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A fired-up Steve Ballmer is preaching a message of better days ahead — and Clippers fans are believing

The event Wednesday night at Novo at L.A. Live was billed as “The Playbook,” a conversation with Lawrence Frank — the Clippers’ president of basketball operations — and icon Jerry West, a team consultant. Ballmer made it feel more like a pep rally crossed with a tent revival, complete with devout responses from the Clippers faithful. “We know we’ve got to earn everything in life,” he said at one point, and someone in the crowd yelled, “Yes!” When he said, “Nothing comes to us for free,” an emotional voice cried, “Right!”

He held an audience of about 2,500 in the palm of his never-still hands. He promised no miracles, more hot dogs and a tough-minded team backed by a front office that finally has salary-cap flexibility and is eager to dive into the anticipated 2019 free-agent bonanza. “You’ve got to take the payroll down to take it up. We’re going to recruit our asses off, whatever it takes to give you the best team that we can give you year in and year out,” he said.

“We’re moving to Inglewood come hell or high water,” he said of a proposed arena near the site of the stadium being constructed for the Rams and Chargers. “We gotta have a house. So we’re working on a plan to get our own house. We want to get our own house. It turns out the way this works in L.A., which is much beloved to me, that if you start now you might be done in six years.” He then urged fans to contact their Assembly representative and state senator to urge approval of legislation that would accelerate the process. He probably inspired more than a few emails and phone calls.

Helene Elliott, LA Times

MartinToVaught wrote:I don't mind the pep rallies, but I do mind trashing the Sixers for executing a plan that has generated better results than anything we've ever done. Especially when Ballmer's not even being honest about how long it took the Sixers to rebuild. It's just not a good look to be talking trash about other franchises that have accomplished more while we've never been past the second round of the playoffs. It reeks of insecurity.

Akklaim1 wrote:

MartinToVaught wrote:I don't mind the pep rallies, but I do mind trashing the Sixers for executing a plan that has generated better results than anything we've ever done. Especially when Ballmer's not even being honest about how long it took the Sixers to rebuild. It's just not a good look to be talking trash about other franchises that have accomplished more while we've never been past the second round of the playoffs. It reeks of insecurity.

How exactly have the Sixers accomplished more with their 5 years of tanking? Because in their first year of success, it's pretty much the same as the Clippers. Win 50 games and bounce in the 2nd round. How is that "more" than the Clippers?

MartinToVaught wrote:I don't mind the pep rallies, but I do mind trashing the Sixers for executing a plan that has generated better results than anything we've ever done. Especially when Ballmer's not even being honest about how long it took the Sixers to rebuild. It's just not a good look to be talking trash about other franchises that have accomplished more while we've never been past the second round of the playoffs. It reeks of insecurity.

Dynamix wrote:I appreciate and agree with Ballmer's message, but there was no need to name names. Just say that tanking won't be part of our culture and be done with it. It serves no purpose to take a random shot at the Sixers.

Ballmer also vowed that the Clippers won’t tank to get a better draft pick. “That ain’t us. Nuh-uh, no way,” he said. “People can do it their way. We’re going to be good our way. We’re not going to show up and suck for a year, two years. I think we got higher expectations on us than the long, hard five, six years of absolute crap like the 76ers put in. How could we look you guys in the eye if we did that to you?”

og15 wrote:Sounds like Beverley is a guy the team wants to keep and kind of use as the face of the new tough Clippers. That's good for him.

Quake Griffin wrote:

og15 wrote:Sounds like Beverley is a guy the team wants to keep and kind of use as the face of the new tough Clippers. That's good for him.

lol at "for him"

#SignsYouDontHaveAGoodTeam:
1) You're discussing whether or not you are going to tank in the media.
2) Patrick Beverly with a surgically repaired knee is the face of your new rebuild....err....35-40 win retool.****

The more you think about it, the more you see why he held a little pep rally and promised the world...

esqtvd wrote:

Quake Griffin wrote:

og15 wrote:Sounds like Beverley is a guy the team wants to keep and kind of use as the face of the new tough Clippers. That's good for him.

lol at "for him"

#SignsYouDontHaveAGoodTeam:
1) You're discussing whether or not you are going to tank in the media.
2) Patrick Beverly with a surgically repaired knee is the face of your new rebuild....err....35-40 win retool.****

The more you think about it, the more you see why he held a little pep rally and promised the world...

It's called good business. Fans appreciate an org that's trying and can forgive a lot.

The Clippers really have no residual good will like the Lakers, whose attendance stayed up during their lean years [and Buss/Kupchak's incompetence]. Indeed, during the Hinkie tank, the Sixers' attendance plummeted to 29th as all but a small fragment of the fans got disgusted with the whole thing.

And yes, we're a Tobias injury from being really really bad. You still might get your wish.