The title if self-explanatory. But we as fans need to unite and bombard every local writer with emails to start campaigning for Simmons. Here is an example of the email I wrote to the Sports Guy himself:

Bill,
Just read the mailbag. As a lifelong and die-hard Warriors fan, I'm so glad to see you talking about the amazingness that is Anthony Randolph. Anyways, I've been wanting to write to you for awhile now about the Warriors MAJOR issues (you hit the main one right on the dot with the fact that Randolph ISN'T PLAYING), but to be honest, haven't because, well, I was just to lazy to type out all the madness that is that organization right now. But now that I know you've been following, I don't need to get into it. As you know, Chris Mullin is going to lose his job this summer. This is where you and I come in. Mainly you. There is no ones' basketball opinion I respect more than yours and I would love to see you become the Warriors’ next general manager. I know a lot of fans would too. We talk about the possibility all the time. I know you tried this with Milwaukee, but there is a difference here: There are no fans in basketball like the fans of the Golden State Warriors. As you witnessed in the '07 playoffs, we can unite into one awesome force. I wan't you to start a campaign, and I promise you will have our support. We need to get all the local writers involved to help spread the word (Tim Kawakami, make yourself useful) as well as popular fan sites such as www.goldenstateofmind.com and www.fearthebeard.com. Robert Rowell is looking for an easy way to get fans energized and this could be it, and if all of us fans unite some how, we can get you that job. Please Bill. For the sake of the Golden State nation, make this happen. No fans in the NBA have had their hearts ripped out so many times. We suffer. Be our savior Bill. Be our savior. I don’t know how to stress this anymore, but I really hope you take this seriously.
Sincerely,
Greg Kalin

And this is what I wrote to Kawakami at the Merc:

Tim,
I know you probably won’t email me back, for whatever reason, but this is for the good of the Warriors franchise. Some one needs to start a campaign to bring in Bill Simmons as the Warriors GM. Think about it. Rowell could earn points with the fans and perhaps rejuvenate season ticket holders without having to spend much money, Bill Simmons is a very logical basketball mind (probably one of the few) and he loves the Warriors and their fans, and Warriors fans love big time people who love the Warriors. And no group of people can unite quite like Warriors fans can. If people start getting on board, this could be great. I know Simmons has no experience, but at this point I’d trust him way more than any other hire, and honestly, what is there to lose? The franchise is in such shambles anyways. Come on Tim, you know it’s a good idea. Be a savior Tim. Be a savior.
Sincerely, Greg Kalin

LETS MAKE THIS HAPPEN

From what I've read on this website (myself being included) a lot of us Golden State fans have fallen in love with Shaun Livingston.

Thus, I say we do everything in our own power to ensure Shaun's destination is Oakland.

Obviously, reaching Chris Mullin is extremely difficult through our own connections; however, if we use local sports writers (i.e. Tim Kawakami, Janny Hu, Marcus Thompson) as well as Fitz and Brooks (KNBR 680) to express our interest in Livingston, perhaps Mullin might be looking through the SF Chronicle and see an article entitled "Warriors Fans Make Plea for Livingston." So I say we bombard these people with emails expressing our thoughts on Shaun Livingston until they have no choice but to write about it. I'm talking hundreds and possible thousands of emails to each individual. Each email's subject should be "The Shaun Livingston Movement." Listed below are the email addresses:

Tim Kawakami, San Jose Mercury: tkawakami@mercurynews.com

Janny Hu, San Francisco Chronicle: jhu@srchronicle.com

Marcus Thompson, Contra Costa Times: mthompson2@bayareanewsgroup.com

Bob Fitzgerald and Rod Brooks, KNBR 680: fitzandbrooks@knbr.com

*ALSO* please give this post as many recs as possible so it says up on recommended posts for everyone to see (we will be able to get more emails out this way)

Most of you really enjoyed my last letter and this one is very similar. The only difference is that it is better edited and offers more intriguiging possibilities for what the Warriors could do this offseason. If you enjoyed my thoughts in the last letter, I encourage you to read this one as well...

Dear beloved Golden State,

    We should have seen it coming. Though I admit, as most will, I was first taken by surprise late that Monday night when Baron Davis opted out of the final year of his contract, I soon realized how much sense it all made. This is Baron Davis; the drama king of the NBA, the man whose game fluctuated night after night between god-awful and top tier point guard. And just like his so often daring shot selection, he made a daring move to opt out. And as always, as crazy as his decisions sometimes seem, it some how works out. Yet this time he left US with nothing. But then again, these are the Golden State Warriors; the former laughing stock of the NBA next to only, well, the Clippers. So what other way could it have turned out? This is a franchise whose story is built around unsuccessful draft picks and getting spurned by players for bigger bucks. But of course, most of you know this already.
    Baron's departure undoubtedly leaves a void in this team that no one is talking about; a void that began to depart with Jason Richardson just over a year ago. With the exiting of these two players, our beloved Warriors are once again left without an identity, a soul, or a heart beat; the same problem that haunted them for 13 postseason-less years. Jason was the heart of the Warriors. He had been there for enough of the struggles to realize that what had finally been assembled in 2006-07 should not be wasted. We witnessed him fight and give it his all and as fans we loved him for that. He would have sold his soul to the devil if it meant success for our team. But what Jason lacked was a killer-instinct; he wanted it, but it just wasn't in his DNA. This is where Baron made up for what Jason lacked; the daringness to both take and make the big shot. He was crazy, but it was controlled.Together, combined with the right amount of craziness from good old Stephen Jackson, they were a perfect mesh. It was exactly what this fan base needed; a bunch of wild pirates who on any night could beat anyone and on any other night they could get blown out, but I guarantee there was never a team that wanted to play them. These bandits were the reason for "We Believe." With their heart and courageousness combined, they gave us that ability to believe. So with Jason's departure, the heart of the team left and as last season dwindled down, so did the effort. Now with Baron's departure, they wont just be missing an all-star caliber point guard, but they will lose their leader; the man who was crazy, but kept it all under control. He had a bond with Stephen Jackson that cannot be replaced, and who knows how that will turn out? As much as I love him and hope he stays, I just can't see Stephen being the same player anymore. I fear there is no more identity.
    Maybe he just needs time, but I don't see Monta Ellis ever fulfilling these needs. Can he be a go-to scorer? Absolutely. There is no reason he shouldn't average 25 points a game next year. So though he can carry the offense, he cannot carry this team's emotions. But if you look around the NBA, all of the best teams have some one who can. The Spurs have Duncan, the Suns have Nash, the Celtics have three guys, the Pistons have Billups, and I guess you could say the Lakers have Kobe, but who ever really knows with him.
    I think Mullin knows this, but after Jason left he also knew this team would never be the same again and thus, keeping Baron around for the long-haul on a team that wanted a new identity was pointless. Mullin knows its time to take this team's identity from crazy and unpredictable to, well, just flat-out good and they've got the young guys (though I'm skeptical) to build around. So what else exactly does this team need?
    If you think about it, this teams needs are still exactly the same, plus the emotional leader. They still need a big rebounder/shot blocker, a consistent three-point shooter, and a point guard. However, the Warriors' plan should not begin there because, for what we know, Al Harrington's tenure as a Warrior is likely over. It's been well documented that he feels underutilized and just doesn't seem to have a place on this team any longer. Harrington is owed about $9 million this next season and rather then trade him to a team in which we'd get other solid players in return, call me crazy, but I say trade him for next to nothing. The Warriors need a star (or something close to it) and that is that. Thus, it is my proposal that Harrington be traded to a contender; a team like the Pistons, or perhaps even the Lakers for nothing more then a second round pick and perhaps a cheap throw in. Just wipe his salary completely off the books, or as much of it as possible.
    As for point guard, I've been mulling over a guy for the past couple of days that no one is talking about and I can't figure out why. He is 6'7", he was a top 5 pick, he is 22 years old, could come fairly cheep, and is the only unrestricted free agent this year who has a shot at being a star whose name isn't Gilbert Arenas, Baron Davis, and Elton Brand. And oh yeah, he is a former Clipper. This young man's name? Shaun Livingston, and he might just turn out to be the perfect guard to pair up with Monta in the back court. If he ever lives up to his potential, they would easily be the best young back court in the NBA. I know he's had a major history of injuries, but why not take a shot at two years worth a couple million plus a team option? Willis McGahee had a very similar injury during the Fiesta Bowl a fear years back and though he may have never returned to full form, he is still performing at a high level. The reason I have optimism is because it is different when you have an injury like this when you're only twenty years old then if you get it when you're thirty. It is just a lot easier for your body to recover when you're at a young age. Besides, even if he doesn't work out, he'll be a nice back up for Monta at the point. But hey even if no one listens to me on that, you should all agree with me on this: please, no more players like Jamal Crawford or Jamal Tinsley. Honestly, what can they really bring to this young team? For years we have seen the Warriors fill their starting roster with place holders (Speedy Claxton, Dale Davis, Clifford Robinson to name a few recent ones) to play next to their budding stars (Richardson, Arenas, Ellis) waiting for the right guy to turn up at that position and only once has it worked (Davis). Now Davis is gone and Livingston could offer a potential permanent solution to the point guard position for the Warriors. If they're going to take a chance on a guy like Crawford, Hinrich, or Tinsley, why not take a chance on a guy like Livingston instead. As a die-hard Warriors fan, I ask we intelligently ensure our team does not get stuck in a well too familiar position.
    Obviously, the signing of Livingston is not the sole answer to the Warriors issues, but he is certainly a piece to the puzzle and a player who is worth the risk. Another former Clipper that could be of extreme value to this team for the future is Corey Maggette. The reasons for this are obvious in that he'll make up for Baron's scoring and will provide some veteran leadership to an extremely young team.
    This next move is where the Al Harrington trade could prove to be vital. Obviously I'm no cap space expert, but assuming the Warriors re-sign Ellis and Biedrins, as well as sign Livingston for about 3 million a year and Maggette for say, 9 million a year, my question is whether or not it is possible to go after Josh Smith. I believe the Harrington trade could create the cap space to do so, but perhaps I'm wrong. So in that case I propose this: Could the Warriors offer Smith just enough money to where the Hawks say they are willing to sign-and-trade him for Harrington and Marco Bellinelli? I truly question whether or not Josh Smith is worth a max deal, but when I think about the circumstances if this situation were to play out I can't help but get excited about what the future would hold and say, "you know what, go ahead and give him the money if thats what it takes to get him here." For years the Warriors have been craving for a player with Smith's abilities at the forward spot and now they may just have a chance to snatch him.
    So say all of this played out, think for a moment about the versatility the Warriors could have in their lineup. Nelson could play small ball with Monta/Livingston/Watson at point, Monta/Maggete at the two, Jackson/Maggette at three, Jackson/Smith at the four, and Smith/Biedrins/Wright in the middle, depending on who is playing at each position. But then of course, the Warriors could go big without sacrificing Nelson's game whatsoever. Think about this; Livingston at the point, Maggette/Jackson at two, Smith at the three, Wright at the four, Biedrins at the five. You can't tell me the Baron era team would be better than this team a year or two down the line.
    However, like I said I'm no cap-expert and to be honest I'm really in no position to tell you if, money-wise, this would ever work. But say it some how were to work, then of course I just want what is best for my beloved Warriors and just in case they haven't thought of this idea themselves, I feel compelled to inform them because there is no denying this team would be extremely young yet extremely exciting for years to come. What is the use in waiting around until the summer of '09 or '10 when we really don't know who will be available and who won't be and who will even have interest in coming to a young Warrior team (Can you really see Lebron, Wade, or Amare Stoudemire saying they want to come play for the Warriors a few summers from now with the team they've got?)? The players are out there now to make this team successful, so I say go out and make it happen Mullin!
    And last but not certainly not least, it is vital that Sir Stephen Jackson stick around. It is time the man with the tattooed gun fully mature into everything this team needs. Though it may be a lot to ask, I have faith and so should you. He took major strides these past seasons with the Warriors under Nelson and this season must be the final step. Pardon me for the corny simile, but in a sense Jackson is Batman. The one where Christian Bale has so much potential to lead, yet so much uncontrolled violence and it is not until he learns to tame it that he can take Gotham to the heights his father (in this case Davis) once took it. Jackson's fiery passion can be the fuel for this teams success just as much Jason's heat was. And hell, we already know he's just as crazy as Baron when it comes to shot selection (think Los Angeles Lakers, second game in LA) and we certainly know he can hit the big-shot (think Los Angeles Lakers, second game in LA). Stephen Jackson is no longer a tri-captain, but the sole ring leader to what should be an interesting ride. Granted he is no Duncan or Nash, but they just wouldn't be the Warriors style anyways. And who knows, maybe soon enough the Warriors luck will change and that guy will come around for them. Or maybe I'm wrong and Monta can develop into that guy. But at this point, is there really any other guy you'd rather hand the keys over to than good ol' Captain Jack?

Sincerely,

Gregory Kalin and the rest of the Golden State Nation

Dear beloved Golden State,

    We should have seen it coming. Though I admit, as most will, I was first taken by surprise late Monday night when Baron Davis opted out of the final year of his contract, I soon realized how much sense it all made. This is Baron Davis; the drama king of the NBA, the man whose game fluctuated night after night between god-awful and top tier point guard. And just like his so often daring shot selection, he made the daring move to opt out. And as always, as crazy as these decisions seem, it some how works out. Yet he left us with nothing. But of course that is the way it turned out, after all, these are the Golden State Warriors; the former laughing stock of the NBA next to only, well, the Clippers. This is a franchise whose story is built around unsuccessful draft picks and getting spurned by players for bigger bucks. Was there any other way this all could have worked out? Of course, you all know all of this already.
    Of course, Baron's departure leaves a void in this team that no one is talking about; a void that began to depart with Jason Richardson a year ago today. With the exiting of these two players, our beloved Warriors are once again left without an identity, a soul, or a heart beat; the same problem that haunted them for 13 postseason-less years. Jason was undoubtedly the heart of the Warriors, he had been there for enough of the struggles to realize that what had finally been assembled should not be wasted. We witnessed him fight and give it his all, and as fans we loved him for that. He would have sold his soul to the devil if it meant success for our team. But what Jason lacked was a killer-instinct; he wanted it, but it just wasn't in his DNA.             This is where Baron made up for what Jason lacked; the daringness to take the shot, as well as the ability to make it. He was crazy, but it was controlled.Together, combined with the right amount of craziness from good old Stephen Jackson, they were a perfect mesh. It was exactly what this fan base needed; a bunch of pirates who could get the job done. On any night they could beat anyone and on any other night they could get blown out, but I guarantee there was never a team that wanted to play this group of bandits. They were the reason for "We Believe." With their heart and courageousness combined, they gave us the ability to believe. So with Jason's departure, the heart of the team left and as last season dwindled down, the effort did as well. Now with Baron's departure, they wont just be missing an all-star caliber point guard, but they will lose their leader; the man who was crazy, but kept it all under control. He had a bond with Stephen Jackson that cannot be replaced, and who knows how that will turn out? As much as I love him and hope he stays, there may be fear about ever Stephen being the same player.There is no more identity.
    Maybe he just needs time, but I don't see Monta Ellis ever fulfilling these needs. Can he be a go-to scorer? Absolutely. There is no reason he shouldn't average 25 points a game next year. So though he can carry the offense, he cannot carry this team's emotions. And all of the best teams have some one who can. The Spurs have Duncan, the Suns have Nash, the Celtics have three guys, the Pistons have Billups, and I guess you could say the Lakers have Kobe, but who ever really know with him.
I think Mullin knows this, but after Jason left he also knew this team would never be the same again and thus, keeping Baron around for the long-haul on a team that wanted a new identity was pointless. Mullin knows its time to take this team's identity from crazy and unpredictable to, well, just flat-out good and they've got the young guys (though I'm skeptical) to build around. So what else exactly does this team need?
    If you think about it, this teams needs are still exactly the same, plus the emotional leader. They still need a big rebounder/shot blocker, a consistent three-point shooter, and a point guard. Right off the bat, a perfect three-point specialist is James Jones (go ahead and check his three-point field goal percentage last year). Not only that, but he can also play both forward spots. As for point guard, I've been mulling over a guy for the past couple of days that no one is talking about and I can't figure out why. He is 6'7", he was a top 5 pick, he is 22 years old, he could come fairly cheep, and is the only unrestricted free agent this year who has a shot at being a star whose name isn't Gilbert Arenas, Baron Davis, and Elton Brand. And oh yeah, he is a former Clipper. His name is Shaun Livingston and he might just turn out to be the perfect guard to pair up with Monta in the back court. If he ever lives up to his potential, they would easily be the best young back court in the NBA. I know he's had a major history of injuries, but why not take a shot at two years worth a little more than the mid-level exception? Even if he doesn't work out, he'll be a nice back up for Monta at the point. Please, no more guys like Jamal Crawford or Jamal Tinsley. Honestly, what can they really bring to this young team? For years we have seen the Warriors fill their starting roster with place holders (Speedy Claxton, Dale Davis, Clifford Robinson to name a few recent ones) to play next to their budding stars (Richardson, Arenas, Ellis) waiting for the right guy to turn up at that position and only once has it worked (Davis). Now Davis is gone and Livingston could offer a potential permanent solution to the point guard position for the Warriors. If they're going to take a chance on a guy like Crawford or Tinsley, why not take a chance on a guy like Livingston instead.

   Warriors fans, I ask that we band together and ensure our team does not get stuck in a well too familiar position. As for a legitimate big man, there are few options and it most some how come through a trade likely involving Harrington and future picks.
    Last but not certainly not least, we as fans must do what is in our power to keep Jackson around. It is time the man with the tattooed gun fully mature into everything this team needs. Though it may be a lot to ask, I have faith and so should you. He took major strides these past seasons with the Warriors under Nelson and this season must be the final step. Pardon me for the corny simile, but in a sense he is Batman. The one where Christian Bale has so much potential to lead, yet so much uncontrolled violence and it is not until he learns to tame it that he can take Gotham to the heights his father (in this case Davis) once took it. Jackson's fiery passion can be the fuel for this teams success just as much Jason's heat was. And hell, we already know he's just as crazy as Baron when it comes to shot selection (think Los Angeles Lakers, second game in LA) and we certainly know he can hit the big-shot (think Los Angeles Lakers, second game in LA). Stephen Jackson is no longer a tri-captain, but the sole ring leader to what should be an interesting ride. Granted he is no Duncan or Nash, but they just wouldn't be the Warriors style anyways. And who knows, maybe soon enough the Warriors luck will change and that guy will come around for them. Or maybe I'm wrong and Monta can develop into that guy. But at this point, is there really any other guy you'd rather hand the keys over to than good ol' Captain Jack?

Sincerely,

Gregory Kalin