Isiah Thomas
by Steve Perrin on Mar 26, 2009 11:30 AM PDT
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PrintSo, Matt Moore from Hardwood Paroxysm sent an eMail to me and Kevin Arnovitz this morning.
We just want you to know that if there's any truth to the Isiah rumors, our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Even though it would be really, really funny.
Seriously, though.
Thoughts and prayers.
Just what I wanted - pity from the other bloggers.
Rather than write 3000 words on the idea of Isiah Thomas being considered for a job with the Clippers, I realized that my feelings were easily enough conveyed by a quick link dump of things I've said in the past about Zeke.
- Dec. 28, 2006 - Isiah and the Knicks
- Nov. 13, 2007 - Who will the Knicks Buy Out Next?
There are myriad other references to my deep, deep loathing of Isiah Thomas, General Manager. Search for 'Isiah' if you want to see them all. The bitter irony is that the most recent reference to 'Isiah' in a Clips Nation story was in the Game Preview of the Celtics game in LA, when Marbury was about to join Boston. I said, no lie, "We got a lot more mileage out of the Isiah Thomas Knicks on this blog. I miss Isiah." I DIDN'T MEAN I WANTED HIM TO JOIN THE CLIPPERS! HELP ME, Flying Spaghetti Monster!
As long as we're in 'Delicious Irony from the Archives' mode, how about this one? According to Chris Sheridan's story on ESPN.com, Sterling's meeting with Isiah was arranged by Mike Dunleavy. Now, I'm not going to say that this proves that MDsr is an evil genius, as some have suggested. But it is... strange, yes? First of all, why does Donald Sterling need anyone else to arrange his meetings? He's an NBA owner - there are only 30 of those (and, truthfully, far fewer when you're talking about one guy owning the club as opposed to an ownership group). He can't get a meeting with Isiah Thomas without MDsr's help? Seriously?
But it was only 14 months ago during the kerfuffle (I'd characterize it as a kerfuffle, although it might have been a flapdoodle, or perhaps even a brouhaha) between MDsr and Sterling that the coach tossed this little nicety to columnist T.J. Simers:
I would only make deals to help our future - anything else is suicide. Anything else and you become the New York Knicks. Now if you want to do that and take on big contracts and long-term deals to potentially hit a home run or get some kind of turnaround, that's not the direction, I would go as a businessman or if I owned the team.
Ouch. Dunleavy had to apologize to Zeke for that one, making up some story about "Oh, I wasn't talking about you - I was talking about Dave Checketts" (hmm, I wonder if Checketts is available).
So flash forward a season, one of Isiah's bad contracts is now MDsr's (let's face it, Zach Randolph is the very definition of 'big contract, potential home run, for some kind of turnaround') and Sterling is meeting with Zeke to ostensibly pair these two together as the Clippers' brain trust. Is the implication that MDsr is 'recommending' Isiah? Is it a joke? Is he trying to make himself look good by comparison?
Is anyone else wondering if somehow ESPN and Bill Simmons are pulling the strings on this whole thing? The Page 2 columns just write themselves if you've got Isiah AND Dunleavy on the Clippers.
It's time now for Citizen Zhiv to explain to us once again his theory: "It can always get worse." We weren't fully prepared to listen before. Now we are.
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So
why are we Clippers fans again?
"This kid is the best new talent in the league right now, and I don't care who else you mention." -Suns Coach, Alvin Gentry, on Clippers rookie sensation, Eric Gordon.
I can't wait until whatever remaining ticket holders there may be start
“discussing” Zeke with their handlers.
In other news
MDSr is trying to lure Isiah Rider and Dennis Rodman out of retirement . . .
recognizing as the good GM that he is that they would fit in perfectly with Zbo and Zeke.
We also need to pry Marbury from the Celtics...
Starbury + Zeke together again…and then we can get Ruben Patterson to come back maybe he will finish what he started in Portland and shoots Zach with his .45 in the locker room.
Jokes aside
My first thought was more along the lines of, well you have to make a big deal of interviewing minority candidates in this day and age. Especially if you just got done facemelting Elgin Baylor.
Minority candidates with NBA GM experience…I don’t believe this is a long list, considering the long list of former Celtics who are GMs.
Another thought: what if this is who the players are asking for?
Get me BD and 75 and I'm in
So?
Who cares who the players are asking for? The players don’t necessarily know what makes a good GM. You think the players even knew who guys like Kevin Pritchard and Sam Presti were before they got front office jobs?
Good teams don’t even let players make player personnel decisions because they’re not qualified to do so. There are way too many personal biases and friendships that get in the way. And you’re saying we should let them have input on front office personnel decisions?
Um
I didn’t say that was a good reason to do it. The selection of Zeke is so far out of left field I am just searching for reason…
Get me BD and 75 and I'm in
No, thats the how
Its not the why.
Get me BD and 75 and I'm in
Do you really need a why?
If you are the GM and you set up a meeting between your owner / boss and Adolf Hitler, do you really think that there’s a plausible explanation that would absolve you?
Sure
If you can’t think of any, again thats a failure of YOUR imagination.
And Jax goes Godwin and loses at internet…
Get me BD and 75 and I'm in
Please...
Can we stop comparing NBA team executives – no matter who they are – to fascist dictators and architects of genocide. A little perspective. Please.
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 Mar 26, 2009 12:56 PM PDT up reply actions
Oh please
No one is actually comparing Zeke to such figures. I was just looking for someone to use who is obviousy out of bounds. Hitler was an easy target.
However, since fascist dictators and architects of genocide are off limits, why not suggest a few historical characters that would be acceptable.
Former presidents – Hoover, Andrew Johnson? Doesn’t quite have the impact I was looking for.
Who? Perhaps we can create a list of acceptable candidates and post it on the side for use as needed.
It can easily be both
You can’t say it’s not the why. How do you know? Dun could be the one who put the seed in DTS’ head that they need consider Zeke. It could be a preemptive strike knowing that they’re looking for someone new in the front office.
As I said “set up” by Dunleavy. Like Ben Linus in Lost…
I doubt DTS knows who Zeke is independent of MDSr
This is a ridiculous discussion .
I COULD be both, absolutely
But we don’t know that it is.
I’m just coming up with plausible explanations for implausible scenarios.
Cover for the Elgin lawsuit = VERY plausible.
Per edu_argentina below, a hero of Baron’s = plausible.
We can’t all let hatred cloud our vision.
Get me BD and 75 and I'm in
Let's examine John's wish list
First, there is absolutely no evidence to back up the “cover for lawsuit” theory that John R has plucked out of thin air. And since they are in the middle of a lawsuit already, such a thing will not help them and would likely backfire on them. I strongly doubt this was some sort of a ploy, and again, you cannot argue that something is reasonable without some actual evidence to back it up.
second, I don’t think Zeke is BD’s hero because of his stint as a GM/Coach. He was an all star at the time BD was growing up.
Finally, it’s gettting quite boring to accuse the 95% of Clipper fans who think there should be a change here of hating the current coach. That’s just not the case.
Yes, we know what YOU think
Its the same boring thing you have always thought in every comment ever and it is born out of your irrational hatred of MDSr.
I mean, you think of him and Hitler starts dancing in your brain. Your performance in this thread goes a long way to demonstrating that you are the poor judge of rational and reasonable that I have always known you to be.
But in both of my last posts I was replying to madglove. That is to say: The grown-ups were talking.
Get me BD and 75 and I'm in
Personal attacks are unnecessary, but they sure
serve to underscore the illogical nature of most of your posts when stripped of the surplusage. You are not interested in rational discussion, rather in proving to all of us why the issue of the day is the fault of anyone other than MSDr.
You say – “Coaches are unnecessary and we should feel sorry for MDSr” as a means of deflecting criticism away from his record.
You say that there must be some rational explanation for MDSr’s decision to interview Zeke of all people. You raise various alternative explanations out of thin air, because of course it couldn’t be just another dumb move on his part. It just couldn’t.
All I did was point out why I disagree with your suggestions, and that this is entirely consistent with what’s wrong with Clipper management as currently constituted. And I’m not alone in being literally shocked by what I read. Those of us who actually pay to go to Clipper games are concerned about this.
Since you cannot rationally respond, you’ve got to resort to name-calling and false arguments. Classic John R.
There’s alot I could say about you, but as usual, I’ll refrain. Try it some time.
There could be
a certain pleasure in getting under another persons’ skin. Just something to consider.
It could be
He´s on Baron´s short list of heroes, according to his blog. So why not? http://www.yardbarker.com/users/BaronDavis
by edu_argentina on Mar 26, 2009 1:58 PM PDT up reply actions
Apparently you'll say anything to support MDSr
DTS (aka slumlord) could care less about PC interviews.
And no, MDSr should not be responsible for hiring his replacement.
Paranoia
How does anything I said related to MDSr at all?
It is a completely MDSr. free pair of points.
You see him everywhere. Do you see him when you sleep?
Get me BD and 75 and I'm in
Now you're putting us on - you're coming up with alternative explanations because you know
MDSr set that meeting up and is responsible for it. We’re shooting them down. Now you’re suggesting that this isn’t what you meant?
You’ll defend anything MDSr.
Relax Jax...
Not sure how John R’s post is supporting MDsr.
And Donald Sterling has plenty of lawyers who work for him. It may or may not be a reason, but it is certainly reasonable that Isiah might be interviewed for appearances given the Elgin suit.
If you just froth at the mouth every time John posts something, you don’t come off well. Pick your battles.
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 Mar 26, 2009 12:54 PM PDT up reply actions
How interesting...
You think you came off fine. Terrific.
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 Mar 26, 2009 12:57 PM PDT up reply actions
If they hire Zeke
Dunleavy will have done an amazing job of turning the worst franchise in pro sports…and making it even worse.
I don’t say things like this lightly, because I’m as hardcore a fan as they come, but if this franchise brings in Zeke, that may be the last straw for me. There’s no way I can support a team with Zeke, Ricky Davis, and ZBo…run by Sterling. What is that? All Scum of the Earth team?
It could be worse
There is still that possibility that we could sign Marbury for 6 years this offseason.
"This kid is the best new talent in the league right now, and I don't care who else you mention." -Suns Coach, Alvin Gentry, on Clippers rookie sensation, Eric Gordon.
Oh yeah...
after Zeke, we will sign Marbury to share the ball with Baron…then we will trade Gordon to the Lakers for Sasha! After that, Zeke will burn the Staples Center down with the remaining 500 fans in attendance.
He's done it before
Well not the burning part, but Zeke traded for Steve Francis when he already had Marbury on the team! And his response the the media at the time was, its crazy enough that it just might work! Honestly, you cant make this stuff up.
by Michael White on Mar 26, 2009 3:13 PM PDT up reply actions
Much Ado about nothing. Zeke isn't coming to LA
“The source said talks didn’t go anywhere, because the club does not have a current position suited for Thomas”
http://www.nypost.com/seven/03262009/sports/knicks/isiah_talks_to_clippers_161343.htm
I agree with you
Even with all the chatter about DTS talking with Zeke, never did I (nor do I now) believe that they will actually hire him in any capacity. It would be such an indefensible hire that I can’t possibly believe it would happen.
by Michael White on Mar 26, 2009 1:21 PM PDT up reply actions
Why even interview him?
That’s what bothers me. Is DTS SO stupid that he even considered it? I mean it would take monumental levels of stupidity to even consider Zeke for half a second.
what?
is the Executive of Sexual Harrassment already filled?
"Duck, Crab. Crab, Duck"
Roger Sterling - Mad Men
by Lawler's Law on Mar 26, 2009 2:19 PM PDT up reply actions
That's a Director level position...
Director of Sexual Harassment.
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 Mar 26, 2009 3:23 PM PDT up reply actions
I gave two reasons to do it even if they didn't plan on hiring him
And you snapped at me.
Get me BD and 75 and I'm in
Didn't snap - just pointed out the obvious
that MDSr as GM thought it may be a good idea to hire Zeke. That’s the likely explanation based on the evidence that has been presented to date, if you would read the articles that have been written about this.
LOL
Yes, everyone with the Clippers and the NBA in general always means what they say and says what they mean. Noone ever has ulterior motives.
I’ve called you many things, but not gullible to date that I recall.
Get me BD and 75 and I'm in
well...
this is the Clippers…so you need to knock on wood.
Maybe we're part of a big experiment?
I’ve been wondering if Sterling, many, many years ago (like 1980), had an idea kind of like that thesis on rooting for laundry that CS posted a couple of weeks ago.
He then said, “I’m a rich guy, let’s see if I can buy a team, build a fan base, and then kick them in the teeth for years. We’ll see how long they continue to put up with it…. oh, and I get to turn a profit too! Social sciences FTW!!!”
Hiring Zeke would play right into that.
Interesting theory
It does seem like it.
"This kid is the best new talent in the league right now, and I don't care who else you mention." -Suns Coach, Alvin Gentry, on Clippers rookie sensation, Eric Gordon.
Or
Its like the Producers and he realized he could make more money from a flop than a hit….
by Michael White on Mar 26, 2009 1:50 PM PDT up reply actions
Too Much (time on our hands)
This is what you get when you try to dissect all the spin. The only thing that matters are the decisions that are made, not meetings that may or may not have been serious or that may or may not have been arranged by someone.
Can we get a seperate board for conspiracy theories?
I am happy
this seems to be blowing over I think this interview may have been more of a courtesy thing (or at least I hope) I won’t say this definitely won’t happen because that is what we said before the Zbo trade then it happened.
In Gordon we trust
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