Wizards owner Abe Pollin passes away

[Pistons < Spurs]

WojYahooNBA

Longtime Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin has passed away at 85

[lefty]

RIP

The good news is that Arenas won't open his mouth for 2 days

[Pistons < Spurs]

Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin has died. He was 85.

His death was announced by his company, Washington Sports & Entertainment. He died Tuesday but no details were disclosed.

The Wizards announced the death in a statement Tuesday afternoon.

Pollin was the NBA's longest-tenured owner, having bought the then-Baltimore Bullets in 1964. He had not been in good health in recent years, suffering from a rare brain disorder that impairs movement and balance. He also had heart bypass surgery in July 2005.

Pollin tried to run his pro sports teams like a family business. He bemoaned the runaway salaries of free agency and said it would have been difficult for him to keep the Wizards if it weren't for the NBA's salary cap.

His Washington-area sports empire began when he purchased the Baltimore Bullets in 1964. The Bullets, since renamed the Wizards, won the 1978 NBA le.

The Wizards have not won one since. They are off to another rocky start at 3-9 and last place in the Southeast division. Among the recent issues is a reported cold war between Brendan Haywood and Gilbert Arenas.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_yl...=tsn&type=lgns

[I. Hustle]

They are in the southeast division?

[lefty]

They are in the southeast division?

You didn't get the fax?

[rayray2k8]

This might make the wizard player put their differences aside and make them work together. It's sad that it would probably take something like this for them to turn things around.

[Culburn369]

MJ put him in not an early grave, but, rather a late one.

[SenorSpur]

Best thing Pollin will be remembered for is firing Michael Jordan, who's track record as GM of the Wizards was deplorable, as he tried to run the team from his Chicago office and from various golf courses around the globe. Of course, he's not fared any better since becoming President of the Bobcats.