Oh Bobby... Robert Sarver Rants Here.
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2018 12:38 am
Robert Sarver reminds me of the Francis character in Stripes.
“If anyone touches my draft picks, I’ll KILL you.”
“Lighten up, Bobby.”
Isn’t that what the PHX Suns feels like on the eve of the 2018-19 season? Fear is reverberating through TSRA, and I can feel it as a casual PHX Suns fan all the way up in Denver, CO.
With basketball moves like firing McD 8 days before the season and without any real warning to the greater public, Robert Sarver has thrust himself into the PHX Suns spotlight yet again. He has become the MEAN face of the PHX Suns… and that’s NOT a good thing for this franchise.
Fans take as much pride in a quality front office as we do the end product on the basketball court. This is especially true of fans who frequent message boards and who post in forums and on Twitter… which, by the way, is how this new generation of millennial's is interacting with sports products.
Basketball fans like to feel like that they are “in the boat” with the leadership of an organization. We want a sympathetic FO who projects stability, confidence, good will and ultimately, that they are as loyal and supportive of the fans as we are to them.
Back to the Suns, Robert Sarver has become the rested angry face of the Suns franchise. He emerged from the temporary McD shield with last Monday’s whimsical and impulsive decision.
I was excited to cheer for our first #1 draft pick in the history of the Suns… instead… we have Robert "Francis" Sarver. I don’t know why Sarver made the McD decision 8 days before the season. I’ve listened to every piece of media and some takeaways:
1. This was Sarver’s decision alone. Duh.
a) Reminder: Sarver is a billionaire honey badger who doesn’t have to answer to ANYONE.
2. Sarver seemed pomp, short and defensive in his interview.
a) Owning a losing franchise cannot be easy.
b) Didn’t treat Gambo and Ashe with a ton of respect or thankfulness.
c) Didn’t sympathize with the fans and or acknowledge how a move like this kills confidence.
d) He did not endear himself to the PHX Suns fans.
3. James Jones is young, scared and a pawn for Sarver.
a) He is paying his dues and working as a basketball GM for a billionaire. Nice digs.
b) Everything JJ said reeks of Sarver pulling the puppet strings in the background.
Sarver’s primary business interest is now your PHX Suns. It is a franchise that is currently perceived as impatient, cheap, dysfunctional and suffocating. I worry that it will get worse without a proper GM and “check and balance” system. Certainly, the signing of Jamal Crawford reminds me of the Hakim Warrick and Beasley years. Let’s hope that Crawford turns out better.
Sarver bought the Suns franchise and he can do what he wants. But man, he has to do better than a foam finger. Humor us, Bobby. How about a sincere apology and reflection that you’ve made mistakes and are truly committed to turning this franchise around? If you are going to be the face of the franchise, why not smile a little? Reinvent yourself and stop scaring the help.
Enable your employees to make good decisions. Encourage honest discussion and opinions. This is not a bank. You are not managing money. The Suns should NOT be a dictatorship. The Suns are a SPORTS FRANCHISE that sells ENTERTAINMENT!
The PHX Suns should be a people-centric democracy. Keep your employees, coaches and players happy. Invest in them. Have some fun. Change the culture and you will be rewarded with a winning franchise. Success starts with your good will and your ability to adapt to a business that is not a stuffy old-man bank. Surround yourself with good positive people and enable and encourage them do their job. The Suns are a direct reflection on Robert Sarver’s leadership. Please do better.
From a Suns fans perspective, I’m looking forward to some great basketball from Ayton and Booker. We worked hard for those high draft picks and tanking is never easy. I’d like to see our youth develop and a 3rd or 4th player to emerge like JJ, Bender, Bridges.
I am blindly loyal to the PHX Suns and I enjoy following this organization. I am, however, not a Robert Sarver fan. He needs to do better. Oh… almost forgot… we still need a point guard. Thank you.
“If anyone touches my draft picks, I’ll KILL you.”
“Lighten up, Bobby.”
Isn’t that what the PHX Suns feels like on the eve of the 2018-19 season? Fear is reverberating through TSRA, and I can feel it as a casual PHX Suns fan all the way up in Denver, CO.
With basketball moves like firing McD 8 days before the season and without any real warning to the greater public, Robert Sarver has thrust himself into the PHX Suns spotlight yet again. He has become the MEAN face of the PHX Suns… and that’s NOT a good thing for this franchise.
Fans take as much pride in a quality front office as we do the end product on the basketball court. This is especially true of fans who frequent message boards and who post in forums and on Twitter… which, by the way, is how this new generation of millennial's is interacting with sports products.
Basketball fans like to feel like that they are “in the boat” with the leadership of an organization. We want a sympathetic FO who projects stability, confidence, good will and ultimately, that they are as loyal and supportive of the fans as we are to them.
Back to the Suns, Robert Sarver has become the rested angry face of the Suns franchise. He emerged from the temporary McD shield with last Monday’s whimsical and impulsive decision.
I was excited to cheer for our first #1 draft pick in the history of the Suns… instead… we have Robert "Francis" Sarver. I don’t know why Sarver made the McD decision 8 days before the season. I’ve listened to every piece of media and some takeaways:
1. This was Sarver’s decision alone. Duh.
a) Reminder: Sarver is a billionaire honey badger who doesn’t have to answer to ANYONE.
2. Sarver seemed pomp, short and defensive in his interview.
a) Owning a losing franchise cannot be easy.
b) Didn’t treat Gambo and Ashe with a ton of respect or thankfulness.
c) Didn’t sympathize with the fans and or acknowledge how a move like this kills confidence.
d) He did not endear himself to the PHX Suns fans.
3. James Jones is young, scared and a pawn for Sarver.
a) He is paying his dues and working as a basketball GM for a billionaire. Nice digs.
b) Everything JJ said reeks of Sarver pulling the puppet strings in the background.
Sarver’s primary business interest is now your PHX Suns. It is a franchise that is currently perceived as impatient, cheap, dysfunctional and suffocating. I worry that it will get worse without a proper GM and “check and balance” system. Certainly, the signing of Jamal Crawford reminds me of the Hakim Warrick and Beasley years. Let’s hope that Crawford turns out better.
Sarver bought the Suns franchise and he can do what he wants. But man, he has to do better than a foam finger. Humor us, Bobby. How about a sincere apology and reflection that you’ve made mistakes and are truly committed to turning this franchise around? If you are going to be the face of the franchise, why not smile a little? Reinvent yourself and stop scaring the help.
Enable your employees to make good decisions. Encourage honest discussion and opinions. This is not a bank. You are not managing money. The Suns should NOT be a dictatorship. The Suns are a SPORTS FRANCHISE that sells ENTERTAINMENT!
The PHX Suns should be a people-centric democracy. Keep your employees, coaches and players happy. Invest in them. Have some fun. Change the culture and you will be rewarded with a winning franchise. Success starts with your good will and your ability to adapt to a business that is not a stuffy old-man bank. Surround yourself with good positive people and enable and encourage them do their job. The Suns are a direct reflection on Robert Sarver’s leadership. Please do better.
From a Suns fans perspective, I’m looking forward to some great basketball from Ayton and Booker. We worked hard for those high draft picks and tanking is never easy. I’d like to see our youth develop and a 3rd or 4th player to emerge like JJ, Bender, Bridges.
I am blindly loyal to the PHX Suns and I enjoy following this organization. I am, however, not a Robert Sarver fan. He needs to do better. Oh… almost forgot… we still need a point guard. Thank you.
