Woj: Cavs fire David Blatt

[trojanfan12]

yah...LeBron and Griffin last January had a meeting where LeBron said- get rid of Blatt but wait a year so no one blames me-even though they are going to blame me anyway- and Griffin said- YES SIR. TOTALLY PLAUSIBLE. lol.

You're really embarrassing yourself at this point. It just shows how little you know about business, brands, etc. But keep posting away, I'm not the only one being entertained by this.

 

[gordontrue]

No, I wasn't tearing him down. In fact, I stated that Lebron doesn't qualify as a "coach killer." I simply stated the facts that he has gone to the finals with 2 coaches in Cleveland and both were fired to appease him and that the one place where he was actually coached, resulted in 2 championships. That's not building him up or tearing him down. It's stating facts about what has happened. The only "opinion" I've presented is that he's not a "coach killer."

Stating that he's a "coachmaker" is a statement of opinion.

Again, you completely miss the point. I'm NOT saying you are trying to tear him down. You are providing facts and tying them together with a conclusion that is your opinion.

That's what we're all doing. Mike Brown winning coach of the Year and Spoelstra coaching his team to 2 championships are also facts. Stating that I think his coaches have benefited from the relationship more than they've been hurt is my opinion drawing conclusion to those facts.

Don't sit here and try to pretend like you're just saying the facts without adding your own personal opinions / conclusions. I'd love to go quote collecting.

 

[trojanfan12]

i mean- the flying monkey that lives in LEBron's ass could have asked for Spoelstra to be fired....

That flying monkey appears to have hacked your account.

 

[WiggyRuss]

You're really embarrassing yourself at this point. It just shows how little you know about business, brands, etc. But keep posting away, I'm not the only one being entertained by this.

hey if you think tis plausible that hte GM kept a coach around for a year that neither he nor LeBron wanted to protect LeBron's image when everyone was gonna blame him anyway when the team is desperately trying to win a title- you are more than welcome to that opinion. I think that sound like the stupidest shit i have ever heard- but whatever.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Yeah, that's a very fair point.

But it starts to feel very conspiracy-theory-esque with the whole "nobody wants to tell the REAL truth". Riley is not exactly the person you'd expect to protect LeBron's image.

Riley rarely speaks to the media during the season.
The question was asked at a totally non basketball event.

The Heat have taken the high road since the day James left.
His words are his words though, and they leave the door open for more then 1 interpretation.

 

[gordontrue]

Of course it's conspiracy theory-esque. Because it's a conspiracy. Of course, it's not a "the truth is out there" or "9/11 was an inside job" type of conspiracy, it's freaking basketball.

But it is to the benefit of Lebron's brand and legacy as well as the Cavs brand and legacy to do what they can to give Lebron a plausible way to deny involvement. In fact, it's even to the benefit of the NBA as a whole because no one wants to see players have that kind of power.

Like I told turnup, its a fair point. There's definitely plausibility. Its just frustrating trying to argue from the other side because no amount of public statements from the most knowledgeable sources emphatically shooting down the rumors will every satisfy the conspiracy theorist when they believe everyone has to keep it hush hush.

In that situation, there should be willingness from both sides of the argument - imo - to acknowledge that we really don't know the truth of it.

I am VERY confident that LeBron could've stopped Blatt's firing if he really wanted to. So I'm comfortable assuming that LeBron was not strongly against the move. Anything beyond that is an assumption I am not comfortable making.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I would have LOVED to be a fly on the wall for that conversation:

(sometime last january)

LeBron: "David- I want Blatt gone- but i dont want the blame"

Griffin: "Well- ya know you guys have only been together for like 3-4 months now- why not try and make it work?"

LeBron: "No- i want him gone- but if we fire him now- ill look bad and be blamed"

Griffin: "Well I hate to break it to you LeBron- but with how the media is- there gonna blame you pretty much no matter what"

LeBron: "I know what we can do- lets wait a year! maybe by then they wont blame me!"

Griffin: "GREAT IDEA! that will work for sure- in the meantime- we have a lame duck coach that we KNOW is going to be fired- but ill publicly support him- but wow- 12 months from now - he is G-O-N-E GONE!-ill take all the blame too LeBron - dont worry- this will work for sure!"

LeBron: "Your the best Griff!"

Griffin: "so just so we dont have any miscommuncation- you want us to keep a coach around for 1 year that you have no faith just to try and make yourself look better- when they are going to blame you anyway?"

LeBron: "EXACTLY!"

lol
LOL

 

[gordontrue]

Riley rarely speaks to the media during the season.
The question was asked at a totally non basketball event.

The Heat have taken the high road since the day James left.
His words are his words though, and they leave the door open for more then 1 interpretation.

That's true. Riley may not be eager to defend LeBron but he's certainly not the type of person you'd expect to come out and criticize him publicly either.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Riley rarely speaks to the media during the season.
The question was asked at a totally non basketball event.

The Heat have taken the high road since the day James left.
His words are his words though, and they leave the door open for more then 1 interpretation.

hahaha....wow..i needed a little humor this morning.

 

[trojanfan12]

That's what we're all doing. Mike Brown winning coach of the Year and Spoelstra coaching his team to 2 championships are also facts. Stating that I think his coaches have benefited from the relationship more than they've been hurt is my opinion drawing conclusion to those facts.

No one is claiming that these coaches didn't benefit. Any coach benefits from coaching a prime or near prime superstar. In fact, at least in Browns case, what he has been able to accomplish without Lebron, shows that pretty much every good thing that happened in his career is the result of having coached Lebron.

Even Blatt benefited to an extent. Without Lebron, he doesn't get the experience of having coached in the finals. Although, he also probably still has his job, so maybe he wouldn't agree that it was a benefit.

However, you called him a "coachmaker." Coaches don't get fired to appease "coachmakers." Had Lebron actually given Blatt a chance and it worked out, then making the case that Lebron's a coachmaker would actually make some sense.

And don't get me wrong, while I really don't like the way it happened and don't like a player having that much power. I've also said that, fair or not, it was probably the right move because Blatt was clearly in over his head and Lebron is too far into his career to have the patience to wait for Blatt to learn the NBA.

In fact, I believe earlier in this or another thread I said that "Blatt was in the wrong place at the right time or right place at the wrong time or something."

 

[trojanfan12]

hey if you think tis plausible that hte GM kept a coach around for a year that neither he nor LeBron wanted to protect LeBron's image when everyone was gonna blame him anyway when the team is desperately trying to win a title- you are more than welcome to that opinion. I think that sound like the stupidest shit i have ever heard- but whatever.

Hey, if you think that the image of Lebron's brand and the Cavs brand isn't important enough for them to be very calculating about when a coach is fired, you're more than welcome to that. Just shows how little you actually know. But then, we're all used to you showing how little you actually know.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Hey, if you think that the image of Lebron's brand and the Cavs brand isn't important enough for them to be very calculating about when a coach is fired, you're more than welcome to that. Just shows how little you actually know. But then, we're all used to you showing how little you actually know.

why not just fire him in July then when they lost the title. Trojan- you ever notice- that usually- if you have a good point- turnup- or one of your minions tends to jump in?-- sometimes they dont...and there is probably a REASON why in this case.

there is no way on Gods green earth that the Cavs would keep a coach around and fire him in the MIDDLE of the season just to ATTEMPT to protect lebrons rep- when everyone was going to blame him anyway. There is no possible benefit to that- and its so consipiracy theory-esque its insane. Its far fetched and its insane. Im sorry.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

hahaha....wow..i needed a little humor this morning.

What did I miss?
What Heat quotes from the FO have been low road.

Don't include the one about hidden agendas, because it was 100% accurate and not a shot at James for leaving.
It was about the Heat moving on.

 

[trojanfan12]

Like I told turnup, its a fair point. There's definitely plausibility. Its just frustrating trying to argue from the other side because no amount of public statements from the most knowledgeable sources emphatically shooting down the rumors will every satisfy the conspiracy theorist when they believe everyone has to keep it hush hush.

So, you think that Lebron and the Cavs are so honest that they'd come out and own it? That if Lebron really had Blatt fired he'd come out and say "Yeah, I had him fired. The man doesn't know what he's doing." Or that the Cavs would say "Yeah, we had to fire him, Lebron has that opt out"?

Also, from what I've read, Lebron came out and said he was "surprised" that Blatt was fired and that's been about the only denial I've seen Lebron's involvement re: Blatt .

Most of what I have read has focused on why Blatt deserved to be fired. What I've read has focused far more on veterans not liking him and his lack of NBA knowledge. That's why, while I don't like how it happened, I understand why it was probably the right move.

Essentially, it was the right move made the wrong way. I also acknowledge that while it might have been done the wrong way, I'm not convinced that there was necessarily a right way.

The true "right way" would be to give Blatt a couple more seasons to learn and show what he can do and then let him go if necessary (similar to what the Lakers did with Del Harris before they got Phil). The problem is that Lebron is a 31, while Shaq and Kobe were in their mid and early 20's. The Lakers had time to give Harris a fair shot. The Cavs didn't have that luxury with Blatt.

 

[WiggyRuss]

So, you think that Lebron and the Cavs are so honest that they'd come out and own it? That if Lebron really had Blatt fired he'd come out and say "Yeah, I had him fired. The man doesn't know what he's doing." Or that the Cavs would say "Yeah, we had to fire him, Lebron has that opt out"?

Also, from what I've read, Lebron came out and said he was "surprised" that Blatt was fired and that's been about the only denial I've seen Lebron's involvement re: Blatt .

Most of what I have read has focused on why Blatt deserved to be fired. What I've read has focused far more on veterans not liking him and his lack of NBA knowledge. That's why, while I don't like how it happened, I understand why it was probably the right move.

Essentially, it was the right move made the wrong way. I also acknowledge that while it might have been done the wrong way, I'm not convinced that there was necessarily a right way.

The true "right way" would be to give Blatt a couple more seasons to learn and show what he can do and then let him go if necessary (similar to what the Lakers did with Del Harris before they got Phil). The problem is that Lebron is a 31, while Shaq and Kobe were in their mid and early 20's. The Lakers had time to give Harris a fair shot. The Cavs didn't have that luxury with Blatt.

Oh I agree with all of this- but i have no clue how that relates to a theory that the Cavs KNEW 12 months ago they were going to fire Blatt but held onto to protect LeBrons rep when everyoen was gonna blame him anyway---the comment above DIRECTLY above- and some of your other previous comments were extremely sensible and show that you actually read and tried to understand what happened. A consipracy theory like a couple of pages ago is just insane

of course i would not put it passed the Cavs to conceal the messy details- but what you were suggesting just has absolutely no benefit and just did not make sense and was so against the other posts that you made that it was alarming and surprising and in my mind completely unplausible since there was absolutely no benefit and so much taht could go wrong.

 

[trojanfan12]

why not just fire him in July then when they lost the title. Trojan- you ever notice- that usually- if you have a good point- turnup- or one of your minions tends to jump in?-- sometimes they dont...and there is probably a REASON why in this case.

there is no way on Gods green earth that the Cavs would keep a coach around and fire him in the MIDDLE of the season just to ATTEMPT to protect lebrons rep- when everyone was going to blame him anyway. There is no possible benefit to that- and its so consipiracy theory-esque its insane. Its far fetched and its insane. Im sorry.

As usual, you're wrong and now just arguing to save face. They couldn't fire him last January for obvious reasons. They couldn't fire him July because he had just taken a team that was missing 2 of it's 3 top players to the finals and was able to make it a competitive series. It took until the middle of this season to have reasons to fire him that give Lebron some level deniability.

Do you honestly think that with the speed that all of the "It wasn't Lebron" and "These are the real reasons Blatt was fired" stories got out there that the Cavs didn't understand what was going to happen? If you do, I've got some beautiful beach front property in Nebraska that I'd like to sell you.

 

[WiggyRuss]

As usual, you're wrong and now just arguing to save face. They couldn't fire him last January for obvious reasons. They couldn't fire him July because he had just taken a team that was missing 2 of it's 3 top players to the finals and was able to make it a competitive series. It took until the middle of this season to have reasons to fire him that give Lebron some level deniability.

Do you honestly think that with the speed that all of the "It wasn't Lebron" and "These are the real reasons Blatt was fired" stories got out there that the Cavs didn't understand what was going to happen? If you do, I've got some beautiful beach front property in Nebraska that I'd like to sell you.

you said you think they KNEW LASTJanuary they were going to fire him but held onto him for a calender year to protect LeBrons reputation. I think that is completely bat shit crazy. I dont know how else to put it.

 

[trojanfan12]

Oh I agree with all of this- but i have no clue how that relates to a theory that the Cavs KNEW 12 months ago they were going to fire Blatt but held onto to protect LeBrons rep when everyoen was gonna blame him anyway--

Seriously?!? You don't think they knew how bad it would be if they fired Blatt halfway through his first season? Really?!?

You have been telling us ever since you landed here about how brilliant the Cavs are and how smart Gilbert and Griffin are. But now we're supposed to believe that they didn't understand that firing Blatt halfway through his first season would look incredibly bad for both Lebron and the Cavs?

 

[WiggyRuss]

Seriously?!? You don't think they knew how bad it would be if they fired Blatt halfway through his first season? Really?!?

You have been telling us ever since you landed here about how brilliant the Cavs are and how smart Gilbert and Griffin are. But now we're supposed to believe that they didn't understand that firing Blatt halfway through his first season would look incredibly bad for both Lebron and the Cavs?

i just think that it would be insane to attempt to win a championship with a coach you know are going to fire and have lost faith in. that seems totally insane to me and something griffin would never do. Griffin made a poitn to say- we are not leaving this up to chance...he could have avoided ALL OF THIS and just let Blatt fail and then NO ONE would have blamed LeBron..i think thats a big whole i nthis whole theory...

if Griffin and LeBron really didnt want any blame or any more pressure- wait till the end of the season-if they win awesome-if they dont fire blat- no one would have batted an eye.

 

[trojanfan12]

you said you think they KNEW LASTJanuary they were going to fire him but held onto him for a calender year to protect LeBrons reputation. I think that is completely bat shit crazy. I dont know how else to put it.

No, I didn't. I said that Lebron's people started saying Lebron wanted him gone last January. There's a difference between knowing Lebron wanted him gone and knowing they were for sure going to fire him.

I'm sure that when Lebron's representatives first started saying he wanted Blatt out, the Cavs FO explained that they couldn't just fire him halfway through his first season and got them to calm down a little. Things probably got a little quiet over the summer because of how well the Cavs did in the playoffs and finals and then the complaints started getting louder and louder this season.

Additionally, I have also said that it was to protect both the Cavs and Lebron's image, not just Lebron's.

You have a real problem with taking peoples statements out of context and/or outright making shit up in your attempts to win the internet. I'm not the only one who's sick of it and this is your warning to stop.