Official Randy Wittman Thread - It's Playoff Randy Time LOL

[Dat2U]

At the time we traded the 5th pick, Abe was not in great health, confined to a wheel chair and known for taking naps at any given moment. I seriously doubt he had the lucidity/awareness to tell Ernie, 'I specifically want Randy Foye!, trade for him or else'

But like TSW said, hands has been riding this narrative for years despite folks questioning it everytime he brings it up.

[WallToWall]

At the time we traded the 5th pick, Abe was not in great health, confined to a wheel chair and known for taking naps at any given moment. I seriously doubt he had the lucidity/awareness to tell Ernie, 'I specifically want Randy Foye!, trade for him or else'

But like TSW said, hands has been riding this narrative for years despite folks questioning it everytime he brings it up.

I too am of the belief that Abe wanted a championship before he passed away. He told EG to build him a championship right now. Abe certainly was "awake" enough to tell EG to get him a championship right now. And so, EG (with the blessing from Abe) traded the pick for Foye, etc, etc. To me this is completely plausible. I have no proof....but I dont think anyone has proof of the counter argument either (at least I dont think so).
Edit: What I am trying to say is that if your grandma said to you on her death bed, "get me a championship now because I will not be around next year", wouldnt you do it?

[dckingsfan]

Firing Randy now has little to nothing to do with what they do with EG this off season. Firing Randy now doesn't mean EG picks the next head coach or that the Newman gets a 5 year extension if they win.

Yes, it very much does - both need to go at the same time for the good of the franchise - EG shouldn't be given ANY more chances. Time to go.

[Dat2U]

At the time we traded the 5th pick, Abe was not in great health, confined to a wheel chair and known for taking naps at any given moment. I seriously doubt he had the lucidity/awareness to tell Ernie, 'I specifically want Randy Foye!, trade for him or else'

But like TSW said, hands has been riding this narrative for years despite folks questioning it everytime he brings it up.

I too am of the belief that Abe wanted a championship before he passed away. He told EG to build him a championship right now. Abe certainly was "awake" enough to tell EG to get him a championship right now. And so, EG (with the blessing from Abe) traded the pick for Foye, etc, etc. To me this is completely plausible. I have no proof....but I dont think anyone has proof of the counter argument either (at least I dont think so).

I'm sure he did tell Ernie he wanted to win right now... but the notion he was telling Ernie WHAT trades to make is plain silly.

But it's easier to blame a dead man i guess.

[AFM]

People want to always turn every fire Randy post into an EG topic.

Can't people just vent about Randy ? It doesn't mean they are defending EG. We get it. EG much go as well.

But you put more objective people in a position that looks like its defending EG because you go so over board trolling ever Randy post with an EG post.

Like this. EG had very little to nothing to do with EFJ. That was all freakn Abe. Even the extension. Sorry if you don't realize that.

EG hired Flip. That was EG. And at the time, Flip was about as good a HC as the franchise could attract. Blame EG for the franchise being in that position ? Not without blaming the true train wreck.. Abe. Sorry he has passed. But even his own son said he was very involved right up until the end. Gil contract was Abe. Trading the pick was Abe. Win now win now.. Abe.

So here we are with Randy. Who was the assistant. Who stepped in fine when the guy they hired to coach a vet team was let go after the blow that vet team up for a rebuild. Randy, the guy that took them out of the first round last year for the first time in many year.

Should they have switched HC ? I think we would all say yes. Many said it at the time. Hell I wanted him fired before the playoffs last year for exactly the reason of what happened. But it wasn't a far out idea to resign him. Two years with option was pretty standard. But it was a gamble. And the gamble isn't paying off. So you cut your loses. If he stayed, I wish it was one year with option.

Firing Randy now has little to nothing to do with what they do with EG this off season. Firing Randy now doesn't mean EG picks the next head coach or that the Newman gets a 5 year extension if they win.

What?!!?

hands has been on this "it was all Abe's fault" fantasy for years now. His belief that it was all Abe's fault is entirely immune to facts or logic.

In reality, Abe was involved in the team, of course, but didn't guide their basketball decisions, roster moves, contracts (except to approve them) or trades. He didn't ramrod the Arenas extension down Grunfeld's throat, he approved the contract on Grunfeld's advice. Similarly, Pollin didn't order Grunfeld to trade the 5th pick, he told Grunfeld he wanted the team to build a winner. Grunfeld went out and traded the pick for Mike Miller and Randy Foye because he thought that would help the team win.

And so on. The notion that Pollin was pulling the strings and that Grunfeld was just following his orders is nonsense. Pure fantasy.

Pollin told Grunfeld to win while staying under the luxury tax. Grunfeld assembled the team that was in the lottery four straight years.

Eh, sorry, from what I've heard, hands' account is pretty accurate. I know one of the Wizard's (now ex) surgeons--they told Grunfeld that Arenas would never be the same after his MCL tear. But Abe was dead set on resigning Arenas since he knew this was probably his last chance before kicking the bucket.

[WallToWall]

At the time we traded the 5th pick, Abe was not in great health, confined to a wheel chair and known for taking naps at any given moment. I seriously doubt he had the lucidity/awareness to tell Ernie, 'I specifically want Randy Foye!, trade for him or else'

But like TSW said, hands has been riding this narrative for years despite folks questioning it everytime he brings it up.

I too am of the belief that Abe wanted a championship before he passed away. He told EG to build him a championship right now. Abe certainly was "awake" enough to tell EG to get him a championship right now. And so, EG (with the blessing from Abe) traded the pick for Foye, etc, etc. To me this is completely plausible. I have no proof....but I dont think anyone has proof of the counter argument either (at least I dont think so).

I'm sure he did tell Ernie he wanted to win right now... but the notion he was telling Ernie WHAT trades to make is plain silly.

But it's easier to blame a dead man i guess.

Agreed that Abe didnt say to EG, "go get Foye now". Its EG's job to tell Abe "we need Foye not to get that chance to win it all now". But it is Abe that said to EG, "win it all now". They are both culpable in the strategy...Abe for wanting the "win it now", EG for suggesting Foye for pick, both of them for pulling the trigger.

[TheSecretWeapon]

At the time we traded the 5th pick, Abe was not in great health, confined to a wheel chair and known for taking naps at any given moment. I seriously doubt he had the lucidity/awareness to tell Ernie, 'I specifically want Randy Foye!, trade for him or else'

But like TSW said, hands has been riding this narrative for years despite folks questioning it everytime he brings it up.

I too am of the belief that Abe wanted a championship before he passed away. He told EG to build him a championship right now. Abe certainly was "awake" enough to tell EG to get him a championship right now. And so, EG (with the blessing from Abe) traded the pick for Foye, etc, etc. To me this is completely plausible. I have no proof....but I dont think anyone has proof of the counter argument either (at least I dont think so).
Edit: What I am trying to say is that if your grandma said to you on her death bed, "get me a championship now because I will not be around next year", wouldnt you do it?

I think everyone agrees that Abe told Grunfeld he wanted to see the team win a championship. That's very different than telling Grunfeld to give Arenas an extension or from telling him to trade the 5th pick a) at all, or b) for Miller and Foye.

Abe set a goal: win a championship.

Grunfeld went out and made moves that resulted in missing the playoffs with a 26-56 record.

Think about that a second.

Goal = win a championship.

Result = missed the playoffs. And then, a 4-year run in which the team went 98-214 -- a .314 winning percentage. During that 4-year stretch, only Minnesota won fewer games.

And somehow, Grunfeld kept his job and got a contract extension.

[WallToWall]

I think everyone agrees that Abe told Grunfeld he wanted to see the team win a championship. That's very different than telling Grunfeld to give Arenas an extension or from telling him to trade the 5th pick a) at all, or b) for Miller and Foye.

Abe set a goal: win a championship.

Grunfeld went out and made moves that resulted in missing the playoffs with a 26-56 record.

Think about that a second.

Goal = win a championship.

Result = missed the playoffs. And then, a 4-year run in which the team went 98-214 -- a .314 winning percentage. During that 4-year stretch, only Minnesota won fewer games.

And somehow, Grunfeld kept his job and got a contract extension.

I agree that Abe did publicly set those goals. However, I think, looking at the moves made, privately it was more "win a championship before I die". Would it change our mind on the moves, if this were the case?
Again, (look at me old posts) I want EG and Whit gone too...and right now. I am just saying that there are circumstances here that we may not fully know.

[TheSecretWeapon]

I think everyone agrees that Abe told Grunfeld he wanted to see the team win a championship. That's very different than telling Grunfeld to give Arenas an extension or from telling him to trade the 5th pick a) at all, or b) for Miller and Foye.

Abe set a goal: win a championship.

Grunfeld went out and made moves that resulted in missing the playoffs with a 26-56 record.

Think about that a second.

Goal = win a championship.

Result = missed the playoffs. And then, a 4-year run in which the team went 98-214 -- a .314 winning percentage. During that 4-year stretch, only Minnesota won fewer games.

And somehow, Grunfeld kept his job and got a contract extension.

I agree that Abe did publicly set those goals. However, I think, looking at the moves made, privately it was more "win a championship before I die". Would it change our mind on the moves, if this were the case?
Again, (look at me old posts) I want EG and Whit gone too...and right now. I am just saying that there are circumstances here that we may not fully know.

It wouldn't change my mind about the moves because they were terrible moves regardless of whether the goal was "win a championship now" or whether it was "build a long-term winner." Which goals are not mutually exclusive.

Instructed to build a winner, Grunfeld assembled one of the worst teams in the league. The problem was not the goal, but the execution.

[closg00]

What?!!?

hands has been on this "it was all Abe's fault" fantasy for years now. His belief that it was all Abe's fault is entirely immune to facts or logic.

In reality, Abe was involved in the team, of course, but didn't guide their basketball decisions, roster moves, contracts (except to approve them) or trades. He didn't ramrod the Arenas extension down Grunfeld's throat, he approved the contract on Grunfeld's advice. Similarly, Pollin didn't order Grunfeld to trade the 5th pick, he told Grunfeld he wanted the team to build a winner. Grunfeld went out and traded the pick for Mike Miller and Randy Foye because he thought that would help the team win.

And so on. The notion that Pollin was pulling the strings and that Grunfeld was just following his orders is nonsense. Pure fantasy.

Pollin told Grunfeld to win while staying under the luxury tax. Grunfeld assembled the team that was in the lottery four straight years.

Eh, sorry, from what I've heard, hands' account is pretty accurate. I know one of the Wizard's (now ex) surgeons--they told Grunfeld that Arenas would never be the same after his MCL tear. But Abe was dead set on resigning Arenas since he knew this was probably his last chance before kicking the bucket.

This 3rd hand account of what a surgeon supposedly told EG defy's logic and if-true, he is even more incompetent then we can imagine (if that is even possible)

* Abe is dying and wants to win a championship before the dies, the path to a championship is tied to his point guard "who would never be the same" after surgery? So you open your wallet for a guy who cannot help you achieve the goal?!? If Grunfeld was told that Gilbert "would never be the same", then

1. It is your job to tell you owner that this player is lame and we should cut ties with him
2. If you must sign him, you protect the organization by tying the contract to certain performance incentives

[closg00]

People want to always turn every fire Randy post into an EG topic.

Can't people just vent about Randy ? It doesn't mean they are defending EG. We get it. EG much go as well.

But you put more objective people in a position that looks like its defending EG because you go so over board trolling ever Randy post with an EG post.

Like this. EG had very little to nothing to do with EFJ. That was all freakn Abe. Even the extension. Sorry if you don't realize that.

EG hired Flip. That was EG. And at the time, Flip was about as good a HC as the franchise could attract. Blame EG for the franchise being in that position ? Not without blaming the true train wreck.. Abe. Sorry he has passed. But even his own son said he was very involved right up until the end. Gil contract was Abe. Trading the pick was Abe. Win now win now.. Abe.

So here we are with Randy. Who was the assistant. Who stepped in fine when the guy they hired to coach a vet team was let go after the blow that vet team up for a rebuild. Randy, the guy that took them out of the first round last year for the first time in many year.

Should they have switched HC ? I think we would all say yes. Many said it at the time. Hell I wanted him fired before the playoffs last year for exactly the reason of what happened. But it wasn't a far out idea to resign him. Two years with option was pretty standard. But it was a gamble. And the gamble isn't paying off. So you cut your loses. If he stayed, I wish it was one year with option.

Firing Randy now has little to nothing to do with what they do with EG this off season. Firing Randy now doesn't mean EG picks the next head coach or that the Newman gets a 5 year extension if they win.

I nominate this as a HOF post!

As long as we put this post along side of it

Randy does not suck as a HC

[TheSecretWeapon]

What?!!?

hands has been on this "it was all Abe's fault" fantasy for years now. His belief that it was all Abe's fault is entirely immune to facts or logic.

In reality, Abe was involved in the team, of course, but didn't guide their basketball decisions, roster moves, contracts (except to approve them) or trades. He didn't ramrod the Arenas extension down Grunfeld's throat, he approved the contract on Grunfeld's advice. Similarly, Pollin didn't order Grunfeld to trade the 5th pick, he told Grunfeld he wanted the team to build a winner. Grunfeld went out and traded the pick for Mike Miller and Randy Foye because he thought that would help the team win.

And so on. The notion that Pollin was pulling the strings and that Grunfeld was just following his orders is nonsense. Pure fantasy.

Pollin told Grunfeld to win while staying under the luxury tax. Grunfeld assembled the team that was in the lottery four straight years.

Eh, sorry, from what I've heard, hands' account is pretty accurate. I know one of the Wizard's (now ex) surgeons--they told Grunfeld that Arenas would never be the same after his MCL tear. But Abe was dead set on resigning Arenas since he knew this was probably his last chance before kicking the bucket.

My source on this was one of Ernie's front office staff. At the time. He's still there, so you can probably guess who it might be. There were concerns from the medical staff about Gil's knee, but the guy in the front office I was talking to regularly at the time never said there was an edict from Pollin to give Arenas a new contract. He was proud of the way they negotiated with Arenas to pay him a bit less than the maximum. They thought Arenas would be back and "good enough" that they could win with him.

Also, Gil's injury was to the mensicus, not the MCL. Which was probably worse, actually. Ligaments are easier to repair than the cartilage.

[AFM]

hands has been on this "it was all Abe's fault" fantasy for years now. His belief that it was all Abe's fault is entirely immune to facts or logic.

In reality, Abe was involved in the team, of course, but didn't guide their basketball decisions, roster moves, contracts (except to approve them) or trades. He didn't ramrod the Arenas extension down Grunfeld's throat, he approved the contract on Grunfeld's advice. Similarly, Pollin didn't order Grunfeld to trade the 5th pick, he told Grunfeld he wanted the team to build a winner. Grunfeld went out and traded the pick for Mike Miller and Randy Foye because he thought that would help the team win.

And so on. The notion that Pollin was pulling the strings and that Grunfeld was just following his orders is nonsense. Pure fantasy.

Pollin told Grunfeld to win while staying under the luxury tax. Grunfeld assembled the team that was in the lottery four straight years.

Eh, sorry, from what I've heard, hands' account is pretty accurate. I know one of the Wizard's (now ex) surgeons--they told Grunfeld that Arenas would never be the same after his MCL tear. But Abe was dead set on resigning Arenas since he knew this was probably his last chance before kicking the bucket.

My source on this was one of Ernie's front office staff. At the time. He's still there, so you can probably guess who it might be. There were concerns from the medical staff about Gil's knee, but the guy in the front office I was talking to regularly at the time never said there was an edict from Pollin to give Arenas a new contract. He was proud of the way they negotiated with Arenas to pay him a bit less than the maximum. They thought Arenas would be back and "good enough" that they could win with him.

Also, Gil's injury was to the mensicus, not the MCL. Which was probably worse, actually. Ligaments are easier to repair than the cartilage.

Oh, I see Kevin. Trying to one up my source. Well in that case, my source is EG himself.

[Powe-Fessional]

Celtics fan here. I come in peace. TL;DR but I would assume Randy Wittman walking off the floor last night before the game was over wasn't received well here, correct?

[TheSecretWeapon]

Celtics fan here. I come in peace. TL;DR but I would assume Randy Wittman walking off the floor last night before the game was over wasn't received well here, correct?

I didn't notice when I was watching the game. Honestly, doesn't matter much to me. It would rank toward the bottom of my list* of reasons he's not a good coach and ought to be replaced.

* -- If I actually had made such a list. Which I haven't. But still.

[FAH1223]

Celtics fan here. I come in peace. TL;DR but I would assume Randy Wittman walking off the floor last night before the game was over wasn't received well here, correct?

we wish he wasn't even in a position to be walking off the floor prematurely.

Him and Ernie. Worst HC/GM combo in the NBA.

[Powe-Fessional]

Just throwing this out there because I want John Wall and Bradley Beal to be good (my favorite guard tandem in the NBA).

Has it been discussed on here to replace Randy Wittman with Kevin Ollie to help lure Durant back? Ollie is under contract until 2017. His buyout #'s are $1 million for 2015 and only $800 K for 2016. The KD-Wizards link will always have legs. Why not try and help move that along?

Durant loves Ollie:

“Kevin Ollie, he was a game-changer for us,” Durant told ESPN’s Bill Simmons on the B.S. Report during All-Star weekend. Ollie only spent 25 games with the Thunder (after a short run some years earlier with the Sonics), playing a total of 263 minutes and scoring 44 points. Whatever it was, Ollie made an impression on Durant and the rest of the team. “He changed the whole culture, I think. He might not say it, but I think he changed the whole culture in Oklahoma City.”

“[Ollie’s] mindset, his professionalism, every single day. And we all watched that, we all wanted to be like that, and it rubbed off on Russell [Westbrook], myself, Jeff Green, James Harden. And you know, everybody that comes through now, there’s a standard you’ve got to live up to as a Thunder player. And that started with Kevin Ollie.”

KD on watching former teammate Kevin Ollie & UConn win the title: "That was an unbelievable feeling. I felt like I was a part of the team."

[Powe-Fessional]

Sorry if this has been thrown around. I don't mean to restart discussions. Just popped in my head today watching Wittman walk off the floor.

[LyricalRico]

Just throwing this out there because I want John Wall and Bradley Beal to be good (my favorite guard tandem in the NBA).

Has it been discussed on here to replace Randy Wittman with Kevin Ollie to help lure Durant back? Ollie is under contract until 2017. His buyout #'s are $1 million for 2015 and only $800 K for 2016. The KD-Wizards link will always have legs. Why not try and help move that along?

Durant loves Ollie:

“Kevin Ollie, he was a game-changer for us,” Durant told ESPN’s Bill Simmons on the B.S. Report during All-Star weekend. Ollie only spent 25 games with the Thunder (after a short run some years earlier with the Sonics), playing a total of 263 minutes and scoring 44 points. Whatever it was, Ollie made an impression on Durant and the rest of the team. “He changed the whole culture, I think. He might not say it, but I think he changed the whole culture in Oklahoma City.”

“[Ollie’s] mindset, his professionalism, every single day. And we all watched that, we all wanted to be like that, and it rubbed off on Russell [Westbrook], myself, Jeff Green, James Harden. And you know, everybody that comes through now, there’s a standard you’ve got to live up to as a Thunder player. And that started with Kevin Ollie.”

KD on watching former teammate Kevin Ollie & UConn win the title: "That was an unbelievable feeling. I felt like I was a part of the team."

Welcome! I'd forgotten about Ollie's stint with OKC. Hey, if 2016 comes around and Durant tells the organization "I'm on the fence, but if you hire Ollie I'm in" then of course they gotta hire him. And even if Kevin Ollie is not a great NBA coach, just having Durant and a great PG makes the Wizards a contender in spite of the coach (see Scott Brooks). But absent a demand by Durant, I'm not familiar enough with Ollie as a coach to say I'd want him on the list to replace Randy purely on merit.

Also, we will (hopefully) be looking at replace Randy this summer and thus the new coach would already be in place by the time Durant becomes a free agent in 2016. Although I guess you'd eat whatever head coaching contract you'd have to if it meant luring Durant. So yeah - hiring Ollie on the off chance it matters to KD, and then if KD wants to come here but doesn't want Ollie we can just fire him - I'm willing to consider that.

[MikeTheKid]

Sorry if this has been thrown around. I don't mean to restart discussions. Just popped in my head today watching Wittman walk off the floor.

Were all still trying to figure it out