Ted Leonsis: "A new big three has announced its arrival"

[fishercob]

Sunk costs are just that. What we have invested in Blatche is irrelevant to our plans going forward. I do agree that Ted should be investing wherever possible to support the existing playerss becoming the most they can. But the bottom line is that you're going to get different rates of return from players depending on the work and commitment they each put forth. No amount of babysitting can change that.

[panthermark]

Nick young's injury has really caused him to be forgettable

Let's hope the front offices of other teams forget about him too, so we can resign him cheap.

Chicago Bulls front office says....."I see you hiding over there...."

[popper]

Sunk costs are just that. What we have invested in Blatche is irrelevant to our plans going forward. I do agree that Ted should be investing wherever possible to support the existing playerss becoming the most they can. But the bottom line is that you're going to get different rates of return from players depending on the work and commitment they each put forth. No amount of babysitting can change that.

I'm glad you agree that Leonis should invest in developing the existing players. It's a good business decision even though there are no guarantees. I think Blatch has something like $30 M coming to him over the next four or five years. If I were Ted I would try again to get in his head and see if he can't figure out what might motivate Blatch. If it doesn't work, then what have you lost, a few hundred thousand dollars and some time.

Honestly, if I were Ted I would demand results from my staff. That is one of the things they are paid handsomly to do. Motivate the players. If Blatch is in fact a hopeless cause then tell him that he will remain on the bench until there is a change in his behavior.

I'll take the job on contingency. If I succeed Ted can pay me $250 K next year. If not, then don't pay me at all.


Edit: the job being Blatch's shrink/babysitter

Just my opinion.

[fishercob]

Sunk costs are just that. What we have invested in Blatche is irrelevant to our plans going forward. I do agree that Ted should be investing wherever possible to support the existing playerss becoming the most they can. But the bottom line is that you're going to get different rates of return from players depending on the work and commitment they each put forth. No amount of babysitting can change that.

I'm glad you agree that Leonis should invest in developing the existing players. It's a good business decision even though there are no guarantees. I think Blatch has something like $30 M coming to him over the next four or five years. If I were Ted I would try again to get in his head and see if he can't figure out what might motivate Blatch. If it doesn't work, then what have you lost, a few hundred thousand dollars and some time.

Honestly, if I were Ted I would demand results from my staff. That is one of the things they are paid handsomly to do. Motivate the players. If Blatch is in fact a hopeless cause then tell him that he will remain on the bench until there is a change in his behavior.

I'll take the job on contingency. If I succeed Ted can pay me $250 K next year. If not, then don't pay me at all.


Edit: the job being Blatch's shrink/babysitter

Just my opinion.

I'm glad that you're glad, popper! We should meet up and hug it out sometime.

As to your second paragraph, are you somehow under the impression that Ted doesn't demand results from his staffs? Do you think he built his fortune and several uber-successful businesses by not holding people accountable if they failed to meet his expectations? I have little concern in this regard.

And I disagree that coaches are paid to motivate players. They're paid to teach them, push them, put in the right positions to succeed. But at this level -- where the competition is as fierce as it is -- it's imperative that the *professionals* be self motivated, at least to a certain level. Sure, a bad coach can poison an environment and sap players' motivation, but the true pro's rise above even that. Gene Banks can't make Andray Blatche care. He just can't.

As to Blatche's PT, it's the main reason I was sad to see Booker hurt at the end of the year. I really would have liked for Book to have cut into Dray's minutes because of Book's superior effort and professionalism. Blatche's reaction would have been telling.

[popper]

Fishercob - I agree with you on Booker's health. That doesn't mean we need to hug. I have no doubt Ted is an astute businessman, but Dan Snyder was/is perceived to be the same.

One can be a successful businessman and still not understand every facet of human nature. In fact I can argue that when one dedicates every waking hour to making money (I'm speaking of Dan Snyder here) that it is almost a given that they will lack other interpersonal skills that most normal people would possess.

[fishercob]

Fishercob - I agree with you on Booker's health. That doesn't mean we need to hug. I have no doubt Ted is an astute businessman, but Dan Snyder was/is perceived to be the same.

One can be a successful businessman and still not understand every facet of human nature. In fact I can argue that when one dedicates every waking hour to making money (I'm speaking of Dan Snyder here) that it is almost a given that they will lack other interpersonal skills that most normal people would possess.

I wasn't really open to negotiation on the hug thing.

[Nivek]

Not sure how we ended up conflating Ted and Dan Snyder. From everything I've seen (including exchanging emails with him), Ted has great interpersonal skills. He seems like a genuine good guy.

As for "motivating" players, I agree with fish. Everyone has to know siblings like the ones I'm about to describe. Two kids -- same genetic material, same household, same example-setting, same schools, same socio-economic setting. One kid is a highly-motivated high achiever. The other is a lazy, indifferent screw-up. Why's one kid motivated and the other not? Who knows?

[popper]

I'll stop beating the horse. I think he's almost dead.

Edit - On second thought Fish and Nivek, you say that it is not the coaches job to motivate players at this level. But you also say that a coaches job is to push the players and put them in a position to be successful. I would submit to you that these are both essential components in motivating players. Some you push hard, some you don't. Some you pull when they are not performing and some you leave in. A good coach (Phil Jackson) will pull players strings in different ways to individually get through to them (i.e. motivate).

[DaRealHibachi]

I'll stop beating the horse. I think he's almost dead.

Edit - On second thought Fish and Nivek, you say that it is not the coaches job to motivate players at this level. But you also say that a coaches job is to push the players and put them in a position to be successful. I would submit to you that these are both essential components in motivating players. Some you push hard, some you don't. Some you pull when they are not performing and some you leave in. A good coach (Phil Jackson) will pull players strings in different ways to individually get through to them (i.e. motivate).

So why for example hasn't Gasol played up to par...??? He doesn't seem to play with allot of fire in these playoffs... Is that Phil's fault, or is Gasol himself to blame...???

[popper]

I'll stop beating the horse. I think he's almost dead.

Edit - On second thought Fish and Nivek, you say that it is not the coaches job to motivate players at this level. But you also say that a coaches job is to push the players and put them in a position to be successful. I would submit to you that these are both essential components in motivating players. Some you push hard, some you don't. Some you pull when they are not performing and some you leave in. A good coach (Phil Jackson) will pull players strings in different ways to individually get through to them (i.e. motivate).

So why for example hasn't Gasol played up to par...??? He doesn't seem to play with allot of fire in these playoffs... Is that Phil's fault, or is Gasol himself to blame...???

I don't know. I'm sure Jackson is trying to figure that out ( I hope he doesn't because I want to see the Lakers lose).

[Nivek]

I'll backtrack just a touch on whether it's part of a coach's job to motivate. I think there are situations where a coach can provide motivation through something he says or does. What I think fish is referring to (and what I agree with) is that a coach cannot provide long-term motivation that fundamentally changes a player's personality. If a guy's baseline is lazy and indolent, he'll revert to that eventually unless HE makes a change. That kind of motivation has to come from within. A coach might be able to help by providing external pressures and feedback, but ultimately the motivation comes from the player, not the coach.

I'm sure there are exceptions where a coach's ability to communicate with a specific player (or teacher/student) inspire that individual to change. But, by and large those changes come from within, not from some kind of external manipulation or pulling strings.

[Ruzious]

I'll stop beating the horse. I think he's almost dead.

Edit - On second thought Fish and Nivek, you say that it is not the coaches job to motivate players at this level. But you also say that a coaches job is to push the players and put them in a position to be successful. I would submit to you that these are both essential components in motivating players. Some you push hard, some you don't. Some you pull when they are not performing and some you leave in. A good coach (Phil Jackson) will pull players strings in different ways to individually get through to them (i.e. motivate).

I think Gasol simply got tired from year after year playing deep into the playoffs and participating in offseason internation games - The Olympics, World Games, whatever else - where he has to be the star for his country. It's gotta be a grind - especially for a big man.

Edit - I meant that more as a reply to DaRealHibachi's post.

[Jay81]

I see what you're doing Ted

http://www.tedstake.com/2011/04/06/learning-to-win/

See the players’ confidence building.

See players developing right before your eyes.

That is what a rebuild is all about.

A new big three has announced its arrival - Wall, Crawford and Blatche. Big minutes - big productivity - big results. And wins, too.

We are short-handed and so players are getting bigger minutes to show the world what they can do.

We have two first round draft picks next off season. We have cap space.

We are young.

We have upside.

We are becoming an exciting team to watch.

The sun is shining out today.

Admit it. It feels good to be Wizards fans watching the rebuild unfold, yes? I am so grateful to you all and I appreciate all of your positive emails.

Thank you.

how is that working out Ted?

[closg00]

Nice find Jay, I think Ted has run out of PR gas.

[fishercob]

1)Ji, you leave out the context of Ted explaining that he wasn't declaring Wall, Crawford and Blatche to be our three best players and a foundation comparable to Boston or Miami. He was simply giving his kids some dap for a recent stretch of strong play.

2) Ji, how can you be unhappy? FOr years you have begged for the Wizards to finish dead last and tank for top picks in hopes of drafting stars. You hoped for injuries, trading productive players and complete suckitude. You're finally getting your wish. Shouldn't you be crowing about how this is what we need to actually get where we want to go?

[doclinkin]

2) Ji, how can you be unhappy? FOr years you have begged for the Wizards to finish dead last and tank for top picks in hopes of drafting stars. You hoped for injuries, trading productive players and complete suckitude. You're finally getting your wish. Shouldn't you be crowing about how this is what we need to actually get where we want to go?

Ji's unhappy because his parents named him Jihad Hate'm.

It's his life's mission to be miserable about whatever he's been handed.

[LyricalRico]

1)Ji, you leave out the context of Ted explaining that he wasn't declaring Wall, Crawford and Blatche to be our three best players and a foundation comparable to Boston or Miami. He was simply giving his kids some dap for a recent stretch of strong play.

Totally disagree. Ted was absolutely trying to sell these guys as the foundation for the future. He says "doesn't it feel good to watch the rebuild unfold", as if they were making progress. Well, they aren't.