Welcome to the Phoenix Clippers

[TucsonDevil]

I've waited a couple of days to see if I would wake up from this nightmare, but apparently I won't anytime soon.

We are now the equivalent to the LA Clippers. Our owner sees his 'organization' as a business, and not a sports franchise. I don't dispute the drive to make money on every investment and I don't begrudge Sarver for wanting to make money on the Suns. However, as a fan, I now have come to the realization that no 'winning' strategies are going to be coming out of the front office, only profitability strategies. That is such a disappointment. It is hard to try and convince some people on ROI that appears on future balance sheets. Sarver has to see it now.

Good luck everyone, until Sarver sells the team, get used to high draft picks and letting them walk three years later, and only going to the playoffs every 5 years or so as an 8 seed. Oh, and btw, Sarver won't sell until he makes a good profit off his purchase price. In this economy, and the near future economy, that won't happen.

Where can I buy an OKC Jersey?...

 

[Roca Dolla]

kerr sucks im glad he gone and i hope sarver sells the team that banker is a true moron

 

[pokerface]

A bunch of vague allegations with no substance.


When is the last time the Clippers made it to the WCF anyway?

 

[AzStevenCal]

We are now the equivalent to the LA Clippers.

Circa September, 1998 - Marccullen on an AOL Suns board after the Dice fiasco. That's the first time I read on a message board that we were now the Clippers. Since then I've come across it on too many occasions to recount. Perhaps it's finally true but I think collectively the "internet" fans have cried Clippers wolf one time too many.

Steve

 

[Bufalay]

At least they are tuning into the Clippers and not the Spers or Lakers.

 

[TBaslim]

Circa September, 1998 - Marccullen on an AOL Suns board after the Dice fiasco. That's the first time I read on a message board that we were now the Clippers. Since then I've come across it on too many occasions to recount. Perhaps it's finally true but I think collectively the "internet" fans have cried Clippers wolf one time too many.

Steve

Too true. Crimmy. This has been a rough week for a Suns fan, and there is fair reason for concern about the future, but the Clippers? Really?

Do you have any idea the misery that franchise and their fans have been through?

Remember, the Suns are the Cubs of the NBA, not the Expos.

 

[Ronin]

The crying just doesn't stop....:-(

 

[Errntknght]

Circa September, 1998 - Marccullen on an AOL Suns board after the Dice fiasco.

Steve

'Marccullen', now thats an sn I haven't seen in a long time. I was on that AOL Suns board at the time of Dice mess and I can well imagine Marcc taking such a dire view. I'm not sure why now but I've long wondered if you weren't on that board at the same time I was. I suppose I could have asked...

Anyway, you have quite an amazing memory!

 

[PDXChris]

Man, you just lost Steve Kerr and there is this much uprising. I bet a few of you would have committed suicide if you were a Bulls Fan in 1998. We lost Michael Jackson, Phil Jackson, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Ron Harper and Steve Kerr and I am still here and got the chance to see my team turn it around.

 

[PDXChris]

Although, after loosing Kerr, we did miss the playoffs for 6 straight years. HMMMMM

 

[cly2tw]

Sarver = financial responsibility like giving max only to players who truly deserve them like LBJ and nobody else

 

[Mainstreet]

There is an interesting article (see link below) that indicates money was indeed problematic in keeping Kerr or at least he was receiving better opportunities elsewhere. Also it is interesting to note that Sarver on a radio talk show apparently admits that fans will never know all the truth. Take the article for what it's worth. This quote attributed to Nash to Yahoo Sports particularly caught my eye:

"Steve (Kerr) had opportunities that were better. I don’t blame him. I wish it was in our budget to maybe keep him around, but what can we do? I can’t get too deep into (it) or else it will become a total detriment."

The whole article is a good read. I wish I knew more about the source SB Nation.

http://arizona.sbnation.com/2010/6/...oenix-suns#nash-reacts-to-kerr-news-and-drops

 

[chickenhead]

I understand the frustration (and I've been posting a lot of it), but I wouldn't call the Suns Clippers-esque. Sterling is kind of an outright maniac. This ownership consortium reminds me much more of the Claude Brochu's Expos, who had a similar mix of penny-pinching moves, the outright sale or dismissal of talent, and a few pound-foolish acquisitions in an occasional attempt to prove they were contending. It was maddening. The fans didn't want Bartolo Colon (full disclosure: acquired after Loria bought the team), they wanted to not have traded Pedro Martinez for Tony Armas Jr. and Carl Pavano.

Anyway, it sucked.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Man, you just lost Steve Kerr and there is this much uprising. I bet a few of you would have committed suicide if you were a Bulls Fan in 1998. We lost Michael Jackson, Phil Jackson, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Ron Harper and Steve Kerr and I am still here and got the chance to see my team turn it around.

Michael who? How can you compare the Bulls losses to what we're about to lose. We're losing Kerr, Griffin and Amare. Plus we don't have a Jerry Krause in the background ready to rescue us from our darkest hour.

Steve

 

[Gaddabout]

No way are the Suns the Clippers. They still spend money, and the criticism of Sarver not willing to spend money is wrongheaded. Very, IMO.

The problem is Sarver thinks he can run the team like his bank. Frugality is fine when you treat the FO as the real engine of the ship. Instead, the Suns have had nothing but upheaval and turmoil since Sarver got here. This is the real problem. If good people can't find a reason to be loyal to you, you are not operating your team right. Period.

This has everything to do with Sarver's micromanagement and not anything to do with trying to wring every last dollar out of a basketball team.

 

[Ronin]

Michael who?

Steve

You don't know who Michael Jackson is?

 

[SactownSunsFan]

You don't know who Michael Jackson is?

He made Thriller, man. Thriller.

 

[AzStevenCal]

You don't know who Michael Jackson is?

Sure, wasn't he the lead singer of the Osmonds? I didn't know the guy could ball.

Steve

 

[Ronin]

Sure, wasn't he the lead singer of the Osmonds? I didn't know the guy could ball.

Steve

No. Temptations.

 

[BC867]

No. Temptations.

Lead singer of the Temps got in with the mob and met his demise as his dead body was rolled out of a limo as it rounded a corner. David Ruffin. His nephew once played on the Suns.

Michael does t-shirt commercials while sitting on a plane. Far less dramatic

 

[Ronin]

He made Thriller, man. Thriller.

Really? "I kinda of want meet this guy"

 

[AzStevenCal]

Lead singer of the Temps got in with the mob and met his demise as his dead body was rolled out of a limo as it rounded a corner. David Ruffin. His nephew once played on the Suns.

Well, at the risk of hijacking a thread that I may have already helped hijack, I'd suggest that taking a made for TV bio-pic as gospel might be a risk. The last I heard the entire mob connection/limo ejection were contested by people close to the situation.

Regardless, this is a guy with a great voice but an unmatched ego that was well fed by his cocaine addiction. And as far as I know, neither he nor his brother Jimmy (who had one great song - What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted) could Moonwalk or dunk.

Steve