Ben Golliver: Paul Allen emerges as latest lockout villain

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by Nikolokolus, Oct 20, 2011.

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  1. Pinwheel1

    Pinwheel1 Well-Known Member

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    He has not decided anything. And if he did the other owners would care less what he wants. Paul Allen was simply the messenger, nothing else. He has no influence on anyone in that room.
     
    Pinwheel1, Oct 21, 2011
    #21
  2. HailBlazers

    HailBlazers RipCity

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    Not so effective to fire two bright young GM's without addressing the biggest stakeholders of the organization (Blazer Fans) IMO.

    I just think PA dropped the ball yet again, if he would have came out and made a bold statement about why the owners need help and why the system needed to be revamped then I think people would have really listened. Instead we get the same old tactics. Guess I need to stop expecting much from him.
     
    HailBlazers, Oct 21, 2011
    #22
  3. barfo

    barfo triggered obsessive commie pinko boomer maniac Staff Member Global Moderator

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    A reasonable point, but somewhat off topic.

    Which people would have really listened? Billy Hunter and the union reps? How do you know they didn't really listen?

    Well, yes. If you expected him to swoop in and solve the lockout, you were bound to be disappointed.

    barfo
     
    barfo, Oct 21, 2011
    #23
  4. HailBlazers

    HailBlazers RipCity

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    Read:

    The stakeholders on the NBA. Fans, employee's, vendors. Being on the outside of the talks and then finally coming in, Paul Allen had an incredible chance to make a powerful statement that could resonate throughout the country. A state of the union so to speak of the current NBA system.

    Indeed, wasn't expecting that at all. I was looking for a bold declaration from one of the NBA's most engaged owners. A verbal commitment to an NBA that works for all and an illustration as to what that would look like. I was expecting some leadership. Maybe that's too much to ask from Paul, but as long as he's the owner of the most passionate fan-base in the NBA I'll continue to hold him to the highest standard, no matter how many times he disappoints.
     
    HailBlazers, Oct 21, 2011
    #24
  5. barfo

    barfo triggered obsessive commie pinko boomer maniac Staff Member Global Moderator

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    Ok. But those weren't the people he was addressing. It seems a fair bet that those weren't the people he intended to address, or was sent there to address. I can see why you'd want him to address the fans, etc. But this is a labor negotiation, not a public speaking gig.

    I suppose, but what would be his (or any owner's) motivation to do that? The owners goal here is to get the players to cave so that basketball can resume. That's what's important, not making speeches for fans. Fans won't pay money to see Paul Allen talk about the state of the NBA. They will pay to see players play, so it makes sense that that's what the owners are focused on.

    Fair enough - but I think you are expecting something that no owner would be likely to deliver in these circumstances, unless they just wanted an excuse to hear the sound of their own voice. And that latter part is definitely not Paul.

    barfo
     
    barfo, Oct 21, 2011
    #25
  6. HailBlazers

    HailBlazers RipCity

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    Doesn't matter who you address, as a leader you have to be responsible for who's listening.

    The motivation is to get the fans behind the owners and what their trying to accomplish, last I checked the fans are the one's consuming the product.

    I thought the goal was the make a profitable, competitive, long-term system? If you look at the big picture you must take all the stakeholders into account, one-dimensional thinking isn't going to solve the NBA's problems.
     
    HailBlazers, Oct 21, 2011
    #26
  7. barfo

    barfo triggered obsessive commie pinko boomer maniac Staff Member Global Moderator

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    Who was listening? As far as I know Paul's remarks were not broadcast beyond the room. Do we actually even know what he said?

    Yeah, but the fans have short memories and most of them aren't even paying attention. It simply doesn't matter to either the owners or the players what the fans think of the negotiations. They know most fans aren't fans of the business side of basketball.

    You and I care about the CBA negotiations, but I'm not convinced that the average fan does, other than wanting the lockout to be over. It seems to me that it doesn't matter to the average fan who wins or loses this battle - whether the BRI split is 50-50 or 53-47, the game will still look exactly the same to the fans. I could be wrong.

    barfo
     
    barfo, Oct 21, 2011
    #27
  8. Charcoal Filtered

    Charcoal Filtered Writing Team

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    Not major news that the owners are the ones pushing the lockout. Not many are having much fun with the current system nor would they be having much fun with a minor tweak to it. Having one of the most carefree spending owners deliver the message that they would not consider negotiations till the union accepts 50/50 speaks volumes IMO.

    If I was an owner, I certainly would not be paying millions to play a game that involves the crap that went on last offseason.
     
    Charcoal Filtered, Oct 21, 2011
    #28
  9. Charcoal Filtered

    Charcoal Filtered Writing Team

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    Exactly. I do not think it matters either way what the fans think. The only thing that is going to matter is the finished product once the lockout is over.
     
    Charcoal Filtered, Oct 21, 2011
    #29
  10. Ed O

    Ed O Administrator Staff Member Administrator

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    He did. He said that they would not negotiate unless a condition was met.

    That condition not being met, he wasn't about to negotiate.

    Jewelry Seller: I won't discuss prices until I see a line of credit.
    Jewely Buyer: If get a line of credit, which watch can I buy for $1000?

    Silence would be a bit rude, perhaps, but entirely logical... as it appears to be in the exchange Golliver is writing about.

    Ed O.
     
    Ed O, Oct 21, 2011
    #30
  11. Ed O

    Ed O Administrator Staff Member Administrator

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    I don't get that allusion, but I don't think he's trying to "fuck it up for everyone". He's trying to continue to own a team on a set of terms that he finds more acceptable. That is his right as the owner.


    There is a big difference between making money and not losing tens (hundreds) of millions of dollars.

    No players have lost money. They say they're "giving money back" ... but it's bullshit. They have all come out financially ahead based on their employment with the NBA. The owners cannot say that. The players have no responsibility to ensure the owners do well (or even that they don't do poorly) and that's why we're at an impasse.

    Ed O.
     
    Ed O, Oct 21, 2011
    #31
  12. BrianFromWA

    BrianFromWA Editor in Chief Staff Member Editor in Chief

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    The Players got what turned out to be a relatively sweetheart deal in 2005. The owners (as it turned out) did not.

    I semi-see Paul's logic. The players have been screaming "it's not our fault you owners can't get your shit together" and P.A. just said: "Fine. I now have my shit together. 40%. Fuck you."
     
    BrianFromWA, Oct 21, 2011
    #32
  13. BrianFromWA

    BrianFromWA Editor in Chief Staff Member Editor in Chief

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    This is pretty close to my opinion, without the death part.
     
    BrianFromWA, Oct 21, 2011
    #33
  14. barfo

    barfo triggered obsessive commie pinko boomer maniac Staff Member Global Moderator

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    Perhaps jlprk meant jumping off cliffs with water below. That can be a lot of fun, and non-fatal. And it might just loosen Golliver up a bit.

    barfo
     
    barfo, Oct 21, 2011
    #34
  15. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    Except the first 10 words were, "The NBA lockout gained its first true villain when Boston..."
     
    SlyPokerDog, Oct 21, 2011
    #35
  16. barfo

    barfo triggered obsessive commie pinko boomer maniac Staff Member Global Moderator

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    Nah, he said the first 10 words of the rest of the article.

    Curiously, rest in this sense (remainder) comes from a different root word than rest of the nap sort.

    barfo
     
    barfo, Oct 21, 2011
    #36
  17. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    Oops, my bad.

    After Jlprk's original quote of the article the next 10 words were, "Garnett, the story went, interjected into the discussions to stamp..."

    Enjoy your nap!
     
    SlyPokerDog, Oct 21, 2011
    #37
  18. jlprk

    jlprk The ESPN mod is insane.

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    At the start of the hang gliding craze in 1973 my boss was paralyzed for life below the waist on his first attempt. Thus upon agonizing reflection I conclude I was't thinking that Golliver should die.
     
    jlprk, Oct 22, 2011
    #38
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