A Note From ClipperSteve to the Fire MDsr Crowd

by Steve Perrin on Jan 7, 2009 9:15 AM PST Comment 15 comments

One of the great things about the SB Nation blogging platform is the Fan Post feature, allowing any registered user to share their thoughts here. It's one reason why the Clips Nation community is strong and growing. And because of that, and because there are legitimate problems with the team, I've decided to leave some recent Fan Posts about other blogs and petitions espousing the firing of MDsr.

Having said that, I do not endorse those blogs or petitions. I have my issues with the coach, and I've stated them over the years, and I'll continue to state them. But now is not really the time to make a move. The team is 6-6 with Zach Randolph, that was without Chris Kaman, half the team is currently hurt, and Baron Davis has been truly terrible all season - there's plenty of time to see how the team plays when and if it gets healthy.

As a public service to the portion of the Clips Nation community that may agree with the viewpoint, I'm allowing these initial Fan Posts to remain. But I will delete subsequent references to them, since in the end this is my blog, and it doesn't make much sense for me to allow others to promote competing blogs here.

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i am surprised you left those on there...most other blogs would not stand for it...You're a good man ClipperSteve

"Duck, Crab. Crab, Duck"
Roger Sterling - Mad Men

by Lawler's Law on Jan 7, 2009 11:03 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Seriously!

CS works hard on this blog and cultivates a legitimate following. And then these clowns leech off his hard-earned audience with shoddy garbage sites. But he leaves them there for the sake of impartiality (wanting Dunleavy gone is a legitimate opinion, afterall, even if it’s backed up with intellectual dishonesty).

If the NYPost had half of CS’s integrity, that Q rumor would never have seen the light of day.

by OhMeOhMy on Jan 7, 2009 12:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

Any disparaging remarks or negativity towards the coach is better posted elsewhere.

I’m sticking by MDsr and even though I question somethings he does, every human being will have a difference of opinion on various matters.

As the saying goes……… a carpenter is only as good as his tools !

by Natedog1977 on Jan 7, 2009 6:45 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

That's not what I'm saying...

Honest fans are 100% free to disparage the coach here. I do want there to be some substance to the criticism. But moreover, I’m not going to allow people to promote their own sites on my site, beyond a first notice.

In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd

by Steve Perrin on Jan 7, 2009 7:57 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Darn

There goes my post announcing www.ClipperSteveRocks.com….

by moKi on Jan 7, 2009 11:18 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Please

Okay we all appreciate what Clipper steve does but will you guys please get off the man’s sac please. All this @$$ kissing is getting a little too much.

Now back on to point, I am one of the majority that does believe MD should be fired, because at this point even if it isn’t his fault for the poor season he brings too much of the old loser Clipper vibe to the team. By this logic Kaman should go because of his years but the guy is still one of the best C’s in the league MD can’t hold the same weight at his position. The man’s win/lose ratio as a coach is a disgrace and the fact he has a job after such a terrible record when so many coaches that have led their team to more than ONE playoff season makes the franchise look like a joke.

I’m sick of MD and I’m sick of the excuses homers of the franchise I love use to make losing look like it’s okay and or acceptable. If the team suck it sucks don’t sugar coat it and make turd into candy. The team needs a restart with a new coach and system and wished it would have been done before season start.

by KillaClip on Jan 7, 2009 11:46 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Amen Brother

However, the reality is that DTS made the serious mistake of signing the guy to a multi-year contract at more than $5 M per year a couple of years ago (as both coach and de facto [and now official] GM). DTS just isn’t going to throw that money away. It’s not who he is. What he SHOULD do is hire a competent GM now who can put a plan in place. that will include what to do about the coach Based on his track record, that ain’t gonna happen. I don’t think he’s in a position to just fire the guy who is acting as both Coach and GM in the middle of the year (although I for one would consider letting Kim Hughes be interim coach for a while.

by Jax on Jan 8, 2009 9:03 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

A topic worthy of a serious discussion

How could DTS unwind this? Bear in mind opportunity cost and replacement cost. He was never paying Elgin a major NBA salary – now he’s got a two-for in MDsr. But he DID pony up for big-boy money in MDsr’s, and as citizen Jax points out, he ain’t likely to walk away from that.

So I think you can rule out a name coach during the length of MDsr’s contract. That’s money out of DTS’ pocket to pay that salary.

Does he:
- Stick it out, hoping for the best, refuse to put more of his money into a solution?
- Kick MDsr upstairs, let Kim Hughes or another NBA novice take the reins? (a cheap/free approach, although MDsr ends up making $5M to be the GM, which will no doubt irk DTS not to mention lots of you)
- Kick MDsr downstairs, and hire the proverbial ‘up-and-coming GM’ (presumably on the cheap)?

The problem with any solution that leaves MDsr in the picture is that he’d have to work closely with someone else, and defer to the new person on some number of issues, and I don’t think any of us view that as his strong suit. Which is why a Kim Hughes approach is at least semi-realistic – he’s MDsr’s guy, they theoretically could work together. Hiring an NBA assistant (like Kurt Rambis) to coach the team while MDsr remained the GM is fraught – would MDsr allow the rookie coach the freedom to do his job? The other combo – rookie GM with MDsr on the bench – seems even worse. Hard to figure how the rookie GM would be effective with MDsr still on the sidelines.

What do people think could happen next? Fire MDsr, hire Eddie Jordan as head coach and Kevin Pritchard as GM, as much I would like that, is not going to happen – not unless DTS has changed much more than we know. So I’d be interested in getting beyond step one (Fire MDsr) to know what people think might happen.

In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd

by Steve Perrin on Jan 8, 2009 10:08 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Those are good points

In practical terms, the team is somewhat difficult to watch right now not only because their three best players are out but also because the offense that the team is running is so disorganized and chaotic that it frustrates the informed viewer. Having said that, the team that is out there is putting up good effort (a plus for MDSr), and there are a couple of talented youngsters out there in Al and EJ, along with the STUD (Camby), so I for one will continue to watch them play. I do think that Kim Hughes should be given the reigns now. DTS could force MDSr to give them up, while still paying him to be GM. The problem there would be whether MDSr would balk at that. If he does, however, DTS could have a legitimate excuse for firing him without having to pay the balance of his salary. That of course would require a major power play and is there anyone in the organization, other than perhaps DTS himself (who I don’t think could act alone) that would go along with it? Maybe BD will force the action there.

I also think that Al needs some good coaching RIGHT NOW to get rid of the bad habits he’s developing that we are already aware of. He’s too old to ignore them.

by Jax on Jan 8, 2009 10:28 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Power plays

I have no doubt that DTS is wondering how he could get out of paying MDsr… but setting some sort of insubordination trap is not the way to go. It didn’t work for the Knicks with Larry Brown, it didn’t work for DTS before with Bill Fitch and it makes the organization look petty – a stereotype they certainly don’t want to perpetuate.

The other way to get the money back is to cross your fingers and hope that he gets hired by another team which would eliminate or at least reduce the Clippers contractual obligation to him. Not much you can do proactively about that. Maybe fire him when there are a lot of jobs open. This summer will likely fit that bill. I’m not convinced that there’s going to be a huge demand for the guy.

The Kim Hughes plan is probably the most realistic, but also a half measure at best. It would have to presented to MDsr as an opportunity to save face:

The roster has talent, you put that together, but injuries and other excuses notwithstanding, the team is underperforming significantly. We need to make a change, if you’re on board with this idea then great, you’re still the GM. If not, bye bye.

But, you have to be prepared to execute on the or else. If he says no, you have to be willing to fire him.

In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd

by Steve Perrin on Jan 8, 2009 11:06 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm

If he says no, doesn’t that mean that he’s breaching the terms of his contract? We are willing to pay him to be the GM of the team. We are just going to have someone else come in and coach. I would like to review the contract.

by Jax on Jan 8, 2009 11:22 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Good words, CS.

You definitely make Clips Nation a great place. It’s great to be able to interact with Clipper fans with all different opinions, considering I’ve made friends with one Clipper fan in the real world. I think that you’re right on point; it’s okay to have an opinion on Mike Dunleavy, but these FanPosts are getting to be a little too much. If you have something to say about Dunleavy, say it in a post where you back up your argument, not with some BS petition.

by WestsideBrandon on Jan 8, 2009 12:04 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

One Clipper fan? Seriously?

Not everyone is as articulate as many of the posters on this board. They are expressing their frustrations the best way they know how, and their fanship is just as important to them as ours is to us. Maybe I’m a populist, but IMO we should consider what these fans have to say, regardless of the manner in which they say it.

by Jax on Jan 8, 2009 9:04 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I understand what you're saying.

As I said, I like having Clipper fans of all opinions being able to express themselves in this arena. I don’t really like Dunleavy, either. If you want to post a petition, that’s fine, but at least give a reason for the people here at CN to sign it.

by WestsideBrandon on Jan 8, 2009 12:09 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

re: to the Fire MDsr Crowd

I’ve never been a big fan of MDSr.‘s coaching style. It all seems to based around the fact that defense wins in the playoffs, but has no contingency for actually getting to the playoffs. But, that said, the way these guys have played without Baron, Zach, Kaman, et al. has me really impressed. No w’s, sure, but the fellows who are playing are much more competitive than I think they have any business being. And, when a team plays above its abilities, I have to credit the coach. I think the inability to finish comes down to experience.

by Jonee on Jan 8, 2009 11:58 AM PST reply actions 0 recs