Abe Pollin Dies (RIP)

[Wizards2Lottery]

Abe was a great man. RIP Mr. Pollin, thanks for all you've done for this city and this team.

[Hawaii]

He was one of the greatest Washingtonians ever. His contributions to the city will be remembered forever. He was a local legend. Today marks a sad day in the history of the Wizards franchise and the District of Columbia.

Agreed!

RIP to a great Washingtonian.

[Silvie Lysandra]

It's ironic that we're disappointed that we couldn't turn in a good game for Abe...Abe did many, many good things for this city, but he's also been the basketball version of Al Davis - hanging his hat on a historic run long ago while stinking it up for a decade or more. It was his management and his organization structure that produced the results we are seeing on the court today.

Philanthropist, paragon of generosity, all of this Abe Pollin was and is, and yes, putting up 200,000,000 to save the team is a great and wonderful thing. But let's not forget that he bowed to silly political correctness by changing a historic name (and one that does not even possess any hint of racial offense like the Redskins, and changing THAT name would be utterly ridiculous in itself), he traded Chris Webber based on allegations, rather than facts, he overpaid guys like Juwan Howard and Rod Strickland, he kept around GMs and coaches and medical staffs based on their personal connections to the owner, and ultimately, simply was not successful as an NBA owner since his title win in 1978.

If you want to bash me for it, go ahead. I am not criticizing his philanthropy, his devotion to the Wizards, or his service to the city. I am only criticizing his ability to lead a basketball franchise to wins and championships. Maybe it is a small thing in light of his other manifold accomplishments, but this is a basketball forum, so I feel that we must examine Abe Pollin FAIRLY, not whitewash his failings because he passed away today. I'm not sure that he would be gratified to see everyone erase his failings on the day of his death.

[Pollinator]

Well, there's not too many people that can say they won an NBA championship, and Abe Pollin is one of them. Not only that, but he did it on his own terms with a team built around Wes Unseld, a man of impeccable character and work ethic that was second to none. I'm sure Mr. Pollin knew how blessed he was to have that team and that title, even it was a generation ago.

What a sad day. Look at the Washington Post photo retrospective- that last photo of him with Antawn Jamison, you can see the affection in Jamison's eyes that he has for the man.

Rest in peace Mr. Pollin.

[P'Oed]

It's ironic that we're disappointed that we couldn't turn in a good game for Abe...Abe did many, many good things for this city, but he's also been the basketball version of Al Davis - hanging his hat on a historic run long ago while stinking it up for a decade or more. It was his management and his organization structure that produced the results we are seeing on the court today.

Philanthropist, paragon of generosity, all of this Abe Pollin was and is, and yes, putting up 200,000,000 to save the team is a great and wonderful thing. But let's not forget that he bowed to silly political correctness by changing a historic name (and one that does not even possess any hint of racial offense like the Redskins, and changing THAT name would be utterly ridiculous in itself), he traded Chris Webber based on allegations, rather than facts, he overpaid guys like Juwan Howard and Rod Strickland, he kept around GMs and coaches and medical staffs based on their personal connections to the owner, and ultimately, simply was not successful as an NBA owner since his title win in 1978.

If you want to bash me for it, go ahead. I am not criticizing his philanthropy, his devotion to the Wizards, or his service to the city. I am only criticizing his ability to lead a basketball franchise to wins and championships. Maybe it is a small thing in light of his other manifold accomplishments, but this is a basketball forum, so I feel that we must examine Abe Pollin FAIRLY, not whitewash his failings because he passed away today. I'm not sure that he would be gratified to see everyone erase his failings on the day of his death.

I think you're 100% right and you worded this very well. But, to me, despite the fact that this is a basketball form, when a human being dies you kind of have to remember them for the things that really matter. Basketball is just a game after all. Even when Al Davis leaves this Earth I don't think it will be right to remember him as "The Worst Owner Ever..." at least night right away.

[newslowsad]

Gilbert, asked for first time he met Mr Pollin: "It was kind of weird, because to be honest, I was coming off a gun charge in San Francisco"

stay classy gil

[Dat2U]

My prayers go out to Abe Pollin and the entire Pollin family. We all knew this day was coming sooner than later but his death is still a shock.

He's a hometown hero and a fellow Theodore Roosevelt SHS grad. Inspite of many criticisms I had of his running of the Bullets/Wizards franchise I will always remember him more for what he did for his community. And his powerful impact in revitalizing downtown DC with building the Verizon Center.

Like Fish said a few pages back, I hope he didn't have to witness what has been going on with the team the last few days.

[TheKingOfVa360]

Rip to a class act. Abe was one of a kind. He did some amazing things for this area and his legacy will live on forever.

[Joe_Wiz]

I agree with most of what's already been said, especially about Abe Pollin being a great philanthropist and a great Washingtonian. I would just like to add that the man was also a HUGE Wizards fan. Maybe that should be obvious. He was the owner after all. But I never sensed from him the aloofness or distance that you see from some owners. The man loved the team and loved the players, and he was a perpetual optimist.

Thanks, Mr. Pollin, for everything you did for the team I love and for Washington, DC.

My condolences to the family.

[doclinkin]

I loved old uncle Abe. Something about the guy was endearing even when he was awkward. I'll hear nothing bad about him today. Those who lack perspective may point out a man's shortcomings in a retrospective on his life, but if you look closer you'll wish you lived more in Abe's world than the one you live in now.

Thirty years with no ring. Yes. But every year he had irrepressible enthusiasm and belief that this year his team could pull together and shock the world. He hired people he trusted and then mostly stood back and let them do the job, occasionally standing on a matter of principle, yes often at the wrong time. But the core principles were worth upholding even if they didn't ring true at the time.

Loyalty: Wes Unseld won Mr Pollin a ring and was a staunch and loyal friend, in return Mr Pollin found a place for him in the organization at every level, an employee for life. And a place in the family for his son Wes Jr.

Character: Okay he let Chris Webber go. But show me how many rings CWebb won elsewhere? More importantly, at the time Webber was constantly embarrassing the organization with petty arrests, speeding, drugs, being at the wrong party busted by police. Go back far enough and you notice that golden boy CWebb lied to a grand jury and accepted large money under the table. Not like he was poor either, he was a middle class kid, no inner city Jalen Rose/Juwan Howard. CWebb envied his fab five teammates for their poverty and played the gangster in his later associations. Always managed to sorta slide out from the consequences by batting his eyelashes and giving that sly million dollar grin. So he was traded for certified good guy Mitch Richmond. Toothless and old as he was. Mistake perhaps from a pure talent perspective.

And true, perhaps the move was out of step with the times, athletes nowadays are outsized characters who get in scrapes with the law. Even last year's championship MVP dodged a rape charge. Morals perhaps are not measured in the wins and losses column. Athletes simply operate with different rules, and the more outsized the talent, often the more they can get away with.

But should they? You're paying an employee millions of dollars not only to run around and sweat in short pants or stay in shape year round -- but to be a public figure, broadcast to millions, like it or not: a role model for hundreds of thousands of kids. All this in a city that has been through periodic epidemics of drug plagues, along with attendant violence. Here is a man who quietly poured untold thousands of dollars into ensuring that kids had turkeys for Thanksgiving, sneakers, ballcourts, books for schools. He was doing this for decades before Mr Stern followed his lead and instituted a league-wide 'NBA Cares' program. He did this on a yearly basis, with or without a press release, simply because it was the right thing to do. Should he keep an employee as a role model who teaches kids the wrong message? That it's okay to break certain laws, and that if you're good enough you'll get away with it?

Values. To me the ideal illustration of Abe Pollin, awkward and all, came in his dealings with Mike Jordan. In Jordan's farewell tour he was feted and celebrated across the league. Fans came out in hordes to see him, opponents fawned to pay him their respects. Miami GM/Coach/GM-again/CEO Pat Riley retired the guy's jersey number, and if I recall it right, rolled him out a motorcycle, Harley Davidson or something, and a Rolex I'm thinking, or a box of cuban cigars and fancy humidor or the like to honor him. Abe Pollin by contrast gifted his employee by donating something like a few hundred computers in MJ's name to area schools.

Right, what the hell is Jordan gonna do with that? In Jordan's name? What good is that? Not like Pollin wasn't going to donate the computers anyway. Riles showed him up. He looked like a piker, Abe looked cheap, and MJ accepted it with poor grace. Hell if MJ wanted to donate computers he surely could have done so himself.

Fact is, he didn't though. Now who knows if he ever rode that bike, pretty sure he already had a nice watch. Pretty sure he could have bought himself a cigar or two. Nice gesture to retire a number I suppose. But long term, ultimately if a dozen kids got into college because their school had a computer lab, if a few kids learned secretarial skills from a typing program, or spent a few hours after school farting around on cyberspace instead of running with the rough crowd, then which gesture did more good?

My absolutely favorite Abe memory in my limited DC tenure was how thoroughly chuffed he was in the first Jamison year when Tawn and Gil made the all star team and Larry might have but for his yearly injury vacation. I couldn't help but chuckle when Abe came out saying how "gotdamned proud he was of all of you" then to honor the guys he had a special surprise for them: "Where's the cake? Bring that cake out".

Cake. Not rolex, not new cars. Here's the old guy beaming a billion watt smile, and the players basically nonplussed. Gilbert was in fact about to play the prankster and dump cake on (Awvee? maybe?) when in the background I think Coach Eddie or Tawn caught him and stopped him. Letting the old guy continue to bask in the moment, show his respect the best way he knew how. Was it 'cheap'? Out of touch with the modern athlete? Or was it just a guy following his instincts, trying to do something nice for people on a basic level, because, in all honesty, when we're kids growing up, who doesn't like cake?

I hope to all the gawds of basketball that someday soon the ping pong balls of fate bounce just the right way and this team wins the whole dang thing. And on that day I'll get myself a huge slice of cake in Abe's honor, knowing the good old guy is just beaming down on his City and the folks he cares about. My thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Mr Abe Pollin. And my thoughts and prayers to the people of the District. You just picked up another guardian angel and a tough fighter and advocate in heaven. Hopefully up there his values have more sway. Love that old guy.

-doc.

[doclinkin]

And on the name change, I don't begrudge him at all, though I sincerely doubt he changed the name out of political correctness. Abe made up his own mind, right or wrong. Occurs to me it was hard for him to think that the happy family he gives a Turkey dinner to for Thanksgiving might next year be full of despair and sorrow having lost a family member to a bad act or ricochet.

If Abe hears the name of his own team and thinks of dead kids, he's got every right to pick a new name. I'm pretty sure if he could have found another way to deal with violence he would have done it. If all he could do instead was promote an alternative, then good on him for at least doing something. If you yourself haven't made an effort to fix your world, corny or not, then quite frankly I don't want to hear any criticism of the guy who tries.

[Tiny Too]

He was a great humanitarian and philanthropist and was great for Washington, but he traded Earl Monroe (to the hated Knicks) and screwed those of us from Baltimore who supported the team in the 60s and early 70s. He also got rid of the terrific orange uniforms, the mini dachshund mascots, a great brand identity (Bullets) and logo (1970s era Bullets... with the two hands and basketball up in the air), and the best radio hoops play-by-play announcer ever (Jim Karvellas).

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

It's ironic that we're disappointed that we couldn't turn in a good game for Abe...Abe did many, many good things for this city, but he's also been the basketball version of Al Davis - hanging his hat on a historic run long ago while stinking it up for a decade or more. It was his management and his organization structure that produced the results we are seeing on the court today.

Philanthropist, paragon of generosity, all of this Abe Pollin was and is, and yes, putting up 200,000,000 to save the team is a great and wonderful thing. But let's not forget that he bowed to silly political correctness by changing a historic name (and one that does not even possess any hint of racial offense like the Redskins, and changing THAT name would be utterly ridiculous in itself), he traded Chris Webber based on allegations, rather than facts, he overpaid guys like Juwan Howard and Rod Strickland, he kept around GMs and coaches and medical staffs based on their personal connections to the owner, and ultimately, simply was not successful as an NBA owner since his title win in 1978.

If you want to bash me for it, go ahead. I am not criticizing his philanthropy, his devotion to the Wizards, or his service to the city. I am only criticizing his ability to lead a basketball franchise to wins and championships. Maybe it is a small thing in light of his other manifold accomplishments, but this is a basketball forum, so I feel that we must examine Abe Pollin FAIRLY, not whitewash his failings because he passed away today. I'm not sure that he would be gratified to see everyone erase his failings on the day of his death.

I think you're 100% right and you worded this very well. But, to me, despite the fact that this is a basketball form, when a human being dies you kind of have to remember them for the things that really matter. Basketball is just a game after all. Even when Al Davis leaves this Earth I don't think it will be right to remember him as "The Worst Owner Ever..." at least night right away.

Abe's legacy to me is like a mosaic. Many different colors and opinions about his legacy, and you guys have brought out the best and the worst. Most recently, even his feud with MJ had an undertone to it that should be noted. The greatest did create a vile atmosphere and was critical of Abe, but at the same time the franchise made a lot of money from MJ's legacy. He made the Wizards relevant, and I think Abe dispatching him needs to bear that asterisk. The comments about "Mom and Pop" aren't untrue and MJ made Abe a lot of money. Jerk that MJ is, that is. So, I see venerable Abe and miserly Abe at the same time.

That all said, my personal reflections about Abe are that the man was LOYAL. Stuck by Wes and was committed to his own principles. Abe did it his way.

I will always have fond memories of The Bullets and the Capital Center from the 70s and mid-80s. In addition to the Bullets, I saw some great bands and musical performances there, and have GREAT mememories that will last. Abe made those possible.

R.I.P. Abe Pollin

[Ruzious]

He was a great humanitarian and philanthropist and was great for Washington, but he traded Earl Monroe (to the hated Knicks) and screwed those of us from Baltimore who supported the team in the 60s and early 70s. He also got rid of the terrific orange uniforms, the mini dachshund mascots, a great brand identity (Bullets) and logo (1970s era Bullets... with the two hands and basketball up in the air), and the best radio hoops play-by-play announcer ever (Jim Karvellas).

How about no more insensitive posts here by any poster with tiny in their name. The fact is that Earl Monroe forced that trade - making very disparaging comments about the city of Baltimore. And Tony Roberts was the great radio voice of the team in that era - The late Jim Karvellas was great on tv.

[dandridge 10]

I loved old uncle Abe. Something about the guy was endearing even when he was awkward. I'll hear nothing bad about him today. Those who lack perspective may point out a man's shortcomings in a retrospective on his life, but if you look closer you'll wish you lived more in Abe's world than the one you live in now.

Thirty years with no ring. Yes. But every year he had irrepressible enthusiasm and belief that this year his team could pull together and shock the world. He hired people he trusted and then mostly stood back and let them do the job, occasionally standing on a matter of principle, yes often at the wrong time. But the core principles were worth upholding even if they didn't ring true at the time.

Loyalty: Wes Unseld won Mr Pollin a ring and was a staunch and loyal friend, in return Mr Pollin found a place for him in the organization at every level, an employee for life. And a place in the family for his son Wes Jr.

Character: Okay he let Chris Webber go. But show me how many rings CWebb won elsewhere? More importantly, at the time Webber was constantly embarrassing the organization with petty arrests, speeding, drugs, being at the wrong party busted by police. Go back far enough and you notice that golden boy CWebb lied to a grand jury and accepted large money under the table. Not like he was poor either, he was a middle class kid, no inner city Jalen Rose/Juwan Howard. CWebb envied his fab five teammates for their poverty and played the gangster in his later associations. Always managed to sorta slide out from the consequences by batting his eyelashes and giving that sly million dollar grin. So he was traded for certified good guy Mitch Richmond. Toothless and old as he was. Mistake perhaps from a pure talent perspective.

And true, perhaps the move was out of step with the times, athletes nowadays are outsized characters who get in scrapes with the law. Even last year's championship MVP dodged a rape charge. Morals perhaps are not measured in the wins and losses column. Athletes simply operate with different rules, and the more outsized the talent, often the more they can get away with.

But should they? You're paying an employee millions of dollars not only to run around and sweat in short pants or stay in shape year round -- but to be a public figure, broadcast to millions, like it or not: a role model for hundreds of thousands of kids. All this in a city that has been through periodic epidemics of drug plagues, along with attendant violence. Here is a man who quietly poured untold thousands of dollars into ensuring that kids had turkeys for Thanksgiving, sneakers, ballcourts, books for schools. He was doing this for decades before Mr Stern followed his lead and instituted a league-wide 'NBA Cares' program. He did this on a yearly basis, with or without a press release, simply because it was the right thing to do. Should he keep an employee as a role model who teaches kids the wrong message? That it's okay to break certain laws, and that if you're good enough you'll get away with it?

Values. To me the ideal illustration of Abe Pollin, awkward and all, came in his dealings with Mike Jordan. In Jordan's farewell tour he was feted and celebrated across the league. Fans came out in hordes to see him, opponents fawned to pay him their respects. Miami GM/Coach/GM-again/CEO Pat Riley retired the guy's jersey number, and if I recall it right, rolled him out a motorcycle, Harley Davidson or something, and a Rolex I'm thinking, or a box of cuban cigars and fancy humidor or the like to honor him. Abe Pollin by contrast gifted his employee by donating something like a few hundred computers in MJ's name to area schools.

Right, what the hell is Jordan gonna do with that? In Jordan's name? What good is that? Not like Pollin wasn't going to donate the computers anyway. Riles showed him up. He looked like a piker, Abe looked cheap, and MJ accepted it with poor grace. Hell if MJ wanted to donate computers he surely could have done so himself.

Fact is, he didn't though. Now who knows if he ever rode that bike, pretty sure he already had a nice watch. Pretty sure he could have bought himself a cigar or two. Nice gesture to retire a number I suppose. But long term, ultimately if a dozen kids got into college because their school had a computer lab, if a few kids learned secretarial skills from a typing program, or spent a few hours after school farting around on cyberspace instead of running with the rough crowd, then which gesture did more good?

My absolutely favorite Abe memory in my limited DC tenure was how thoroughly chuffed he was in the first Jamison year when Tawn and Gil made the all star team and Larry might have but for his yearly injury vacation. I couldn't help but chuckle when Abe came out saying how "gotdamned proud he was of all of you" then to honor the guys he had a special surprise for them: "Where's the cake? Bring that cake out".

Cake. Not rolex, not new cars. Here's the old guy beaming a billion watt smile, and the players basically nonplussed. Gilbert was in fact about to play the prankster and dump cake on (Awvee? maybe?) when in the background I think Coach Eddie or Tawn caught him and stopped him. Letting the old guy continue to bask in the moment, show his respect the best way he knew how. Was it 'cheap'? Out of touch with the modern athlete? Or was it just a guy following his instincts, trying to do something nice for people on a basic level, because, in all honesty, when we're kids growing up, who doesn't like cake?

I hope to all the gawds of basketball that someday soon the ping pong balls of fate bounce just the right way and this team wins the whole dang thing. And on that day I'll get myself a huge slice of cake in Abe's honor, knowing the good old guy is just beaming down on his City and the folks he cares about. My thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Mr Abe Pollin. And my thoughts and prayers to the people of the District. You just picked up another guardian angel and a tough fighter and advocate in heaven. Hopefully up there his values have more sway. Love that old guy.

-doc.

Well said Doc. I'd like to add that when I pass, I hope people remember me for all the good that I hopefully did in my life and not go through my entire life with 20/20 hindsight and point out the mistakes that I made. Just my two cents worth.

[verbal8]

And on the name change, I don't begrudge him at all, though I sincerely doubt he changed the name out of political correctness. Abe made up his own mind, right or wrong.

The name change was a personal decision by Pollin based on both community and personal reasons.

From the NY Times(http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/sports/basketball/25pollin.html?_r=1):

In 1995, Mr. Pollin announced that the Bullets would be renamed, expressing dismay over the name’s association with gun violence. He said he had long considered a name change but was finally moved to act when the Israeli prime minister, Yitzhak Rabin, whom he knew, was assassinated. A fan vote selected Wizards as the new name, and it was adopted for the 1997-98 season.

[jmrosenth]

Yep. In addition to being a central figure in DC business and sports, Abe was a huge figure in the DC Jewish community. He was a huge donor to a of number of Jewish philanthropies -- from the JCCs to Jewish Social Services, on and on. He bought (along with the Jemals) the historic synagogue at 6th & I, restored it, and it has played a big part in revitablizing urban Jeiwsh life here. And he was a symbolic leader too. He used to do the Federation walk every year. In fact, when I was quite young (early 80's) I met Wes and Greg Ballard at the walk, as Abe had brought them along.

As we say, "zikhrona l'bracha" -- may his memory be a blessing.

Yup. I know I've told the story before, but I when I was in high school I wrote to Abe Pollin asking for some scholarship money for a trip I was taking with my Jewish youth group. A week or so later, a $250 check arrived. As a 15 year old kid, that told me all I needed to know about Abe. of course, his philanthropy extended well outside of the Jewish community - he was heavily involved in UNICEF and other global issues.

His legacy will be Verizon Center, and what it meant for the DC. Tony K said it pretty well on PTI yesterday "The downtown arena he built did more to change the landscape of DC for the better than any building since the White House." It's tough to argue that.

RIP Abe. A true legend, one we can all look up to.

[greendale]

He was a great humanitarian and philanthropist and was great for Washington, but he traded Earl Monroe (to the hated Knicks) and screwed those of us from Baltimore who supported the team in the 60s and early 70s. He also got rid of the terrific orange uniforms, the mini dachshund mascots, a great brand identity (Bullets) and logo (1970s era Bullets... with the two hands and basketball up in the air), and the best radio hoops play-by-play announcer ever (Jim Karvellas).

A compilation of misstatements and pettiness. The Pearl forced the trade. Those of us in the DC area that supported the team in the 60s and early 70s were screwed before the move. A uniform? A dog? A logo? These are to be taken as serious criticisms stacked up against sum total of a life (any life for that matter)? And as I recall, Karvellas went to NY by his choice. Murph from 22 ... goes 21. Waxy from 15 ... Bullseye!

You're no Bullets fan.

[greendale]

I loved old uncle Abe.

It's either that or you're a better faker than my wife. Oops, wrong thread.

Doc, you know you take all the fun out of posting. It's always a waste of time to say anothing other than +1 following one of your posts.

[Zerocious]

I loved old uncle Abe.

It's either that or you're a better faker than my wife. Oops, wrong thread.

Doc, you know you take all the fun out of posting. It's always a waste of time to say anothing other than +1 following one of your posts.

+1