Isn't it so nice to hear positive quotes?

[OGSactownballer]

Hasn't it been so nice this summer to see - on the wire and in the Bee - positive things quoted from our players about the team, themselves, their activities, etc.? I was getting tired of the constant Ron circus and associated negativity that was swirling around this team for the last two to three years. I am really looking forward now to a bright future with a talented young group of guys who are also good citizens. I'm not taking anything away from their toughness as competitors or on the court, just that they are genuinely decent human beings as well as superior athletes. It looks like we are finally getting back on track to where we were in the early part of the decade.

Funny after all this, it turns out that Geoff's predisposition to look for mostly good character guys isn't such a bad thing after all !

[KingInExile]

I will say that the loss of Ron has made moderating this board a hell of a lot easier.

[pillwenney]

I will say that the loss of Ron has made moderating this board a hell of a lot easier.

To be fair, a lot of that wasn't really Ron's fault. It was more like, if Ron said "I like oranges", there would be a RealGM headline and a whole giant discussion about "OMG RON WANTS TO GO TO FLORDIA FOR THE ORNGAES WHYS HE TRYING TO RUIN HIS TEAM! CANCER LOL!"

[KingInExile]

Oh, I wasn't trying to blame Ron. I was just pointing out that he was a lightning rod for headaches. Whether it was overreactions to anything he did or the flood of garbage trade ideas that follow him (cuz you know he's a nut case)...he just made the board a "challenge". It really is too bad because he actually started to win me over (I initially couldn't stand the idea of him on the team).

[sacking123]

I will say that the loss of Ron has made moderating this board a hell of a lot easier.

To be fair, a lot of that wasn't really Ron's fault. It was more like, if Ron said "I like oranges", there would be a RealGM headline and a whole giant discussion about "OMG RON WANTS TO GO TO FLORDIA FOR THE ORNGAES WHYS HE TRYING TO RUIN HIS TEAM! CANCER LOL!"

I really had to laugh at this....because its so true

[Ballings7]

Ron certainly had his own notable (mostly verbal stuff) things while on this team, but collectively over time, the media really overblew a lot that related to Ron. Various material and situations either actually being insignificant, average in significance, or just off in some way (overlooking or exaggerating things).

Ron for his 3 years, for the most part, was fine - but it was the media who made it a "constant circus", and consequently, along with the people who bought into the media's hype, spin, and re-hash. To the media pieces of which that applies, being a very decent amount.

It just all depends on how well somebody (the reader) can decipher, analyze, judge articles, interviews, text quotes, and reports.

Was Ron a "headache" for me while here? Not really, if there was anything it was on a few occasions where I got weary of him, but that's it.

The media has their job to get people talking, reading, selling papers, and to fill in their required amount of material for their outlet - but that doesn't usually make the material right or possessing credibility.

[Smills91]

I will say that the loss of Ron has made moderating this board a hell of a lot easier.

Whiner!

[ICMTM]

Well Since I've been the MIA mod for a minute Ron's absence has caused boredom.

Actually to piggy back on Mitch's point I'm glad he's gone because in the court of public opinion Ron has lost already, and for some reason if Ron looks at someone cross eyed it's a reason for all hell to freeze over. The other reason I'm glad is because he doesn't fit. If we were able to get veterans here then Ron would have had a chance to flourish and shine. He would be around players that won't back down to him or defer to him. Since we are young and building, the youngsters deferred to him. They need their own wings and so Ron with the younginz is not a good mix. I along with Ballings7 have been pretty big Ron Ron supporters and he's a hell of a player. He just needs to be in a different environment. Houston is a GREAT place for him. When I go to a Rockets game this weekend I'll be sure to give him a round of applause.

[edit]OK there isn't a game this weekend. Pyramid has a seasonal amber ale and I've more than sampled it.....I'm on iHeartBrad status right now.

[OGSactownballer]

I wasn't really intending to make this a "thank goodness Ron is gone at last" post. I agree that a LOT of the negative attention over the last two years has been in regard to Ron. However, I was more leaning toward the general improvement in attitude and character that we have seen in Geoff's careful selection of younger players to retool the team. The negativity really started when he began the moves that broke up the old team and started the rebuild process by letting Vlade go and moving Chris/Doug/Bobby. At that time the media attention to this franchise - which had bordered on adoration because everybody hated the Shaq vs. Kobe drama - turned into negative criticism. If you look back now, you realize that Geoff has really borne the brunt of a tremendous amount of criticism but he has nearly accomplished what was the original goal which is an on-the-fly retool/rebuild of a franchise WITHOUT diving all the way to the bottom of the NBA for a decade but rather enduring 2-3 down years while building back up to a level that will be as good if not (hopefully) better than before. It is the normal cycle of pro sports franchises, but how little down time depends on the skill of your GM and here we have one of the five best out there.