David Stern: My biggest fail was the Vancouver Grizzlies

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Stern admits NBA blew it in Vancouver
Posted: December 11, 2008, 3:47 PM
by Noah Love

In an interview with ESPN's Bill Simmons, NBA commissioner David Stern made a surprising, Canadian admission — the league screwed up in Vancouver.

Simmons asked Stern what his biggest regret during his tenure as head of the league would be and Stern replied that the short life of the Vancouver Grizzlies was it.

"I wish we hadn't had the Vancouver experience," he said on the BS Report. "Great city, and we disappointed them and we disappointed ourselves."

The Grizzlies left Vancouver for Memphis after six awful seasons, none of which featured a playoff appearance. They made bad draft choices (Steve Francis, Bryant Reeves), bad coaching decision (Stu Jackson, Brian Winters) and compiled an astoundingly bad 101-359 record before leaving for Memphis.

So terrible was the NBA experience in Vancouver that Stern basically ruled out the possibility that the league would ever consider giving it another shot in B.C.'s biggest city.

"I don't think we can go back," he said. "I think that was a great city, and I think we just didn't take advantage of the opportunity."

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/postedsports/archive/2008/12/11/stern-admits-nba-blew-it-in-vancouver.aspx

[sribb43]

What about the Seattle Sonics, David? I'm sure Findog would disagree with you commish

[Armando]

Seattle losing the Sonics will impact the NBA more then Vancouver. Say what you want but the fans in Seattle deserved better then that. I hope Bennet and OKC enjoy having a mediocore team. I don't see Durant,Green or Westbrook staying long term there.

[cnyc3]

I miss the grizz :cry


now that seattle is gone too, the closest nba game is 6 hours away in portland :depressed

[dirk4mvp]

Who cares about Canada? Get Toronto out of there while you're at it.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

I don't see how Stern could have done anything to save BB in Vancouver. I know we think he's some of dark magician that can snap his fingers and fix an entire playoff series, but it's neither within his power or job description to make Bryant Reeves not suck ass with the force of a black hole.

[Matchman]

how the hell can you screw up in one of the biggest cities in canada, thats like failing in New York! oh wait...

[PM5K]

Why does Toronto work but not VC?

[Trainwreck2100]

Why does Toronto work but not VC?

cause they are in a shitty conference so they had marginal success. And i agree with that guy who said to move Toronto, i don't want to see that flag when i walk into an arena or have to hear Nelly Furtado sing the canadian national anthem at the all star game anymore.

[Bob Lanier]

Why does Toronto work but not VC?
Toronto's about 4 times bigger.

But then again, Seattle's considerably bigger than backwaters like Orlando, Salt Lake City, Charlotte, New Orleans, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee, among others, and yet it failed.

Vancouver's a fantastic city. Certainly nicer than any of the cities currently in the Western Conference, with the possible exception of Denver.

[SenorSpur]

Stern admits NBA blew it in Vancouver
Posted: December 11, 2008, 3:47 PM
by Noah Love

In an interview with ESPN's Bill Simmons, NBA commissioner David Stern made a surprising, Canadian admission — the league screwed up in Vancouver.

Simmons asked Stern what his biggest regret during his tenure as head of the league would be and Stern replied that the short life of the Vancouver Grizzlies was it.

"I wish we hadn't had the Vancouver experience," he said on the BS Report. "Great city, and we disappointed them and we disappointed ourselves."

The Grizzlies left Vancouver for Memphis after six awful seasons, none of which featured a playoff appearance. They made bad draft choices (Steve Francis, Bryant Reeves), bad coaching decision (Stu Jackson, Brian Winters) and compiled an astoundingly bad 101-359 record before leaving for Memphis.

So terrible was the NBA experience in Vancouver that Stern basically ruled out the possibility that the league would ever consider giving it another shot in B.C.'s biggest city.

"I don't think we can go back," he said. "I think that was a great city, and I think we just didn't take advantage of the opportunity."

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/postedsports/archive/2008/12/11/stern-admits-nba-blew-it-in-vancouver.aspx

Tell us something we don't know. Soon he will also be able to add Charlotte, Memphis and Oklahoma City as other locations where the NBA "screwed up" and was rendered a failure.

[Findog]

I'm SHOCKED he didn't list Seattle as a failure.

And the Grizzlies were never good in Vancouver, while Heisley bought the team to move it, just like Bennett did. Fans aren't going to support a shit team once the novelty wears off. I guess this means that in 2015 he'll finally cop to Seattle getting jobbed.

[Matchman]

whether the raptors fans like it or not, Vince Carter is the person that saved the raptors franchise eventhough they had a shitty record in those years

[Findog]

Toronto's about 4 times bigger.

But then again, Seattle's considerably bigger than backwaters like Orlando, Salt Lake City, Charlotte, New Orleans, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee, among others, and yet it failed.

Vancouver's a fantastic city. Certainly nicer than any of the cities currently in the Western Conference, with the possible exception of Denver.

I never understood the reluctance of guys to go play there (Steve Francis I'm looking in your direction). They have fucking hash bars!

[Indazone]

I never understood the reluctance of guys to go play there (Steve Francis I'm looking in your direction). They have fucking hash bars!

They do?

Well then that explains why the big white van filled to the top with weed being distributed to homeless people while the constable watched.

[Indazone]

I'm SHOCKED he didn't list Seattle as a failure.

And the Grizzlies were never good in Vancouver, while Heisley bought the team to move it, just like Bennett did. Fans aren't going to support a shit team once the novelty wears off. I guess this means that in 2015 he'll finally cop to Seattle getting jobbed.

Vancouver was nothing. Seattle was his biggest failure as is the 2009 All-Star Voting travesty.

[Findog]

I wonder if the Bobcats will move to Seattle eventually. I would assume the Las Vegas market is reserved for the Maloof Brothers.

[urunobili]

he also said not to count off the Spurs when asked who from Cleva, LAX and BOS would win the title...

[lefty]

Toronto's about 4 times bigger.

But then again, Seattle's considerably bigger than backwaters like Orlando, Salt Lake City, Charlotte, New Orleans, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee, among others, and yet it failed.

Vancouver's a fantastic city. Certainly nicer than any of the cities currently in the Western Conference, with the possible exception of Denver.

Vancouver is a great city

I live in Montreal, and the other Canadian city I'm considering living in is Vancouver.

Ok, maybe Toronto, since I'm a huge NBA fan.

I remember when Olajuwon was playing at Houston, he spent his summer vacations in Vancouver; he admitted that he loved the city, which worried the Rockets management, who thought Hakeem may have wanted to play with the Grizzlies

[sribb43]

Stern's biggest failure was raping the Mavs of the '06 championship

[Dex]

What is Charlotte's overall record so far?

[Dex]

116-235

Guess that's not quite as FAIL.

[vicphoenix13]

If you lived in Vancouver when the Grizzlies played there, the only conclusion you could arrive at was that there was terrible management. Stu Jackson ruined the franchise with brutal decision making like trading a lottery pick for Otis Thorpe. Even when other GM's tried to help him out, Jackson refused. He was offered Steve Nash for a first round pick but didn't see Nash as that good a player. I found it funny that after being fired as GM, Stern rewarded Jackson with a top executive position in the league offices. Somehow, that clown is still making decisions when its clear he doesn't belong in the NBA.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

If you lived in Vancouver when the Grizzlies played there, the only conclusion you could arrive at was that there was terrible management. Stu Jackson ruined the franchise with brutal decision making like trading a lottery pick for Otis Thorpe. Even when other GM's tried to help him out, Jackson refused. He was offered Steve Nash for a first round pick but didn't see Nash as that good a player. I found it funny that after being fired as GM, Stern rewarded Jackson with a top executive position in the league offices. Somehow, that clown is still making decisions when its clear he doesn't belong in the NBA.

May be a classic case of "failing upwards". Stern wanted Jackson where he could keep his eye on him rather than risking any club being dumb enough to give him a shot to wreck a second franchise.

[_so eMo i'm dEAd_:(]

david stern ripped my favorite team from me like so many girls have ripped my heart out and devoured it piece by piece
laughing the whole time


his power trip mocks my soul.


WHY DOESNT DAVID STERN UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYONE JUST WANTS A TEAM TO LOVE.

The sonix were a blessid haven for me after the cold mockery that was a daye at school. I could find warmth in the joy of a robert swift hook shot... peace in the beauty of a kevin durant fadeaway.

if only i could fade away, alas


if the sonix cant make it in seattle, how can i make it in life?

if .... how?


?

[vicphoenix13]

May be a classic case of "failing upwards". Stern wanted Jackson where he could keep his eye on him rather than risking any club being dumb enough to give him a shot to wreck a second franchise.

What really pisses me off, is that Stern told the original Vancouver Grizzlies owner to hire Stu Jackson as GM. That's why I think Stern regrets what happened in Vancouver. What I am still trying to figure out is why Stern moved Vancouver and Seattle to Memphis and Oklahoma City? Vancouver has two million people while Memphis has one million people. Seattle has three million people while Oklahoma City has one million people. If your going to leave world class cities like Vancouver and Seattle, atleast move to bigger markets.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

What really pisses me off, is that Stern told the original Vancouver Grizzlies owner to hire Stu Jackson as GM. That's why I think Stern regrets what happened in Vancouver. What I am still trying to figure out is why Stern moved Vancouver and Seattle to Memphis and Oklahoma City? Vancouver has two million people while Memphis has one million people. Seattle has three million people while Oklahoma City has one million people. If your going to leave world class cities like Vancouver and Seattle, atleast move to bigger markets.

Vancouver to Memphis? Your guess is as good as mine. They needed to go, there was no question. They were absolutely awful and no one wanted to ssee them, but I couldn't tell you why they went to Memphis in particular.

As for OKC, that makes a little more sense. There's a whole lot of back story with the Sonics ownership group being based out of there, and for what it's worth Oklahoma did a great job in its dress rehearsal with the Hornets in showing that they could and would support an NBA franchise. And unlike the Griz back in the day I think they've got a good front office that can build the team into something competitive and most importantly profitable.

[NIH]

Toronto's about 4 times bigger.

But then again, Seattle's considerably bigger than backwaters like Orlando, Salt Lake City, Charlotte, New Orleans, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee, among others, and yet it failed.

Vancouver's a fantastic city. Certainly nicer than any of the cities currently in the Western Conference, with the possible exception of Denver.

I'd much rather live in any of those cities than live in the shitty country of Singapore.

[cnyc3]

Vancouver is a hockey town.

Since the grizz weren't any good, no one paid attention to them here.. i still remember how the announcers explained every rule, every game. :D

"Blue Edwards just whistled for travelling.. travelling, for those who don't know...."

[Kobe™]

http://images.yuku.com/image/gif/7771524ca991a9f342e655250e84566a0cf1c3b.gif

[Armando]

http://images.yuku.com/image/gif/7771524ca991a9f342e655250e84566a0cf1c3b.gif



When was that? :lol

[lefty]

http://images.yuku.com/image/gif/7771524ca991a9f342e655250e84566a0cf1c3b.gif

This gif would made sense if you put Stern's head on Bush's body.

[monosylab1k]

David Stern discussing his biggest failures is like Jenna Jameson discussing all the cocks she's put in her mouth. Too many to name.

[SPURS21]

This board puts way to much emphasis on population and population alone when analyzing potential NBA markets.

There is more than enough wealth and fan support in the GTA to support an NBA franchise in Toronto