Shinn finally accepts blame

ohara · Post #1 » by **ohara** » Mon Nov 3, 2008 2:00 pm

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/bobcat ... 94630.html

I know it doesn't change things, and I still hate he took the team from us, but I must give him credit for finally stepping up and saying he goofed and screwed up the whole deal. In a way, kinda helps put the whole mess just a little further in the rear view mirror. Even tho it's been years, that is still a painful wound for all fans of Charlotte basketball.

W_HAMILTON · Post #2 » by **W_HAMILTON** » Mon Nov 3, 2008 2:26 pm

I think he's said the same sort of things before.

And I don't think it was all his fault anyway. He obviously made some mistakes, but we have a new team, and they are getting the same sort of treatment, so it's more than just the owners making some mistakes.

Felton for Pres · Post #3 » by **Felton for Pres** » Mon Nov 3, 2008 2:32 pm

I agree, its more than the owners, however, Shinn/Woolridge poisoned the well. Fans didn't give the Bobcats a clean slate to work with like the Hornets got back in '88 (that right?). Fans were PO'd and the Bobcats had to earn their fan-hood, which they haven't done or really tried to do in a productive fashion. Throw in a stadium that most taxpayers think they are paying for (hello?? hotel tax people..stop commenting on Bonnell's site about the stadium already) and a team name with the owner's name in it and you place the Bobcats squarely behind the 8 ball on day one.

chabber · Post #4 » by **chabber** » Mon Nov 3, 2008 3:30 pm

I think your right Ham. I've heard him say things like this before and I've read and seen how he's trying to make it work down in NO and I think it's good for him and that city. I only wish he'd have figured all of this out sooner.

e4Nf6 · Post #5 » by **e4Nf6** » Mon Nov 3, 2008 8:39 pm

W_HAMILTON wrote:I think he's said the same sort of things before.

And I don't think it was all his fault anyway. He obviously made some mistakes, but we have a new team, and they are getting the same sort of treatment, so it's more than just the owners making some mistakes.

You don't think the current teams treatment has something to do with what happened with the Hornets?

Did you forget how popular the Hornets were, or how much of hero Shinn once was? The idea that people in Charlotte are, and always have been categorically anti-NBA is wrong.

While I certainly agree that the Anti-Arena/"Stop playing Hip-hop" redneck crowd that populates Rick Bonell's comments section is woefully under informed. If their basic philosophy is that the NBA is not to be trusted, I can't say i completely disagree.

ohara · Post #6 » by **ohara** » Mon Nov 3, 2008 9:37 pm

e4Nf6 wrote:
W_HAMILTON wrote:I think he's said the same sort of things before.

And I don't think it was all his fault anyway. He obviously made some mistakes, but we have a new team, and they are getting the same sort of treatment, so it's more than just the owners making some mistakes.

You don't think the current teams treatment has something to do with what happened with the Hornets?

Did you forget how popular the Hornets were, or how much of hero Shinn once was? The idea that people in Charlotte are, and always have been categorically anti-NBA is wrong.

While I certainly agree that the Anti-Arena/"Stop playing Hip-hop" redneck crowd that populates Rick Bonell's comments section is woefully under informed. If their basic philosophy is that the NBA is not to be trusted, I can't say i completely disagree.

_____________________________________________________________________-

That was my main point. Hard core fans will always be there for the Bobcats. But recalling all those years of sellouts and how we really did have a home court advantage, and now we get only a handful of sellouts each year. Man, the people of Charlotte and surrounding community really did lose a great deal of trust in the NBA here. It can be won back, and hopefully the arena starts to be more and more full again each home game. But Shinn did a lot of damage, along w/ the local politicians who always manage to screw up a good thing. His acknowledgment cannot hurt, but can only help heal the old festering wounds. I for one appreciate that he said it, b/c I personally had not heard him say such before.

W_HAMILTON · Post #7 » by **W_HAMILTON** » Mon Nov 3, 2008 9:57 pm

The Charlotte today is not the Charlotte that supported the Hornets waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in the day.

The Charlotte today is the Charlotte that ran one NBA team off, and if it wasn't for such a strict agreement with the city, would be well on its way to running off a second NBA team.

Both Shinn and Johnson made mistakes, but every owner makes mistakes.

If you care about the sport and have pride in your local team, you don't try to run them off everytime they make a mistake.

I wouldn't say that Charlotte today is "anti-NBA" -- most people probably don't care one way or the other, it's just the "anti" folks that whine the loudest. But it'd be a lot more accurate calling Charlotte "anti-NBA" than it would be to call this the same city that supported the Hornets 15-20 years ago.

Post #8 » by **fatlever** » Mon Nov 3, 2008 10:11 pm

it is a different city. charlotte has grown tremendously since 1989. the fans who filled the arenas back in the late 80s early 90s have all since moved on to different hobbies (panthers, nascar, hockey, whatever). a lot of the anti arena hate and anti bobcats is coming from the mass of people who have relocated to charlotte in the past 15 years... all of which could give a rats ass about our local teams. the bobcats will have to rebuild a fan base from the ground up starting with today's generation of local kids, kids who will grow up with charlotte pride (and not leftover cleveland, boston, philly, nyc or pittsburgh pride like their parents). sure, the team will do well when they have a winning season, but it wont last. it took the panthers a good 10 years to really build a solid base of young fans. it will take the bobcats time as well.