Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread = Greg Miller?

[finnegan]

Greg's accomplishements:

1. He has gutted the team,
2. Failed to manage a situation, than led to the quitting of a Hall of Fame Coach.
3. Decided to gamble the future on pure chance (i.e., ping pong balls)
4. Taken games off the KJZZ which dropped Jazz games for a huge audience in Utah and surrounding states

I would love to see anyone argue how Greg has:

1. Improved the team in anyway since taking over from his father, or
2. Given us reason to believe that he is capable of accomplishijg a course correction, that can return the Jazz to their former success and prominence.

Maybe he should sell the team if he can't afford to keep good players.

[DelaneyRudd]

I think the only thing that would have been different under Larry is his ability to make Jerry change his mind. The team that Larry died with was not going to develop into championship quality. There just wasn't the opportunity to get that last super star.

We are all going to be singing a different tune when the team is loaded with 21 year olds. Do I think he should sell the team? I guess I wouldn't mind it sold to a billionaire playboy, but we don't have any here that would take moving off the table. Granted, it's hard to move this team since the team owns the arena.

Voted for number 2.

[BringtheD]

i will offer a defense for gmiller.

he is not his fathers cadillac, for all the praise that has been rightly bestowed on the great benefactor lhm, don't be shortsighted.

it will really take some time for gmiller to take the culture of the team over...i'm not convinced he is doing the right things but there is a logic to what he is doing.

he did sign cj, and i will cite this as him putting his mark on the franchise, and as his first move, we are still waiting for cj, but the jury is still out, being his first move, it is still too early to evaluate whether he is going to be a good owner. but i like his chances.

the way he overhauled the team was...impressive, if cj works out then it is a good indication for things to come.

[finnegan]

I voted maybe, because it used to bug me how the Jazz would never take a chance? Every move seemed concervative and heavily calculated in advance.

It will be interesting to see if the higher risk approach pays off. If not, then it is going to be difficult to watch absolute mediocrity for years, and the Miller's may want to sell while the value is still relatively high.

[finnegan]

The team that Larry died with was not going to develop into championship quality.

We were 1 win away from being second in the West, before the fire sale.

The right person could have put us over the top (i.e. a shot blocking Center who can score like Marc Gasol).

[gojazzmjsucks]

Those days feel so long ago. Thos offseason will tell alot about Greg Miller. Two high picks and some money to work with. Lets see how this offseason goes maybe he has a grand plan we do not know about. So far i hate the man,but i also have some patients even though at times this year they have gone very far out the window.

[hoops4life]

Your options should just be yes or no. None of your side commentary. I want to vote but don't agree with your opinion as to why.

What kind of owner do you want? A Dolan/Cuban? The only real person like that here in Utah would be the Huntsman's or maybe the Eccles. You are more likely to get a Sterling or even worse a Bennett, who will immediately move the team.

1) He hasn't really gutted the team.
2) You don't know what happened behind the scene. Who knows if even LHM could've kept Sloan here.
3) When did he decide on gambling on ping pong balls? What else is he supposed to do?
4) It is all about money. You want him to spend money but take less money on a TV deal. How does that work? You can't have your cake and eat it too.
~~~
1) How did LHM improve the team in the last years? Greg doesn't make all the decisions. It was KOC and Sloan.

I don't care if we were only 1 win away from the 2nd seed. The Jazz were not getting past LA. We all know that. We could've been the 1 seed for all I care. There was no way that we were getting past LA in the playoffs.

You want a shot blocking center? Who doesn't? EVER team wants one. Even the teams that have one want another one. Who do we have that we can give away for one? Who has one that is willing to give them up? Jefferson is a bit of a shot blocker and Favors should be. You need to give Greg credit for that (even though it mostly belongs to KOC).

[leorn]

I don't see any options I like. I think Greg will be ultimately judged on the post DWill-Sloan era. Right now that looks really ugly, but it's only beginning. In other words, it's too early to tell.

You would like to think that somebody could have solved the differences that caused the mid-season breakdown of the team, but its impossible to know if that was possible. Furthermore, as was mentioned, we don't know what happened behind the scenes. If you know anybody who has been the topic of news, the media rarely tells the whole story, or even gets their quotes right half the time.

I think given the circumstances he has done well, and maybe in a year or two it will be evident that he has done better than I thought. One of the hardest things for me to see is passion with this guy. He seems too polished a la Mitt Romney. With LHM it was clear the guy had passion. I just don't see it with Greg--maybe he does it more off camera.

As far as a sale, that is a huge can of worms. Some owners would be great, some might destroy things worse, some would move the franchise. I would hesitate to wish for a new owner.

In short, Greg has potential, but he just hasn't got there yet. Kinda summarizes the Jazz franchise as a whole.

[idajazz]

I think it will take another couple yrs to really know,
I don't think LHM did him any favors with some of the contracts he signed off on (AK)
give him a few yrs to build it his way.

[finnegan]

Your options should just be yes or no. None of your side commentary. I want to vote but don't agree with your opinion as to why.

What kind of owner do you want? A Dolan/Cuban? The only real person like that here in Utah would be the Huntsman's or maybe the Eccles. You are more likely to get a Sterling or even worse a Bennett, who will immediately move the team.

1) He hasn't really gutted the team.
2) You don't know what happened behind the scene. Who knows if even LHM could've kept Sloan here.
3) When did he decide on gambling on ping pong balls? What else is he supposed to do?
4) It is all about money. You want him to spend money but take less money on a TV deal. How does that work? You can't have your cake and eat it too.
~~~
1) How did LHM improve the team in the last years? Greg doesn't make all the decisions. It was KOC and Sloan.

I don't care if we were only 1 win away from the 2nd seed. The Jazz were not getting past LA. We all know that. We could've been the 1 seed for all I care. There was no way that we were getting past LA in the playoffs.

You want a shot blocking center? Who doesn't? EVER team wants one. Even the teams that have one want another one. Who do we have that we can give away for one? Who has one that is willing to give them up? Jefferson is a bit of a shot blocker and Favors should be. You need to give Greg credit for that (even though it mostly belongs to KOC).

Looks like I touched a nerve there for you. Not sure why though?


However; I will admit that there is one other possibility, and it is that Kevin O'Connor was a yes man to Larry, but he felt much more confident in dominating Greg, and it is OConnor who is making all of these terrible player/personnel decisions. It's a possibility, but I doubt it.

The much stronger possibilty is that Larry respected the people he hired to do a job, and he provide the means for them to do that job, and make meaningful decisions.

My geuss is that Greg is the one dominating Kevin O'Connor. I also think that it is a reasonably informed guess that Greg Miller is the ultimate reason that Jerry quit.

But note, my vote was maybe.

[Neon Black]

This is kind of besides the point, but hopefully it will offer at least some appreciation for Greg and the Millers.

I work within LHM group of companies, in the same building as Greg and Gail and a few other big shots with less recognizable names. I have met Greg and work with these other guys almost every day. Just from being around these people and the organization, I can tell you how incredibly committed they are to always keep the Jazz in Utah. Always. I also don't believe people realize, considering they way LHM group is set up, what huge investments Greg and Gail make into the Jazz. There is a tedious balance between the many businesses in the organization, and less money than you probably think to spend on the team without setting off that balance and damaging other important divisions and the employees within them. Larry and Gail have already risked their entire living on the Jazz and on what was once the Delta Center.

That said, Greg is a huge fan of the Jazz. Some of it is probably PR, but I believe him when he says he wants to bring a championship to Utah. They aren't ever going to go way over the cap to achieve that; that would be irresponsible to the thousands of people who rely on the company. But I do believe he is all for taking calculated risks and really does desire the very best for the Jazz.

Sure, he's made some mistakes. But I think he's made some really Ballsy moves that could really bode well in the near future.

[Sparky6string]

Thought that was Glenn Miller.

This too shall pass. I personally like the direction the team is heading, but give it time to develop.

[Neon Black]

My geuss is that Greg is the one dominating Kevin O'Connor. I also think that it is a reasonably informed guess that Greg Miller is the ultimate reason that Jerry quit.

But note, my vote was maybe.

I can tell you, with extreme confidence, that Greg does not "dominate" anyone. Every individual form Rigby to O'connor to Jef Hornacek have specific responsibilities within the organization. They do their own jobs and there's a circle of extreme trust in each other's abilites. O'connor handles the bulk of trade negotiations and personnel research/decisions. He brings things to the table and if EVERYONE is not in agreement they go back to the table and keep working until everyone is. It's not a guess either, it's a fact. The decision to part with Dwill was absolutely unanimous and nobody "dominated" anyone else. That's just an unfair thing to presume, and it's really out of left field if you ask me.

[Litany]

This is kind of besides the point, but hopefully it will offer at least some appreciation for Greg and the Millers.

I work within LHM group of companies, in the same building as Greg and Gail and a few other big shots with less recognizable names. I have met Greg and work with these other guys almost every day. Just from being around these people and the organization, I can tell you how incredibly committed they are to always keep the Jazz in Utah. Always. I also don't believe people realize, considering they way LHM group is set up, what huge investments Greg and Gail make into the Jazz. There is a tedious balance between the many businesses in the organization, and less money than you probably think to spend on the team without setting off that balance and damaging other important divisions and the employees within them. Larry and Gail have already risked their entire living on the Jazz and on what was once the Delta Center.

That said, Greg is a huge fan of the Jazz. Some of it is probably PR, but I believe him when he says he wants to bring a championship to Utah. They aren't ever going to go way over the cap to achieve that; that would be irresponsible to the thousands of people who rely on the company. But I do believe he is all for taking calculated risks and really does desire the very best for the Jazz.

Sure, he's made some mistakes. But I think he's made some really Ballsy moves that could really bode well in the near future.

Thank you for the information. I for one have never doubted the Millers. We love our Jazz and never want them to leave.

[Maneesh]

Boss miller should never give to Portland Wes. This unacceptable and his history.

[finnegan]

So which of your two statements is true?

But I think he's made some really Ballsy moves that could really bode well in the near future.

Every individual form Rigby to O'connor to Jef Hornacek have specific responsibilities within the organization. He brings things to the table and if EVERYONE is not in agreement they go back to the table and keep working until everyone is.

Who made the "Ballsy" moves Greg Miller or his team? And if you say both, then why didn't that same exact staff make a single "Ballsy" move before Greg Miller era?

[finnegan]

They aren't ever going to go way over the cap to achieve that; that would be irresponsible to the thousands of people who rely on the company.

That sums up the problem. Maybe their hands are too tied financially, to make smart moves like signing Wesly Mathews. Decisions like that seem to be based on a lack of financial staying power, and are clearly not in the best interest of building a championship level team.

There is a tedious balance between the many businesses in the organization, and less money than you probably think to spend on the team without setting off that balance and damaging other important divisions and the employees within them.

Owning a sports franchise is a speculative investment, and my point is that their "balance" or level of comfort, has proven to be too restrictive.

That said, Greg is a huge fan of the Jazz. Some of it is probably PR, but I believe him when he says he wants to bring a championship to Utah.

No one has ever doubted if Greg Miller's heart is in the right place. They just need to give serious introspection, as to whether or not they are the right people for the job. And if not, then that is OK to admit to ones self and pursue other interests and responsibilities. And if the answer is yes, then something needs to change, as Greg's captaining of the ship has proven disastrous thus far.

[soapblaster]

Speaking of "Fools Rush In"; give this deal time to marinate. It sounds like the main reason for this question is due to the move to trade Daron Williams, and Sloan retiring.

Jerry was bound to retire soon anyway, and Daron had made no indication that he was going to stay. I have no problem with the changes made this season. It puts us ahead of the curve of a rebuilding process that looked to have been coming up anyway.

Personally, I am excited for next season for one thing alone; Memo's return. He'll have a lot of incentive to be successful, and a rotation of big men that include Jefferson/Okur/Milsap/Favors could definitely compete with any other team in the league. All we need is a shooting guard that will keep the other team's defense honest.

Most teams go through a few years of mediocrity for several years at a time. It is impossible to be a title contender, or even a playoff contender, year in and year out. Some of the larger markets have a leg up on us due to their size and money available to them, but even they have years where they don't compete. We have been spoile by two decades of competitive basketball.

[Montanajazz]

Agree with soapblaster. A Shooting Guard and More experienced shooting point guard, and another G/F who can shoot. Trade Bell for Flynn from Minnesota. Trade Miles to improve on Shooting guard/small forward. Good bye Price, Bell, Miles, Fesenko, Elson, and Kirlinko. Maybe Keep
watson

[Montanajazz]

Agree with soapblaster. A Shooting Guard and More experienced shooting point guard, and another G/F who can shoot. Trade Bell for Flynn from Minnesota. Trade Miles to improve on Shooting guard/small forward. Good bye Price, Bell, Miles, Fesenko, Elson, and Kirlinko. Maybe Keep
watson