Just saw Danny Ferry at PDX!

[DusterBuster]

To go back to some of the comments on the 1st page, people really need to get rid of this whole idea that the Blazers have some sort of unique FO situation with a overly hands-on owner and a media overhyped Evil Empire style of corporation that has more input than they should (Vulcans in Portland's case). Go talk to any NBA franchise and at least half of them will have similar issues with their ownership.

Pacer fans in particular can sympathize. Their FO is just as screwy as the Blazers, if not moreso. Their GM doesn't have final say on personnel decisions, their President does. They also have corporation that has more people in the decision makings than their should be with their Pacers Entertain Group, since they also have people who handle non-basketball decisions mixed in with the basketball people. It's just a huge mess in their FO as well.

If you want to talk about owners who are meddlesome, talk to the Bucks or Warrior fans. They have those same complaints, Bucks fans in particular.

Look, if you want to point out that having these types of ownerships will never be successful, you won't hear a complaint from me. Teams with a clear chain of command always seem to have more success than these other teams. But then you can even look at a team like the Spurs. Popp has just as much (maybe more depending who you ask) say on roster moves as their GM.

I guess my whole point is just that this idea that the Blazers have some unique wild west style FO that's a huge clusterf*** with a Illuminati style corporation pulling the stings behind the scene isn't accurate. For one, it's overblown, particularly with how guys like Clownzano have portrayed the Vulans. Secondly, for what is accurate with how the FO has been portrayed, it's not unique. In fact, it's probably closer to the norm in the NBA than most people realize.

[BballFanAddict]

To go back to some of the comments on the 1st page, people really need to get rid of this whole idea that the Blazers have some sort of unique FO situation with a overly hands-on owner and a media overhyped Evil Empire style of corporation that has more input than they should (Vulcans in Portland's case). Go talk to any NBA franchise and at least half of them will have similar issues with their ownership.

Pacer fans in particular can sympathize. Their FO is just as screwy as the Blazers, if not moreso. Their GM doesn't have final say on personnel decisions, their President does. They also have corporation that has more people in the decision makings than their should be with their Pacers Entertain Group, since they also have people who handle non-basketball decisions mixed in with the basketball people. It's just a huge mess in their FO as well.

If you want to talk about owners who are meddlesome, talk to the Bucks or Warrior fans. They have those same complaints, Bucks fans in particular.

Look, if you want to point out that having these types of ownerships will never be successful, you won't hear a complaint from me. Teams with a clear chain of command always seem to have more success than these other teams. But then you can even look at a team like the Spurs. Popp has just as much (maybe more depending who you ask) say on roster moves as their GM.

I guess my whole point is just that this idea that the Blazers have some unique wild west style FO that's a huge clusterf*** with a Illuminati style corporation pulling the stings behind the scene isn't accurate. For one, it's overblown, particularly with how guys like Clownzano have portrayed the Vulans. Secondly, for what is accurate with how the FO has been portrayed, it's not unique. In fact, it's probably closer to the norm in the NBA than most people realize.

No matter the circumstances, you cannot deny the fact that Pritchard and Cho were fired in a short amount of time in less than normal circumstances. This fact alone could give a quality applicant pause. Also, did you read Jason Quick's article about how the GM has to interview first with Miller, then with Miller and Bert Kolde, and if they approve, finally with Paul Allen? Does this seem a bit redundant to you? Also, could this also be the flow of decision-making with ALL personnel decisions, too? I am not saying it is, but this has been the rumor for some time now. Essentially, the GM has no autonomy whatsoever, and moreover they have multiple bosses to convince before even being heard by Allen.

Sorry, but I only see 2 reasons why a candidate would choose Portland: 1. There are only 30 of these jobs in the world; 2. Paul Allen has shown he will pay to play. Yet, I can come up with enough legitimate reasons for applicants to choose another City / NBA team, if they are in demand in the first place, that likely trump the 2 reasons to become the PDX GM.

[cucad8]

Great post DB, I think people forget that a lot, and assume PA is unique in actually wanting to meddle in his quarter billion dollar toy.
Mark Cuban, James Dolan, Robert Sarver, to name a few. Orlando, Milwaukee, Cleveland.

[BballFanAddict]

Great post DB, I think people forget that a lot, and assume PA is unique in actually wanting to meddle in his quarter billion dollar toy.
Mark Cuban, James Dolan, Robert Sarver, to name a few. Orlando, Milwaukee, Cleveland.

True. I should have pointed out that I do agree with the premise of your message, DB. Hell, if I were an owner you better believe I would be meddling, too. I do think the Bert Kolde meddling is one extra level of upper-management that is not likely found to be normal from team to team. And, I believe this is the worst part of the problem.

[DusterBuster]

Fwiw, apparently the mystery man who interviewed with Paul Allen had his interview sometime last week. I would assume that might rule out Danny Ferry if he just got in or is just leaving. Doesn't mean he's not being considered though, just probably not the unidentified interviewee.

I think you're right in some respect BballFan, the Blazers might have a extra layer or two of management that most teams don't have, but again, I don't think it's totally unheard of and even with those extra layers, there is probably still a handful of teams who have that kind of FO.

As with most things that happen in the world of sports, the truth is always somewhere in the middle.

[RoyalWun]

Calm yourself my friends. Just a joke

Come on man.
Don't joke around like that.

[DusterBuster]

Sam Amick has a source that claims Jeff Bower was the mystery interviewee that actually met with Paul Allen.

http://twitter.com/#!/sam_amick

Here is Bowers resume from Hoopshype......

http://hoopshype.com/general_managers/jeff_bower.htm