The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

[llcc25]

Got my comment deleted on "Ted's Take". It was a bit preachy but I didn't think I crossed any lines.

I don't disagree with anything you said. I think it may have been deleted because it comes across as being a personal attack on Grunfeld. You might have been able to not get the post removed, if it had been more generic about the moves made by the front office.

Hopefully, whoever deleted it conveyed the message to Ted.

[MikeTheKid]

Got my comment deleted on "Ted's Take". It was a bit preachy but I didn't think I crossed any lines.

I can't believe my comment is still there however I just went straight to the point:

Michael Johnson on November 14, 2012 at 11:50 AM said:
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
To be honest Mr. Leonsis, the organization would take a huge step forward if you would relieve Mr. Grunfeld and his front office staff of there duties and bring in a GM/Staff that specializes in signing and developing players that compliment Wizards players properly.

[Nivek]

Maybe Ted would enjoy this take on the season: Wizards leading NBA with 6-1 Moral Victory Record

[nuposse04]

I posted something as well, I think I took a diplomatic stance not sure if it'll stay up:

"Ted, I'm not sure if you'll actually read this, but what they heck. I'm not that old, in my mid twenties, but I've watched 90% of every wizards game since the Jordon/Rip Hamilton days. I honestly think your ownership of the team is being handicapped. You've made some good long term adjustments and I absolutely agree with your philosophy of building through the draft. The problem is, and any hardcore fan of the game of basketball can tell you this, is that our GM, isn't one known for his drafting prowess. I like the effort Randy is getting from the team, and if this was a rebuilding year, I wouldn't be so mad, but wasn't it playoffs or bust this year? I understand wanting stable veterans, but what does stability matter if it just leads to more losing? Its easy for me to make judgement in retrospect but myself along with many other passionate wizards fans were terrified of the decision making Ernie would deliver. I'm confident a core of Wall, Beal, Seraphin and a potentially healthy Nene could lead this team somewhere (with some actual bright spots and improvement in Singleton, Price and Webster), but Grunfeld has mortgaged away the ability acquire real talent for this team and has drafted some questionable pieces as well (not all under your tenure).

I want to buy tickets to go see the team, I just don't know if I can in good conscious as a fan fiscally support Ernie Grunfeld's continual failed decision making. I hope I'm wrong, I hope it all turns out for the better, and as a sports fan, I'll keep believing when every other logical fiber in my body tells me there is no reason to, because if there is one thing being a wizards fans fortifies, its character.

Sincerely yours,

A defeated wizards fan. "

I just read millertime's piece, you probably make your points clearer. I think they should have allowed that. You didn't make any personal attacks outside of "grunfeldian" I guess.

[JAR69]

Maybe Ted would enjoy this take on the season: Wizards leading NBA with 6-1 Moral Victory Record

[queridiculo]

Anybody else amused by the fact that tedstake is an anagram for Stake Ted?

[llcc25]

I just emailed Jason Reid of Wash Post. Told him its time to bring back that piece he wrote last year when Flip was fired where he basically said Ernie was the one that needed to go since he was the architect behind that mess. I have a feeling Jason will follow through with a scathing piece shortly. The end will be very near for Ernie IMO.

[tontoz]

@ MV situations.

[dandridge 10]

I also had my post on Ted Take deleted. Its kind of sad that they are sanitizing the comments. Ted is definitely losing my respect and support.

[queridiculo]

Also quite interesting is that he follows those deletions up with a cryptic post about Twitter trolls..

[keynote]

Might as well pile on. Here's my post; we'll see if it gets deleted:

This has been a tough season to watch, agreed. There was a time where I thought the Wizards were on the right trajectory, but I don’t see that now. Too many personnel moves seem to be made from a position of weakness, and in a state of reaction. Too few draft picks have panned out. I applaud you for upgrading the in-arena experience and the analytic tools; however, at some point, I think you bring in a new team to make basketball decisions for the franchise. I’m sure the current regime has had the best of intentions over the past 9+ years, but at some point, they need to be judged by their record, and not by the litany of “extenuating circumstances.” I can’t name more than 2 or 3 other teams with a weaker combination of talent, upside, and cap flexibility than the Wizards. And, after a decade of ineptitude that maxed out at medicrity, it’s time for something – and someone – else.

I don’t live in the area anymore, but I used to make a concerted effort to visit family in MD and check out a Wizards game 2-3 times per year. I will always support the Wizards with my heart. But I agree with other commenters: it’s hard right now to justify supporting this team with my wallet.

[MF23]

The day Ted Leonsis makes a public statement about the Wizards EG makes a roster move. Procrastination won't work.

[sipndip]

Love how this board is beginning to fill up Ted's comments sections. With the amount of posts he puts each day on the blog, I'm sure he must read the comments. Forget about wearing a bag over your head, this is really the best way we can try to promote regime change in the GM office.

I got this comment accepted the other day. It was the first comment of mine that was accepted and most of my previous ones were much harsher. The comment was in response to Ted's blog entry about not getting to the free throw line....

John on November 12, 2012 at 5:38 PM said:
Hi Ted,

Appreciate your blog. Not getting to the free throw line, however, is just one of many symptoms of the fact that this team is not competitive. Even with Nene and John Wall back, it is not likely a good enough team to make the playoffs. This would be easier to stomach if the team were in full rebuilding mode. But now that Mr. Grunfeld has loaded up on costly veteran role players, the youngsters are not getting the playing time to develop, and we still have a mediocre team. Watch us improve enough once we are healthy to land a pick in the middle or end of the lottery that will not get us a game changing player. I know you defend Mr. Grunfeld by saying he has done all you have asked, but he has been GM for nine years and during that time the Wiz have the league’s 3rd worst winning percentage (.392). Isn’t that a large enough sample size to reach the inevitable conclusion?

[rockymac52]

I find it really odd that so many of this board's comments are being deleted (or not accepted/posted). It's really off-putting. Leaves me with a real bad taste in my mouth about the Wizards organization as a whole (and I genuinely really like Ted as an owner).

I wonder who reads and approves/deletes the comments on his blog. Ted is clearly a tech-savvy guy, and he's demonstrated an ability and willingness to interact with fans through several forms of social media in the past, so I'm inclined to think that he would moderate the comments himself. But then again, he's obviously a very busy man, and it's very reasonable, if not expected, that he'd have someone else moderating them for him.

Either way, I am upset and quite honestly, surprised and confused that this is occurring. It doesn't sound like something that Ted would support. It's almost censorship, to a certain extent. Yes, it's his blog and he doesn't have to allow anyone to post comments at all in the first place. And yes, he can theoretically choose which comments are allowed to be posted. But for someone who preaches about interacting with fans, especially online, and hearing and responding to their opinions, it just shocks me that he'd want to delete or disapprove fans' comments. That's why I'm more inclined to think he has someone else moderating them for him. The question then becomes if he still sees the deleted comments, and if he is aware that this other person is deleting many of the more negative ones.

I sincerely hope that Ted isn't the one moderating and deleting these comments, and I also sincerely hope that he is unaware that whoever is in charge of moderating them is deleting perfectly reasonable and appropriate comments just because they aren't supportive of the Wizards or one of their employees.

Just as fans have a right to their opinions, they have a right to express them online on his blog, as long as he allows others to comment as well. This isn't Soviet Russia, we're allowed to speak out against something if we believe in it. If people's comments were being deleted because they were vulgar or inappropriate or perhaps they slandered someone, I'd have no problem with it. I'd be in support of that. Those things don't belong on his website. But well-written and logical analyses by Wizards fans that happen to be on the negative side? Those have every right to be on his website.

I hope someone can reach out to Ted and alert him of the censorship that is occurring, if he doesn't already know. Or at the very least, even if the censorship continues, I hope the negative messages are still at least reaching Ted. He's a smart man. He's a tough man too. I'd like to think he'd want to hear the negative opinions from fans, as well as the positive ones, so long as they're written in a serious and somewhat professional sense.

Were any of you whose comments were deleted given any notice that they were being taken down, or disapproved for posting, and were you given any explanation as to why?

[miller31time]

(snip)

Were any of you whose comments were deleted given any notice that they were being taken down, or disapproved for posting, and were you given any explanation as to why?

First of all, really nice post, rockymac. You're absolutely right that a post shouldn't be removed simply because it has a negative tone. Posts should be removed if they don't adhere to a site's terms of service or code of conduct. Posts like mine and dandridge's were voicing our frustration but it was done so in a calm, logical manner.

Apparently, Ted's take only takes on rainbows and sunshine. And that's really tough to do!

(PS: The idea of issuing an apology due to the team's performance, while simultaneously deleting posts that basically give a reasoning for the team's performance seems.....ironic)