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Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 7:46 am
by hands11
It amazes me that you guys are surprised.

This is his blog, not yours. He doesn't even need to allow comments to be left. This is a piece of his marketing and outreach. Not a realgm thread.

Its one thing to email him privately for him to read. Its another to go to his house and stick signs on his front yard that says, your an idiot for signing EG to a two year contract. For the record. Telling a multimillionaire that he made a mistake in hiring his highest level executive to a two year contract month after he did it... yeah.. I'm sure he enjoys the feed back. Some person he has no idea who they are that doesn't even understand that they are insulting him on his own blog. He's probably giving those comments some serious consideration.

If you want to bitch, you can do it here and the people that choose to visit this site can read it or they can block you. Hell, our stuff even shows up in a Google search. You can even post on the WP. But getting upset that he or someone that manages his site deletes messages on his own site ? Really ?

Look. The man purchased the Wizards, not the Lakers. I'm sure he got a good deal on this restoration project. Hell, when he bought it, the car was still on fire. I guess if money is no object, he could have thrown a ton at it and maybe have done a quick turnaround. But that wasn't his plan. He walked into this eye open knowing it was going to take more then two years. And he never said playoffs or bust this year.

This is the beginning of the third season of the rebuild and he is missing his two best players, one of which is the PG to run the team. The second is is most established talented post player. If Wall and Nene don't make it back in a reasonable amount of time, maybe they end up tanking again. If so, he gets another asset. In the grand scheme, sucking the first three years is small potatoes considering he will probably own the team another 15-20 years. Such is the way of a restoration project. Sometimes you just don't know what it is going to take. This wasn't a car that just needed a new alternator. And right now, his turbo isn't installed but he has bought one. Same with the headers. And when he gets those installed, we will see how the car runs.

Cut the man some slack. He only signed EG and Randy to two year deals. That is the window for them. Then he will evaluate and decide the next window.

Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 12:31 pm
by Benjammin
This is what I just posted on the "Self-Expression is Good" thread on Ted's take. We'll see if it sees the light of day or not.

Mr. Leonsis,

I appreciate your accessibility to the fans of the Wizards and Capitals. You have made your fortune in part on recognizing the importance of treating customers well and putting their interests in the forefront.

I am disappointed and dismayed that comments to your blog have been deleted, simply because they have had a negative tone (not comments I have posted). My understanding is that these comments have not been rude or profane in any matter. Obviously, this is your blog and you can see fit to handle it in whatever manner you choose. However, stifling legitimate and reasoned discourse is not an effective strategy in this age of media. Rather, any attempt to control the message and flow of information is counterproductive.

Wizards fans are some of the most loyal and long-suffering fans on the face of the planet. Many Wizards fans have no memory or experience of a team that consistently played on a high level. Rather, over the last nine years the winning percentage is .392, and that includes some exciting years with players like Arenas and Jamison.

I would hope you would carefully consider that a robust, but respectful dialogue and exchange of ideas will ultimately be more beneficial to your relationship with the fans of your franchises and will engender more respect and understanding from both fans and the team.

Respecfully Yours,
Ben (a Wizards/Bullets and Caps fan for over 35 years)

Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 1:23 pm
by montestewart
I can understand why Leonsis and staff (acting with his approval, of course) might want to pare down an avalanche of negative posts, but it would be nice if a representative tone maintained. Leonsis' blog is a primary means of communicating with Wizards fans. By removing the posts that don't meet with his approval he blatantly tells fans he's no longer really that interested in two-way communication with his customers (unless it's a losing basketball for money exchange). People that buy a franchise buy the goodwill and public trust that goes with it. Leonsis cannot do whatever he pleases with the Wizards. If hardcore Wizards fans are so unimportant that he can so easily dismiss their non-dollar input, he's tacitly slapping us in the face for the irrationality of our fandom, and the results will continue to show negatively as he loses fans and money.

Over time, I've seen Leonsis turn a deaf ear to valid criticism of his moves, and start to treat fans like unimportant cattle. But I'm a fan of the Wizards/Bullets, not of one of Leonsis' expensive possessions. I saw this coming last year, which is a primary reason that I didn't renew. I can see by some of the other comments here that others did likewise, and still more are considering the same for next year. He really ought to watch it, because once you lose a paying customer, it can be for good. And then how will he pay for all those free agents that will never sign in DC?

Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 3:54 pm
by Chocolate City Jordanaire
That's the only way to get a business man's ear at times. Empty his wallets and let him face the reality of the sinking bottom line. Money talks. Let them keep losing to force a change. I'm enough of a fan to know that he can sell the team and move it and I would be fine with that. I still like basketball. If this owner takes offense so easily and is so prideful, let him sell the team. I think the better bet would be to trust those who've loved the team for years and to just start winning some games.

Learn from history, Mr. Leonsis.

When MJ bought in to the Wizards in 2000, and before he returned as a player, the Wizards were 19-63. They went 37-45 twice before MJ and Pollin parted ways. All it took was one player, Gilbert Arenas to turn the team around. For four straight seasons from 2004-2005 to 2007-2008, they made the playoffs. Then Gil got hurt. The team went full circle, returning to 19-63 after Eddie Jordan was replaced by Ed Tapscott.

How have things turned out since then?

All you have to do is replace Grunfeld and Tapscott. Trust that your team is ONE PLAYER AWAY from being MORE competitive than they were with Gilbert. This team is one trade away from being a good playoff team. This team is one coach away from being a championship contender in 3-4 years. Replace what has not quite worked out but keep things positive. The fans need to stop coming to games until you redress the mistakes, but don't lose heart.

If that's too much, I hope you sell (because I do know you have people reading this).

Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 6:42 pm
by miller31time
Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:That's the only way to get a business man's ear at times. Empty his wallets and let him face the reality of the sinking bottom line. Money talks.


Absolutely right.

I bought a nice authentic Wall jersey and Draft hat last year and spent hundreds on tickets to about 10 home games.

All in all, that's almost $600 that I spent on the Wizards last year. This season, they aren't getting a penny. I know I'm not the only one out there, too.

Ted will feel this where it hurts the most - the pocketbook. Didn't he even say that's his "bottom line"?

Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 6:47 pm
by dandridge 10
hands11 wrote:It amazes me that you guys are surprised.

This is his blog, not yours. He doesn't even need to allow comments to be left. This is a piece of his marketing and outreach. Not a realgm thread.

Its one thing to email him privately for him to read. Its another to go to his house and stick signs on his front yard that says, your an idiot for signing EG to a two year contract. For the record. Telling a multimillionaire that he made a mistake in hiring his highest level executive to a two year contract month after he did it... yeah.. I'm sure he enjoys the feed back. Some person he has no idea who they are that doesn't even understand that they are insulting him on his own blog. He's probably giving those comments some serious consideration.

If you want to bitch, you can do it here and the people that choose to visit this site can read it or they can block you. Hell, our stuff even shows up in a Google search. You can even post on the WP. But getting upset that he or someone that manages his site deletes messages on his own site ? Really ?

Look. The man purchased the Wizards, not the Lakers. I'm sure he got a good deal on this restoration project. Hell, when he bought it, the car was still on fire. I guess if money is no object, he could have thrown a ton at it and maybe have done a quick turnaround. But that wasn't his plan. He walked into this eye open knowing it was going to take more then two years. And he never said playoffs or bust this year.

This is the beginning of the third season of the rebuild and he is missing his two best players, one of which is the PG to run the team. The second is is most established talented post player. If Wall and Nene don't make it back in a reasonable amount of time, maybe they end up tanking again. If so, he gets another asset. In the grand scheme, sucking the first three years is small potatoes considering he will probably own the team another 15-20 years. Such is the way of a restoration project. Sometimes you just don't know what it is going to take. This wasn't a car that just needed a new alternator. And right now, his turbo isn't installed but he has bought one. Same with the headers. And when he gets those installed, we will see how the car runs.

Cut the man some slack. He only signed EG and Randy to two year deals. That is the window for them. Then he will evaluate and decide the next window.


Ted doesn't have a sign on his front yard saying "please post signs here about the Wizards." However, he does have a "comment" section on his blog. If he doesn't want negative comments, perhaps he should just have a disclaimer that says, "please only post positive comments here."

You are entirely right that its his blog and he has the right to restrict access or manage it the way he likes. However, inviting comments and then censoring them seems a bit disingenuous to me, especially when the comments are not derogatory (I know mine was not). I don't see other bloggers doing that.

I was willing to cut Ted slack. I even said that this thread was "dumb" 2 years ago. However, that all ended when Ted extended EG. It doesn't matter that he only signed EG for 2 years. The question is, what did EG even do to justify 2 more years? Ted admitted that the culture of this team had to change. Well, any fool knows that you can't change the culture until you start at the top.

Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 7:07 pm
by Nivek
If Ted doesn't want negative comments on his blog, he should just turn off comments. He's the one who put himself out there as being accessible to the fans. Accessibility is double-edged. When stuff is going good, he's going to hear good stuff. When stuff is going bad, he's going to hear complaints.

dandridge uses the word "disingenuous" above. That's a word that keeps coming up when I see and hear the things Leonsis says publicly about the Wizards.

Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 7:11 pm
by AFM
What bothers me most is the numerous times Ted has alluded to ticket sales being the end all, both for the Caps and the Wiz.

Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 8:14 pm
by dandridge 10
Nivek wrote:If Ted doesn't want negative comments on his blog, he should just turn off comments. He's the one who put himself out there as being accessible to the fans. Accessibility is double-edged. When stuff is going good, he's going to hear good stuff. When stuff is going bad, he's going to hear complaints.

dandridge uses the word "disingenuous" above. That's a word that keeps coming up when I see and hear the things Leonsis says publicly about the Wizards.


You were much better in articulating my point. Thanks.

Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 8:21 pm
by Zonkerbl
Yeah, if it was my blog and some half wit came and complained about me, I'd delete it too. Sorry. Why do I have to put up with anonymous bullying from some idiot who has absolutely no stake in my organization? You don't work for me, you haven't invested in my company. Nobody is FORCING you to buy my product. I don't owe you crap. You have some constructive criticism that I think will inspire useful discussion, it stays. You come to my blog and talk crap about me and my organization while displaying a complete lack of understanding of how my business is run? Go **** yourself.

Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 1:22 am
by montestewart
Disgruntled paying fans seem to have no valid option other than to stop buying tickets. Leonsis doesn't recognize fans as stakeholders, seems uninterested in meaningful dialogue with fans, paying or not, and has cut off all avenues for receiving constructive criticism. The fans' voices are reduced to the sound of the money they pump into this dysfunctional, losing, and apparently unappreciative organization. Not much good will is left, and it seems like they want to blow it all on hats.

Take it from me, once you do decide not to renew, you'll feel good. Watch some games on TV, spend some time with your family, spend the money on theater tickets, Nationals tickets, a nice trip. If Leonsis isn't going to give a s***, it's hard for me to get too worked up. It's not like he's ruining the Bullets.

Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 2:07 am
by truwizfan4evr
Has anyone email ted or added him on his facebook page?

Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 2:14 am
by montestewart
truwizfan4evr wrote:Has anyone email ted or added him on his facebook page?

He'll only hurt you again. You have to let him go.

Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 3:48 pm
by Earth2Ted
The more I follow the NBA the simpler it seems- teams that win are the ones with elite talent at every level, and the owners that win are the ones that make a commitment to acquire that elite talent.

Two owners that come to mind are Mark Cuban (Mavs) and Prokhorov with the Nets- you could see immediately that they were going all out to build a champion. Even if it took years for the Mavs to do it, and even if the Nets weren't able to trade for Dwight Howard this year- you have to think they will win a title at some point.

Ted has been around long enough for a least a couple of critical personnel decisions- GM and head coach- and has had the opportunity to hire guys with the best credentials and potential. It's not a secret who a lot of these guys are- if people on this board know about the Dave Joergers and Troy Weavers, then everybody in the NBA knows about them. When you come out of those personnel decisions with Ernie Grunfeld and Randy Wittman, well, you end up with your oh and eight 2012-2013 Washington Wizards.

I think the worst thing you could say about Ted is this- if Abe Pollin were still owner of this team, would anything be different? Probably not.

Maybe the second worst thing would be this- if Dan Snyder were the owner of the team, would things be any worse? Probably not- doesn't get much worse than 0-8.

Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 3:56 pm
by closg00
montestewart wrote:Disgruntled paying fans seem to have no valid option other than to stop buying tickets. Leonsis doesn't recognize fans as stakeholders, seems uninterested in meaningful dialogue with fans, paying or not, and has cut off all avenues for receiving constructive criticism. The fans' voices are reduced to the sound of the money they pump into this dysfunctional, losing, and apparently unappreciative organization. Not much good will is left, and it seems like they want to blow it all on hats.

Take it from me, once you do decide not to renew, you'll feel good. Watch some games on TV, spend some time with your family, spend the money on theater tickets, Nationals tickets, a nice trip. If Leonsis isn't going to give a s***, it's hard for me to get too worked up. It's not like he's ruining the Bullets.


Looks like they had a half-empty arena last night, as-long as that his happening, I don't think Ted cares to make any further changes. Ted and Ernie are hanging-on waiting for Wall and or Nene to return. Once we start getting some wins, Ted will turn-up the PR machine...keep those ticket sales rolling.

Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 4:49 pm
by Wizardspride
miller31time wrote:
Absolutely right.

I bought a nice authentic Wall jersey and Draft hat last year and spent hundreds on tickets to about 10 home games.

All in all, that's almost $600 that I spent on the Wizards last year. This season, they aren't getting a penny. I know I'm not the only one out there, too.

Ted will feel this where it hurts the most - the pocketbook. Didn't he even say that's his "bottom line"?

And that's my biggest gripe with Ted.

When he bought the team I didn't expect him to be principally concerned with his "bottomline".

His "bottomline" got us Ariza/Okafor because he steadfastly refused to buyout/amnesty Rashard Lewis.


I've said it once and I'll say it again: "I'd rather have Dan Snyder as the owner".

Yeah, I said it. Dan Snyder....

Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 9:13 pm
by verbal8
Wizardspride wrote:
I've said it once and I'll say it again: "I'd rather have Dan Snyder as the owner".

Yeah, I said it. Dan Snyder....


Snyder seems to be finally letting a football guy(s) move the team in the right direction. The salary structure in football lets you recover from bad signings a little more quickly.

However I think he would be an unmitigated disaster. Think the Isaih Thomas Knicks. I could see him have a team(best case) with a guy who is good and overpaid like Joe Johnson or Amare Stoudamire and a couple guys who are highly paid but not good.

Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 12:12 am
by willbcocks
Every day another disappointment--EG hasn't been fired.

Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 3:37 am
by Higga
I only saw bits and pieces of one game this year, the OT loss in Boston. I refuse to watch. Boycotting until Grunfeld is fired and mass changes are made.

Re: The Amazingly Sucky Theodore Leonsis Thread

Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 11:19 pm
by WizarDynasty
The most important job now is the sign livingston to a longterm contract as the backup point guard and allow Livingston to be a foundational player for years to come. if we can get livingston to sign a longterm backup contract it will encourage him to develop walls basketball iq and improve the basketball iq of our athletic low basketball iq players just as he didn't te last time he was here.
Leonsis has the realize that Grunfeld failed to sign lviningston longterm the last time he was here and Leonsis should gambe that Grunfeld will repeat the same mistake he made last time with livingston. Livingston's value is that he has genius Jason Kidd like point guard mind and has the aptitude, intelligence, and leadership to design plays in the film room against opposing defenses nightly. Livingston's instincts, diagnostics, skills and passing ability are almost Jason Kidd like rating 9.5 out of 10. Wall will never come to close to Livingston has far has basketball iq and is more a tony parker clone. Tony parker only became successful because Pop forced kept him on a tight leash and turned him into a system point guard. Parker still isn't a high BBIQ player he just knows POPs system very well and he doesn't have the leadership and play designing skills of Jason Kidd. Liviningston actually has the intangibles of Jason kidd at the point guard position mentally. Wall rates as 4 at best 5 in term of his mental aptitude for play designing and people that will never improve. Having Wall with outstanding physical gifts put poor to average mental play designing ability and pairing him with a genius mentally in livingston who doesn't have the physical attributes of wall is the most important move that Leonsis can make this year in terms of changing the wizards culture for years to come.
Having Liviningston and Wall develop a longterm point guard relationship which is invested in the wizards longterm is the only way to build a strong foundation that will allow the wizards to address on a nightly basis the intellectual demands of adjusting to opposing defenses and adapting offenses.
the wizards have a unique situation that is perfect for wall/livingston. there are less than 3 teams in the league who have dynamic point guard with great personality traits but who only lacks point guard basketball iq. Wall wants to be great but he will never be gifted mentally. Livingston may want to be a starter but he will never be a starter physically because one wrong move and his knee may go out. Both of these players if attached to each other longterm have a multiplier effect. Livingston is probably the highest basketball iq player of his generation and has already demonstrated his last stint hear of dramatically improving player values. The problem last time was that he wanted to be a starter, if Leonsis can use his business skills to commit livingston longterm, he instantly transforms wall into a hall of famer.

It's that simple people. Grunfeld can't be trusted to sign livingston longterm before Livingston's value skyrocketed with the wizards. Leonsis must do all in his power to sign livingston longterm before his value skyrockets. Livingston true value is the leadership and basketball iq he brings to the organization and livingston is the type of player you want retiring as wizard and becoming a coach one day.

Leonsis, you have the power now build a long term winner. Don't follow Grunfeld and let the market price dictate what you pay livingston. Pay him to keep him here as a wizard now becomes the quicker Livingston feels he is longterm piece the wizards, the quicker he grants the organization his genius point guard aptitude and the fans begin to enjoy high iq basketball once again. LEONSIS, its all up to you.


Everybody in the league knows it except the wizards. I compare it to Perry Jones III the entire league passed on him knowing that the best situation for him would be with his idol Kevin Durant who has the exact same body type and playing style. The highest change of transforming Perry Jones into a valuable asset would be pairing him in the right situation longterm. Drafting Perry Jones without a model is basically throwing money into the fire instead of a upgraded screen for an arena.
same situation with wall, wall will be heavily devalued over payed assets without the right longterm conditions. He needs a jason kidd like longterm backup and that backup needs to invested for multiple season in order to be motivated to invest in wall mentally. Leonsis, invest in Singleton and make him a pillar. If you want wall to continue to be a shooting guard playing point guard and continue for the team to now evolve from season to season in terms of overall basketball iq, don't sign livingston and wait for him to bolt at the end of season instead of him spending the offseason with wall working on diagnosing defenses and designing plays for the upcoming season.
Grunfeld has not shown this insight in terms of basketball making decisions which is why we need Leonsis to swoop in now and be the savior. Otherwise, expect decades of continued mediocrity.