Ticket Holder update..the latest from the Suns

[AmareFan]

Again, I feel cheated this year and I found the following in my mailbox from the Suns....
A nice little portfolio of information and a Season ticket holder renewal form....imagine that, what F-'n timing. After two lousy trades and they want my renewal money by March 26th to lock in the best ticket prices....here's what was in the package:

1. A Letter from Jerry, which said: (I don't have a scanner)

Dear AmareFan:

My entire sports career has been focused on one overriding goal - to win championships. As I shared with hundreds of Suns fans at our recent Season Ticke Holder Town Halls, at the age of 64, I would like to experience the thrill of an NBA World Championship sooner than later.

Obviously, this season has not unfolded the way we had hoped or expected. For that reason - and believing team performance won't likely improve without changes - we traded Stephon Marbury and Penny Hardaway to the New York Knicks. This is a deal that we believe will give our team a better chance to compete for the championship. We have already seen numerous positive indicators as this young team has played consistently hard and quite well in the games following the trade.

Interestingly, the national media and sports pundits have evaluated our trade with New York as a resounding advantage for us - even before we benefit from two first- round picks in the coming NBA draft. Closer to home, a couple of our sports columnists want you to believe otherwise, which is certainly their prerogative.

Of course, time will tell.

As a Suns fan, you know that I don't hesitate to take a risk when I feel that it will propel us forward. As I said at the Town Halls, I'm confident that this latest move is a necessary step in our development and, ultimately, to our goal of winning an NBA Championship.

I sincerly thank you for your past and future support and trust that you will renew your season tickets, enabling you to participate in the exciting season that lies ahead.

Sincerly,
Jerry Colangelo

***What pisses me off is that Jerry talks about an NBA Championship despite what has happened this season, what a bunch of false promises. He also states he is happy that the suns have played hard since the trade, which is crap, I pay to see results not effort. cornholio.

2. I received a renewal form, asking for money by the 26th.

This is crap too, money before I know what they will do with all that cap money. F you Jerry. Show me the product first, then I will pay... You screwed me this year, not next year. cornholio.

3. A bunch of nice flyers promoting the All-new AWA. Starbucks, il Palazzetto rest, new Suns team shop, a large Paseo, and a new Pavilion.

Big F'n deal, I pay to see great players, not the AWA arena. cornholio.

4. A new courtside club. 2 new rows added to courtside.

Who cares, I can't afford courtside tickets. Don't offer them to me. cornholio.

5. A pamphlet about what analyst around the US said about the Steph trade. Comments from David Dupree, Chad ford, Peter May, Mark Stein, etc,,
Big F'n deal Jerry, I could care less about analyst's remarks, listen to your fan base. cornholio.

6. Another pamphlet about how the ticket prices are well below the NBA average, and lower next year. Prices for 31% of the seats are being reduced.

They should be lower with the product on the floor today and the uncertainty. No one is going to the games anymore, and they aren't winning. cornholio.

7. A pamphlet about the Suns average age, and how young they are..
Big deal, what are you going to do with that cap money. Let me know, cornholio.

Well, that's it in a nutshell....I can't believe they would ask me to renew by March 26th when I don't know what will happen by next year. Wait until you do something with all that money and no draft picks, then ask me to renew....cornholio. Until then, I will watch and root for what's left, but now that my heart was broken, I will wait until after the summer to give you my hard earned cash.

Thanks again Jerry.

Loyal, but disappointed Suns Fan.

****Let me know if you want me to send anyone a copy of the package I got today, I will be happy to make a copy and send one out to your address....reply with your address.

I will post when I get another Ticket holder update.

AmareFan

 

[slinslin]

How can you be upset. This sounds childish.

When you buy NBA season tickets you know that there is a chance things like that happen.

Colangelo has to do what is best for the franchise not you. Fans will be there anyway if they win games.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Exactly Slin. You need to chill out AmareFan.

Be happy you can afford the season tickets in the first place. I still show up for my 15 games a year in the nosebleeds, and enjoy the game.

I am thankfull that JC brought basketball to the valley.

 

[AmareFan]

I have a right to be upset. Prior to this season, all Jerry and Bryan could talk about was building a team around his 3 young, talented, and exciting players. Amare, Steph, Shawn. That's why I paid. If you recall, as an avid Suns fan, this is all they talked about towards the end of last year and this summer. When they signed Steph to that multi-year contract, the Colangelo's stated that they now have the best point guard in the league locked up for the long term, and will build around the core three players. 4 months later, trade. ********. I have been a fan since '84, and to me they gave up way too early.

I will still be a fan, but uncertainty will always be there. You go spend your hard earned cash when you think and hear that Steph will be here for the long run. The Colangelo's had their Account executive's convinced that these 3 players would be the next best thing since the '93 Bulls.

Don't patronize me... I have been through thick and thin with this team, but I'm pissed........Lost one of the best point guards in the league, lost our draft picks for googs, have an injured Dice, Marion can't score without feeds...the only saving grace is Joe's play and Amare, and tons of money. Yeah!! Even Charles rips the Suns for both trades, hell the guy is getting inducted into the ring of honor, and he still rips the Suns for the Steph and Googs trade. He's right, we won't get Kobe and we lost all bargaining chips because we have no picks.

Think, then respond.

 

[slinslin]

Since when is Charles Barkley a credible judge on this?

Charles Barkley doesn't even know where half of the NBA players play or how they are pronounced.

This team was going nowhere even when healthy.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

You bought season tickets. It is a risky investment. The investment didn't turn out in your eyes. I am sorry.

If they were my tickets, the trades honestly wouldn't have angered me because I really enjoy watching this team no matter who plays.


And bringing up Chuck as a source is horrible. He is a funny commentator, but he is no more in the know than Tom Chambers.

Every single national media outlet and insider has priased the suns for this deal.

 

[Phill11]

LMAO. I love how @$$Hole is after everything.

We should just change his name to...

Jerry @$$HOLE Colangelo


LOL

 

[Joe Mama]

Well, I think AmareFan and other season-ticket holders have a right to be disappointed and upset. The Phoenix Suns organization did say over and over that this was the young nucleus they were going to build around with Stephon Marbury. I agree with Jerry that the trade is better for the long run (assuming they don't squander their money in free agency), but that's not much consolation to those of you who spent big money on season tickets.

That said, please try to watch your language a little bit. Thanks.

Also, Charles Barkley did not like this last trade for the Phoenix Suns, but he did like the first one. At least he did at the time of that trade and soon thereafter. Not that one should put all whole lot of stock into what Charles Barkley says.

Joe Mama

 

[Phill11]

Originally posted by Joe Mama
Well, I think AmareFan and other season-ticket holders have a right to be disappointed and upset. The Phoenix Suns organization did say over and over that this was the young nucleus they were going to build around with Stephon Marbury. I agree with Jerry that the trade is better for the long run (assuming they don't squander their money in free agency), but that's not much consolation to those of you who spent big money on season tickets.

That said, please try to watch your language a little bit. Thanks.

Also, Charles Barkley did not like this last trade for the Phoenix Suns, but he did like the first one. At least he did at the time of that trade and soon thereafter. Not that one should put all whole lot of stock into what Charles Barkley says.

Joe Mama

If I was a season ticket holder, Id Have mixed emotions. I would love seeing the young guys play, but Id be angered that were losing. But, theres not much ya can do.

 

[George O'Brien]

I think everyone has been disappointed with the way the Suns have played this year. We entered the season with high hopes, but there were too many problem. One of the "blunders" (Knight for White) was made when the Suns still thought they had a playoff team. What happened:

1. Early season injuries:

-- Carbakapa misses training camp and then hurts his wrist. A guy who could have been a major force has a completely lost season.

-- Williams was injured early and the Suns started the season with only Voskuhl and Googs at center.

-- Amare had off season surgery on his toe that hindered his off season skills development. He did not play as well at the start of the season as he did last year and then got injured again.

2. Coaching problems:

In the off season opponents reviewed tapes of the Suns and figured out how to respond to their offense and defensive schemes. Frank Johnson's lack of skills at X's and O's made the Suns extremely predictable and relatively easy to defense.

The change to Mike D'Antoni helped some, but he could not overhaul the Suns offense in mid season. He has had innumerable problem re-integrating injured players into the offense and getting them to play good team defense.

3. Personnel changes:

The two step process which resulted in Bo Outlaw being trade for Jahidi White completely changed the Suns chemistry. Bo played a key role in making the Suns scramble defense work and it has not been as effective since.

The decision to off load Big Jake changed the expectations of this team. Before his injury last season he was "OK" on defense and was supposed to be in better shape than before. However, there were troubling signs during the Rocky Mountain Review where he failed to do much. After the trade the Suns admitted that they gave up on him because he was too slow. However, it left the team without any physical presence in the middle.

Getting White added size and toughness, but White is totally unsuited to the scramble defense and is not effective in double teams. White is best playing zone, but the rest of the Suns are awful at playing zone. His lack of offensive skills and "bad hands" has limited his effectiveness. It was widely rumored that the Suns tried hard to trade him to get rid of his contract, although he has had some good games like against Memphis.

Early in the season, Marbury was having problems because he kept trying to beat double teams off the dribble and no one was hitting outside shots. However, since being traded the Suns have not had solid PG play due to Barbosa's inexperience and Eisley's unfamiliarity with the offense.

4. Marion having an off year shooting:

Shawn Marion is a former all-star and team USA player, but his play on offense this season has declined. A year ago he was hitting 39% of his three pointers - this year 31%. Teams are backing off and daring him to take outside shots and they aren't going in.

At least part of the problem may be that he bulked up over the summer from 230 to 245 and it seems to have effected his already awkward shooting stroke. His poor outside shooting was a big reason that Marbury's drive and kick-out passes were not working.

5. Johnson and Hardaway Soap Opera Hurt the Team Chemistry

Hardaway came back from an injury last season to help the team get into the playoffs. He trained very hard over the summer and expected to become a starter. However, his defense remained inadequate and his shooting was not good enough for him to be a starter. Early in the season he sulked and did not play hard coming in off the bench. He got over that, but still continued to play head games on JJ.

From the beginning of the season, JJ played much better defense than Hardaway, but he struggled as the team's third or fourth option on offense. He was not agressive enough at attacking the basket and was not getting the ball where he do damage. Getting rid of Hardaway was a huge boost to JJ's confidence and he has generally played quite well since the trade; but by then the Suns injuries were pulling the team down.


Was any of this "avoidable"? It is hard to say. Certainly the injuries were not avoidable. Frank Johnson needed to go, but it is hard to fire a guy who just took the team to the playoffs. Bo Outlaw had a horrible contract, but he was traded a day before Carbakapa diagnosed with a hernia. If the trade had been delayed a couple of days, the Suns would almost certaly have held off.

The problem with any team is that it only takes one or two things to change the dynamic of a team. In the case of the Suns, it seems like there were dozens. Unlike a veteran team, the Suns youth reduced their resilience and they could not deal with all the problems. The result was a lost season.

Perhaps we were all excessivly optimistic coming into this season. It would have been hard to remain a playoff team with the incredible improvement by Memphis, Denver, and to a lesser degree Houston. The huge salary structure of the Suns had prevented them from using their mid cap exemption last summer and their holes were simply too large.

Next season the Suns are likely to surprise most people, but it won't take the taste of this season out of people's mouths.

 

[Joe Mama]

George,

I know I'm nitpicking, but there's no way Shawn Marion was ever 245 lbs.. Amare Stoudemire is 245 lbs.. Joe Johnson is probably just under 240 lbs.. I'll bet even the bulked up Shawn Marion never broke 235 lbs..

I also agree that one of the problems at the beginning of the season was that other teams learned how to attack the Phoenix Suns scrambling defense, and F. J. never adjusted it. However it was their offense as much as anything that struggled early on.

Joe Mama

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by Joe Mama
George,

I know I'm nitpicking, but there's no way Shawn Marion was ever 245 lbs.. Amare Stoudemire is 245 lbs.. Joe Johnson is probably just under 240 lbs.. I'll bet even the bulked up Shawn Marion never broke 235 lbs..

I also agree that one of the problems at the beginning of the season was that other teams learned how to attack the Phoenix Suns scrambling defense, and F. J. never adjusted it. However it was their offense as much as anything that struggled early on.

Joe Mama

1. You may be right, but it was still at least 15 pound more than last year.

2. From the start of the season, FJ kept complaining about the lack of "energy" by the Suns and how much he missed Bo.

But I agree that the Suns offense was totally out of sorts under FJ.