Woj: Suns in a state of disrepair.

BC867

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Nothing new there. But he's right, we're in a state of disrepair.
I wonder if, and for how many years, the League will allow it to go on.

They are aware of the situation. Hopefully, they will feel a responsibility to step in eventually.

It doesn't look like Robert Sarver is going to pull back on his own. Not with NBA teams being worth trillions of dollars. (It sounds so strange just to say that.)

The one thing Sarver appears to covet more than attention is money. I don't begrudge him that.

Would it ever be in his best interest to turn the running of the team over to a pro? So far, no hope for that.
 

Cheesebeef

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Woj shines a light on the franchise's dysfunction.

http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=26086788

We're a joke.

in other news... water's wet!

Only good thing I take away from that is reporting that the league is concerned about the franchise. The sooner they have to step in Philly style to right all the wrongs of Sarver the better and if there's already chatter about that happening, it's music to my ears.
 

Willie D

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In related news:

The Sun rose in the east and set in the west.

Income taxes are due in April.

Elephants still have big ears.

Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.
 

Polecat

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Sarver is sitting under the shade of s money tree. He will not sell and the fans can't make him
But he is only the head of a group of owners. Who are the other owners?
Make them public figures and direct the anger toward them for letting this go on.
They are the people who have the power to get rid of Sarver.
 

1tinsoldier

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well, obviously none of it is news to Suns fans or anyone else paying attention around the league, but that a respected sports reporter is saying it now IS significant

it puts pressure on Sarver
and we need as much pressure working for us as possible
we lost some leverage when Sarver got his stadium rebuilt approved too easily
 

Finito

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And still some guys here make excuses for Sarver.
 

ArizonaSportsFan

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And still some guys here make excuses for Sarver.
Huh? I don't think I have ever seen someone here "make excuses for Sarver". I think that everyone agrees he is a lousy owner. Some may doubt the veracity of some of the stories that go on and on and are doubled-down on on here, but even that does not mean they think he is a good owner.

I hope that there is some way he either sees the light or is replaced as managing partner of the group or sells the franchise. Other than that my only recourse would be to forget about the team - and I'm not willing to do that.
 

Hoop Head

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And still some guys here make excuses for Sarver.

Who is making excuses for Sarver? I don't think there is a single poster on this board that wouldn't like for him to sell the team tomorrow but that isn't going to happen.

I know some people here don't believe the league will step in and save Sarver from himself because there is no precedence for that. The league has never stepped in to taken control of a team that was bad because they kept making bad decisions.

The reason they put the Colangelo's in charge in Philly had to do with how Hinkie was deliberately losing as much as possible. That is different than what is happening here. We're losing because Sarver is an idiot and continues to think he's qualified to be a decision maker when it comes to personnel moves whether it involves players or front office executives.
 

Hoop Head

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Sarver is sitting under the shade of s money tree. He will not sell and the fans can't make him
But he is only the head of a group of owners. Who are the other owners?
Make them public figures and direct the anger toward them for letting this go on.
They are the people who have the power to get rid of Sarver.

That is actually a decent strategy. I'm not sure if it can be done or not but that is much more likely to happen than waiting for the league to step in and save Sarver from himself, which is all that some people are waiting for but they'll be waiting a long time for that. It's more likely a scandal of some sort gets Sarver removed or forces him to sell but I think if there were anything out there to leverage him out that way it would have already came out.
 

Mainstreet

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The more publicity about the dysfunction that is the Suns the better... especially at the national level.

Eventually it may force him to change through peer pressure within the NBA and outside as well.
 

JCSunsfan

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Who is making excuses for Sarver? I don't think there is a single poster on this board that wouldn't like for him to sell the team tomorrow but that isn't going to happen.

I know some people here don't believe the league will step in and save Sarver from himself because there is no precedence for that. The league has never stepped in to taken control of a team that was bad because they kept making bad decisions.

The reason they put the Colangelo's in charge in Philly had to do with how Hinkie was deliberately losing as much as possible. That is different than what is happening here. We're losing because Sarver is an idiot and continues to think he's qualified to be a decision maker when it comes to personnel moves whether it involves players or front office executives.
This. Look at the Knicks under Dolan. If the league hasn't made him sell in a key market, they are not going to save us from Sarver.
 

JCSunsfan

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If the hope is that the league makes Sarver sell, people better start looking through old yearbooks for pics of Sarver in blackface or a KKK hood. That would do it.
 

overseascardfan

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I know the stadium bill was necessary and it benefits more than just helping the team with other vendors and employees at stake but you have to wonder if we voted against it would that have eventually forced Sarver to sell as league would not have approved a relocation out of AZ market.

Hitting Sarvers wallet long term is in way he sells, he can care less what fans think of him. No big time coach will come here while he is owner. You have a new inexperienced coach every year because no one will be able to turn this team around and players will eventually force their way out.
 

Yuma

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I think the news is that the league is considering making Sarver hire somebody with NBA experience to pull this franchise out of a nosedive.
 

Hoop Head

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I think the news is that the league is considering making Sarver hire somebody with NBA experience to pull this franchise out of a nosedive.

Where did you get that idea? That isn't what Woj said. He said that other teams around the league are concerned and have questioned how the Suns are doing things but that's it. He said that James Jones is running things right now, which isn't anything new, and how there has been talk of him hiring someone to oversee basketball operations but they haven't interviewed anyone or even made that decision for sure. He even said that Sarver is at a crossroads again, not the league. There is no precedence for the league to do anything. It would be the first time in NBA history that they stepped in to save a franchise from their own bad decisions.

I don't know if that's ever happened in any of the other big sports league but I don't think it has in the NFL or MLB. I know the NHL has taken over teams that were in trouble financially but the Suns aren't losing money so that's not an issue here. I would think if the NFL ever did that they would have considered it under Bill Bidwill's time as owner of the Cardinals because they were awful for a long time before his son took over and they got their new stadium.
 

unseenaz

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This. Look at the Knicks under Dolan. If the league hasn't made him sell in a key market, they are not going to save us from Sarver.
yup... because it is so easy for the owner to spin the story. sarver has ruined this franchise, but "bad GM hires, bad coaching hires, unlucky draft picks, arena sucks, no training facility..." the list goes on and on as excuses for sarver to pull out of a hat. it's hard to prove gross negligence of an owner, even if it's very obvious to the naked eye. we're stuck with him. I just hope the dude has some level of care for his ego and removes himself from the equation in one way or another. sell the team... move to Antarctica.. either way.
 
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Western Font

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Sarver is a loser as an NBA owner. He has been occasionally defended here, though mostly in two specific contexts: the “cheap” label, and comparing his success to Colangelo’s. The latter argument disappeared a few years back.
 

JCSunsfan

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Sarver is a loser as an NBA owner. He has been occasionally defended here, though mostly in two specific contexts: the “cheap” label, and comparing his success to Colangelo’s. The latter argument disappeared a few years back.
The cheap thing did not seem to make sense. He does not spend wisely. That is for sure. It seems that he is unwilling to spend for non-player salaries throughout the organization.
 

NashDishesDimes

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Honestly, id love to blame sarver 100% but i dont think thats the case. He is certainly a lot to blame but to what extent he is involved we may never know. Suns happened to have high picks in bad drafts, and some of the stupid moves and trades have to fall on the GMs too.
 

Mainstreet

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Where did you get that idea? That isn't what Woj said. He said that other teams around the league are concerned and have questioned how the Suns are doing things but that's it. He said that James Jones is running things right now, which isn't anything new, and how there has been talk of him hiring someone to oversee basketball operations but they haven't interviewed anyone or even made that decision for sure. He even said that Sarver is at a crossroads again, not the league. There is no precedence for the league to do anything. It would be the first time in NBA history that they stepped in to save a franchise from their own bad decisions.

I don't know if that's ever happened in any of the other big sports league but I don't think it has in the NFL or MLB. I know the NHL has taken over teams that were in trouble financially but the Suns aren't losing money so that's not an issue here. I would think if the NFL ever did that they would have considered it under Bill Bidwill's time as owner of the Cardinals because they were awful for a long time before his son took over and they got their new stadium.


@Yuma

My guess this is what Yuma is saying. I think there was a mention in the video of the Suns talking about hiring a president of basketball operations.
 

BC867

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Sarver is sitting under the shade of s money tree. He will not sell and the fans can't make him
But he is only the head of a group of owners. Who are the other owners?
Make them public figures and direct the anger toward them for letting this go on.
They are the people who have the power to get rid of Sarver.

Their names are available online. Months ago, for the heck of it, I sent an identical letter to each of them.

I suggested that the rest of the investors put their 70% of the ownership together and remove Sarver as Managing Partner. They could do it!

The number of responses I received was zero. And some posters here posted, rightfully so, that they are Sarver's sheep and he is making them millions.

They are not about to rock the money boat.

I also wrote to the Office of the Commissioner and received no response. And to Jerry Colangelo, who sent a hand written note saying, "Let's hope for the best." and wished me a Merry Christmas.

I had reminded Jerry that I am about a year younger than he, have lived in NE Phoenix for over forty years and care about the reputation of our Valley teams.

Now that he is no longer employed by the Sixers, he would be free to step in for a couple of years and run basketball operations, but evidently that is not happening.
 
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