SB Nation User Blog: MichaelCage

SportsXchange: Dunleavy says no changes for next season.

MichaelCage — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 23:21:56 -0000

For those fans who don't approve of changes in either coaching/personnel (40% of respondents), this should warm your hearts:

Los Angeles Clippers Getting Inside
SportsXchange
Apr. 16, 2009 09:40 AM

In limping to the finish line with their poorest record since the 1999-2000
season, the nagging question is this: Can the Clippers satisfy their long
suffering fan base by promising that an injury-free season next year with the
same cast of players will produce a playoff team? Clippers coach and general
manager Mike Dunleavy could be banking on that risky platform because when asked recently if he expected an overhaul of this year's team, his answer was that he did not think so, pointing out that of the 15 players currently on the team,
only two could claim to be Clippers in 2007-2008.

The makeover began in the offseason, which featured the ballyhooed signing of free agent guard Baron Davis, and it continued into the season, when Dunleavy sent veterans Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas to the New York Knicks in exchange for high-scoring forward Zach Randolph and sparingly-used swingman Mardy Collins. The trade did little to affect the Clippers' fortunes for this year. Time will tell if it is to have any future positive effect, other than opening up a starting position for potential star Eric Gordon, the 20-year old guard, whom the Clippers
selected seventh overall in the 2008 NBA draft.

Throughout this season, Dunleavy has used the same excuse that he offered for the team's debacle the previous year -- injuries. No doubt the team was decimated by injuries, with not one player able to stay healthy enough to play all 82 regular-season games. But it is possible that even if all the players would have remained healthy that the squad Dunleavy assembled was a combustible one.Randolph and free agent acquisition Ricky Davis came dragging baggage and both had episodes that gave credence to their wayward past. Ricky Davis had to serve a suspension for violating terms of the NBA's substance abuse policy, while Randolph was docked with a two-game team suspension for being arrested on a suspicion of DUI.

Clippers assistant general manager Neil Olshey said recently that it would be
difficult for whomever the Clippers draft to break into the rotation. (As their roster is already loaded with talent and lacks only chemistry to be successful).

So it seems that we will have more of the same next year, an encore of this season. Dunleavy still believes that he has assembled a very talented squad: as Ricky Davis, Zach, & Baron are capable of going off for 30 points on any given night. They didn't do so very often this season, but just wait till next year.

The Baron Poll: Part III

MichaelCage — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 05:02:56 -0000

I'm interested to see if fan opinion on this website has changed with regards to Baron. Earlier in the season, when sentiments turned against Baron at Staples, it seemed that his popularity held up relatively well online. The first poll, if memory is correct, gave Baron 85% approval. By mid season, the second poll gave Baron a 60% approval, so there were some decline, though the majority still believe that he is the team's leader and future. I would like to see if there's any further changes in opinion regarding Baron's leadership and role with this team going forward.

Poll

Should Baron be the Clippers starting point guard again next year?

Yes. Baron is still an All-Star, MVP caliber player. Give him, Dunleavy, and the team time to jell. Baron will lead the team to the Playoffs next year.

43 votes

No. Baron is fat and finished. Hand the team over to Gordon and the youngsters and rebuild.

52 votes

95 votes | Poll has closed

Dunleavy vs Fan

MichaelCage — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 10:25:25 -0000

Ok, I'm pretty exhausted as after the game as we spent a few too many hours at the Roosevelt afterwards, but this is too good to pass up. I've been watching Dunleavy's reaction to fans heckling and chants throughout the season and for the most part, the man has kept his composure. But tonight, at half time against Portland, he finally lost his cool.

One of the season ticket holder in my section is a pretty vocal guy. He's a big dude, with a deep baritone, who yells some pretty funny and sometimes derogatory things to opposing players to knock them off their game. This season, his ire has also turned to Dunleavy, Baron, Zach, or Kaman depending upon their level of ineptitude. Earlier in the season, he brought along signs and tried to lead the crowd in chants of "Pat Summit" to replace Dunleavy...which I thought was pretty funny, if you knew who Pat Summit was.

Well tonight, after a dismal second quarter, he was yelling at Dunleavy again. He wasn't the only one, as there were others yelling at Dunleavy to fire himself and of course, the now constant "Fire Dunleavy" chants reverberating in different part of the arena. But tonight, as Dunleavy was walking off the floor, he seemed more agitated than usual, and he turned to our section's human megaphone, grabbed his crotch and yelled back in very clear term to "kiss my ass." The redness in his face and his anger was palpable and made it clear that he wasn't joking around.

We thought it was amusing, though I'm sure that if this were New York and Dunleavy were Isiah, there would be an uproar about the coach cursing out his season ticket holders. I feel a bit sorry for the man though. Dealing with hecklers and unhappy fans is part of the job of being an NBA coach. But I get the feeling that the facade cracked a bit tonight. The season has been terrible and the toll is heavy for all involved...perhaps more on Dunleavy most of all. Perhaps relieving Dunleavy of his duties now would be the humane thing to do, though I doubt it will happen due to Sterling legendary miseriness. It will be an interesting off season to say the least.

A Message from Andy Roeser

MichaelCage — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 00:36:23 -0000

Is the Clippers entire organization completely tone deaf? With better teams than us slashing ticket prices for next year, did Andy Roeser confuse our team with the Lakers? Yes, the Lakers announced that they won't raise ticket prices next year due to the economy and their fans take it in stride...because they're close to 60 wins and are favored to win the championship AGAIN. Our team on the other hand has the inverse record of the Lakers and we're going to hit 60 losses. We're the laughingstock of the league and the city. And Andey Roeser has the balls to tell us that he understands our pain and will not raise ticket prices. Gee thanks. What an idiot. What a completly dysfunctional, tone deaf, incompetent organization. The Staples Center crowd is going to look like a girls high school basketball game next year for Clippers games. What a way to destroy what is left of the season ticket holder base. This is the last handful of dirt on the grave of Clippers Nation.

Here's the email that we got today from the Clippers:

We want to personally thank you for your loyal support as a Clippers Season Ticket Holder. We understand times are tough and appreciate your commitment to the team.

We recognize the effect the economy is having on our fans. More than ever, we understand that investing your hard-earned dollars in season tickets is a big commitment.

To help make your renewal decision a little easier, we are pleased to announce that there will be no price increase in the lower level for the second consecutive year. In addition, we think you'll be excited to learn about the new benefits, flexible payment options, and tenured Season Ticket Holder programs we have added. You've maintained the kind of enthusiasm we admire in Clippers fans and we are grateful for your dedication.

We remain optimistic regarding our core of young players combined with the experienced leadership of our veterans. We will also have the advantage of one of the top lottery picks in the upcoming NBA Draft, who should give us a boost next season as well.

We need your support more than ever and encourage you to remain loyal for the better times ahead. Your 2009-10 Season Ticket renewal kit will arrive in the mail next week.

We look forward to seeing you next season!

Sincerely,

Andy Roeser
President

The Nuclear Option: Isiah

MichaelCage — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 07:31:18 -0000

Ok, so I'm just reading the Isiah GM rumors and I'm shocked beyond words. If this were to happen, then I'm done with this franchise. Never mind renewing season tickets, I will never watch another Clippers game again. As a matter of fact, I will be tempted to put my fist through every TV screen showing a Clippers game.

Is this Dunleavy's ruse to freak out the fans and remind us that there are worst alternatives than him? After all, the articles seem to suggest that it was Dunleavy who set up the meeting between Isiah and Sterling. Perhaps all of us have underestimated Dunleavy. Perhaps he is much more than inept, he might be one of those rare, truly evil men (Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot) who plans nefarious deeds for the satisfaction of seeing everything burn, wither, and die. Ok, maybe he's not that evil, but he's at least on par with Manson or Charles Starkweather.

At any rate, bringing in Isiah is the equivalent of calling in a nuclear strike on your own position. The devastation would be total and there won't be a soul left standing. With a franchise as moribound as the Clippers, this can be construed as a good thing, I suppose.

We Clippers fans are gluttons for punishment. We've taken alot over the years. But this might be the greatest indignity of all. It just might be the final fatal blow.

Poll

Should we bring on Isiah and burn the Clippers house down?

Hell yeah, bring on Isiah. Let's watch the fireworks. I will renew my tickets to witness the calamity first hand.

18 votes

Errr...I would rather have Dunleavy as coach, GM, and dictator for life.

17 votes

Neither Zeke nor Dunce, we need the real deal...can we offer Osama or Al-Zawahiri a contract?

28 votes

63 votes | Poll has closed

Chaning Frye's post game comments about Clips

MichaelCage — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:06:49 -0000

Read this on my mobile phone's SportsXchange page, though strangely, you have to be a paid member in order to access their website via a computer....It will be interesting to see which Clippers team show up on Wednesday against the Celtics. The one that played well against Golden State or the one that the Portland players described below:

Los Angeles Clippers Notes, Quotes
--Right or wrong, the Trail Blazers thought they detected some early quit in the
Clippers during what eventually resulted in a 116-87 Portland victory Sunday.
According to Blazers forward-center Channing Frye, Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy
kept calling the same plays over and over. In addition, several Portland players
said after the game that it seemed apparent to them that there was a lot of
bickering among Clippers players on the floor and it appeared that the players
didn't really like each other.

Bill Dwyre on Jerry West

MichaelCage — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 04:47:41 -0000

This is not directly Clippers related, but after reading this article by Bill Dwyre in the LA Times today, I couldn't help but be jarred by the discrepancy between the Clippers recent performance and this description of Jerry West:

Dwyre quoted Keith Erickson, who was a teammate of West, that "West was the only player he has ever seen who could score 40 points in a game in which his hamstring was torn and he couldn't run."

Jerry West loved the game with passionate intensity. It was why even his fiercest competitors loved and respected him; why Bill Russell would embrace and commiserate with him after beating the Lakers. Can you ever imagine West jogging down the court and not trying very hard? I think he would have rather shot himself in the head.

How did we ever go from Jerry West to Baron Davis? Are these guys even playing the same sport? Are they even part of the same family of man?

Heisler's NBA Roundup

MichaelCage — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 03:15:21 -0000

Did anybody read Heisler's weekly article on the NBA in Sunday's LA Times? He listed tonight's Clippers-Heat game as his NBA Game of the Week. Then he wrote "just kidding" right below it. Heisler is a funny guy.

He also moved us to dead last in his NBA Power Rankings. After tonight's performace against Miami, I think it is well deserved. I'm curious if other reporters in other cities (let's say the Plainsdealer) have their own power rankings and if they list the Clippers as dead last too. Heisler is a local reporter so he might be biased toward the Clips. I mean do national reporters look at our team and think that we're just run-of-the-mill awful? Or do they consider us exceptionally awful?

If we're going to be this bad, then we should strive to be the absolute worst that we can be. We should revel in our badness.

KA's article on the Daily Dime

MichaelCage — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 23:15:31 -0000

I'm pretty sure that most hard core Clips fans here read Kevin's blog as well, but now that he's writing for the Daily Dime, today's article was pretty judicious and didn't hold any punches about the franchise.

Here's an excerpt from the end:

As the Clippers piled up losses with their ragtag lineup, empathy turned into grumbling. Dunleavy made a veiled suggestion to the Los Angeles Times story that agents often tell their players to take their time returning from injury. Meanwhile, reports began to surface that there was resentment in certain corners of the Clippers' locker room over the glacial pace of recovery among the big-name players.

For many in Los Angeles, the contrast came into focus last week when the Clippers faced the Lakers at Staples Center. While Kobe Bryant gritted his way though a dislocated finger on his shooting hand, the Clippers' M*A*S*H unit was in street clothes on the bench.

The entire article can be found on ESPN's page and not on his blog:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dime-090129

Mitch Lawrence article

MichaelCage — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:48:45 -0000

Not sure if anyone posted this yet, but a buddy sent this article to me from the NY Daily News. If true, then it's probably time that we get rid of Baron, Kaman, and Ricky Davis...if only to improve morale, pull the team together, and rebuild for next year.

Sinking Clips

Going nowhere, the Clippers are showing signs that they've given up. They're on a pace to win 18 games and Mike Dunleavy has all kinds of trouble on his hands.

Baron Davis has been busy defending himself against teammates' whispers that he's healthy enough to play but taking his sweet time coming back from a hamstring injury. Davis won't be available tonight when he returns for the first time to Golden State since leaving last summer as a free agent.

Chris Kaman, out with a foot injury, has confided in various Clippers that he is in no rush to return to action before the Feb. 19 trading deadline, since he wants to stay in L.A. Ricky Davis recently waved off Dunleavy when he wanted him to participate in a scrimmage. Dunleavy let Davis slide, prompting groans and grumbling from a few players, according to one Clipper.

Summing up all the injuries and bad karma, Marcus Camby said, "It's like no other place I've ever been." Well, it is Clipper-land.