Week 15: The Browns Will Win If…
December 16, 2011While We’re Waiting…Grading the Browns’ Tackles, Questioning Holmgren and Luke Fickell at Pitt?
December 17, 2011After an off-season in which Dan Gilbert fought for small market teams, he addressed the Cavaliers’ season ticket holders and investors Friday. The message for fans was clear- thanks for your continued support, and please remain patient.
Gilbert opened by saying it has been an interesting and challenging 16 months. The organization has a whole different feel now, with new players and a coach in his 2nd year with the team. They are trying to build a solid foundation, building the right way. He mentioned that the city has been incredibly supportive of the Cavaliers. There is an incredible passion for not just team but city as well.
He reiterated his desire wants to deliver a championship to Cleveland. This time they are doing it the right way, with the right players and organization. He said they are definitely ahead of where they were last year.
He was asked a question about being viewed nationally as a leader in the CBA negotiations, and if the league was now set up to be competitive. Gilbert reminded his audience that the agreement was for 10 years, but with a 6 year out clause. He is treating it as a 6 year deal for now. He said it was obviously not an easy process, and the owners did not get everything they were looking for, just as the players didn’t. He talked about the getting the right kind of players, and building through the draft. He said that real championship teams aren’t built through free agency. They are put together mostly through the draft and trades.
He spoke about the “phenomenon” of players dictating where they will be traded to and assembling “super-teams’ and said this was really only 18 months old. Yes, there were isolated incidents in the past (IE Shaq) but that it really started July 8th 2010. He said getting the right kind of players, the right kind of character are very important to building a team. Gilbert added he thinks it is a little overblown to say that everyone will leave Cleveland or Oklahoma City when they become free agents, that simply isn’t true. But it is still a concern of the teams and they will keep it in mind.
He was asked about the team’s approach to building, and he responded they will always try to build in this order- 1. Draft 2. Trade 3. Add through Free Agency.
When asked why should fans give money back to owners and players after the lock-out Gilbert said “We have to earn your business back. We fully understand that. We have to put out the best product. We understand that we are competing for your entertainment dollar.” He again thanked the fans for their continued support.
A fan mentioned that you never seen Dan and Moondog on court at same time. Could they be one and the same? “It would be great to do that for a quarter because nobody would know who it was.” He mentioned Moondog is taller.
The most interesting response of the day came when asked if he felt his reputation will hurt the Cavaliers in Free Agency. He said the email that was leaked regarding the Chris Paul trade never should have been sent. He was on a plane and didn’t check and see that the trade had already been nixed. He sent the email off to Stern and copied a number of owners, one of which leaked the email. (He would not offer that owner’s name.) He said he woke up the next morning and checked his Blackberry only to see a reporter’s email saying he just read the email on Yahoo.
Gilbert wanted to let the fans know that he was frustrated during the lock-out because of the media blackout the owners were under, and he couldn’t respond to anything being written about or said. He described his frustrations with some ‘screaming heads’ in the media that “do not do the work.” “They completely fabricate ideas.” He made reference to one writer who wrote a piece detailing all 29 owners’ positions, stating that “he couldn’t have been more wrong with darts.” Meaning if he threw darts at a board he could have had more accuracy in his piece.
In regards to the Baron Davis move, he said the teams only get a 7 day window to use amnesty each year. “Where Baron is at this point in his career, and the flexibility the move gives us, it was the best for the organization.”
Are the Cavaliers better off today than they were under the old agreement? “There are some things put in place to help any team keep a player. Neither owners nor players got exactly what they wanted. We are in a slightly better position.” He again stated that July 8th 2010 is when the current trend or phenomenon started. If it does continue, the next CBA will have to address it.
He was asked what the celebration might be like when the team achieves it goal of winning a Championship- “Lot of work to do before we get there, but it will be one big ass party.”
10 Comments
That darts comment has a past Bill Simmons column where he was calling out various owners written all over it.
Nah, it has more to do with True Hoop’s rather detailed breakdown of the NBA’s position.
micky arison.
It’s either Arison, Buss, or Dolan.
“We have to earn your business back. We fully understand that. We have to put out the best product. We understand that we are competing for your entertainment dollar.”
it is my dream that one day this city turns its back so bad on the Browns that this statement comes from Lerner or Holmgren or Heckert.
#imwithgilbert
I am excited to be a Cavs fan. We are going to take some lumps but I am willing to go for the ride with Dan and his team. I share many of the same faults and won’t condemn him b/c it seems he cares deeply. I realize his duality as a businessman so I don’t begrudge his pursuit of the dollar while owning the team.
We cannot bitch and moan about Duke Randolph Lerner II for his passivity and then deride Dan for his passion.
Couldn’t have said it better bridgecrosser. Nicely said.
At least we have ONE owner in this city that CLEARLY gives a damn. Remember how we supported him last year when the league fined him on his “decision” comments, especially those directed at said prick? We the fans raised more than enough money to cover that B.S. fine. #imwithgilbert Use Quicken Loans, Gilbert owns that company too!
Kildawg – if you want to fund Gilbert’s already lavish lifestyle, then that’s your choice. But do you care about how well the owner is at PR in this town or actually bringing a championship here? If it’s the former, then yes the Cavs are your team, but if its the latter, then you should check out Thrasher, Dinsmore and Dolan for any legal issues, as they’ve built the team that’s far and away the closest to a ring.
@ Steve – back off, you could not be more incorrect in your opinion
With Gilbert we stand!