Mark Warkentien An Option For....

LOL. That's no fair.

 

Well, I'd easily be able to recognize a big reason we had a better record was because of their injuries, and would say as much without thinking I was making excuses.

 

I go every week at least once, didn't seem to help for thirty nine years of the forty.

 

I don't know what you're talking about. Please give examples for 1) poisonous atmosphere, 2) bullshit meddling, 3) Seattle power plays and 4) public backstabbing. The players liked each other. The media jumped on a couple of skirmishes (like Zach hitting Ruben, that was bad--big deal about some stupid towel lightly tossed to a face, don't even mention that trivia), but the players got along fine otherwise. The players were far more competitive than now, and friction was good for winning. Today's wimps can't win without going down to the wire to barely eke out every single win. A poisonous atmosphere fumed only from the Oregonian. Only one player, Sheed, struck back verbally. We were a bigger winner than now. It was a much more talented team. We had real depth, unlike the pretenders Pritchard has put on the bench. The Whitsitt bench was big, strong, and aggressive, unlike the skinnies we have now who can't shove inside and can't make a shot outside.

It's rare that a GM (or college Athletic Director) hogs the spotlight, and that's Pritchard's biggest fault. Can you name another NBA team whose face is its GM? It's always the coach. If the coach is transitory, it may be the owner, or even the GM, for half a season, before it again becomes the coach. Even when Jerry West GMd Los Angeles and Memphis, he hid in the shadows during games. His coach was the face of the franchise, even the Laker short-termers who didn't last.

That's what I keep saying. Every single one of Pritchard's trades has depended upon Paul Allen's $3M to make it work. (Exception: The Sergio one was for about half that.) The other GM never has this advantage. The other owner is always eager for that money. Otherwise they would take some other trade offer and get better players or picks than Pritchard is offering. Allen's money is always why Pritchard's trades seem to be in our favor. Our owner doesn't value the millions and the other owner does. Warkentien didn't have this advantage. Quite the opposite--he has an owner who dumped Camby to save money.

There's at least one. Warkentien lives in Lake Oswego. He may be leaving Denver this summer. That's why this thread was started--there is an excellent candidate available if Pritchard is fired.

You won the lotto?

 

Warkentien
8/5/94 hired, Blazer Scout
7/1/04 resigned, Blazer Director of Player Personnel
8/24/04 hired, Cavs Director of Player Personnel
9/13/05 hired, Nuggets Director of Player Personnel
9/7/06 hired, Nuggets Vice President

Pritchard
8/24/04 hired, Blazer Director of Player Personnel

Somewhat related: Tim Grgurich was a top Blazer assistant coach for the 2004-05 season. He left a 2 year contract after 1 year to become a Denver assistant coach. Denver reportedly compensated us with an exchange of 2011 2nd round picks.

 

Allen's not going to re-hire a guy who quit on him because he wasn't thought of highly enough by PA in the first place to land the gig when Whitsitt left. I think Paul has too much 'pride' to do that. You really think Warkentien is going to come along after his sour history with the team and his reported shit flinging on KP and accept a job with Portland? My money's on media types like Jaynes, or Canzano, or Quick who like to exaggerate to make a good story, fabricated some key details about what Warkentien said to them. Partly to make a good story, secondly to attempt to piece together why Tom Penn was fired, which every local media pundit is clueless about. They don't know so they speculate.

So Warkentien said that many in the league don't like Pritchard because they believe he's arrogant? So what? Thats sour grapes due to him getting a job that Wark coveted. It doesn't mean that Wark talks to Vulcan, or even that all the GM's think that way. Just one GM in Denver.

I think the communication between Blazer brass and the Vulcan nerds is shotty and it has left KP and Miller, not knowing whats going on.

When all is said and done, I think Pritchard is back next year and everyone will forget about this little blip.

Most of this story is speculating about speculation.

 

I think he'll be back, too, but with a matured act. He'll be tougher if they have him negotiate a contract, after being so goofy with Roy last summer that Larry Miller had to take it over. He won't be acting superior to other Blazer management, which is why Penn went. He won't be going around the league whining that McMillan makes more than him. Last, he'll work on the fact that many around the league, not just one GM, find him to be an arrogant dick when they talk to him, for example, in trade talk.

 

Question is....are the Vulcans thinking you take the good with the bad and that they'll keep Kevin on board, or are they pissed about the things that didn't get done and want a GM to be even more aggressive and effective in certain areas. Paul Allen said at the beginning of the season that the championship window is open now. And I think he means it. We've seen Mr. Allen throw a lot of money at this team in the past in the pursuit of a championship. And while he may not open his checkbook as far this time, recent events may signal a return to the Bob Whitsett style of roster management. If so, Warkentien, who was Trader Bobs understudy might be their man for the job.

 

Probably cancel my season tickets, and I'll spend a LOT less money on this team.

I'll still collect bobbleheads, though...

 

repeatedly saying something that isn't true doesn't change matters. I recently debunked this nonsense you've been throwing out. KP has used the 3M sweetener twice. He's made a ton of trades including the recent Camby deal that didn't utilize it. Cash considerations doesn't automatically equate to 3M... guys drafted at the end of the 1st round barely earn 3M over the length of their first contract.

STOMP