I'm sorry Mr. Bristow (the I was wrong thread)
Alan, I mean Mr. Bristow, I'm sorry.
I've been your harshest critic here. I thought you were a coullion and a horrible hire. Today sir, you've earned your stripes. For now at least.
No more :bflip: from me! In a season which started horribly, I didn't think you could possibly do anything with this roster to make our rebuilding situation better. The odds were stacked against you.
While Dan Dickau, Boki Nachbar, Casey Jacobsen, Lampe and Vroman were certainly good return for DW and Armstrong, I doubted you could do anything more than improve the bottom half our our roster.
Today, after dealing Mash, RR and BD, you've placed the Hornets in a position to be very active this summer. Looking at where you started, with the condition of the roster you inherited, I'm impressed with where we are today.
Now, lets finish the fine job you've started. While I'm willing to eat crow and humble pie based on what you've been able to accomplish, the final grade will be driven by what you do with the flexibility, cap space and options you've created. Please don't let us down!
I thought your appointment as GM was a severe blow to this team. I likened it to the hiring of Tim Floyd. Unlike most folks, I'll admit when I'm wrong. I don't mind being wrong in situations like this. I don't have an agenda to protect. I don't mind putting my pride aside for the betterment of my favorite professional sports team. If only BD, Mash and a few others could have done what you are about to do. You've almost done it. Don't stop now.
Friends? :p
HH
As much as I love the moves this year ...
I can't help but be a little worried about the real motive for them. If you read Chad Ford's ESPN Insider on the winners and losers from the trade period, he really rips on the organization. The inference is that he thinks the NBA has no business being in New Orleans.
Specifically, he says the moves are all cost-cutting help for Shinn's bottom line while the league figures out what to do. In other words, he's not convinced the Hornets will do anything with the cap room. Now, I realize it's easy for these guys to take shots at our city and team, but they also cover the sport for a living and in many cases know what they are talking about. Given Shinn's history in Charlotte, and the declining ticket sales (yes, related to winning %, but no excuses in this league), I'm concerned.
So the question is, why would any FAs want to come here? I think the biggest selling point is Byron Scott, a champion player with a proven track record as a coach. We also have NBA vets in the front office and a hall of famer in Willis Reed. That's a lot of credibility; the Hornets aren't a bunch of guys from a bar in Mid-City trying to run a pro franchise.
So, I will allow myself to be excited for now. I truly hope the Hornets are making a good-faith effort to improve the club, and that the fans can look forward to a competitive team. It's time to show the country that a pro team from the Big Easy can win.