lee

No one else has heart (Marbury) or cares about the team (Franchise) or is smart enough to realize they've contributed to this mess (Curry & Nate).

EXACTLY how I feel. I don't care about what words they use. I care about actions. I don't care if Isiah says sorry or hands Isles and fish a box of tissues.

Circle-Jerk?

Just kidding gents.

oohah

like making fun a fat person, or possibly a retarded kid. understandable

I'd like to see a joke about a fat-retarded, circle-jerk!

oohah

[NOT-Edited by - oohah on 04-18-2006 15:50]

i bet they refuse to trade anyone b/c it would be
selling low.

Posted by crzymdups:

Posted by islesfan:

You can't apologize until you take responsibility for what you're apologizing for and Isiah and Marbury have never done that. It was the CBA''s fault, it was the Toronto Raptors owners fault, it was Larry Bird's fault, it was KG's fault, it was because he was "All Alone", it was D'Antoni's system's fault and now it's LB's fault.

Come to think of it, LB is the one who keeps saying that it's his fault and he needs to coach better. Thanks LB for being the only standup person in this organization.

Standup? Um... what do you call blaming the roster, the point guard, "having to coach effort"? I'm sure you'll say he was right, but all Brown has done is deflect blame, throw his players under the bus and then finish his lovely little soundbite off with, "but I have to coach better, too."

gee, isn't part of coaching (at least in this day and age) protecting your players from the press? instead of assisinating them? he's arrogant, he's deluded. Flip Saunders somehow miracolously coach Larry's Legendary Pistons to 65 wins and before Larry and Sheed showed up, Rick Carlyse had them at 50+ two years in a row. So what miracle did Larry pull in Detroit? Other than destroying Darko's confidence? That Pistons team could win anywhere for anyone, they have the best starting five in the league. Imagine if they still had Darko, too. I'm sure they love Larry in Detroit. It's weird how their owner canned his ass, I think he said something about Larry not being a very standup guy as he threw Larry to the curb, too.

I'm not sticking up for Isiah here. I hate them both at this point, but the main reason I hate Isiah is he has kept his mouth shut through all this bullcrap so he can save his own hide by hitching it to Brown's. The same way he hitched it to Marbury's, etc, etc. Thomas is spineless. Brown is an arrogant jerk who's been fired everywhere he's coached. what a match made in heaven.

You called it pretty close, except the Carlisle / Saunders flop . LB has to stop bashing players in the press.