# Allen's done...



## zagsfan20 (Dec 24, 2004)

A kind of humurous column by Canzano about Paul Allen's final home game as Blazers owner...



> Then, he trailed off, sounding further removed with every syllable. The sociological reminder here is that a basketball franchise isn't like a childhood home. Allen won't drive past the Rose Garden late at night, peering in the front window, trying to imagine himself at the kitchen table, playing checkers with his mother, Faye.





> He's done with the Blazers. This "I'm at peace" business isn't a ploy. It's not a bluff. You knew it from the look in his eyes. And maybe for the first time, we all understand him.





> "The NBA was my first love of professional sports teams. I certainly won't rule out (buying another franchise)."





> F ans enjoyed Allen as an owner. He chased a championship. He dreamed big. Sure, he misunderstood some personnel, especially Miles, and he didn't visit the plant often enough to foster healthy franchise DNA, but Allen's ownership was good for fans. And this is why nobody made fun of the way he sometimes danced out of rhythm during timeouts . . . until he asked taxpayers for help.


Oregonlive.com


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## SheedSoNasty (Dec 31, 2002)

That's actually a pretty good article. From my perspective, everyone seemed to enjoy our title run and was fairly pleased with Allen up until the last few seasons culminating in the disaster that we're currently in.

As of right now, he's not gonna be on anyone's list of favorite people, but he WAS good for us fans for a while.


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## SheedSoNasty (Dec 31, 2002)

Come to think of it, I have theory.

"Good" Paul Allen...










Had a beard.


"Bad" Paul Allen...










Has no beard and has visibly ugly teeth.


Bring the people back and grow out the beard, Paul!


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## Utherhimo (Feb 20, 2005)

Antg~!


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

You would think with all those billions of dollars he could afford to have white teeth. :biggrin:


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## Oldmangrouch (Feb 11, 2003)

People are so busy gloating over the fall of Paul Allen, they seem to have no clue what is coming next. I can't decide whether to commit suicide or go bowling..........


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## Foulzilla (Jan 11, 2005)

Oldmangrouch said:


> People are so busy gloating over the fall of Paul Allen, they seem to have no clue what is coming next. I can't decide whether to commit suicide or go bowling..........


The answer is obvious. Suicide at the bowling alley.


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## Utherhimo (Feb 20, 2005)

swallow the ball lol

stern dont want portland to move but to stay under new ownership and arena deal.


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## Goldmember (May 24, 2003)

It's ironic that after all of that "patience" stuff the Blazers preached this year, the billionaire owner has the least amount of it.


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## Backboard Cam (Apr 29, 2003)

I liked the end of the article:



> "There are a lot of long faces around here," a security guard said.
> 
> All but one.
> 
> John Canzano: 503-294-5065; [email protected]


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## Coatesvillain (Jul 17, 2002)

hasoos said:


> You would think with all those billions of dollars he could afford to have white teeth. :biggrin:


Haha.. beat me to it.


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## Kmurph (May 7, 2003)

Oldmangrouch said:


> People are so busy gloating over the fall of Paul Allen, they seem to have no clue what is coming next. I can't decide whether to commit suicide or go bowling..........



I agree completely....Allen for all his faults had the money and willingness to compete....there is no guarantee that a new owner will have either, or that the team will even stay in POR for that matter....

Once again, the only people who care are the fans...PAM doesn't care, the media doesn't care, yet the fans who DO care are the ones who could get screwed in the process, 30+ years and it could end with POR w\o a franchise....unbelievably sad affair....


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

I will be sad to see Allen go, because I think that he's the only thing capable of giving the Blazers a systematic competitive advantage over most of the NBA.

With that being said, if he's not going to spend his money like he has before (and I don't blame him if that's the case... he's taken so much grief for his efforts to win in the past that it's not even funny) then that competitive advantage is not present, and going with another owner is probably a good idea.

Anyone want to bet on Paul Allen owning the Sonics relatively soon? He's in Seattle's good graces (relatively speaking) because of the success of the Seahawks, and if he swoops in to save another Seattle-area team from movement, I'd imagine he'll find a more receptive governmental response than Schultz & Co. are in Seattle or what he's encountered in Portland.

Ed O.


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## ABM (Dec 30, 2002)

Ed O said:


> he's taken so much grief for his efforts to win in the past that it's not even funny....



One grief Paul could probably bear might stem from hiring Whitsitt in the first place. :yes:

Seriously, though, I truly wonder why nobody's beating down Whitsitt's doors to hire him as their own GM? 

Ever ask yourself that question, Ed?


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

ABM said:


> One grief Paul could probably bear might stem from hiring Whitsitt in the first place. :yes:
> 
> Seriously, though, I truly wonder why nobody's beating down Whitsitt's doors to hire him as their own GM?
> 
> Ever ask yourself that question, Ed?


No. 

I would imagine it's because he had cancer and is taking some time off.

Ed O.


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## ABM (Dec 30, 2002)

Ed O said:


> No.
> 
> I would imagine it's because he had cancer and is taking some time off.
> 
> Ed O.



From what I remember, he's running his own enterprise or foundation along with his wife. I would imagine, though, if the right (GM and/or President) offer was to wend his way he'd highly consider it. I haven't heard anything in that realm, though.

Ahhh, well. 

I just want to see an owner that is passionate about this team. Me thinks the Blazer lifeblood trickled from Allen when Vulcan was given the proverbial keys.


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## Blazer Freak (Jul 11, 2004)

I don't think Allen would buy the Sonics. Supposedly their lease deal is just as bad as ours, would kind of be stupid...


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

Blazer Freak said:


> I don't think Allen would buy the Sonics. Supposedly their lease deal is just as bad as ours, would kind of be stupid...


There are a couple things on that front:

1. The lease isn't as bad... because it's much shorter. The Key Arena deal expires in 2010, at which time Paul Allen (or whomever) could move the team to the best deal.

2. Paul Allen isn't universally loved up here, but he _does_ have some cache of good will with him (and Whitsitt) saving the Seahawks from moving and then the team's recent successes.

Finally, the Sonics lost $16m this past year... a lot of money, but about half of what the Blazers figure to lose over each of the next three years. 

He might be stepping from one mess to another, but it's a slightly smaller mess. And, of course, it's a significantly better team on the floor, too, which is probably a consideration for him.

Ed O.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

Ed O said:


> No.
> 
> I would imagine it's because he had cancer and is taking some time off.
> 
> Ed O.


iirc, he didn't have cancer. I thought it was just a growth on his colon.

Altho there are conflicting "reports" online that say both.


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

SMiLE said:


> iirc, he didn't have cancer. I thought it was just a growth on his colon.
> 
> Altho there are conflicting "reports" online that say both.


You decide whether you consider it cancer or not:

http://www.king5.com/health/specials/stories/NW_032305HEKcolonwhitsittSW.14420aa40.html

He didn't go through chemo or anything, but he did have a golf ball sized polyp removed from his colon.

Ed O.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

Ed O said:


> You decide whether you consider it cancer or not:
> 
> http://www.king5.com/health/specials/stories/NW_032305HEKcolonwhitsittSW.14420aa40.html
> 
> ...



I think since his wife said " "And so thank goodness we had the news that it was not cancerous," said Jan." that I'll decide it's not cancer.


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## zagsfan20 (Dec 24, 2004)

Wasn't Whitsitt interested in the Raptors job, but the Raptors weren't interested in him?....I remember reading something of the sort a little earlier in the year...


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## ABM (Dec 30, 2002)

zagsfan20 said:


> Wasn't Whitsitt interested in the Raptors job, but the Raptors weren't interested in him?....I remember reading something of the sort a little earlier in the year...


Good point.

From: Philly Inquirer



> Remember Bob Whitsitt? The former Blazers exec (and ex-president of the Seattle Seahawks; he lost a power struggle with coach Mike Holmgren last year and was fired by owner Paul Allen, a longtime friend) has quietly been consulting Raptors management all year. Whitsitt has been trying to get back into the NBA, attempting to put potential ownership groups together. This could be his way back... .


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## zagsfan20 (Dec 24, 2004)

Yeah....Whitsitt is such a good GM he hasn't been able to even land a job since his days with Portland...He's real good! :laugh:


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## Utherhimo (Feb 20, 2005)

yeah whitless vulcan combined to kill the blazes....the minute allen gave vulcan came into the picture it was down hill, wonder if valcun whole goal was to sell the team.


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## STOMP (Jan 1, 2003)

Utherhimo said:


> the minute allen gave vulcan came into the picture it was down hill, wonder if valcun whole goal was to sell the team.


the terrible lease deal was in place before the Vulcan people took control. To me, it seems that the lease terms are the main tumor here. Vulcan has recognized it as such and is forcing the situation to a head.

STOMP


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## Utherhimo (Feb 20, 2005)

the lease vulcan it all paul allen


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## deanwoof (Mar 10, 2003)

zagsfan20 said:


> Yeah....Whitsitt is such a good GM he hasn't been able to even land a job since his days with Portland...He's real good! :laugh:


Well "he installed himself as the ultimate decision maker of personnel in the Seahawks organization" according to Wikipedia for the 2003-2004 season. Then the colon thing. So it's not like he's really trying to land a job in the NBA yet.

I don't know why Whitsitt gets so much **** as a GM here in Portland. Yes the guys he brought in were very questionable and he never stopped tinkering. But he did build a champion contending team within 5 years. 

John Nash and Steve Patterson are now in year 2. I don't really see the Blazers contending even for a division title within the next 3 years. They'll scrape into the playoffs I hope by then, but it'll be one round and out.


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## Utherhimo (Feb 20, 2005)

allen changed his mind from blazer lover to blazer seller he let Whitless go free as a dog in a park with no leash while nash was shackled like a prisoner at FT levenworth, kansas, every trade nash would have done to make the team better was vetoed by allen.


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## mgb (Jun 26, 2004)

deanwoof said:


> Well "he installed himself as the ultimate decision maker of personnel in the Seahawks organization" according to Wikipedia for the 2003-2004 season. Then the colon thing. So it's not like he's really trying to land a job in the NBA yet.
> 
> I don't know why Whitsitt gets so much **** as a GM here in Portland. Yes the guys he brought in were very questionable and he never stopped tinkering. But he did build a champion contending team within 5 years.
> 
> John Nash and Steve Patterson are now in year 2. I don't really see the Blazers contending even for a division title within the next 3 years. They'll scrape into the playoffs I hope by then, but it'll be one round and out.


Ya, and BW had a owner worried about losing money so he wouldn't let him sign jack....no wait. Like comparing apples and oranges. I mean you have to see that right?


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