Fratello Fired

"Mike Fratello Relieved of Head Coaching Duties with the Memphis Grizzlies"

That's the Headline to the Grizzlies story on the main site. Personally, I like my alliteration better - but as long as somebody else is coaching the team, I don't care how it's said.

I have no idea how Barone will do as coach...but he can't do much worse. The story on CNNSI spun the story in a "boy they sure missed Pau and now poor Mikey is getting all the blame."

They did miss Pau - which would be expected considering that this team was built around him. (Much like Memphis missed DeAngelo) But Pau isn't the lightning rod spark that caused the team to be slower than molasses in January with him being gone.

Fratello's fired and it's about 2 months too late!

Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!

Thursday Thoughts

(Sigh) The Hogs lose to the Longhorns, Grizzlies lose to San Antonio and Memphis loses to Arizona...O Discordia!

Now to digress from sports for just a minute: I have 2 important requests for the 3 people who might read this to pass along to everyone they know. First, a turn lane is a turn lane. Please use it as it's intended. It's not called a turn lane because you "turn" through it while you pull into the Wal-Mart. It's intended purpose is to give you a place to slow down without impeding traffic behind you. Get into the dang turn lane before you ever hit the brake, you brain-dead idiots. And Second, when you're leaving the Wal-Mart...if you're going to be a jackass and pull out in front of me - even though there is NOBODY behind me on the road for as far as the eye can see - at LEAST accelerate to the speed limit. Don't just pull out in front me, make me jam on the brakes and then only go, like, 20 miles per hour.

The point behind both of these points - if you're on the road, please stay out of the way.

West vs Fratello...

Internet reports are circulating (ok, so maybe it's one blog reporting and then a bunch of other blogs talkinga about it) about Jerry West jumping on Mike Fratello’s case about the team losing.

It’s about time. Losing is bad enough, but now we’re back losing AND being boring…it’s time somebody got in Mike Fratello’s face about it. He doesn’t care, he won’t be back…fire him now and get an interim coach put in place so that as soon as this ownership debacle is settled one way or the other we can get a coaching search underway. That way they’ll have all season to look for a coach and maybe get a headstart on some of the better available coaches.

And really - Fratello may be the Czar, but West is the Logo...no way a Czar beats the Logo. Long after both are dead...the Logo will be around.

I happened to think today about an argument that everyone is making about the Davis group buying the Grizzlies. The point is continually brought up “Why would Davis pay $350 Million to buy a team that’s losing money?”

The answer is simple. And he explained it on the Vernon show when they were talking to about his plans as owner. He never says he wants to make money with the Grizzlies. Nor do his investors. In the grand scheme of things, the Grizzlies are simply a key that Davis needs to open up his opportunities to develop downtown Memphis. And THAT’s what he kept saying on the show was his plan. To develop downtown…to bring in conventions…turn downtown into a 24 hour downtown that people wanted to come to.

Just like his Duke connections in Durham, Davis wants to use the "Grizzlies owner" status as a tool to get inside the downtown development. That’s where the real money is – and it’s where he’s already made his money…real estate development.

THAT’s where Davis and his investors plan to make their money. The Grizzlies losing money will be considered the cost of doing business to them. They’ll try to lower the amount they lose, of course – but you want to know why they’ll spend $350 Million to buy a team that’s losing money…because they don’t plan on making their money with the Grizzlies. They plan on using the Grizzlies to get the connections they need to make their money in real estate.

As long it is a legitimate owner who has the team’s best interest in mind and they make good decisions for the team while they make their money elsewhere…I’m fine with that.