Where does the buck stop now?

Post #1 » by **DelaneyRudd** » Sun Feb 22, 2009 9:15 pm

Where will the final decisions lie now in regards to player movements and contracts? I know Greg is CEO of LHM Group and will likely be involved with the multimillion dollar contracts, but will he be involved in personnel decisions like Larry? I think KOC just got more leeway to do what he feels is right.

erudite23 · Post #2 » by **erudite23** » Sun Feb 22, 2009 10:35 pm

I think at first KOC will be relied on more heavily, but once Greg really starts to get his bearings, I think you'll see the balance of decisive power shift back to how it was under LHM. A lot of it will hinge on Greg's personality and approach to doing business. Hopefully he cares as much about basketball and the meaning of the Jazz to the state of Utah as his dad did, but still understands that he has to let his basketball guys do their jobs and not meddle. Its kind of a scary proposition, in a lot of ways. As long as Larry was alive and well you knew how it was gonna be with the Jazz, with this organization. We have such a small margin for error with this team, any little thing could be the beginning of the end.

The Sheik · Post #3 » by **The Sheik** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 12:02 am

To be completely honest E23, I dont think it will be that way at all. Greg Miller seemed from day 1 that he isnt a sports/bball guy. If you dont have a passion for it like some owners do (LHM, Cuban etc.) then you arent going to develop into that kind of owner. I think we might see a real different Jazz for the future and that KOC is going to be finally getting full reign (with Sloans opinion mattering as well). Greg Miller will make the ultimate fiscal decision, but I think he intends to hear what Coach has to say and let KOC sell him on ideas. Just look at the CJ deal....would never have happened under Larry IMO. Greg was told by KOC that is seems like a lot now, but we are getting a good long term deal and CJ has great upside...boom offer sheet matched.

Post #4 » by **DelaneyRudd** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 12:49 am

Larry was still handling things for the CJ deal. Larry really believed in CJ and it will probably pay off.

kebutah · Post #5 » by **kebutah** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 1:27 am

U read in the Tribune that Larry wouldn't have done the CJ deal. That was the first decision that his son made.

Post #6 » by **DelaneyRudd** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 2:05 am

Ahhh. They said that is for sure or were they guessing?

The Sheik · Post #7 » by **The Sheik** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 2:17 am

He actually said it on the radio Delaney. KOC made that call.

Post #8 » by **DelaneyRudd** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 5:09 am

Ah, so the buck has been stopping with Greg for a while now. I trust KOC. I think Greg is committed to this community to keep the team here. He would sell to Anderson or Huntsman before he would sell to a mover. There is too much business invested with the LHM name, Malone and S to M dealerships (not to mention KJZZ which is worthless without the JZZ name) to rock the boat. Plus, there is no where better to move the team. This is the fastest growing state with a better economy than the country as a whole now. So, I think we can all breath pretty easy.

carrottop12 · Post #9 » by **carrottop12** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 7:44 am

If I remember correct Greg said on the radio that he trusts Jerry, Randy and KOC to make the decisions, he knows they are the professionals and he plans on letting them do their jobs with out getting in too much of the way. He said he still wanted to be a part of all the discussions, but that he would trust the big three to do what they felt was the right thing to do as long as it was financialy viable.

erudite23 · Post #10 » by **erudite23** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 8:22 am

Since I don't live full time in SLC I will defer to what you guys are saying. I know that Greg certainly doesn't appear to have the emotional investment or passion that his father had for the Jazz and the NBA. Weird things can happen, though, so I wouldn't be surprised at all to see him come around.

However, what I was talking about earlier, and what imo is far more important, is how exactly he feels about the Jazz in relation to the community. How important does he believe their role is? Is he committed to keeping them here come hell or high water? Does he realize how much this team has meant to the city of Salt Lake, how much it has soothed tensions arising from religious disparity and has brought people together. How much it has seemed to lend credibility to a legion of supposed white supremasists (like many outside of the state view Mormons). It really has been, in many ways, the lifesblood of the community. If you're a 30 year old man that grew up in the city, you don't know what it is like without the Jazz in your life.

How much does this mean in Greg's mind? That is what really matters here.

carrottop12 · Post #11 » by **carrottop12** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 9:46 am

erudite23 wrote:Since I don't live full time in SLC I will defer to what you guys are saying. I know that Greg certainly doesn't appear to have the emotional investment or passion that his father had for the Jazz and the NBA. Weird things can happen, though, so I wouldn't be surprised at all to see him come around.

However, what I was talking about earlier, and what imo is far more important, is how exactly he feels about the Jazz in relation to the community. How important does he believe their role is? Is he committed to keeping them here come hell or high water? Does he realize how much this team has meant to the city of Salt Lake, how much it has soothed tensions arising from religious disparity and has brought people together. How much it has seemed to lend credibility to a legion of supposed white supremasists (like many outside of the state view Mormons). It really has been, in many ways, the lifesblood of the community. If you're a 30 year old man that grew up in the city, you don't know what it is like without the Jazz in your life.

How much does this mean in Greg's mind? That is what really matters here.

You know, of all the things I think this might be what I am worried about the least. Greg knows how much his father cared about the Jazz, and how much time his father spent working with, for, and because of the Jazz. Now I won't be at all surprised to see him step back a little bit from what his dad did, but I fully expect him to make the Jazz into an even bigger and better product, and I definitely don't see him selling the team unless something absolutely bizarre happened. I'm willing to bet that in LHM's will he requests that the team stay in Utah regardless.